Epilogue

Wed. Jan. 8, 1988

Lee and Amanda were enjoying lunch together before they went to Amanda's first doctor's appointment. The last two weeks had been wonderful for Lee as Amanda had been off from work and he was still recovering at home. They had talked a lot about what had happened over the last three months. He thought to himself, If Amanda had her way she would fly to Germany and personally think Levi and Rachel. She had written a thank you letter and sent it with his uncle to deliver. Amanda would return to work on Monday and Lee would return part time by working from home the following week. He couldn't come back to the Agency until he could maneuver the steps to the Q-Bureau, and that would probably be the week after next when he would most likely be able to walk without a cane.

Lee looked at Amanda and thought, not for the first time, how glad he was that she was out of the field. Most likely she would only be out occasionally as back up. Lee started to speak his thoughts out loud, "I don't know, Amanda, I've been thinking…" he paused, not sure he really wanted to voice his thoughts, but he plunged on, "There's an opening over at State. It would be nine to five, no weekends, and more money."

Amanda looked at her husband and said, "I thought we would be directing the Q-Bureau together!"

"You're the one who's always been good with the research. Now you have McMillan and Douglas, so there's not much for me to do."

"But, we work best as a team; what one of us doesn't see the other one does."

Lee reached over and took Amanda's hand, looked deep into her eyes and softly replied; "I've just been thinking that's all…" he trailed off as he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. Swallowing, he continued his train of thought, "I really don't want either one of us in the field anymore…"

Amanda sighed, licked her lips, and cut in with her reply, "Listen, Lee, why don't you wait a few months to a half a year before you decide anything. If you give the new arrangements in the Q-Bureau time maybe you'll find you like it. We'll mostly be out of the field any ways. Maybe we can keep the arrangement I have of working from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After the given time, it you don't like it then the next time an opening comes up at State go for it!"

Lee softly and lovingly smiled at his wife, "Okay, Mrs. Stetson, I'll wait at least six months before I decide anything!"

Amanda smiled backed, "Sounds like a plan, Mr. Stetson."

Amanda and Lee were in the doctor's office waiting for Dr. Delong to come in. "I don't know why I'm so nervous. I've had two babies before, but I'm older and I feel like I'm bigger with this one than I was with Philip or Jamie," Amanda said.

"I don't know you look beautiful to me," Lee said with a mischievous smile. Amanda just gave him a smirk in response.

Finally, the door opened and a petite woman with blond hair and bright blue eyes entered, "Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Stetson. I'm Dr. Delong," she replied as she sat on a stool. She proceeded to work her way through various questions and forms. "Now, Mrs. Stetson, if you would lie back on the bed we'll see how much you measure. According to the date of your last period you should be about sixteen weeks." The doctor pulled out the measuring tape and laid it on Amanda's abdomen and said, "Hummm…that's interesting."

"Is everything, okay?" both Lee and Amanda asked together as they grabbed each other's hand.

"Oh just measuring a little bigger than I would have thought. Let's take a listen," Dr. Delong added as she squirted gel onto Amanda's abdomen. She turned the dobblar on and placed it in the gel and started moving it around. A fast little "lub-lub" came through the speaker. "Sounds nice and strong…huh…what's?" and Dr. Delong moved the dobblar around a little and again a fast "lub-lub" could be heard.

Dr. Delong turned the stethoscope off and said, "I think I want to get an ultrasound."

"Is everything okay with the baby?" Amanda anxiously asked because she had read about this type of x-ray in a parenting magazine, but she had never had one with Philip or Jamie.

"I just want to see if we can get an accurate due date since it's the second trimester and I'm seeing you for the first time. It won't take long and we have one here in our office so if you'll follow me down the hall," Dr. Delong explained as she handed a modesty robe for Amanda to put over her gown. Numbly Amanda put the robe on and Lee grabbed her hand as they followed the doctor down the hall.

Walking into the room Dr. Delong turned the light on and said, "Amanda you can lie down on the bed and Lee you can sit in that chair beside the bed."

The couple did as they were instructed and then immediately clasped hands again. Both set of eyes were glued to the monitor. "This is new. I never had anything like this with Philip or Jamie," Amanda said in a tremulous voice.

"This will allow us to see the baby and get some measurements." The doctor explained as she again squirted gel on Amanda's abdomen and started moving the wand over it. Dr. Delong said, "Okay there we go…"

"Oh look there's a little hand," Amanda excitedly exclaimed.

"Now I see why…" Dr. Delong started.

Amanda cut her off by adding, "Is that what I think…" as she turned to look at her husband.

Lee looked from the monitor to down into his wife's face and smiled an enormous smile, shook his head and chuckled, "Well, Mrs. Stetson, I see that keeping with our tradition; having a baby isn't going to be a simple task."