Note:  You may want to go checkout Chapter 4.  The whole thing wasn't up the first few days, so you may want to make sure you read the whole thing.

Thanks so much for the reviews.  They've been really great and I look forward to them.  I hope you keep enjoying this story.  I'm sorry the updates are so slow, but it takes me awhile to get chapters I'm happy with.  Plus, as always "real life" keeps me tremendously busy.  I'm really having fun writing it, though.

My apologies, but this chapter is not my best work.  I really view these chapters as background (the real story is still a few chapters away yet) and so sometimes they just need to be told.   Additionally, I apologies to those of you who like a strong Amanda.  She will be strong later (that's how I generally like her, too), but I imagine that when she was young and first married she wasn't as spunky as she was on the series.

Chapter 5: We're Having a Baby

February 2, 1973

Amanda lit the last candle, standing back to survey her work.  The table looked perfect.    Flowers, candles, simmering soup waiting to be poured into bowls.  She walked over to the stereo, looking through the albums, finally deciding on Bach before placing a record on the turntable.  She had just made her way back to the kitchen to check on the rest of dinner when the backdoor opened.

"Hi, sweetheart,"  Joe greeted Amanda.  "Mmmm…. Dinner smells wonderful.  I'm starved.  Unfortunately, I need to work tonight, so I don't really have time for dinner." He told her as he placed his arms around her waist.

Amanda's face fell.  "I made a nice dinner, Joe.  Please eat with me."  Looking at her sad face, Joe started to explain that he just couldn't, but then caught a glimpse into the dining room and changed his mind.  It looked like she had spent a lot of time on dinner.

"Of course, Amanda.  It will have to be somewhat fast, though, okay?" he asked, apologizing with the look in his eye.

She smiled at him, "Of course.  Go on into the dining room.  I'll be right there."

He took a seat, taking in the table in front of him.  Amanda walked in and started doling out the soup.  The two made easy conversation during dinner, Joe letting Amanda in on his day, talking over his newest case with her and getting her opinion.

As Amanda dished out dessert, she poured grape juice into the wine glasses.  "Grape juice, Amanda?" Joe teased, "I said I had to work, but I can have a glass of wine."

Amanda took a seat on Joe's lap and whispered in his ear, "But I can't."

Joe looked at her quizzically.  "You can't what?  Have a glass of wine?"

Amanda smiled at him, but he continued to look at her quizzically.

Her voice soft and husky she told him, "We're having a baby."

"What!" he cried in response.  "How did this happen?  You can't be pregnant!  Oh my gosh!"

Amanda moved off Joe's lap, and moved to her seat, her eyes filling in with tears.  "You're not happy?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Joe took in the face of his wife and sighed.  Then reaching over he placed a soft kiss on her lips.  "I'm just surprised, that's all," he said.  "A baby?  Some small combination of you and me?"

Amanda smiled shyly, still unsure of whether Joe was happy or sad.  Ignoring his desire to be honest and tell Amanda that he was anything but happy, Joe decided to smile for his wife.  Besides, maybe it would be a little girl – a little girl who looked just like her mother.  That wouldn't be so bad.

"Dance with me," he said offering his hand.  Amanda took it, still unsure, and stepped into Joe's arms.  "I can't think of better news," he told her as they danced, and slowly Amanda began to smile again.

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The following morning, the breakfast dishes away and Joe off to work, Amanda stared at the telephone willing herself to pick it up.  She hadn't talked to Lee since Dorothy's death.  He hadn't answered her phone calls, or her knocks at his door and so she had decided to stop.  He would call her when he was ready.  But now it had been nearly two weeks and she was worried about him.  Plus, she had this news to tell him.  Lee was her best friend – she couldn't imagine waiting for him to find out she was pregnant.

Taking a deep breath, she picked up the phone.  Not surprisingly there was no answer.  Deciding to bite the bullet, she left him a hasty message.  "Hi, Lee.  It's me.… Amanda.  I'm coming over tonight at 7.  If you have plans, break them.  I really want to see you and I have some news that I have to share with you.  See you tonight."

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Glancing around the street, Amanda noticed that Lee's car was not parked nearby.  She sighed deeply.  She was waiting for him to get home and he was going to see her whether he liked it or not.  She grabbed the stack of papers she brought with her and going up to Lee's apartment, set herself down on the floor, prepared to wait it out.

And wait she did.  It was nearly 9 by the time Lee showed up and frankly, Amanda barely recognized him when he did.  His hair looked like it hadn't been combed since she'd seen him last, there were dark circles under his eyes, and he smelled strongly of cigarette smoke.

At seeing Amanda on the floor beside his door, he grunted.

"Well, hello to you, too," Amanda teased, trying to keep the mood light.

"I didn't think you'd wait this long," Lee explained while he opened the door.

"Clearly," Amanda replied.  "I brought some of Joe's legal briefs with me.  I promised I'd proofread them for him.  I was all prepared to sitting here all night." Amanda entered the apartment and then bit her lip to keep from responding to the mess around her.

"Look, Amanda," Lee began, "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

"See each other?  Lee, we're not seeing each other.  I'm married, remember.  We're friends.  And we're not going to stop being friends just because another one of your friends died.  That just means you need to lean on me more."

Lee's eyes darted around the room, looking anywhere but at Amanda.  "That could be me, you know," he said, his voice soft.

Even softer, Amanda replied, "I know."

"I wouldn't want you to have to go through that."

"By cutting me out of your life now, I'd go through it now.  I'd rather have you with me as long as possible, Lee," while her eyes filled with tears, Amanda tried to keep her voice steady.

"I don't think we should…" Lee began again, but Amanda cut him off.

"I'm pregnant."

"What?"

"I'm pregnant.  That's what I came here to tell you."  At the blank look on Lee's face, Amanda added, "Please be happy for me."  When the look she received continued to be one of no emotion she teased, "It's not yours, you know."

Despite himself, Lee's lips turned up in a smile.  "That's good to hear.  I'd be a bit worried if it was."  He took a step towards her and wrapped his arms around her.  "Congratulations, Amanda.  You're going to be an amazing mother."

Amanda smiled and then stepped back.  Panic clear in her voice she asked, "I'm going to be a mother?"

Lee laughed at the question.  "Sure.  What do you think happens after the baby is born?"

"I have a baby." Amanda said in shock.  "I'm going to be a mother?

Suddenly unsure of what Amanda was feeling, Lee took her hands and led her to the couch.  But as soon as she sat down, she stood back up.  "I'm going to be a mother!" she said exuberantly.

Lee smiled.  "Yes, you are," he replied quietly.

"Oh, Lee.  I'm going to be a mother!"  Standing up, he took her into his arms once more, trying to bask in her joy.

The two friends sat and talked for hours about plans for the baby and Lee, not wanting to rain on her parade, said nothing of what he had been thinking all night:  that he should back out of her life and he should keep his distance so as not to place Amanda, Joe, or the baby into any danger.

September 14, 1973

Lee entered the room softly, trying not to awaken Amanda.  Despite his best attempts to keep  his distance, he had failed.  Her voice on the machine sounded so sad when he didn't answer, he was unable to bear the pain in her voice when he turned down invitations to dinner or lunch.  So, he saw her less, and tried to make the break slowly.  But today was a special day and so breaking his usual rule of not seeing her unless she asked, and turning her down at least every other time, he was here.

Taking her hand in his, he noticed how peaceful she looked while she slept.

"Joe?" she asked as she opened her eyes, and while she tried to cover her disappointment that he was not Joe, Lee saw it.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Hi, I'm so glad you came, Lee."

"But you were expecting Joe."

"Sort of.…" her voice trailed off as she turned her head to look out the window.  "I haven't seen him since yesterday after the baby was born."

Trying to allay Amanda's fears about Joe's lack of enthusiasm for the baby, which had been many during her pregnancy, Lee replied, "I'm sure he's just anxious about becoming a father.  It's a big step, Amanda.  Joe's a great guy.  He'll come around."

"I know," she smiled and then stopped when a nurse came in, a baby with a blue hat in her arms.  Amanda reached out her arms for the baby, and then holding it upright and towards Lee, she said proudly, "Lee Stetson, this is Philip Joseph King."

With his index finger, Lee reached out and shook Philip's tiny hand.  "Hello, Philip King."

To Be Continued…