In Limbo

Chapter 42

Amanda came home from work that evening, and coming through the front door greeted her mother as she reached the kitchen, asking, "Where are the boys?"

Dotty answered, "They're at the park, Dear, and yes, they did their homework. How are you, though? How did everything go at the lawyer's office?"

Amanda, putting her purse and keys down on the counter, stated, "Not terrific...But the name changes are done, and get this. Joe decided to represent himself today in the meeting."

Dotty shook her head asking, "For what reason?"

Amanda shrugged commenting sarcastically, "Oh, because he knows the law, and knows how to handle a simple meeting-"

Dotty scoffed, "Oh, for heaven's sake! Didn't you have a mediator at the lawyer's office when you two first went through divorce proceedings?"

Amanda nodded answering, "Yes, but he thought today he could try to talk me out of changing my mind about the custody arrangement we had originally set up years ago...I even told him the boys' decision to change their names. Kane filed the papers after we left."

Dotty queried, "What names did you decide on?"

Amanda responded quietly, "Phillip Thomas West, and James Carlton West."

Dotty gulped, thinking of her late husband, and Amanda's father, replying softly, "Thank you, Darling. That was very sweet. I imagine Joe was not too happy about it though, hmm?"

Amanda shrugged, remarking, "Well, as the saying goes, "He made his bed, and now has to lie in it."

Just then, the phone rang, and Dotty picked up the receiver, answering, "Hello?"

Dotty, puzzled, then said, "Oh, yes...She's here. One moment, please."

Handing the phone to Amanda, Dotty responded, "Someone calling from a place called Dooley's?'

Amanda, taking the receiver warily, commented, "Hello? Yes, this is she..."

As the caller spoke, Amanda, after a beat, replied confusedly to the caller, "What? What happened?"

Sighing, she stated as she listened to the caller, "I-I see...No, I'll be there...Yes, he'll definitely need black coffee...Thank you for calling. Bye, bye."

Amanda shook her head as she hung up the phone, and Dotty asked, "Who needs black coffee, and what is Dooley's?"

The boys came into the house then, slamming the door, and Dotty startled, came out to the foyer remarking firmly, "How many times must I ask you two to stop slamming that door?!"

As the boys apologized to their grandmother, Amanda came out of the kitchen, carrying her purse saying in a no nonsense tone, "You know, if you break that door and I have to have it fixed, it will come out of both of your allowances. Is that clear?"

Phillip and Jamie crestfallen, nodded and in unison, answered, "Yes, Mom..Sorry."

Amanda sighed and replied, "Alright...I want you both to go clean up, and then help Grandma finish getting dinner ready, okay? I have to run an errand, but I'll be back shortly."

She rushed out the front door before Dotty could once more ask her previous question, and, shaking her head, looked at the boys, responding quickly, "Alright, Boys..Go wash your hands, please. One of you will make the salad, while the other one sets the table...Move it."

-SMK-

A little while later, Amanda entered Dooley's, and found it was busier than normal for a weeknight, and going to the bar area, she asked the bartender there in a raised voice, "I'm looking for Joe King?"

The bartender stated loudly with a nod and gesture, "I'm Van. Yeah, Dooley's with him in the back...The guy's pretty soused, and tore up the back section over there..."

Amanda saw to her shock, two other servers cleaning up glass, and mopping up what was a pitcher of beer and other assorted drink bottles all over the booth that she and Joe once shared years ago!

Nodding to Van, Amanda replied loudly, "Thank you, and I'm sorry for what happened."

Van shrugged answering, " We tried giving him coffee, but he was too sick to keep it down and then he passed out...That guy's gonna have a whopper of a hangover tomorrow, but it happens...Hope he's okay soon, Ma'am."

Amanda nodded stating,,"Thanks,"and made her way to the back room, near the restrooms, and knocking at the semi opened door, queried, "Mr. Dooley? It's Amanda King..."

-SMK-

A stocky man in his mid fifties came to the door, and letting her in, answered with a sigh, "I would've called a cab for him, but I didn't know where he was staying and he was too tanked to tell me...That's when I went through his wallet to find a phone number...Ex-wife, right? I'm Jake Dooley..."

Amanda nodded as she worriedly looked at Joe, passed out on the couch!

Taking her checkbook and a pen out of her purse, she stated apologetically as she scribbled her phone number on a blank check, and handing it to him, said, " I'm truly sorry about all this...When you figure out the total cost of the damages out there, call me and we'll work out the details, alright?"

Jake, taking the check, was amazed at her cooperation and answered, "Thanks...I gotta say, you aren't what he described earlier."

Amanda sighed and commented with a gulp, "Well, I can only imagine what he may have said, but I think I know what brought this on...See, we've been divorced for almost four years now, and it's been amicable, but the other day, we had an argument at my house...Unfortunately, our two boys heard...Look, he's never been like this! He drinks, but only socially, and-"

Jake Dooley put up a hand and responded carefully, "It's okay, Mrs. King...He can sleep it off here, but trust me, he'll be a bear when he wakes up."

Amanda nodded in understanding, and asked, "Thank you, I appreciate it, but can I use your phone? I need to call a friend."

Jake nodded answering as he looked at his watch, "Sure, and I'll keep the coffee on standby...If you need me, I'll be right outside."

-SMK-

As Jake left the room, Amanda swallowed hard as she watched Joe sleep, and shaking her head, thought sadly, Why this, Joe? What were you even thinking about?

Going to the desk near the couch, she picked up the phone receiver, dialed Lee's number, and when he answered, Amanda said slowly, "Hi, it's me...I'm at Dooley's...They called me because Joe went on some kind of a bender here and now he's sleeping it off. Can you come?"

Lee sighed, commenting quickly, "I'll be right there, Honey..."

Hanging up with Amanda, he grabbed his jacket and keys, and heading out of his apartment, thought , What the hell's wrong with you, Joe?

TBC