Truth Be Told

Chapter 3

Amanda was trying to find the right words to finally tell Dotty and Phillip her secret, and slowly remarked, "Well, actually... It- It was almost four years ago when I met Lee at the train station, and he asked me to help him with something. I went to drop Dean off that day because he didn't want to leave his car in the rain. You remember, Mother?"

Dotty chuckled answering, "Oh, that's right. I remember wondering why you only wore your nightgown then. I mean, it was Fall almost, and it was rather chilly in the mornings."

Amanda nodded beginning a mini ramble, "Yes, Mother. I-I only thought I was dropping Dean off then and going right home, but on my way back to my car, Lee happened by, and asked me for help. I hesitated, not knowing him of course, but then I agreed thinking it would only take a few minutes, but it got a little complicated, and I wound up getting on a train, and-"

But all conversation halted immediately as Lee suddenly blurted out, "I'm a Federal agent, Mrs. West, and so is Amanda!"

As all eyes looked over stunned by Lee's announcement, especially Amanda, he stammered to her answering, "I'm-I'm sorry, Honey, but I know that sometimes it takes you a while to actually get to a point, and-"

Dotty then sat there blinking her eyes and queried blankly, "I'm sorry. What did you just say?"

Amanda seeing Dotty's face, swallowed hard and commented quickly, "He-He said that he's a Federal agent, and that I'm one, also. Look, I know I should have told you both a while ago, but it's a security issue. The less people that know, the better and safer it is."

Phillip gulped asking, " We're not just people, Mom! We're your family! Is that why Jamie's all weird now? Because he saw someone getting killed and he couldn't handle it?"

Amanda went to sit next to Phillip and shaking her head stroked his back replying carefully, "No, Sweetheart. Because of the kidnapping that he and I went through, and then later, when he was kidnapped and Lee wound up with him soon afterwards. Gosh, I know none of this makes any sense to you at all, but-"

Lee stated to Dotty carefully, "I'm sorry, Mrs. West. We know this is a shock. Look, Amanda didn't have the skills at first that most agents have, but you'd be real proud of her, now. She's-She's really come into her own in this business, and-"

Dotty, taking in Lee's pronouncement, answered flippantly, "Well, hooray for you! I'm so glad she's been such a marvelous help, all in the name of getting rid of criminals!"

When Amanda reached for Dotty's hand, stating softly, "Mother, please-" Dotty, irritated, shrugged away from her, and getting up from the couch responded angrily to Lee, "How dare you put my daughter's life in danger, Young Man!"

Amanda put up a hand to try and calm her mother answering, "M-Mother, he hasn't! He's kept me basically safe all this time-"

Lee retorted to Amanda, "What do you mean by that? I have kept you safe!"

Amanda nodded quickly, "Y-Yes, but you know a lot of times were pretty hairy there-"

Lee shook his head and sighed, "Right, but that was when you wouldn't do what I told you half the time-"

Amanda, nonplussed, queried, "Really? You want to start that again, Mister-"

Dotty, listening to them argue, stopped Amanda remarking bitterly, " Wait just a darn minute! Basically safe?! Amanda Jean Elizabeth! Did you even remember that you have two children here who could be in danger as well?! Oh, forgive me...I mean, just Phillip, now. You've already jeopardized poor Jamie's life, so it stands to reason that Phillip and I will be next in the line of fire as it were-"

Amanda confusedly answered, "Mother, my middle name is Jean. Where did you get the name Elizabeth from?"

Lee bewilderedly looked at Amanda at her question thinking, What does that have to do with anything here?

Dotty responded shrugging, "It's neither here nor there, but when you were born, your father liked Elizabeth as a middle name, and I liked Jean, so I won in a sense. Anyway, if your father were here right now, he'd be calling you by all the names, and using a lot of strong language if you know what I mean..."

Amanda swallowed and nodded, remembering the time when she hid her best friend, Debbie Ann McCabie up in the West family attic when she was a young girl, resulting in the worst trouble she'd ever got into that disappointed her parents!

She was brought out of her musings when Phillip then queried, "Mom? Have you ever killed anyone?"

Amanda shook her head answering softly, "No, Honey. Not ever. I-I don't even like guns-"

Dotty chuckled sarcastically at her daughter and gesturing to Lee answered, "Really? Well, you certainly have a funny way of showing it, gallivanting around with this one who, I assume, uses one all the time."

She then asked Lee, "Tell me, how does she help you without a gun, Young Man? I hardly think a woman with a degree in American Literature could do any real work for you."

Lee, seeing Amanda's stunned face, found himself slowly getting angry, and tried to keep his cool.

He understood Dotty's anger at being lied to, but he also knew it came from fear for her family's lives as he cleared his throat stating, "Mrs. West, your daughter is one of the smartest women I know! She has a way of figuring out people's motives in a way our people don't. She uses brains, not brawn, to achieve the end result in helping to put our enemies away. Now, she is in firearm training at the moment, but believe me, she's telling the truth by saying she hates guns."

Phillip then asked his mother directly, "Wait, Mom. Does Dad know any of this?"

Amanda nodded replying, "Yes, Sweetheart. I had to explain things to him when he was upset about Jamie feeling especially close to Lee because of the danger the two were in."

Phillip with a sigh rose from the couch then, responding to Dotty, "Great. She tells Dad, but not us? I think I'm done too, Grandma. Goodnight."

Amanda replied quickly, "Wait, Phillip. Please let me explain-"

Turning to head for the stairs, Phillip turned back to Amanda stating, "I know you needed a job when you and Dad split, Mom, but why this one?"

Without another word, Phillip headed for the landing, and slowly went up the stairs!

Amanda sat shaken as tears filled her eyes, and wiping them away, she answered gulping, "M-Mother... I know you're upset with me too, and you have every reason to be, but I promise you, we will figure this out. We will be alright-"

Dotty sighed and getting up from the couch responded with a shake of her head, "Please, Amanda. I don't want to hear any more tonight... You know, when you were growing up, you used to tell the tallest of tales, and I thought, Well, it's just a phase and she'll grow out of it. But it's getting so now that I simply don't know what to believe from my own daughter!"

Looking at Lee then she remarked, "You can go now...We're quite finished here."

As Lee nodded, he answered intently, "Thank you for at least hearing us out, Mrs. West. Amanda never meant to hurt you. She loves you all. I hope you know that."

Amanda sighed and getting up from the couch answered with a swallow, "She does, Lee, but I've disappointed her beyond words here."

Looking at Dotty she stated softly, "I'll walk him out and then lock up-"

But Dotty remarked tiredly, "No."

Amanda queried, "No?"

Dotty answered, " I meant I want you to go with him, Amanda. At least for tonight. Please? I need time with this, and I'm sure the boys in their own way, need it too. Don't worry. I'll lock up. Goodnight."

Amanda shaking her head commented quietly to Lee as Dotty headed up the stairs, "Alright. Let me get a few things and I'll meet you outside."

Lee nodded as he watched Amanda go up the stairs as well, and going out the front door to head to his car, he shook his head thinking, God! How do I fix this for Amanda?!

TBC