In Limbo

Chapter 79

As Lee was driving he and the boys out of Georgetown, Jamie asked, "When did Mom get a car phone, Lee? Can we call anybody on there?"

Lee shook his head with a smile as he replied, "No, Ace...It's strictly for emergencies and our work and family stuff. That's it, sorry. And I had it put in a few days ago."

Phillip smirked, stating to Jamie, "Yeah, like anybody would call you-"

Jamie countered, "Oh, yeah? Lee, tell him he can't call a zillion girlfriends on there, either-"

Phillip turned from the front seat, and glaring at his brother, answered with a fist drawn, "I'm gonna pound you-"

Lee then barked, "Knock it off, both of you!"

Pulling into a nearby park area, he stopped the car, stating firmly as he looked at both Phillip and Jamie, "Any more of this crap, and I'm taking you back to your house! No cemetery visit at all!"

As the boys sat back in their seats sullenly, Lee sighed, and responded evenly, "Look...I know you guys have been feeling very confused with everything that's been happening lately, but I'm here to tell you that it's gonna be alright...Your mom and grandma and I will make sure of it. And as I've probably said before, you can come to me any time you need to, and I'll do my level best to help you out, okay?"

When both boys nodded in understanding, Phillip then commented, "We will too, Lee."

Lee puzzled, queried, "You two will what?"

Jamie answered, "Be there for you, too...If you need us, okay?"

Lee, overwhelmed suddenly, swallowed hard, and stated softly, "Th-Thanks, Guys...It means a lot coming from you."

Reaching for the phone then, he replied, "Better call your mom now..."

-SMK-

Dialing, he waited for a pick up, and then heard Amanda answer, "Hello?"

Lee replied, "Hi, Sweetie."

Amanda commented, "Hi! So, are you guys on your way back?"

Lee, glancing at both Phillip and Jamie, remarked carefully, "N-No, not just yet...They had a favor they wanted me to do for them-"

Amanda asked, "Really? Such as?"

Lee replied, "They wanted to visit Joe at the cemetery...Do you mind at all?"

Amanda said slowly, "No, of course not. I'm just surprised. Do you have any idea what brought it on?"

Lee responded softly, "I'll-I'll explain when we get home, Honey. We're heading to Chevy Chase now...Hold on a second, huh?"

Holding the receiver, he looked at the boys, saying carefully, "Fellas? You wanna talk to your mom before we go?"

When Jamie shrugged uneasily, Phillip nodded, reaching out to take the receiver from Lee, answering, "I'll go first..."

He said into the phone, "Hi, Mom."

Amanda asked gently, "Hi, Sweetheart...You guys okay?"

Phillip swallowed, commenting gently, "Y-Yeah, we're fine, and Mom, I hope it's okay, because it's just something Jamie and I feel we gotta do, alright?"

Amanda replied softly, "It's more than okay...No matter what happened over the years, and up until he died, your dad really did love you, and I hope you realize that, huh?"

Phillip answered with a gulp, "Y-Yeah, sure we do, Mom...Um, let me give the phone to Jamie-"

But Jamie climbed out of the car suddenly, running to a picnic area!

Lee said to Phillip, "I'll go get him...Keep talking to your mom. We'll be right back."

As Lee got out of the car, Phillip replied to Amanda, "Jamie wanted to talk, but-"

Amanda sighed, stating slowly, "Honey, it's okay...He's upset, isn't he?"

Phillip answered, "Y-Yeah, but Lee went to talk to him...It'll be alright."

Amanda remarked carefully, "I-I know it will, Honey...So, while we're waiting, why don't you fill me in on what you had for dinner?"

-SMK-

Lee approached the picnic table he found Jamie at, and as he saw the boy sitting on the bench, weeping, he thought, Damn! How do I handle this?

Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly, and crouching down in front of Jamie, pulled him gently to his arms, and stroking the boy's back, answered softly, "C'mere, Pal...It's okay...Let it out..."

After a few moments, when Jamie had quieted down, Lee, pulling out his handkerchief, handed it to him, stating gently, "Here...You okay?"

Jamie nodded, and blowing his nose, finished, and sniffing, said with a shrug, " Thanks... I dunno why I'm so mixed up, though. Like I'm mad one minute, and then I'm sad because I'm never gonna see him again, you know?"

Lee sighed, and getting up to sit next to Jamie on the bench, commented quietly, "Yeah, I get where you're coming from, believe me. I'm sure Phillip has pretty much the same feelings, but look...It's normal to get angry at people for leaving suddenly and not knowing why. And you can also still love them like crazy...See, the thing is, the love and the good times you boys had with Joe will stay with you all through your lives, and when the time comes for you and your brother to see him in heaven-which hopefully won't be for a very long time-there will only be joy at seeing one another again."

Jamie nodded, asking, "Were you mad at your folks when it happened?"

Lee swallowed, and replied softly, "Well, I was four at the time, so I didn't understand a lot that was going on...And when I went to live with my uncle at seven years of age, I kicked up quite a fuss with him, and while he sort of understood actually where my anger was coming from, he didn't put up with it for long. So I just had to learn to accept it and move on. I'm not saying it's easy, but you guys will get through it, okay?"

Jamie, getting up slowly, answered with a sigh, "Yeah, I get it now...Thanks, Lee."

Lee, getting up also, put an arm around him, replying, "You bet, Champ...Let's hit the road before it gets too late, huh?"

As they got back into the car, Phillip handed the phone to Jamie saying, "Mom wants to see if you're okay..."

So as Lee pulled the car back on the road again to head to Chevy Chase, Jamie then talked with Amanda calmly while Phillip asked Lee, "Is he really alright?"

Lee, with a wink and nod, commented, "Yeah...He'll be just fine, Chief..."

TBC