The next morning Lee went home. He showered, shaved, and changed his clothes. He wanted to get back to the hospital as quickly as possible. He did not want to be away from Amanda and his new son for very long. Especially because Amanda was having a hard time with not being able to hold their new baby.

Also, he knew the fact that Phillip was coming home was going to be hard on her. Knowing she would not be able to take care of them. He started packing a bag for both Amanda and for himself when Dotty came in the bedroom.

"Why don't you lie down for a little while, Lee? You could just go back with Jamie and I around lunchtime."

Lee looked at Dotty. "I can't. Amanda is really having a hard time with not being able to hold Alex yet. I want to make sure I am there when Phillip gets released too. Just so that she isn't alone. It is going to drive her crazy that two of her children need her, and she is stuck in that hospital bed. I know her."

Dotty walked over to him and hugged him, "I am so happy my daughter found you. You are the best thing that ever happened to her."

Lee looked at Dotty sadly. "I don't know about that Dotty. I made her life so much more complicated. Sometimes I think she might have been better off if I had never given her that package."

"Lee, I can't say that I love your jobs or that Amanda lied to me all those years. But you have made her happier than I ever seen her. You are so good to her, the boys, and me. I know you are scared of being a father, but you really are going to be a wonderful father. I am so glad that my daughter is not going to have to do it all on her own again."

Lee felt touched. "Thanks Dotty. She was never completely on her own. She always had you. I know I have not been exactly easy to live with. That I fly off the handle sometimes."

Dotty started laughing. "Oh, my goodness, Lee. We all love it when you fly off the handle. You are all bark with no bite. Buck and Edna Gilstrap deserve it. And well the Fergusen's have been doing a better job of keeping their dog in their yard since you moved in. You are too hard on yourself. We all love you. We really do. You really were what this family was missing.I do think had my daughter brought you home earlier when you two were both too stubborn to admit your feelings. I could have gotten you two together a year or two before you actually did. Why she was hiding you all that time, I will never understand. I could be on the second or third of my second batch of grandchildren by now."

Lee laughed. "Whoa, one baby is enough for now. But thank you, Dotty. It may not seem like it, but I do appreciate how good your family has been to me." Dotty smiled at him and put her hand on his cheek. "It's our family. You are part of the family now, dear."

Lee smiled at her warmly. "Thank you, Dotty."

Lee finished packing the bag. He checked on Jamie who was still asleep as it was still early. Then he headed back to the hospital in Vetty. He spent the rest of the morning with Amanda and Phillip.

Dotty and Jamie came and picked Phillip up from the hospital. After Phillip left it was just the two of them in her hospital room.

"I hate this Lee, being stuck in this bed. I want to be able to take care of Phillip. I want to hold Alex." Tears were forming in her eyes.

Lee took his shoes off and climbed into the hospital bed with her. "I know. I'm sorry. Hey, we can't hold our baby yet. But how about if we hold each other? Would that help?"
Amanda put her head on Lee's chest and snuggled into him. "Yes. I love you."

The next few days Lee just went home occasionally to change clothes until Amanda was discharged about a week and a half later. That was a hard day for Amanda as well having to leave the hospital without her baby. Except after she was discharged, she ended up getting to spend more time with Alex than she did when she was a patient in the hospital.

Alex was doing well. He was a very healthy baby. Everything was going so smoothly with Alex that Doctor Monson had told them as long as he kept progressing like this. They would be able to release Alex as early as 35 weeks.

Lee and Amanda were able to finally hold him after a couple of weeks. The first time Lee held him. He was so scared at first that he would drop Alex or hurt him. He was still so tiny. He loved the little boy in his arms so much. He was so happy that his son was going to have everything he never had. A big loving family, a normal childhood, and a real home.

Lee had wanted to get them a bigger house in the beginning. When he and Amanda discussed it again when they decided to end their mystery marriage and get married again in front of their family and friends. They decided that they would just stay there for now and talk about it again after Phillip and Jamie went to college.

When Amanda got pregnant it changed his perspective on everything. Lee and Amanda had so many good memories in the Maplewood house. He wanted that for his child. He wanted his son to be a Junior Trailblazer and a Bomber. Amanda had already even bought him a Bomber's father hat as a joke. It was not really a joke to Lee anymore though. He planned to proudly wear that hat when his son became a Bomber. Lee would do anything for the little boy in his arms.

November 5, 1989 (Sunday)

Alex was being released from the hospital today. The whole family was very excited to finally be able to bring him home. Dotty's loft was finished just in the nick of time. Lee had paid the workers to do the nursery for them as well before they went back to remodeling the basement. They had everything ready for Alex to come home.

Lee and Amanda went to pick Alex up in Lee's new 1989 Lexus LS400. Phillip had helped Lee pick her out. Phillip had named Lee's new car Lexie. But Phillip really only had eyes for Vetty. They had delayed Phillip's driver's test a month while he recovered, but Phillip and Vetty passed the driver's test on his first try. Despite what Carrie thought the kid was an excellent driver. Lee had even taught Phillip how to do a bootlegger's turn.

They got to the hospital and the NICU staff was very sad to see them go. Well, they were sad to see Amanda go. She had been bringing the NICU staff baked goods every morning when she came to the hospital every day.

They loaded Alex up into the car and headed home. Alex was dressed in a little grey onesie with Panda bears on it with a matching hat that Dotty had bought him. Alex just slept the entire car ride home. Amanda held Lee's hand and was smiling the whole way home. It was nice to see her so happy.

They pulled into the driveway of the house. Amanda grabbed the baby, and Lee grabbed the diaper bag and other supplies out of the car that the hospital had provided them with. They walked into the house.
There was a big banner that Jamie and Phillip had made that said, "Welcome Home Alex". Dotty, Jamie were all waiting at the door with big smiles on their faces. His family hugged them both and starting fussing over baby Alex as soon as they walked in.

Lee brought the bags up to the nursery. Then he went downstairs. Amanda was sitting on the living room couch with Alex. Jamie was sitting in the chair, and Phillip was on the other side of the couch. Lee went over and sat next to Amanda on the couch. He put his arm around Amanda.

Dotty came out from the kitchen with a tray of brownies. Then she went and sat in the other chair.

At that moment, sitting in the family room. Even though nobody was really speaking but the love they all had for each other spoke volumes. Lee felt happier than he had in his entire life. He had imagined what it would be like to have a real family and a real home. The reality of having a real home and loving family was so much better than he ever imagined.

Notes:

This is the end of this story. But it really is just the beginning.

Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this! I appreciate it so much.

Carrie & Joe why did I not resolve that? It is going to get worse with Phillip before it gets better. Jamie was right. Amanda intervening does not help. But all that is coming in future stories.

Car shopping for Lee in 1989 was kind of fun. Lexus released their first cars in 1989 and were a brand new luxury brand and could be silver and had four doors so Lee would be able to put a car seat in it.

Coming this holiday season - Prodigal Son II - In His Own Words (The Sequel/Prequel) Matty at 16. Matty gets his voice back and hijinks ensue. Matty & Lee tell the story of when they were in England. Karbala is still out there. But will Matty be the target this time?