Oh My Gosh

Chapter 11

As Amanda related her news leading to that moment, Phillip, listening, put up a hand, querying, "Wh-Whoa! Wait a minute, Mom! First you thought you were, so then Dr. Goodman tells you that you're not, and now, he says you are?!"

Getting up quickly and going to the kitchen drawer, he pulled out Amanda's address book, and flipping pages, said, "D, D...D for Doctor, or G for Goodman?"

Amanda went over to him and taking the address book from him, answered gently, "Phillip...Please stop, Honey...I'm alright, huh?"

Lee stood up from the couch and stated carefully, " Yeah...It's ok, Pal...It was a mistake-"

Phillip shook his head and replied angrily, "But it's our mom, Lee! Nobody should be messing with our mom...Nobody!"

Phillip then turned and ran upstairs, stunning everyone in the room!

Dotty answered, "What in the world...?"

Jamie, looking at Amanda, responded, "I'd go up and find out what's eating him, but he'd just bite my head off like he did when this all started-"

Amanda asked, " What do you mean? What happened, Sweetheart?"

Jamie sighed, commenting, "Oh, when we were talking about the tests that you and Grandma had, we got worried, and when Grandma got mad, that's when Phillip told me to keep everything to myself from now on if anything else happened...Sorry, Mom...Sorry, Grandma..."

Dotty, coming over to hug Jamie, remarked softly as she looked over at Amanda, "You did nothing wrong, Honey...But I really wonder what could be bothering Phillip?"

Then Lee, clearing his throat, remarked, "Excuse me, but do you mind if I were to go on up and take a crack at it?"

Amanda puzzled, commented, "That's very nice, but he isn't angry with you, Sweetheart."

Lee answered with a sigh, "I think maybe in an indirect way he is, which kind of complicates the current situation, don't you think?"

Amanda replied with a nod slowly, "Yeah, I think maybe you're right...Um, should I come with you?"

But Lee shook his head commenting softly, " Sorry, but he may not want to open up enough if you're there, and-"

Amanda gave a slight eye roll, and remarked, "Alright, I get it...It's a "guy" thing... Okay, just go see what you can find out, please? But tell him we all love him, and it's gonna be fine, anyway."

Giving Amanda a wink and reassuring smile, Lee stated, "You got it.", and headed up the stairs...

-SMK-

Knocking on the boys' closed bedroom door, Lee asked, "Phillip? Okay if I come in?"

Phillip commented with a sigh, "Lee? Sorry, I don't want to be rude, but I don't feel like talking, okay?"

Lee responded, "Look...I understand the news kinda shook you up. I mean, it's a lot to digest, and, well, your mom was going to talk to you and Jamie about something else as well...So, would you mind if I asked your mom and brother to come up? Please?"

After a moment, Phillip opened the door and looking at Lee, shrugged with indifference, "I don't know what good it's gonna do, but whatever..."

Lee sighed, realizing it may be more than just about the baby news, and going to the staircase, called down, "Amanda? Could you and Jamie come upstairs, please?"

Jamie, downstairs with Amanda and Dotty, answered, "Why me? I didn't do anything."

Amanda called back, "Coming, Sweetie."

Gesturing towards the stairs, Amanda, with a smirk, took Jamie's arm, commenting gently, "Honey... No one said you did anything, but Lee and I do need to talk to you both about something else now, and this may be a way to get to the heart of the problem. Do you understand? C'mon..."

As the two went up, Dotty watching them, then went to the couch, pulling out one of the magazines, thinking, I wonder how Lee is really feeling about all the changes coming about? And what about the boys? How will they adjust to it? Certainly a lot to deal with all of a sudden...

TBC