Lee backed down the driveway and had them on their way to the Aqua Turf Club in no time.

"Lee…..what was going on with you and Mother this morning?"

Lee shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Lee?"

"Well, I can't be 100% sure but I think she saw my wedding ring."

"Your wedding ring?" she said with surprise.

"Yeah. I put it on this morning when I got home and then forgot to take it off. I didn't even realize I had it on until she froze like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car. One minute she's offering me muffins and the next she looks like she wants to rip my throat out."

Amanda sighed.

"Oh, Lee. Oh, I REALLY wish that hadn't of happened!"

"Well, so do I!"

"Now she's going to think that I'm dating a married man."

"Well, not necessarily. It could have been some other type of ring I was wearing…" he said trying to convince himself.

"Oh, ok. Well, how did you react when she saw it."

"I, uh, put down the coffee mug and shoved my hand in my pocket."

Amanda leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes.

"Amanda, it's not like a meant to show her!"

"Well why did you have it on in the first place?" she said angrily.

"I put it on when I got home….because….because I missed you, ok?" he said with frustration. "I missed my wife. And I wanted to feel closer to you."

Amanda swallowed hard. She realized how insensitive she had just been.

"I know I agreed to this mystery marriage, but every time I come home alone after having been with you, it's harder and harder to be in that apartment by myself. I just…..I just wished you were there with me."

Amanda reached over and squeezed Lee's right hand. She knew what he had been feeling because she was feeling it, too. It was so nice to wake up with him this morning, but then she had to rush him out of the house as if he had no right to be there with her.

"I'm sorry, Lee. I didn't mean to be so insensitive. It's hard for me, too. A lot harder than I thought it would be."

Lee squeezed her hand back and quietly whispered a simple, "yeah".

"Where is your ring now?" she asked.

"In my pocket."

"Give it to me so it doesn't get lost. I'll put it in the glove compartment."

Lee reached into his pocket and handed the ring to Amanda. She opened the glove compartment and slipped the ring into the car registration envelope.

"That will keep it safe until we get home."

"Whose home?" he replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Mine, or yours?"

Amanda inhaled deeply preparing to respond but thought better of it. He was right. Home didn't have the same meaning for both of them as it should for a married couple. A stolen night together here and there was just not enough. And now, there would be questions from her mother. How would she answer them? Or worse, there would be NO questions, and Dotty would draw her own conclusions and think poorly of Lee. Amanda couldn't let that happen either. The mystery marriage façade was beginning to crumble. Amanda just hoped that her marriage didn't crumble with it.

Lee and Amanda sat in deafening silence for the next few miles. A ring from the car phone broke the tension.

"Yeah.." Lee answered.

"How far away are you?" Billy asked.

"I would guess we are about 15 minutes away."

"Good! You got Amanda?"

"Yeah, she's here with me."

"Alright. When you get her, take the service entrance. We will meet you out by the stables."

"Roger that" Lee said as he disconnected the call.