Chapter 2
Lee shakily twisted his key in the lock. Dropping the takeout bag on the coffee table, he grabbed a beer from the fridge. Loosening his tie he flopped down on the couch, flipping on the TV for some noise. Funny, they rarely had the set on at Amanda's house, but then there was enough noise there for ten small rooms like this one. Shaking his head, he dug into the first Chinese food carton he grabbed. He couldn't think about her now. That would allow his mind to go places it just couldn't go at this moment.
The TV still on, he fell asleep on the couch a few dreary hours later, dreaming of red fingernails and lips, and of not being quite so lonely.
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"Amanda, would you please stop moping around this house? You're making me crazy." Dotty faced her daughter across the kitchen counter. "You act as though Lee died--he's only on assignment. And you said yourself he wasn't sure how long he'd be gone." Amanda looked up to meet her mother's perplexed gaze. "Does he often go on long-term assignments without you? I thought you two worked together on these film projects."
Amanda had to smile at her mother's well-intentioned litany. "We do, Mother, most of the time," she answered quietly. "But this was a solo project for him, and I had ca--, I mean, projects of my own to work on." She rubbed a hand over her face, trying to avoid the impending headache she felt coming on. "I guess I just miss him, that's all. I'm sorry I've been so..."
Her mother came around to hold her daughter in a loose embrace. "Oh, darling, it's alright. I didn't mean to make you defensive. I just can't understand why you don't just call him. Surely he can spare a few minutes.."
"Not really, and I told you this is one of those government projects, very tight security. When you work for the government you have to play by their rules." She was startled sometimes by her ability to lie and tell the truth at the same time, certainly a result of years of practice.
"Besides, he'll be home soon," she tried to reassure her mother with a smile she neither meant nor felt. "Very soon."
Amanda climbed the stairs, falling into bed, just before the tears began to fall.
"Oh, Lee. I miss you so much."