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Chapter 3: Mother, I can do it Myself!

Lee pulled up two houses away from 4247 Maplewood Drive. He didn't actually remember intentionally driving here. He had gone to pick up his dry cleaning, made a quick stop for coffee at the store, and then had headed home. But he became lost in thought and his car made the familiar trek to Arlington on auto-pilot somehow. He ran his hand through his hair. He glanced over at the house, shaking his head in disbelief. Well, as long as he was already here, he might as well check to be sure everything was okay.

He quietly exited the car and unobtrusively made his way around to the backyard. As he came closer to the back door, he could hear voices. It was a cool evening, so Amanda must have left the windows open for the slight breeze. Damn. He frowned. Since he heard voices, that meant Amanda was not alone. He wouldn't get to talk to her. He turned to leave when Amanda's exasperated voice caught his attention, stopping him in his tracks.

"Mo-ther, I really am quite capable of managing my own love life!"

"But that's just it, dear, you don't have a love life to manage." Lee moved closer to view the den and saw Amanda roll her eyes and wait patiently for the lecture she knew was coming. A well-intentioned lecture, no doubt, but a lecture nevertheless. Amanda had a magazine in her lap. Dotty was doing needlework. He grinned. Maybe he would stick around for a few minutes. This might be interesting.

"First it was Dean. I never could understand what happened between you two. One day you were happily discussing marriage plans, and the next day--poof--he seemed to have disappeared from your life."

"Mother, we were never discussing marriage plans."

"Well you know, darling, you could have been. I know Dean did propose to you on more than one occasion. Don't try to deny it."

"No, I won't deny it. But how did you know about that? I never told you."

"Well, of course you didn't, dear, Dean told me himself. We had many nice little chats, Dean and I. He was so easy to talk to. It was kind of like talking to a nurse, you know, he was nice and soothing. Did you two have a fight?"

"No, Mother, we did not have a fight. We just kind of went our separate ways. I don't think I was what Dean was looking for."

"Uh uh." Dotty shook her head emphatically. "You were exactly what Dean was looking for. But Dean was not the kind of man you were looking for. That's it, isn't it?"

"No, Mother, it was nothing like that. Dean was a very nice man."

"And dependable and responsible."

"Yes, he certainly was dependable and responsible."

"And he was punctual. Yes, always very punctual. Those are very important traits, you must admit, Amanda."

"Yes, Mother, they are."

"But sometimes dependable and responsible can be a trifle dull I suppose." Amanda looked up, seemingly wondering at her mother's astuteness.

"I suppose you would like someone a little more exciting. I suppose Dean being nice and soothing was not exactly what you were looking for."

"Well, not exactly."

"Well what are you looking for, Amanda?"

"Mother, I'm really not looking for anyone right now. I haven't been divorced all that long. I need some more time. You seem more eager to marry me off than I am to be married off."

"I'm not saying you have to get married again in the near future."

"Then why are we having this conversation?"

"Amanda, I just want what every mother wants for her daughter. I want you to be happy. And I think a wonderful man would make you happy. And it certainly wouldn't hurt if he had a full head of hair. His own hair. And if he was a little bit handy so he could fix a few things around here. And if he was big and strong so he made you feel safe and protected." Dotty sighed. "And it certainly wouldn't hurt if he was handsome."

Amanda looked away from her mother and out the back window in Lee's direction. Since it was dark in the yard, and he was in the shadows, she couldn't see him. She began fidgeting in her chair. Then she rose and headed off to the kitchen.

"Would you like some tea, Mother? I'm going to get some for myself."

"No, dear, but thank you for asking. I just think it would be so wonderful to have a nice strong handsome man around the house. You have to be on the lookout for a nice man, my dear. You never know when he might pop up. It could be in the most unexpected place. It could be in the grocery store, at the service station, at the train station."

Amanda looked through the darkened window once again, and then peeked at Dotty suspiciously from around the corner of the cupboard. "Mother, you know I never take the train."

"No, of course not, dear, I was just using that as an example. You just never know when Mr. Right will come along and sweep you off your feet. It can happen just like that." She snapped her fingers for emphasis. "You have to be ready. It could happen anywhere."

"I appreciate your concern, Mother, but---"

"Now Amanda," Dotty interrupted, "are you sure there isn't someone special at work who would appeal to you?"

Amanda dropped the teacup she was holding and it clattered onto its saucer. She looked decidedly uncomfortable. Lee could see the color heighten in her cheeks even from this distance. He felt his own cheeks begin to burn. It was as if they were thinking as one person.

"No, Mother, I've told you that before. There's no one special at work. Everyone's very nice, but there's no one special."

"What about that Mr. Steadman who calls you at the oddest times?"

Amanda was rummaging around in the kitchen, no doubt thinking this conversation would never end. Lee chuckled to himself. He couldn't wait to hear Amanda's response. But wait he did, as Amanda was slow to answer.

"Mother, do we have any more of those fruit bars? They would go so well with my tea."

"Amanda, you are evading my question." Wow, Dotty could be so persistent. Lee wondered if she had been reading the KGB interrogation manual.

"What question was that, Mother?"

"You know very well what question that was, Amanda. I asked you about that Mr. Steadman who calls you. He has such a nice voice. You can tell so much about a man from his voice."

"Oh, you mean my boss?" As she spoke, Amanda threw a worried look out the window in his direction, but Lee was far enough back so she couldn't see him.

"Yes, dear. How many Mr. Steadmans do you know?"

"Only one, Mother."

"Is he married?"

Amanda looked decidedly uncomfortable and moved toward the window. As she was about to slide it closed, Dotty objected, "Darling, please don't close the window. The breeze feels so refreshing." Amanda moved away from the window, but when she didn't say anything, Dotty's relentless questioning continued. "Is Mr. Steadman married?"

Amanda moved back to the chair and her tea, and when she answered her mother, her voice was quieter, although Lee could still hear her. "No, Mother, he's not married. But I don't think he plans to get married. He has lots of girlfriends."

"Amanda, just because a man has lots of girlfriends does not mean he doesn't want to get married. He might want to get married but just doesn't realize it or he might think he doesn't want to get married but he really does. What I'm trying to say is he might not know he wants to get married. These things can be very confusing for some men. He just may not have found the right woman yet. Is he good looking?"

Amanda's expression changed as if she was thinking of something other than her conversation with Dotty. She didn't answer for a moment. Then she shook her head and spoke quietly. "Is who good looking, Mother?"

"You know perfectly well who, darling. That nice Mr. Steadman."

"Mother, there are more important things than a person's appearance."

"Yes, dear, of course I know that. I'm getting to those. But is he good looking?"

"Well, I suppose so. Yes, I suppose you could say he's good looking." A dreamy expression transformed Amanda's face for a few moments. Lee caught his breath at the sudden tenderness that was revealed to him. Dotty didn't notice as she was looking down at her needlework. Amanda's next words were spoken softly. "You know, Mother, I'm really very tired. I think I'll go up to bed."

"But you haven't finished your tea, dear."

Amanda took a large swallow of her tea and then rose to head to the kitchen. "Yes, I know, but I just remembered I have to do an errand on the way to work tomorrow. So I'd better turn in."

"Yes, you should get your beauty sleep. I'm rather tired myself. We can finish this conversation another time I suppose."

"Of course, Mother, another time."

"Good night, Amanda dear. I'm glad you don't think I'm meddling in your affairs. You know I just want what's best for you. I want you to be happy." She kissed her daughter on the cheek, gave her a hug and a smile, and then headed up the stairs.

Amanda called after her "Good night, Mother. See you in the morning."

Amanda proceeded to wash up the teacup and dessert plate, moving as if she were in slow motion. She then wiped down the cupboard. She appeared lost in thought.

Lee himself was also lost in thought. He was thinking how mysterious Amanda looked with that slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth. That soft mouth, with the pink lipstick adorning her perfect lips. He noticed how gracefully she moved, how her soft hair brushed against her neck. As he continued to watch her, he became mesmerized by her beauty. She appeared to him as if in a trance. The room around her disappeared. Only her figure was visible, outlined by a golden glow of light all around her. She was walking toward him, arms outstretched reaching to him. The walls of the house receded into nothingness as they came together. The rest of the world faded away as they held each other in a close embrace, reveling in the feel of their bodies meeting at long last. Lee buried his face in her hair and breathed in its glorious scent. He allowed one of his hands to move slowly up her back and embed itself into her luxuriously thick locks. He gently bent her head back to gaze into her soul through her deep brown eyes. He could see more clearly than ever before. She cared for him as much as he did for her. Lee's heart was hammering wildly in his chest. He wanted so badly to kiss her. Nothing was holding him back. She was warm and willing in his arms. He lowered his mouth to hers and his eyes drifted shut. Her lips felt so soft against his. She returned his kiss with a fervor that matched his own. Surely this could not be real…this was heaven…his Amanda in his arms at last, returning his passion with her own…

As his mouth worked possessively against hers, a sharp thud shattered this perfect image as Amanda slid the window shut. He heard the click of the lock. He nearly lost his balance as he was jolted so roughly out of his reverie. He took a deep cleansing breath and leaned back against the fence for support. He watched as Amanda stood for a few moments at the window peering wistfully out into the darkness with an ethereal smile illuminating her lovely features. She slowly moved to touch the window as if she were connecting with something on the other side of the glass. Then the smile faded and she took a deep breath as she turned slowly and walked across the kitchen toward the stairs. She clicked off the light and then she disappeared from his view.

Lee was unable to move for a few minutes as he tried to regain control of his emotions. The vision he had experienced had opened his eyes to the depth of his feeling for this woman who had so abruptly entered his life what seemed like only yesterday. Before he met her, his existence was predictable and ordered, at least he had perceived it that way. But from the first moment circumstances had thrown them together, she had turned his life upside down and inside out with her incessant rambling, her uncanny ability to provide the insight he needed when the chips were down, her beauty and her charm, her friendship and her trust. He could no more live without her in his life now than he could stop breathing and still expect to survive. It was as if they were halves of a whole being united at last by destiny.

Lee quietly exited the yard to return to his car. A strange sense of calm had come over him. Accompanied by nervousness. And a little trepidation. And a great deal of excitement. As he left the boundaries of her front yard, Lee looked up toward Amanda's bedroom window. As he watched, the light was extinguished and he pictured her slipping into bed. Someday he would join her there. They would end the day wrapped in each other's arms, and greet each new day together. Neither would ever be alone again.

As he felt the Corvette's engine come to life, he felt an infusion of new energy entering his own being. Suddenly laughter erupted within him and he shook his head in amazement, running his fingers through his hair. He would need all that energy if he was going to keep up with both Amanda and her mother, not to mention Philip and Jaime. He grinned as he remembered Dotty's gentle chiding to her daughter about not having a love life to manage. He hoped that topic of conversation would never come up again.

The End