Wait… What? (A story originally written for the 35th Anniversary fanzine in 2018.)
Set in the weeks after "All the World's A Stage."
A phone call at this time of day usually meant someone at IFF needed Amanda for something or other, so Dotty didn't even bother moving from the breakfast table as it rang on the counter.
"Hey Amanda, it's me."
"Well, hello you, how are you this morning?"
Hearing Amanda's telephone voice drop into that smiling lower register that said this wasn't a business call after all, Dotty glanced up from the paper, all ears now.
"I have a favor to ask you and I promise you'll enjoy it."
Amanda chuckled into the receiver. "Sweetheart, please tell me you're not trying to get me to come along on that trip to Busch Gardens next weekend with you and the boys – you know I don't like roller coasters."
Realizing it was just Joe, Dotty tuned back out and went back to perusing the Personal ads. It's extraordinary the things people put in their lists of what they look for in a person, she mused. She gave Amanda a quick glance as her daughter continued to expertly put together the boys' lunches while simultaneously chatting with her ex. But whatever it is that Amanda wants, 'Just Joe' doesn't have it anymore.
Joe, meanwhile was laughing and clarifying his request. "No, I know better than to ask that – you can just get queasy later listening to Phillip describe how long the drop is on the Loch Ness Monster ride. Besides, didn't I say it was something you'd enjoy?"
Amanda's mind flitted briefly to Lee saying almost those exact same words years ago when he was trying to invite her to Emily's embassy party. "Yes, you did," she allowed. "So what is it that I'm going to enjoy so much?"
"I just got a last-minute invitation to a Law Journal dinner and I need a plus one."
Amanda's ready gurgle of laughter bubbled up. "And you thought I'd enjoy that? Even when you were the editor, you always said those were the most boring events of all time."
"I did and they were," Joe chuckled along with her. "But this one isn't the usual stuffed shirts thing. The Journal will be 75 years old this year, so they're kicking off a whole bunch of events leading up the anniversary and this dinner is just for all the editors and contributors they can scrounge up. So lots of the old gang are coming – you'd know lots of people there."
"Well, that does sound fun," Amanda admitted.
"And I haven't even told you the best part," said Joe. "A friend of mine is on the organizing committee and guess who's getting a special honor for continuing contribution to journalism and the law?"
"You?" Amanda hazarded a guess. "Although your contribution was more along the lines of selling newspapers by being in the middle of an international incident," she teased him.
"Good guess but nope! Kat!" replied Joe.
"Really?" Amanda almost squealed with delight. "That's wonderful!"
Kat Hastings was one of her oldest college friends – actually not just Amanda's but Joe's as well. She'd been Amanda's sorority sister first, but when she'd gone into pre-law and met Joe, she'd been the one to introduce them – and claimed Maid of Honor privileges at their wedding as her reward. She'd never settled into a lawyer's life properly, ending up in a peripatetic life instead and writing a syndicated newspaper column on legal stories from around the world with her trademark humor and wit.
"But hang on – isn't she living in San Francisco these days? How are they getting her here?"
"Who knows?" laughed Joe. "She probably thinks she's coming to do a student seminar or something. But she definitely doesn't know about the award – my friend swore me to secrecy!" he allowed himself another chuckle. "But I figured I could tell you as long as you promise not to tell anyone else."
"I promise!" answered Amanda without hesitation. "When is it?"
"This Friday, the 13th."
Amanda closed her eyes and grimaced. She and Lee had developed a kind of unofficial date night for Fridays. They hadn't been together long enough for it to be officially a thing, but their usual after-work drink had quietly expanded to include a light dinner that got her home early enough not to alert her mother.
"What's the matter? You're not superstitious are you?" joked Joe.
"No, I just had to think if I had anything else on," she said glibly. "But there's nothing I can't get out of. What time can you pick me up?"
After arranging all the details, Amanda hung up and stared into space, absently chewing a cuticle. It wasn't just that she'd be breaking their usual date, it was that she was going out with Joe – and she knew Lee always got that look on his face when she talked about her ex. It was that slightly hangdog expression, the one she'd caught on his face a few times when they were working to clear Joe's name a few months ago. She hadn't completely understood it at the time, but she recognized it now; it was the expression of someone who thought the fact that she still loved her ex meant there was a possibility she still loved her ex.
I could just not tell him, she thought, and just as quickly discarded the idea. If it even looked like she was sneaking around to see Joe, well, no, she just wasn't even going to test out what that face would look like…
I'll tell him tomorrow, she decided. It'll be fine.
"What are you thinking about so hard, Darling" asked Dotty, breaking her train of thought.
"I, uh… I was just thinking I should bake some brownies to take to work tomorrow."
"Planning to bribe that Mr. Steadman of yours into a raise?" asked Dotty. "Or maybe something else?"
Amanda couldn't mistake that particular rise on her mother's eyebrow as anything other than innuendo and sighed. "Something like that, Mother. It looks like I need to make sure I'm not working late next Friday."
In the end, bringing Lee's favorite brownies wasn't even necessary.
"Oh damn it," she heard him mutter under his breath as she walked in. He was staring at his appointment book, tiny furrow in his forehead, and then he looked up with a slightly guilty expression.
"What's the matter?" she asked. "Did you forget you had to be somewhere?"
"Kind of," he admitted. "Uhhh, Amanda… You know how we've been doing dinner after work on Fridays?"
"Yes, and I wanted to talk to you about-"
"I can't go next Friday," Lee went on, ignoring her interruption. "I was just looking at my week and realized that I promised an old friend I'd see them that night."
"An old friend?" There was something in his tone that sent her senses tingling, but it was probably her own guilty conscience, she decided.
"Yes," he answered. "I mean… I can get out of it, but I haven't seen Al in ages and…"
"No, no, it's fine," said Amanda quickly. "I was actually going to cancel as well."
"Family stuff?" Lee asked, now looking faintly relieved that she was taking it so well.
"Kind of," she admitted.
I don't need to give him the details – he'll only fret she told herself.
"Tell you what – Joe's taking the boys away this weekend, right? How about we go out for a proper dinner date on Saturday instead?"
"That would be nice," she beamed at him. "We could try out that new place, Emilio's."
"That would be great," Lee grinned back at her happily.
"And then we'll go somewhere extra-special for your birthday next week – I already told Mother we had a sponsors' dinner that night so I can get dressed up without getting the third degree."
It hadn't seemed possible for Lee's smile to get broader, but somehow it did. He got up from his desk and walked to where she'd sat down, bending down to kiss her lightly. "You know, I can't remember the last time I did something special for my birthday – and anywhere you are is extra-special."
Amanda blushed and ducked her head before looking up to meet his eyes. "Well, everyone deserves a treat on their birthday, don't you think?" She leaned back and smiled demurely. "And since Francine is nowhere in sight, maybe I could give you a preview…"
Lee looked mildly shocked for a moment before leaning forward again. "Really?" he asked in hopeful tones.
"Really," purred Amanda. She reached across her desk and pressed the Tupperware container against his chest. "I brought those brownies you like."
Lee chuckled but continued to lean in, not stopping until his lips were brushing against hers lightly. "The ones with the Heath bar pieces in them?" he breathed out against her mouth and felt her laugh.
"Of course."
He pressed a quick kiss on her, then straightened back up, clutching the container in his hands. "Then I am hiding this in the vault before Francine gets wind of them."