Truth Aftermath

Chapter 17

As Dotty and Amanda cleared the table, and Amanda filled the sink with hot water and the soap, Dotty, after filling the last of the dishes in the sink, stated, handing her the dishrag , "Here, you wash, and I'll dry...Now, suppose you tell me exactly what happened with Joe? You told him about the elopement, and about your job, and then what?"

Amanda sighed as she worked on one of the plates, answering, "Well, after I talked to him about it here, he told me he had to check in with the Embassy to see about the next assignment he had... Assuming now that we were home, it would be alright to go. I told him it would be fine. Now, Lee was already at work, talking to our boss about my situation with the shooting and all, and somehow, through a paper snafu, Mr. Melrose figured out our relationship, and then Lee slipped up and admitted the truth-"

Dotty, taking the plate from her, dried it quickly, and putting it away in the open cupboard, asked confusedly, "Wa-Wait, Darling! Why were you hiding it at all? I mean, I know now why you hid it from the boys and me essentially, but those people work with you. You didn't trust them with it?"

Amanda shrugged replying as she continued to wash and hand Dotty the dishes, "We-We did, Mother, but the Government's tricky. See, we figured that the Agency director would feel that we wouldn't be able to work efficently together anymore, and would therefore split us up with other agents, so that any future cases we worked on wouldn't be compromised in any way."

Dotty shook her head as she continued drying and putting away the last of the dishes, then drained the now soapy but empty sink, commenting, "I swear, I'll never understand the Government! Why on earth should they decide how you and Lee want to live your lives? Is your boss, Mr. Melrose, that insufferable?"

Amanda sighed as she then wiped down the sink, and putting back the sponge, and hanging up the dish rags, remarked lightly, "No, it's not him, it's the Agency director, Dr. Smyth."

Dotty queried warily, "Oh? So, having him over for dinner to discuss the situation wouldn't help at all?"

Amanda chuckled then responding, "Ohh, Mother! Billy Melrose is a teddy bear compared to Dr. Austin Smyth!"

Dotty shrugged lightly, remarking, "Oh, well, I guess I should rethink my opinion on Billy Melrose, then, shouldn't I?"

Amanda smiled as she walked back with her mother to the family room couch and sat down with her answering, "Oh, I know the man was gruff with you all when Lee and I were gone, but that's just his job. He had to answer to a lot of people and his job can be stressful at times, but he is a very nice man otherwise, okay?"

Dotty nodded, and she asked, " Alright...Now, the Joe part, please?"

Amanda shook her head commenting, "Where was I with that? Oh, yes...So, Lee finished talking with Billy, and then they were told Lee had a visitor-"

Dotty sighed replying, "Joe."

Amanda nodded, and stated, "Yes, so, Lee went to meet with him, and they went to Dooley's to talk. Joe told him that he and I talked, then he presented Lee with a solution to our "problem."

Dotty, puzzledly queried, "What problem? You and he divorced, and you remarried. Why was he concerned? I mean, other than the boys, it wasn't his business."

Amanda patted Dotty's arm answering, "Thank you, Mother! The solution, Joe felt, was to have the marriage annulled, in order to keep the boys and I protected-"

Dotty bristled quickly, "What?! Just who does he think he is? Well, no wonder you were so upset that night when you went with Lee to the hotel to see him! I hope you gave him a piece of your mind!"

Amanda nodding commented, "I sure did, Mother, and so did Lee, when they talked at Dooley's...Anyway, Joe understands now that Lee and I will do our best to keep everyone here safe, and that beyond caring about the boys, it's best that he stays out of it completely."

Dotty stated with a nod, "Good for you, Dear..."

She then noticed Amanda rising from the couch to head for the stairs, and asked, "What are you doing, Sweetheart?"

Amanda sighed and shrugged as she looked back at her mother, and responded wistfully, "I know the boys are hurt and angry with us right now, but I can't help but worry about Lee as well, here. I mean, he's up there, right now, bearing the brunt of all this. I should be with him-"

-SMK-

And as she started to go up the stairs, Dotty quickly came over and gently brought her back down with her as they once again headed back to the couch and sat down, "Darling, stop! Lee is a grown man, who's used to facing firing squads, and other difficult situations in your line of work. I can't imagine two boys being any threat to him, can you?"

Amanda looked at her mother strangely, querying, "Mother? Were you not here when Phillip vented his anger? Jamie was more confused than angry, but still, this was a lot for them to deal with. I mean, Lee was a bit more afraid of you at the hospital when you found out than he is of Phillip right now, and I just think-"

Then Dotty began to giggle, and then laugh out loud, and Amanda said, "What's so funny, Mother?"

Dotty, trying to compose herself, gulped, and clearing her throat replied, "Oh, Honey, I'm sorry! It's just that with any family, it's like a jungle out there-Forgive the pun-But, take your daddy for example-Now, he was the lion or tiger, protecting his mate and cub. But then, I became the lioness or tigress to be reckoned with when Daddy died, and you married Joe. And now, Lee knows that he has to deal with me head on with anything concerning my cub and your two young ones. Do you understand now?"

Amanda nodded slowly and asked, "Ohh, you mean, Lee may feel intimidated to this new environment, and will need time to adjust, but he'll be alright soon?"

Dotty squeezed Amanda's hands answering, "Exactly, Dear! And if he needs help, he knows he can always ask either one of us."

Amanda shook her head as she looked back towards the staircase and commented, "If you say so, Mother..."

Meanwhile, upstairs, Lee stood outside the door to the boys' room, wondering how to approach this. He was surprised that Jamie was the calmer of the two, but he also knew that this would no easy feat, and that he'd have to work hard to gain both the boys' trust, since they had both been blindsided by the revelation of the marriage!

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door and queried softly, "Guys? It's Lee...I'd like to talk to you if it's okay? May I come in?"

A few minutes went by, and then Phillip opened the door stating curtly to Lee,"Look, whatever you have to say, we don't wanna hear it, so just leave-"

But Jamie came over, and pushing Phillip aside, answered to his brother, "Hey! It's my room too! And I think we should let him say his piece-"

Phillip shrugged disdainfully as he went to sit on his bed, commenting, "Fine! If you want to be spoon-fed lies, go ahead and let him in!"

Jamie shook his head and waving Lee in, remarked, " C'mon in and sit down at the desk, Lee...How's Mom doing?"

As Jamie sat down on his bed, and Lee sat down on the desk chair, Lee, looking over at Phillip, stated, "She's upset, but naturally, she's concerned about you guys-"

Phillip scoffed and responded, "Yeah, right-"

Lee, with a gesture to himself, immediately cut him off, and staring the boy down, stated firmly, "Hey! Be mad at me all you want! But I won't have you disrespect your mother in this house! Do you hear me?!"

Phillip answered haughtily, "But she lied too! How is that fair?!"

Lee swallowed hard, and commented, as he pointed to himself, with a nod, "Yes, but because of me! And it started way before we got married..."

And as the boys sat there, they then looked at one another warily, wondering what Lee was going to tell them...

TBC