Truth Telling Time

Amber followed her parents and son into the cozy kitchen, tucking herself into the corner of the table bench. Pulling Jack next to her as Amanda placed Jack's lunch in front of him. Amber watched Jack pull a face looking as if he had just smelled something sour while he took his fork to poke the baby carrots on his plate.

"Jackson Thomas you better eat those three baby carrots your grandmother put on that plate. I keep telling you fruits and veggies are not going to kill you."

He looked up at her with his clear blue eyes, "They could Mommy."

"They won't I promise. Here just dip them in the ranch." Amber picked up one of the offending carrots, dipping it into the ranch and holding it to Jacks mouth.

"Momma" just as he opened his mouth, she popped the carrot in holding to wait for him to bite down. He held his mouth open doing his best to win, but when his mother raised her eyebrow he complied. Chewing half the carrot while scrunching his face.

"Okay Mr. Drama King, that is enough, just eat. Let me talk to Papa and Grandma."

Swallowing Jack nodded while reaching for his peanut butter sandwich. Amber continued to run her hand through his curls. It wasn't the first time she had wished her only child had something besides her stubborn nature that reminded him of her. He was entirely his father from his blonde hair at the top of his head to his clear blue eyes, the scowl on his lips, and his love of music.

Lee cleared his throat, "Did you see him?"

Amber looked to her father, "Always the first question when I return from England? Not 'how are you?' Not 'how was your flight?' Not even 'did work go well'; no Daddy, always with did you see him?"

"Amber, I think your father is just—" Amanda was interrupted by her daughter.

"No, I know what he was really asking. Did I see T-O-M- and did we have S-E-X? I think is somewhat ironic considering his own past before meeting you. To answer your questions, yes, I did."

Lee just nodded. Amber was a bit more like him in his younger days than he would like to admit to, but when she came back from England five years, almost six years ago and pregnant, to say he was shocked was an understatement.

"Done!" Jack happily announced as he held his plate up to his mother. Amber laughed as she saw his face covered in peanut butter and a big milk moustache. Handing him his napkin to clean his face she pinned him with her eyes before asking, "Jack, where are the carrots?"

His blue eyes widened as he swallowed deeply, "I ate 'em?"

"Is that a question?"

"Is it?" He pulled his bottom lip into his mouth as Amber groaned at yet another trait Jack inherited from his damn father, complete adorableness.

"Jackson Thomas Stetson, where are the carrots?" Amber made to act as if she were going to tickle him and he confessed instantly.

"My pockets. I wasn't gonna waste 'em. I was gonna give them to the squirrels Mommy."

"Fine, but when you need glasses because you can't see, don't blame me or Grandma. Go out and play before we have to go home. Mommy had a long flight and needs to get to bed early tonight to get back on schedule."

Jack placed his plate in the sink before putting his shoes and windbreaker on to head out the back door. Amanda tried to catch him, "Don't slam the door." Her plea lost as the slamming of the door sounded back at her.

"How has that door survived?" She asked no one in particular but Lee answered, "It is like you, stronger than you look."

Amber smiled even though her heart was a tad jealous over how much in love her parents still were. She watched as her father took her mother's cup refilling the coffee and making it to her liking before sitting back down.

"Uh, Amber I never meant to upset you. I never do, but I just can't wrap my head around you allowing yourself to let this man—"

"Daddy, stop. Thomas is a good man. No, don't make that bullshit face. He is; he has done nothing wrong."

"Nothing wrong?" Lee exploded before standing to pace back and forth, "He seduces you, while married, gets you pregnant, ignores you and Jack, but every damn time you go back to England, he is right there by your side."

Amber knew she had to stop him, they needed the truth of things and it was time she confessed.

"He doesn't know about Jack."

Amanda's cup stopped midway to her mouth as Lee stopped pacing to face his daughter.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean just that. Thomas doesn't know anything at all about Jack. Thomas actually loves kids. Wants a whole rugby team, however that many is, but I never told him. Plus, he and his wife are now divorced."

"Sweetheart, how could you keep that from him?"

"I thought I was doing the right thing at the time. I mean, I went to England for my job as an assistant to the bank president. We finished business that first day, we went to the pub, I met Thomas, and she met Kelly. Thomas and I talked, he asked me to dance. I told him he wasn't hiding his wedding band. He told me it was just a dance. That was probably the only time he ever really lied to me. It wasn't just a dance. It was so much more. I tried for it not to be. I just couldn't say no to him; still can't it seems."

"You really love him, even now, don't you?" Amanda observed.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, "Yeah, I do, but if he ever finds out about Jack, I don't think how I feel will even matter. See, he is like almost royalty rich, a lawyer, and hates being dishonest. I mean he told his wife about the affair the next day."

"How did she take it?" Lee asked.

"I have no idea, but I guess she was okay with it, Thomas continued to see me while I was there the whole three months. When I returned home, I found out about Jack two weeks later. I called Thomas, a couple times actually, to tell him, but I chickened out every time. It was funny the few times we would talk; Jack would kick the whole time. Then I made the choice to change my number and not talk to him. It hurt too much for me and for what I was keeping from him."

The back door slammed opened again, "Sorry! I haveta pee!" He raced through the house up the stairs to the bathroom.

"I know they are both going to hate me over this, but can I just have one of them love me for a bit longer please?" Amber stood to go follow Jack up the stairs.

Lee sat next to Amanda, "How could she?"

"Lee everyone is different. She was hurting and confused and if you think back on it, we weren't supportive and neither were her brothers and sister. She probably felt all alone."

"I get that then, but every time she goes there for business, she sees him, they are together. She just admitted he is divorced now."

The doorbell rang and Amanda stood to get it with Lee not far from her. She opened the door and froze. The man standing in front of her was a six-foot carbon copy of her grandson, lopsided grin and all. If his looks didn't give him away, his British timber accent did.

"Hullo." He held out his hand, "I'm Thomas Andrew. I am looking for Amber Stetson. Would she be here?"

Lee moved back to give Amanda room to allow the man entrance. Closing it behind him, three sets of eyes then locked on the staircase as Jack bounced on each step counting them out as he descended.

"Jackson Thomas, I told you not to jump down your grandparents' stairs." Amber was still around the corner when Jack stopped on the landing, locking eyes with the newest guest. Frozen he backed against the wall.

Amber stepped near her son, "Baby, what's wrong? I told you would hurt your ankle doing that."

"He looks like me." Jack whispered to his mother.

"Who looks like you?"

Jack pointed his tiny finger down the stairs, toward the door, where Amber turned causing he to come face to face with her British lover, "Oh my gosh!"