Oh my gosh and you want to know how in the world all this happened Francine?
Well, really it's quite a story. I mean it all started when Lee asked me to come as part of his cover on a cruise. You remember when Lee got that telegram from his contact about a ship full of spies? Only we thought it was Lies at first until Crypto corrected that. But do you think Lee thought to mention to me that we were going on a wedding cruise? Oh no. Not Lee Stetson. No he told it as he slipped on the engagement ring and we were walking up the gangplank to board and I couldn't bolt out of there. You know how strongly I feel about marriage and all. He just sold me on the highlights of a cruise in winter. Escape the ice storms, enjoy the sunshine and blue ocean. Relax and help his cover. I mean it's one thing to play an engaged couple, or even a married couple, but to get married to maintain our covers.
It was the morning of the third day when we'd landed at San Angelo and needed to fill out the paperwork at the government building in the main city before following the signs to the garden where the the weddings were to take place. We were dressed in our wedding clothes waiting our turn at the counter when an empty counter opened, just for us. You know how Blue Leader has recognition codes for each agent. Ones only that agent and Blue Leader know? I found their speech odd, and only later did Lee explain about the recognition codes. So my first clue that this was more then meet the eye was when Lee hissed. "Blue Leader, what are you…"
"The Last watcher is coming in. The drop is enough to bring down the iron curtain, this is staying out of the agency. I got word you were here, I had to see Amanda."
"Me?" I said as I took the form and began to fill out my information.
"Tell Dolly, Bud is coming home for Apple Time." He whispered.
I froze, staring at the man. Now nobody knows about Apple Time, it's a family secret. I bet the Agency could dig everything they wanted about my family but they'd never learn about Apple Time. Even I barely knew about it. I stared at him, as he slipped to Lee a photograph, one I knew well, but was not well known. Mother didn't like it out and about for it back too many hard memories. This copy was battered as though it had been handled often over the years.
"What will you do to bring in the watchman Lee Stetson?" Blue Leader asked. "You know the operation."
"Sure." Lee nodded standing straighter. "They were sent out during world war two to stop the cold war from starting, then later to end it. But all the watchmen died, all of them. Each time we tried to bring one in it was disaster, families died, agents died, the watchmen died."
"Watchmen #3 is still out there. Sent me word he's ready to come in." He glanced at us. "But he'll only deal with family."
I had finished my part of the form and slipped it over to Lee staring then at Blue Leader. I was taking in every feature, there was something there…
"Fine, I'll find the family and protect them. I'll keep it a shadow off the record. No sign of it." Lee said as he began to write his name down, using a false last name.
"Oh this assignment isn't for you Scarecrow. I said it's just a family thing. Amanda…" He tapped at Lee's name. "Now if you're here on a case, and just keeping your cover being here. you can spare Amanda to come to the San Jose Capilla at 5pm. Go ahead fill out that fake name, and keep your cover." He smiled at me then. "But Amanda could tell you what I did to Carl when he tried to elope with Dolly without the family, or when he tried to sneak into Apple Time when we were boys…"
I gulped. I'm sure I've mentioned my family before, various aunts and uncles, even a few cousins. I have haven't I? But I know I've never mentioned my Uncle Bud. He was Mother's twin brother and Daddy's best friend. He died in the March before Daddy's eyes to Berlin. In fact I had an older brother named for him who died as an infant.
"The Watchman is coming to Apple Time." Blue Leader spoke evenly and low.
"Sir?" Lee stared at Blue Leader. "What the hell?"
"If you and Amanda really came down here to elope, and you really mean you'll protect the Watchman's Family. Then bring that paperwork, filled correctly and be there. I'll give you all the information to complete this. How to protect the family, how to bring the Watchman in safe with the information to take down the iron curtain. All that. But this is family only so unless you're ready to join this…"
"What are you saying, that you're related to…" Lee cut in.
"He's my Uncle," I spoke softly staring at a scar on the man's arm that I'd heard about, distinct and old from an old fishing accident as a boy with Daddy.
"Blue Leader is your Uncle?" Lee almost laughed. "Amanda…"
"Is there any issue?" Another officer came over. "Signor the lines are long, if they have an issue…"
"Just some clarification," Blue Leader, Uncle Bud spoke in a thick accent like the other man. "They will be done shortly."
"Yes." I whispered as the man left. "You're positive he's Blue Leader."
"Yes." Lee sighed and began to write his real name. "We want answers."
"Not here." Uncle Bud, Blue Leader spoke. "The Chapel, it's clean there. I will explain all. But only to family. It's a family issue."
"Like Hell, The Watchman Operation was the top Operation, this isn't a family affair."
"No it is. Until Apple Time is over its family only. Harry told me about you two. I'd asked around too. He said you'd follow Amanda blind in a blizzard. I need that, I need that to protect the family state side while I go deep to reach Watchman."
"I'll protect them, don't worry." Lee said. "But this is…"
I placed a hand on his arm, my mind whirling with the stories out Uncle Bud. If Blue Leader truly was, and if this Watchman. Well, you can imagine how my mind was jumping ahead. Apple Time is just for family. "What Lee means is that it was sort of impulse coming down here and Mother and my boys haven't met Lee yet and we were hoping to keep it a secret, and with this business and you know Lee has a lot of enemies, and well, they don't know anything about this business and think I'm just on a free cruise I won at work. And Lees' really rather private, doesn't want anyone at work to know, or suspect…"
"I thought so," Uncle Bud spoke. "That's no agency ring. I'd know."
Lee ran his hand through his hair. "My mothers. OK? It's 18 karat, the real deal. Why can't you trust anyone outside of family with this?"
"Apple Time is Family Time." Uncle Bud spoke simply as I nodded. "No outsiders. When you're family, I'll tell you all, even the secrets of the watchman operation. But I swore after they killed…"
"Fine." Lee handed the completed form to me as another officer tapped Uncle Bud on the shoulder. "We'll be there."
The other officer stamped the paperwork, signed off on it and handed us our copy as we walked away.
"18-k ring…"
My mind was a whirl suddenly back on the case. I went into a ramble about Carats for gemstones and karats for gold, and before you knew it we were rushing back to the ship to chase down the bad guys. But I'm not telling you the whole story of capturing those spies. So I'll just sum up. We found them smuggling pipes made of painted gold to shore lead by the captain of the ship. We're captured. Found Lee's contact who'd warned him alive but battered. We were all then setup to be killed but escaped. We had to jump out of a speeding car in our wedding clothes. Capture the bad guys and watch the cops show up and take over.
We were catching our breaths as the cops showed up and took our statements and did our debriefing. Before you knew it it was getting later in the afternoon when I asked if anyone knew the time. "4:15, Signora" one of the men said.
I gulped, turned to Lee. You would have thought our outfits were made of nuclear materials for how well they survived. Though there was enough damage I wasn't returning the rental dress any time soon. "Lee, he said to be there at Five… But what are we going to do?"
"You're positive he's your Uncle Bud?" He asked.
"Well, Uncle Bud, his real name was Edward, but the family always called him Bud. He and mother were twins, not identical obviously but twins and were the oldest. Daddy was his best friend. I saw a scar I'd heard about, distinct and clear but one only the family knew about, well maybe a few friends, but not well known and knew about Apple Time."
"Which is?" Lee cut in.
"That's a family secret." I shrugged. "I don't even know that much. It took a very drunk new years with Mother and Aunt Lillian when the boys were little and Joe was gone to even get some out of them about it. I guess they hadn't done it since Uncle Bud left, but used to do it every year at Apple Harvest. There's a place the family gathers that my generation doesn't even know about. And the Watchmen?"
"Twelve men sent out at the end of World War Two to infiltrate and stop, and then take down the cold war." Lee gulped. "The last time they tried to bring in one of the Watchmen, it was a disaster. Back in 1979. They killed the program, wrote off the rest of the watchman if any were left as dead and killed it so it'd never be resurrected. It cost too many lives."
"You think that Uncle Bud is one of those Watchmen? But he's here and he said he was going deep to find the Watchman?"
"That's why I want answers. But your crazy Uncle, Blue Leader won't work with anyone but Family. Hell, Amanda he founded the agency with Harry Thornton."
"Who?"
"Later." Lee growled. "He can trust me, even if I'm not family."
"We've established he's Blue Leader correct?" I asked.
"Yes."
"And I know he's Uncle Bud, as surely as I know you're Lee Stetson."
"Fine." Lee grabbed my arm, guiding me down the beach towards the edge of town. "We might as well walk and talk."
"We'll marry,"
"Amanda…."
"For Uncle Bud, but if he's also Blue Leader, he can help us burry it, convince him it's safer for Mother and the boys that way, until this Watchman is brought in safely. Then he's happy you're family and we can just…"
"I know how you feel about divorce…" Lee sighed. "There has to be another way…"
"No Lee." I took a deep breath before breaking into my typical ramble. "There's no other way. Trust me, Uncle Bud will kill you, not only is he Agency he's Uncle Bud, he was known for that attitude of Family first and family only. We'll just convince him we want no one else to know and it's safest that way, and we'll move you in. I'll finish the basement I've always meant to do that, we'll make it an apartment for you and explain to everyone that you're moving in to help me with expenses as I need a renter and I wanted someone I trust, which is you and you're trying to escape some old girl friend who was a bit too clingy by moving where no one would expect it. You change your number, who won't believe it. Then you're there to protect Mother and the boys, we find some way to put more security on the others, but anyone who finds out who Uncle Bud is will go after Mother me and the boys first, then maybe Aunt Edna because she lives on the family farm, or maybe Aunt Lillian, or maybe Uncle Ted, or Aunt Susan…"
"Amanda…"
"No, it'll work. We'll just convince Uncle Bud we're serious, but that we don't want anyone to know until it's all over, and he needs to respect if we find it doesn't work…"
"Amanda…" he tried again.
"We'll get it annulled, we won't consummate the marriage and we can always claim we married under duress, when my Uncle was threatening us with a shotgun wedding…"
"True…" He waved a cab then, he helped me in as he addressed the driver. "San Jose Capilla."
We arrived to find a monk waiting for us. "Signor Stetson?" The man asked.
"Yes." Lee said, guiding me with his hand on the small of my back. "We're here to meet…"
"Your uncle is waiting in Father Francisco's office." The man said guiding us into the room. "He said you'd want a word with him before you entered the Capilla where Father Francisco is waiting. I have a village boy who is good with the photographs ready and waiting also."
"Clean?" Lee asked as we entered.
"It's clean, Scarecrow."
"Why the hell can't you trust me if I'm not family?"
"No." Uncle Bud simply said. "I assume because you came you really mean to marry my niece?"
"Yes." Lee sighed. "We wanted to, truth is but it's too dangerous, and with all my enemies. We didn't think it was safe for the boys and Dottie. They don't know anything about our business. Let me guess, Dottie doesn't even know her own brother is alive…"
"No." Uncle Bud sighed. "She can't until this is all over."
"Well, we want our marriage to be the same thing. We'll be risking everything to do this, help you bring home this watchman. Just who is it? I think we have the right to know." Lee growled.
"He's your Cousin, Amanda." Uncle Bud spoke to me. "When I slipped out and we weren't done. I left him and my wife there. She died a few years ago. His aunt visits when she can. I'll be going deep to fetch him, but he sent me news. He has it, the key to bring it all down. His aunt comes every summer to the states for a conference of missionaries of some sort. Nita's sister. There's a lock box at the church we used to go to as kids. Dolly will know the place, only she and Carl knew where we hid stuff."
"Dolly?" Lee asked.
"Only Uncle Bud could ever call Mother that." I whispered. "Because of the dolly she always carried when they were little."
"Fine we'll get the lockbox."
"I put everything you'll need."
"We need this marriage though, to keep the Agency off our tail, hidden so it won't even come up for a full review from the agency. You're asking a lot, and putting our family in danger." I glanced at Lee's words. Our family. I gulped.
Uncle Bud nodded. "Wise. Thank you Lee Stetson. It's a sacrifice to hide your marriage. I should know."
Uncle Bud walked to the desk, started writing on a pad of paper before tearing off the top sheet folding it and handing it to Lee. "Soon as you're back, follow these instructions. It'll hide all records until this is over. But only I can reverse it. We don't get back alive, they'll never find it. But it'll be there, the hard copy of course."
"Thank you Uncle Bud." I gulped, Oh my Gosh, Francine I was really doing it and we were going to keep it a secret. There was only three outcomes. Either we'd bring them home safely and we'd have that big family reunion for Apple Time and then go our separate ways with no one ever knowing and a quiet divorce or annulment. Or we'd be stuck in limbo the rest of our lives unable to ever marry again because we couldn't divorce because we never could bring them home, or perhaps there was that small hope I had as I glanced at Lee. You'll think I'm crazy but perhaps we'd live happily ever after."
We each nodded to each other, as Father Francisco came to fetch Lee to meet him in the front of the Capilla and I waited a minute with Uncle Bud.
"Amanda…" He glanced at me. "I wouldn't have pushed him if I hadn't heard from Harry himself that he swore the man was in love with you."
I stared at Uncle Bud. "Why couldn't you have?"
"I'm no contact, neither is my son, your cousin until this is all over. I was there though."
"There?"
"I was there for Carl's funeral. He really was my best friend."
"What's my cousin's name?"
"Carl." He smiled. "He's a little younger than you. His photo is in the lockbox, with his mother and Aunt. A few years ago, last time I had contact…" He choked a sob. "Do you have a ring for your young man?"
"I…" I gulped. "I mean we never talked about rings and all, we never had time. We had hoped to, but were too worried about how to keep it hidden and now you gave us a way to you know be married and be full partners but keep the family safe. That's really important to Lee you know."
Uncle Bud pulled the ring off his own finger. "Give him mine, it's been in the family for generations."
"But your own son?" I gulped as I took the ring. Oh my gosh I'd heard about that ring. Mother's grandfather had given it to Uncle Bud before the war, there was a hidden phrase, and had warned Uncle Bud if he married a European girl he had to have the family ring as the eldest son. It had a scripture engraved on the inside, something that was worn but I could just read. Ps. 45. "Shouldn't he have it?"
"I'm asking a lot of you and Lee." he said as he took my arm opening the door. "That way, if I don't make it back, if Carl and I don't… you can show my Dolly that her Bud approves of Lee Stetson."
I gulped. What had we gotten ourselves into? I stared ahead as Uncle Bud walked me down the aisle. Daddy hadn't been able to walk me down to marry Joe, he'd passed away a few months before the wedding which was hard. I hadn't wanted anyone else and had walked alone. The whole family had been there. How strange, instead it was Uncle Bud, who happened to also be Blue Leader, Daddy's childhood best friend and Mother's twin brother walking me down the aisle. Lee was a nervous reck.
He kept missing lines and I swear I caught through my veil Father Francisco rolling his eyes. But he spoke his vows and slipped a wedding band onto my finger then was startled when after I spoke my vows slipped a ring onto his finger. We were really married. And that moment when the priest said you may now kiss the bride. I saw Lee startle, then glance back towards our witnesses, Uncle Bud, a young boy with a camera and two older local women. He lifted my veil slowly and we both smiled briefly before leaning in for the kiss. It was sweet Francine, very sweet. Oh I know you don't think Lee, and Kisses, and Sweet go to gather. But it was, and we just stood there for a minute afterwards, he got a little lipstick on his lips and I reached up to wipe it off, and he kissed my fingers and we turned then as the Priest announced us as Mr. and Mrs. Stetson.
It was a whirlwind after that. We had a feast that the women cooked for us in a private home across the street, and in whispers Uncle Bud gave us instructions to find the Lock Box, and more. He would leave by fishing boat at midnight for Cuba to reach Carl. Interspersed was filled with stories from his childhood, of his adventures with Mother and Daddy, with my other Aunts and Uncles at the family farm, visiting their grandparents in Richmond, and all sorts of stories. Of starting off for the Operation Watchman, of coming back secretly after watching the first three killed and starting the Agency with Harry, of running things from the shadows as he did his best to keep his watchmen safe and bring them in slowly only to loose each and every one. But he'd never touch the one who replaced him, Watchman #3, because he couldn't risk loosing Carl. But it was time. And so he'd only trust family because family was thicker than water.
We were tipsy, stuffed, and exhausted by the time we made it back to the ship and we let back on board by a dozing crewman. The Third Mate had been permitted to Captain with the capture of the Captain and some of the crew with their plot to bring gold to terrorists. we'd sail back to Miami and be on the first flight back home the next day. "You just made it Signore and Signora, we leave dock in an hour." The man said. "You though are not the last, two more couples still to come."
Lee walked me to the door of his suite, and I began to wonder if perhaps it would be a normal wedding night. Joe and I had stayed up all night. He let me in, I saw something in his eyes, but then something jarred him and he opened the adjoining door to my room. "Sweet dreams Mrs. Stetson." He gave me a brief kiss on my hand before turning to his own bed.
I gulped, and closed the door behind me. For better or for worse I was Mrs. Lee Stetson, and with the codes to hide our marriage, unless we brought home Uncle Bud and Cousin Carl home safe we'd never be able to divorce or annul the marriage without great difficultly. I'd never marry again. Oh Francine, I'd done the impossible. I'd married Lee Stetson and no one would ever know about it. I couldn't sleep so instead began to pack, my mind buzzing with it all. I'd have to hide the rings of course, but I'd wear them for now. Perhaps a chain I could hang them on, keep them hidden? Or stashed somewhere safe. I didn't sleep my first wedding night, because we were quite busy. But I didn't sleep my second wedding night either though I could hear Lee from time to time softly snoring. I packed, wrapped up my wedding dress and veil, placing in a bag. I'd have to hide it of course, but I couldn't get rid of it. And I began to make plans, how I'd finish the basement and just how in the world would I introduce Lee to Mother and the Boys and how would Lee survive normal. That was as strange of a thought as you living a normal life. But then what we were planning was not normal at all.
I did nap briefly, near sunrise. My final thoughts? How happy Mother would be to learn that Uncle Bud was still with us. And a second thought the moment you realized that Blue Leader is my Uncle!