Chapter Thirty-Seven – One Perfect Night

"Oh my gosh!" Amanda exclaimed after Kevin announced the name.

"Is that okay with both of you? I mean, you brought her into this world. Plus, it looks like we might be starting a whole new life here and none of that would have been possible without all you did here. I thought it just seemed perfect. Do you like it?" Kevin asked his wife.

"Yes! I think it is perfect also as long as Amanda and Lee are in agreeance," Lorraine nodded her approval.

Lee and Amanda exchanged a brief glance and then Lee expressed what both of them were feeling. "It would be truly an honor to have your daughter named after us."

"Great, then it's settled. Welcome to the world Mandy Lee," Kevin announced as he gently picked up his daughter and held her up to see around her. He then cuddled her for a few seconds before letting Lorraine have her back. Lee and Amanda watched as the stretcher headed down the trail.

"I think they are both going to make great parents," Amanda said in her raspy voice which was full of emotions.

They suddenly remembered the food they had dumped on the trail and asked Rodney and Harold if they wanted to join them for dinner. They both had plans so they had to turn down the offer. Harold agreed to take the extra two steaks back to his freezer in the office so they wouldn't go to waste. Thankfully their bear friends had not found the food and it was still where they had left it.

They parted ways with Harold and Rodney. They walked slowly back to their campsite. They were both looking forward to just enjoying a peaceful night under the stars for a change. It had been a stressful time and they deserved one perfect night.

After enjoying the delicious steaks, Lee suggested they go for a swim. It would likely be one of the last times they would be alone before they headed home, and he wanted to enjoy it. It seemed like they had grown even closer during the past few weeks. It had been encouraging to know that they could face such a tragedy and still find and give comfort to each other. In most cases, people who are close, tend to take their frustrations out on each other. Instead, they had drawn strength from each other.

His thoughts returned to Billy as he waited for Amanda to change into her suit. Why didn't Billy let them in on what he was doing? He knew he could have trusted them. If they had known, they might have been able to stop him from being hurt. At least he would have had backup that night. Perhaps, it was also a warning to Lee to be more careful himself. He rarely wore a bullet proof vest even when things were considered dangerous. He never cared before because it seemed that no one would miss him if he was gone. Those days were gone though, and he now realized that people would care. In fact some people would likely be heartbroken just like they were with Billy. It was time for him to work on his stubbornness.

Amanda emerged and it took his breath away. She had put her hair into a ponytail and removed her makeup, but she was just as stunning as if she was dressed as a princess.

"Shall we go?" He asked as he offered his hand to her. She smiled and accepted it as they strolled to the lake together. Lee had changed so much since she first met him. Some days she felt like they were really becoming close, like now. Other times, he still seemed conflicted and would push her away. It was okay though. When talking about love, you had to be patient. She had been patient this long, she wasn't ready to quit now.

After their swim, they laid on their backs beside each other looking at the stars. It was nice to see them without the glare of city lights. They pointed out the constellations they knew. The talk turned to the Underground Railroad and how the stars had helped guide so many slaves to freedom. Neither of them could fathom being a runaway slave as they worried about being caught as they trusted strangers to get them to safety. It was such a dark time in America's history. They both expressed how happy they were that the park would help share some of that history and keep those memories alive. It was important so that history wouldn't repeat itself.

They both agreed that they would have to come back and visit after Kevin and Lorraine established the tourist attraction. After all, they would need to visit their namesake to see how she was doing.

They talked for so long that they accidentally fell asleep on the beach together. Early in the morning, Lee awoke and realized what had happened. He carefully scooped Amanda up into his arms to carry her back to their campsite. She didn't awaken, but instead snuggled closer to his chest. Lee found that he was taking his time walking back. Once he got to the tent, he struggled to let her go. He finally gently laid her down, and then went to take a cold shower. When he returned she was still asleep. He smiled as he sat watching her. She had turned his whole world upside down and he didn't mind.

Realizing that William would be there soon, Lee forced himself to lie down and get some rest. A good agent needed their rest.

TBC