Breaking the News

Dotty was sitting at the picnic table, drinking her tea, and watching her grandsons play catch. She loved these moments but her thoughts were on her daughter. Dotty had left that morning with Amanda sitting at the table eating a rather large breakfast. Normally when she was upset her appetite was gone, not this time. She knew Amanda had something on her mind, she had seen Jamie questioning his mother every minute he could. She also had noticed that any time anyone asked or spoke about Lee Stetson Amanda would withdraw from the conversation.

Dotty's attention was brought around by the voice of her grandsons welcoming their mother and Lee Stetson. Lee looked nervous as Jamie looked at him. Phillip was badgering him about the cuts and bruises on his face.

"Just a rough few days at the office, Phillip, I'll be okay." Lee said.

"Why haven't been around, was it because you and Mom had a fight?" Jamie asked and Dotty got the impression by the way her grandson asked and the look upon Lee's face, that there was an unspoken part of the question that wasn't missed by Lee.

"Jamie, yes, your Mother and I had a fight, but when I saw her at work on Monday we talked to one another. No, everything wasn't cleared up between us before I had to leave but I am back now and we are planning on talking more than fighting. How does that sound to you?"

Amanda walked over to the table giving Dotty a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Mother, would you like to help me in the kitchen while Lee and the boys talk. I have something to tell you."

Lee looked at Amanda and said, "Me? Alone?"

"No, not that, just talk sports or cars or something. You will be fine, I promise. I think you are getting the best of the deal here." Amanda laughed as her and Dotty went in the kitchen.

Dotty looked at Amanda and she saw a joy on her daughter's face. She hadn't seen that complete look of happiness in her daughter for so long. She was hoping that Amanda was ready to confide in her as she used to.

"Mother, we need to talk because I have something very important to tell you and I am not sure how you are going to handle the news. I am, well, Mother, I am going to have a baby." Amanda said watching her Mother's reaction to the news.

Dotty stood in shock as the words took hold and registered completely. "Did you just say you were going to have a baby?"

"Yes, I am going to have a baby. I am due around the middle to end of February."

"Amanda, a baby, how, who, when, why, where?" Dotty tried to form a full question but it seemed all words had left her for the moment.

"Well, I think you know the how, Mother. The when was about seven weeks ago while you and the boys were out of town, the why is because of improper use of birth control, as to the where I am not real sure about that one."

Laughing Dotty looked at Amanda and said, "A few options on that last one, Dear?"

Nodding her head Amanda said, "You have no idea, Mother."

"Amanda, Am I to assume that Lee Stetson is the father?"

"Yes he is, Mother." The smile Dotty saw spreading across Amanda's face made her happy and worried all in the same thought. She always troubled about her daughter and her choice in men. Her quietness seemed to alarm her daughter,

"Mother, are you okay? I know this is a shock but never the less it doesn't change anything."

"Amanda, I am well aware that it doesn't change anything." Dotty walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to go to her room leaving Amanda alone and silent.

Amanda sat silent for only a few short minutes as she decided to go and rescue Lee. She didn't think her mother would take the news as poorly as she had. She glanced up toward the stairs and hoped her mother would talk to her and Lee later.

Lee looked to the two young boys as Amanda and her mother went into the house, leaving the three standing at a triple face off. Jamie was the first to break the silence, "Why did you get mad at my mom?"

Walking toward the picnic table, Lee sat so he was more at an eye level with both boys as they followed him over. "Jamie, I would like to be able to tell you that I wasn't mad at your mom that night. Adults fight, but your mother and I are true friends and even though we fight, we work through it."

"What did you two fight about?" Phillip asked.

"The fight was more of a misunderstanding, as most fights are; we saw the same situation from different point of views. Your mother was waiting to tell me something important and I was impatient. I thought she was keeping the information from me for all the wrong reasons."

"What reasons?" Jamie asked. Jamie knew that Lee was aware of the baby as much as Lee knew Jamie was aware. Jamie thought how this wasn't going to be easy on Lee and smirked.

"Um, well, to be honest I thought she didn't trust me and that really bothered me." Lee admitted.

Waving his hand Phillip said, "You really do not know my mom that well then do you? She trusts everybody; even Grandma tells her she that."

Lee smiled as he replied, "I know that now, but at the time I really said some things that hurt her as much, but like I said we are working on it."

The three faces turned from their conversation as they heard the door open watching as Amanda came over and sat next to Lee. "How is everything going out here?"

"Lee was just telling us how you guys had a fight but was working things out." Jamie said.

"Did he tell you what that fight was about?"

Phillip shook his head and said, "No, just something about you not trusting him but you really do and so…"

"…Mom is having a baby. That is what their fight was about, I heard them." Jamie spat out interrupting his brother.

"Jamie! That was not your place to tell him, I told you that." Amanda scolded.

"He knew and I didn't? Talk about not trusting someone." Phillip whined slightly.

"Now hang on there. Okay fells, remember when I hurt my ankle then Grandma and Lee took me to the hospital? I found out that night I was going to have the baby. I didn't tell anyone right away because the ER doctor told me to follow up with my own doctor and confirm the pregnancy. I wasn't going to tell anyone until I knew for positive I was having a baby. Lee came over that night, it was the night you two met him, and he knew something was on my mind but I wouldn't talk to him about it. Then after he went home he called that night and was worried that whatever happened to be upsetting me, if it had to do with him and his past. I told him no. Well, he kept on and on so it just kind of slipped out. I didn't know that your brother could hear my conversation, when I learned he had, I asked him to keep it a secret until I was able to talk with Lee and then tell you and your Grandma. Now I want all of you to stop thinking I don't trust you with the truth; some truths just have to happen in time."

Amanda looked at Lee and he nodded his head in understanding. Looking to her sons, Lee asked them, "Do you have any questions for us about this?"

"Yes, can I be excused?" Phillip asked.

Amanda nodded as Phillip stood to leave but before he walked in the house he turned and then hugged his mom. Hugging him back she knew he was upset by how tight he was holding her.

"Jamie, what about you, do you have any questions?" Lee asked, hoping that at least one of them wouldn't hate him.

"I already asked mom a bunch of questions, so I guess the only question I have now is do you love my mom?"