Lee Vs. Dotty

Chapter 4

Once on the beltway, as Lee drove he and the boys in the Jeep back to Arlington, he dialed the house, and Amanda answered, "Hello?"

Lee's baritone voice came through, stating, "Hi, Honey...Listen, I'm on my way home, and the boys are with me-"

Amanda, looking at her watch, replied, "Oh? So you picked them up at the park?"

Lee cleared his throat, and responded slowly, "N-Not exactly...See, here's what happened..."

And as Lee explained the boys' activities that afternoon, Amanda sighed, and looking at her mother, rolled her eyes.

Dotty gestured and asked, "What's wrong?"

Amanda commented into the phone to Lee, "J-Just a minute, Sweetheart...Mother's asked me something."

Covering the receiver, Amanda remarked firmly to Dotty, "The boys are worried about you and Lee's bickering...Now, when they get home, we are all going to sit down, and work this thing out. Do you understand me?"

Dotty was taken aback by Amanda's straightforward tone, and could only nod slowly as an answer, to which Amanda stated to her, "Thank you..."

Getting back to Lee, Amanda commented, "Okay, put the speaker on, Lee...I want to say something to the boys..."

Lee swallowed, and answered, "You got it..."

Putting the speaker on, he responded to Phillip and Jamie in the back seat, "Okay, Fellas...Listen up. Your mom has something to say to you..."

As Phillip and Jamie nodded, Lee replied to Amanda, "Okay, Honey, go ahead..."

Amanda, swallowing hard, remarked, "Hi, Fellas...Listen, I know a lot has gone on with our family in the last four years...Your dad and I split up, and Grandma moved in with us, and my job hunting, and dating Dean and all, and...Well, this time, we're all on the right track here with Lee standing by our side, and absolutely nothing is going to change that! He loves us, and we love him, alright? Now, the problem with Grandma and Lee is just a minor glitch in our system that can and will be worked out, huh? I mean, I don't know about you two, but I sure as heck don't want to go to therapy again, do you?"

Jamie then asked slowly, "No, but you and Dad were mad enough to get a divorce, and so, I thought maybe that meant Grandma might want Lee to move out, or Lee was mad enough to leave anyway-"

Phillip groaned then, and cut him off, saying with irritation, "Mom! Don't listen to him! He doesn't know anything! I was there! I remember it all! You telling me that you and Dad were just mad, and then Grandma saying the same thing when she and Dad would get into it! Why can't you guys just tell us the truth now? We're not babies any more, you know?!"

And on the other end at home, Amanda had let Dotty hear some of the conversation, and Dotty, gulping, went to grab a tissue, answering, "Oh, poor Phillip! I never realized he'd heard Joe and I argue at times!"

Amanda asked softly, "Lee? How soon can you get here?"

Lee, swallowing as he looked at a shaken Phillip wiping his eyes, remarked, "We'll be home in about ten more minutes, Sweetie."

Amanda commented gently, "Okay...Well, Boys, I'm going to order pizza for tonight, and we can talk all night if you want, because that's how much I love you, you got it?"

Jamie gulped, stating, "Got it, Mom..."

And Phillip, taking the handkerchief Lee passed back to him, blew his nose, and wiping his eyes once more, cleared his throat, and replied quietly, "Y-Yeah, Mom...We-We love you too. See you soon..."

Lee turned the speaker off, and responded to Amanda, asking, "How about some extra junk food for this gab fest, huh? We're getting close to the market, and um, also ask Dotty if she'd like her special wine to go with the milk I'm sure we need, hmm?"

Amanda answered, "I did get some things already earlier as you know because I checked the cabinet, but I forgot that as well, and she's low on it, so get whatever anybody wants, alright. and I love you..."

Lee sighed into the phone as he pulled into the supermarket parking lot just then, and finding a spot, parked, and turning off the motor, responded, "I love you too, Baby...We'll see you in a few minutes, huh?"

Hanging up, Lee commented to the boys with a gesture, "Alright, Guys...Let's get a cart, and head in..."

But as the boys climbed out of the car, Lee got out, and locking up the car, stated with a gesture, " Wait, Fellas...How about this? You go into the store, and start getting the essentials, and I'll meet you inside after I get your grandma's wine, okay? But you stay together, and I'll meet you, huh? Can I trust you guys not to wander off?"

Phillip and Jamie both nodded and chimed, "Sure," and Jamie asked, "Guacamole still your favorite dip?"

Lee smiled, replying, "You bet...Oh, don't forget the chips now."

With a wave to him as they parted, the boys chimed together, "We won't!"

Watching them go into the store, Lee took a deep breath, and letting it out slowly, thought as he headed for the liquor store next door, Hope I can handle this family session tonight...Better also get myself some beer...Whew...

TBC