Disclaimers: The characters in this story are copyrighted by Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. The books referenced are the property of Stephanie Meyer. I make no money from these characters; I simply like to share their world for a short time.
A/N Everyone is still talking about the incredible love story told in the TWILIGHT saga. I've read them, and yes, it is a good love story. But it's fiction. Lee and Amanda's story is much better. After all, real life is always better than fiction, right? (wink, wink) A special thanks to Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson—as well as the rest of the cast—for portraying these characters so wonderfully.
2005
Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Leigh Stetson came bounding down the stairs of 4247 Maplewood Drive. When she reached the kitchen, she gave her mother a hug, picked up a plate of fresh pancakes from her grandmother, and proceeded to sit at the table. In between gulps of ice cold milk and huge bites of blueberry heaven, she shyly asked her mother if she could have a ride to the bookstore after school that afternoon.
"You're lucky I have the day off, honey. Fortunately your dad doesn't need me today; things are a little slow because of the holiday—seems even the 'spies' are taking a holiday break this year. And Grandpa Kurt has agreed to spare your grandmother to help with some of the holiday preparations. By the way, since when are you interested in the bookstore? You know I've always tried to get you to read—something in which you've just never had an interest. Your brother Jaime has always loved to read, but you, Phillip, and Matthew . . . Why the sudden interest, anyway? Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Books are a wonderful window to the world; you can learn so much from them. But they are expensive. If you're thinking about purchasing something, you know you're going to need cash." Amanda managed to say that all in one breath; Jennifer couldn't imagine how she did it!
"Don't worry, Mom. Dad expressed the same surprise last night when I mentioned the bookstore to him. Since he knows my past relationship with books, he decided to encourage my new-found interest by slipping me a little extra cash," Jennifer grinned.
Dotty cast a knowing look at her daughter. Jennifer certainly did have her dad wrapped around her little finger! Being the only girl, she was her daddy's special pride and joy.
"What's so special at the bookstore anyway, honey?" Amanda asked as she put some water on to boil for tea. "Do you have a school project due?"
"No, there's a book I really want to read, and there's a waiting list a mile long at the library. All the girls at school either have read it or are 'dying' to read it. It's apparently the most incredible love story ever," replied Jennifer.
Amanda silently rolled her eyes. I'm definitely a romantic, she thought, but it was her opinion that no 'fiction' story could compare to her own story with the love of her life, Lee. But . . . if it would get her darling daughter to read . . . how could she say no?
"All right, Jenny. Since it's Friday, and you have the entire weekend for homework, I guess I can drive you. Why don't I just pick you up at school, as it's on the way?"
"Thanks, Mom."
At this point, Matthew finally wandered into the kitchen, grabbing a glass of milk. Just like his father, Amanda quipped; the Stetson men just didn't 'do' breakfast.
"Hurry up, you two," encouraged Dotty. "You're going to miss your bus!"
Once the twins had successfully made the dash for their bus, Amanda and Dotty sat down to enjoy their own breakfast.
"She's certainly growing up," exclaimed Dotty. "It seems like just yesterday that I was reading THE HUNGRY CATEPILLAR to her. Now she wants to read romance novels. Not that there's anything wrong with a good romance novel. Heaven knows I've read my share, but she's only 15. And some of the scenes in those books—Oh, Amanda, do you really think she should be reading things like that at her age?"
"Don't worry, Mother. I plan on checking everything out BEFORE I pick her up at school this afternoon. Thank goodness for the Internet."
After the breakfast dishes were done and the kitchen cleaned up, Amanda sat down at the computer in the den. Where do I even begin, she wondered, as she realized that she didn't even know the title or author of the book. Oh well, she thought, let's just GOOGLE the best sellers' list and see what pops up.
Looks like this might be it, Amanda thought, as she scanned the search results. It mentioned that it was written primarily for teens and young adults and did not contain any of those 'scenes' her mother had been referring to. If that was the case, she guessed she would have to approve the purchase for Jenny. Amanda was planning, however, to do a little more checking AND make sure she read the book herself.
When Amanda and Jenny returned from the bookstore that afternoon, Jenny went right up to her room to begin reading. She had to be persuaded to put the book down long enough to gulp down her dinner, then immediately retreated upstairs again to continue the story. Her brother even commented about the unusual behavior.
"Now don't tease your sister," Lee reminded him. "After all, I've seen all three of my boys with their noses buried in books or magazines at one time or another. If it's something that's interesting to her, let her be," he emphasized.
Matthew's "Yes, Dad" echoed in the dining room.
"Just what is Jenny reading?" Lee questioned as he and Amanda were getting ready for bed that evening. "I know she's becoming quite the young lady, but I still worry about her. And I tend to agree with Matthew. It is quite unusual for Jenny to be that interested in the written word."
"May I remind you, darling, that 'you' gave her the extra money last night," Amanda gently chided him.
Lee flashed her a dimpled grin, took her into his arms, and kissed her soundly. "I know. Sorry. But I just couldn't say no to my baby girl. Plus, I knew you would check everything out. You always do. What would I do without you?"
"You're incorrigible, Mr. Stetson," she said as she swatted him on the chest. "And, yes, I did check the book out. It's on the best sellers' list for teens and young adults. I read the reviews, and I plan on reading the book—as soon as Jenny will let it out of her sight for more than two minutes, that is!"
"I knew I could count on you, Mrs. Stetson," he replied, as they settled in for the night.
Saturday morning breakfast was a repeat of last night's meal, except this time Jenny brought the book with her to the table. She just couldn't seem to put it down.
"I should have known," Matthew said as he looked at the title. "I sure wish Phillip and Jaime were still living here. Dad, we're outnumbered! I thought I only had to put up with that silly book at school. Now it's here, too. And it's so stupid. There are no such things as vampires. And no one is as good looking and perfect as the main character. Why do all the girls have to swoon over some stupid character in some stupid book? I don't think I'll ever understand females."
Lee just shook his head. Matthew could produce almost as good a ramble as his mother when he got started! "I hate to burst your bubble, son, but I don't think any male will EVER fully understand the female of the species. You will learn, however, that it can be fun trying," he said as he winked at his wife.
"But really, Dad . . . Does every girl on the planet have to read this book and drool over some vampire?" complained Matt.
"I think," commented Amanda, "that you're just hoping to have a girl look at you that way some day."
Jenny stirred from her book at that statement. "Yeah, he's just jealous. Kate won't even talk to him, and they have most of their classes together. He just walks around like a love-sick puppy. Boy does he have a crush on her!"
"Now honey, you just have to be patient. Why don't you try flashing her that famous Stetson smile? You know, that's a big part of how your father hooked me," Amanda said.
"Ahh, Mom. Can we change the subject, please?" replied Matthew.
"I'll let it drop-for now," she said—with a nod to her husband that said they would talk about it later in private.
After breakfast, the entire Stetson household took off in opposite directions for their Saturday activities. Amanda had a mountain of holiday baking to do, so her day was spent in the kitchen, while Lee and Matthew went off to do some Christmas shopping. Times had certainly changed. Lee actually enjoyed Christmas shopping with his son, and he hadn't purchased a single scarf for at least fifteen years! Jenny, of course, retreated to her room with book in hand.
By lunch the next day, Jenny was debating options for her Sunday afternoon. She really wanted to go ice skating with her friends, but the book was just too good to put down! Amanda could sense her frustration, and simply told her that, while she was impressed with Jenny's new-found interest in reading, her friends were more important. As a horn sounded outside a mere half-hour later, Jenny kissed her mother goodbye and raced outside to the waiting car. Who knows, she thought, perhaps I'll meet my 'vampire' at the rink? Or better yet, maybe Steven will be there.
When Amanda finished the lunch dishes, she decided to take a big mug of hot chocolate and the book and settle on the couch for an afternoon of peace and quiet. After all, it had been quite a while since she had time for such a luxury. If any of her family so much as set foot in the den—well, she 'was' anxious to practice some of those new self-defense moves that Dr. Pain had taught her.
As Amanda and Lee were getting ready for bed that night, the conversation turned to the book.
"How did you enjoy your quiet time this afternoon?" Lee asked with a smile. "I know you don't get much time to yourself, so I figured I'd just let you relax. Are you enjoying the book as much as Jenny is?"
"Well, I'm only about a third of the way through it. I can see why all the girls are enthralled, but it's a fantasy story, nothing more. Vampires, really? Now if they were talking about KGB agents, then maybe it wouldn't seem so strange." She gave him a quick, knowing look. "I'll reserve my final judgment until I've finished the book, but I just can't see it getting my endorsement as the best love story ever," replied Amanda. "Check back with me in a day or two."
"I'll be sure to do that, Mrs. Stetson," he replied as he gave her a heart-stopping goodnight kiss.
The next week passed in a blur for everyone in the Stetson household. As things at the Agency were light, Amanda had some extra time off for all the holiday preparations. She also found time to finish the book while Jenny was off at school.
Jenny, on the other hand, was having trouble finding time to read! Between school, homework, Christmas shopping with friends, and helping her mother and grandmother with the preparations she was lucky if she had an hour each evening to read. But that hour, right before bed, was just what she needed. Oh, to have someone care for you and love you like that. And he was such a gentleman! She fell asleep each night with a contented smile on her face.
At breakfast, two days before Christmas, Jenny proudly announced that she had finished the book—no small feat for her. While she was, indeed, proud, she was also a little bit sad. "Why did that wonderful story have to end so soon? I just wanted it to continue on forever and ever," she complained.
"Well, darling, it is just a story," her mother replied. "If it's that popular, perhaps the author will write a sequel."
"Please, Mom," complained Matthew. "One book is bad enough. How can you even think such a thing?"
"You're just jealous again," said Jenny. "You have to go a whole two weeks without seeing Kate at school because of the holiday vacation. How will you ever survive?" she teased.
"Quit picking on your brother," admonished Lee. "At least his crush is real and not a character in a book. Besides, I'm sure there's a special boy in one of your classes, isn't there?" he asked.
"Yeah . . . his name's Steven, and he's in her English and History classes," tattled Matthew.
With that statement, the verbal fight erupted between the twins. It seemed to Lee and Amanda that World War III had started on Maplewood Drive.
"Oh my gosh! It's only two days till Christmas. Can we please practice a little 'Peace on Earth, Good will toward men—and siblings right now?" Amanda demanded.
"Hey, let's settle this with a friendly game of Monopoly," suggested Lee. "We haven't had a family game day in ages. Everyone's off from school and work, so it's time for some serious Stetson bonding."
Amanda just shook her head as she reached for the game on the top shelf of the closet. My oh my how Scarecrow had changed since she had met him at the train station all those years ago.
As Lee and Amanda were doing the dinner dishes that evening, Amanda blurted out "Do you trust me?"
"Now where did that come from?" questioned Lee. "And why did you have to ask? You know I told Harry a long time ago that I would follow you blind through a blizzard at midnight."
"I know, dear. But I'm referring to a much more difficult problem than avoiding Soviet agents. I'm talking about dealing with the epic battle we witnessed this morning between the twins. I have a plan in mind for settling this war AND putting the whole vampire thing to rest. With everyone coming over for the holiday . . . I'm thinking of giving the entire West/King/Stetson family a little history lesson," replied Amanda. "But it will involve telling everyone a little more about The Agency and some of our cases. I do think, though, that it's time for everyone to hear a little more of our true story, don't you agree?"
"Whatever you say, Mrs. Stetson," he replied with a kiss and a smile that still made her weak in the knees.
"Then just follow my lead, Mr. Stetson. At some point in the next few days, when the timing is right, we're going to have a truce in this household. And there will be no further 'bloodshed'—or talk of vampires."
Christmas Eve and Christmas morning passed quickly and pleasantly for the residents of 4247 Maplewood Drive. It was a full house for Christmas dinner, as Phillip and his wife Corinna, Jaime and his wife Nicole, Dotty and Grandpa Kurt, Billy and Jeannie, and Francine and Jonathan joined the Stetsons for a festive meal.
"What a wonderful meal, as always Amanda. Thanks for much for having us. Since the girls and their families are in California and Texas now, it's just not practical to get everyone together except over the summer when the grandkids are out of school. You're lucky to have your boys so close," Billy said as everyone settled into the family room with their coffee and desserts.
"I second that," commented Francine. "We really don't have much family left anymore. It's so incredible to be included in the Stetson clan."
"Yeah," laughed Lee. "Who would have thought, all those years ago, that this unorthodox mix would become so close."
Oh, Lee, you have no idea what you just started, thought Amanda! She had been trying to figure out a way to steer the conversation toward topics from the book Jenny had been reading. This opening was perfect.
"It just certainly proves that 'family' doesn't need to be blood-related, right? As long as people truly care about one another—that's the important part. And exactly what real life is about, and real life can be just as incredible as the best fiction," she said as she pointedly looked at Jenny.
"What, Mom? All I said last week was that it was really cool how these totally unrelated people from different time periods formed a loving family in the book I was reading," defended Jenny.
"Jeannie and I are from a different time period, right honey," commented Billy. "Some people seem to think I'm from the age of the dinosaurs!"
"If you and Jeannie are from the dinosaur age, what does that make Grandpa Kurt and me—positively prehistoric?" quipped Dotty, amid much laughter.
"I know I, for one, can't keep up with everything you teenagers do," Francine interjected.
"You can't? Even I can't, and I'm not that much older than these two squirts," added Jaime.
Everyone but the twins shook their heads in agreement!
"Ok, I get the point. But you've read the book, Mom. You can't deny the love that brought them together. Even though he fought his feelings at the beginning, he just couldn't stay away from her. He knew he was bad news, what with being a vampire and all. He didn't want her involved with his 'dark' life, even if he was one of the good guys. He didn't want her to be hurt. He put his feelings for her safety above his love. I don't know any human that would have the strength to do that," Jenny explained.
Billy quickly glanced at Lee, smiled, then started to tell a particularly familiar story. "Jenny, let me tell you a little story about one of our agents a few years back. When he was in deep trouble one day, it seems he enlisted the help of a civilian. That civilian saved his neck on that case and many, many more before he finally admitted to himself that he had found a partner. Oh, he tried to push the partner away. In fact I can still remember the look on his face when I would pair them up; he acted like it was the end of the world. Sound like anyone you know, Scarecrow?"
"Now come on, Billy. I kept trying to push that civilian away so she wouldn't get hurt. The spy business can be nasty, and you know it. Yeah, we're the good guys, but that doesn't mean we always win. It doesn't mean that we don't suffer our share of injuries, even casualties. I didn't want a civilian to have to face the dark side of this business," replied Lee.
"And you're sure it had nothing to do with the fact that you were falling in love with this civilian," questioned Francine. "Come on, Lee, everyone in the bullpen could see it. As much as you fought those feelings, you just couldn't stay away from her, could you?"
"No, I guess I couldn't. And just remember how it turned out," he said as he shook his head. Guess I'm really going to have to trust not only Amanda but everyone in my 'family' today, he thought, as he tried to hide the big grin that was beginning to form on his face.
"Dad, how could you?" exclaimed Matthew. "What about Mom? Is this really something we should be discussing in front of her? Did she know?"
Amanda just couldn't keep quiet any longer. She turned to Matthew and just shook her head, trying to hide a smile. "Well, I eventually did find out about your dad's feelings towards this civilian—although it took me a few years to get him to admit it."
At this point, everyone in the room started to chuckle—except Matthew and Jenny, that is. They just sat there in shock. How could their entire family think this was funny?
Jenny caught on to the joke first. "The civilian was Mom, wasn't it?" she exclaimed.
"One and the same," replied her dad. "I was trying to keep your mom safe. In fact, I was just trying to keep your grandma, Phillip, and Jaime safe too. Once we realized we loved each other . . ."
His comments were cut short by a playful slap on the chest from his adoring wife. "Yeah, once 'you' realized it. Took you long enough, big fella! Seems like the whole world knew how you felt way before you were willing to admit it, even to yourself."
"Just how many times do I have to apologize for that, sweetheart?" Lee hung his head. "I was afraid of my feelings, afraid of losing someone else that I loved."
"Well, you sure took your good old time letting the rest of us in on it," commented Dotty. "Weren't you married at least six months before you left us in on 'that' little secret? At that point you had known each other for almost four years. And Amanda—you had been a spy for all that time, too. Why all the secrets?"
"They were just trying to keep you safe, Dotty," interjected Billy.
"And they didn't think we could handle it, right Wormbrain," stated Phillip.
"Don't call your brother Wormbrain," Amanda and Lee said in unison. Some things never changed!
"I think what Phillip meant is that we were just getting to know Lee. To have him become a part of the family that quickly would have been, well, just weird. And we were a little young to know about The Agency," defended Jaime.
"Yeah, Jenny and I only found out about Mom and Dad's real job two years ago when we became teenagers," added Matt.
"But all the secrets eventually did come out into the open. And just look at the wonderful 'family' we now have. Quite a blending of personalities, jobs, etc., right fellas? You could even say it's a little like good fiction," hinted Amanda. "Or maybe fiction is a lot like us."
"Really, Mom. You're making your point loud and clear. But my book still has lots of special points," Jenny complained.
"Like what?" Lee decided to play along with his wife's little game.
"Well, how about super-human powers. I don't think anyone in this family possesses anything remotely resembling those," replied Jenny.
"I don't know about that," interjected Francine. "I seem to remember reminding your mom that she shouldn't expect your dad to come riding in on a white horse and rescue us from that Marvelous Marvin's freezer. So what happened? In comes your dad to rescue us—just in the nick of time. No white horse, but still pretty impressive. And that's just one case. I know there were lots of other times, too, right Billy?"
"Absolutely, Francine. There were a few times that Amanda came charging in to save the day for Lee, too. Your dad hasn't cornered the market on the super-human powers in this family, you know," Billy said, looking at Jenny.
"Man, you're just not going to cut me a break, are you," Jenny commented to the entire group. "Ok, how about this one. The main character comes from an earlier time period—a period when manners and chivalry were extremely important. He holds the door for his love and showers her with all sorts of special attention."
Corinna quickly spoke up. "That's one of the first things that attracted me to Phillip. He was always holding the door open for me—including the car door. He 'ushers' me into a room with a hand on the small of my back. He holds my hand every chance he gets, and he even kisses it at times. If that isn't old-fashioned chivalry, I don't know what is."
Nicole was the first to agree. "Jaime does the same types of things. It's really cool. When we first started dating, all my girlfriends were sooo jealous!"
"And just where did you learn to do those special things, fellas?" asked Amanda with a knowing smile on her face.
"Lee," the boys replied in unison, as Scarecrow's face turned bright red. A wide grin spread across his face quickly, however, as he realized the compliment his stepsons had paid him.
"One of the first things that drew me to your dad, honey, was his manners. Even from the start, he treated me like royalty. He might have said otherwise, but his actions spoke volumes," commented Amanda. "My heart still skips a beat or two when he kisses my hand." Now it was her turn to blush!
Even Dotty agreed. "The first time I met your dad—officially, that is—he just WOW'd me with his politeness and attentiveness. Of course that dimpled Stetson smile didn't hurt, either," she joked.
"Are you ready to give up yet, Jenny?" questioned Amanda.
Her reply of "No way" was rather emphatic. "What about the way he comes in and rescues her from the bad guys that had captured her? I know we've talked about Dad coming to the rescue, but nothing could be as romantic as the rescue in the book. She was wounded. He had to control his emotions, fight off the most menacing vampire of them all, and save the day." A dreamy look came over Jenny's face as she recounted the tale.
"Did I ever tell you exactly when and where I proposed to your mom?" asked Lee, as he steeled himself to bring some of those horrible nightmares back to conscious thought.
"If I remember right, Amanda said it was right after a case, in the office at work," commented Dotty. "Not very romantic, if you ask me." Heads all across the room nodded in agreement.
"It was right after the Adi Birol case, wasn't it, Lee," questioned Billy.
"Not exactly," corrected Amanda, "it was in the middle of the Adi Birol case."
"Do tell," pressed Francine. "You know I just love all the juicy details!"
Lee took a deep breath. I guess here's where we throw 'need to know' out the window. Billy gave him an almost imperceptible nod of approval. Since the case was over fifteen years ago and this was 'family,' he decided to spare no details as he began the story . . .
"Amanda and I were working an extremely important case. She wasn't supposed to be in any danger. When she saved my life by alerting me to a shooter, however, she identified herself as an agent—an agent that could be used to get to me. And she was kidnapped by one very bad guy." Amanda began to stare at the floor; Lee had always unjustly blamed himself.
"During her kidnapping, she was tortured extensively. Now calm down, boys," he said as Phillip and Jaime gasped. "The torture wasn't really physical; it was more psychological. She suffered sleep deprivation mainly, which caused hallucinations. He was also trying to get her to give up the name of an informant, so he was relentlessly questioning her—in a not-so-nice manner. Since she didn't know the name of the informant, it was extremely rough on her. But she never broke," he said as he smiled at his wife.
Amanda decided it was her turn to add to the tale. "Every time he would come into the room to question me, I would think it was Lee coming to rescue me. I guess that was actually a good thing, because my hallucination kept telling me to hold on. He kept saying that he was coming for me—and I believed him beyond a shadow of a doubt."
Lee picked up from there. "I was going out of my mind with worry. I even came to the house here, just to feel close to Amanda. I could actually 'see' her here, hear her tell me that she was alright. Guess I was having my own hallucinations. That's why I was so distracted that day, Dotty, do you remember?"
"I do," she replied. "It just seemed so strange, having you stop by when I had never really met you before. And your behavior was a little odd. But then, with my daughter's odd behavior, especially regarding her job, I guess odd just seemed normal," she shrugged.
Lee continued. "I even enlisted the help of some of my Agency 'family' to try to get Amanda back, right Francine?"
"You bet! And I was more than happy to help. What?" Francine commented, as Lee gave her a questioning look. "I really didn't want to see Amanda hurt. And I knew you would be devastated if something happened to her. I didn't know just how far your relationship had progressed, but there was definitely something there—a major something! It was a horrible blow when you were captured, too."
"When Lee was thrown into the room with me, I thought he was just another hallucination," continued Amanda.
"I had to really work to convince Amanda that I was really there. It took several minutes for her to finally believe that I was real." Lee picked up the story from there.
"Birol gave me an hour to write down the list of all my informants and assets. Before I could even consider doing that, however, I had to calm down Amanda—and myself. I was really worried this time. As we said to each other, we might not make it out of this one. That's when I decided that there was no time like the present. I just couldn't let it all end without asking the most important question of my/our lives. Amanda King . . ."
"You are the bravest, smartest, most beautiful woman in the world. Will you marry me?" Lee and Amanda said together as they looked into each other's eyes.
"I had purchased the ring several weeks prior, but I was waiting for the right time. After she said yes, we decided we were two of the luckiest people in the world. Of course we were brought back to reality pretty quickly, but the moment was unforgettable. Lucky for us Francine called in the troops, including Billy, and the rescue went fairly smoothly. Birol was locked up, and once the ZAP gas wore off, well . . . Everyone thinks I popped the question the next day back in the Q Bureau, but . . . "
"It might not have been the most romantic setting, but I knew without a doubt that he meant every word of what he said. I mean, who can look into those hazel eyes and not just melt," Amanda said with a huge smile on her face. "And he stayed with me every step of the way on the road to recovery. Just like he always does."
"Ok," Jenny said with a grin. "I get the picture. The rescue in the book isn't as romantic as yours. I concede on that point. The proposal is what is putting it over the top, I guess. But . . .
"But what, honey," asked Lee.
"But they were in love from the start. At least he was. He was drawn to her in an amazing, unexplainable way. It's like they were soulmates," she replied with a dreamy look in her eyes.
Lee looked at everyone there and began to address the entire room. "You've all heard the story of how we met, right?" Everyone shook their heads up and down slowly. Was there something more to the story that they didn't know? "When I was looking for someone to help me at the train station that day, I picked Amanda out of the crowd. Why Amanda? I've asked myself that question thousands of times over the years. Do you want to know why? I think it is because we are soulmates. Somehow, deep down, I recognized that—even before I talked to her. When she looked at me and said 'What is it you want me to do?' the feeling was confirmed in her eyes."
"And I agree," added Amanda. "When I looked into his eyes that day, I felt like I was looking into my own core. And that's what a soulmate is—an extension of yourself."
They both looked into each other's eyes at that moment, and the entire room could see that what they said was indeed true.
"Too bad it took you three years to finally admit it," chuckled Billy. "You know I did what I could by throwing you together on cases every chance I got. Felt like I was Cupid or something."
"He would come home at least once a week with a tale involving the two of you. We both knew it was just a matter of time," Jeannie said with a laugh.
"Thanks for letting me in on it," commented Francine sarcastically. "Although I think that deep down I knew. I just didn't think the great Scarecrow would ever settle down."
"Just like the guy in the book," said Jenny as a smile spread across her face. "His entire family thought he would be alone forever."
"Now you understand," said her mom. "Are you ready to concede that real life can be just as fascinating and romantic as a book?"
"She might admit that fact, but she'll never admit that she likes Steve," teased Matthew.
"And you'll never admit to having a crush on Kate, either, so there," Jenny said as she stuck her tongue out at her twin.
"Can I offer up some 'big brother' advice to you, Matthew?" asked Jaime. Matthew nodded in agreement; after all, Jaime was going to give him the advice anyway. "Give some of those chivalrous manners a try. Open a door or two for Kate. Listen—really LISTEN—to her when she talks. Offer to help her with her books. Walk her to her next class, to her locker, and to her bus after school. Simply pay attention to her, and let her know that you think she's special."
"Girls love stuff like that," added Nicole. "And flash her that Stetson smile; it can't hurt!"
It was Francine's turn. "Jenny, I'd like to give you some advice of my own—girl to girl. While I know you're a very bright, clever young lady, don't forget that men like to think they have the superior intelligence."
At that comment, all of the women in the room groaned.
"Francine! Are you suggesting that she play dumb?" asked a surprised Amanda.
"Now hold on Amanda, that's not what I mean at all," defended Francine. "I just mean that men want someone that is their equal. They don't want someone that thinks they're better. When I started at the agency—and in fact for many years of my career—I was treated like a second class agent simply because I was female." She cast a knowing look at Lee when she said that last statement.
"I'm sorry, Francine," he apologized.
"Lee, will you please stop apologizing for things you didn't do," groaned Francine. "You were probably the only agent that DIDN'T treat me differently because I was a female. You and Billy were always the ones that looked past my gender and saw me for the good agent that I was. But I brought some of it on myself, I'll admit. I was always trying to prove that I was better than the men, when all I should have been doing was proving that I was as good or equal to them."
She turned her attention back to Jenny. "What I'm trying to say is be yourself. Don't go trying to impress Steve—or any boy—with your looks, intelligence, or anything else. Be yourself. Let them see you for a human being. The harder you try to impress, the less likely you are to get them to see you for who you are."
"Wow, thanks Aunt Francine," said Jenny. "And you want to know something? That's exactly what the girl in the book did. She was just herself. And it worked!"
"I was myself with your father, too. While I never held back my ideas, I didn't rub his face in my successes. In fact, I simply let him realize on his own what great contributions I was making to the cases we were working," Amanda added.
"You did indeed," replied Lee. "Even if it took me a while. Sometimes I think you should have hit me over the head or something to get me to recognize your abilities," he laughed.
"You did have your head in the sand at times, Scarecrow . . . too many times," chuckled Billy. "Luckily you came around."
"Just look around you," Grandpa Kurt addressed the twins. "There's close to one hundred years of wedded happiness in this room. More if you count the wonderful years I had with my first wife and your grandma had with your real grandpa. We might not have made it into a fancy romance novel, but what we have is better. We have the real thing. Right, Dotty?"
"Absolutely," Dotty said, and punctuated it with a kiss on his cheek.
"See what you've started," complained Matthew as he looked at his sister. "Now they've gone all mushy on us!"
"Aww, you'll get over it," chided his mother. "Just wait till you have a steady girlfriend. Then you'll understand the 'mushy' part a lot better."
"And you will learn to enjoy the 'mush,'" commented his father with a wink.
"Well, I think I've learned my lesson about romance stories—at least for now. If the author does write a sequel, though, I bet it will top this family's real life," Jennifer defended.
"We'll see," said Corinna. "While I may be fairly new to this family, I do know that there's a whole lot that's special about it. It's certainly not the 'typical' family—in any respect. I'm just extremely glad that I'm part of all the love." With that, she gave her husband an exceptionally long kiss.
All the couples followed suit, one by one.
"Enough with the kissing," exclaimed Jenny and Matthew together.
"Can we please change the subject?" groused Matthew.
With that, talk turned to everyone's plans for the coming week and various parties on New Year's Eve. All talk of spies and the bad guys would just have to wait until after the holiday season. Both Jenny and Matthew, however, were quiet. Each was contemplating the advice they had been given by their family.
Maybe I will try giving Kate a little of that extra attention, thought Matthew. It certainly can't hurt. Just look at where it got my dad and my brothers.
Jenny was thinking of how she could tone down her interactions with Steve. Perhaps she was trying just a little bit too hard to make an impression. She knew what her New Year's resolution was going to be: Be myself!
As Amanda and Lee were getting ready for bed that evening, Lee reflected on the day's events out loud. "We won that round. Real life is better than fiction, at least in this household. If the author does write a sequel, though, I seriously doubt that we will be able to claim another victory."
"Get ready," replied Amanda smugly. "According to the internet, there's a sequel in the works already. And don't be so sure about that victory. After all, this family is pretty special!"
Lee groaned at the thought. "Oh well," he muttered. "I'm sure my wife will come up with something to counteract the sequel's fantasy world," he said as he smiled at Amanda.
"I wonder if Jenny and Matthew will take any of the advice from today to heart?" he added. "It really was quite an interesting discussion, dear. How did you ever get to be so smart when it comes to raising a family?"
"Oh, I don't know. As I told your uncle many years ago when he suggested that children should come with a manual, it wouldn't be near as much fun if they did. I've learned to just go with my instinct on most things. It's kind of like what I did when this handsome, dashing spy handed me a package at the train station one morning twenty years ago."
"Did I ever tell you how much I love that instinct of yours, Mrs. Stetson," Lee replied.
"Yes you did—many times. Now how about showing me," she said with a smile.