Act 2: You bug me
Scene 1: Amanda's office at Honeycutt
"Amanda"
Amanda didn't even bother to look up. "What is it Dee?" Dee had not let Amanda alone since she walked in the door only a few minutes ago.
"So, are you going over for dinner this weekend?"
Amanda's head shot up. "What? How did you know about that?"
"Well, as my sister Feminista, we like to ensure your safety, so....."
"You bugged my phone?"
"Great isn't it? Before we even got home from the meeting you were wired." Dee smiled, she was pretty proud of herself and the Feministas.
"Oh" Amanda thought 'Ok, I'm doing this for national security, I can handle my phone being bugged.'
"Funny that you take showers at night though, don't you find that odd?" Dee continued.
"What?"Amanda knew what that meant.
"You know Amanda, the sisterhood is very, very tight and we will keep a very close eye on you. Well, I take that back. We won't keep a close *eye* yet. The cameras won't be rolled out till later this year."
"You've bugged my house?" Amanda tried to keep her voice from shaking.
"Well of course silly! You need protection and we're going to give it to you!"
"Dee! Get back in your own office!" Mr. Harriman roared as he popped his head inside Amanda's door.
Amanda's boss continued as Dee took her leave, "Hey King! I mean Stetson! Ya got a visitor out here."
'Oh great! Who could this be, Big Brother?' Amanda mused.
Amanda steeled herself for whoever this visitor could possibly be. She couldn't have been more surprised. It was Candi.
"Hiya there, Lee's wife." Candi bit her bottom lip. "I, uh, I just came to apologize."
Amanda tried to regain her composure and invited Candi to sit down.
"I, uh, I, um, ya know Lee and I broke up before Christmas and honest to gosh I didn't know he wuz married now."
Amanda really wanted to believe her. Somehow, she knew she could. This girl before her seemed to be without guile.
Candi continued, "My boyfriend Bobby, the one I've been seein' since me and Lee broke up? Anyways, Bobby kicked me out of his apartment a few weeks ago and I went over to Lee's to crash, ya know? Of course you know Lee wasn't home 'cuz he 'wuz with you. Anyways, I still had the spare key, so I says to myself, go over to Lee's. Well, when Lee didn't answer the door, I made myself at home."
Amanda started to release the breath she had been holding since Candi had walked in.
"Well, Bobby and me is still broken up, so I stayed at Lee's. When Lee didn't come home and he didn't come home, I thought cool! I'll just crash here! I had no idea you 'wuz married. Really. Really Mrs. Lee. There ain't nothin' between us now, ya know?"
Amanda looked up to see Dee standing outside her office door. Amanda wanted to say 'Yes, I understand' to Candi but, against her wishes, she belted out, "Get out of here! I don't believe a word you said!"
Candi's face was crestfallen. She was shocked, she was crushed! Candi stood up and stammered, "Ya gotta believe me! There is nothin' between me and your husband!"
Amanda could feel her face getting red. 'Why me? Now the entire world knows my business.' "Get out Candi! You bug me!"
Dee smirked as Candi sulked away. "So that's the tart, eh? Don't worry Amanda, after some important business is taken care of, the Ultra Feministas will make sure that your husband won't cause you any more trouble."
Somehow, that was of little comfort to Amanda.
Dee confided, "I actually came over to invite you to a Feminista rally this afternoon at 5. Senator Jezreel just called and told me about it! She said that she especially wanted to see me there! I'm so honored! "
Amanda thought, 'I better call Francine.'
Dee continued, "That bozo Dr. Topson and his useless wife are in town. Everyone knows that jerk is in Washington just to drive his political agenda. Senator Jezreel wants us to rally and show our opposition to his archaic notions and give that man a piece of our mind!"
Amanda mused, 'She doesn't want me to know Dr. Topson is her father! I hope a piece of her mind is all she's going to give him.'
"Dee! How many times do I have to tell you to get back to your own office?!" Harriman yelled. "Look! Ya need me to draw out a map for ya?"
Dee winked at Amanda as she marched past Mr. Harriman and took off for her own cubicle. Harriman turned toward Amanda. "How's that Scarecrow account going?"
"What?"
"You know Stetson! Mr. Oz? The man with a funny accent? You're supposed to be working on his account!"
"Oh, yes! Yes sir! Scarecrow is coming along. It's coming along just fine, Mr. Harriman."
Harriman shook his head as he walked away 'What's up with that silly grin on her face?'
****
Scene 2: Maplewood Drive, Arlington, VA
Amanda had been too tired to check the messages on her machine this morning and was surprised to see the light blinking when she got home. As she walked over to play the messages, she heard "Hey Toots!" from the kitchen.
Amanda looked up. Lee stood just inside the back door. He had started to grow a goatee while they were apart. 'Wow, he looks really good!' Amanda thought but shouted, "Get out of here!"
Lee was shocked! "What?"
"Get out of here! I don't want to see you anymore!" Amanda said as she furiously wrote a note on a pad of paper by the phone.
Lee read the bold block letters, "House bugged. Undercover." Lee nodded. Francine had told him about the Agency's priorities, including the one involving Senator Mallory Jezreel and the Ultra Feministas. Lee knew their M.O. included bugged phone lines and homes of their 'sisterhood'. 'Amanda must really be closely involved in this if her house is bugged.' Lee was surprised that his wife, a less seasoned operative, had been selected for such a high profile case.
"Look woman! I just came by to do my laundry!"
"It just figures!" Amanda screamed, "Your stinkin' laundry can stay but, you! You better leave!"
Lee screamed back "Fine!" then slammed the back door closed. He smiled as he remained standing in the kitchen.
Amanda smiled back and ran quickly to the washing machine to turn it on. She then ran over to the stereo and put it on almost full blast. 'My neighbors are going to kill me and I don't care!'
Lee walked over to Amanda and pulled her into his arms. She put her finger on his lips in a shushing gesture. Lee smiled and kissed the inside of her hand. Without hesitation, Amanda grabbed Lee's face and kissed him with all her might. They didn't make it to the bedroom....
~~~
Amanda looked over at Lee. She wanted so much to tell him she was sorry for their misunderstanding. Somehow, she think he knew. The way he was caressing her back now and gently holding her, they were well on their way to reconciliation.
Lee held Amanda close to his side. 'I've never loved anyone in my whole life like I love this woman, Amanda Stestson, my lover, my wife.' Lee knew that, as much as it was in his power, he never wanted to hurt his wife again.
Amanda reached over to grab a pen and paper from the desk nearby and wrote, "Rally 5 pm. I'm meeting Francine."
Lee nodded. He was proud of his wife. She was becoming a spy in her own right. Lee raised Amanda's hand up to his lips but didn't stop there....
Amanda stifled a chuckle as Lee tickled her arm and neck with kisses. She mouthed 'gotta go' and looked up at the clock.
Lee turned down his lip, he couldn't believe it said 4:30. He sure didn't want Amanda to go! Lee mouthed, 'I'll watch your back.'
Amanda shook her head and silently retorted 'Very funny!' as she took off to get ready.
End part 2
Scene 1: Amanda's office at Honeycutt
"Amanda"
Amanda didn't even bother to look up. "What is it Dee?" Dee had not let Amanda alone since she walked in the door only a few minutes ago.
"So, are you going over for dinner this weekend?"
Amanda's head shot up. "What? How did you know about that?"
"Well, as my sister Feminista, we like to ensure your safety, so....."
"You bugged my phone?"
"Great isn't it? Before we even got home from the meeting you were wired." Dee smiled, she was pretty proud of herself and the Feministas.
"Oh" Amanda thought 'Ok, I'm doing this for national security, I can handle my phone being bugged.'
"Funny that you take showers at night though, don't you find that odd?" Dee continued.
"What?"Amanda knew what that meant.
"You know Amanda, the sisterhood is very, very tight and we will keep a very close eye on you. Well, I take that back. We won't keep a close *eye* yet. The cameras won't be rolled out till later this year."
"You've bugged my house?" Amanda tried to keep her voice from shaking.
"Well of course silly! You need protection and we're going to give it to you!"
"Dee! Get back in your own office!" Mr. Harriman roared as he popped his head inside Amanda's door.
Amanda's boss continued as Dee took her leave, "Hey King! I mean Stetson! Ya got a visitor out here."
'Oh great! Who could this be, Big Brother?' Amanda mused.
Amanda steeled herself for whoever this visitor could possibly be. She couldn't have been more surprised. It was Candi.
"Hiya there, Lee's wife." Candi bit her bottom lip. "I, uh, I just came to apologize."
Amanda tried to regain her composure and invited Candi to sit down.
"I, uh, I, um, ya know Lee and I broke up before Christmas and honest to gosh I didn't know he wuz married now."
Amanda really wanted to believe her. Somehow, she knew she could. This girl before her seemed to be without guile.
Candi continued, "My boyfriend Bobby, the one I've been seein' since me and Lee broke up? Anyways, Bobby kicked me out of his apartment a few weeks ago and I went over to Lee's to crash, ya know? Of course you know Lee wasn't home 'cuz he 'wuz with you. Anyways, I still had the spare key, so I says to myself, go over to Lee's. Well, when Lee didn't answer the door, I made myself at home."
Amanda started to release the breath she had been holding since Candi had walked in.
"Well, Bobby and me is still broken up, so I stayed at Lee's. When Lee didn't come home and he didn't come home, I thought cool! I'll just crash here! I had no idea you 'wuz married. Really. Really Mrs. Lee. There ain't nothin' between us now, ya know?"
Amanda looked up to see Dee standing outside her office door. Amanda wanted to say 'Yes, I understand' to Candi but, against her wishes, she belted out, "Get out of here! I don't believe a word you said!"
Candi's face was crestfallen. She was shocked, she was crushed! Candi stood up and stammered, "Ya gotta believe me! There is nothin' between me and your husband!"
Amanda could feel her face getting red. 'Why me? Now the entire world knows my business.' "Get out Candi! You bug me!"
Dee smirked as Candi sulked away. "So that's the tart, eh? Don't worry Amanda, after some important business is taken care of, the Ultra Feministas will make sure that your husband won't cause you any more trouble."
Somehow, that was of little comfort to Amanda.
Dee confided, "I actually came over to invite you to a Feminista rally this afternoon at 5. Senator Jezreel just called and told me about it! She said that she especially wanted to see me there! I'm so honored! "
Amanda thought, 'I better call Francine.'
Dee continued, "That bozo Dr. Topson and his useless wife are in town. Everyone knows that jerk is in Washington just to drive his political agenda. Senator Jezreel wants us to rally and show our opposition to his archaic notions and give that man a piece of our mind!"
Amanda mused, 'She doesn't want me to know Dr. Topson is her father! I hope a piece of her mind is all she's going to give him.'
"Dee! How many times do I have to tell you to get back to your own office?!" Harriman yelled. "Look! Ya need me to draw out a map for ya?"
Dee winked at Amanda as she marched past Mr. Harriman and took off for her own cubicle. Harriman turned toward Amanda. "How's that Scarecrow account going?"
"What?"
"You know Stetson! Mr. Oz? The man with a funny accent? You're supposed to be working on his account!"
"Oh, yes! Yes sir! Scarecrow is coming along. It's coming along just fine, Mr. Harriman."
Harriman shook his head as he walked away 'What's up with that silly grin on her face?'
****
Scene 2: Maplewood Drive, Arlington, VA
Amanda had been too tired to check the messages on her machine this morning and was surprised to see the light blinking when she got home. As she walked over to play the messages, she heard "Hey Toots!" from the kitchen.
Amanda looked up. Lee stood just inside the back door. He had started to grow a goatee while they were apart. 'Wow, he looks really good!' Amanda thought but shouted, "Get out of here!"
Lee was shocked! "What?"
"Get out of here! I don't want to see you anymore!" Amanda said as she furiously wrote a note on a pad of paper by the phone.
Lee read the bold block letters, "House bugged. Undercover." Lee nodded. Francine had told him about the Agency's priorities, including the one involving Senator Mallory Jezreel and the Ultra Feministas. Lee knew their M.O. included bugged phone lines and homes of their 'sisterhood'. 'Amanda must really be closely involved in this if her house is bugged.' Lee was surprised that his wife, a less seasoned operative, had been selected for such a high profile case.
"Look woman! I just came by to do my laundry!"
"It just figures!" Amanda screamed, "Your stinkin' laundry can stay but, you! You better leave!"
Lee screamed back "Fine!" then slammed the back door closed. He smiled as he remained standing in the kitchen.
Amanda smiled back and ran quickly to the washing machine to turn it on. She then ran over to the stereo and put it on almost full blast. 'My neighbors are going to kill me and I don't care!'
Lee walked over to Amanda and pulled her into his arms. She put her finger on his lips in a shushing gesture. Lee smiled and kissed the inside of her hand. Without hesitation, Amanda grabbed Lee's face and kissed him with all her might. They didn't make it to the bedroom....
~~~
Amanda looked over at Lee. She wanted so much to tell him she was sorry for their misunderstanding. Somehow, she think he knew. The way he was caressing her back now and gently holding her, they were well on their way to reconciliation.
Lee held Amanda close to his side. 'I've never loved anyone in my whole life like I love this woman, Amanda Stestson, my lover, my wife.' Lee knew that, as much as it was in his power, he never wanted to hurt his wife again.
Amanda reached over to grab a pen and paper from the desk nearby and wrote, "Rally 5 pm. I'm meeting Francine."
Lee nodded. He was proud of his wife. She was becoming a spy in her own right. Lee raised Amanda's hand up to his lips but didn't stop there....
Amanda stifled a chuckle as Lee tickled her arm and neck with kisses. She mouthed 'gotta go' and looked up at the clock.
Lee turned down his lip, he couldn't believe it said 4:30. He sure didn't want Amanda to go! Lee mouthed, 'I'll watch your back.'
Amanda shook her head and silently retorted 'Very funny!' as she took off to get ready.
End part 2