Lee Stetson looked around the room as he let a puff of cigar smoke out of his mouth. They'd all come over tonight, surprising him on the eve of his second wedding to Amanda. He shook his head as he caught Billy's eye. They shared the same look they'd shared so many times in the field and in the bullpen. The two men could literally read each other's minds sometimes.
Lee leaned back in the chair, listening to the music Billy brought with him. Had it been five years earlier and Lee were getting married, the apartment would be trashed and the music would be blaring. Then again, if it had been five years earlier, there was no way Lee would have been getting married anyway. As he opened his eyes and surveyed the room again, the image he saw portrayed just how much his life had changed.
Philip and Jamie were across the room on the floor, playing poker with Beaman and Joe. Philip had tried his first beer, and turned about as green as the bottle of Heineken itself. All the guys got a good laugh out of it. Billy and TP sat on the couch across from Lee, smoking cigars. It had been a really pleasant evening; one Lee would never forget.
Lee had planned to do some last minute shopping before the big honeymoon Dotty was sending them on. Amanda was enjoying her own version of a bachelorette party by pigging out on ice cream and watching old movies with her mother and Penny, who was in town for the occasion. Lee was just lounging around the apartment before going out when Billy showed up at the front door with cigars, beer and records.
"You didn't think we'd let you get married again without a proper sending off, did you Lee?" his old friend smiled and then waved his hand to the others, who were waiting down the hallway. Lee saw TP first, followed by Beaman. The biggest surprise was to see Joe King and the boys follow Beaman into the apartment.
"Mom said we should come along and hang out," Philip smiled, slapping Lee five as he entered the apartment. "If you need anything from the store, let me know and I'll take your car."
Lee shook his head as the guys made themselves at home in his living room. Joe handed beers to everyone and a fight ensued over Philip having one.
"Last time I checked the legal age was twenty-one, Philip," Joe said. "You're barely fifteen. And you never know, Lee might need something from the store. You can't drive if you've been drinking, bud. What do you think, Lee?"
Lee was startled. He'd been living at 4247 Maplewood for a few months now, and he and the boys had adjusted to each other well. But he hadn't really done any decision-making. Now Joe was asking his opinion.
"Oh, I don't know, Joe. I guess I was about fifteen when I had my first beer," Lee shrugged. "And I hated it," he added. "It's an acquired taste, Chief."
"Aw, come on, Dad!" Philip kept at it, knowing Joe would cave.
"All right, but do not tell your mother," Joe said, handing him the bottle. Jamie rolled his eyes as his brother tried in vain to get the cap off the bottle. When Lee finally opened it for him, Philip took a big gulp. All the color drained from his face as he swallowed.
"I think you're right, Lee. It must be an acquired taste," Philip said quietly, carefully sitting down in a chair. The men roared with laughter and Philip innocently handed the bottle to his father and went into the kitchen for a soda.
Lee smiled. Philip went into his kitchen for a soda. Change was evident everywhere. The first time the boys were in the apartment they were very careful not to touch anything. Now Philip was acting just like he lived there. And the fact that Lee actually had soda in the apartment spoke for itself. The boys had changed him a great deal.
The men sat and talked for a while, just enjoying each other's company. After a while, Billy cleared his throat and stood up.
"I guess as the best man I get the honor of making fun of Lee," Billy smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder.
"Oh, no, Billy. Don't tell the Munich story, please. I'll pay you!" Lee pleaded in mock horror.
"Oh, I'll get to that, don't you worry. The first time I met Lee Stetson, I guess he was about twenty-two years old, fresh out of UVA, the only college that didn't kick him out," Billy grinned. "He'd just been recruited into training, and I'd just completed my eighth year in the field. I'd received notice that morning I was going to be out of the field for a while to help teach a candidate class. I was just coming off a big case, and it was the last thing I wanted to hear. I didn't think things could get any worse. And then Lee walked into the building," Billy continued, pausing as the room erupted with laughter. "He might as well have had 'ladies' man' tattooed across his forehead. He had the typical longish hair and the most god-awful sideburns I'd ever seen. Anyway, he strolled into the building in his three-piece suit and expected the whole building to come to a halt. I took one look at him and knew it was going to be a long agent candidacy. Do you remember the first thing you ever said to me, Lee?" Billy smiled.
"Something to the effect of 'My brotha! What's happening?'" Lee mumbled.
"He raised his fist into the air and said 'What's happenin' my brotha'?!' as soon as I walked into the lobby to meet him. I rolled my eyes impatiently and shoved the appropriate paperwork into his arms, telling him if he had questions to ask someone for Melrose. I left him there in the lobby. He didn't know what hit him," Billy chuckled. "Anyway, Lee's candidate class was supposed to be the biggest one in Agency history. We had a bunch of military guys coming in, supposedly. By the time Lee had finished all his paperwork, in triplicate, no one had shown. We pulled files and revoked recruitments, and Lee was just as alone in his class as he was when he walked in the front door. He really didn't have much classroom experience. He did all the reading, ten times over. He knows handbooks inside and out, better than I ever did. But Lee got most of his training in the field. He went along on assignment with me quite a bit, since they threw me back into the field. Lee saved my life several times before he even became a full-fledged agent," Billy paused, looking down at Lee.
"Well, you've saved mine a few times too, Billy," Lee smiled.
"Anyway. After Lee got his agent security clearance and his ISP, they sent the pair of us over to Munich for a light assignment. It had been a while since Lee had had the time to get out and party, and he made up for it in Munich. We were meeting a contact of mine in the beer garden one night, and Lee had somewhere in the neighborhood of nine or ten beers. I don't know what brought it on, but as we were getting up to leave-"
"Oh, come on, Billy. The boys don't want to hear this!"
"Oh yeah we do!" Philip and Jamie smiled.
"Well, as we were getting up to leave, Lee got very pale and sat back down. I thought he'd be all right if I could just get him back to the hotel, but Lee wanted to shake hands and say goodbye to my contact. He got his bearings and stood up again, shook hands with my contact ..."
"Billy!"
"And threw up all over his shoes," Billy finished triumphantly. The boys howled and leaned back in their chairs, and the men shook their heads in amusement.
Lee shook his head and looked up at Billy.
"Thanks a lot, Melrose," he smiled.
"Lee, you've been the best agent in my section since I took over the unit. You've changed so much for the better in the past four years, and I couldn't be more proud of you. I couldn't wish anything better for my best friend," Billy smiled, and picked up his beer. "To you and Amanda. May you be as happy in fifty years as you are right now," he smiled, and the rest of the men mumbled their agreement. The boys smiled at each other and tipped back their bottles of cream soda.
Billy sat back down and the room was quiet for a little while. The boys looked at each other and Joe nodded at them. Philip and Jamie stood up and took a spot on each side of Lee.
"Lee, you have become a big part of our lives over the past couple years," Philip began. Lee shifted uncomfortably in his chair, glancing over at Joe. The two men smiled at each other and looked back up at the boys. "You've made our mother so happy, Lee. And you've made us happy, too. You've really become a great friend to both of us. We can count on you for anything and everything, and you know you can count us for the same. We know you've been part of our family for a long time, but since everything becomes 'official' tomorrow, we thought we'd 'officially' let you know how much you mean to us," Philip smiled.
"We love you, Lee," Jamie said quietly, and handed him two packages and an envelope. Lee bit his lower lip and ran his hand through his hair, trying to keep his emotions under control. He took the packages from Jamie and sat them in his lap.
"Aren't you gonna open them, Lee?" Joe smiled. Lee nodded and opened the envelope first. It was from Joe and Carrie, wishing them all the happiness in the world. There were also four tickets to a musical at the Kennedy Center enclosed.
"Thank you, Joe," Lee said. He looked up at Philip, who was smiling.
"The first package is from me," he said. Lee opened the package to reveal a frame, holding a picture of him and the boys washing Amanda's Wagoneer. They were all soaked to the skin, and grinning from ear to ear. "Grandma took that while we weren't paying attention I guess," Philip smiled. "She thought you'd like to have it."
"This is great, Philip," Lee said, having difficulty keeping his voice from trembling. Lee reached for the other package and opened it to reveal a similar-looking frame holding a different picture. Lee couldn't contain the sheer joy he felt at seeing the picture. He laughed out loud and smiled up at Jamie.
"That one's from me," Jamie said, obviously nervous. "I took it one afternoon after Philip's baseball game last spring I think," the boy smiled.
The picture was taken on the middle school playground. Lee was pushing Amanda on the swing, and they were both laughing hysterically.
"We thought you could put these in your office," Philip chimed in.
"These are great, fellas. Thank you so much, for everything," Lee said, standing to embrace his stepsons. "I love you both, very much," he said, much softer, as if he wanted only the boys to hear.
Lee glanced over at his stepsons now, sitting on the floor, horsing around with their father. Joe was leaving to go back to Africa in a week, and Lee was nervous about being their sole father figure. He knew he'd never replace their father, but he'd sworn to himself to do everything to help them grow up to be good men.
The rest of the evening was spent listening to jazz, with Billy giving him the occasional marriage pointers. TP gushed over how lucky Lee was, to be marrying his true love. Beaman wholeheartedly agreed with the antiquarian. The guys spent a few minutes talking about the wedding, and the rest of the evening was spent pleasantly, just enjoying each other's company and smoking cigars.
As the group got up to leave for the Metro station, Lee thanked all of them for his surprise bachelor party, tame as it was. The boys shook his hand, as did Joe, and Billy caught him in a hug as they exited the apartment.
Lee grabbed the empty beer bottles and the ashtray and dumped them all in the garbage can. He came back into the living room and picked up the picture Jamie took of Amanda and Lee on the playground. He grinned as he lay down onto the couch, gazing at his beautiful wife. As he drifted off to sleep, he hugged the picture against him and talked quietly to no one in the room.
"Thank you, whoever and wherever you are, for bringing this woman into my life. I'm the luckiest man alive," Lee smiled. The last thing he saw was Amanda's smiling face before he fell asleep.
Lee leaned back in the chair, listening to the music Billy brought with him. Had it been five years earlier and Lee were getting married, the apartment would be trashed and the music would be blaring. Then again, if it had been five years earlier, there was no way Lee would have been getting married anyway. As he opened his eyes and surveyed the room again, the image he saw portrayed just how much his life had changed.
Philip and Jamie were across the room on the floor, playing poker with Beaman and Joe. Philip had tried his first beer, and turned about as green as the bottle of Heineken itself. All the guys got a good laugh out of it. Billy and TP sat on the couch across from Lee, smoking cigars. It had been a really pleasant evening; one Lee would never forget.
Lee had planned to do some last minute shopping before the big honeymoon Dotty was sending them on. Amanda was enjoying her own version of a bachelorette party by pigging out on ice cream and watching old movies with her mother and Penny, who was in town for the occasion. Lee was just lounging around the apartment before going out when Billy showed up at the front door with cigars, beer and records.
"You didn't think we'd let you get married again without a proper sending off, did you Lee?" his old friend smiled and then waved his hand to the others, who were waiting down the hallway. Lee saw TP first, followed by Beaman. The biggest surprise was to see Joe King and the boys follow Beaman into the apartment.
"Mom said we should come along and hang out," Philip smiled, slapping Lee five as he entered the apartment. "If you need anything from the store, let me know and I'll take your car."
Lee shook his head as the guys made themselves at home in his living room. Joe handed beers to everyone and a fight ensued over Philip having one.
"Last time I checked the legal age was twenty-one, Philip," Joe said. "You're barely fifteen. And you never know, Lee might need something from the store. You can't drive if you've been drinking, bud. What do you think, Lee?"
Lee was startled. He'd been living at 4247 Maplewood for a few months now, and he and the boys had adjusted to each other well. But he hadn't really done any decision-making. Now Joe was asking his opinion.
"Oh, I don't know, Joe. I guess I was about fifteen when I had my first beer," Lee shrugged. "And I hated it," he added. "It's an acquired taste, Chief."
"Aw, come on, Dad!" Philip kept at it, knowing Joe would cave.
"All right, but do not tell your mother," Joe said, handing him the bottle. Jamie rolled his eyes as his brother tried in vain to get the cap off the bottle. When Lee finally opened it for him, Philip took a big gulp. All the color drained from his face as he swallowed.
"I think you're right, Lee. It must be an acquired taste," Philip said quietly, carefully sitting down in a chair. The men roared with laughter and Philip innocently handed the bottle to his father and went into the kitchen for a soda.
Lee smiled. Philip went into his kitchen for a soda. Change was evident everywhere. The first time the boys were in the apartment they were very careful not to touch anything. Now Philip was acting just like he lived there. And the fact that Lee actually had soda in the apartment spoke for itself. The boys had changed him a great deal.
The men sat and talked for a while, just enjoying each other's company. After a while, Billy cleared his throat and stood up.
"I guess as the best man I get the honor of making fun of Lee," Billy smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder.
"Oh, no, Billy. Don't tell the Munich story, please. I'll pay you!" Lee pleaded in mock horror.
"Oh, I'll get to that, don't you worry. The first time I met Lee Stetson, I guess he was about twenty-two years old, fresh out of UVA, the only college that didn't kick him out," Billy grinned. "He'd just been recruited into training, and I'd just completed my eighth year in the field. I'd received notice that morning I was going to be out of the field for a while to help teach a candidate class. I was just coming off a big case, and it was the last thing I wanted to hear. I didn't think things could get any worse. And then Lee walked into the building," Billy continued, pausing as the room erupted with laughter. "He might as well have had 'ladies' man' tattooed across his forehead. He had the typical longish hair and the most god-awful sideburns I'd ever seen. Anyway, he strolled into the building in his three-piece suit and expected the whole building to come to a halt. I took one look at him and knew it was going to be a long agent candidacy. Do you remember the first thing you ever said to me, Lee?" Billy smiled.
"Something to the effect of 'My brotha! What's happening?'" Lee mumbled.
"He raised his fist into the air and said 'What's happenin' my brotha'?!' as soon as I walked into the lobby to meet him. I rolled my eyes impatiently and shoved the appropriate paperwork into his arms, telling him if he had questions to ask someone for Melrose. I left him there in the lobby. He didn't know what hit him," Billy chuckled. "Anyway, Lee's candidate class was supposed to be the biggest one in Agency history. We had a bunch of military guys coming in, supposedly. By the time Lee had finished all his paperwork, in triplicate, no one had shown. We pulled files and revoked recruitments, and Lee was just as alone in his class as he was when he walked in the front door. He really didn't have much classroom experience. He did all the reading, ten times over. He knows handbooks inside and out, better than I ever did. But Lee got most of his training in the field. He went along on assignment with me quite a bit, since they threw me back into the field. Lee saved my life several times before he even became a full-fledged agent," Billy paused, looking down at Lee.
"Well, you've saved mine a few times too, Billy," Lee smiled.
"Anyway. After Lee got his agent security clearance and his ISP, they sent the pair of us over to Munich for a light assignment. It had been a while since Lee had had the time to get out and party, and he made up for it in Munich. We were meeting a contact of mine in the beer garden one night, and Lee had somewhere in the neighborhood of nine or ten beers. I don't know what brought it on, but as we were getting up to leave-"
"Oh, come on, Billy. The boys don't want to hear this!"
"Oh yeah we do!" Philip and Jamie smiled.
"Well, as we were getting up to leave, Lee got very pale and sat back down. I thought he'd be all right if I could just get him back to the hotel, but Lee wanted to shake hands and say goodbye to my contact. He got his bearings and stood up again, shook hands with my contact ..."
"Billy!"
"And threw up all over his shoes," Billy finished triumphantly. The boys howled and leaned back in their chairs, and the men shook their heads in amusement.
Lee shook his head and looked up at Billy.
"Thanks a lot, Melrose," he smiled.
"Lee, you've been the best agent in my section since I took over the unit. You've changed so much for the better in the past four years, and I couldn't be more proud of you. I couldn't wish anything better for my best friend," Billy smiled, and picked up his beer. "To you and Amanda. May you be as happy in fifty years as you are right now," he smiled, and the rest of the men mumbled their agreement. The boys smiled at each other and tipped back their bottles of cream soda.
Billy sat back down and the room was quiet for a little while. The boys looked at each other and Joe nodded at them. Philip and Jamie stood up and took a spot on each side of Lee.
"Lee, you have become a big part of our lives over the past couple years," Philip began. Lee shifted uncomfortably in his chair, glancing over at Joe. The two men smiled at each other and looked back up at the boys. "You've made our mother so happy, Lee. And you've made us happy, too. You've really become a great friend to both of us. We can count on you for anything and everything, and you know you can count us for the same. We know you've been part of our family for a long time, but since everything becomes 'official' tomorrow, we thought we'd 'officially' let you know how much you mean to us," Philip smiled.
"We love you, Lee," Jamie said quietly, and handed him two packages and an envelope. Lee bit his lower lip and ran his hand through his hair, trying to keep his emotions under control. He took the packages from Jamie and sat them in his lap.
"Aren't you gonna open them, Lee?" Joe smiled. Lee nodded and opened the envelope first. It was from Joe and Carrie, wishing them all the happiness in the world. There were also four tickets to a musical at the Kennedy Center enclosed.
"Thank you, Joe," Lee said. He looked up at Philip, who was smiling.
"The first package is from me," he said. Lee opened the package to reveal a frame, holding a picture of him and the boys washing Amanda's Wagoneer. They were all soaked to the skin, and grinning from ear to ear. "Grandma took that while we weren't paying attention I guess," Philip smiled. "She thought you'd like to have it."
"This is great, Philip," Lee said, having difficulty keeping his voice from trembling. Lee reached for the other package and opened it to reveal a similar-looking frame holding a different picture. Lee couldn't contain the sheer joy he felt at seeing the picture. He laughed out loud and smiled up at Jamie.
"That one's from me," Jamie said, obviously nervous. "I took it one afternoon after Philip's baseball game last spring I think," the boy smiled.
The picture was taken on the middle school playground. Lee was pushing Amanda on the swing, and they were both laughing hysterically.
"We thought you could put these in your office," Philip chimed in.
"These are great, fellas. Thank you so much, for everything," Lee said, standing to embrace his stepsons. "I love you both, very much," he said, much softer, as if he wanted only the boys to hear.
Lee glanced over at his stepsons now, sitting on the floor, horsing around with their father. Joe was leaving to go back to Africa in a week, and Lee was nervous about being their sole father figure. He knew he'd never replace their father, but he'd sworn to himself to do everything to help them grow up to be good men.
The rest of the evening was spent listening to jazz, with Billy giving him the occasional marriage pointers. TP gushed over how lucky Lee was, to be marrying his true love. Beaman wholeheartedly agreed with the antiquarian. The guys spent a few minutes talking about the wedding, and the rest of the evening was spent pleasantly, just enjoying each other's company and smoking cigars.
As the group got up to leave for the Metro station, Lee thanked all of them for his surprise bachelor party, tame as it was. The boys shook his hand, as did Joe, and Billy caught him in a hug as they exited the apartment.
Lee grabbed the empty beer bottles and the ashtray and dumped them all in the garbage can. He came back into the living room and picked up the picture Jamie took of Amanda and Lee on the playground. He grinned as he lay down onto the couch, gazing at his beautiful wife. As he drifted off to sleep, he hugged the picture against him and talked quietly to no one in the room.
"Thank you, whoever and wherever you are, for bringing this woman into my life. I'm the luckiest man alive," Lee smiled. The last thing he saw was Amanda's smiling face before he fell asleep.