In Limbo
Chapter 65
It was a few days later when Amanda one morning, had to leave for work early, telling Dotty she had a location scout in Baltimore, but she'd call if she'd be getting back late for dinner.
Dotty, now having her driver's license, offered to take the boys to school to save her time, and had Amanda's old car to use, since Amanda had recently gotten the Wagoneer.
Amanda, finishing her coffee, hugged her mother, stating, "Oh thank you, Mother, " and going to the stairs from the kitchen, called up, "Boys! C'mon! You're gonna be late!"
Phillip and Jamie came down a few minutes later, with Jamie answering, "I had to brush my teeth, but "Mr. Suave" here had to check out his ''do" one more time-"
Phillip glaring at his brother, remarked, "Hey! You don't have to floss your stupid teeth every time-"
Amanda shook her head and hugging both boys, gave them each a kiss, commenting, "We'll go over grooming etiquette tonight! I have to go. Grandma's driving you. Go on and get your books, and have a good day. I love you."
Phillip and Jamie, getting their book bags from the family room couch, chimed, "Love you too, Mom!"
Amanda grabbed her keys and purse, and headed out the front door, closing it, with Jamie asking Dotty, who was rinsing out the coffee cups, "Why isn't the car in the driveway like Mom's?"
Phillip responded, "Mom had to leave before we did, so Grandma's car is in the garage, Doofus-"
When Jamie began to retort, Dotty, wiping her hands on a towel after putting the coffee cups on the dish rack, put up a hand, stating tiredly,"Stop it, you two! Let's go!"
Dotty, getting her keys and purse, suddenly felt a stab of pain at her left temple, but ignoring it, ushered the boys out of the house towards the garage, saying, "March!"
-SMK-
Dotty, having dropped Jamie off first, made it to Phillip's school next, and pulling up to the curb right at the entrance, answered, "Have a good day, Darling...Ooh!"
Phillip, looking on with concern, asked, "Grandma? What's the matter?"
Dotty, swallowing her sudden head discomfort, asked, leaning on the steering wheel, "Honey, Please check my purse, and see if my migraine pills are in there..."
Phillip, grabbing the purse, hunted quickly, shaking his head,answering, "Sorry, Grandma...All I can see is your check book, and your date book, and some coupons with recipes-"
Dotty, shaking her head quickly, took the purse from Phillip, and checking all the pockets stated, "No, Dear. I know I had my Lasmidtan in here...Wait...Ahh, here it is!"
But Dotty, pulling out the bottle, found it was empty and said, "Shoot! I meant to have this refilled yesterday! Darn it, I forgot!"
Phillip asked quickly, "So, what do we do, Grandma?"
Dotty, gulping from the onset of worse pain, answered, "Okay, if you can help me inside, maybe I can call my doctor's office, and-"
Suddenly, there were beeps behind them, and Phillip remarked, "Oh boy! It's the school buses trying to get in! Hold on!"
Getting out of the passenger side, he went around to the driver's side, and said, "Grandma, move over, and I'll pull the car into the parking lot-"
Dotty shook her head answering, "Young Man! You do not have a license-"
Phillip firmly responded, "Grandma! You aren't in shape to drive, and the parking lot is only a few feet from where we are now! It'll be okay. Now, please move over and put on your seat belt!"
Dotty hesitantly agreed, and both buckled up, with Phillip, checking the mirrors and area, before moving, made it then safely into the parking lot and stopped the car.
Phillip asked, looking at his grandmother, "Now what?"
Dotty, with a sigh, replied, "Oh, I wish your mother had one of those car phone things like she said Lee has...Alright, Sweetheart. Help me get inside and maybe I can call the doctor from the office, hmm?"
Phillip nodded answering, "Sure, Grandma..."
Putting the car in Park, he shut off the motor, and giving the keys back to his grandmother to put in her purse, got out, locking his side after getting his book bag, then ran around to help her out.
As he did, Dotty, with her purse, leaned against the car, responding, "Thank you, Darling."
Locking the passenger side, Phillip then putting his book bag on his right shoulder, took Dotty's arm from his left side, and they slowly made it into the school...
-SMK-
Reaching the main office, Phillip explained Dotty's situation to the receptionist, Miss Harmon, asking if she could use the phone to call her doctor's office.
But Miss Harmon, seeing Dotty's pallor, stated, "I'll take her to the nurse's office myself instead, Phillip. You'd better go to class now. You don't want to be late."
Phillip shook his head answering, "I-I don't want to leave her."
But Dotty clasped her grandson's hand remarking, "I'll be fine, Darling. Run along now, and I'll see you later."
Having no choice, he kissed Dotty, and answered, "I love you, Grandma."
Dotty nodded commenting, "I love you as well, and thank you for the help, Dear."
Miss Harmon then taking Dotty's arm, replied, "Let's head to the school nurse's office..."
When they arrived, Miss Harmon commented to the woman there, "Joan, this is Phillip King's grandmother, Dotty West, and she isn't well. May she borrow your phone?"
Joan Tyler, the school nurse, answered, looking at Dotty's face, "You go lay down on the cot and I'll make the call. May I have the number, please?"
Dotty, opening her purse, gave her the date book with phone numbers, and the empty Lasmidtan bottle, responding, "I was going to get a refill, but I stupidly forgot-"
Joan nodded, answering to Miss Harmon, "Thanks, Dina. I'll take it from here."
As the other woman left, Joan helped Dotty to the cot, and then proceeded to make the calls.
With no answer at the doctor's, she looked up the IFF number, and dialed.
When a voice answered, Joan Tyler explained who she was, and needed to speak to Amanda King...
But Dotty overhearing, stated, "N-No! She's in Baltimore today...Ask for Lee Stetson, please...He'll know how to reach her."
-SMK-
A few moments later, Joan, coming to check on Dotty, asked, "How are you feeling, Mrs. West?"
Dotty sighed, responding, "I-I've been better. Did you reach Mr. Stetson?"
Joan nodded, answering, "He sent a message to the film crew, to let your daughter know, but told me in the meantime he's on the way here to get you-"
Dotty, attempting to sit up, commented, "Oh, I don't want people to fuss-"
But Joan quickly moved to get her to lay down once more, saying, "Then please just rest until he gets here. And I got through to your doctor's office, and they will call your pharmacy to refill the Lasmidtan."
Dotty nodded slowly and Joan, going to the doorway, turned off the overhead light, remarking, "I'll be right out here if you need anything..."
Almost half an hour later, Lee arrived, asking, "I was told Mrs. West was here? I'm Lee Stetson."
Joan nodded, and bringing him back to the room with the cot, stated, "Mrs. West? Mr. Stetson's here."
Dotty went to get up, and Lee moved to her side, answering, "Hey, let me help you up."
She gulped, commenting as she rose slowly, "Ohh, thank you, Dear...Did you talk to Amanda?"
Lee replied, getting her purse from Joan as they walked slowly out to the desk area, "No, but they'll make sure she gets home as soon as she can..."
Joan responded, "I'll let Phillip know you're in good hands...Take care, Mrs. West. "
Dotty, with a wan smile, stated, "Thank you for everything, Joan."
When they reached Lee's car, he helped Dotty in, and she asked, "But what about my car?"
Lee answered quickly, "Here's the plan...I get you home and comfortable, then I head in a cab to the pharmacy to pick up your prescription, and-"
But Dotty protesting, replied, "Oh, that's sweet of you, Dear, but I can't ask you to-"
Lee, ignoring her pleas, cleared his throat and answered firmly, "And then I will have the cab driver bring me back here to get your car and I will bring it home, all right?"
When Dotty began to protest once more, Lee shook his head, remarking, "Please stop, okay? Now, put on your seat belt so we can get going, huh?"
Dotty nodded and Lee, making sure she was alright, shut the passenger door, and went around to the driver's side, and getting in, sighed heavily, and started the car, with Dotty asking him, "What about your own seat belt, Lee?"
Looking down, and seeing he hadn't put it on, he groaned, and shrugged, commenting, "I-I was getting to it! I-I have a lot on my mind right now, okay?"
Dotty lightly patting his arm, stated quietly, "Of course you do... And if it wasn't for me-"
Lee, clearing his throat once more, ignored her, and buckling the seat belt, checked the area, and pulled out of the school parking lot, thinking, Man! These West women are more trying than they know!
-SMK-
It was hours later when the boys got home from school, and they came in to greet Amanda, stating loudly, "Mom! We're home!"
Lee immediately stated in a whisper, "Guys! Cool it, will ya?! Your grandma's trying to rest."
Phillip asked, "Y-You've been here all day with her?"
Lee responded, "Yes. The school nurse called IFF to find your mother, because of your grandmother's headache, but she was still in Baltimore on a location scout, so I volunteered to come get her, get her set here, go get her meds, and bring the car back home, okay?"
As the boys looked at Lee strangely, Lee shrugged answering, " What? That's how the day went, I swear."
The boys looked at each other and then back at Lee, with Jamie saying, "Uh, we believe you, Lee, but for a minute there, you almost sounded like Mom."
Lee made a face and shaking his head replied, "Oh, I did not!"
The boys chuckled, answering, "Yeah, you did!"
Just then, the phone rang, and Lee picked it up quickly so as not to wake Dotty, stating, "King residence."
Amanda's voice came through as she greeted him with, "Hi, Sweetheart! How's Mother? Is she any better? I should be home in another hour, I think, but with the beltway traffic, I dunno."
Lee quizzically queried, "Honey, You don't have a car phone...How is it that you're-"
Amanda sighed commenting, "Oh, that...My left tire blew out as soon as I got to the Agency this morning, so Francine had to drive us. Leatherneck said it should be good to go by tomorrow...That is, if you can come get me?"
Lee counted to ten in his head, and knowing how this day would finish, stated, "Tell you what, Sweetie. I'll stay in the den tonight, and this way, I won't have to go back to my place, and then head to your place, and then to IFF in the morning. Sound good?"
Amanda replied, "Sounds terrific...If you're sure? I don't want to make things harder-"
Lee sighed commenting, "I promise it's okay...So, what do you want for dinner?"
Amanda answered carefully, "Well, I'm not very hungry...They sent out for Chinese, but the chicken was just awful. Francine and I are both not feeling well right now."
Lee, listening, shook his head at the boys, and then answered, "Okay, so it's just the boys and I eating tonight? All right. Well... Get here when you can, and I'll get the bicarbonate for you and you can just rest tonight, huh?"
Amanda sighed responding, "Thank you, Honey...See you soon. I love you."
Lee commented, "I love you, too...Bye."
Hanging up, Lee sighed, and Phillip asked, "What was that about, Lee?"
Lee threw up his hands answering tiredly, "It's God testing me to see how much I can handle before I marry your mother!"
Then turning towards the kitchen cabinets, he began searching them, asking, "Where the hell is the aspirin?"
The boys looked at one another and winced, knowing it would be a long night...
TBC
