She Can And She Did

Chapter 24

The weekend arrived, and with the boys caught up with their homework, they were all set to spend the time with Joe, who was supposed to come back to D.C. for a few days but he had called to cancel the night before, saying he was needed in Ethiopia for the next month or so.

Lee had stopped over on Saturday morning to check on Jamie, and noticing both boys' demeanors, while they were seated on the family room couch, gestured toward them while asking Amanda as she gave him a cup of coffee that morning, "I've seen happier faces at work for vacation time...What's up?"

Amanda shook her head commenting softly, "Well, Joe was supposed to take them to an Oriole's game, and Dominion Raceway this weekend, but-"

Phillip, hearing his mother, heaved a heavy sigh, stating tersely, "He flaked, Mom! He's always doing this-"

Jamie, swallowing hard, answered, "Yeah...But this time, it's my fault for hurting my wrist-"

Phillip shrugged, adding, "Well, it sure didn't help-"

Amanda chided gently, " Phillip! Stop that! Jamie! Your dad said no such thing! Now, c'mon, Guys! You know he didn't intentionally do this...He really wanted to be here, okay? He loves you and you know that, right?"

Jamie, squeezing a Nerf ball gently with his injured hand, as part of exercise, sighed responding, "Yeah, but Mom, Phillip's right...If Dad really wanted to be here he would."

Lee sighed, and taking his coffee cup over, he sat in the chair near the couch, putting the cup on the end table where a coaster was, and clearing his throat, stated lightly, as he reached into his pants pocket to pull out an envelope, "Yeah, gee, that's really too bad, Fellas...I had helped someone at work, and they thanked me by offering me these tickets and when your mom told me that you were already going with your dad...Well, I knew I couldn't use them and-"

Phillip, glancing over in Lee's direction, eyed the titled envelope, and brightened, getting up yelling, "It's Dominion Raceway! Jamie! We're going after all!"

Jamie, excited also, jumped up from the couch, yelling, "Oh, boy! Mom?! Can we go?! Please?!"

Lee stood up from the chair, and holding the envelope high above him as the boys' jumped to reach it, yelled over the din, while winking at Amanda, "Ho-Hold it, Guys! Your mom may have other stuff for you to do here!"

Jamie looked over at Amanda, and queried, "Like what, Mom?"

Amanda smirking, answered, "Well, the garage could use a good cleaning out, and the cellar...Whew!"

Then Dotty added as she came downstairs, "And whatever you boys have under your beds and in your closets...Well-"

The boys groaned in unison, "Aw, c'mon, Mom! Grandma!"

All three adults laughed at the boys' faces, and Amanda remarked finally, "Okay, if you're really sure you wanna go-"

Phillip and Jamie raced to Amanda, giving her hugs and kisses, and Amanda, putting up a hand, responded to Lee as she held onto both boys, "You will take care of them, and make sure Jamie doesn't over do it with his left hand?"

Lee, smiling, answered, "Well, I can, but we're all going. I have five tickets here."

But Amanda quickly shook her head and said distractedly, "N-No, you and the boys go...Mother and I have something to do today, anyway, but be sure to have fun, okay?"

Lee, concerned, asked, "Everything alright?"

Amanda and Dotty, sharing a look Lee couldn't decipher, both nodded, with Dotty stating, "We -We have some shopping to do, and we know the boys hate clothes shopping, right, Fellas?"

Phillip rolling his eyes answered, "Yeah, and it's not just one outfit either with them..."

Jamie acted out, pretending to hold out a blouse to Phillip, saying as he mimicked his mother, "What do you think of this color, "Mother?"

Phillip, going along, shrugged, answering as Dotty, "I don't know, Dear. I think I like the last two you tried on-"

Dotty sighed and remarked firmly, "Keep that up, and you both will be stuck here-"

But when the boys protested, saying, "We-We're kidding, Grandma! Honest! We're sorry!"

Lee responded, putting a hand up, "Alright! That's enough! We're leaving now! Amanda, you take my car, and I will take the wagon-"

Amanda puzzled, asked, "Why?"

Lee, bewildered, queried, "Because you said you were shopping today, remember? My 'Vette is a two-seater as you know... What's wrong with you?"

Dotty nudged Amanda, who exchanged her car keys with Lee's, and going to the boys, gave them a hug, and shrugged, saying, "Oh nothing...I just forgot. Well, you boys behave, and have a good time, alright?"

-SMK-

Getting into the station wagon finally, Lee and the boys were getting their seat belts on, when Lee asked them, "Okay, Guys...What's up with your mom?"

Phillip shrugged stating, "I dunno. Do you, Jamie?"

Jamie, shrugging also remarked, "Well, they were looking at a girl's hair magazine...Maybe Grandma's getting hers done a different way...She always likes to try different stuff..."

Lee, concerned, queried, "But not your mom, right?"

Phillip remarked, "I dunno. Do you want me to go ask-"

Lee shook his head quickly, and noting the time, answered, "No! We gotta go now, Fellas...Let's head out..."

And as Lee pulled the car out of the driveway, and they left the neighborhood, Lee thought worriedly, Please, Amanda! Don't do anything ridiculous to your hair! It's perfect just the way it is!

Meanwhile, Amanda, noticing the car leaving the street finally, turned from the den window, stating quickly, "Okay, Mother! They're gone! We can go now!"

Dotty, grabbing both her and Amanda's purses, answered as she met her at the door, "Well, I hope Mr. Emelio won't be upset that we're late, Dear! The style you asked about getting takes a bit of time! Let's hurry before he cancels the appointment!"

TBC