Sorry it took me forever to come up with another story. But between school and work, I've not had any good ideas since I wrote the first one. So don't get too mad at me for taking this long. Oh and if it is hard to read, it is because I am still having trouble in posting stories and I am working out the bugs. Please bear with me. And now without further delay, I now present "A Film Lie for Dotty" Thank you to Neeney and Ermintrude for being the beta for this story, without you this thing would be in a mess.
Title: A Film Lie for Dotty
Timeline: Between Double Agent and the Legend of Das Geisterschloss
Summary: At the beginning of "The Legend of Das Geisteschloss", Amanda and Lee were discussing the fact that Amanda had told her mother, in order to get to Salzburg, Austria, that she was scouting locations after she had followed Billy Melrose's instructions on what to do. How was she able to satisfy her mother with just scouting locations? Surely it was not all that easy. This is my take on what went on before Amanda was able to get on the plane to help Lee find Emily in Austria.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Scarecrow and Mrs. King; if I did I would not be writing fan fiction about them. The only things I own are their thoughts and actions during this sequence.
Feedback: Yes please, let me know what you think of this story. I am still very new at writing fan fiction.
"Hurry up boys or you're going to be late for school," Amanda called up the stairs.
"We'll be right down mom," she heard Phillip yell back.
Amanda shook her head and went into the kitchen to be sure the boys' lunches were packed. She sighed. 'At least everything is done. Phillip and Jamie will be ready to go as soon as they get down here. I hate Mondays,' Amanda thought.
"Oh Amanda, have you seen my purse anywhere? I can't seem to find it and I am going to be late."
Amanda turned and saw her mother in panic mode. 'Uh oh, I better think…ah the living room, that's where I last saw it.'
"I think I saw it in the living room."
Dotty frowned but headed to the living room mumbling at the same time, "Now how could it possibly have landed there?"
Amanda stifled a laugh but quickly grabbed the two lunches as she heard the boys run down the stairs, and hurried to meet them.
'I better get these lunches to the boys before they leave. I'd rather not havethem come home claiming to be starving to death.'
"Boys don't forget your lunches here. Do you have your homework?"
"Yes mom," both boys said as they rushed down the stairs to grab their lunches and to hurry outside to meet their ride to school. She could hear the honking of the horn to announce they had arrived.
As both boys were turning to leave, Amanda called out, "Wait! You forgot something very important," and pointed to her cheeks indicating they forgot their good-bye kiss as she knelt down.
Phillip and Jamie came back, gave her a kiss and took off calling out their good-byes slamming the door behind them.
She got back up and headed towards the kitchen.
"Amanda dear, don't forget the boys have their baseball practice tonight and I have my card game tonight."
"Mother when have I ever forgotten anything?" Amanda asked as she turned towards her.
"Well dear, there was that one time when you forgot about lunch with Dean's mother, but then again you did have amnesia didn't you. Then all last week you were so pre-occupied that…"
"Mo-ther!" 'If this keeps up, she might not get out the door on time. 'Dotty paused and just looked at her daughter.
Amanda nodded towards the clock on the wall and asked with a great hope that she would take the hint, "Aren't you going to be late?"
Dotty looked up at the clock.
"OH MY GOSH!! I've got to fly. I'll see you later dear."
With that her mother flew out the door. Amanda just sighed and turned back to the kitchen to try and catch up on the chores from last week that she had missed because of the case she and Lee had solved.
'Well, time for me to get on with the housework that I have to do.'
As Amanda began to do the morning dishes, she looked up and out of the window above her sink. So often these days, she had learned to expect Lee's hazel eyes to peer at her waiting for her to sneak out of the house to talk to him.
She silently chuckled.
'Every time I see Lee, it always means there is a case just right around the corner that causes Lee and Mr. Melrose to ask for my help. And every case so far has brought interesting aspects to my life that I would never have been had I not taken Dean to the train station last year. At least I don't have to come up with as many excuses as I did before I started to work full time with the Agency and use the IFF cover. Since I started to use the film cover I've been able to ease Mother's imagination some. But she still comes up with wild ideas. She just about threw the book at me for getting that sweater covered in mud. Then she thought I was sick when I was suggesting we move to a different state. At least I was truly able to answer that one correctly. But I wish there was some way I could get her to stop coming up with these crazy ideas…as Lee often points out, I am not the type to have an affair…of course I'm not the type who would have turned out to be a spy and look what I am doing now…
Just then the phone rang.
The phone made Amanda shake the thoughts out of her head as she reached for the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Hello Amanda." It was Mr. Melrose.
She automatically straightened up as she replied, "Sir".
'That's weird, normally it's Lee who calls me when they need me, not Mr. Melrose. Of course there was that one time on a case last year where Mr. Melrose did contact me…maybe it is another case'
"I know this is somewhat short notice but I'd appreciate it if you could come see me in my office."
"I can be over there in a few minutes Sir."
She heard a sigh of relief before his response.
"Wonderful Amanda, I will see you in a few minutes then. Goodbye."
"Goodbye Sir," she replied as she hung up the phone.
She shook her head as she hurried up the stairs.
'I wonder what that was all about. Well I guess I'll find out as soon as I change my clothes to something more suitable for work.'
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After entering the bullpen, Amanda noticed Lee was nowhere in sight, which seemed weird to her, but then he might be in Mr. Melrose's office.
'But then again', She thought, 'Mr. Melrose did say to meet him not us in his office. I hope nothing has happened to Lee like the time he pretended to be dead and scared me half to death after he caught me crying. But he didn't sound upset or worried.'
Gathering up her courage, she walked over to Mr. Melrose's office and knocked on the door. Once Mr. Melrose waved her to come on in, she opened the door and entered.
Amanda closed the door and nodded to Mr. Melrose, "Hello Sir."
"Hello Amanda, please have a seat."
Amanda quickly took the seat closest to the door and watched as Mr. Melrose stood, and then walked in front of his desk.
'Well he doesn't seem upset or nervous. Actually he looks like the way he does when he is going to discuss a case.'
"Thank you Amanda for coming in today, I appreciate it with this being your day off and everything."
"It was no problem Sir."
'But what case could I possibly do without Lee?'
"Amanda, we need your help on a case in Salzburg."
"Salzburg Sir?" 'Why in the world would Mr. Melrose want me to go to Salzburg,' Amanda pondered.
"Yes Amanda. Salzburg, Austria. Lee has already gone ahead. Normally Lee would be able to handle it, but something has come up that it seems only you can deal with."
"Me Sir?" 'What skills could I possibly have that make me the only person to help Lee?'
"Yes Amanda. I've already arranged for your plane ticket. Your plane leaves in three hours. Lee will fill you in once you get to Salzburg."
Amanda smiled nervously. 'But how can I explain this to my mother? This isn't going to be an easy one to come up with to satisfy my mother's' imagination.'
Amanda saw Mr. Melrose's smile turn into a look of concern.
"Is something wrong Amanda?"
Amanda hesitated for a second. 'Should I tell him? Why not? Maybe he could help.'
"Well Sir, I'm just trying to figure out what I'm going to tell my mother. I mean, I've been able to come up with some decent stories using IFF's cover. And it is not like I am nervous about going to Europe because I did go to London to help look for Conrad. Even the trip to Germany, I was able to figure out ways to satisfy my mother because I just had to extend the cover of a tourist just a little. But on those times, I knew the details of the assignment. With this new case, I don't know what I'm supposed to do or…"
"Amanda!"
She paused and looked down with embarrassment, "Sorry Sir."
"Amanda, you're concerned about your family. I understand. I've actually come up with a solution."
"Sir?"
"Lee has been telling me about the excuses you've been dreaming up and how you don't really like lying to your mother. Isn't that right?"
"Yes Sir, that's correct".
"So, I would like you to tell your mother you got a new job with IFF. Not a new position mind, but lead it on like you got a new assignment. This way you don't have to tell your mother any lies about this assignment. "
Amanda sat there in wonderment at how Lee and Mr. Melrose were able to help her. 'This is great,' she thought, 'now I'll be able to come up with a better explanation of what's going on.'
She shook off her thoughts when she realized Mr. Melrose was waiting for a response. Her grin slowly became more of a genuine smile as she stood up to leave his office.
"Thank you so much Sir."
"You're welcome Amanda. Here is your plane ticket," he said as he picked up the ticket from his desk and handed it to her.
Amanda took the ticket, "Thank you again sir, for everything."
With a nod, Amanda headed out to her car.
As she put the ticket in her purse, her mind began to wander.
'Well at least Mr. Melrose helped me out with not only this case but with future cases. Okay Amanda, one thing at a time. First things first though, I need to pack and then I will deal with mother.'
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"Mother, I'm home," Amanda called out as she walked in through the front door, and was greeted with silence.
'At least she's not home yet, which will give me some time to pack. I might as well get started then. But what do I pack? Well, since I am, at most, going to be gone for a week, there is not a lot I need to pack.'
Amanda went into her room and started pulling out clothes, trying to decide what to wear.
'Let's see what I've got here. Well, I definitely think I will take this white sweater. After all, if we go outside the city, it will be cooler. So if I take that and a jacket I should be fine for when it gets chilly. Now what else do I have…'
"Amanda, I'm home," Dotty called from the living room.
"Up here Mother."
Amanda hung her head and sighed. 'Show time. Why did she have to show up now when there is this huge mess? Oh well, no time like now. This should be interesting.'
Amanda turned quickly to face the door just as Dotty walked in.
"Oh Amanda, you would never believe…" Dotty's voice trailed off as she saw the mess that surrounded her.
"Amanda, what on earth is going on?"
Amanda closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 'Everything will be fine, just follow Mr. Melrose's instructions.'
"Amanda?"
Amanda shook herself out of her thoughts. Unconsciously her hands started to fidget.
Sighing, Amanda indicated to Dotty that she should sit down. "Uh, Mother how about if you sit down on the bed here. I uh, have something to tell you."
Dotty sat down and began her barrage as soon as Amanda sat down next to her. "Amanda, are you sick? I told you not to overdo it…"
"Mother, I'm not sick."
"Are you pregnant? Amanda, I told you to use protection, although it really is none of my business…"
"MOTHER!!" 'Where in the world does she get those ideas? Oh well, I guess it's time to tell the truth…well part of it anyway.'
"Amanda, what other possibilities are there?"
"Mother, I got a new job."
"What happened to your old one? Amanda I…"
"Mother!" 'Why oh why did she have to ask that question?'
"I'm listening, Amanda."
"Mother, it is not a new job as in I had to change employers. Apparently, there is a new film in the works and…"
"Amanda, you are directing a film, Oh I am so excited…"
"Mother." 'Is this how Lee feels whenever I jump to conclusions and interrupt their conversations?'
Dotty grabbed her arm. "Amanda, don't keep me in suspense. What happened?"
"I got the job." A wide grin appeared on Amanda's face as she anticipated her mother's reaction.
'This should be interesting to see how mother's going to react.'
Dotty was silent at first. But then she squealed with excitement, as she threw her arms around Amanda's neck.
"Oh darling, I am so happy for you. I want you to give me all the details. Amanda, I am so excited."
'Details? Oh mother, why do you have to be so nosy? ' Amanda thought, but quickly recovered.
"Well mother, there's not much to tell. The only thing I know is that I am going to be going out of the country to Salzburg and my plane leaves in about two hours. So I really need to finish packing."
'Please let those responses satisfy your curiosity,' she hoped.
"Oh Amanda, why didn't you just tell me you got a new assignment with the movie company? But what are we going to do about the boys? They're in school and…"
"MOTHER!! What on earth are you talking about?"
"Well, I assumed you would want me to come with you."
"Why on earth would I want you to come on a scouting expedition for a documentary film? It's not like I am going to have any time to go out on a date or anything like that. In fact I am only going to be gone for a couple of days. I am probably going to be back by the end of the week. So I really need you to stay here with the boys. "
'Please mother, let that erase the silly idea of you coming with me on this trip. Lee would kill me otherwise.'
After a few moments of Dotty staring at Amanda, she finally nodded her head a couple of times and replied, "You're right Amanda, I'll stay here with the boys. It wouldn't do any good for me to come along on this trip of yours. After all, you are a big girl and can take care of yourself."
Amanda grinned nervously. "Thank you mother, I really do need to go pack, otherwise I am going to miss my plane."
"Alright dear, you finish up and tell me every detail when you get back."
"Mother, I repeat, I am just going to scout locations for a movie. There will be nothing exciting about that."
"You never know Amanda. You might meet some handsome young man. But either way dear, go pack or you're going to be late."
'Oh please Mother, I am not going over there to run into a handsome man…well I guess Lee would count wouldn't he?' Amanda thought as she nodded and quickly hugged Dotty and finished packing while Dotty went downstairs. Once done, Amanda grabbed her luggage and headed off to the airport. She dialed the cab service to come pick her up. As she rode in the cab, her mind started to wander.
'At least Mother is satisfied. But I had to tell a lie. I am really going to have to talk to Lee about this lying business. I hate the fact that I told another lie to my mother. Well two lies actually, but then again that second lie may be true in that nothing exciting will happen. Oh who am I kidding? This is Lee Stetson and the Agency I am thinking about here. Something exciting is bound to happen. There has not been a time yet that I have spent with Lee and nothing exciting has happened. But I can hope for a quiet case…can't I? But no matter what happens on this case, I was able to solve some of my lying with my mother by twisting the truth just slightly…yes it is lying still, but it is no where near as bad as it was when I was trying to tell her it was for a club or my "Pet and Plant business". But after this I will know that all I have to do is twist the truth to somehow fit with the IFF cover the agency always uses. Either way, I am going to let Lee know how I was able to deal with my mother's curiosity since he does know about…'