She Can And She Did

Chapter 27

The month had flown by, as Amanda and Lee got busier with work and she with the boys' extracurricular activities, and it was getting more difficult for she and Lee to spend time together, let alone have lunch or a dinner.

At the end of the month, Dotty asked her daughter one night during a rare dinner with her, how things were going with Lee, and if she was possibly breaking it off with him since he wasn't having dinner with them regularly now.

The boys were unusually quiet that night as they were making a good show of trying to finish their meal.

Seeing this and growing weary of her mother's continued questions about her and Lee's relationship status, Amanda took a sip of her water, and putting it down, stated, "All right, everyone...Forks down. I have something to say here."

As the family gave her their undivided attention, Amanda, releasing a deep sigh, answered, "I know you've been wondering about Lee for some time now, and I can honestly say that although we still care about one another, I just don't know where we are right now, okay? Between our work, and my volunteer work at the hospital, and all the ball games and play rehearsals you boys have had that I've been able to attend lately, we just haven't given ourselves a chance to catch up with each other, and-"

Just then, the phone rang, and Dotty stated, getting up from the kitchen table, "I'll get it. It's probably Mrs. Miller from down the block about those magazine subscriptions-"

Amanda shaking her head, commented, "Mother, we already have Ladie's Home Journal, and the Gourmet magazine...Please don't give in to getting the McCall's magazine, okay?"

Dotty quickly nodded answering as she picked up the phone, "I-I know, Dear...Hello?"

Amanda, turning her attention to the boys once more, asked, "What's the matter, Fellas? Not hungry tonight?"

The boys shrugged, and Phillip answered hesitantly, "Well, we...We kinda thought you weren't seeing Lee any more like when you stopped seeing Dean-which I know was my fault mostly because I wasn't too nice to him, but-"

Jamie chimed in with a nod remarking, "Right, but we like Lee, and we thought he liked us, but then he stopped coming around, and it's kinda like when Dad-"

Amanda, swallowing hard, stated with a gesture as she rose from the table, "Okay, Boys...Let's have a sit down on the couch, hmm?"

-SMK-

The three sat down, and Amanda, gathering the boys close to her, answered softly, "Phillip Thomas and James Joseph King...I know you two are still a bit too young to understand some things, but I've always tried to be as honest as I can with you, alright? Now, your dad and Dean and Lee are three very different people...And what I mean by that is that I had feelings for all three of them at different times in my life. First off, your dad...Joe King and I met in college through friends of ours, and we hit it off almost immediately. I had my college degree in American Literature, and I thought I could be a teacher, while he studied to be a lawyer after we married-"

Phillip answered quietly, "Then we came and kinda blew it for you, huh?"

Amanda shook her head answering vehemently as she cupped Phillip and Jamie's chins collectively, "No! You two were the best things that came from our being together! Now, someday, you two will maybe find that certain someone that will change your lives. It may take a while, though...For me, I thought it was going to be your dad, but as time went on, we realized our dreams were very different from when we started...We broke up, and after that first year since the divorce, I met Dean McGuire...Now, Dean was a very nice man, very attentive, but he was ready to settle down immediately, which I was not, so I realized after a while of seeing him that I wasn't being fair to him the longer we went out together, so I let him go."

The boys nodded slowly, and Amanda sighed, replying, "Now, Lee Stetson...I met Lee two years ago when I found the job at IFF...The man is exasperating, infuriating, and turns me inside out every which way until I can't think any more-"

Phillip, puzzled, asked, "But you like him because...?"

Amanda sighed, answering softly, "Because he also knows when I need a shoulder, when I need to talk...Even though, in the beginning, when I was first getting to know him, he basically kept to himself. Unless we were working at a location scout area. He was a bit shy anyway, so I had to work at it a little at a time to get him to open up like a regular person. He considers himself a loner, which means that you're fine on your own, and you don't feel the need for a lot of company usually-"

Jamie then queried, "But you're not together now because...?"

Amanda giggled, ruffling Jamie's hair, "Because of our schedules lately, as I just explained at dinner, Silly!"

Phillip, clearing his throat, asked, "Is this gonna break you guys up, though? I mean, if you never see each other, then what's the point?"

Amanda, bewildered at his question, queried teasingly, "How old are you again? I mean, where are you coming up with this stuff?"

Phillip sighed replying, "Mom, you're not the only one that's divorced around here. Some of our friends at school have the same problem with their parents, where they just split because they were too busy to be with them, and each other, and the friends only see parents on weekends-even if they live with one of them...It's weird."

Amanda asked pensively, "Hey...Wait a second, Fellas. Is that how you boys feel about me? I mean, I'm here! Grandma also! You never have to worry about that! Sure, I work, and Lee and I would like to see each other, but he understands that if there's an emergency, or a problem that you boys need me for, then I'm back here toot sweet, alright?"

Phillip then nudged Jamie, stating, "See? Jeremy is a doofus! He doesn't know anything!"

Amanda put up a hand, querying, "Wait...Jeremy? Who's Jeremy?"

Jamie answered, "Jeremy Banks, one of the kids from school whose mom is divorced."

Phillip shaking his head commented, "Yeah, Mom. He said to Jamie the other day that this would happen to him too, that you would flake on us, and worry about yourself only, like his mom does..."

Amanda swallowed hard, remarking, "Well, he's around your age, so he doesn't understand the situation anyway. What did his mother tell him?"

Jamie sighed answering, "He said that she told him, "You're healthy, you've got a place to live, clean clothes on your back, and food on the table, so you're good. You don't need to worry about me either, I'm fine as well."

Amanda, surprised at what her sons had just told her, stated firmly, "Well, I'm sorry you had to hear all that, but here in this house, you both can come to Grandma or me if you need to talk about anything. Now, as far as Lee and I are concerned, I will have to clear a few things up myself...But I promise you, we are not breaking up, okay?"

Looking at the time, Amanda then rose from the couch, stating, "Okay, are we all good here, because you have to go get showers, and get ready for bed, so give me your best hugs, and head on up, alright?"

Phillip and Jamie, each nodding, got up to hug Amanda, answering, "We love you, Mom!"

Amanda, giving each a hug back, kissed them commenting, "I love you, too! Go on up now..."

As the boys headed up the stairs, Amanda, shaking her head at Dotty, who had been off the phone, but listened to their talk, asked, "What in the world are these parents thinking, by "Sweeping things under the rug", as it were?"

Dotty shrugged responding, "Well, Darling, your daddy and I didn't always tell you everything, either...For instance, when he had to look for work, and we were short on money..."

Amanda wistfully answered, "Yes, I know-"

Dotty queried, "How?"

Amanda stated, "Grandma told me that's why we had macaroni for all those weeks..."

Dotty shook her head commenting, " Ah...Well, we were just trying to keep our little girl from worrying, that's all...Which is probably just what Jeremy's mother was doing with him...Now, as to who was on the phone earlier? It was Lee, and I explained that you were having an important talk with the boys, but that you would call him back as soon as you could tonight."

Amanda nodded, and with a sigh as she looked at the time, said, "Okay, I'll do that right now..."

While her mother said good night and headed up, Amanda dialed Lee's number and waited.

He picked up moments later, stating, "Stetson."

Amanda answered, "King, here. How are you?"

Lee chuckled responding, "Not bad, considering we haven't spent more than five minutes alone together lately. How is everything there? Boys okay?"

Amanda remarked, "They are now, but is it alright if I come over? Think we need to figure out some things, okay?"

With a swallow, Lee replied carefully, "Sure...See you in a few minutes..."

Hanging up with her, Lee thought, This doesn't sound good...Wonder what's up?

TBC