Chapter 29

The post-Cold War reorganization that had brought the Agency out from behind its IFF cover had also reallocated some of its missions to other agencies, like the FBI, the NSA, and the CIA. As a result, some departments had been eliminated and others consolidated so that there was empty office space, space that had been turned into a state -of-the art fitness center with a handball court, gymnasium, weight room, and an exercise room. There was a locker room, of course, equipped with shower and toilet facilities, a steam room, and even a whirlpool.

Lee and Jamie played one -on-one for about forty -five minutes before Jamie said, "Ready to quit, Old Man?"

"Yeah," Lee said, bending over and clutching his knees. "Contrary to popular belief, forty-seven is not the new twenty-seven."

Jamie laughed. "Good, because I'm about out of steam too."

"I'll remember that the next time we do this. Let's hit the showers, Son."

They showered and dressed, Lee in the jeans and golf shirt he kept in his locker and Jamie in his dress pants and shirt, though he left the collar open and rolled up the sleeves.

"Coming home?" Lee asked. "Manda will have supper cooking, and you have some groveling to do, James."

"I know. I need to get some flowers first, though. Where's a good place?"

"Try Bloom and Grow on Wisconsin just south of Mass Avenue. It's a bit out of your way, but the selection is good, and they understand guys that have blown it with their ladies."

"Personal experience?" Jamie asked.

"Yeah, but not with your mom – it's not far from where I used to live fifteen or so years ago, and I was buying a lot of flowers in those days. A word of advice, though- avoid roses."

"I was thinking daisies."

"Daisies would be perfect."

Jamie left and Lee went back down to his office, but only for about half an hour. He drove home, noted that the Jamie still wasn't back, and put the Corvette in the garage before climbing the short flight of stairs into the main house. He was almost to the top of the stairs when his children came running to meet him; he fielded Emmy adeptly as she threw herself into his arms and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Daddy, put me down! All the blood is going to my head!" she protested.

"Can't have that," he said. He set her upright, but then proceeded to tickle her tummy, causing waves of giggles.

"Daddy, Mom's making Swedish meatballs, an' me an' Abby have been playing catch. Did you know her softball team won the state championship her senior year? She showed me how softball pitchers throw, but she can throw like a boy too," Bobby, determined that his sister not monopolize their father, said.

"I'm fairly certain that Abby can do anything as well or better than any boy," Lee said.

"Well, thank you, Lee," Abby said. "All right, you two, give Daddy a chance to catch his breath. Wash your hands and help Mom set the table, and then you can watch Bill Nye until it's time to eat."

"Yay! Bill Nye the Science Guy!"

"And don't run in the house!"

They slowed, but only a little. As they disappeared in the direction of the powder room off the kitchen to wash their hands, Lee said, "How do you do it, Abigail?"

"Practice. You know – babysitting, helping my mom with religious education classes at church, working in the nursery at church… "

"Practice. Got it. Well, as long as you understand that you aren't the au pair and you don't have to do this, we're cool."

"Amanda said the same thing. I understand, but really, I'm fine with it. You are giving me a place to live that's much nicer than those apartments, even without my former roommates."

"If we do go out in the evening and you stay with the kids, though, you will be paid the going rate."

"That will be just fine."

Lee heard the low growl of the BMW's engine and said, "That will be Jamie. I'm going to make sure my little hooligans set the table like you told them to."

He smiled and moved away; Abby took a deep breath and opened the front door just as Jamie, who had parked beside Amanda's Tahoe, came up the front walk. He was wearing the shirt and trousers from his suit, but the collar was open, and the sleeves were rolled up. His suit jacket was nowhere in sight, and one hand was almost hidden by a huge bouquet of daisies wrapped in green tissue paper. His eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses, so she couldn't see their expression; she closed the door behind her and said, "Take off those shades, look me in the eye, and tell me that you're not afraid, because I never want you to be afraid to talk to me, Jamie. People have disagreements; that's life, but as long as we can talk about whatever it is, then we can work things out."

"Take these and I'll show you that I'm not afraid," he said. He thrust the bouquet into her hands, took off the shades, and looked her in the eye. "I was wrong, I was stupid, and I acted like a jerk, but I want us to be friends, Princess. Can we try again?"

"Oh, yes. Oh, yes, Jamie!"

"Thank God," he said, as he grasped her forearms and bent his head to kiss her softly, careful not to crush the flowers. When he raised his head, he said, "The French call it un coup de foudre. It means feeling like you've been struck by lightning. When you came running out of those woods last night after we heard you scream, I…..I've never felt this way before, Abby. There I was, just walking along with my brother and his girl, keeping an eye out for threats to them because that's what I do, and all of a sudden you literally ran into my life and into my arms."

"I know. I was just trying to get away, get to safety, and then you were there, holding me, telling me it was going to be all right, that you were a federal agent. It was like something in a movie, but movies aren't real life."

"No, but sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction." He dropped another kiss on her soft mouth and then said, "We'd better go in before we really give the neighbors something to gossip about."

"Where's your jacket? You are staying the night, aren't you?"

"It's in the car. I'll go get it and yes, I'm staying the night. You and I have a lot of talking to do once the kids are in bed, Princess."