Stormy Weather
by matahari2
Summary / Disclaimers, etc.: See Chapter 1
Chapter Ten – Sunshine At Last
It was 4:15 by the time Lee pulled out of the Agency parking garage. Fifteen minutes after that, he was pulling onto the highway when he heard a horn honking and tires squealing beside him. Turning his head to the left slightly, he saw a car that looked familiar, a late model sportscar, fishtailing and finally straightening out in the next lane. 'Oh God! Has it happened again?' he wondered, fear written in his glassy eyes as he realized the identity of the other driver. 'Phillip! Great! I can't just endanger myself—I have to threaten my family, too?' At that worrisome thought, he gripped the steering wheel even more tightly, if it were possible, and slowly drove the rest of the way home.
**********
Amanda smiled broadly, opening the back door to him. "Sweetheart! I'm so glad you're here," she greeted, giving him a quick kiss on the lips. "Francine's on the phone," she said, as she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and walked with him into the family room. "She didn't tell me everything yet, but she did say there were plenty of reasons to believe Jamie'd be all right."
"That's great, Amanda," he said, his furrowed brow not quite agreeing with the smile on his lips.
She could see that something else must have happened to trouble him, but she determined to let it pass for the moment. Giving him a slight shove toward the stairs, she said, "Go on. . .better take your phone call!"
On his way to the office, Lee glanced into Jenny's room as he passed, seeing Phillip and locking eyes with him for an instant. 'You knew it was me, didn't you?' he questioned silently, averting his gaze in a flash at Phillip's answering nod.
**********
In spite of everything else that had happened, Lee couldn't keep the smile from his face, calling out to Jenny and Phillip, "Hey, guys—come on downstairs with me. I have some really good news for all of us!"
Jenny's face glowed with excitement, and Philip's smile grew as he picked up his sister and swung her around.
"Come on!" Lee called again swirling his hand in a 'forward-ho' gesture, as the three of them hurried downstairs. "Amanda. . ." Lee began, his joy evident in his bright eyes and undiluted smile as he held out his hand to her.
Before he could say anything more, she rushed into his arms, clinging to him as she exclaimed, "He's coming home, isn't he? Oh Lee, I'm so happy!"
"Me too," he agreed, giving her a squeeze before pulling back to look at Amanda, Jenny and Phillip in turn. "Now, let's all sit down, and I'll tell you all about it."
**********
Dulles Airport, the next day
As they waited on the tarmac, Lee could see that the anticipation was getting to Amanda. She shifted from foot to foot, wringing her hands and saying, "Lee, this is so exciting! I just know that door's gonna open any minute now, and Jamie's gonna come down those steps! You know, it sure is a good thing that young girl, what was her name. . .oh yeah, Fariya, I think you told us. . .anyway, I'm sure glad she was there to help them," she said, hardly stopping for air.
He gripped her hand tightly, saying with a grin, "Yeah. . .I'm glad she was there, too. They'd have never made it without her. Reminds me of someone else I know."
At his remark, Amanda turned to look into his eyes. "Oh, Lee, that's so sweet. . ." she started to say, as Lee touched her elbow and gestured toward the opening door at the top of the stairs. Five eternal seconds passed before Jamie appeared, making his way down the steps and running toward his waiting family.
"Hey! What's that crazy outfit?" Jenny asked.
Phillip chimed in with, "Yeah. . .what is he wearing?!?"
Lee and Amanda grinned at each other for a second, then both turned to answer together, "What do you care?!?"
As Jamie finally approached them, Jenny was the first to run up and practically tackle him with her hug. "Hey, Squirt! You're gonna squeeze the stuffing out of me!" he cried out in mock discomfort, then ruffled her hair before reaching out to grab Phillip's outstretched hand.
The brothers hugged briefly, and Phillip said, "It's great to have you home, Bro'." Jamie hugged him again, simply whispering, "Thanks," before reaching his arms out to their mother.
"Mom!" he shouted, as she threatened to outdo Jenny with her fierce embrace.
"Jamie! I love you so much!" she said, pulling back to look into his face.
"Love you, too, Mom!" Jamie replied with a bright smile. He held out his hand to his stepfather, saying "Lee!"
"Jamie!" Lee said, grasping his hand.
Jamie didn't stop at a handshake, though, but gave Lee a full-on hug, saying, "I love you, too, Lee," Before letting go, he whispered, "I hope you know that."
Lee patted Jamie on the back, nodding a "yes" to him, as he took in the rest of the family with a sweeping gaze. "All right. . .everybody ready?" he asked, as they all walked back into the terminal together.
**********
Stetson Residence, the next morning
"I'm sure glad that's all settled," Lee said, as he buttoned his shirt and tugged at the cuffs.
"Yeah, well at least one thing is settled," Amanda said, brushing up the back of her hair and pulling it into a ponytail with a brightly-colored cloth band. "I mean, no one could be happier that Jamie's home, and he's doing fine. . ."
"But. . ." he said, beginning to catch her drift.
"But. . .Lee," she went on, "there's the problem of your headaches, and the vision problems, and the mood swings. . .you know, even Phllip noticed, and he was just here for a couple of days, and. . ."
"Amanda. . ." he said, trying to interrupt.
She wouldn't stop, though. She paced back and forth in front of him as she kept up the verbal onslaught. "And you didn't say you wouldn't go to see a doctor, you just said 'not now', but I know you, Lee, and when you say 'later', you mean 'never', and. . ."
"All right, Amanda," he said quietly, folding his arms in front of him.
"I mean I know how you are about doctors and hospitals, but. . ." she continued, then realized she might have missed something. Stopping herself mid-tirade, she whipped her head around to look at him and questioned, "What did you say?"
He smiled indulgently and pulled a small white card out of his pants pocket, handing it to her as he replied, "I said, 'all right', Amanda. See? I already made an appointment."
"Nine o'clock in the morning–-one week from today," she said, smiling and reaching out to give his hand a gentle squeeze. As he pulled her into his embrace, she whispered, "Whatever this is, Sweetheart, we'll deal with it, together."
THE END ***
*** Yes, there will be a sequel, dealing mostly with Lee's problems (of course, you know me...I can't seem to resist mixing in a little intrigue!) You can look for the first chapters very soon. mh2:)
by matahari2
Summary / Disclaimers, etc.: See Chapter 1
Chapter Ten – Sunshine At Last
It was 4:15 by the time Lee pulled out of the Agency parking garage. Fifteen minutes after that, he was pulling onto the highway when he heard a horn honking and tires squealing beside him. Turning his head to the left slightly, he saw a car that looked familiar, a late model sportscar, fishtailing and finally straightening out in the next lane. 'Oh God! Has it happened again?' he wondered, fear written in his glassy eyes as he realized the identity of the other driver. 'Phillip! Great! I can't just endanger myself—I have to threaten my family, too?' At that worrisome thought, he gripped the steering wheel even more tightly, if it were possible, and slowly drove the rest of the way home.
**********
Amanda smiled broadly, opening the back door to him. "Sweetheart! I'm so glad you're here," she greeted, giving him a quick kiss on the lips. "Francine's on the phone," she said, as she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and walked with him into the family room. "She didn't tell me everything yet, but she did say there were plenty of reasons to believe Jamie'd be all right."
"That's great, Amanda," he said, his furrowed brow not quite agreeing with the smile on his lips.
She could see that something else must have happened to trouble him, but she determined to let it pass for the moment. Giving him a slight shove toward the stairs, she said, "Go on. . .better take your phone call!"
On his way to the office, Lee glanced into Jenny's room as he passed, seeing Phillip and locking eyes with him for an instant. 'You knew it was me, didn't you?' he questioned silently, averting his gaze in a flash at Phillip's answering nod.
**********
In spite of everything else that had happened, Lee couldn't keep the smile from his face, calling out to Jenny and Phillip, "Hey, guys—come on downstairs with me. I have some really good news for all of us!"
Jenny's face glowed with excitement, and Philip's smile grew as he picked up his sister and swung her around.
"Come on!" Lee called again swirling his hand in a 'forward-ho' gesture, as the three of them hurried downstairs. "Amanda. . ." Lee began, his joy evident in his bright eyes and undiluted smile as he held out his hand to her.
Before he could say anything more, she rushed into his arms, clinging to him as she exclaimed, "He's coming home, isn't he? Oh Lee, I'm so happy!"
"Me too," he agreed, giving her a squeeze before pulling back to look at Amanda, Jenny and Phillip in turn. "Now, let's all sit down, and I'll tell you all about it."
**********
Dulles Airport, the next day
As they waited on the tarmac, Lee could see that the anticipation was getting to Amanda. She shifted from foot to foot, wringing her hands and saying, "Lee, this is so exciting! I just know that door's gonna open any minute now, and Jamie's gonna come down those steps! You know, it sure is a good thing that young girl, what was her name. . .oh yeah, Fariya, I think you told us. . .anyway, I'm sure glad she was there to help them," she said, hardly stopping for air.
He gripped her hand tightly, saying with a grin, "Yeah. . .I'm glad she was there, too. They'd have never made it without her. Reminds me of someone else I know."
At his remark, Amanda turned to look into his eyes. "Oh, Lee, that's so sweet. . ." she started to say, as Lee touched her elbow and gestured toward the opening door at the top of the stairs. Five eternal seconds passed before Jamie appeared, making his way down the steps and running toward his waiting family.
"Hey! What's that crazy outfit?" Jenny asked.
Phillip chimed in with, "Yeah. . .what is he wearing?!?"
Lee and Amanda grinned at each other for a second, then both turned to answer together, "What do you care?!?"
As Jamie finally approached them, Jenny was the first to run up and practically tackle him with her hug. "Hey, Squirt! You're gonna squeeze the stuffing out of me!" he cried out in mock discomfort, then ruffled her hair before reaching out to grab Phillip's outstretched hand.
The brothers hugged briefly, and Phillip said, "It's great to have you home, Bro'." Jamie hugged him again, simply whispering, "Thanks," before reaching his arms out to their mother.
"Mom!" he shouted, as she threatened to outdo Jenny with her fierce embrace.
"Jamie! I love you so much!" she said, pulling back to look into his face.
"Love you, too, Mom!" Jamie replied with a bright smile. He held out his hand to his stepfather, saying "Lee!"
"Jamie!" Lee said, grasping his hand.
Jamie didn't stop at a handshake, though, but gave Lee a full-on hug, saying, "I love you, too, Lee," Before letting go, he whispered, "I hope you know that."
Lee patted Jamie on the back, nodding a "yes" to him, as he took in the rest of the family with a sweeping gaze. "All right. . .everybody ready?" he asked, as they all walked back into the terminal together.
**********
Stetson Residence, the next morning
"I'm sure glad that's all settled," Lee said, as he buttoned his shirt and tugged at the cuffs.
"Yeah, well at least one thing is settled," Amanda said, brushing up the back of her hair and pulling it into a ponytail with a brightly-colored cloth band. "I mean, no one could be happier that Jamie's home, and he's doing fine. . ."
"But. . ." he said, beginning to catch her drift.
"But. . .Lee," she went on, "there's the problem of your headaches, and the vision problems, and the mood swings. . .you know, even Phllip noticed, and he was just here for a couple of days, and. . ."
"Amanda. . ." he said, trying to interrupt.
She wouldn't stop, though. She paced back and forth in front of him as she kept up the verbal onslaught. "And you didn't say you wouldn't go to see a doctor, you just said 'not now', but I know you, Lee, and when you say 'later', you mean 'never', and. . ."
"All right, Amanda," he said quietly, folding his arms in front of him.
"I mean I know how you are about doctors and hospitals, but. . ." she continued, then realized she might have missed something. Stopping herself mid-tirade, she whipped her head around to look at him and questioned, "What did you say?"
He smiled indulgently and pulled a small white card out of his pants pocket, handing it to her as he replied, "I said, 'all right', Amanda. See? I already made an appointment."
"Nine o'clock in the morning–-one week from today," she said, smiling and reaching out to give his hand a gentle squeeze. As he pulled her into his embrace, she whispered, "Whatever this is, Sweetheart, we'll deal with it, together."
THE END ***
*** Yes, there will be a sequel, dealing mostly with Lee's problems (of course, you know me...I can't seem to resist mixing in a little intrigue!) You can look for the first chapters very soon. mh2:)