Oh My Gosh

Chapter 4

Amanda and Dotty came home mid morning following Dotty's appointment with Dr. Engel.

As they came through the front door, Amanda, following behind, watched her mother put down her purse on the kitchen counter, and go about preparing tea, and while waiting for the kettle to boil, went over to sit on the family room sofa, without taking her coat off.

Amanda sighed, and taking off her own coat, put her purse down next to her mother's, and went over to her saying with a gesture, "M-Mother...Here... Let's take your coat off, huh?"

Dotty felt numb inside as she felt Amanda helping her remove the coat, and suddenly asked, "Wait, Dear...Aren't we going somewhere?"

Amanda, hearing the kettle whistle finally, answered softly as she patted Dotty's shoulder, "N-No, Mother, we're home now, and you're gonna be just fine, huh? Dr. Engel said the hormone pills would help alleviate your symptoms...I'll bring you your tea..."

As Amanda got out a tea cup and saucer, she then put a tea bag in the cup, and turning off the stove, poured the hot water into the tea cup as Dotty stated sadly, "You know, I don't remember your grandmother going through anything like this...Although I'm sure women in her era must have... It feels strange to me...Like it's the end of something, you know?"

Amanda swallowed hard, and bringing the tea over to her mother, placed it on the coffee table in front of her, and placing a kiss on her mother's cheek as she sat down next to her responded, "Well, it's not, because although this is hard, you will get through it...See, I was raised by a very strong, very capable human being who taught me to be the exact same way-"

But Dotty shook her head and taking a sip of the tea, put the cup down, then taking Amanda's hand, scoffed answering, "Oh, please, Dear! If anything, you picked up a lot of that from your father...You're very much like him in that way."

Amanda then sighed answering softly, "Okay, let's just say the traits were distributed evenly here and leave it at that, alright? But I really owe you a lot for everything you've done for me all these years."

Dotty then started to object, when Amanda, putting up a hand, stopped her by saying, "No, I-I mean it...Look, I really don't know what would've happened if you hadn't moved in here with the boys and me after Joe and I split up...For the first time in a while there, I was truly scared."

Dotty gulped, commenting, "I was when your daddy died, and I'm scared now..."

Amanda, feeling tears come to her eyes replied gently as she went to hold her mother, 'Then let me be here for you like you were for me, okay?"

Dotty nodded through her own tears answering, "Th-Thank you, My Precious Girl..."

-SMK-

They sat for a while holding one another, when finally, Dotty sighed and remarked to Amanda, " Well, thank you for the talk, Darling, but I think I'm going to go lie down for a bit, alright?"

They got up from the couch slowly, and Amanda asked, "Want me to bring you more tea? You didn't have much of it, and-"

Dotty shook her head commenting as she headed to the staircase, "No, thank you, Dear. I feel a bit of a headache coming on. A nap might help."

Amanda, nodding to her, said, " Okay...Wait, Mother? You forgot your pills."

Dotty answered tersely as she went back to the counter to take the medicine bag, "Is a magic pill supposed to erase everything? I mean, what do doctors really know anyway?"

Amanda sighed replying, "The sooner you take it, the sooner it starts to work, and you'll feel better...Please, Mother?"

Looking at the pills, then at Amanda, Dotty sighed deeply, commenting as she looked at the dosage instructions, "Oh, alright...But if this stuff makes me crazy...Let's see here...Two pills once daily, with or without food."

Dotty opened the bag, and taking out the bottle, took two pills out, and closing the lid, went to get a glass and water from the sink.

Downing the two pills, she swallowed the water, and putting the glass down on the counter, suddenly pantomimed a happy dance, saying lightly, "Oh, look at me! I can take on the world now! I'm cured!"

But Amanda shook her head, responding gently, "Mother..."

Dotty stopped and shrugged at Amanda's expression, "I was joking, Darling...See you later."

And as Dotty headed upstairs, Amanda went to the coffee table to get the tea cup and saucer, and bringing it back to the sink to rinse them out, was surprised to see Lee pop his head up at the kitchen window like the old days!

-SMK-

Running a bit of water on the dishes, she added soap, and turning off the water, left it to soak, while she headed outside to the back yard, and seeing Lee, asked, "What are you doing? Mother knows you now...You could've rung the doorbell like a normal person-"

Lee stopped her, commenting," I-I know, but I thought maybe we needed to talk privately here. So, what happened to your mom? She's okay, right?"

Amanda shrugged replying, "Yeah, at least, she will be soon...The doctor told her she's beginning menopause."

Lee nodded and stated, "Oh, good-"

Amanda queried, "Good? Did you hear what I said, Lee? Menopause! She's pretty upset by the whole thing, and-"

Lee put up a hand saying, "I didn't mean it that way! I just meant that I'm glad it isn't more serious, alright?"

Amanda nodded querying, "Okay...So what else did you want to talk about?"

Lee sighed asking, "How about last night's phone call... "If I were pregnant, Lee, what would you do?" What kind of question is that?"

Amanda gestured to the picnic table stating in a ramble, "A good one, I'd say, and I'd like an honest answer now before we tie the knot...Unless you're reconsidering your proposal, in which case, I'll go upstairs right now, and get the engagement ring to give back to you...Please sit down..."

And as Lee sat dumbfounded by this turn of events, he thought, Maybe I shouldn't have come over here today...Whew!

TBC