DISCLAIMER: If you recognize people or organizations from the television
series, they belong to Shoot the Moon Productions and Warner Brothers.
I've borrowed them with love and deep appreciation for the many years of
enjoyment I've received from them and am making absolutely no money from
this enterprise. If you recognize them from history, no infringement is
intended on them; they merely serve to provide the story with an authentic
setting. If you don't recognize them from either of those two sources,
they're products of my very odd imagination and I claim full responsibility
for their imaginary actions.
Tag * Maplewood Drive, Arlington, Virginia * March 25, 1989 * 5:30 p.m. EST (GMT-5)
"Amanda, honey, are you home? Where's Lee? Is he still away?" Dotty West's voice rolled through the Stetson-King home as a wave crashing on the shore. Joe and the boys pulled into the driveway just behind her car; she hugged her grandsons with affection and told them to stack their suitcases inside the back door beside her own.
"Is Mom home, Grandma?" Jamie inquired, pulling his winter hat off as he waved good-bye to his father.
"I don't know. Amanda! Are you home?" she repeated, more loudly.
In their bedroom, Amanda and Lee lay on the bed, fully clothed but entwined in each other's arms. "I suppose we'd better admit to being here before one of the boys bursts through the door searching for us," Amanda said reluctantly as Lee traced her face with a gentle finger.
"Yeah. So, are we agreed?"
"Yes, I think so."
"Should we tell them?"
"Sure. I think they'll be thrilled."
"I hope so. I am." Lee kissed his wife deeply, then sat up and stood stiffly, his back still sore from the gunshot. At least both he and Ian had been given clean bills of health and orders to rest for a few days.
The couple went downstairs and went through the ritual of welcoming everyone back from their various vacations or business trips. They ordered pizza; when it arrived, the family sat down and gave thanks for their safe returns. And then Lee sought quiet to make an announcement.
"Your mother and I," he began, clearing his throat to cover his nervousness. "Your mother and I have made a decision."
"Are you going to have a baby?" Philip asked a beat before Dotty could.
Amanda smiled at her son, then at her husband, encouraging him to continue.
Lee did. "Well, not precisely. We've thought a long time about the risks of your mom having a baby at her age, and even though it's getting safer, we don't think it's safe enough to risk her health or the health of a baby. So we've decided, if we have your blessing, that we'd like to adopt a child."
The silence lasted for only a brief interval before Dotty, Philip, and Jamie were all bubbling over with excited ideas about preparing for a new member of the family.
Ignoring the noise of the conversation, Lee looked at Amanda and whispered, "I love you."
Amanda reached for his hand and squeezed it. "And I love you. Dad."
Fine
Tag * Maplewood Drive, Arlington, Virginia * March 25, 1989 * 5:30 p.m. EST (GMT-5)
"Amanda, honey, are you home? Where's Lee? Is he still away?" Dotty West's voice rolled through the Stetson-King home as a wave crashing on the shore. Joe and the boys pulled into the driveway just behind her car; she hugged her grandsons with affection and told them to stack their suitcases inside the back door beside her own.
"Is Mom home, Grandma?" Jamie inquired, pulling his winter hat off as he waved good-bye to his father.
"I don't know. Amanda! Are you home?" she repeated, more loudly.
In their bedroom, Amanda and Lee lay on the bed, fully clothed but entwined in each other's arms. "I suppose we'd better admit to being here before one of the boys bursts through the door searching for us," Amanda said reluctantly as Lee traced her face with a gentle finger.
"Yeah. So, are we agreed?"
"Yes, I think so."
"Should we tell them?"
"Sure. I think they'll be thrilled."
"I hope so. I am." Lee kissed his wife deeply, then sat up and stood stiffly, his back still sore from the gunshot. At least both he and Ian had been given clean bills of health and orders to rest for a few days.
The couple went downstairs and went through the ritual of welcoming everyone back from their various vacations or business trips. They ordered pizza; when it arrived, the family sat down and gave thanks for their safe returns. And then Lee sought quiet to make an announcement.
"Your mother and I," he began, clearing his throat to cover his nervousness. "Your mother and I have made a decision."
"Are you going to have a baby?" Philip asked a beat before Dotty could.
Amanda smiled at her son, then at her husband, encouraging him to continue.
Lee did. "Well, not precisely. We've thought a long time about the risks of your mom having a baby at her age, and even though it's getting safer, we don't think it's safe enough to risk her health or the health of a baby. So we've decided, if we have your blessing, that we'd like to adopt a child."
The silence lasted for only a brief interval before Dotty, Philip, and Jamie were all bubbling over with excited ideas about preparing for a new member of the family.
Ignoring the noise of the conversation, Lee looked at Amanda and whispered, "I love you."
Amanda reached for his hand and squeezed it. "And I love you. Dad."
Fine