PART FOUR

4247 Maplewood, 3:30

Lee followed Amanda into the hall. As they walked into the kitchen Amanda called out, "Mother, we're home!"

From upstairs, Dotty called back, "Amanda? Is that you?"

"Yes, Mother!"

Lee leaned up against the island as Amanda started preparing a pot of coffee. "Are you ready for this?"

"No," she replied, a little subdued. "How do I explain to my mother we've been lying to her?"

"It was for your family's protection, Amanda," Lee firmly reminded her.

"Yes, I know, but without telling her why they needed protection, it's gonna be pretty hard coming up with a plausible explanation as to why we felt we needed a mystery marriage."

"Don't worry," he said as he slipped up behind her where she was still fiddling with the coffee pot. He put his hands around her waist and drew her to him.

She swiveled around in his arms so she was facing him and looked up into the hazel eyes she loved. "I love you, Mr. Stetson."

"And I love you, Mrs. Stetson."

Her lips sought his and they kissed tenderly, both of them feeling how much they loved each other. As their lips touched again, Dotty walked into the kitchen, pointedly not looking in their direction. "Don't mind me," she said lightly. Reflexively, they sprang apart. Dotty continued, "I just thought I'd make you both some coffee."

Amanda's face was now tinged with pink as she said, "Hello, Mother. Had a good morning?"

"Well," said Dotty, "I bumped into Mrs. Sinclair down at the market and she was telling me that Meredith Burnley's son, you know Meredith, from the PTA? Well her son, Daniel, he's her eldest, just seventeen I think, well anyway, last weekend he eloped." Even after years spent around Amanda Lee was still amazed at how the West women could say so much without a breath. He glanced at Amanda. Barely pausing, Dotty continued, "he just hopped on a plane to Las Vegas with the Denton girl, Emma, I think her name is, their parents had no idea, imagine that, and then Danny called his mother to tell her, can you believe it? This used to be such a quiet little neighborhood. Anyway, Meredith had apparently told-"

"Mother," she interrupted.

Dotty stopped briefly as Amanda interrupted her, but she wasn't phased for long. "Well," she continued, "she told Mrs. Sinclair that-"

"Mother," Amanda tried again, more firmly this time, taking her mother's hand and guiding her to sit on the couch in the living room.

As Dotty sat down, she asked, "Yes, dear?"

"We need to talk."

As Amanda was sitting her mother down, Lee was pouring three cups of coffee. He carried them over to where his wife and mother-in-law were sitting. Placing the cups on the coffee table, he sat beside Amanda on the couch.

"It's funny…" began Amanda. She paused, trying to think what to say next.

"What's funny, dear?" her mother asked her.

"What?" said Amanda, obviously distracted. Lee reached across and squeezed her hand encouragingly. "Well, it's funny that you should bring up marriage…" Amanda started hesitantly.

Dotty's face immediately lit up and she jumped into the air, clasping her hands together in front of her. "I knew it! You're getting married! Oh, Amanda, Lee, I'm so happy for you, I just knew from the moment I met you," she looked towards Lee, "I just knew you were a keeper. I knew Amanda had really fallen this time, she's not like she was with Dean-"

"Moth-er!" said a now exasperated Amanda.

Lee looked at Amanda with a smile in his eyes as Amanda let go of his hand and stood up, placing one hand on each of her mother's arms. "Mother."

"Yes, dear?"

"Would you please sit down and let me tell you something?"

"Of course, Amanda. What is it?" Dotty was now looking puzzled.

"Well," began Amanda, pausing again as they resumed their seats on the couch. "It's like this." She took a quick glance at her husband for moral support. He nodded to encourage her to continue. "Well, it's like you were saying about Mrs. Burnley's boy."

"What?" Dotty now looked totally confused.

"A-man-da," Lee said quietly, trying to get her to focus.

Without taking her eyes off her mother she said, "Sorry, honey ... Mother," she tried again.

"Yes."

"There's no other way to say this, than to say it." She nervously reached for her coffee and took a sip. Lee could see the cup shaking in her hand so he reached over and took it from her and placed it back on the coffee table. He took her hand back in his. Amanda took a deep breath and blurted out, "Mother, we're married!" She sighed, as though a weight was lifted from her shoulders, closed her eyes and sat back into the sofa.

"You're what, dear?" Dotty said, too calmly.

Lee thought he should help. "She said that we're married, Dotty."

Dotty didn't immediately say anything. She just took a sip of her coffee, placed it back on the table and looked from her daughter to Lee, and back again to Amanda. Suddenly, Dotty exclaimed, "You're what?"

Amanda opened her eyes and leaned forward to put her hands over those of her mothers. "Look, Mother, we got married. A few months ago. I'm sorry."

"When?"

"On February 13th. We didn't want any trouble at work and the boys didn't know Lee very well yet, but we didn't want to wait so we … we just got married. It's just that we didn't tell anyone."

"So you're married," Dotty repeated.

"Yes, Mother."

"And you've been married for four months?"

"Yes, Mother."

"And you didn't tell your mother?"

"No, Mother."

"Well, I just don't understand how you could do that and not tell your mother?"

"Look, Mother." Lee noticed that Amanda's voice was becoming increasingly strained. "We thought it was the right thing to do, at the time. Now I'm not so sure." She paused. "Not about getting married," she glanced at Lee, "but about the secrecy thing. Mother, we love each other very much," she reached for Lee's hand, "and we wanted to get married, but we thought it was too soon to tell the family."

"So you lied to me."

"Yes, Mother."

"And you lied to the boys."

"I know," she said contritely.

"So, if you were married in February, that was just before your accident?"

"Our honeymoon." Amanda nodded.

"What a terrible way to start your married life," Dotty sympathized.

"We know, Mother, but that's in the past."

"So, what are you going to tell the boys?"

"The truth, I guess. Will you help us?"

"Of course I will, darling." Dotty reached forward and touched her daughter's knee. "That doesn't mean I'm happy about you lying to me, or the boys. What kind of example is that to set them?"

"I know mother." By now, Amanda was very subdued and her eyes were starting to fill with unshed tears.

Lee let go of her hand and placed his arm around her. "Hey," he used his free hand to lift her chin, making her look at him, "what's done is done, we have to move on, right?" Lee turned to Dotty. "I'm sorry we deceived you, Dotty, it's just that we really wanted to do this but we didn't think the family – or work for that matter – was ready for it. But we were, and the policy at work about married couples working together gave us a reason to keep quiet. I really am sorry."

"Lee," Dotty paused, then continued, "you are the best thing that has ever happened to Amanda. When I

see how she looks at you, and how you look at her, I've never seen her so happy. I just know you were meant to be together. You're soul mates." Amanda and Lee looked at each other. "It's done, and now you've told me. We'll just move on." She took a breath, then smiled. "So, Lee, when are you going to move in?"

Lee looked at Amanda. "Well." He turned to look at his mother-in-law. "We wanted to talk to the boys. This will come as a shock to them and I don't want to just throw myself on them. Once we've talked to them, then we'll decide how to proceed, I guess."

Dotty nodded, "Good answer … I just want to tell you that you have my blessing, Lee." She stood up, and he did the same as Dotty gave him one of her biggest hugs and kissed his cheek. "Welcome to the family." The smile on Lee's face was huge.

By this time, Amanda was also standing. "Thank you, Mother."

"I really am happy for you, love. I've only ever wanted you to be happy." Her eyes were also welling with tears now. "And I know that with Lee, you will be. Congratulations." As she hugged her daughter, tears began streaming down the faces of both women. Even Lee could feel a lump in his throat.

Looking towards Lee, Dotty then said, "Come here, son-in-law." She smiled and opened her arm outwards, inviting him into the hug. Amanda did the same and the three of them had a big group hug.

Just then, the kitchen door banged open and closed, accompanied by "I told you not to do that, Philip."

"You did not."

"Did too."

Philip headed straight to the refrigerator and reached for a carton of milk. Without turning his head, he said, "What's for dinner, Mom? I'm starving." He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked around to see Jamie staring into the living room.

"What's up with them?" he asked his older brother as they stared at the breaking up of a group hug.

From the sniffles and wet faces, the boys could tell the women had been crying. "Mom?" Philip asked weakly, concern all over his face.

"Did you get some bad news?" Jamie asked.

The adults all smiled, loving the way their boys cared, but wanting to dispel their concerns. Dotty and Amanda wiped their faces with their hands. "No, boys," said Dotty, "there's nothing wrong. We've just been sharing some really good news."

Jamie looked at Philip. "I thought crying was for bad news?"

"Me too," Philip agreed.

Jamie shook his head. "Grown ups," he said, as if that explained everything. Philip nodded wisely.

"Look, boys," said Amanda, "everything's fine. We just need to talk to you about something. Why don't you go upstairs and wash up and then we'll have a family meeting."

"Is Lee staying?" asked Philip.

"I am. Is that okay?" he asked his stepson.

"Great," Philip replied. "Race ya," he said to Jamie as he bolted out of the room and up the stairs with Jamie in hot pursuit.

Lee was smiling again, this time at Philip's reaction. "Time to regroup, I think," he said.

~