Dinner and Drinks
Amanda nearly finished reading the folder on Dubai for the 5th time and looking at the pictures, knows she needs a break. Her eyes are getting strained. She heads over to Francine's office and says. "Have you done your case work, because if you have, we can have that lunch and Emily is giving us the rest of the day off".
"Almost done", Francine says. "I can't wait to hear the low down for the past seven years. No wonder you've been hiding that husband of yours. He is gorgeous".
"I'm going to pack up and find us our regular booth at that Mexican place a few blocks over. I'll order our drinks and wait for you", Amanda says.
"See you soon", Francine replies as she waves Amanda out of the office.
Amanda grabs her files and tells Brian to take the afternoon off. She reaches the elevator, when it opens, she hits the button to the garage area and drives towards the restaurant. Unlike Lee, she has no qualms getting valeted as she will be bringing in her paperwork. The hostess shows her to a back booth. She orders a spicy Pomegranate Guava Margarita for herself and a Classic one with salt on the rim for Francine. Soon their drinks and chips and salsa arrive along with two menus. Amanda looks through hers and knows what she is going to order. Soon after, Francine finds her at their booth and sits down, eyes her drink and sips before looking at the menu. Amanda munches on the chips and salsa when Francine is ready.
Francine signals the waiter and they both place their orders. "Ok, I've waited long enough", Francine says, "spill; start from when you met what's his name, why you cut me out of your personal life to the present", she demands.
"Lee", Amanda says, "his name is Lee. After Joe died, it took me awhile to get over him and having you around was too much of reminder. I guess I was protecting myself and the boys by not including you in their lives anymore."
"Please tell me you didn't tell them I was dead?" Francine asks.
"No, I didn't tell them that. I just said you found a new job out of the country. I sent gifts to them every so often, usually when I was travelling, but when Lee came along a year later, I stopped the gifts, telling them you were very busy". I couldn't have my home life interfere with my work life. I did the required background check on him and he came up clean". Amanda then fills her in on the same explanation she gave Emily. "As you know, we moved to a nice home and Lee adopted Philip and Jamie. Philip had few memories of Joe and Jamie none and I wanted to give them a father and Lee wanted them in his life too. It was unexpected, but we fell in love and he has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I was too afraid to include him in my real life at NTA, believing he would leave me".
In between telling Francine her story, she munches on the chips and salsa and drinks her Pomegranate Guava Margarita and waves her hand to get another, Francine does the same and by this time their order has arrived.
Francine, waiting patiently for Amanda to finish her story, injects and says, I wish I could have met him. We could have had our cover story. I would have supported you. I missed seeing your boys grow up. I was after all their Godmother".
Amanda apologizes and says, "I am so sorry, looking back now, I wish I'd handled things differently. Maybe when this whole thing is over, you can come for dinner, I'm sure the boys and especially mother would love to see you again after all these years. I think Philip may remember you. I'd send him pictures along with the gifts".
Francine says, "you are forgiven for now, but on the plane, I want to know more about Lee and find out for myself if he is the right man for you".
"Francine", Amanda protests. "please do not interrogate him like you do when we have someone in the hot box. I know he is as curious as you are".
They continue eating their meal as they have their conversation.
"So", Francine asks, "what about this Billy Blue Note? Do you know anything about him?"
"Not much, except that his real name is Billy Melrose", Amanda replies.
Before finishing their meal, they go over each other's notes and then Francine asks, "dessert and one more for the road?"
"How about a Mexican hot chocolate and sopillas to go? Maybe I'll bring some extras for Lee and the boys", Amanda adds.
Francine replies, "sounds good, but this conversation is far from over. I want to meet this husband of yours and we can talk more later. I do think its time to head home. Day after tomorrow we have to head out of town".
They walk outside and wait for the valet to bring them their cars. They hug goodbye and both say, "see you tomorrow".
Drinks with Billy:
Lee works on his paperwork in the Q Bureau and looks intently at the pictures. Then he starts in on the agents he and Amanda will meet on the plane to Dubai, trying to see if he can place anyone, he doesn't recognize. Soon he is bug-eyed. His eyes are strained and can't focus anymore. He heads to Billy's office and the door is open, he pokes his head in and asks, "is this a good time?"
Billy replies, "I am closing the folder on Beaman's assignment. Tomorrow we will go over anything you've missed and prepare the set up for the plane, but I did promise you drinks. Are you ready to go?"
"Most definitely. My eyes are so tired from looking at the same thing over and over. I can't concentrate on anything else right now except for drinks at Nedlingers", Lee responds.
Billy and Lee walk over to Nedlinger's, Lee orders a scotch and Billy a beer.
Billy asks, "so, tell me about Amanda, more than what little you have revealed. Is she to be trusted?"
"Billy, she is the best thing that has ever happened to me. You know I was a ladies man before I met her. But once I did, no other woman could compare. I was on assignment, posing as a bartender at the art function about seven years ago remember? Trying to find that forger when the most beautiful woman I ever saw, approachs me and order two glasses of white wine. I was disappointed, thinking she was on a date, but she turns around and hands it to a woman, who I later found out was her mother. They were there, looking at art and I asked for her number. She said no, excused herself to use the ladies room and that's when her mother approached me and said, 'give me your card, I'll make sure she calls you'. So, I completed my assignment and a couple of days later, she called me".
Lee orders another scotch and Billy another beer. Lee continues as he can tell Billy wants to know more. "I found out she had been widowed for about a year and working at NTA. A travel agency where she travels and writes articles. I read some of her work and it was good, very good. I knew I couldn't let her go. That's when I followed Agency protocol and did the required background check on her. It was a very long week before I got the news, she was clean. I asked her to marry me several times, but finally she said 'yes'. Her boys had lost their father and they saw a lot of me when we were dating and I knew they were part of the package, and I loved them as much as I loved her. While we were planning the wedding, I asked her if I could adopt her boys and she said 'yes, but Philp and Jamie', that's their names, had to agree. They were still young and had very little memories of their father, so they were happy to have me in their mother's life and wanted to me to be part of theirs, so they also said yes. We soon married, about a year after we met, and it's been five years now. So, yes. I trust her. We both kept secrets about working for the Agency, but they are not our rivals. She is not working for the other side. Billy, you have Jeannie and you have a life outside the Agency, that's what I want too. When this Dubai thing is over, I want you to meet her; I mean really meet her. You will see what I see. She is trustworthy, talented and a wonderful mother to our kids".
Billy says, "okay, you've sold me so far, but I do want to meet the woman who has stolen your heart. Once this mission is complete, bring her over for dinner. Jeannie loves to cook for others, then just me. Also, I don't want you riding on that death cycle tonight after the drinks you have had. Either take an Uber or I'll drive you home. You can get your motorcycle tomorrow. Maybe have Amanda drop you off. She can see where you work."
"That's probably a good idea", Lee says. "Thank you, Billy, for listening and willing to give Amanda a chance".
Lee decides to take an Uber and when he gets home, Amanda is already there, cleaning up after the boys and when she sees the Uber drop him off, she smiles and thinks to herself, "must have been drinking a lot to leave his precious bike somewhere". She warms up the sopillas and adds some ice cream in two bowls, waiting for him to walk in the door, eager to find out about his day.