"Amanda, I know you think I'm being old-fashioned about this but humor me, please?" Dotty requested as she sat on the end of the bed in Amanda's hotel room.
Amanda smiled at her mother from the chair she was sitting in. "I don't think you're being old-fashioned, Mother," she replied.
"No, you just think I'm being silly, don't you? I mean, I know you and Lee have already… well, that weekend you went to Virginia Beach alone says it all. But there's just something so, so, so romantic about sleeping apart the night before your wedding," Dotty sighed.
"I know, Mother. And Billy will have Lee busy all morning, so I won't see him until right before the ceremony," Amanda stated. She was tired and really wanted Dotty to go to her own room so she could get ready for bed, but she didn't want to hurt her feelings.
"And your Aunt Lillian and Aunt Edna couldn't be any further apart, so whomever I need to thank for that, just let me know," Dotty rambled. "The boys went right to bed, thank goodness. I think they are pretty excited about tomorrow if you ask me."
"I know, Mother, it's been a long day and I'm sure they were pretty tired," Amanda replied. She was just about to suggest it was time for everyone to get some rest when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. She stood and looked through the peephole to see Penny standing outside her room. She looked at Dotty with raised eyebrows before she opened the door. "Penny, what are you doing here so late? Is everything okay?" she asked nervously.
Penny stepped into the room carrying a shopping bag. She was surprised to see Dotty sitting on the bed. "Amanda, I just wanted to bring you this, but maybe this isn't a good time. We can talk tomorrow," she said quietly as she turned back toward the door.
Outside, something caught Amanda's attention on the balcony. "Penny, I think Mother was just getting ready to head to her room for the night, weren't you, Mother?" Amanda said as she watched Lee slowly lower himself down from the balcony above. He silently moved to the double glass doors, but stopped when he saw Dotty on the bed and Penny's back to him. He made eye contact with Amanda before he hid behind one of the potted plants. "Mother, it's getting late. I'll see you in the morning. I'm just going to talk to Penny for a few minutes then hit the hay myself," Amanda said as she gently guided her mother toward the door.
"Amanda, really, I'm not being silly. You'll appreciate this tomorrow night. You'll be so well rested, you'll have plenty of energy to dance the night away and still make Lee a very happy husband," Dotty stopped and put her hand on Amanda's forearm. "Oh, Darling…" she stopped talking and just looked at Amanda happily before she finished, "I'll let you and Penny talk. Good night, Amanda. Have a good night, Penny."
"Good night, Dotty," Penny replied. She glanced at the balcony doors when she thought she saw a shadow move and smiled at Amanda. "I'm not going to stay long myself. I just didn't think you'd want to open this in front of everyone else," Penny replied as Amanda closed the door after Dotty opened her door across the hall. Amanda closed her door and turned back to face her friend.
"Thank you, Penny, but you didn't have to get me anything," Amanda smiled. She was watching the balcony to see if she could spot any sign of Lee.
Penny followed her line of sight and giggled as she said, "I seem to remember another time we were having a conversation and you were watching out the window for a certain federal agent you insisted you weren't having a thing with."
Amanda looked down at the floor, blushing. She looked up at Penny as she stated, 'Well, back then, we definitely weren't. He didn't even like me much to be honest, but as time went on I think we grew on each other, you know."
'And I also remember, you were the one that told me about a special little nightgown you would wear," Penny reminded her.
Amanda laughed and shook her head as she sat on the corner of the bed and replied, "Well, that was for my ex-husband, Joe. So far, I haven't needed anything like that for Lee."
Penny looked down at the shopping bag she carried and replied quietly, "Oh, well, then, I guess you won't have any need for my gift then. You did say sometimes it was better with-"
"Well, I guess there are times when a sexy nightgown can make things better…" Amanda's voice trailed off as she stole another glance toward the glass doors.
Penny giggled as she handed the bag to Amanda and whispered, "I think you have someone else waiting for you so I'm going to go. Have a good night, Amanda." She nodded at the glass doors as she opened the hotel room and slipped into the hall.
Amanda looked down at the bag then at the doors to the balcony and smiled when Lee appeared at the door with a smile. She shook her head as she walked over and opened the door asking, "What are you doing here?"
"Why? Are you happy to see me?" Lee replied with a lopsided grin.
Amanda put her arms around him and hugged him as she replied, "I'm always happy to see you, but I thought we were spending the night apart."
Lee kissed her forehead and stated, "I didn't want to. I sleep better when you're in my arms." He tried to peek in the bag Amanda was holding, but she moved it out of his reach. "What's in the bag?" he asked, curious.
Amanda released him and walked across the room, placing the bag on the chair. "It's just a little something Penny gave me."
Lee smiled again, winked and asked, "How little is little?"
Amanda blushed again, closed her eyes and shook her head. "She said she remembered a conversation we had and wanted to give me a gift to remind me of it as well. She still thinks we were having a thing back then too," Amanda laughed lightly.
"Oh, was this the conversation where she said I was cute?" Lee teased again, trying to get closer to the bag.
"You're not that cute," Amanda stated dryly as she folded her arms and tried to stand between him and the chair.
"Yes, I am, and you know it," Lee teased right back. He stepped closer to her and the bag behind her. "Come on, Amanda, I just want to take a peek."
"Lee, you shouldn't even be here right now. You know my mother could come back at any time and if she finds you in here-" Amanda began but Lee cut her off.
"So, what if she finds me in here. It's not like she doesn't know that we've slept together and tonight that's all I want to do, just sleep with you in my arms," Lee challenged Amanda as he stepped closer and put his arms around her.
Amanda reached behind and grabbed the bag before Lee could reach it and stated, "Lee, you know as well as I do that if you stay here tonight, sleeping will be the last thing on our minds. And you can't see Penny's gift. Not yet. I haven't even looked at it yet."
Lee tried to grab for the bag, but Amanda spun around and held it out of his reach again. "Come on, Amanda. Please. If I can't stay here tonight at least let me see what Penny gave you," he begged.
Amanda took two steps away from him before she turned to face him again. "If I let you see what's in this bag, you promise me you're going to go right back up to your room?" she asked sternly.
"Maybe. It depends on how little is little," Lee declared with a grin again.
"Come on, Lee, promise me. Promise me if I let you look-" Amanda held the bag up one more time.
"Okay, okay. I'll head back to my room. Alone. But only for one more night. After that, wild horses couldn't keep me from being in bed with my wife," Lee folded his arms.
Amanda glanced down into the bag and poked around the tissue paper until she saw a thin, cream-colored strap. She lifted the strap and pulled the short, silk and lace nightgown from the bag. She dropped the bag onto the chair and held the sheer material against her thin frame.
Lee ran his hand through his hair and shook his head slowly, "Wow. That's quite a gift." He breathed out slowly, trying to tamp down his immediate desire as he pictured Amanda wearing it. He took one step closer to Amanda and reached out for her. She caught his hand against her cheek, kissed his palm and whispered, "You promised. Now I'll walk you to the door and look out for Mother, so she doesn't see you."
"Amanda, I think I have another idea. You just stay right there. I'll see myself out because after seeing that, if you get too close to me, I definitely will not be leaving," Lee stated matter-of-factly. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles before he dropped it slowly. He crossed the room to the door and peeked into the hallway before he opened it. He looked up and down the hallway before he looked back into the room and said quietly, "I love you, Amanda."
Amanda, still standing in the same spot, holding the lingerie loosely in her hands whispered, "I love you too, Lee." She watched as he slipped into the hall and she heard the click of the door behind him.