"Lee, this is the best view ever!" Philip exclaimed as the colorful fireworks exploded high overhead. He moved from one spot on the boat to another to get another angle on the light show.
Dotty put her hand on Jamie's shoulder as he tried to photograph the display above, "Just be careful, dear, you don't want to stare into that lens for too long. Enjoy the show, be a part of it, don't just try to document it."
"I will, Grandma. Lee told me how to keep the lens open for longer exposure and I wanted to try that," Jamie explained as Lee smiled. He was silently thanking the instructor of the recent refresher course he'd taken on photographic surveillance. Amanda slipped her arm around Lee's waist and gave him a gentle squeeze.
"Tonight's the last night of the festival, so the firework display should be longer than normal," Lee stated. Back at the hotel, he'd talked to one of the vendors who gave him advice on where to stop to watch the fireworks from the water. He was an older gentleman that lived locally and had spent many hours on the water fishing. They were anchored close to the fishing pier about five hundred yards from shore. The small electric boat was more than large enough for all of them to fit comfortably and Lee even picked up popcorn and drinks to snack on while they watched.
"Lee, this has been a great weekend away for all of us. I don't know how to thank you," Dotty stated between the pops, booms, and whirls of the light show.
Lee chuckled and thought for a moment before he replied, "You can thank me by taking a walk along the beach with me tomorrow. I know there is a little souvenir shop just north of here you would love." Dotty was speechless with his offer as she clasped her hands together and smiled.
Amanda hugged him to her side a little tighter when she saw her mother's reaction in the scattered lights. She leaned close to Lee's ear and whispered, "You know just the right way to make everyone happy in this family." Lee didn't reply, he simply kissed her cheek and lifted his chin to watch the grand finale above.
Once the fireworks were over, they carefully steered the electric boat back to the marina. Jamie was nodding off as they pulled into the docks and only woke when Philip poked him in the ribs, earning a stern look from Lee. He muttered his apology to his brother once they were in the car, driving back to the hotel. Traffic was much lighter than Lee expected, and they were back in their hotel rooms thirty minutes after leaving the marina.
"Ok fellas, we have to check out tomorrow no later than eleven, but Lee and I are going to meet with Mrs. White at nine so remember, I'm gonna need your help. While Lee and I are in our meeting, you need to pack the car with your grandmother," Amanda reminded the boys when they entered the hotel room.
"If we get up early enough, can we have breakfast downstairs again?" Jamie asked, half-asleep. He pulled a pair of shorts and a t-shirt out of his bag and tossed his sleepwear onto the bed.
Philip yawned loudly as he said, "Don't worry, Mom, Jamie and I got this. And breakfast does good, but right now that pillow is calling my name. I don't remember the last time I was this tired."
"Well, we should all get some rest. It's late and if you want to go to breakfast tomorrow we'll have to be up early. Tell you what, if you boys want to hang out on the beach for a while before we leave I think we can arrange that," Lee suggested. He looked over at Dotty as if he was looking for her approval of his idea.
Dotty was sitting on the edge of the boys' bed listening intently to the conversation. She stood up and gave Lee a hug as she said, "Don't forget, you and me tomorrow. It's my turn."
Lee nodded and said, "Don't worry, Dotty, I would never forget about you. So that's the plan, then? Dotty and I together, Amanda, you and the boys on the beach for a while before we take off and head home."
"I like how that sounds," Amanda stated with a smile.
"Me, too. And I can't wait for us to be in our new house together," Jamie interjected. He gave Amanda a hug, then Lee as he said, "Good night, Mom. Good night, Lee."
"Good night, Jamie, Philip, Dotty. See you in the morning," Lee smiled as he and Amanda left the room, closing the door behind them. Lee turned to Amanda and said, "I would call today a success. But it is late, and we should get some rest."
Amanda looked at Lee as she asked quietly, "What are we going to tell Mrs. White? She knows we're already married, how are we going to explain this to her?"
"Don't worry about Mrs. White. I have an idea that should take care of things. We did explain we had hesitations about her posting the picture because of my job so we'll go with that," Lee stated as he pulled Amanda into his arms. "Now, go take a shower so we can get some sleep. I don't know about you, but I'm beat. Must be that salt air…" he trailed off.
"Or maybe you're still tired from the week you had," Amanda suggested. She took a nightgown into the bathroom with her and emerged a short time later. Lee was already in bed, waiting for her. She slipped into the bed and snuggled up beside him. "Sweetheart?"
"Hmmm-mmm," Lee replied sleepily.
"Thank you," she whispered as she rested her head into the hollow of his shoulder.
Lee opened his eyes confused, and asked, "For what?" He lifted his head high enough to look at her.
Amanda pushed up on her elbow to look at him as she said, "For giving us a great first family vacation. For spending time with all of us one on one and for taking your first steps toward being a great step-dad."
Lee smiled as he nestled his head back into the pillows and said, "That's only because I've had a great teacher. Someone who's taught me to be patient, understanding… loving."
"Aw, Sweetheart, that's an awfully nice thing to say," Amanda replied as she squeezed him tightly.
Lee tried hard not to laugh when he replied, "I'll be sure to tell Emily you approve."
"Oh, you!" Amanda groaned before she laughed. "Emily is still coming to the wedding, isn't she?" she asked, her tone suddenly sounding serious.
Lee nodded, his chin brushing against the top of her head as he replied, "As far as I know. She hasn't told me anything different. What about Aunt Lillian? Is she still planning on coming with Aunt Edna or are they fighting again?"
"No, Aunt Lillian is coming, but refuses to stay in the same room as Aunt Edna because apparently, Aunt Edna is using some sort of cream at night that Aunt Lillian swears makes her break out in hives every time she smells it." Amanda explained. She began absentmindedly rubbing Lee's chest in circles with her fingers as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
"Amanda," Lee said her name, his tone a little harsher than he intended.
"Yes, Sweetheart?" she asked sweetly, unaware her ministrations were distracting him.
"Can you please stop doing that or else we won't be getting any sleep any time soon," Lee warned her with a raised eyebrow.
"I love you, Mr. Stetson," Amanda replied as she stilled her hand.
Lee covered her hand with his and whispered, "And I love you, Mrs. Stetson."
Amanda woke up less than an hour later with Jamie standing beside their bed, gently shaking her. "What's wrong, Jamie?" she asked.
"I can't sleep. I mean, I'm tired and I want to sleep but I can't sleep," he whispered loudly.
Amanda rolled over and sat up to look at her son. She ran her fingers through her hair, lightly scratched the back of her head before she said, "What's going on? Is something bothering you?" She patted the edge of the bed and motioned for Jamie to sit down.
Jamie looked over at Lee's sleeping form and whispered, "I think Lee's mad at me." He looked down at the floor, unable to make eye contact in the dim lit room.
Amanda reached over and lifted his chin with her finger and asked, "What makes you think that? I thought you both had a great time tonight?" She felt the bed shift slightly as Lee repositioned himself.
"I did, I mean I think we did, but I think he might still be mad at me for knocking him in the water earlier today," Jamie admitted quietly. He shrugged his shoulders dejectedly as he stared at his hands.
"Oh, Sweetheart, I don't think so. I mean, he may have been upset initially but I think he's over that now," Amanda tried to explain. "Do you really think he would have rented that boat tonight if he was still mad at you?"
Jamie rubbed his bare foot on the rug and said, "No, I don't know. I just don't want Lee to be mad at me."
Lee pushed himself up onto his elbow and stated, "Jamie, I'm not mad. I thought maybe you were mad because I yelled."
"You thought I was mad at you?" Jamie asked incredulously.
Lee nodded and said, "Well, yeah. I was always mad at my uncle when he yelled at me and when I yelled at you, I thought you'd be mad at me."
"Oh," Jamie replied quietly.
Amanda looked from Lee to Jamie then back again to Lee. "I think we all learned something very important today. We need to talk about things, get things out in the open. If we can't talk about things we're never going to be able to be a real family," she stated. "Now, Jamie, is there anything you'd like to say to Lee?"
"I'm sorry I knocked you into the water today," Jamie said with a sigh.
"And I'm sorry I yelled at you, chief," Lee replied.
"Now, do you feel better?" Amanda asked her son. Jamie nodded, then leaned forward to give her a hug. "Now, let's try to get some sleep. Alright? Go on."
Jamie left the room slowly and closed the door quietly behind him. Lee pulled Amanda close and whispered, "How do you make it all look so easy?"
"It's not easy but if we talk about what's bothering us, instead of keeping it inside, it makes it easier," Amanda said as she snuggled into his embrace and closed her eyes.