In Limbo
Chapter 35
As Lee and Amanda came into the dining room, Dotty and the boys had just brought everything in and were seated already.
Lee pulled out Amanda's chair to seat her and she replied with a smile, "Thank you, Sweetheart."
Greeting Lee as he sat down, Dotty stated to Phillip and Jamie, "Did you apologize to Lee for what you said, Boys?"
When they nodded, Lee cleared his throat, and remarked, "Yes, and now I need to apologize to you and the boys, Dotty."
Puzzled, Dotty looked at him and asked, "For what? I don't remember you saying anything to upset us-"
Lee carefully answered, "What I mean is, Amanda and I are dating, and as such, I certainly don't have the right to offer opinions or to even suggest in any way that you leave your home, so I sincerely apologize."
Then looking at the boys, he responded, "And Fellas? I wouldn't ever want to hurt anyone's feelings, including yours. You both mean the world to your grandmother and mother, and I guess I was thinking of ways you could all be more comfortable here, so the apology applies to you also, okay?"
Amanda swallowed hard and answered looking at the boys, "Lee, that was very sweet of you to say...Boys? What do you think about that?"
Phillip and Jamie looked at one another, and Phillip nodding, said, "We're sorry too for acting like jerks earlier, Lee, but we've been thinking about it and we decided to just keep things the way they are."
Amanda queried, "Really? Even though you had your own rooms in Trenton?"
Jamie shrugged, replying to Amanda, "Yeah...Phillip's only gonna be here a few more years until college anyway, right? So, as long as he keeps socks and snacks from going under my bed, I guess he can stick around."
Phillip nudging him, jeered, "Oh, yeah? Well, how about the towels you leave on the floor in the bathroom, and that night light has to go, Dweeb-"
Jamie answered hotly, "So does all your sports stuff laying around the room! You know you-"
Just then, Lee tapped his glass with his knife to gain attention commenting quickly, "Hey! Neutral corners, Guys!"
Amanda nodding, remarking firmly, "Lee's right, Fellas...Why don't you eat before everything gets cold, and we'll discuss room organization later, huh?"
As the boys silently began to eat, Amanda looked over at Lee, and mouthed, Thank you!
Lee winked, and then concentrated on his own plate...
-SMK-
Later that evening, after the dinner dishes had been washed and put away, and the family had gone upstairs, Lee and Amanda had gone out to the gazebo to talk, and holding hands, they sat on the bench, with Lee stating with a sigh, "Well, that could've gone better."
Amanda, surprised, asked, "What do you mean? It was fine-"
Lee shook his head commenting, "No, no...I can tell that I haven't begun to win anyone over in that house...I saw the looks the three were giving me through the meal-"
Amanda, waving it away, remarked, "Oh, c'mon! You're imagining it-"
But Lee cut her off, answering as his eyes noticed something from above, "Oh, really? Take a look in the direction of two o'clock, up above, and tell me I'm not crazy..."
Amanda shaking her head, stood up, and walking out, casually looked up in the direction of a window, whose curtains were then quickly closed!
She sighed, and turning back towards Lee, nodded answering to Lee softly, "That's Mother's window...I'm sorry...I'll talk to her-"
But Lee shook his head, replying, "Honey, it's not only her, but those boys also. C'mon, they haven't had anyone they could really trust in their lives but you and Dotty-"
Amanda, clearing her throat, remarked, "Uh, you forgot Joe-"
Lee winced slightly commented, "I'm not going to go down that particular road-"
Suddenly the two hear a voice interrupt asking, "Why not?"
Lee and Amanda turn in the direction of the voice, and Amanda, surprised at seeing the visitor asked, "Joe?! What are you doing here?"
TBC
