Defending Amanda's Honor

Two weeks into August Lee walked into his apartment to find Amanda setting on his couch hunched over a stack of papers, crying.

"Hey, Manda, what's wrong?" He asked as he tossed his keys on the coffee table while setting down next to her.

"I'm sorry, Lee. I had planned on being gone by the time you made it home. I just needed someplace quiet to fill out the boy's registration papers for school. I mean it is crazy, just because Joe's location changed again; I have to change everything. If that man could just be assigned to one location I would not have to do this again!" Amanda complained.

Lee looked over some of the papers she had already filled out. "Amanda, you have about ten papers here for each boy. Why do you need so many for them?"

"They each have their own file, so they each need a home address form, they each have a new school physical form, they each have an emergency contact form, they also have to have a form in each file that tells them that Joe can call and check on their progress at any time, as well as a form that has my address and Joe's mailing address so we each can get a copy of their grades. Permission forms for grade, not class, but grade field trips, permission forms for them to play sports. It is never ending."

"I see that. Look, why don't you take a break and rest while I get us something to eat. Then after you have taken a break, maybe these won't look so overwhelming."

Setting her pen down she said, "Yeah, maybe I will. Thanks you really seem to know what I need here lately."

"Hey, just because your work load has decreased doesn't mean your home life has and in a few months we will be adding to that home life, won't we?" He rubbed her belly as he laid her on the bed to rest.

"I guess we will. Oh, will you still be able to make my appointment on Thursday with the OB?"

"Yeah, you put it in my appointment book and as far as work goes it shouldn't be a problem. You are going to be in the office that morning and then we can leave from there together. Not a problem, now get some rest, will ya?"

Lee left her alone and went and looked at all the forms on his couch and table. Picking up the phone he ordered them some Chinese. It was going to be at least an hour before it was delivered; they were backed up so Lee picked up the forms and began to read through them.

She had already filled out both of the address and permission forms, it seemed like she still needed to do their emergency contact forms. "I can help with that." He said to himself as he began to fill the form out.

CONTACT #1: Amanda King, Mother, 4247 Maplewood Dr. Arlington, VA 22101, 703-421-8759

CONTACT #2: Dotty West, Grandmother, 4247 Maplewood Dr. Arlington, VA 22101, 703-421-8759

CONTACT #3: Joseph King, Father, Africa, Contact EOA office in Washington DC, 1-800-578-6598

Lee hesitated for half a second before continuing the form.

CONTACT #4: Lee Stetson, Friend of Family, Georgetown, 202-571-1253 or 202-487-9898 ext. 302

Lee went about filling out the forms for Jamie as well and then when he was done, he went to check on Amanda. She was lying on his side of the bed but she wasn't sleeping.

"I thought you were going to sleep?" HE asked.

"No, I just want to rest a bit before I had to finish those forms."

"Well, you will be happy to know that all you have to fill out for them is their sports permission forms and whatever needs to be done with their physical forms. I filled out your mailing address forms for both you and Joe to get their grades and I even filled out the emergency contact forms for you. You really just have to sign your name a lot now. That should help with registration in a few days right?"

"That helps a lot, but who all did you put for emergency contacts?"

"I put you, Dotty, Joe, and myself." He said without looking at her.

Pulling his face to make him look her in the eyes she said, "Why you?"

"Why not me, I mean, I am in their lives and we are getting along better. If they can't reach you or your mom and Joe isn't in town, who else do you have?" He was feeling a little hurt by her question.

Seeing that she had hurt his feelings she quickly recovered by saying, "Lee, that was very sweet of you. I wanted to ask if I could but I didn't think you would want that much responsibility for them, they aren't yours."

"No, but I am in your life and will be in your life a long time, I want them to know they can come to me. I might not have all the answers or the ones they want at the time, but I can try. I mean I use to be a boy, I know something about them. Oh, God please have a boy Amanda!"

Laughing she said, "I don't control that, you do. I am having what I am having."

"Speaking of which has your appetite changes any? I ordered a lot of Chinese."

Blushing she said, "It is still pretty fierce, I hope you ordered enough!"

Thursday brought Amanda and Lee to her doctor's office. Looking around the room all Lee saw was a lot of pregnant woman. Some with little baby bumps, some bumps that were moving like waves, and then there was one lady about the size of Amanda that looked like she was going to drop a litter, not a baby, but a litter at any moment. Amanda hadn't started showing yet, but he knew if she had gotten pregnant at the beginning of June then she would soon, or she should be. It was the middle of August that put her at about eleven weeks. She said she had to go forty weeks or close to it for a full term. That left about twenty-nine weeks. Twenty-nine weeks, that wasn't long at all. Amanda kept telling him he had plenty of time, that isn't plenty of time.

"Amanda King." The nurse called from the doorway.

Amanda stood while she looked at Lee and asked, "Are you coming?

Pulled from his thought he nodded his head and followed her and the nurse through the doorway. They stopped at a scale and the nurse asked Amanda a few questions as she took off her shoes before standing on the scale.

"Amanda, have you had any nausea, diarrhea, pain in your lower abdomen?"

"No, actually I am afraid to step on this scale it seems all I want to do is eat. It is like I don't have a stop button."

"Well, that is normal too we will just have to find your stop button so you don't run into any problems late in the pregnancy. I take it you are Dad?"

Lee just nodded.

"Okay, moment of truth Amanda, step on the scale please; are you sure you are eating a lot; Amanda, you lost seven pounds since you were last in."

"Lost, that is impossible. I eat from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed."

"Are you doing any extra activities besides the normal stuff you were doing?"

"No, I wake up, I eat, I go to work, I eat, I come home, I eat, and I help the kids with their homework while I eat."

Lee's laughter was not unnoticed by the woman as they went into the exam room. "So, Dad, is she not telling me everything? Has she been doing extra activities that would cause her to lose weight?"

Lee cleared his throat and said, "I don't know if it means anything, but Amanda there is one thing you do a lot now besides eat and it is a pretty intense activity at times. Sometimes more than once a day, which, in no way, means I am complaining at all."

The redness on Amanda's face was priceless to Lee and the nurse nodded her head in understanding, "I take it, Amanda that you have added some extra exercise to your days."

"Yes, Cindy, I have. I can't seem to control that urge as well."

"I can see why, but just like anything else, everything and I do mean everything in moderation is best with your history. You don't want to induce prematurely, do you?"

Lee's eyes went wide at that statement, "What do you mean by that, Nurse?"

"I mean usually if a patient goes over her due date we ask that she has sex more frequently to induce labor, not this early though."

"Sex is bad during pregnancy?" Lee asked now worried that by giving into her needs so often that he may have harmed the baby.

"No, it isn't, but you don't want marathon sessions at this stage of the game. The doctor will be in to see you soon."

Lee watched as the nurse left and then he turned to Amanda and said, "What were we thinking?"

"Lee, everything is fine, nothing to worry about." She tried her most calming voice but it wasn't working he was mad and she knew it. She wasn't going to get out of this one so easily. She kept telling her self it was a good thing they had sex that morning because she had a feeling that he wasn't going to give in so easily any longer.

"No, Amanda, you can't calm voice me this time. Did you know that sex could induce a pregnancy?"

"Yes, but some women don't even know they are pregnant at this stage of the game, so I just thought I was safe."

"Well, I can damn sure guarantee that WE WILL NOT be inducing our child any time soon. You are on your own for a while."

"I think you are over reacting. Nothing has happened and I don't think it will. I feel great and look I haven't even gained any weight."

"No, Amanda Jean, you have LOST weight, you are going in the wrong direction. If you think I care that you get as big as that lady out there with the litter about to drop you are crazy. I don't care about your size, I care that you are as healthy as you can be." I don't want to lose you! He screamed silently in his head.

Just then the doctor had walked in and noticed that the tension between his patient and ho he assumed was the father was thick.

Walking up to Lee he held out his hand and said, "Hello, I am Blake Stokes. I will be in charge of your wife here, Mr. King. It is nice to meet you."

"I'm not Mr. King, my name is Lee Stetson."

"Sorry, Mr. Stetson, how are you feeling Amanda?"

"I was feeling fine until I got here." Amanda said in a huff.

"Oh, what happened since you got here?" He asked taking the seat in front of the table next to Amanda.

"She found out that we won't be having sex again for a while." Lee spat out knowing Amanda wouldn't tell the doctor the true nature of their fight before he had come in.

"Why not, sex is what got you here, you can't get more pregnant."

Laughing Amanda remembered the night they told the family and those were Lee's words to her.

"No, but your nurse said that with Amanda's history, that she could induce early because well, next to food I have been a constant resource for her."

"I can see where my nurse would be concerned, you have lost a lot of weight, but it is only your first trimester and many women lose weight then begin to gain it back. You are eating well, I see, so it goes to say that you have an excess amount of energy to burn. Sex is fine, Mr. Stetson, if you start to notice any bleeding, pain or discomfort call and come see me as soon as possible, then we can decide it sex is off the table."

How did he know we had sex on the table this morning? Lee thought and then was distracted by the fact that the doctor asked Amanda to lift her shirt up.

"Why does she need to do that?" He was defensive in his tone.

"The ultrasound machine works better that way."

"Oh, that is cold." Amanda shivered as the gel hit her stomach.

Minutes later Amanda watched as Lee's eyes and ears strained to hear the faint sound that seemed to surround the room. The doctor noticed the look too and smiled, "That, Mr. Stetson, is the sound of your baby's heartbeat you are hearing."

Lee leaned in to Amanda and kissed her before saying, "Thank you."

"What for Lee?"

Waving his hand around the room that was now filled with the loud strong sound of their child's heartbeat he said, "This, all of this."

Exactly one week later Lee was seated at his desk as Amanda was off that day and doing some shopping with her mother when his phone rang, "Stetson here."

"Yes, is this Lee Stetson?" The voice on the other end suddenly made the hair in his neck stand up.

"Yes, it is, what can I do for you?"

"This is the Principal of Jamie King. I have tried to reach his mother but I haven't been able to. You are on the emergency list do I called you. We have a bit of a situation down here involving Jamie and I need someone to come and get him. He has been suspended for the next week."

"Are you sure you don't mean Phillip King?" Lee asked as he stood and began getting his jacket on just as Billy and Francine were walking by. They stopped and watched as Lee talked about Amanda's son.

"Yes, I know the two apart, it is Jamie and he is suspended I just need someone to come and sign him out and talk with me in person. Are you available to do that or get in contact with his mother?"

"His mother is out of the office today, spending time with her mother. I will be there as soon as I can get through traffic. I am in DC at the moment. Can I ask why Jamie has been suspended this week?"

"Yes, you can, it was for fighting." With that they ended the conversation and Lee began to cuss as he looked at Billy and Francine.

"I have to go. If Amanda calls can you tell her to meet me at her house, I have to go get Jamie from school. The first week and he is fighting. Jamie doesn't fight, Phillip fights, and Jamie doesn't fight."

"Apparently, they both fight." Francine said.

Lee arrived at the school forty-five minutes later. There had been a wreck on the bridge and it took him forever to get around it. Pulling into a spot he took a deep breath and tried to figure out what he was going to say or do. What rights did he have to say or do anything? None, he wasn't their stepfather he was just their mother's boyfriend.

"Hello, I am Lee Stetson, I am here to pick up Jamie King and I believe speak with the Principal."

"Of course, just have a seat please." The sweet lady at the desk pointed to the chairs behind Lee, they were obviously made for the students and not the parents. Lee opted to stand and wait.

"Mr. Stetson, welcome, please come in my office." As Lee walked in he remembered all the times he had been sent to the Principal's office and his uncle's reaction each time.

"Can I ask where Jamie is?" Lee thought he would be in the office but he had yet to see him.

"He is in with the guidance officer at the moment. I wanted to talk to an adult before I brought him in."

"So, you want to talk to me, alone, without Jamie, about Jamie. No, please bring him in here."

"I think that will only make matters worse."

"I don't, he was old enough to fight then he is old enough to sit in on a conversation that has to do with him and his education for the next week. Now please bring him in here."

"Don't you even want to know what the fight was about?"

"I do, but I want to hear it from him if you don't mind."

"Mr. Stetson, we have known Amanda King for a number of years and I don't think this is what she would want at this time."

"I have known Amanda King almost a year now and to be honest you called me and I am here, not her, now for the last time could you please bring in Jamie?"

Jamie walked in expecting his mother or grandmother, not Lee. He breathed a sigh of relief until he saw the look on Lee's face and thought he would rather take his chances with his mother or grandmother.

"Lee, what are you doing here?" Jamie asked.

"I was about to ask you the same question, Sport. What are you doing here?"

"I was fighting with some boys in gym class."

"I take it as in more than one boy?" Lee asked, trying his best Class C interrogation skills on the young boy.

"Yes, it was about four or five."

"Did you start it?"

"I didn't think I did, but since I threw the first punch I was told I did."

"Why did you even throw a punch? You know how your mom feels about fighting."

"Well, they said some things that I don't think were true, but now that I think about it I really don't know what they were talking about, but I know it didn't sound nice and it was about Mom."

The Principal looked at Lee in confusion, "He never said anything about his mother when we talked to him earlier before we called. He actually never said anything in his defense. He just admitted to fighting and throwing the first punch."

"Did you ask him any further questions?" Lee asked her raising his eyebrow at her.

"No, he admitted the act and admitted to starting the fight."

"It sounds to me like there might be a little more to it. Jamie, what didn't you understand but compelled you to fight someone?"

"Lee, is my mom a slut?"