Chapter 20

Lee pulled into the driveway on Maplewood Drive just as the sun set, thankful to finally be off the road. "I never thought I'd be this happy to be home," Dotty declared. "Seven hours in traffic is just too much! Too much! Whoever thought we would run into not one, but three construction sites on a Sunday afternoon?" She continued complaining as the boys began to unpack the car, carried the bags inside and then dropped everything on the floor of the kitchen. "Boys! Don't just drop everything there! Oh, Amanda, what are you going to do with them?"

Amanda laughed as she stood at the landing of the stairs and watched the organized chaos around them. The boys were bringing the bags inside and what Dotty didn't realize is Lee was lining the suitcases and bags up outside the laundry room to be emptied and put away. Dotty was standing on the walkway, still complaining when Amanda said, "Mother, how about you and I run down and pick up some pizza for everyone for dinner while the boys finish unpacking? We can take Lee's car."

Dotty looked at Amanda strangely, before she threw her hands up in the air and said, "Why not?"

Amanda followed Lee into the kitchen and grabbed his car keys off the hook near the back door. "Mother and I are going to get pizza. Think you can handle the rest of this?" she asked.

Lee slipped his hand around Amanda's waist, kissed her briefly on the lips then replied, "Only if you promise to get pepperoni."

Amanda laughed and replied, "Better make it two, the boys have been devouring it lately. I'll grab a cheese one too. Anything else?"

Lee looked around the corner where the boys were now tossing dirty clothes at each other and said, "Yeah, hurry. The natives are getting restless." He stepped into the room and snatched a shirt out of the air as he said, "Hey, what's going on?"

Philip pointed at Jamie and shouted, "He started it! He threw a pair of dirty socks on my head!"

Jamie shook his head rapidly as he replied, "No, you threw your swimming trunks at me first."

Lee looked helplessly at Amanda as she closed the door with a wave and a "We'll be back soon!"

Lee looked from one boy to the other and said, "Okay, we can do this. Let's clean up this mess and bring all the clothes in the other room. Now, which one of you knows how to sort the clothes?" Both boys just looked at the floor, not eager to make eye contact with Lee. "Okay, who knows how to turn on the washer?" he asked and again was greeted with silence. Lee took a deep breath and announced, "Listen, I'm not leaving this for your mother and grandmother to do so, let's all take these into the laundry room and I'll give you a lesson on how to do laundry."

Jamie started picking up the garments scattered around when he stopped and looked at Lee, "Wait, you know how to do laundry?"

Lee was bent over, picking up a pair of shorts when he straightened and shrugged his shoulders as he said, "Of course I know how to do the wash. After all, I'm a grown man, I've lived on my own for a long time. My uncle taught me when I was about ten. He was away a lot and no one else was going to do it for me."

Philip carried a few items into the laundry room, Lee and Jamie not far behind. Lee carefully explained how to sort the clothes by lights and darks, although he did admit sometimes he just tossed everything in together when it came to things like his smelly gym clothes earning an "I hear that" from Philip. He had Jamie measure out the detergent and Philip set the machine.

He decided the boys were capable enough to go through the remaining bags and sort the rest of the laundry although the second Philip pulled out one of Dotty's bras, he asked to be excused. Lee laughed loudly and said they could skip both Amanda and Dotty's bags but his bag would be fine. "Lee, I'll be back in a minute… I need to go to the bathroom," Jamie said quietly as he ran through the kitchen and upstairs.

Philip unzipped Lee's bag and was taking things out when Lee heard him clear his throat nervously. He looked over and saw Philip had uncovered the box of condoms he'd tossed into his suitcase. Philip was red-faced, unsure what to say, so Lee casually walked over, pulled out the remaining clothing items and said, "It's always good to be prepared. You know, better safe than sorry."

Philip, unable to find his voice squeaked out, "Uh huh."

Lee put his hand on Philip's shoulder and said, "Philip, it's okay. Your mom has already explained things to you and well, yes, things… happen… between her and I, but that's why we're smart about it."

Jamie was jogging back down the stairs and only heard the last part of Lee's comment. "Smart about what?" he asked. He looked at Philip's red face and Lee's quick reflexes as he closed the suitcase and picked it up. "Okay, did I miss something?" he asked without waiting for a response to his first question.

"No, nothing. I was just helping Lee empty his suitcase and he was just saying it was smart to put them away right away," Philip rushed out as he stood up. "Um, Lee, can I go outside and play basketball? After I put my bag in my room?" he asked, glad the conversation was over.

"Sure thing. Just watch out for your mom and your grandmother. They should be back soon," Lee nodded then added, "Jamie, if you want to go out there with him, I'll bring the bags up to your room for you."

Jamie smiled and took two steps to the back door, throwing it open. "Thanks, Lee!" he exclaimed.

Philip was only a few steps behind when he stopped, turned back and said, "Yeah, yeah thanks, Lee. I won't say anything to Junior… or Mom…. if you don't want me to."

Lee grinned back and replied, "This can be our secret. I won't tell if you won't."

Philip nodded and closed the door yelling, "Jamie, let's play horse."

Lee picked up the bags and carried everything upstairs. He deposited the boys' bags on their bed, Dotty's bag on her bed and both his and Amanda's on her bed. He spent a few minutes taking out his shaving kit and the box of condoms which he slipped into the bedside table drawer and left his shaving kit in the bathroom. He left Amanda's suitcase open on the bed when he heard her calling him from the kitchen.

Downstairs, the boys were already on their second slice of pizza each before Lee even made it to the bottom of the stairs. They were laughing and joking loudly when he sat down, but the boys quieted down quickly. Lee looked around to everyone and asked, "What?" He looked around again and the boys immediately started laughing loudly once again. "What?"

Amanda laughed loudly and said, "All right boys, pay up." Lee looked at her perplexed as the boys continued to laugh.

Dotty laughed at his confusion then finally admitted, "They bet they could eat the whole pizza before you came down." Lee just shook his head and laughed.