Truth Aftermath

Chapter 5

Billy and Francine were talking with Lee about his marriage proposal to Amanda, and had asked him when the wedding would take place, when Lee shocked them by stating, "Well, here's the thing-We're already married-we eloped..."

Billy blinked a few times, and shaking his head, queried blankly, "Say that again?"

Francine tersely fumed, "Hmph! So much for friendship..."

Lee put up his hands, answering quickly to both, "I-I know! Look, we wanted to do it the right way, and have everyone--family and friends, included- join in our celebration! But I think when you hear why we eloped, you'll understand-"

Francine asked directly, "So, just to be clear here, Amanda's definitely not pregnant?"

Lee threw up his hands, and stood up from the couch to pace, stating frustratedly, "For the last time, no! What is it with the two of you?!"

Billy sighed and responded with a gesture, "Alright, Lee! We're sorry, but usually people that elope...Well, sometimes, um, how shall I put this, er...find themselves needing to, if you know what I mean-"

Lee gasped, and shaking his head at them answered, "Oh my God! We're adults, Billy! You must have some low opinion of me if you think that I'd ever disrespect Amanda that way!"

Lee swallowed hard, and trying to calm himself, commented quickly, "Even in the old days, I was always safe!"

Clearing his throat, he asked, "Now...If you've finished maligning me, may I tell you both why we decided to elope?"

Billy gave a pointed look to Francine and answered, "Of course, and Desmond here will control any smart barbs she thinks of, won't you?"

Francine sighed and shrugging lightly, replied, "Sure...But I haven't said anything-"

Billy cut her off saying, "That's a warning, in case you do!"

Looking back at Lee, he remarked, "Go ahead, Scarecrow. We're all ears..."

Lee sighed, answering as he stopped pacing to face them, "Thanks...Now, you both remember my contact Khai, whose son, Kim, had been kidnapped?"

When Billy and Francine nodded silently, Lee continued, "Well, Amanda and I had been discussing various plans-or rather, I had presented some ideas to her, you know, getting a new house, maybe keeping some horses? But then that case with Khai and his son happened, and it woke us up big time!"

Billy asked, "In what way?"

Lee shook his head confusedly answering, "You're kidding, right? It meant that we were dreaming if we even thought that being married out in the open could possibly work for us! It hit too close to home to ever be a reality! I mean, it could've been Phillip or Jamie that would've been kidnapped, and it scared the hell out of us! So, I told her, as much as we want to be together, it would have to be in secret-"

Francine, shaking her head, put up a hand then querying, "Excuse me, but if you planned it in secret, then why are you telling us?"

Billy replied to Francine, "Well, we found the forms Edna was helping Lee with, so that clears up part of the mystery."

Billy then asked ,"What's the rest of it, Lee?"

-SMK-

Lee sighed and sat down on the couch once more stating simply, "Okay...The day we wrapped up the Nick Grant case? Amanda and I took the limo to the airport-only it wasn't the airport...We actually drove to Marion, Virginia to have our wedding, spend the night, and then we flew out to California the next day-to start our honeymoon...Only, after we got there-"

Billy sighed and shaking his head, added sadly, "Amanda was shot...Damn...So actually, the hospital hadn't called you-you were already there, but you had called Mrs. West...Now, you decided to come clean about all this to us because-?"

Lee swallowed hard commenting, "Well, I was with Amanda as much as the hospital would let me, while dealing with the doubloon case that came up-but in all honesty, I needed the distraction, because I sure as hell didn't want to think about Amanda with any worst case scenario! Anyway, I'm telling you both all this because, in all the time I spent at the hospital, I still had my wedding ring on, including when Mrs. West showed up-"

Francine winced answering softly, "Ouch! What did you do?"

Lee gulped commenting, "Well, it was after Amanda had regained consciousness, and the next day, Amanda and I were talking alone, and she noticed I had my ring on, and asked me if I took it off, when her mom came into the hospital room-I-I couldn't remember if I'd taken it off or not at any time since being at the hospital, but it didn't matter at that point, because Mrs. West overheard, and then assumed Amanda had been dating a married man all this time-"

Billy gave a low whistle and commented, "So then you told her about the marriage?"

Lee swallowed answering, "Yeah, and we then had to tell her about this career we have, and that's it...That's all of it...Oh, and Amanda's explaining all this to Joe, as well. But as far as the boys go, they don't know me yet. Amanda's going to work that in somehow soon..."

Lee then looked at both Billy and Francine's expressions, and asked slowly, "Well, I know it's a lot to take in, but we-we just didn't know how else to handle this whole thing...Once again, I apologize for the deception, but we were really worried about her family, and what could happen-"

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Billy stated, "Come in."

It was Beth, from the Steno pool, who commented, "There's a visitor for Mr. Stetson. He's in the foyer with Mrs. Marston...Says it's important and he'll wait."

Billy nodded replying, "Thank you, Beth."

The woman left, and Billy, getting the TV remote out of his desk drawer turned on the video monitor on the wall, and the three agents looked at the man, and Lee groaned, "Oh, my God! What's Joe King doing here?!"

TBC