The Bosses:
Amanda and Lee after finally explaining themselves and making up the night before, awake refreshed in the morning. They do however have those pesky little discussions with their bosses to explain yesterday's altercations. Amanda wakes first and slowly and quietly lifts Lees arm off from around her body. She heads towards the bathroom and starts the shower, Lee hearing the shower running gets up to join his wife.
"Good morning darling", Lee says as he kisses her neck and then cups his hand around her face and kisses her. "How did you sleep?"
"Better", Amanda replies, as she is soaping herself and washing her hair. "I'm glad the secrets are out in the open; however, I am not looking forward to explaining to my boss, my behavior yesterday or that we both work for The Agency and neither of us knew it. What about you? What are you going to tell your boss? Billy Blue Note is it?"
"Actually, it's just Billy, but I kind of have to", Lee says. "They all know I have a wife named Amanda, and when I went running after you, calling your name, well they aren't stupid".
"Did you talk about me in the car back to your office?" Amanda asks.
"No, not a word", Lee says. "We were concerned people might be listening".
"Same for us". Amanda says.
After drying off and getting dressed for work, Amanda says, "if you don't mind getting the coffee started and maybe making me some bacon and a toasted cream cheese bagel, I'm going to call mother and ask if can stay with the boys while we are out of town. Then I guess tonight we should talk about what comes next."
"What do you mean 'what comes next'?" Lee asks.
"Well, we may work in different branches, but we both work for The Agency, neither the wiser. What is their policy? Will it be status quo? Will we start working together or will one of us have to make a choice and give up what we've been doing all these years? I'm sure those questions will be asked of us today". Amanda states.
"Very good points. Yes, another big conversation tonight. I'll go make your breakfast and you call your mother." Lee says.
Amanda gets on the phone and calls her mother. After a couple of rings, the line is picked up. "Curt, hi, this is Amanda. Is my mother there? She is? Can I speak with her please?" Her mother and Curt have been married a couple of years. After Joe died, her mother stepped up and helped with the boys so she could work full-time. She met Curt six months after Joe died. She initially took flying lessons from him, but they didn't become serious until over a year later. Her mother, a beautiful woman had several suitors, but she put her life on hold for Amanda. She was still living with Amanda when Lee came along, and it wasn't until after Lee moved in, that she let herself fall in love again after Amanda's father died many years earlier. When Lee and Amanda married, she stayed another six months before moving in with Curt. They later married.
"Mother, good morning", Amanda says. (pause) "We are doing good, thank you. Are you going to be around this week? (pause) You are? Great! Lee and I are going to be out of town for a few days and hope you can stay with the boys. They can take care of themselves, breakfast and projects after school, we just want someone there overnight and you are the perfect someone. Can you help us out? (pause) great! I'll email you the details. Love you." Amanda says before hanging up the phone.
Amanda heads downstairs hearing lots of chatter. Lee is making breakfast for everyone; the boys are putting plates out as their father questions them about their day.
"Good Morning everyone", Amanda says with a smile on her face. "Philip, Jamie, I just got off the phone with your grandmother. She will be staying with you while your father and me are out of town".
As he munches on a piece of bacon, Philip asks, "mom, dad? Are you ever going to take a real vacation? Just the two of you. I'm sure you have a lot of miles banked from all your trips".
Jamie adds, "Maybe even do a family vacation?"
"Well, if I ever heard a hint, that is one", Lee comments. "Maybe when we get back, we can plan on something for the whole family. It has been a long time since we've had one. Amanda honey?"
"Yes, sweetheart?" Amanda replies, as she bites into her bagel.
"I think it's time we head off to work, more meetings remember?" Lee adds.
"Ok, kids, we have to take off. Finish your breakfast and load the dishwasher before you go to school. We will talk about a family vacation later. Maybe see if your grandmother and Uncle Curt want to come along". Amanda says.
When Dotty married Curt, the boys didn't feel comfortable calling him grandpa. Sure, Lee adopted them, and he was the only man in their mother's life they knew, but they were younger then. They didn't know Curt, until after Lee moved in and then more often when their grandmother moved in with Curt, so a compromise was made, and they called him Uncle Curt instead.
Amanda finishes her bagel and cream cheese, licking her fingers before she and Lee head out the door, Amanda heading towards her Jeep and kisses her husband good-bye. "Good luck", she says.
Lee bringing her in for a deeper kiss, "good luck to you too, Mrs. Stetson" He hops on his motorcycle and before Amanda can get her keys in the ignition, he roars off.
"Show off", Amanda mutters under her breath. "I hope it rains tonight. Maybe it will teach you get a more sensible vehicle to take to work".
They each head in opposite directions. Amanda's office is closer, and she arrives in the garage, heads to the elevator and punches the button for the third floor. As the door opens, she takes a deep breath. She steps off expecting to see Francine tapping her foot on the floor waiting for her, but luckily no one is nearby, so she makes a dash for her office, closes the door and starts making notes not only for the Dubai trip, but an explanation of her marriage and spy husband.
About ten minutes later her assistant knocks on the door and says, "you are wanted in Ms. Emily's office", he gives her an apologetic smile as the gossip has already gone around the water cooler several times. The secret is out.
"Thank you, Brian, it looks like I'm going to be awhile, could you work on my itinerary while I'm terminal hell?" Amanda half laughs.
"Yes mamm", he replies.
Amanda hands off her travel papers and grabs her notes and walks to Francine's office. The door is ajar, so she knocks. "Do you want to sit in while I explain myself to Emily or do you want the full scoop and take a long lunch?" Amanda asks.
"As much as it would delight me in seeing you squirm, I have some work to do, so why not lunch? Besides I want much more details than you will give to Emily", Francine says.
Amanda slowly walks to Emily's office and knocks.
"Enter", Emily says. "I was wondering when you would show your face. You have some explaining to do about your behavior yesterday. Take a seat please. Why don't you tell me the whole story starting with I didn't know I married a spy"?
Quietly Amanda says, "I didn't know Lee worked for the Agency until yesterday, and while it sounds absurd, he didn't know about me either. As you know Francine brought me in while I was still married to Joe. I knew the rules, Joe didn't know, my mother didn't know. No one did. When I met Lee, that's his name. When I met him, I thought he was an independent film director. Small stuff. I saw some of his documentaries, I guess that was a front, but he made me watch them and it seemed believable. We fell in love; I didn't ask him too many questions because I thought he might start asking me a lot of questions. It never occurred to us we both worked for the Agency and are agents". Amanda does something she hasn't done in years, not since her mother caught her sneaking back in the house when she was dating Lee and the boys were still young, she begins to chew on her fingernails preparing to be reprimanded.
"Amanda", Emily starts, "I'm surprised, I'm sure you were too based on your reaction yesterday. You are a good agent. My understanding is this Lee is too. I can't say I'm disappointed since you never broke cover, you never revealed secrets; however, this does not look good for The Agency. Did you even do a background check on him when you started dating? If it weren't for the fact you must be in Dubai in two days, I'd bench you. But you are still the best we have, despite your lack of poor investigation".
"Emily, I'm not trying to make excuses", Amanda says, "but I did do a background check. Apparently, their cover is as good as ours. You know full well, all departments acted independently".
"Amanda, as I stated, you are already deep in this Dubai thing. I can't pull you off now. Francine will be there too and when this mission is over, I strongly recommend we all meet and come up with a compromise to continue", Emily says.
"You mean I'm not fired?" Amanda asks.
"I'm sure the top people would want that, but your record more than speaks for itself. You are too valuable and know far too much. No, you are not fired. Go finish your research and from what I've heard, you and Francine have a lot of catching up to do. If you complete everything by lunch, you both have the rest of the day off", Emily says.
Across town.
Lee parks in the lot and trudges towards the building, nodding to Mrs. Marsden when he opens the door. He heads towards the closet elevator and descends a few floors. He steps off, rearranges the clothes and hears Billy's booming voice, "Scarecrow! My office, NOW!"
Apparently, the grapevine gossip has not reached the rest of the team, yet as Beaman asks, "what did you do now? I haven't seen him this mad since Jeannie spilled coffee on his favorite suit."
"Shut the door behind you Lee", Billy loudly says. "Details, spill. How could you be so foolish to marry another spy? Didn't you do your homework?" Billy continues peppering him with questions. Lee just waits until Billy stops his shouting to explain himself.
"Billy, I didn't know. Amanda didn't either. I know it sounds stupid, but it's the truth. I did a through background check on her a couple of months of dating when I knew I was falling for her. There were no red flags. I can't give you any excuses because I don't think either one of us did anything wrong. We fell in love. What you decide to do about that is in your hands, but I don't deserve that tone of voice. Am I benched for Dubai? I have done my research and you can't replace me with someone else in the next two days", Lee explains.
By this time, Billy has calmed down and takes a deep breath, he says, "no you are not benched. The Agency can't afford to bring in another agent mid-stream and Beaman doesn't have the talent you have. When this mission is over, Amanda's department and ours are going to have a sit down. The boy's upstairs are not happy. Until then, finish whatever research you need to complete, then I'll take you out for a drink before you head home to your spy wife", Billy starts chuckling, "you really didn't know? That's classic".