Life Resumes
While Amanda was hoping she could sleep in, she tossed and turned all night. She had nightmares of being thrown backward after the blast; finally, she wakes up and quietly leaves their bed, as to not wake Lee. She finds her robe and walks to the bathroom to take a shower. She lets the water pour over her body and stream down her face before she shampoos her hair. She pours a small amount of gel and suds up her body. She pours into her hand, a small amount of lemon balm conditioner, letting it soak in her hair as she puts some facial scrub on her face. She scrubs her body with a bristle brush still feeling like she has the remains of the smoke and soot on her. Eventually, she rinses everything off and towels herself, wrapping her hair up in a towel,
She brushes her hair and blows it dry. She finds a blue skirt and pale blue shoes and a white blouse. She puts on the heart necklace Lee bought her and a pair of stud earrings. She applies her make-up before heading downstairs to the second floor and checks in on Philip and Jamie who are both sleeping.
She gets to the kitchen and turns on the espresso machine. Then she cuts up some tomatoes and green peppers putting them in one bowl. She shreds some cheese, placing it in a separate bowl. She goes to the solarium and picks out some parsley and cilantro from the herb garden. She whips up six fresh eggs and puts them in their own bowl and fries up some bacon. She juices 12 oranges and throws in a couple of apples. She goes outside to collect the paper and sits down reading it, sipping her coffee and occasionally some orange juice. Before she waits for everyone to come down for breakfast, she sets the table. She pulls from the fridge some fresh fruit and places them neatly on the plates.
Lee comes down first and looks at the presentation Amanda created. He pours his coffee and says, "this is quite the feast. What's the occasion?"
She replies, "I'm happy to be alive and want to treat the boys and mother to an omelet. Since you are not big on breakfast, maybe I can convince you to eat a couple of pieces of bacon".
He pours himself some juice and nibbles at a piece off bacon and takes the paper from Amanda.
Everyone else gets into the kitchen and Amanda takes their omelet orders. They too ask what the occasion is.
"Can't your mother treat you to a fresh homemade breakfast without an inquisition?" Amanda says. "I just missed you and am happy to have all of you in my life".
Lee sets down the paper in front of Amanda and points out in the national news section the reports on the bombing. This is something they can't keep from the family.
Amanda continues, holding back tears, "I also want to let you know how happy you are healthy and alive. We lost some friends at the wedding over the weekend. A bomb went off in the church and everyone in it died. We overslept and fortunately weren't there. So, I am also celebrating the fact we are all here to eat this feast as you call it".
Lee normally does not eat breakfast orders a small omelet with what is leftover from the vegetables. He too is happy to be celebrating life.
Dotty offers to clear the table and cleans up and does the dishes. She says she will make sure the boys catch the bus to school.
Lee and Amanda collect their bags and Amanda finds a blue sweater to take with her. Dotty, wiping her hands on a towel gives them both a hug and tells them how sorry she is for their loss. Philip and Jamie go to their parents hugging and kissing them, letting them know how happy they are their parents are still in their lives.
Amanda hands the keys to Lee and asks him to drive. "I'm not feeling up it today. We need to debrief with Billy, check with Francine and Brian for anything they discovered, but honestly I just want to make it through the day", she says.
Lee pulls out of the driveway and heads out of the neighborhood carefully checking for anything not familiar. He says, "I think it's going to be a while before I'm comfortable driving or trying to resume our lives". Amanda agrees.
They arrive at IFF and head to the Q Bureau. They put their things in the office and come back downstairs. Mrs. Marsden hands them their badges and waves them in, not asking for any codes. She doesn't know what to say, so she lets them pass.
As soon as they exit the elevator, they notice the mood suddenly changes. Everyone keeps coming up to them to offer their condolences, and Amana wants to scream. She excuses herself to find Francine. When Francine sees her, she hugs her and opens her mouth to say she is sorry, but Amanda puts her hand up and says, "not you too. I think I'm going to vomit if one more person gives me the 'I'm sorry for your loss' platitudes".
"Alright, I'll tell you what we found out so far", Francine says. On one of the glass, boards are names and lines drawn to known accomplices tying people together. The person who got away at the auction has a box and ? next to it. Kelly's name is in the middle, along with a ? next to her name too. On another one of the boards are the timelines beginning from Dubai since it appears that is where it all started. The Italian couple are dead, Tom and Ellen are dead too. The only ones left standing are Lee, Amanda, and Francine.
Meanwhile, Lee is in Billy's office giving his debrief of the weekend. Billy says, "I'm sure you have heard all the I'm sorry you can handle, so let's cut to the chase. You, Amanda and Francine need to be careful. All roads lead to the Dubai trip. Francine and Brian have been working on a timeline, but they haven't been able to connect the dots yet. I'm going to need yours and Amanda's take on things. I want her to be part of this next conversation, so I will page her to my office".
Amanda gets the call and tells Francine, "keep working and I'll return after my debrief with Billy".
She joins Lee in Billy's office and he asks her to take a seat. He says, "we are still awaiting word from the LA coronary office, but the news is not good. While they were sifting through the bodies, they found an engagement ring and two wedding bands in the debris with Tom and Ellen's name engraved along with a sentiment. If Jill had someone watching Tom and Ellen, they would have seen you with them. I'd love to put you and your family in a safe house, but I already know the answer to that, so instead I will have an agent follow you home every night and once you are safely inside, they will leave. In the morning they will wait for you at the entrance to your street. This is a compromise, so don't argue with me. The same will be done with Francine. Since she lives alone, I'd like to have an agent with her inside her home. She has turned me down, but Amanda, maybe you can convince her otherwise".
Amanda brings this up with Francine, but Francine says, "I will feel like a prisoner in my own home. I can protect myself if necessary. The Agency is adding extra security measures like alarms and video surveillance from inside the house".
Amanda and Lee in their own private offices have a gun safe, but never had the need to use it. They didn't know the other had one until now of course, but how will they explain to the boys if they suddenly need to use them.
As the days go by, no alarms have been set off. They did get final confirmation on the identification of the bodies and Tom and Ellen, along with 2/3rds of agents from the LA Agency office were declared dead.
Billy had some connections with a federal judge and was able to discontinue any privileges along with any correspondence for Jill.
They have yet been able to identify the unknown person from the auction, though they have been able to eliminate any other suspects. The letters they confiscated addressed to Jill came up empty and the lawyer's background checks came out clean. Even surveilling them for weeks, showed nothing out of the ordinary.
Lee and Amanda kept their plans for their vacation, eventually settling on Ireland. They enjoyed 10 days with the family, Dotty and Curt. Amanda and Jamie take lots of pictures, Lee takes Philip to some soccer and rugby games and Dotty and Curt take several walking tours and visit the small town of Sligo.
Everyone also visits the Cliffs of Moher, Rock of Cashel and the Blarney Castle, to name a few. Lee suggests to the boys they do a book report on their travels when school starts in the fall.
Their vacation goes off without any hitches. They arrive home full of bags and wait for larger items to be shipped to them.
Dotty and Curt head home and enjoy time alone again.
Lee and Amanda check in with Billy and find out that surveillance on Francine has been stopped as nothing unusual occurred. No one did any searches on them while they were away and no unusual traffic to Ireland either. Still, Lee and Amanda don't want to let their guard down.
The boys prepare to go back to school and put together a presentation with a report and pictures for display at school.
Lee and Amanda go back to work and are easing in by taking what they thought was a simple assignment. They attend an art auction from an Estate sale. They discover the owner was killed and all the paintings were forgeries. The son who was an art student and over time he slowly copied and forged all but one of the vast painting collections. He was in cahoots with the appraiser and authenticator. The old man discovered the subterfuge and changed the codes, leaving one painting unchanged. Lee and Amanda solved a murderer and forgery ring, bringing to justice a killer and two thieves.
Eventually, Amanda convinces Lee to get a new car and after test driving one of the newer hybrids, he purchases a Ford Fusion.
A few days before school is scheduled to begin, Lee takes Philip and Jamie in his new car to play basketball with their other friends in the court near their house. Amanda sets the roast in the warming oven and drives over to watch the end of the game. She waves them over indicating dinner will be ready soon; Lee and the boys say goodbye to their friends and head towards the car. A shot rings out hitting Philip in the head. Amanda gasps and runs towards her eldest son. Lee sees who fired the gun and takes off after him. Amanda cradles Philip in her arms and yells at Jamie to call 911. Lee catches up to the man and kicks the gun out of his hands and grabs him by his shirt and begins to pummel the guy, but he turns around and kicks Lee in the groin and runs away. Bloodied, Lee picks up the dropped gun and makes it back to Amanda and his sons. Amanda is sobbing and Jamie is next to her crying as he holds his brother's hand. Soon the sirens are blaring towards the court and they load Philip onto a gurney and Amanda rides with him to the hospital. Lee takes Jamie with him in his car and follows behind.