Unfinished Business, Unresolved Feelings chapter 25
Lee sat slumped in a first class seat on a flight home to DC. He was exhausted but he was too wired to fall asleep so he was reflecting on his latest brush with death. Lee was fairly certain that in the past the thought of being alone with a four year old would have bothered him more than being trapped alone under a pile of rubble with no rescuers in sight. Have I changed that much? I've never taken the time to get to know any kids; except for Amanda's boys. They're great kids. I care more about them then I would've thought possible. Slow down Stetson, Amanda has made it very clear that she doesn't want you around her normal family. Do I have a right to expect more from her than she is willing to offer? In an effort to escape from his troubling thoughts Lee pulled the airline magazine out of the pocket on the seat in front of him.
It was almost sunrise when Lee arrived at his front door. He let himself in and walked through the darkened living room without noticing that it had been cleaned up. Lee walked into his bedroom and was about to drop his gym bag on the bed when he saw Amanda curled up clutching his pillow. Finding her there waiting for him made him feel that he was truly home.
"Amanda", he whispered as he brushed hair back from her face. Amanda sleepily reached for his hand before she fully registered that he was really there. When Lee took her hand in his her eyes shot open.
"Oh my gosh; you're really here", she gasped as she grabbed him; pulling Lee down on top of her. They shared a slow, tender kiss before Lee pulled away from her.
"Wow, I've wondered what it would be like to fall into bed with you, now I know", Lee said as he reached for her again. As Amanda returned his embrace she felt a large bandage on his upper arm and pulled back to look him over more carefully.
"You're hurt", she exclaimed while reaching for the bedside lamp.
"I'm okay. They stitched up my arm and my forehead only needed to be bandaged, no stitches necessary. I'm hard headed", Lee laughed.
"That's not funny. You could have been killed. I'm so glad that I'm here to take care of you. Why didn't you call me? Are you in pain? Have you eaten?"
"Whoa, Amanda, slow down. I didn't call you because I didn't know that you knew that I was in any danger. I'm feeling pretty sore. I think taking a hot shower will help. If nothing else I can wash off the dried blood and dirt and, no, I haven't eaten lately."
"Okay, you go take your shower and I'll go make us some breakfast. I don't want to hear any arguments from you, buster. You will be eating breakfast today", she said; shooting him her best mom look.
"Yes, ma'am", Lee responded with a mock salute as he walked towards the bathroom. Amanda smiled at him and headed to the kitchen.
Amanda returned to the bedroom thirty minutes later to find out whether or not Lee was ready for breakfast. Since Lee was still in the bathroom Amanda decided to take the dirty clothing from his gym bag and add it to his other dirty laundry. Amanda unzipped the bag and looked down at a picture of animals that had been drawn in crayon by a small child. She picked up the drawing that had the name Andy written in the lower corner and turned it over. On the other side of the paper were the name Karen and a phone number written in an adult's handwriting that wasn't Lee's. Lee came out of the bathroom dressed only in his pajama bottoms.
"I think you have a lot of explaining to do", Amanda accused as she waved the drawing at Lee. "Were you ever going to tell me about Andy? Which one of your black books was Karen in", Amanda practically spat at Lee.
"Andy is", a shocked Lee began to answer before stopping himself in mid sentence when he realized what Amanda was thinking. "You think that Andy is my; that Karen is some old girl friend. You should know me better than that. If I was lucky enough to have a child I wouldn't have turned my back on him. I'm not like your ex. I think that you should leave now", Lee said, turning his back on Amanda and returning to the bathroom.