No More Games

Chapter Fourteen

For a moment, it was awkwardly uncomfortable for Amanda and Leslie as they sat there trying to figure out just what was happening!

Amanda thought back to when she and Lee discussed Leslie after she'd accidentally met her in Lee's apartment that one day during the Elizabeth Sullivan case.

As she and Lee went to the elevator arguing about what the next step should be, Amanda had mentioned how Leslie was a "normal" person and that she although nice would never understand him or what he did.

Lee in turn said that she could guess what he did as she was a translator and was there for the peace talks which made his latest relationship then so "perfect".

Shaking her head now, she wondered if it was worth it to hide her role in Lee's work. If Lee thought Leslie was that smart then of course she'll figure out what Amanda did as well!

Amanda sighed. She had no choice. She'd need Leslie's help to get out as it was, seeing as Amanda couldn't move or speak very well at the moment.

Leslie's voice brought her back to attention. " I wish I knew what this was all about. I'm glad you're getting better, Amanda. Lee was in such a state when you were in the ICU. I don't know what he's told you, but I left things rather badly with him. I told him that I was supposed to go to Indonesia, but clearly that didn't happen."

Amanda began to speak slowly, shocking Leslie! "Wh-What did h-happen? L-Lee h-hasn't s-said an-any-anything t-to m-me ab-about it."

Leslie swallowed hard. As angry as she was at Lee for not acknowledging that Amanda was at least more than his secretary to him, she was thrown at Amanda's condition! Had she had a stroke of some kind? She decided to help Amanda and herself. There had to be a way out.

She said, "I brought Lee to the hospital when someone from IFF called my hotel room. Lee and I were set to go away for the weekend, but they said it was urgent and that he needed to be there because you had an accident and they didn't know if you would pull through. When Lee hung up the phone, he could barely function which is why I drove."

Sighing, she went on. " I told him to meet me in the cafeteria when he finished visiting you. He was gone so long I didn't know what happened. I came back up to find him and some nurse said he was still in the ICU with you. Well, imagine my surprise when I look through the window and he's holding your hand and then I saw him kissing it..."

Amanda shook her head and said, "S-Sorry. I-I d-didn't kn-know."

Leslie said, " I was angry at that point. Not at you. You can't help it if the man has feelings for you but he doesn't express them. I really thought we had a chance. Don't get me wrong. I know he cares about me, but we can't go on if he also has you on his mind. Anyway, I told him I could see he had a lot to think about but he needed to call once he was sure about what he wanted where I was concerned."

Amanda was stunned! How was she to respond to any of what Leslie said?! She didn't know what to make of Lee Stetson any more! Clearly, they would have to have a talk when she saw him again! She was already dealing with her own mixed up feelings, but that would have to be put on hold until she and Leslie got out of here-not if. When.

Just then the door opened and the woman kidnapper came in with a bag. The door was locked again from the outside and she said, "How you broads doin'? You must be hungry about now. Got some burgers here. They ain't much, but I can't be goin' to some hoity-toity places right now, ya know?"

Coming over to the two women, the kidnapper brought her chair over to them and sat down. She undid Leslie's ropes from the waist up and said, "I'm doin' this so's you can eat and you- not me, is gonna feed the lame one here-."

Amanda looked at her disdainfully and the woman laughed and nudged Leslie saying, "You shoulda seen the coffee she tried to hold one day! It nearly fell to the floor! Her pretty boy told her he'd have to get something sturdier. Like a sippy cup, maybe?"

The woman began to laugh heartily and Amanda hung her head ashamed! Leslie patted Amanda's hand saying, " Don't worry. It will get better."

The woman sneered. "How do ya figure? You ain't never gettin' outta this place-!"

Leslie interrupted her angrily! "What do you want from us?! I don't even know why we're here! "

The woman got up, shaking her head. Moving the chair back across the room, she went to the door and knocked. The man she called Bruno came in saying, "Hey, Mill. These cuties givin' you any problems? "

Finally! Amanda thought. A name for this hideous woman! Wait? "Mill." As in Mildred? Her fog cleared. It was Mildred the floor supervisor!

Mildred looked at Amanda suddenly noticing her expression. "What's the matter with you all of a sudden? "

Amanda quickly covered shaking her head and said, "H-Hungry..."

Mildred slowly nodded. "Right. Well, I'm gonna leave now..oh, wait. I can't leave you totally sparse. Here."

She motioned to Bruno who brought in two flat pillows and a blanket. Mildred put one behind Amanda's head and one behind Leslie's head and put the blanket at their feet!

She said, "Ready, Bruno." As she got to the door, she turned to them and said," Sorry about no bed but it woulda looked suspicious if I took a cot here and there. Oh, and if you need to relieve yourselves, there's a bedpan near you. Lame one knows how to use it She'll show ya. Night! "

Mildred and Bruno left and locked the door behind them! Leslie said, "Well, at least we have light in here. We'll be okay for a while. Um, you don't have to use the-? "

Amanda shook her head furiously! Leslie breathed a sigh of relief! "Good! I don't either. Let's see what delicacy she left us. "

Leslie pulled out of the bag a hamburger which was dripping with mayo, mustard, ketchup, and a pickle!

There was also a thin napkin and a drink with a straw. Leslie said, "I'll test this. " She took a sip and then said, "It's a diet orange. you don't care, do you?"

Amanda said slowly, "N-No, b-but I-I don't l-like a lot o-of ma-mayo. "

Leslie smiled. "Okay. And I hate mustard, so let me fix this if I can." Taking the napkin, she carefully took most of the items of they didn't want off and then with her hands pulled the burger into halves. Putting her half in her lap, she brought the other half to Amanda and then stopped.

Shaking her head, she put the burger in her lap and said, "You're going to eat the way you know how. It's indecent of her to treat you like an animal."

Reaching over, she began to work at Amanda's ropes from the waist and Amanda helped by moving at certain angles to loosen herself. Soon, Leslie had her free like she was and said to Amanda, "Take your time with this. I know you'll be back soon. "

Amanda felt tears come to her eyes and said, "Th-Thank you, L-Leslie. "

As they ate Leslie said, "You recognized the woman didn't you? Who was she? "

Amanda held the drink cup with two hands, taking a sip and giving it back to Leslie. She said, "H-Her n-name i-is M-Mildred. Sh-She's a n-nurse h-here. Fl-Floor s-supervisor. Sh-She's r-really m-mad ab-about s-som-something. "

Leslie said, "The "pretty boy" she mentioned earlier was Lee, right? "

Amanda nodded. "S-She th-think's he-he's the re-reason sh-she is-isn't g-get-getting pr-promoted. M-My f-fault t-too."

Leslie said, "Well clearly, the woman's deranged! I mean, I don't know what power she thinks Lee has over the hospital."

Amanda was finishing her half of the burger and swallowed saying, "Sh-she's cr-crazy, al-all right."

Leslie took a sip from the soda and gave it to Amanda saying, "Want the last of it? "

Amanda nodded and sipped until it was gone. "Th-Thanks. G-Getting sl-sleepy now."

Leslie took the drink and put everything back in the bag and put the bag a distance away from them saying, "Why don't we call it a night? Maybe between the two of us, we can figure out how to get out of here tomorrow. "

She got Amanda as comfortable as possible and then tried to go to sleep herself. She thought, "Lee Stetson, you are gonna have a lot to make up for between Amanda and me! "

TBC