DISCLAIMER: Scarecrow and Mrs. King are the property of Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. My use of these characters is intended purely for entertainment, a few laughs and maybe a sigh or two
Title: Great Expectations 3/?
Author: Merel Inglis
Time Frame: Takes place after the show ended, the marriage is common knowledge
Summary: We know he can shoot with deadly accuracy, drop-kick a KGB agent in to the next day without mussing his hair, and bootleg his 'vett into any parking space in DC. But how will the charming and dashing Lee Stetson face the adventures of becoming a
father?
Rating: G
Archive: Fine, but ask first
Author's Notes: Thank you, Pam, for taking the time to beta-read for me. Your feedback and interest in this story is much appreciated.
Great Expectations 3/?
"Amanda, did you hear me?" Dr. Penny Brice asked, looking over the lab reports in her hand. When she didn't get an immediate response, she looked up, over the rim of her half glasses to see if her patient had heard her. "Amanda," she smiled, "I take it this was unexpected news?"
Amanda blinked slowly once and then twice, staring fixedly on her wedding ring. Finally, she turned bewildered eyes to the woman seated behind the large cherrywood desk. "Ah….unexpected…yes, you could say that," she said weakly, trying to swallow the large lump that had suddenly taken up residence in her throat.
Penny smiled softly. She'd known Amanda for going on twenty years. While she was an OB-GYN, she'd also been Amanda's primary care provider since she started her practice after graduating from George Washington University, and she had delivered both Phillip and Jamie. She considered Amanda more than just a patient; she was a friend. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly.
Amanda smiled back into the face of her friend and doctor, her eyes moist with tears. "Yeah, I'm okay…just a little shocked. Penny, it never even crossed my mind."
"Well, it's been a long time and you weren't expecting to be..."
"Expecting?" Amanda laughed, pulling out a tissue from her purse and dabbing at her eyes. "No, I wasn't. Gosh, I can't believe it. I mean, I just never…I mean we haven't…. well, I mean we have…obviously…although we used protection…I just can't believe it….everythings just been so hectic what with the wedding and then Lee moving into the house and work and school and the boys…" Amanda stopped for a moment, for a breath. "You know, Penny, I'd really like to have a word with the manufacturers of that diaphragm."
Penny's laughter filled the room.
Amanda's eyes widened and her smile broadened with a thought. "Oh my gosh, Penny, I have to tell Lee."
"Yes, Amanda, you do…you sure do."
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"Lee, I have some wonderful news. No, that's not right. Okay…Lee, Darling, I have some incredible news. No, that's not right either. Sweetheart, I have the best news. Oh, no, that's terrible!" Amanda stomped on the brake, coming to a stop at a light on Glebe Road.
The entire drive from Penny's office she'd been trying out ways of breaking the news to Lee about the baby and nothing seemed right. The thought dawned on her that nothing seemed right because she wasn't giving the event the treatment it deserved. This was Lee's first child…their first child together. It had taken them so long to find each other and then even longer for them to admit their love for one another…now there would be a child of that love and a simple declaration didn't seem worthy. Her mind ticked over the possibilities of how she could tell Lee. "Ah, ha, I have it!" she exclaimed. "Oh, he'll be so surprised."
The light changed and Amanda swung the Wagoneer into a wide U-turn, heading back towards Georgetown.
***********************************************
How could such a good idea have turned out so badly? All she'd wanted to do was surprise her husband and tell him, in a memorable way, that he was going to be a father. How could something that started with such good intentions have gotten so complicated? Amanda could feel the bottom dropping out of the situation as she tried to explain things to Billy. She sunk further down into the chair opposite his desk. If Billy couldn't help her, how would she ever get this mess straightened out?
Billy sat at his desk, his head in his hands, while Francine sat on the sofa behind Amanda, an obvious "I told you so" look of smugness on her face. "Amanda," Billy looked up, propping his chin on his fists. "Could you go over this one more time…just to make sure I understand everything?"
"Yes, sir, " she gulped. She took a deep breath and, seeing this, Francine leaned back, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index fingers. "Okay, it started with some news that I wanted to let Lee know about. Not work news, sir, just something…ah…of a personal nature. I thought it would be cute to set up this fake drop where he could get the information. I phoned him and told him that he needed to pick up a message at this drop site that we use when we're relaying information between family members. Lee's Agency family members, sir, not our real family members. We don't use drops, of course. "
Francine grunted and stretched out on the sofa, pulling the side pillow over her face.
"Well," Amanda continued, trying to ignore Francine. "That's when I get the call from Lee telling me that there was no message at the drop. Well, I told him there had to be a message. I mean, sir, I put it there so I knew there was a message, but he said no, there was definitely no message for him to pick up at the drop site. Then I got the other call."
"From Augie?" Billy supplied, allowing Amanda time to breathe.
"Yes, sir, from Augie," Amanda nodded. "He said he had some information that he thought that Lee might be interested in purchasing. He'd intercepted a message that was being relayed to Lee and was auctioning it off."
"That information being…" Billy interrupted.
"My fake message from the drop site, sir." Amanda looked down at her hands.
"Go on," Billy encouraged.
"I tried to explain to Augie the message was meaningless…well, I mean it wouldn't mean anything to anyone other than Lee and me, but he didn't believe me."
"Imagine that," muttered Francine from under the pillow.
"Well, he didn't and he told me to have Lee call him. Well, sir, I couldn't have Lee call him because then he might actually offer something for the message and it's worthless. To the Agency. Not to us. But Lee wouldn't know that. And if I told him the message was worthless, well, then I'd have to tell him what the message was about and I didn't really want to have to do that AND explain how I'd kinda messed things up by planning this little surprise."
"There's no '"kind of' involved here, Amanda. You totally messed things up." Francine's voice again piped up from under the pillow.
"I know I messed things up, Francine; now I'm trying to unmess them," Amanda shot the pillow a nasty look.
Francine tossed the pillow onto the floor, sitting up. "By putting the Agency into a bidding war with the Soviet Union over a worthless prank message?"
"It wasn't a prank, Francine," Amanda breathed harshly. "It was a surprise for Lee…"
"Well, he's definitely going to be surprised," Francine smirked.
"Enough you two." Billy glared at both his agents. "You hear me? We've got our hands full right now trying to put the lid on this. Francine, I'm going to have you talk with Augie and get that message back before any more damage is done." Francine nodded her agreement. "Amanda, Lee's headed for Williamsburg?"
"Yes, sir, he'll be there until tomorrow afternoon working on the Cameron case. He said he'd be back in time for the staff meeting tomorrow afternoon."
"Okay," Billy paused, looking pointedly at Amanda. "Needless to say, I hope that we never have to deal with anything like this again. Next time, Amanda, dinner and a nice bottle of wine is a more acceptable way to break good news. Now, the two of you get out of here and get back to work; I've got some mopping up to do."
Francine bolted through the door before Billy could even finish. Amanda stopped at the doorway and looked back. "Mr. Melrose, I am so sorry…"
Billy's face softened from anger to resignation. "I know, Amanda…just be more careful next time, okay?" As she turned to head out he continued, "Oh Amanda, considering the news I think you were trying to let Lee in on? You'd better forego the wine."
They shared a smile before Amanda left, pulling the door closed behind her.
To Be Continued