Two Ships

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Chapter 5

In the early morning darkness of the Wellington's elaborate backyard, Lee spotted Amanda sitting on the bench underneath the branched tree.

Hearing her name called out, she eagerly peered into the darkness, instantly recognizing his voice.

"Lee?" she wistfully responded back.

When he stepped out of the darkness, Amanda's face changed from one of uncertainty to joy. She had been privately thinking of him and now here he stood, his eyes gleaming in the faint moonlight.

Amanda tried to steady herself as he greeted her.

"So, uh, you couldn't sleep, either, huh?" he asked.

She smiled, "No, not really. So much on my mind tonight," she admitted, and then remembering her manners, she added, "would you like to sit down?"

"Don't mind if I do," he amiably responded back.

She scooted over to make space on the bench.

Lee sat down and then turned to her, "You're not too cold, are you? I could give you my bathrobe..."

"Uh, no..." Amanda insisted, immediately clutching the collar of her bathrobe with her hand, "that won't be necessary, but, thank you."

"Okay," he relented. He took a deep breath in before spurting out, "Look, Amanda, I'm sorry about arguing with you earlier in the kitchen. I didn't mean it when I said that you were after Dean for his money."

"I figured you knew me better than that," Amanda stated.

"I do—I just said that in a fit of j...of trying to hurt you, which was totally wrong. I know that now and I'm sorry."

She pretended to be irritated but instead teased, "Apology accepted, so you can stop sweating."

"Me? I don't sweat," he insisted, and then his expression perked up, "I sparkle!" he joked.

Amanda chuckled, "If you say so."

"I do." Then he became serious, "So you had no idea that McGuire had money?"

She shook her head, "No, I honestly didn't know. I always thought he was a simple Midwest-bred boy."

"Well, his family definitely isn't simple OR Midwest-bred!"

Amanda questioned, "You don't think Dean's family is all that bad, do you?"

Lee tried to be diplomatic, "No, not all that bad necessarily, just different."

"Different in what way?"

"Like weird different. They're like the moneyed version of the Addams family," he straight-faced.

Amanda gave him a playful push, "Oh you!"

Upon contact, Lee's body froze. The slight touch had made his insides tighten. It seemed that lately, any touch from her brought forth a visceral reaction from him. And it bothered him, especially after that nighttime fiasco with Deidre, where he had mistakenly thought Amanda had been visiting him.

Due to Lee's strange reaction, Amanda attempted a neutral topic, "Anyway, rich people sure are different, aren't they?"

"They are," Lee answered, a little more relaxed now, "And now that you know Dean is rich, does it affect how you view him?"

Amanda truthfully answered, "Not for me, but I think Mother will be overjoyed once she finds out! What she wants most for our family, besides love, is security, and money plays into that...but for me, I already feel rich."

Lee was surprised, "Oh? And why's that? It can't be you're feeling rich from your salary at the Agency!"

"No, far from it," she admitted with a smile on her lips, "but I feel rich every time my boys run into my arms, despite my hands being empty of money! "

Lee nodded, "You are indeed rich, Amanda."

"I am!" she enthused, and because she didn't want Lee to feel bad, she added, "And your life is rich, too, Lee, because it's filled with what you seek most: mystery, intrigue, and adventure!"

"Yeah," Lee agreed although his tone sounded unconvinced, "I used to think that was enough, but now I'm not so sure."

"Oh? What else could you want?" she asked.

He made a choking gesture with his hands, "That I could turn all the scums of the earth into one big throat, and then I could put my hands around all of them at the same time!"

Amanda laughed, "Surely that wouldn't be on top of your wish list, would it?"

"It's up there!"

Amanda then asked, "So what would be at the very top of your top wish list, then?"

"Oh, so we're getting serious now," he stated, and then got pensive, "Let's see...I guess, if I only had one wish...it would be that I wouldn't experience the little bouts of loneliness that I get sometimes."

Amanda was surprised, "I can't believe you would say that, Lee. You, with a different girl almost every night!"

"It's not like that, Amanda," his voice turned melancholy, "Sure, the company's nice, but I can still feel alone, even when I'm with them. That sounds strange, I know...but, oh, never mind...it was just a thought. Not important."

His head dropped and he looked down at his lap. He couldn't believe he just revealed so much to Amanda. It must be the intimacy of the night that made him so introspective.

Her gentle voice cut into his thoughts.

"I know what you mean," she softly stated, "You may not be physically alone, but mentally, there is no one in sight."

Lee nodded in relief that someone understood, "What about you?" he asked, turning her way.

"What about me?"

"Even though you have a household of people, do you ever feel lonely?"

Amanda thought about her answer carefully, "My life really is crazy at times, so believe it or not, I welcome the solitude. Then again, there are definitely times when, like you, I feel a bout of loneliness, "she admitted, and then made a point with her index finger up, "But like my mother has said at times, 'During the times of aloneness and isolation is when the caterpillar becomes a butterfly!'"

Lee smiled, "Your mother is very wise."

"She is, and I've learned so much from her. And now I'm learning more with my life at the Agency...and with working with you," she blushed.

Lee tried to ignore the tugging of his heart, "It IS strange how we met, isn't it?" he wondered, "If I hadn't seen you at that train station that first time..."

"...and I hadn't accepted the package," continued Amanda, "we would have been...what's that saying? Like two ships that passed in the night..."

"...bound for different ports..." he casually added.

Amanda lightly corrected him, "That's NOT how the poem goes, Lee."

Then Lee stared off into the darkness as he quietly began to recite, "Ships that pass in the night, and speak to each other in passing; only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness. So on the ocean of life we pass and speak to one another. Only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence."

Amanda was flummoxed; she never thought Lee could recite poetry. And he did it beautifully. With his gravelly voice, he somehow made the words sound tragically romantic.

Then she thought about the words. If she had said 'no' that first day, their meeting would've been short, yet memorable for her, but then they would've separated to never meet again, like in the poem.

Her throat felt dry, "I'm...glad that didn't happen to us," she choked out.

He turned to look directly at her, "Me, too, Amanda."

His eyes were now boring into hers. Her heart began beating faster as they gazed at each other in uncomfortable silence.

Amanda knew she shouldn't be having these feelings; she was with Dean, after all. So she was the first to break the trance as she looked away and changed the subject, "Maybe we shouldn't be out here in the backyard like this. What if she comes out looking for you?"

Lee scowled, "Who, Deidre?"

"No! Not Deidre! Your boss, Olivia!" Amanda looked appalled, and then after giving it some thought, added, "Although... why would you think it was Deidre I was referring to?"

Oops. Lee needed to cover up his blunder. No way was he going to tell her about that situation with Deidre in his bedroom hours earlier.

"No reason," he quickly responded, hoping his anxiousness didn't make him sound guilty, "and as far as Olivia..." He patted the chest pocket of his robe, "I have this pager here in case she needs me immediately. Top of the line Agency stuff. This pager here is also capable of zeroing in at her location at all times."

"Really? That's impressive."

Their talk was interrupted when they noted a soft golden light from one of the rectangular windows above them. It had suddenly turned on, spreading new brightness across the stone terrace.

Both Lee and Amanda turned towards the new light. Although it wasn't highly likely the person would stick their head out and see them, it made them aware that they should not be out here together.

"Looks like someone else is awake," Lee stated, head gesturing towards the light.

Amanda squinted her eyes, "What room is that with the light on?"

"My best guess would be is that the light source is coming from the library."

Amanda nodded, "Well, other people are awake, so maybe that's my cue to go back to bed."

Lee looked distressed, "You sure you gotta go?"

She seemed uncertain as she leaned in and quietly emphasized, "I'm not sure it's wise that I should be out here with you for too long."

Like the poem, their meeting had been short but meaningful, and it made Amanda feel more confident in dealing with Dean's family again. She stood.

Lee had no option but to stand as well.

"Good night, Lee," she smiled, although her feet didn't want to move.

"You go on up first," Lee suggested, "I don't think it would be a good idea for both of us to be sneaking back upstairs together. I'll wait until you've been gone for 10 minutes and then I'll enter through the backstairs."

"Alright," she agreed.

She started to walk away, but suddenly she whipped around to face him again.

Her abrupt action startled him.

"What?!" Lee reacted, "Is something the matter, Amanda?"

Amanda had never been the spontaneous type, so she spoke quickly before she changed her mind, "Lee, I was thinking...just thinking, mind you...that perhaps... we could meet here tomorrow at about the same time as now, around 3 am. It's a weird time, I know, and if you'd rather not-"

"-No, that's fine," he quickly responded back, and then hesitantly asked, "What about Dean?"

"Dean?" Amanda questioned, "You want me to bring Dean with me?"

"No, I mean...you're with him and all..."

"-I am," she quickly stated, and then she wanted to say it with more conviction, "I mean, I AM...but, you know... you and I used to meet in my backyard at home...just to talk a bit...and it would be nice...so very nice... to talk with someone familiar...a friend..."

She stopped when she realized her ramble was turning awkward.

Her eyes were wistful, Please say yes, please say yes, she internalized.

His returned smile was slow and it caused a flipping sensation in her stomach.

"It would be nice to talk to someone familiar, Amanda," he decided.

She felt she could breathe freely again, "Good. Until tomorrow then."

"Until tomorrow," he gently stated, embracing the words to his heart, "Sweet dreams, Amanda."

"You, too, Lee." And as she walked away, her steps seemed lighter.

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Amanda was asleep the minute her head hit the pillow.

She was in her deep sleep cycle when she felt someone shaking her back and forth in her bed.

A female voice was saying, "Amanda! Psst! Amanda!"

"Hmmm?" Amanda sleepily responded in a dreamlike state, "Mother? Is that you? Are the boys alright?"

"Amanda! Wake up! It's me! Deidre!"

"Wha-?"

Slowly Amanda opened her eyes, just as Deidre plopped herself next to her.

Amanda forced herself to sit up and she sleepily rubbed her eyes, "Deidre? What time is it?"

"It's 6 am!" Deidre excitedly stated.

Amanda hadn't realized how soundly she had slept the last two hours.

"6 am? Why are you in my bedroom so early?"

"It's time, Amanda!"

"Time? Time for what?"

"The Murder Mystery game!" Deidre excitedly exclaimed.

"Oh, that," Amanda stated, "You mean it's already started?"

"Yes, you're actually late!" Deidre explained, "I was downstairs earlier when I spotted Eunice lying motionless on the floor. Actually, it's just like her to start the game without telling anyone! That way, she can get upset at us for not being aware and just being lazy and sleeping late. So, yeah, she's already down there, playing her little role. So I guess the game has begun! Come on! Everyone's downstairs already!"

Amanda yawned, "Alright, although... what's your secret for being so cheery at dawn?"

Deidre's eyes danced. She was tempted to tell Amanda about her encounter with Lee, but decided against it, "I had a very interesting night earlier and I just know it's going to be a glorious day as well, so hurry, Amanda! Let's go!"

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