Chapter 4

Picking up her bags, Amanda brought them to the bottom of the stairs. She managed to step out of the way just as Philip and Jamie threw the door open. "Hey Grandma, we're home!" Philip yelled.

"Philip, please be careful opening that door. You almost knocked me over," Amanda scolded her oldest son.

"Sorry Mom, I didn't see you there. Hey is Lee here? I thought I saw his car across the street." Philip asked.

"Hi boys," Lee called from the kitchen. "How was basketball?" He had been trying hard to connect with both boys the last few months and found starting conversations could be tough unless he appealed to both their interests.

Philip grabbed an apple out of the bowl on the counter. Taking a bite, he replied, "Good, I finally figured out my point shot. Junior didn't really shoot much." Philip gestured toward Jamie who was trying to get his camera out of the bag.

Looking at his older brother, Jamie made a face. "I shot plenty… it just wasn't basketballs. Hey Lee, do you think you can show me a trick on getting good action shots. I was trying to take pictures of them but I think I'm doing it wrong. I raised the shutter speed but I don't know about the apet… apech…" Jamie couldn't remember the terminology.

"Aperture?" Lee suggested.

"Yeah, aperture. I was reading that if I adjusted that the pictures could come out better but I think I did something wrong," Jamie shrugged his shoulders. Handing Lee the camera, he looked up at him, "Can you take a look?"

Lee took the camera from Jamie, smiling. It took a while but he thought he finally found a common ground with his stepson. Looking through the viewer, he focused on Amanda in the kitchen. "Hmmm, I don't know… it looks pretty good to me," Lee teased.

Rolling his eyes, Jamie took the camera back, "That's 'cause Mom's not moving, Lee."

Lee reached over and ruffled his hair, "I know, Chief, I'm just teasing. Your mom and I have to leave in a few minutes but when we get back this weekend how about you and I go down to the Potomac and see if we can get some shots of the speed boats. If you can catch those, you can catch your brother and his friends playing basketball."

Philip turned to look at him, "You and Mom are going somewhere? What about us? Please don't tell me we have to hang out with Grandma all weekend?"

"No, Philip, you are with your Dad and Carrie this weekend. Remember? Food tasting? Not to mention your dad has Friday off too so he said he was going to spend the whole day with you guys," Amanda reminded her son.

"And cake tasting, too…" Jamie sighed happily. "But are you and Lee going somewhere, for real?"

Now it was Lee's turn to answer. "Sorry guys, but your mother and I have to go to Virginia Beach for work. We should be home by Sunday. It was a last minute thing. We didn't even know about it until this morning."

"Are you guys leaving now?" Jamie asked. He sounded a little disappointed, a little sad.

Amanda walked over and gave him a small hug. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but we are leaving soon. Is something wrong?" she asked her son. She was a little worried about him now. She put her hand on his head to feel for a temperature. "You're not feeling sick or anything are you?"

"No, Mom, I'm fine. I was just hoping Lee and I could figure out this photography thing. I got excited when I saw his car. I forgot we were going to Dad and Carrie's this weekend," Jamie admitted.

"At least we get to try food that's edible. Carrie can't cook like you, Mom," Philip interjected.

Amanda reprimanded her son, "Philip! That's not very nice. Maybe Carrie didn't have a wonderful mother at home to teach her like I did. Grandma spent a lot of time in the kitchen teaching me when I was about your age. Maybe it's time you two start learning too. After all, you don't need someone to wait on you hand and foot."

Lee laughed. He loved listening to his wife and his stepsons in a battle of the sexes. Deciding he could push the idea even further, "I could, ah, teach you boys how to cook a few things too. After all, I spent a lot of time in different countries when I was growing up and always managed to find a good chef that was willing to impart some knowledge on me."

"You can do that?" Philip's head turned to look at him.

"I can do what?" Lee was suddenly confused.

"You can teach us to cook. I mean really cook, not like that stuff they pretend to teach us in school," Philip was suddenly interested in this new turn of the conversation.

Now it was Amanda's turn to smile. It was times like these she appreciated more and more. Her husband and her boys finding common ground to talk and hopefully share with each other. "Lee is an excellent cook. Hey guys, I have an idea, why don't we plan family dinner night one night a week where you guys and Lee make dinner for Grandma and I. That way, you can both learn how to cook and Lee can tell you some of the things he knows," Amanda suggested, looking at Lee as she said it.

"That sounds like a plan to me," Lee answered, leaning forward to give her a light kiss on her cheek.

"OH Gross! Get a room!" Philip pretended to gag as he walked into the family room.

Jamie, much like his mom, wanted to confirm this idea. "So what night do you think we can do that? How about Tuesday? We don't have practice or anything on Tuesdays?"

Amanda and Lee looked at each other, surprised at Jamie's reaction. "Tuesday it is, Chief. But listen, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we need to get going. We have a few more things to do before we get ready for our assignment," Lee said.

"Oh, boys, listen carefully. I need you to get your bags packed tonight. That way they will be ready for your dad to get them tomorrow before he picks you up from school," Amanda told them.

"We will, Mom. I'll even make sure he packs his toothbrush this time," Jamie nodded his head in the direction of his brother.

"Shut up, Wormbrain. I always pack my toothbrush. I just sometimes forget to use it," Philip admitted.

"Please don't call your brother Wormbrain, and please, Philip, brush your teeth!" Amanda shook her head. "Mother, I'm going to leave Lee's car phone number here beside the phone in case of an emergency. Are you sure you're okay with this?" Amanda asked.

"Have a wonderful time, darling, Lee. And remember, Amanda, stay safe!" Dotty practically sang as she pushed them toward the front door.

"Thank you, Mother." Amanda gave her mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Lee called out to Jamie and Philip, "Hey boys, come give your mother a hug before she goes. She's not going to see you for a few days. You know she's going to miss you."

The boys came running to the front door. They each gave Amanda a hug and a kiss on her cheek. Jamie even went over and hugged Lee goodbye too, much to their amazement. "Thanks, Chief, we'll see you on Sunday. Have fun with your dad," Lee was slightly choked up. He looked over at Amanda and caught her wiping a tear from her eye.

"Have a good time boys! Be good for your dad and Carrie. Philip, remember to brush your teeth," Amanda reminded them one more time.

Lee picked up Amanda's bag and headed out to the car. Once they were in the car on the way to his apartment, he looked at Amanda and said, "I think we're making progress."

Amanda wiped another tear that had started to run down her cheek.