Mom, Secrets And More
Author's Note: The name "Scruff" Amanda refers to is for the song in this chapter. It's a stuffed animal I envisioned the King boys sharing when they were growing up.
Chapter 47
Amanda and Dr. Pfaff said a quick hello as they reached Lee's apartment. As they entered the apartment, Lee noticed that not only did Amanda have milk, she had enough groceries for a week!
As Amanda led Dr. Pfaff into the kitchen she said quickly to Lee, "I was only going for milk," she continued as she began unbagging and putting things down on the counter,"but then I decided to get more things when Dr. Pfaff told me that there's no quick fix right now for Jamie, and he'll probably have to spend the night here..."
"Of course." Lee responded nodding.
Amanda asked, "How is he?"
Lee sighed and swallowed, shaking his head. "It took a while to calm him, but he's right now at a whimpering stage...I'm-I'm sorry. I tried-"
"Lee, you did a great job." Amanda said lightly touching Lee's arm. "Hey, don't be sorry. I really appreciate all that you've done." Lee gave a slight smile as she added, " Look, why don't you two start putting things away and then heat up the milk while I check on Jamie?"
As Amanda left the kitchen, Dr. Pfaff asked as he helped Lee with the groceries, "So, what was his dream about? How bad did it get?"
Lee sighed heavily and stopped unloading one of the grocery bags to lean against the counter and said, "Jamie was dreaming that Hawkins got Amanda, and was taking her somewhere, and he kept yelling for him to let her go, and then he was suddenly crying out for her wondering where the hell she went! That's when I called Billy to send you both here...I- I didn't know what to do. A good agent is supposed to know how to deal with any given situation, and I blew it!"
As Dr. Pfaff opened his mouth to respond, Lee quickly left the kitchen then and sat down on one of the dining room chairs and gulped, remarking sadly to Dr. Pfaff who had followed him, "Don't you get it? This whole thing is my fault! Mine! Amanda didn't go into this business willingly-I-"
Dr. Pfaff sat across from Lee and stated calmly cutting him off, "Lee, you asked her to do you a favor the day you two met...She is a grown woman who could've that day or any day after refused to help you. She was under no obligation-"
But Lee shook his head half-smiling. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, Amanda has pretty much said the same thing to me about being grown and deciding to stay. She rarely says no to anything, and once her mind's made up to do something, there's no stopping her. For years, I've tried to get her to leave, to have a safer life, but she insists that by being an agent, she can help the cause in her own way. But I'm just afraid that Jamie, knowing what he knows now, things could get a lot more complicated..."
But Dr. Pfaff shrugged stating, "I don't know Jamie that well yet, but my first impression of him earlier today was that he was very bright. He may surprise you and things will eventually go back to normal. Or as normal as they can, given this business we're in."
Looking at the time he remarked finally, "Well, I left the sedative on the kitchen counter, so I'll leave you two to handle the rest from here. He should sleep through the night, but if you have any questions or more problems, please call me."
Lee nodded as he got up to walk Dr. Pfaff to the front door, and opening it then shook Dr. Pfaff's hand commenting, "Thanks for coming over with Amanda. I-I just didn't know what to expect."
Dr. Pfaff nodded. "Quite all right. Have a good evening."
As Dr. Pfaff turned away to head to the elevator, Lee shut the front door and headed back to the kitchen to prepare the milk, and seeing the Animal Crackers out on the counter, got a serving tray from one of his kitchen cabinets to put the crackers on, and then got out a saucepan.
Heating the milk on the stove at a Low setting, Lee carefully added the sedative, and stirred it completely in, giving the milk a little more time to warm up. Lee also knew Amanda would need a few moments to get Jamie settled before he brought in the crackers and milk.
Meanwhile, Amanda came into the bedroom and seeing Jamie on the bed carefully went to him responding softly, "Jamie? I'm here, Sweetheart. Are you all right?"
On seeing Amanda as she sat down on the bed, Jamie went quickly to her arms crying, "Mom! You're okay? Really? That guy didn't get you?"
Amanda pulled him into her arms and rocked him gently murmuring, "No, Sweetie...He's gone for good and I'm just fine...Here, let's get comfortable, okay?"
She motioned for Jamie to move back as she joined him against the headboard answering gently as she held him close to her, "I'm so sorry for everything you've been through, Jamie. But you and I are gonna be alright, you'll see...Now, I'm going to try and get you back to sleep here because I know you're exhausted after everything that went on today, okay? So just try and relax-"
Jamie sighed. "Mom...I'm sorry I worried you when I took off like that. I-I was just mad, you know? But-But I don't hate you. Really, I don't-I-"
But Amanda shook her head and stroked Jamie as she whispered, "Shh...It's all right, Sweetheart. I'm just glad you were with Lee and you were safe, huh? C'mon, just lie back here with me now. We'll talk later. I have a surprise I brought for you. Something we haven't shared in a long time, since you and your brother were really little..."
Just then, Lee came in with a tray that had the warm milk, and some animal crackers on a plate!
Handing Amanda the milk to give to Jamie, Lee whispered putting the plate down on the nightstand, "I'll just leave the crackers here."
Amanda smiled answering softly, "Thank you."
As Lee nodded, Jamie murmured, "Lee?"
Lee answered, "Yeah, Jamie?"
Jamie yawned. "Sorry I was a pain today. Are we still friends?"
Lee swallowed hard as he glanced at Amanda who was smiling, and tousled Jamie's hair gently responding with his own smile, "You bet, Tiger...Go on now and get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning, huh?"
With that Jamie nodded as Lee turned and headed for the doorway and paused to watch as Amanda gave the milk to Jamie stating softly, "Here's some milk you can have with some crackers, Honey...And there's a song I used to sing to you and your brother when you were really little. Do you remember it at all?"
Jamie, taking a cracker, bit into it and chewed trying to think of the song. Swallowing, he took a sip of the milk and shook his head commenting, "Not all of it... But Mom?"
Amanda stroking Jamie's back answered, "What, Honey?"
Jamie sighed while taking another sip of milk and asked, "Do you think it's babyish at my age to have to sing me to sleep?"
Amanda shook her head stating, "Not at all, Sweetie. But how about just for tonight, you indulge me? It's been a long day for all of us, and the Sandman is near your eyes right now."
As Jamie nodded replying, "Okay." Amanda smiled answering with a gesture, "Great. Here, you finish your milk and have another cracker and I'll start the song, and you join in if you remember, hmm?"
Jamie nodded, and Amanda began crooning softly to the tune of Brahm's Lullaby,
"Shut your eyes, shut them tight,
The archangels will help you,
Lay your head down and rest,
So you'll wake up at your best,
Scruff and I will spend the night,
Guarding all those who slumber..."
Amanda stopped, and noticing the empty glass near Jamie, who was at last asleep, placed it on the nightstand.
She kissed Jamie's forehead and gently extricating herself from her son, got up from the bed and adjusted the covers over him as she quietly collected the plate of crackers and the glass and left the room.
She met Lee out in the living room and putting the glass and plate on the dining room table for the moment asked looking around, "Where's Dr. Pfaff?"
Lee stated, "He thinks Jamie will sleep through the night with the sedative he gave me to put in the milk, and as long as you were here anyway, he thought he might as well head home."
Amanda then puzzledly looked at Lee's expression and asked, "What's that look for?"
Lee shook his head and answered with a sigh, "I'm just now realizing what an amazing mother you really are."
Amanda waved it away as she blushed shaking her head and once more collected the plate and glass and headed to the kitchen replying as she gestured back at the bedroom, "You saw that, huh? Oh, c'mon! I just did that from memory. It's not always going to work. He's soon gonna be a teenager and won't want me doing that embarrassing stuff anymore, but...thanks."
Lee followed Amanda into the kitchen as she put the remainder of crackers back into the foiled package after grabbing one for herself and Lee, and handing the cracker to him she commented as she put the crackers in the pantry closet and closed the door, "Boy, those were the days, you know? A snack and a song and it was lights out."
Lee smiled as he popped the cracker into his mouth and chewed, then swallowed answering, "And now?"
Amanda shrugged, chewing her own and swallowing as well remarked with a roll of her eyes, "Oh, well. The rules change slightly as they get older. Later bedtimes and all that, but if you have structure and teach them about boundaries, you're already ahead in the parenting game."
Then as she focused on the kitchen, she realized it was neat and that the groceries were put away!
Nodding to Lee, she said teasing,"Nice job. I guess my ways are rubbing off on you."
Lee shook his head and remarked as he steered Amanda out of the kitchen and in towards the living room to the couch, "Ha, ha! Have a seat...I'm sure you're pretty beat after today's events too, right?"
Amanda sat and answered with a slight shrug, "Yeah, but at least Jamie's calmer now. Thanks to you."
Lee cleared his throat as he sat down on the couch next to her and stated carefully, "Yeah...Well, about that. I'm not sure you'll want to thank me when you find out what happened at the park today."
Amanda saw something in Lee's eyes and responded slowly, " Oh? What did you do and how bad is it going to get?"
Lee swallowed stating simply, "Jamie knows I'm Scarecrow."
Amanda, floored, leaned back against the couch and covering her eyes answered, "Oh, my gosh!"
TBC
