A Spooky Little Girl Like You, Part X
By Christine
A Halloween Tale
DISCLIAMER: Scarecrow and Mrs. King is the property of Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. My use of these characters is intended purely for fun.
As darkness fell, Lee sat in his car in the parking lot of the hall Billy had rented for the party. He arrived very early and parked behind the staff's cars so as not to be seen by the arriving guests. Even though he was hidden, he still had a good view of the whole parking lot and the front doors. Lee settled in to wait with the radio playing softly. He felt like hell, still not recovered from last night's drinking binge. His mind drifted like a child's boat on a storm-tossed sea. And always his thoughts kept coming back to rest on Amanda. Amanda was the only one ever to cause these drastic swings of emotion in Lee. She was tearing him apart, and he had to know tonight if there was any hope at all for him. Would she slam the door and leave him out in the darkness, doomed forever to be an outsider, or would she invite him in to share the warmth and love that could only be found in her presence? In their three years together he had become addicted to her. He didn't know when, he only knew how much. And he was terrified that withdrawal would leave him a shell of his former self. After discovering the joys that love could bring, he could never be content in his old lonely life again. And he didn't think he had any other choice.
Lee felt a lump rise in his throat and his pulse quicken as he watched Daniel Paulson's car pull up and park. The driver's door opened and Daniel stepped out in his vampire's costume. Lee thought Daniel looked like a penguin with a bad overbite. Then Daniel stepped around and opened the passenger's door. Lee's heart stopped beating all together and threatened to jump right out of his chest as he watched Amanda's bare right leg unfold out of the car. "What the hell is she wearing? Is she naked?" thought Lee in disbelief. And then she took Daniel's hand and stood up. "Oh, my God," Lee couldn't believe his eyes. He just stared at her, watching her as she stood up and leaned on Daniel's arm to fix her shoe. Her bare back was facing him, and the slit in her gown revealed her whole right leg. He had never seen her so sexy. He didn't know she could BE so sexy. Somehow, he had never thought of the words Amanda King and sexy in the same breath. Cuddly and adorable, sure. Alluring, even. But sexy? Still, he couldn't deny the way she looked now. He had seen strippers wear less revealing gowns. But then she turned toward him, and he was mesmerized by the sweetness of her face. He had to admit she was the most enchanting little witch he had ever seen. And as he listened to the song on the radio, he knew it fit her perfectly:
You always keep me guessin'
I never seem to know what you are thinkin'
And if a fella looks at you
It's for sure your little eye
Will be a winkin'
I get confused
Cause I don't know where I stand
And then you smile
And hold my hand.
Love is kinda crazy
With a spooky little girl like you.
Lee saw Daniel raise an arm in greeting to someone across the parking lot, and then watched as Leatherneck and Mrs. DeAngelo, dressed as ghosts, came into view to speak to the couple. Lee could tell from their gestures and Amanda's mannerisms that the topic of conversation was Amanda's dress. Lee didn't like her being ogled, but he couldn't help it for now. So he took this opportunity to slip inside unnoticed. He wanted to settle into a quiet, discreet place where he could watch Amanda and Daniel. And he never noticed the Siamese cat with liquid blue eyes that followed him discreetly through the parking lot.
A few minutes later Amanda stood in the doorway alone. Once again Lee was struck by her beauty, and once again he was angry with Daniel. Paulson should know better than to leave her alone looking like that, even for a minute. Lee could already see half the people there begin to nudge and gesture towards the lone figure standing in the doorway. And more than one man eyed her hungrily, making Lee want to throw his coat over her and take her home where she would be safe from roving eyes.
Amanda peered into the dim room, looking nervous. Lee noticed as her shoulders hunched forward protectively and her hands smoothed her dress nervously. Her discomfort touched him deeply. He almost went to stand near her to silently communicate to everyone in the room that she was still under his protection, and to back off. But then he noticed her shoulders straighten as she pulled herself up to her full height. He saw her take a deep breath and place a taunting little smile on her lips, then saunter into the room one hip at a time. "Where did she learn to walk like that?" Suddenly, Daniel Paulson was beside her, his ham hands on her bare back. Lee wanted to deck him for touching Amanda. He had been on slow simmer all night, now his hands clenched and unclenched in a barely controlled rage. Over the PA system, the music seemed to be mocking him:
Ooh, hoo Witchy Woman
See how high she flies.
Ooh, hoo Witchy Woman
She got the moon in her eyes.
Across the room, Amanda was beginning to feel like a piece of meat on a hook. Public displays of overt sexuality always made her uncomfortable. Now, she could be as wild as the next woman, but she prided herself on the fact that very few people knew it. Daniel had left her side again to speak to Fred Fielder, and she could feel the eyes of every male in the room slithering down her body. "OK, Amanda, keep your guard up. Hold your head high. Reach deep for some of that femininity and earth-goddess sexuality that Briannon had talked about." Out of habit, she found herself scanning the room looking for the safety that was Lee Stetson. But she realized that he wouldn't be there for her anymore. That thought crashed over her like a bucket of ice water, threatening to take her breath away. And then Briannon's perfume wafted through her nostrils, calming her and whispering to her to be practical. Without Lee, she would need other allies to be able to function at the Agency. And what better way to start building those alliances than by showing off her merchandise, so to speak? "You don't have to do anything more than that," Briannon's voice said soothingly, "so put on that poker face and get out there." So she took a deep breath, adjusted her expression, and turned to talk to Jeannie Melrose.
Lee watched from the shadows against the wall. Few people even noticed he was there, and those that did come to speak with him were met with curt replies. Lee even avoided being drawn into conversation with Billy. He never took his eyes off Amanda, and his only companion for the evening was the ever-present glass of scotch and water. Lee watched curiously as Daniel and Amanda mingled with other guests, wondering what they were talking about. Amanda seemed preoccupied, and he was pretty sure she wasn't having a good time. He watched her lean against chairs or tables or walls, whatever she happened to be near at the time, as if she needed strength to keep going. But he noticed she didn't lean into Daniel when they danced.
Lee saw Daniel motion to Amanda to head for the refreshment table, and Lee decided to meet them over there. Scotch had fueled his anger at Daniel Paulson for trying to take his Amanda away from him, and at Amanda for looking way too good in that dress. He had a few things he wanted to say.
On their way over, Amanda had stopped to talk to Francine, so Daniel was the first one to see Lee leaning heavily against the table.
"Left her alone again, hu, Paulson?" Lee began mockingly, "You really shouldn't do that. Someone might just slip right on in and whisk her away from you. See, I know from personal experience. One minute she's right by my side, and the next minute she's gone for good."
"Hello, Stetson," answered Daniel carefully. If he didn't watch it, he could be in a full-blown brawl with this man. And that wouldn't sit well with Billy Melrose, who thought of Lee as a son. Daniel knew he would have to walk a thin line. "Where's your costume? You're wearing jeans and a button-down. What are you supposed to be?" Daniel asked Lee, trying to steer the conversation.
"A normal person," Lee answered ruefully. "Just ask Amanda. This is as much a costume for me as that vampire is for you. And speaking of costumes, Amanda told me you had hers arranged especially for her. Bit revealing, don't you think, Paulson? Couldn't you have shown her a little more respect?" Lee asked through clenched teeth, slamming his glass on the table and sending a tidal wave of scotch across the tablecloth.
"Oh, I don't know, Stetson. Amanda is a gorgeous woman, and I think that gown shows her off to her best advantage. She looks incredible tonight, don't you think? So exciting and stimulating. And she's the mother of two children, it's not like she's a virgin. She knew what she was getting into when she put on that dress. And I hope I'm ready for what I'm going to get into when she takes it off." Daniel answered cockily. His plans for Amanda included nothing more than a goodnight peck on the cheek, but Lee didn't need to know that. He just couldn't resist a jab at Stetson. No better time to hit an opponent than when he's down.
But that last comment had far more of an impact than Daniel intended. Lee shouted curses at Daniel, causing the people around them to turn and stare. "You son of a bitch!" Lee leveled a finger at Daniel's chest like it was a loaded weapon. "You just let me tell you one thing about Amanda..." Lee began but stopped short as he saw Amanda approaching cautiously. A vision of her naked in Daniel Paulson's arms forced its way into the front arena of his thoughts, and he felt his stomach churn against it. "So help me, if you so much as lay one finger on her, I'll kill you myself with my bare hands. I've spent three years protecting her from scum like you, and I'm not gonna let you near her." Lee hissed through clenched teeth making sure Amanda couldn't hear him.
"Hello, Lee," Amanda said hesitantly as she approached, scanning around him for evidence of Leslie. She wanted desperately to talk to him, but was fearful of his reaction to her, especially if he had another woman on his arm.
"Hello, Amanda. How are you?" Lee answered tightly. Amanda raised her eyes hopefully to his face, only to see him staring not into her eyes, but at her chest!
"Lee and I were just discussing your costume, Amanda," Daniel taunted, also noticing where Lee's eyes rested. "Lee here thinks you look cheap." Lee's eyes shot up at that last remark, suddenly aware that he had been staring. Amanda's erect nipples had begun to show through the material of her gown, and Lee was wishing very much that he could take her somewhere and put some clothes on her. It unnerved Lee to see Amanda this way. It shook at the very basis of all his assumptions about her. And now she probably thought he was leering at her like all those other guys.
"Lee!" Amanda protested, looking at him with a shocked and hurt expression on her face. "You think I look cheap?"
Daniel chuckled to himself. He could see Amanda was furious and Lee was acting like a little boy who got caught breaking his mother's favorite lamp. This was working out great! Now all he would have to do was disappear for a few minutes while Amanda finished off Lee with a few choice words. "I'm going over here to get us something to drink, Amanda. You gonna be OK for a few minutes with this Bozo?" Daniel asked as he trailed a hand across Amanda's shoulders.
"I'm fine, Daniel. I'll meet you over there in a minute," she smiled at him and touched his arm reassuringly before he left.
Then she turned toward Lee with her eyes flashing, "Cheap, hu! Well, you ought to know a thing or two about cheap, just look at who you choose to date!"
"Look, Amanda, I didn't say that, Paulson did! And besides, what are you wearing that dress for anyway? Do you know what kind of a dress that is? It's not a give-your-date-a-kiss-on-the-cheek-at-your-front-door type dress. It's a how-do-you-want-your-eggs-can-I-borrow-your-toothbrush dress! I mean, just look at your, um, your..." and he trailed off, gesturing at the front of her gown.
Her anger seemed to consume her. She didn't care where she was or what she was doing. She grabbed her breasts with her hands and flung them toward his face, deliberately being vulgar. "You mean these! These are my breasts, Lee! You can't even say the word, can you? What, surprised that I have any? Or having trouble recognizing anything less than a truckload? And it's none of your business why I'm wearing this dress or what I plan to do in it. And Daniel likes the way I look. He thinks I'm exciting and sensual, and he tells me I'm a great person, too. Which is something you've never done." Amanda finished her tirade angrily, still holding her breasts with in her hands.
Lee was reeling from her verbal assault. He knew he'd messed up big time. He'd probably done some irreparable damage, especially after all those things he said to her last night. And it came to him that just maybe he pushed Amanda toward Daniel by not paying enough attention to her himself, by taking her for granted. He tried to backpedal, nervously running his hands through his hair, "Amanda, it's just that I've never seen you like this; it's quite a shock."
"Well," she answered him seriously, looking straight into his eyes, "maybe I never wanted you to see me like this. You can't even handle me as your friend, Good Ole Amanda. You always say I'm a nuisance to you, and you balk at the idea of working with me. Do you really think I would let you see anything more? Now, Daniel is waiting for me over by the punch bowl. Goodbye, Lee."
Lee watched his happiness saunter away with her back straight and her head held high. And as he pondered the things she had just revealed to him, he heard the end of the song that had been playing....
Just like a ghost
You've been a hauntin' my dreams
So I'll propose
On Halloween.
Love is kinda crazy
With a spooky little girl like you.