Passageway
Chapter 21
When Lee and Amanda returned to their office, Lee's phone rang.
He answered picking the receiver up, "Stetson."
It was Phillip who asked, "Hey, Lee. It's Phillip. Got a minute?"
Lee looked at his watch and then glanced at Amanda who was dialing her phone and asked, "Sure, but you don't. You're probably on your way to your next class before lunch, correct?"
Phillip sighed and answered, "Yeah. But I got permission to call. Uh, Mom's probably with you now, right?"
Lee smiled and responded, "Sure she is. You wanna talk to her?"
Phillip shook his head and said firmly, "No! I mean, not now. I gotta ask you. Are Mom and Grandma still not talking? All Grandma said was that everything was fine and not to worry."
Lee nodded understanding the boy's confusion and commented, "Well, she wasn't lying about that. Things are better. As a matter of fact, they're both coming to dinner tonight when we have Chinese takeout. That'll be great, right?"
Phillip sighed unenthusiastically and remarked, "Yeah, sure."
There was an interruption on Phillip's end and he then stated, "Uh, I gotta go now. See ya later."
Lee responded, "Okay, Chief. See ya-"
The phone clicked and Lee stared at it before hanging up himself and he shook his head as he sat down.
Amanda was finishing up her call as well stating, "I love you too, Mother. I'll call before I leave here to come get you, all right? Okay, bye bye."
She hung up and noticed Lee's worried expression and asked,"Something wrong? That was Phillip you were talking to, right? What's up?"
Lee shrugged and commented, "Beats me. I told him you two were joining us for dinner and he didn't sound all that thrilled for some reason."
Amanda thought for a moment and remarked, "Well Honey, they've been through a lot since this whole thing started. Maybe he isn't convinced that we're all okay now."
Just then her phone rang and she answered, "Hello?"
It was Joe who stated, "Hi, it's me. Listen, have you talked to Jamie today?"
Amanda puzzledly replied, "No Joe, but Mother and I will be seeing them at Lee's for dinner tonight. In fact, Lee just got off the phone with Phillip. What's going on?"
Joe shook his head and responded worriedly, "I dunno but Jamie said that Dotty told both boys that things were okay now and not to worry which according to Jamie doesn't mean a whole lot."
Amanda sighed and answered, "Yeah. Well, Lee just had the same feeling from talking to Phillip a minute ago."
Joe stated, "I don't think the boys are convinced that we've all pretty much made up. Whatever Dotty said to them must have been very little. You don't think she's changed her mind about getting custody again, do you?"
Amanda shook her head and remarked quickly, "Oh, no. She already told me she reconsidered. That she isn't persuing it."
Joe sighed and responded, "Well, I'm relieved to hear that. Listen, I'll let you go. Call me if there's a problem later, okay?"
Amanda shrugged and stated, "I will, but I'm sure we'll find out what's bothering them one way or another tonight, Joe. Thanks for calling. Bye."
She hung up and sat down at her desk commenting, "Whew."
Lee asked, "What do you think the kids are worried about, Honey?"
Amanda shook her head and remarked, "I have no idea. Let's get some work done and we'll try to figure it out later, huh?"
Lee nodded and they concentrated on their paperwork on their desks.
Meanwhile at school Jamie met Phillip in the hall asking, "Well? What did Lee say?"
Phillip sighed answering, "He said Grandma was right. That they had made up and that they're both coming over for dinner. I say we talk to them and ask them not to lie to us. I mean, we're not kids any more, right?"
Just then Mrs. Dennis approached them stating, "Boys, you're going to be late for your classes. You can talk later."
The boys nodded and remarked, "Yes, Ma'am."
Alma Dennis watched as the King boys hurried away and shook her head thinking, I know something's bothering them. I'll call Dotty later and find out if I can help in any way...
TBC