“Good morning, Lee,” Dotty said cheerily from her seat at the kitchen table, peering over her newspaper. 

“Good morning, Dotty,” Lee replied gruffly.

“You’re up awfully early.” 

“Uh, yeah.  I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep,” Lee said, as he staggered over to the freshly brewed coffee.  He grabbed a cup from the cupboard, and filled it, inhaling the invigorating aroma.  After adding a bit of cream, he sat down next to his mother-in-law. 

He had found it difficult to be around her this weekend--not only her, but Phillip and Jamie as well.  It was hard enough dealing with this glimpse when it only included a wife and two kids.  Adding mother-in-law and two stepsons, well, it was a bit overwhelming.  But it was Labor Day, and there wasn’t anywhere else he could go.

Phillip and Jamie had arrived late Friday for the long weekend, while Amanda was at the airport picking up her mother and Kurt.  Leaving him to watch Jenny and Matthew.  Lucky for him, Phillip and Jamie arrived shortly after Amanda had left.  The younger kids had been too pre-occupied playing with their older brothers to bother with him. 

It was surreal, finally meeting Amanda’s boys.  He had only known them from afar, always on the outside looking in.  To have them treat him as if they had known him for years was disconcerting.  They had turned out to be good-hearted, responsible men.  He knew they would.  They had a wonderful role model in their mother. 

He had spent most of Saturday afternoon with Phillip and Jamie in the barn, after deciding to take the horses out for the afternoon.  The boys reminded him of himself at their age--accomplished riders and in love with horses.  When he’d asked them where they had learned to ride so well they had promptly told him, “You taught us, Lee”.  He smiled at the thought; they certainly were fine young men.  By the end of the afternoon he really felt connected to the two boys.  Men now.  He felt at ease around them.  They seemed to like him too.  The pride he’d felt could not be denied.

Dotty’s voice pulled him from his reverie.  “Lee?”

“Hmm?  I’m sorry.  What were you saying?”

“I was asking if there was something wrong.  You seem so . . . uncomfortable.  Did I do something to upset you, son?”

Son?  She called him son.  It felt right.  She had doted on him the entire weekend-- since the moment she arrived.  At first, he was uncomfortable with the attention, but then he started to enjoy it.  It had been nearly forty years since he’d known what it was like to have a mother.  It felt good. 

Realizing he hadn’t answered her, he cleared his throat.  “No, not at all.  I’m fine.  Just a bit tired, I guess.  Those boys sure can wear me out.”  He smiled in reassurance. 

“They absolutely adore you, Lee.  You and Amanda have done such a wonderful job raising them.”  He looked into her eyes and saw the sincerity of her words. 

“I didn’t have much to do with that.  That was all Amanda.”  She really was a wonderful mother to all of her children.  Unfortunately, that wasn’t what he was brought here to learn.  He knew that before he was brought into this glimpse.

“Oh, don’t sell yourself short, Lee.  You have been so supportive of the boys for so many years.  Not just as a friend, but as a true role model.  It really is amazing how much they are like you.”

“Me?  In what way?”

“Phillip has your gift of charm for one.”  She smiled, and Lee bowed his head in embarrassment.  “I’ve seen and heard him with the ladies.”  She rolled her eyes.  “And Jamie has your love of horses.  I still remember the day the four of you came home with them.  I’ve never seen Jamie so vibrant.  He spent so many hours out in that barn with you, learning everything he could.  They look up to you, son.  We all do.”  She patted his hand and pulled herself up from her seat.  “Well, I think I’m going to go jump in the shower, before the Stetson/King household wakes and there isn’t any hot water left for this old woman.”

“You aren’t old.”

“Thank you, darling.  There’s that charm I was referring to.  Enjoy the peace and quiet.  It’s sure to be short-lived.” 

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Lee strolled out to the deck to see what he needed for the cookout they were having later that day.  After deciding charcoal was the only item on his list, he drove to the grocery store. 

After several minutes of searching, he found what he was looking for.  “Four dollars and ninety-nine cents?  It’s just charcoal, for crying out loud!”  Shaking his head in disgust, he carried a bag to the front of the store.   

“Charcoal?  Look at you, getting all domesticated and everything.”  Lee looked up at the cashier, only to see the man who had caused his predicament. 

“YOU!  Listen . . .” Grabbing the man by the shirt, he read his nametag. “Marcus!  I don’t know who you think you are, but I have been trained to kill a man with my bare hands, and I am not above killing you if you don’t get me out of this . . . this . . . whatever this is.”  Looking around the store at the shocked customers, Lee let go of the man’s shirt and tried to collect himself. 

“It’s not time yet, Lee.  Don’t worry, I’ll let you know when it’s time to go.” 

“Yeah, well, it better be soon.  Do you have any idea what I’ve been through over the last ten days?  Hmmm?”  His jaw clenched as he yelled at the cashier, but he never wavered.  “I’ve been ripped from my life and thrown into ‘Father Knows Best’!” 

“You need to relax, Lee.  Things will become clearer when you do.”

“I don’t want to relax, I want to go home.  I’ve been pissed on and shit on by a toddler!  Do you have any idea how that feels?” 

‘Okay, so he’s adorable and sweet, but still the fact remains.’ he argued with himself.

“Jenny figured out I’m not really her dad!  She thinks I’m an alien and that I’m going to plant something in her brain!” 

‘I should have figured she’d see through me.  She’s so smart.’ he continued his internal rant. 

“Then there’s Amanda!  She . . . she drives me crazy!  If we aren’t arguing, she’s looking so damn sexy . . . Well, just get me out of here before it’s too late.” 

‘You mean before you get so attached to them that you can’t leave them?  It’s too late for that, Stetson.  You’re hooked, and you know it!’  He shook the disturbing thoughts from his head. 

“It’s not real!  None of it’s real!”  He threw five dollars on the counter, grabbed his bag of charcoal, and stalked toward the door.

“Enjoy the time you have, Lee.  And thank you for shopping with us!”

Lee turned to give the man one more parting glare, then grumbled under his breath as he headed for the car. 

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Lee gave the hamburgers another flip and inhaled the delicious aroma.  He’d never grilled out before, but this was definitely something he could get used to.

“Mom, could you grab the ketchup while you’re in there?”  Jamie yelled at his mother’s retreating form.

“Sure.  Anyone need anything else?”

“Is the lemonade out here already?”  Dotty began her search for the tall pitcher of lemonade. 

“I’ve got it right here, Grandma,” Phillip called as he carried the pitcher past his mother at the patio doors. 

“Thank you, dear.  It wouldn’t be a cookout without your mom’s famous lemonade.”

“Oh, Mother.”  Amanda handed the ketchup bottle to Jamie and then walked over to Lee, who was guarding the grill.

“You know, no one is going to touch your grill, sweetheart.  You don’t have to hover over it.”

“Well, I just want to be sure nothing burns.”  He caught her smirk and shrugged in defeat. 

“How are the burgers coming, Lee?  I’m starved.”

“Just about done.  And since when aren’t you starved, Phillip?  Amanda, could you open some cheese slices for me, please?”  He indicated the small stack of American cheese sitting on the table next to the grill.

“Sure.  Who wants cheese on their burger?”  Amanda looked around at the raised hands. 

Lee gave the juicy patties a final flip, and Amanda systematically covered them with cheese.  He had to admit they were quite a team, professionally and personally.  He couldn’t help but smile at the notion. 

When they finally sat down to eat, it was, well . . . chaos was the only word that came to Lee’s mind.  Phillip and Jamie inhaled their food, while Matthew played with his.  Jenny seemed to prefer talking to Dotty and Kurt to eating.  She’d talk their ears off if they let her.  Amanda just seemed to bask in all the love and family togetherness that surrounded her.

Clearing his throat, Lee stood and raised his glass of lemonade toward the rowdy group.  When they ignored him and kept talking, he put his fingers to his lips and blew a piercing whistle.  That did it.  They were startled into silence.  “Thank you for your attention, everyone.”  He laughed lightly.  “A toast.”  He looked at each of their faces and said the only thing that came to mind at that moment.  “To family.”

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