Part 4

Dorothea's alarm was going off. She stretched. Alarms. Who made those? She wanted to kick them right in the b.....

Automatically she looked over to the other side of the bed. No Jon. Oh well. She had a shit ton of stuff to do anyway. Dot sat up in bed and settled herself against the headboard and brought out her phone. Her lifeline. First texts. Then Facebook, though very little. Instagram and finally, Tweets.

A knock at her door had her looking up with a 'come in' a second before the door opened. There she was. Her oldest.

"Good morning," Dot said brightly.

"Good morning Mom," Steph replied, as she leaned in to give her mom a peck on the cheek, before sitting down on the edge of the bed. She broke out her phone and perused it casually.

Dorothea leaned over and brushed an imaginary hair out of the way of Stephanie's face.

"What's up honey?  It is good to see you."

"I'm good mom."

"Are you here for the weekend?"

"Ya. Then it is back to school on Monday."

"That's good. Do you want to do anything today or tomorrow?"

She looked up from her phone and said, "I'd like that mom. Maybe some shopping and lunch in N.Y.?"

"I'd love that.  I just need to see what your Dad is up to later."

"Oh ya, that is one of the reasons I came up. He texted me. He wasn't sure if you were awake. But since you are, you can text him back."

"Of course. Now that he is 'techie', he is all over the place."

Steph chuckled. "I know. He spares you and harasses us."

Dot smiled. She loved her four children. Loved Jon for giving them to her.

An hour later found Dot enjoying a cup of average tea in her sun room. She continued her thoughts on that Malibu ... LAKE house.

~~~

Jon was calling her. She almost didn't pick up, but thought she might as well get it over with.

"Hello?" she answered dejectedly.

"Dot? Where have you been?"

"Not answering my phone."

"Don't be flip. What the hell?"

"What the hell?" She answered. Her hackles rising.

"Did you go look at the house?"

"Yes. Did you?!"

"No."

"Then go LOOK."

"But..."

"GO LOOK!" And with that she hung up.

It wasn't 24 hours before she got another call.

"Hello?"

"Hey Dot."

"You went and looked, huh?"

"Ya."

"Who the hell sold it to you?"

"Some friend of Doc's."

"That miserable toad. I hate him."

"But he has gotten us here this far."

"Of course. But I think you are ready to let go the apron strings."

"I don't know ...."

Changing the subject, Dot said, "Did you sell it?"

"Yes."

"When will you be home?" she asked, a little softer.

"End of the week."

Jon sounded so tired.  "I love you. See you soon."

"I love you."

"Jon?"

"Ya?"

"I never wanted the stars. Never shot for the moon. I like them where they are. All I wanted was you," Dorothea said softly.

"All I wanted was you, Dot."

~~~

Dorothea looked down at her empty cup. She needed to go finish getting ready. They were headed out today since Jon was going to be home tomorrow.