SMK time: Shortly after the series ended...  Tuesday - June 9, 1987
 
 

“Good morning, Mrs. Marsten,” Amanda greeted the Agency receptionist cheerfully when she hurried into the Georgetown foyer.  “The password is ‘milkshake’.”

“Mrs. King,” the older woman replied with a staid nod, handing her a security badge.  “Mr. Melrose wants to see you.”

A frown formed on Amanda’s face.  “Is Mr. Stetson still up in the Q Bureau?” she asked, knowing she was already late.

With little expression, the dour receptionist answered.  “No, Scarecrow departed a few minutes ago.”

“OK, thanks,” she replied ruefully, then she went to the closet/elevator door, opened it, and stepped inside.  A few minutes later, she was knocking on her supervisor’s door.

“Come in!”  Billy shouted from inside.

“You wanted to see me, sir?” she asked politely.

Waving her into the office, he answered, “Yes, Amanda, have a seat.”

“Sir, I’m running late.  Joe picked up the boys this morning for their camping trip up in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Unfortunately, the boys weren’t ready when he showed up.  I was supposed to meet Lee here.  We were scheduled to handle surveillance this morning …”

Billy cut her off.  “Relax, Amanda, everything is taken care of.  Francine accompanied Scarecrow this morning.  I have another assignment for you.  Do you remember Melvin Stipples?”

Amanda cocked her head and thought for a moment before answering.  “Yes, he was caught in the sting to sell the blueprints for the new satellite defense system that Worldwide Dynamics is building for the military.  I thought he cut a deal, and was given immunity.”

“Mr. Stipples did cut a deal, but now he’s threatening to not testify against the other defendants.”

“Isn’t it in his best interest to testify?”

“Yes, but there’s a glitch,” Billy answered, a troubled scowl on his face.  “Our investigation revealed that his wife, Dr. Evelyn Stipples, was also on the take.  Apparently, she’d been selling secrets to the Russians for years.  It funded her lifestyle: luxury cars, expensive jewelry, and extravagant cruises.”

“He’s trying to get her off as well?”  Amanda guessed with a raised eyebrow.

“Not exactly.  Truth be told, he wasn’t aware of her transgressions until recently.”

“Seriously?”

Billy stepped from behind his desk and walked around it, to the chair next to Amanda where he sat down.  “He passed the polygraph given by both the Agency and NCIS.  The bank accounts in question were in her name only and dated back to before they met and married.  Besides, if you met the man you’d understand – very nervous type.  When we interrogated him, he sung like a canary.”

Surprised by the information, she raised an eyebrow, curiously.  “So what do you need me to do?”

“It wasn’t until Dr. Stipples fled the country with their son, Melvin Evelyn Stipples, that some of this information came to light.  Mr. Stipples has accepted the truth about his wife reluctantly.  He was head over heels in love with her.  It’s taken us six months to find her.  The Bahamian authorities arrested her when she recently arrived in Nassau, Bahamas.  She’s fighting extradition, but has agreed to allow her son, Junior, to fly back to the U.S. to be with his father, instead of staying in the Bahamian, Child Protective Custody.  Mr. Stipples will most likely avoid prison time if he cooperates fully.”

“But he’s refusing to testify until he has his son back?”  Amanda surmised and Billy nodded at her statement.  “How old is the boy?”

“He’s four, turns five later this summer.”

“Oh my gosh, that poor little boy!  He must be very confused and scared.”

Billy smiled at her concern.  “That’s why I thought you’d be the perfect agent to fly to Nassau, pick up the boy, and bring him back to the U.S.  As much as Francine would love to go to the Bahamas for a few days, I don’t think she has the skills to handle a four year old!”

Amanda chuckled at the thought.  “I think Francine would admit that I could handle the assignment better.  Even with the experience of raising two children, this is going to be a difficult situation.  Perhaps, I could meet with Mr. Stipples before I leave and take some of Junior’s belongings with me, so he doesn’t feel so… alone and frightened.”

“That’s a wonderful idea,” Billy nodded, handing her a brief and walking back to his chair.  “Most of what you need is in here.  The background on the boy, his parents, your tickets… you’ll be leaving this afternoon.”

“This afternoon?” she replied with alarm.

“That’s not a problem is it?  You said your sons are with your ex this week.”

Swallowing hard, she nodded silently; she and Lee planned to spend their nights together as husband and wife.  “No, sir, of course not, it’s just last minute.  That’s all,” she answered glumly.

“Good, the opening statements in the trial are scheduled for the last week in June, and the prosecuting attorney doesn’t want any unexpected delays.  I want to get this boy home as soon as possible.  You’ll be meeting with the Bahamian authorities first thing tomorrow morning.  It will probably take most of the morning to handle all the paperwork.  Dr. Stipples needs to sign off on the transfer as well.  I don’t expect any problems.  You should be on a flight home, late tomorrow, Thursday morning at the latest.  Any questions?”

“You don’t think that Dr. Stipples will change her mind at the last minute?”

“No, I’m not expecting her to.  All the negotiations have been worked out by the lawyers and the respective governments.  Dr. Stipples realizes this is in the best interest of her son.”

“I’m glad to hear that.  I’ll call Mr. Stipples and see if there’s anything he can give me to help the transfer of Junior’s custody go smoothly.”

“I’m sure you’ll do a wonderful job, Amanda.”

“Thank you, sir,” Amanda replied, and got up and left his office, frustrated and disappointed that once again, the Agency had gotten in the way of their personal plans.
 

***

It was later that afternoon when Lee Stetson stepped off the elevator and strode purposefully into the bullpen.  He was holding a note in his hand and looked irate.  Banging on Billy’s closed office door, he didn’t wait for an answer; instead, he barged in.

Billy was on the phone and gave him an annoyed glare.  A few moments later, when he hung up, Billy rebuked his agent.  “It is customary to knock and wait for a reply, Scarecrow, or did you forget who the boss is around here?”

“It’s also customary to notify the senior partner before a junior partner is reassigned!  Remember, partners are supposed to work together?” Lee snapped back, tossing the note Amanda left him onto Billy’s desk.  “But I get back to the Q Bureau to find that my partner has been sent out of the country on her own!  What gives, Billy?  She’s a freshman agent.”

“Scarecrow, she’s not exactly the typical freshman agent; she’s worked several overseas assignments before.”

Expecting that retort from his supervisor, Lee quickly answered.  “The last time you sent her out of the country alone, she was arrested and charged with counterfeiting!”

“Calm down, Scarecrow, we both know that wasn’t her fault.  Furthermore, it’s a simple assignment.  She’s flying to the Bahamas to pick up Melvin Stipples…”

“Stipples?  How the hell did he slip out of the country?  He’s supposed to be out on bond awaiting trial. Isn’t he expected to be the government’s star witness…”

“Scarecrow, sit down and listen!” Billy ordered, taking a deep breath and waiting until his agent complied with his order.  “If you would let me finish, I’ll brief you on Amanda’s assignment since she’s your partner.   I’ve assigned her to pick up Melvin Stipples’ four-year-old son, Junior.  His wife absconded with the boy several months ago.  Recently, she surfaced in Nassau.  The Bahamian authorities are detaining her until extradition proceedings are complete.  Dr. Stipples has agreed to allow her son to return home, to the U.S., so he can stay with his father.  She’s fighting extradition for herself.”

“His son, I didn’t know he had one.  What exactly does he have to do with the case?” he grumbled, running his hand through his hair.

“Melvin Stipples is refusing to testify until his son is returned to the U.S.  Dr. Stipples has requested a woman agent to transfer her son.  Amanda is the only female agent I have that has experience with children.”

Lee was beginning to understand why his wife was chosen for the case.   Amanda was great with kids, but he still didn’t like the last minute interference in their plans.

“She’ll be back late tomorrow night,” Billy explained, calmly.

“Yeah, right, I wasn’t born yesterday.  An international transfer of a minor!?  She’ll be lucky to be back before the weekend,” Lee snapped in frustration.

“You don’t know that for sure,” Billy argued.

“Transferring a minor, at best, is a complicated hassle.  With a child, when Amanda is not a relative… she’ll be gone for the better part of a week…”

“Even so, she’s more than qualified to handle the assignment,” glancing down at his watch, he commented.  “Her flight left for the Bahamas a few minutes ago.”

“I need her here, Billy, not in the Bahamas for the next week,” Lee disputed hotly.  They’d planned to spend some quality time together while the boys were out of town and Dotty was visiting her sister.  Hoping for a reprieve, he tried another approach. “We’re in the middle of a case.”

Billy rolled his eyes, apparently not buying Lee’s new tack for a minute.  “You’re doing surveillance on Bogdanovich.  Half of DC is watching him and has been for the last week.  He’s not going anywhere.  I could assign a freshman agent to keep you company, if you’d like.”

“What I’d like is to have my partner back – tomorrow.  Can’t you find someone else?” Lee persisted.

“In case you haven’t noticed, we don’t have many female agents who are experienced with children.  Who would you have me send, Francine?”

“No, of course not, but Amanda is my partner and we’ve worked more cases separately lately then we have together…” Lee stopped and took a deep breath.  Although Billy was supportive of his and Amanda’s relationship, Billy put Agency business first.  Amanda was the best person for the job, but the timing really stunk.  He was looking forward to spending some time, alone, with his wife.  Last month, he was the one who was sent to New York, now this.

“I’m aware of that fact, Scarecrow.  Since she didn’t have the responsibility of her sons this week, it gave me the option to send her out of the country.  If for any reason this drags on past Friday, we’ll recall Amanda and find someone else.”

“That’s very reassuring, Billy,” Lee retorted sarcastically.  “You’ve made my day!”

“I’m sorry if Amanda’s job is interfering with your… personal life, but you’ll have to learn to deal with the problem!  I have a job to do and so does she.  If you want to spend more time with Amanda, perhaps you should consider other options…” Billy recommended condescendingly, apparently having had enough of his agent’s attitude.

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” he argued heatedly.

“Lee, you’re an adult; figure it out for yourself.  Now, if you don’t mind, I have some real problems to attend to,” Billy replied, and nodded towards the door.

“Fine,” Lee grumbled, standing up and walking towards the door, still angry at the situation and lousy timing.  Before he opened the door, he stopped and turned, glaring at his supervisor.  “You remember that extra vacation time Smyth promised me last month?”

Billy’s eyes glanced up from the paperwork he’d returned to, and nodded.

“Good, since you think a freshman can handle surveillance on Bogdanovich, let them.  Sorry for the short notice, but I’m taking the rest of the week off.”  Lee smirked at Billy, who looked stunned, and then hurried out the office.

   ***

When Lee Stetson left the Agency that afternoon, he knew exactly what he was doing and where he was going.  It was late in the evening when he arrived at the hotel in Nassau. Without much difficulty, he found out which room Amanda was staying in.  After checking her room and finding it empty, he dropped off his luggage and went back downstairs to look for his wife.

Wandering around the hotel, he found a bar, adjacent to a patio restaurant.  The tables overlooked the tropical foliage and had a view of the beach in the distance.  The sun had already set; the dark night sky was being illuminated by the stars and the moon.  Glancing around the room, he saw several couples chatting quietly at wooden tables, illuminated by small glass candles.  In the background, a band was playing calypso music.  It was just the kind of place Amanda would enjoy having dinner; his eyes scanned the room to see if his assessment was correct.

Off to the side, sitting alone, near the opened glass doors, he saw her.  Watching her finish her dinner, he couldn’t get over how beautiful she looked.  The gentle breeze blew through her dark locks, and the flowery, print blouse she wore was perfect for the islands.  He knew immediately that coming down to the Bahamas and surprising her, was the right decision.  Going to the bar, he ordered two glasses of wine and walked up to her table.

“Is this seat taken?” he asked with a pleased grin on his face.  There was no way he could hide how happy he was to be with her.

She glanced up at the familiar voice in disbelief.  “Lee?  Oh my gosh!  What are you doing here?  Did Billy send you?”

Placing the glasses of wine on the table, he bent down and kissed his wife.  Savoring the taste of her lips and the scent of her perfume, he answered.  “I missed you, and no, Billy didn’t send me.  I wasn’t about to let the Agency come between the two of us again this week.”

“But Bogdanovich…”

“Billy thought a couple of freshman could use the experience.  They’re handling the surveillance detail,” he shrugged, but the look on her face was that of suspicion, so he amended his explanation.  “Remember that Smyth gave me two weeks vacation after that incident last month?”

“Yeah,” she nodded.

“Since I didn’t have a chance to take it then, I decided now was a really good time to visit the Bahamas.  Haven’t been here in years,” he said, pulling out the chair next to his wife and edging it close to her.  “I’m rather certain Billy knows where to find me.”

“But, Lee, I’ll only be here one night.”

Putting his hand on top of hers, he could only imagine what Billy had told her; probably that it would be a milk run.  “Amanda, there’s one thing I know about transferring custody of minors – it’s never simple and something always goes wrong.  You’ll be here a couple of days at least.”  Taking her hand in his, he brought it to his lips.  “And being away from you for that long was simply… unacceptable!”

“I can’t believe you came all this way,” she smiled, squeezing his hand and then adding, “but I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me, too,” he picked up his glass of wine, handed her the other and gave her a wink.

A few moments later, a waiter stopped by offering Lee a menu.  “Would you like something for dinner, sir?”

Glancing at her empty plate, he commented.  "You’ve already finished, haven’t you?”

“Yes, it was delicious.  I’d highly recommend the catch of the day,” Amanda suggested.

Wanting to spend some time alone with his wife, Lee Stetson declined.  As charming as the restaurant was, he had other ideas for the rest of the evening.  “I’m not really that hungry,” he answered, waving off the waiter.  Then he added for his wife’s ears only, “Besides, I’ve got my catch of the day.  How about we get out of here?”

“If you’re sure…” she asked, glancing over at her husband who nodded.  They finished their wine and Amanda charged the meal to her room.  Lee helped her up and escorted her from the restaurant.

“I can’t believe you’re actually here, but I’m wondering… is everything really all right?” Amanda queried with a raised eyebrow.  “Is there something you’re not telling me about this unexpected rendezvous?”

“How about a walk on the beach?” Lee asked.

Amanda stopped in the lobby and faced her husband.  “You’re avoiding my question.  Do I have to call Billy myself?  Did something happen back in DC?”

“Everything’s fine – I promise.  I was rather annoyed when I found out Billy reassigned you to work this case, and maybe I yelled a little louder than I should have, but he’ll get over it.  I’m getting tired of the last minute changes in our schedules.  Last month it was me getting shipped off to New York; now, Billy sends you here,” Lee shrugged, then pulled his wife closer, tilted up her chin and kissed her lips tenderly.  “Smyth gave me the extra vacation time, and for once, I’m using some of it.  Now, what about that walk?”

“I think I’d like that,” she whispered and they strolled, hand in hand, towards the door that led out to the beach.

They hadn’t made it past the pool when the first clap of thunder cracked loudly, followed by a bolt of lightning, which lit up the dark night sky.  Several people who had been on the beach, hurried for cover as the wind kicked up and the smell of rain was in the air.

“I guess our walk is going to be rained out,” Amanda lamented as they followed the others back into the hotel.

“Maybe tomorrow night?” Lee suggested.

“You really think I’ll be here more than one night, Lee?” she asked as they waited for the elevator.  “Billy assured me that all the legal wrangling has been done already.”

“Trust me, Amanda, something will crop up.  It always does,” he informed her as the door opened and he went in and pushed the button for the third floor.   When they reached her floor, he took her hand and led her down the hall towards her room.

“Let me guess, you’ve already been to my room,” Amanda asked knowingly.

“Uh, yeah,” he shrugged, not surprised that his wife had noticed he knew where they were going and turned down the hallway without asking.  Stopping in the deserted corridor, he pulled her to him, kissing her forehead.  “I needed to put my luggage away and I didn’t think you’d mind.”

“Do you have your own key or did you break-in?”

“Break-in sounds rather… criminal.  I merely tested the hotel’s security and must admit, it’s very lax,” he replied with his most charming and disarming smile.  “But I did knock before I entered.”

She chuckled at his sincerity and they continued to her door.  Handing him the key to her room, she suggested.  “How about we use the key, just this once?”

“If you insist,” he answered with a dimpled grin, unlocking the door, flicking the light on and allowing her to enter the room.  He followed quickly, locking and bolting the door when he got in.

“Are you locking me in for the night?” she asked playfully.  “Or locking everyone else out?”

“Both.”

Her attention turned to her overnight bag on the table, and she frowned.

“Is something wrong?”

Opening up her overnight bag, she sorted through it.  “Lee, I wasn’t expecting… company.  Billy told me I’d be here for only one night.  I packed in a hurry and didn’t bring much with me.  All I brought to sleep in is a nightshirt.  I didn’t bring a sexy negligee,” she informed him, as she stared disappointedly at the nightshirt she’d packed for the trip.

Lee crossed the room towards his wife and put his arms around her trim waist.  He kissed her lips enticingly and nuzzled against her neck.  In a husky voice filled with desire, he reassured her.  “You know, Mrs. Stetson, sometimes its better without the sexy nightgown…”
 

End Part One
 
 
 
 

Unexpected Rendezvous
 

Wednesday, June 10th
 

The next morning Lee awoke first.  Amanda was curled up next to him, still sleeping soundly.  The thin sheet was the only thing covering her svelte body.  Lee was delighted he’d made the impromptu trip to the Bahamas, enjoying the rare occasion of waking up in the same bed as his wife.  Unable to resist, he leaned over and began to kiss her bare shoulder, then the nape of her neck.  Gentle kisses at first, then, as she began to stir, they became more impassioned.

Amanda instinctively turned towards him and returned his kisses.  However, when she realized where she was, she stopped suddenly.  Leaning up on her elbow, she observed the time on the clock.  “You don’t play fair, Stetson. As much as I’m enjoying myself, Sweetheart, I really need to take a shower and get dressed – one of us has an assignment.  I’m due at Parliament Square by nine to sign a mountain of paperwork.”

“Amanda,” Lee whispered as he continued to nibble on her neck, “I tell you, there will be a delay anyway; what would it matter if you were a few minutes late?”

Giving him one more kiss, she ignored his last comment, got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom calling out to him before she turned on the water.  “If you’re right, then we’ll have plenty of time later.”

“Need some help?” he offered with a devious grin.

Peering around the corner, she rolled her eyes.  “You don’t give up easily, do you?  Last time we took a shower together in the morning, we were an hour late for roll call!  I’m expecting a wake-up call.  Would you please answer the phone when it rings?”  With that said, she disappeared again into the bathroom.

“How did I end up relegated to being your secretary?” he mumbled with disappointment, knowing with the shower water now running, she wouldn’t hear his complaint.

He stepped out of the bed, slipping his shorts back on and wandered to the sliding glass door, glancing out at the beach, the sunrise and the clear blue waters.  It looked like it was going to be a glorious day.  He was just about to step out onto the balcony when the phone rang.  Amanda was still in the shower, so he dutifully went over and picked it up.

“Hello,” Lee answered, expecting a pre-recorded wake-up message, but was surprised when a man was on the other end of the phone.

“I’m sorry,” the voice stated in obvious confusion.  “I must have the wrong room…”

Lee recognized the voice immediately, but before he could explain, the caller hung up.  A few moments later, the phone rang again.

“Billy…” Lee answered, but this time it was the wake-up call that Amanda had been expecting.  Hanging up the phone again, he decided to help Amanda in the shower despite her earlier protest when the phone rang once more.

“Hello,” he grumbled into the phone, clearly annoyed.

“Scarecrow?” The voice questioned.

“Hi, Billy,” Lee Stetson answered sitting down on the edge of the bed, knowing that his earlier identification of the caller had been right on target.

“I was trying to reach Amanda…”

Lee rubbed his brow knowing that Amanda would probably be upset when she found out that Billy was on the line.  There was no way to get around it though; Billy now knew for sure that they were together.  Hell, he had just about dared him yesterday and Lee plunged ahead obligingly.

“She’s in the shower; getting ready for a meeting at the government center - nine AM sharp!  Don’t worry; I have no doubt that she’ll be there on time.”

There was a pause on the line for a moment before Billy began to speak.  “Lee, there’s been a development…”

“Oh,” Lee gasped sarcastically.  He knew it was coming and wasn’t going to let Billy off easily.  “Is that what we’re calling the delay?”

“Stop gloating, Scarecrow, it’s not becoming.  You were right.  Are you happy?” Billy Melrose snapped angrily.

“Suits me just fine; I’m on vacation, remember?” Lee replied, enjoying the verbal banter.  “Is there a message for Amanda?”

“She needs to talk with Dr. Stipples as soon as possible.  The good doctor’s attorney wants to use the child as a bargaining chip and refuses to grant Amanda temporary custody for the transit back to the States.”

“What a surprise!”

In an annoyed tone, Billy snapped.  “Just relay the message to Amanda.  Tell her to get in Dr. Stipples face and get the rest of the paperwork signed in case Dr. Stipples changes her mind again.”

“Yes, sir,” Lee mocked, enjoying the conversation.  “I’ll do that.”

Lee guessed he’d pushed it too far, because the next thing he heard was a distinct, ‘click’ as his supervisor hung up on him.  “Bye, Billy!”  Lee said as he hung up the phone.

“That was Billy?” Amanda asked when she came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her.

“Uh, yeah,” he nodded, not quite sure how much she heard.  “I thought it was your wake-up call.  He knows I’m here, with you.”

“You told me that last night,” she answered with a shrug.

“You’re not… upset?” he probed, surprised at how composed she was at the news.

“At least it wasn’t Francine!  Billy’s known about ‘us’ for a while now.  I only wish he knew we were married and not just sleeping together… but, someday…” she sighed, a momentary look of sadness flashed on her face before she turned back to business.  “What did he want?”

Lee was surprised at her response.  He’d expected her to be more distressed over the phone call, but happily, let it drop.  “He called to tell you there’s been a development.”

Sitting down on the bed next to him while she brushed her hair, she motioned him to continue.

“Apparently, Dr. Stipples has attained legal counsel.  They’re trying to use the son as bait for a better deal for her.”

Furrowing her brow, Amanda rubbed her temple as if to ward off a headache.  “What’s wrong with people?  Why do they always use innocent children as pawns?  That little boy is probably scared to death; living with strange people in a foreign country, wanting nothing more than to go home.  She’s going to use him to broker a plea bargain for herself!  The woman was selling military secrets for cold hard cash!  I hope she gets twenty years.”

“I can’t say that I disagree with your assessment, but Billy wants you to try and reason with her.”

Amanda stood up and paced angrily in front of their bed.  “You warned me something was going to happen.  I figured it would be the government sticking its nose in where it didn’t belong.  How can that woman sleep at night?  I’d like to strangle her.”

“If anyone can convince her to do the right thing, it’s you, Amanda. May I suggest you try to calm down, because I don’t think strangling her is the best solution.”

“You’re right. I’d better dress and get going,” she replied.  “I know one thing…”

“What’s that?”

“I’m really thankful you’re here.”

Lee walked over and pulled her into a warm embrace.  He kissed the tip of her nose.  “I’m glad I’m here, too.”
 

***** ***** *****

It was late afternoon and Lee Stetson was sitting in the hotel bar nearest the lobby, enjoying a frozen tropical drink.  His eyes were scanning the people as they came into the hotel, expecting his wife’s return at any moment.  A steady stream of people passed his line of vision and he was finishing his drink when she finally appeared.  Unfortunately, from the look on her face, she had had a bad day and appeared worn out.  Leaving the stool he was sitting on, he hurried to meet her.

“Rough day, huh?” he asked, putting his arm around her and pulling her into a hug.

Amanda rested her head on her husband’s shoulder.  “I’m emotionally drained and physically exhausted.  This island might not be very big, but I’ve been all over the place.”

Releasing his protective hold on his wife, he tugged gently on her arm.  “Come on; I’ll buy you a drink and you can tell me about your day.”  Walking back into the bar, he signaled the bartender and then sat at a quiet table in the corner.

“It started this morning, downtown.  I filled out so many papers at the government building, my hand was sore.  I didn’t think I’d ever finish.  Now, it seems like it’s all for nothing.  I went to the detention center, but Dr. Stipples’ attorney refused to even let her talk to me,” Amanda started to explain rapid-fire, pausing only for a moment when the bartender dropped off two slushy orange drinks with tiny umbrellas sticking out of them.  “What’s this?”

“A Bahama Mama,” he answered.  “It’s just what you need to cool down after the day you had.”

Amanda took a sip through the straw.  “Mmmm, that’s good.”  She took another long sip.

“Easy, Amanda, that thing’s got enough liquor in it to float you back to the room,” Lee warned.  “Did you eat something today?”

Sighing heavily, she continued her explanation of her day.  “Yes, I had lunch earlier, peanut butter and jelly.”

Lee grimaced at the thought.  “You’re in the Bahamas, and you ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch?”

“Since Dr. Stipples refused to see me, I went to see her son, instead.  He’s a cute little fella, but terribly frightened.  I remember how much Philip loved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at that age.  He’d eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!  It worked out to be a great ice-breaker.”

Nodding his understand, he inquired, “How is Junior doing?”

“Like I said, he’s scared.  The place he’s staying houses only boys, but most of them are older.  You should have seen his face light up when I gave him the airplane his father sent over for him.  Between that and the sandwich, we became pretty fast friends,” she answered, but then a pained looked crossed her face.

Lee put a comforting hand over hers.  “You didn’t want to leave him there, did you?”

“Oh, Lee,” Amanda whispered, a tremble in her voice, “he cried when I left.  I felt awful for him.  I promised I’d come back tomorrow to visit with him.  He doesn’t understand where his mom is.  He thinks he did something wrong.  All he wants is to go home...”

“You did what you could, Amanda.  If Dr. Stipples refuses to cooperate, there are other avenues available.   His father can petition the court to allow you temporary custody. That just takes more time…”

“You knew this was going to happen; didn’t you?”

Lee nodded his head.  He understood too well, remembering the first few weeks after his parents’ death and how he was shuffled around.  “I wish I was wrong, but in these situations, the kid usually gets the short end of the stick.  At the time when they need stability and comfort the most, that’s what they get the least.”

“I’m going back and try to talk with Dr. Stipples tomorrow.  I refuse to give up.”

“Tomorrow’s a brand new day,” he replied, his arm reaching around his wife’s back and pulling her to him.  He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks for listening,” she said, kissing him back.  “How was your day?  You look like you got a little sunshine.”

“My day was much nicer than yours,” Lee grinned, his eyes twinkling with happiness.  “I took a long walk on the beach and then found a great restaurant for dinner tonight.  I know you’re going to enjoy it.  They have a fantastic view of the water.  I made reservations for seven.  We can enjoy the sunset while we eat dinner and maybe, when we get back to our hotel, we can take that walk on the beach I promised you.”

“That sounds… lovely,” she answered, her usual cheerfulness a bit lacking.

“If you’d rather not go… we could have dinner here…”

“No, I want to go,” she replied, picking up her drink and sipping at it some more.  “It’s just what I need – to unwind.  Like you said, tomorrow is a new day.”

“That’s the spirit,” he winked, picking up his glass and sipped at his drink.
 

****

The last vestige of the large orange sun had sunk below the horizon.  The placid sea began to darken, succumbing to the night.  The thick, puffy clouds were tinged yellow from the sunset, making Amanda’s dark hair and face glow like he’d never seen before.  Lee Stetson smiled across the table at his wife.  Dinner had done everything he’d hoped it would, and more.  Amanda Stetson finally looked relaxed and quite content.

“How did you find this delightful, little place,” Amanda asked, putting her fork down on her nearly empty plate.  “You didn’t walk all the way here, did you?”

“No,” he replied, placing his hand on top of hers and caressing it.  “I asked around for the best seafood restaurant with a view.  This place came up more often than not.”

“I like the tropical décor; and the music is festive, but subtle,” she commented looking around at the cozy restaurant.  “Overall, the ambiance is very soothing.”

“And the view is absolutely breathtaking,” he whispered, but he was staring into her dark brown eyes, not out the window.  He twirled his fingers with hers, enjoying the simple, yet intimate contact with his wife.

“You’ve really made this the perfect evening,” she nodded, glancing out again at the water, watching the night win out over twilight.  “You’re absolutely right about the view; the sunset was spectacular.”

“Yes, the sunset was spectacular, but I was talking about you.  As lovely as that dress was on the mannequin, you really make it come alive,” Lee answered with bedroom eyes.

Amanda blushed, glancing down at the new, emerald green dress that did seem to fit her perfectly.  “I can’t thank you enough for this dress.”

“You already have,” he suggested huskily.  The fact was, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.  He was actually appreciative that the sun had finally set so they could get back to the hotel.  He had something else that he’d bought for her that he wanted to see her wear.

“You’re spoiling me,” she whispered demurely.

“I like spoiling you.  We’ve had so little time alone together since we got married.  These last few months have been torture.  Don’t you think it’s time we have some first-class memories for a change?”

“I’ll remember this evening for a long time,” she assured him with a satisfied smile.

“I intend to make tonight very memorable.  Did you want dessert or some coffee?”

“No, thank you.  I couldn’t eat another bite.  How about we head back to the hotel?”

“Sounds like a good idea,” he winked before signaling the waiter for the check.  “There’s another surprise waiting for you back there.”

“What is it?” she pressed, an excited smile washing across her face.

“You’ll have to wait and see…” he grinned back mischievously.

A few minutes later, Lee’s hand gently rested on the small of her back, guiding her as they left the restaurant.  Inside the taxi, he held her close.  Their lips met, tentatively at first, as their eyes spied around them; but in the darkness of the night, there were no penetrating eyes watching them.  The next few minutes they were lost in their own little world, in the back of the taxi, kissing intimately.  The ride back to the hotel flew by rapidly.  Before either of them realized it, the vehicle was stopped and the driver was tapping intolerantly on his still ticking meter, waiting for them to depart.

After paying the driver, Lee and Amanda hurried upstairs to her room.  Lee opened the door and followed his wife inside.

She glanced around the room, apparently looking for her surprise.

“Impatient aren’t we?” he teased.

“Was this just a ruse to get me back to our room, Mr. Stetson?” she inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“Would I do that, Mrs. Stetson?” he challenged mischievously.

“Yes,” she nodded, “you would.”

“So the dress wasn’t enough?”

“This dress is lovely,” she remarked twirling in front of the mirror, admiring it.  Her voice took on a sultry tone.  “I really do love it, but you said there was another surprise.”

Walking over to the dresser, Lee opened the top drawer and removed a box wrapped in colorful paper and tied with silver cord.  Grinning, he handed the small, rectangular box to his wife.  “I believe you’re looking for this.”

“Since when do you enjoy shopping so much?” she asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed and unwrapping her gift.

“I’ve always enjoyed shopping when I get to buy you something special.”

Lee waited excitedly, while she pulled off the silver cord that held the box together.  Then, she slid her fingernail underneath the tape and carefully peeled the paper from the box.  Although he was getting frustrated at her for taking so long, he knew she was enjoying herself.  He rolled his eyes and shuffled his feet, trying to appear unruffled, but the anticipation was killing him.

Finally, she raised the top of the box off and pulled back the colorful tissue paper to find a blue silk negligee with a lace bodice.  She lifted the delicate garment out of the box and admired it.

“Lee, it’s beautiful,” she whispered, her voice filled with emotion.  “Thank you.”

Pleased that she liked it, and wanting desperately to see her in it, he nodded towards the bathroom.  “Why don’t you,” his throat caught, as his mind was already picturing her in it, “go try it on?”

Crossing the room to where he stood, she leaned in and captured his lips.  “I will,” she whispered.  “And I promise I won’t be long…”

A few minutes later, Amanda Stetson stepped out of the bathroom, now dressed in the thin-strapped, misty blue negligee.  The lacy top covered her breasts, but plunged daringly low.  The length was perfect, covering her body enough to be seductive, but a generous slit in the side was enticing to say the least.

Lee wasted no time pulling his wife into his arms.  The low cut back allowed him to feel her soft, warm skin.  “You’re actually more breathtaking than the sunset.”

“You have exquisite taste in fashion.”

“Actually, I have to thank my wife for making everything she puts on astonishingly stunning.”

He brushed his lips against hers, but it was only a sample of what was to come.  His hands caressed her face, and then dallied down her neck to her shoulders.  His lips followed his hands gently and amorously.  “I wanted to make love to you when I first saw you in that dress tonight.  I actually thought about seducing you before dinner, but this was definitely worth waiting for…”

With that said, he picked up his wife and carried her to the waiting bed…

End Part Two
 
 
 

Unexpected Rendezvous
 
 

Thursday, June 11th
 

The following morning, with the first rays of sunshine sneaking through the curtain, Lee Stetson woke his wife with the deliberate touch of his hand caressing her body.   At first, he knew she was asleep, but soon a smile grew across her lips as she luxuriated in the intimate sensation.

Rolling towards him, Amanda leaned on her elbow and captured his lips with her own.  “You know, I could really get accustomed to this.”

“Working in the Bahamas?” Lee kidded, pushing an errant strand of hair from her face.

Rolling her eyes, she elaborated.  “No, waking up together.  You know, in the same bed, in the same house.”

“Someday…” he promised, kissing her back.

Their kissing continued and soon it was clear where it was leading.  For a change, there was no meeting waiting for their attendance, no family to interrupt them.

Lee Stetson rolled onto his side, placing him in a better position to caress her body with his hands.  “You’re so beautiful, Amanda,” he mumbled only to be interrupted by the phone ringing.  Rolling onto his back in frustration, he pleaded.  “Tell me you’re expecting a wakeup call again this morning?”

Shaking her head, she groaned.  “No, there wasn’t a need this morning.”

“It must be Billy,” they chorused together, knowingly.

She nodded in frustration while reaching across Lee’s bare chest for the phone.  “Hello?”

“Amanda, good, I’m glad I caught you.  Did you make any headway with Dr. Stipples?”

“No, sir, unfortunately her new legal counsel refused to allow me to speak with her yesterday,” Amanda explained, while resting her head in the crook of Lee’s arm.

“Damn!  I was hoping this wouldn’t turn into a long, drawn out nightmare.  I’ll contact our legal department, as well as Mr. Stipples and see if they can force the issue with her.”

“If you speak with Mr. Stipples, tell him I visited his son yesterday.  He’s a cute little boy, and we seemed to hit it off rather well,” Amanda explained while she squirmed on the bed trying to stop Lee’s wandering hand.  Covering the receiver, she warned her husband, “Stop that!”

“Stop what?” Billy asked, sounding rather confused.

Amanda’s eyes flew open wide and Lee started to laugh.  She covered Lee’s mouth with her hand.  Removing it from his lips, she pointed her index finger at him and gave him a no nonsense glare.  Then, she returned to her conversation with Billy.  “I wish that Dr. Stipples would stop putting her own needs ahead of her sons.  The boy is sad and frightened.”

“Yes, I can only imagine he would be.”

“I’m going to return to the detention center this afternoon during visiting hours and see if I can speak to Dr. Stipples… off the record.”

“If it gets that boy home, that’s great.  Without Melvin’s testimony, this case isn’t nearly as air-tight as the prosecutor wants,” her supervisor warned.  “I’ll talk to you later, Amanda.  Good luck.”

“Thank you, sir,” she croaked out, reaching out to hang up the phone.  “I’m going to need it.”

“Need what?” Lee asked.

“You - are incorrigible!” Amanda glared at him.  “I was on the phone – with our supervisor!  Couldn’t you wait?”

With a devilish grin, he pleaded for forgiveness.  “Sorry, I got carried away.”

“You’re insatiable.”

“No, just very much in love with you, Mrs. Stetson.  Anyway, you already reminded me, it’s not very often that I get to wake up with you.  You should be mad at Billy for interrupting us in the first place, not me.  Now, where were we?” he asked in a husky voice.

Giggling, as his hand had already found its way back to where it had left off before the phone rang, she captured his lips once more…
 

***
 

Lee was sitting in a chaise lounge by the pool, relaxing and enjoying the sun when she came out of the hotel. He saw her glancing around in search of him.  It was barely three in the afternoon, and Lee surmised from the early hour, Amanda’s discussion with Dr. Stipples must not have gone well.

Standing up, he waved and called out to her.  “Amanda, over here!”

“Hi,” she greeted, allowing him to give her a peck on the cheek.

“Hi, yourself, bad day?” he guessed.  “You want to sit down?”

“No, I’m too angry to sit still.”

“How about a refreshing swim; or a walk on the beach?”

“A walk,” she nodded in agreement, reaching down and taking off her heels.  “A long walk.”

Lee took his wife’s hand, tugging at it gently and they started towards the white sandy beach and the edge of the blue green water.  They walked together in silence for a long while before Lee probed further, “Are you angry with Dr. Stipples, or upset about having to leave Junior again.”

“Both,” she nodded, gazing out at the beautiful scenery, but not actually enjoying it.  Walking a few more paces, she took a deep breath and began to share her day with him.  “I brought burgers and fries to Junior for lunch.”

“I bet that was a big hit,” Lee encouraged, wrapping his arm around his wife’s slender waist as they continued their walk.

“Oh, yeah, that was.  I bought him some crayons and a coloring book, too,” she remarked, leaning her head against his shoulder.  “I figured that might keep his spirits up when I’m not around.  I promised I’d come back again tomorrow, but tomorrow’s Friday.  If this drags on past then, what am I going to tell that little boy?”

“The truth, it’ll hurt, but lying to him only compounds the problem,” Lee answered, looking out at the endless sea, remembering the many lies he’d been told when his parents first died.  “Billy will send someone else over to transfer the boy.”

“I managed to talk to Dr. Stipples today.  Well, to be honest, I lost my temper with her and ended up yelling,” she confessed somberly, pulling away from Lee’s grasp and slowing her pace. Watching the water lap at the beach, she dug her toes into the sand.  “I thought I could appeal to her, you know, mother to mother, to her sense of family.”

“Not everyone is the kind of mother you are, Amanda.”

“But family is the most important thing there is!” she argued throwing up her hands in the air and then agitatedly continued moving down the beach.  “A family supports you and believes in you when nobody else does.  They keep you going on the bad days and share your joys on your good ones.  They love you regardless of your faults. Junior loves his mother and doesn’t care what she’s done wrong.”

“But he’ll grow to resent her if this thing drags on forever,” Lee finished her thought for her.

“Why doesn’t she understand that?  That little boy is frightened.”

“I guess because Dr. Stipples is frightened, too.  She’s facing a long prison sentence when she goes back to the States.”

“Nobody forced her to sell military secrets.  She did it for financial gain!”

“I know,” he replied, reaching out for her hand and pulling her into a comforting hug.

“I’m so frustrated I want to scream!” she confessed, leaning her forehead against his chest.  “Junior wants to go home, Lee.  He needs the security only his family can provide.  I can distract him for a couple of hours, but that’s not enough.  He should be home, gliding on his swings in his backyard, playing catch with his dad, and getting tucked into his own bed at night.  How can I convince his mother to do the right thing?”

“Maybe you can’t, Amanda.  You told me this morning that Billy has our legal department working with Mr. Stipples.  If you can’t get through to her, eventually that will get the job done.”

“We both know that’s going to take time,” she whispered anxiously.

Lee nodded, knowing all too well that it could easily be mired in red tape for days, maybe even weeks.  “Probably a week, maybe two, I’m not sure how quickly the Bahamian government will move.”

“I hate to see him in that place for that long.  I shouldn’t have yelled at Dr. Stipples, but she infuriated me so…”

“Who knows, Amanda, she might still come around.  Let her sleep on it.  She just might have a conscience after all,” Lee said thoughtfully.

“I hope you’re right,” she answered, then looked down the beach, realizing how far they’d walked, she nodded, “I guess we better start back.  I need to call Billy and give him a status report on my lack of progress.  He’s not going to be very happy with the situation.”

Turning around and beginning the trek back with her, he reminded his wife.  “It’s not from a lack of trying, Amanda, and Billy knows that.”

“Yeah, but the court date is looming close.  Opening statements are only a couple weeks away…”
 
 

***
 
 

As the curtain came down, the house lights came up; the audience continued to clap.  Lee Stetson smiled over at his wife.  “You enjoyed the show?”

“Yes,” Amanda answered, leaning over and giving him a kiss on the cheek.  “I had my doubts when you suggested it, but it was truly fun.”

They followed the people out of the theatre and they were greeted by a gentle ocean breeze. “Would you like a drink, or maybe go dancing?”

“I wouldn’t mind a drink, but I don’t suppose you know someplace quiet, do you?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Lee mulled the idea for a minute; pulling his wife to him protectively, he grinned.  “Would a piano bar fit the bill?”

“Sounds perfect,” she nodded as they strolled down the street.

A few minutes later, they walked into a piano bar with a few empty tables.  The dark wooden tables were lit with small hurricane lanterns, which gave the bar a cozy and romantic feel.  Lee sat close to his wife, and reached his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him.  “How’s this?”

She smiled her approval and sighed, listening to the pianist play a festive medley of show tunes.  “It’s enchanting.”

Lee ordered drinks and a few moments later, they were merrily sipping on some delightful island concoction.

“I’m afraid to ask how you knew about this little place,” she commented.

“I’ve never been here before," he pleaded, before continuing his explanation.  "If you must know, I asked the concierge at our hotel for some entertainment ideas.  He gave me the brochures on the show we saw tonight, and mentioned this place as well as a few others in the area for afterwards.”

“The show was a lot of fun and this place is perfect; low-key and relaxing.”  Putting her drink down on the table, she captured his lips with hers and gave him a lingering kiss.

“You keep that up, and we won’t be finishing our drinks,” Lee warned as he kissed her back.

“I just wanted to thank you for everything this week.”

“It’s been my pleasure.”

She gave him an appreciative smile.  “If you hadn’t been here, I would have been holed up in my room, moping and lonely.”

“We couldn’t have than now, could we?” he asked, reaching for her hand and entwining his fingers with her.

“I feel bad, though.  This hasn’t been much of a vacation for you.”

Shaking his head, he corrected her.  “Why would you say that?  I’ve gotten to spend some quality time alone with you for the first time in weeks.  This is the third night we’ve been together - really together.  Not only making love, but also spending the night together.  That’s something that happens all too infrequently.”

“I’ll give you that.”

“And as a bonus, this morning I got to wake up and make love to you before we started our day.  I would call that a fantastic vacation!”

“So you don’t mind me coming back to the hotel each night, grumpy and frustrated,” she commented.

Lee chuckled slightly at the idea.  “Actually, this is the most we’ve ever acted like a real married couple.  You, having a bad day at work coming home and me, cheering you up.  At least I thought I cheered you up.  You haven’t seemed that ‘frustrated’ by the time we went to sleep,” Lee commented to his wife, and although he couldn’t see her face, he guessed she was probably blushing.

“No, I definitely wasn’t ‘frustrated’ when we fell asleep.  You’ve done an admirable job keeping my spirits up.  I wish it didn’t have to end when we get back to DC tomorrow night.”

Lee nodded, pulling away slightly.  He wasn’t looking forward to returning to their mystery marriage either.  Despite her working the last couple of days, he was enjoying the time he had been spending with his wife.  “We have until Sunday, when the boys come home.”

She glanced away, her smile fading.  The unspoken truth weighed heavily upon them both.  Their returned to DC would mean they would have to resume their separate lives.  Shaking off the blues, she reminded him after sipping on her drink. “We still have tonight.”

“You’re right; we do,” he winked.  “And I intend to make it special.”

“I never doubted that for a minute, Mr. Stetson,” she whispered, picking up her drink and stirring the slushy contents with its straw.  “Of all the wonderful surprises I’ve gotten this week, your flying down here was the best.  I can’t tell you how happy I am that you came.”

Lee pulled his wife closer to him.  “So am I, Mrs. Stetson,” he replied, pulling his wife closer, their faces only inches apart.  “So am I.”

Although it would be their last night in the Bahamas, Lee planned to treasure every second of it.  He captured her lips once more...
 

End Part Three
 
 
 

Unexpected Rendezvous
 
 

Friday, June 12th
 

They’d just turned off the water in the shower when they heard the first ring of the phone.  Lee and Amanda groaned.  Snatching a towel from the pile, she wrapped it around herself.  Quickly, she rushed to pick it up.

“Hello,” she answered.

“Good morning, Amanda.  I’m glad I caught you.  We’ve been granted an emergency hearing this morning.  It’s a long shot, but if the judge agrees, he could grant you temporary custody of Junior and then you could leave with him this afternoon,” Billy explained.

“Really!” she answered excitedly.  “What time is the hearing?”

“Nine AM.”

“Oh my gosh!” she replied, looking at the time on the clock.  “That doesn’t give me much time to pack.  I’d better hurry.”

“Good luck, Amanda.”

“Thank you, sir,” she answered and then hung up the phone.

“A last minute petition for custody this morning,” Lee guessed from what he heard of the conversation.

“Yes, in 45 minutes, so I’ve got to hurry.”

Lee flung his towel over his shoulder in disgust and went back into the bathroom.

“Sweetheart, I’m really sorry, but…” she started to say, following him into the bathroom.

“Don’t apologize, Amanda.  They sent you over here to bring the boy home, and that’s what you’re trying to do.  I’m just frustrated,” he answered, pulling her to him and kissing her forehead.  Their last morning together was going to turn out to be a bust.

“I know.  I’ve got to hurry.  I don’t want to be late…”

Lee grabbed his comb, and stepped out of the bathroom, giving his wife plenty of room to get ready for court.  He knew what the outcome would be - another delay, or an injunction.

Within a half hour, Amanda was ready to leave.  “Lee, I don’t know how long this is going to take.  If the judge rules our way, Junior will be able to leave today.”

Lee glanced over at his wife with concern.  “Amanda, don’t get your hopes up.  Most likely, the judge won’t rule today, but will adjourn and think it over for the weekend.”

“I know,” she admitted in a small voice, “but I can be optimistic.  I hate to think of that little boy spending another few days here, when he should be home with his dad.  Not to mention another stranger will show up in a few days to accompany him home.”

Walking over to his wife, he kissed her.  “I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be.  I’m all right.”

Despite his numerous warnings, she always seemed to get emotionally involved with her cases.  He knew there was no changing that.  “You’re going over to see Junior after the hearing, either way, right?”

“Yeah, I want to let Junior know what will probably happen over the next few days.”  She glanced at her watch, kissed him back.  “I gotta go.  I’ll meet you at the airport…”

“I’ll be there.  Remember one thing, Amanda, you did your best,” he reminded her as she hurried out of their room.

Wandering out to the balcony after she left, Lee watched a father and son walk together on the beach.   Suddenly, he felt very lonely, remembering back to when he was a little boy – alone, without his parents.  Rubbing his brow, he tried to shake the depressing thoughts from his head, but they wouldn’t retreat.  Leaving the balcony, he sifted through Amanda’s luggage, grabbed some papers, and quickly left the room.

It was an hour later and he was still pacing the room, waiting for her.  Then finally, a woman emerged wearing prison garb.

“Dr. Stipples?” he surmised.

“Do I know you?” she questioned, as she sat down in the small room.

“No, I’m Lee Stetson.  You’ve met my partner, Amanda King.”

Hearing that, she stood up and started to leave.

“I’m not here to represent the government; I’m here to give a voice to your son,” Lee pressed, hoping she would hear him out.

“You’ve seen my son?” she asked, turning towards him.

“Not yet.  Amanda’s spent a lot of time with him the last few days.  I know your son through her and well…” Lee paused, knowing he was treading in an area that was very sensitive to him personally.  “I’ve been in your son’s shoes.  I lost my parents when I was five.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, but that hardly makes you an expert on my son,” she snapped angrily, still considering leaving.

“An expert, no,” he shook his head, glancing away, trying to keep the painful memories at bay.  “But I do know he’s afraid.  I know he’s confused and lonely.  My parents were killed; they didn’t have a choice when they left me.  You do.”

“It’s my son’s long term future that I’m worried about.  I want to be there for him as he grows up.  The government wants to make an example out of me.”

“Dr. Stipples, you sold government secrets to the Soviet’s for years.  The government is not going to turn the other cheek because you’re a mother.  I’m not here to debate what I think about you.”

“You appear to have already made up your mind about me,” she informed him with an icy glare.  “You’re on the government’s side.”

“I’m not here for the government.  Neither my partner, nor my supervisor knows I’m here. I came because of Junior, no one else,” Lee reiterated, pointing to the empty chair hoping she would stay.  “I’m hoping to sway you to allow your son to be transported back to the United States with Amanda King.  Let him go home so he can live with his father.  In your heart you know that’s the right thing for him.”

“I know nothing of the sort,” she rebutted hotly, standing behind the chair, holding the back of it tightly in her hands.

“He’s scared to death right now.  He wants to go home,” Lee snapped angrily, pulling out some paperwork from his pocket.  “You and only you, have the ability to sign this paper to allow that to happen – today.  Before that frightened little boy grows to hate you, I suggest you do it.”

“My son doesn’t hate me.”

Trying to regain his composure, he changed his tone and attempted to remain calm, remembering Amanda had no success with this stubborn woman.  “Not yet he doesn’t.  Do you know what it’s like living as a ward of the state, back in the United States, let alone another country?”

“No,” she answered hesitantly.

“I do; it’s not a place I’d want to stay for any length of time,” Lee stressed.  “Think about what your son is going through: strangers all around him, odd accents, and peculiar foods.  A child’s world is a lot different from an adults.   Try to remember what it was like to be a child; to them a closet or even the dark can be scary.  Think about what he’s going through, night after night.  Don’t make him so totally insecure that he withdraws into himself, afraid to trust, afraid to love.”

“You seem to have turned out all right, Mr… what did you say your name was?”

“Stetson,” Lee answered, as his mind wandered back to his past.  Certainly, he had come along way in the last few years, mainly due to Amanda’s influence.  Shaking his head, he corrected her.  “Trust me when I say you don’t want your son to grow up like I did.  It’s taken me over thirty years to get over the trauma of losing my parents.  It’s only recently I’ve come to terms with it.”

Suddenly, Dr. Stipples seemed to notice the pain that Lee couldn’t hide in his face and voice. Her tone softened, but she was still skeptical.  “Why should I trust Mrs. King to take care of my son?  What does she care?  To her, he’s just an assignment.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Lee huffed at her last statement.  “Amanda, Mrs. King’s a mother – a damned good one at that.  She cares very deeply about your son.  She’s spent the past two days getting to know him, playing with him.  She wasn’t assigned to do that.  She was assigned to bring him home, but Amanda always goes the extra mile.  She could have spent the day on the beach or sunbathing at the pool.  Instead, she met with your son and made him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch.”

“Junior loves peanut butter,” Dr. Stipples whispered, blinking back tears.

“I can tell you love him.  Do the right thing – for your son, Evelyn.  Be a good mother and put your son’s needs first.  Someday, years from now, he’ll thank you for it.  Eventually, the courts will grant custody to your husband, and Junior will be transferred back to DC.  If you keep fighting your husband, the only thing you’ll do is estrange them both from you forever,” Lee warned.  “Don’t risk alienating your son.  When everything else is gone, you’ll still have your family.”

“How do I know he won’t grow up and hate me for the things I’ve done?” she worried.

“You don’t; but I know people make mistakes.  You and your husband both have.  You have a debt to pay; maybe when you get out he’ll still want you to be a part of his life.  The longer you drag this on though, the deeper the rift you’ll make.  The choice is yours.”

“I’m not a monster, Mr. Stetson.  If I could change what I did, I would, in a heartbeat.  Regrettably, I can’t.”

“I don’t think you’re a monster, but you made terrible choices, Dr. Stipples.  Your son is paying for those transgressions right now.  He’ll be without his mother for a while, but he still has family – his father.  There is something you can do to make his life more bearable,” Lee reminded her.

“It’s not fair.”

“I know life isn’t fair, but life is what you make it,” Lee agreed, certainly, he knew that all too well.  His childhood was less than fair and his personal life was far from being what he wanted it to be.

“I do love my son, Mr. Stetson.”

Taking a pen out of his pocket, he handed it to Dr. Stipples.  “I’ve never doubted that.  Sign this paperwork and let Mrs. King take your son home, today, back to DC, where he belongs.”

“Promise me you’ll tell my son that I love him?” she asked in a whisper.

He nodded.  “I promise.”

“Then you’ll need to get the warden.  You’ll want this notarized or whatever they call it in this damned country.”

“Thank you, Dr. Stipples,” Lee replied.  “I’ll see to it, personally that your son knows how much you love and miss him.”
 

***
 

It had taken Lee longer than he expected to have the paperwork appropriately signed and witnessed at the detention center.  Afterwards, he rushed back to the hotel and arranged for another seat on their flight back to DC.  Quickly he packed, and sent their luggage to the airport.  Finally, he took a taxi to catch up with Amanda at the Center for Children.  He waited in the lobby while someone tracked her down.  A few minutes later, she came into the lobby.

“Lee, what are you doing here?  I thought we were going to meet at the airport,” she reminded him.

“There’s been a change in plans…” he began.

“No there wasn’t; you were right.  The judge won’t make a decision until Monday.  I spoke with Billy from the attorney’s office this morning after the judges ruling.”

“No, Amanda, you’re not listening.   Junior’s leaving this afternoon, with us.”

Glancing around the room, she quietly reminded her partner.  “Lee, we can’t abscond with the boy.  We don’t even have his passport.”

With a chuckle, Lee pulled out the paperwork that Dr. Stipples signed.  “Do these look familiar?”

She nodded.

“They’re all signed, sealed, and ready to deliver.  We’ll drop off the paperwork and pick up his passport at the courthouse on our way to the airport.  You need to get him packed and ready to go within the hour.”

Her eyes opened wide.  “You convinced Dr. Stipples, how?”

“I’ll tell you later, but for now, we need to pack Junior’s things and get a move on.   We’re going to be on that flight before anyone changes their minds again.”

Amanda nodded.  “I’ll get Junior packed.  You’ll need to speak with the director here and give him a copy of the paperwork.”

***

“He’s finally asleep,” Amanda whispered as she tucked the blanket around Junior; his head was resting against the window of the airplane, his thumb in his mouth and an old, worn out stuffed dog clutched in his other hand.

“Considering how excited he was when he found out he was going home, he was well behaved,” Lee admitted.

“Not to mention the delays this evening waiting for this plane to take off.  I didn’t think we’d ever leave.  When will we be landing?”

“Less than an hour now.”

“He should sleep until we land at Dulles.  Mr. Stipples was so excited when I called to tell him we’d be home tonight.”

“More like early morning,” Lee sighed with frustration, glancing at his watch, noticing the late hour.  “It’s almost midnight now.”

Rubbing her eyes, she yawned.  “I’m really tired.”

“The last few days have been hard on you.  You weren’t on vacation.”

“You were supposed to be on vacation, yet you’re the one who got Dr. Stipples to sign the custody papers.  You never did tell me how you convinced her to do it,” leaning close to her husband, in a hushed voice, she asked, “She did sign it, didn’t she?  You didn’t forge her signature, did you?”

Feigning shock, he chuckled softly.  “Amanda, I promise you, that’s her chicken scratch, not mine!”

“So how’d you get her to sign?”

“Would you believe my good looks and charm?” he asked, but she shook her head.  “Luck I guess; combined with persistence.”

“You’re not going to tell me?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I merely pointed out to her how miserable her little boy was feeling, being suddenly alone…” he answered in a tight voice, swallowing hard he finished.  “You know, in a strange country and all.”

Amanda put a comforting hand over his.  “I guess Billy sent the wrong partner to talk to Dr. Stipples, huh?  That was a nice thing you did, thanks.”

“I’m happy the boy will be back with his father.  He didn’t belong languishing at the Center for Children,” he replied, looking away.

“You know, you mentioned this morning that you were worried about me, but I’m wondering if you’re all right?” she asked, observing him carefully.

“I’m fine.”

“Really?” she pressed.

He turned towards her, his jaw muscle twitching angrily.  “I feel like a hypocrite, Amanda.  I goaded Dr. Stipples into letting you bring Junior home, stressing the importance of family.  But when Phillip and Jamie come home on Sunday, we’re going to go back to pretending we’re not one.”

“I know…”

For a few moments, they both sat in the darkened plane in silence.  Finally, Lee shook his head.  “I don’t want to continue living like this – this mystery marriage is… torture.  I want to wake up with my wife everyday, not just every other weekend.  I want the boys to know how much I love you and that I care about them, too!  They should know that they can count on me when they have a problem.  I was robbed of my family when I was a boy.  I want to be a part of the one I have now!”

Amanda swallowed hard.  “I want that, too.”

“Then why don’t we tell everyone we eloped in the Bahamas, your Mother, the kids, even Billy and the Agency.”

Amanda was silent for a few moments before she took a deep breath and spoke.  “We’d have to tell the boys about the Agency.  Take precautions…”

Lee nodded his understanding.  “I know, but it’s the perfect time to do it.  They’re out of school for the summer.  They’ll have plenty of time to adjust without the pressure of school.  We’d have the next two months to look for a bigger house and by the time school starts again in September, we could be living in a new home with a state of the art security system.”

“You’ve really given this a lot of thought,” she commented.

“I’ve been thinking about this since Billy and I argued earlier this week,” he explained, reaching for her hand and intertwining his fingers with her.  “He knew how upset I was about being sent on separate assignments, again.  I miss you.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure he realized I wasn’t thrilled with the idea either when he told me.  Lately, that’s been the norm and not the exception.  Once the Agency knows we’re married that might become the rule,” she reminded her husband with a raised eyebrow.

“If they try it, they’re going to get one hell of a fight from us,” Lee answered testily.

“I know,” she replied, patting his hand.

“Amanda, I was a fool when I suggested this mystery marriage.  We can do a better job protecting the boys if we’re together, in the same household,” then his voice got lower, barely a whisper.  “I think part of me suggested it because I was anxious.  Not just because of what could happen to the family, but because… well, maybe I was afraid to take on the family part.  I realize it’s not always going to be easy, but spending time with them the last few months has been a lot of fun.  I’m ready to take on the challenge – full time.”

“I know that, too.  Phillip adores you and even Jamie thinks you’re pretty cool.  The boys are old enough now to know the truth about what we do and the problems that entails.”

Lee Stetson glanced into his wife’s eyes and shook his head in realization.  “You’ve known this all along, haven’t you?  You’ve been waiting for me to come to the same conclusion.”

Shrugging, she answered.  “Getting married is a big step for anyone.  You not only took on a wife, but two sons and a very nosy mother-in-law.”

Before they could continue their conversation, the flight attendant announced that they’d be landing soon.

“We’ll finish the rest of this conversation at my apartment,” he insisted.

“Why not our house?” she inquired.

“Because our wedding rings are at my apartment.”

“Good point,” she nodded.  “All right, tonight your apartment for old times’ sake, from then on, our house, Mr. Stetson!”

Lee leaned over and captured his wife’s lips with his.  “That’s a deal I’m going to hold you to, Mrs. Stetson.”

End Part Four
 
 

Unexpected Rendezvous
 
 

Saturday night 6/13/87…  Maplewood Avenue
 

A fancifully decorated cake with a large chunk missing from it rested unattended on the kitchen counter.  Two plates were on the coffee table, supporting only a few leftover crumbs.  A bottle of champagne sat in an ice bucket, nearly empty in the family room.  Soft music played in the background while Lee and Amanda cuddled intimately on the couch.

“I think you’ve gotten all the icing off my fingers,” Amanda whispered, drawing her fingers from Lee’s lips.

He quickly turned his attention from her fingers to her lips, tantalizing his wife with yet another kiss.  “Very tasty icing.”

Giggling happily, she answered.  “I’m glad you enjoyed it.  We can save the rest for tomorrow when our family comes home.”

“Did you want some more champagne?” Lee asked, glancing over his shoulder at the bottle.  “There’s a little left.”

“Are you trying to get me drunk so you can have your way with me?”

“I thought you were enjoying all this… attention.”

“Oh, I most definitely am,” she whispered, nibbling on his ear lobe.  “I’ve had plenty of champagne, thank you.  Why don’t you finish it?”

Lee poured the last of the bottle into his glass, tipped it up to his lips, and savored the effervescent beverage.  “That was delicious.”

“Better then the icing on my fingers?”

“Not a chance,” he replied huskily, putting down the glass and capturing her hand in his, kissing it delicately.  Lee’s fingers traced her lips, then wandered down to her neck and began to caress her soft skin sensually.  “I love you.”

“I love you, too.  I can’t believe you’re actually here and going to spend the night.  This will be the first time you’ve ever spent the entire night in my bed.”

“All my nights from now on,” he whispered.

“We’re actually going to tell everyone that we eloped?” she remarked, less a question than it was a wish come true.

“You’re not going to change your mind, or get cold feet on me now, are you, Mrs. Stetson?” he asked as his hands glided softly up her leg.

“Not a chance,” she sighed contently.  “There were times I never thought we’d actually announce we were married.”

Capturing her lips again, he drew her into a long and intense kiss.  “Tomorrow your family and on Monday we tell Billy and the Agency.”

“Our family,” she corrected, kissing him back.  “That ought to make for an interesting start to the week.”

“I’m more interested in how we plan to finish up this week,” Lee murmured, his lips pulling away from hers as he glanced up the stairs and nodded.  “I want you, Mrs. Stetson.”

“You already have me, Mr. Stetson,” she teased.

“Shall we?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” she purred excitedly.

Lee Stetson held out his hand and helped her up and they soon disappeared up the stairs…
 
 

***
 

Sunday morning…

Early sunshine filtered through the curtains.   Lee Stetson’s eyes began to focus on his surroundings.  The realization of how much his life was going to change was the first thought in his conscious mind.  Instead of being anxious, he was excited.  This was the first morning he’d awoken in Amanda’s bedroom – now their bedroom.  Careful not to disturb her, he untangled her arm from across his chest, pulled his shorts on, and slipped out of the bedroom to the bathroom across the hall.

After washing up and brushing his teeth, he opened the bathroom door and stepped into the upstairs hallway, preparing to return to their bedroom.  Sporting a devilish grin, he was thinking of how he planned to wake up his wife.  Suddenly, he got the feeling he was being watched.  Stopping dead in his tracks, his eyes darted to the side and he swallowed hard.  Only a few feet away from him, Dotty West was staring at him.

“Dotty!” he said trying not to appear as startled as he was.

“Good morning, Lee, you’re up rather early,” she commented with a grin on her face.

“We, um… I um… Amanda wasn’t expecting you home until… late this afternoon,” he commented, his face red, and feeling suddenly tongue-tied.

“There was a storm coming in this morning and I was afraid my travel plans would get canceled.  I caught a train home late last night, instead.  I tried to call, but I kept getting a busy signal.”

“Really?” Lee replied, knowing they’d taken the phone off the hook to make sure the Agency didn’t interfere with their rather intimate celebration.

“I noticed the phone was off the hook when I got in.”

Feeling like a rat trapped in a maze, he didn’t know what to say or do.  Lee Stetson was beginning to understand how Amanda had felt these last few months.  He was about to say something when the bedroom door flew open.

“Lee, who are you talking…MOTHER!” Amanda gasped, staring at her mother like a deer in headlights, while she stood in the hall wearing only the new negligee Lee had given her.

“Good morning, Amanda!” Dotty said, grinning brightly, obviously enjoying the unanticipated encounter.

“Mother, you’re home… early!” she choked out; crossing her arms across her body in a useless attempt to cover her rather overexposed self.

“Yes, as I already explained to Lee, there is a storm heading in today and I wanted to get home ahead of it. I got in late last night.  Apparently, I didn’t disturb you.”

Amanda turned a bright shade of red, glanced at Lee who didn’t know what to say.  Finally, she choked out, “Mother, it’s not what you think!”

Dotty shook her head, obviously tempted to laugh.  “Come on, now, Amanda, who are you trying to fool?  I may be getting old, but I’m not senile yet!”

“Dotty, I think what Amanda’s trying to say… is that… well, we’re not just… fooling around.”  He paused, glancing at his wife who nodded for him to continue.  “Amanda and I eloped!”

Dotty’s eyes got wide and her mouth dropped open.  She glanced over at Amanda who offered up a lame smile.

For a moment, the three of them stood in the hallway, staring at each other.  Finally, Amanda grinned and raised her left hand as evidence; she proudly showed her mother her engagement ring and wedding band.

“It’s true, Mother,” she whispered, and she felt Lee’s arm reach around her waist to support her.

Shaking her head, Dotty finally choked out, “Oh, my gosh!”
 

***
 

Monday morning:
 

Lee Stetson clicked the ballpoint pen closed and placed it on his desk.  He glanced at the paper in his hand and stood up.  “I’ll meet you at the staff meeting. I’m going to give Billy my change of address forms.”

“What are you going to tell him?” Amanda pressed with a raised eyebrow.

“That we eloped.”

“Are you going to tell him…when?”

Shaking his head, he answered with a sly smile.  “I’m not telling him anything, not unless he asks.  Your mother and the boys didn’t, and I’m betting that Billy won’t either.”

“We got lucky they didn’t ask many questions about that.”

“They were more interested in the Agency than they were in a wedding date,” he chuckled crossing the room and leaning on her desk.

“Finding out their mother was a spy was probably more shocking and exciting than you and I getting married.  In general, it went rather smoothly.  The look on my mother’s face yesterday morning in the upstairs hallway, when we showed her my rings, that was priceless.”

“The look on your face when you found out she was home early was pretty funny, too!” Lee chuckled.

Amanda swatted at her husband, shaking her head.  “I’m glad it’s all out in the open.  No more lying!  The boys are excited about a new house, and you and I are finally together.”

Putting his hand over hers, he grinned.  “That’s the best perk of all, although, I’m looking forward to finding a house with a private master suite.  No more family reunions in the upstairs hallway.”

“Yes, I’ll second that!  I only hope we can find something we all like,” Amanda worried.

“We will,” Lee replied, leaning down and kissing his wife.  “I love you, Mrs. Stetson.”

“I love you too, Mr. Stetson.  See you at the staff meeting.”

A few minutes later, Lee knocked on the door to Billy’s office.  Glancing out the window, Billy waved him in.  “Morning, Billy.”

“Scarecrow!” Billy greeted. “I don’t know what you said to Dr. Stipples, but the prosecutor called me first thing this morning.  He is rather impressed with you, mentioning something about owing you a bottle of Cognac.  Not only did you get Dr. Stipples to allow Amanda to transfer Junior back to the States, but she’s no longer fighting extradition.  What exactly did you say to her?”

Lee Stetson smiled happily; pleased that his intervention had made the difference.  “I don’t know what changed her mind, Billy.  Maybe she was finally ready to face the music.”

“Put in a voucher for your expenses; considering the results of your working vacation, the Agency will cover your travel costs.”

“Thanks, Billy,” Lee remarked handing his boss some paperwork.

“What’s this?”

“A copy of my change of address paperwork.  I still have to take the original forms downstairs to personnel.”

Billy glanced up at him, his face showing a mixture of confusion and alarm.  “You’re moving?”

“Already moved.”

“When did this happen?”

“Over the weekend.”

Billy studied the form and then looked up at Lee, shocked at the revelation. In a voice that was accusatory, he bellowed, “You moved in with Amanda?”

“Yeah, I took your suggestion to heart.  You know; if I want to spend more time with her that I should consider other options.”

“That’s not exactly what I meant,” Billy grumbled.  “I was implying that you two might want to consider a more traditional relationship.  You know, like engagement and eventually marriage.”

“Oh!” Lee remarked, raising his eyebrow.  Both of his hands were behind his back, his fingers twisting his wedding band as he spoke.  “I guess I’d consider going that route if we knew for sure the Agency wouldn’t split us up in the field.”

“I’d do everything in my power to keep you two together,” Billy remarked, then began a fatherly lecture.  “You know, Lee, Amanda is one in a million.  Clearly, you two love each other.  The Agency aside, what exactly are you waiting for?”

“We’re not, Billy,” Lee rocked back on his heels, holding up his left hand so his supervisor could see his gold wedding band.  “Amanda and I eloped!"

“You son of a gun!” Billy chuckled happily, stood up, and slapped his friend on the back.  “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Billy.  I guess I should thank you for pushing me in that direction.”

“I’m sure you two are going to be very happy,” Billy said with a pleased grin.

“We already are,” Lee smiled, then glanced out into the bullpen, noticing the agents were already assembling in the conference room.  “I guess we better quit talking and get to the meeting.”

“Did you want to make an announcement at the staff meeting, or would you prefer I did?”

“I’ll let you do the honors,” Lee replied.  “After all, you knew how I felt about Amanda before I did.  Just make sure Francine is sitting down at the time.”

They both laughed, and then, hoping to fend off any further questions as to when they actually tied the knot, Lee quickly stepped out of Billy’s office.

Lee started for the conference room when he saw the guard open the bullpen door for Amanda.  Their eyes met, passing silent smiles to each other.  Meeting her in the middle of the bullpen, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.  Then, with a loving hand resting on the small of her back, they walked into the conference room together…

The end.
 

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