On the way to work, Lee called Francine and asked if she could set up a meeting with Billy, away from the office.
Francine had met her catch not long after Lee and Francine had worked the Tracy Austin case together. He wasn't a mover or shaker in Washington, per se, but "he was quite a catch." That's what she had said when she met and started dating the Washington Redskins receiver that stole her heart. Lee had laughed thinking he might not be a catch, but he sure could catch. As much as Lee admired the guy as a player, he felt a protective streak in the early days of Francine's new relationship and he kept an eye on the player.
Billy had been the agency head since Dr. Smith was fired following the Hollinsworth case. He was often home more for Jeannie and he relished that time. Lee very much understood why Billy became increasingly more protective of his time with his wife. It seemed the older that Lee had gotten, the more he recognized how short the time with his own wife was.
Francine and her football player were quite serious by the time that Billy was hired for the agency head. While Francine wouldn't admit it at the time, even to herself, her new relationship was heading down the aisle and she was rethinking what was important to her. When it came open, she applied for and took Billy's position as section chief.
Lee, Francine, and Amanda spent a lot of time talking about her new relationship and the new opportunities at the agency. Francine made sure that Lee didn't want the Billy's former position before she even applied. After all Lee had been through she would have given up the position for him. She would have given it up for Amanda too, which surprised her a bit at the time, but Amanda hadn't been a full agent long enough. They had talked about her new relationship and how being an agent full time didn't allow a person to give a relationship a fair shot. They talked about how it wasn't fair to her new love that she put herself in that much danger day in and day out. Those conversations had been hard, especially for Lee, because they knew she was right. But, then again, they were together and they wanted to continue to work together. Lee knew that Amanda's life at home grounded and centered her but it was her work that challenged and excited her. She deserved the opportunity to have something like that in her life. He really didn't want to come out of the field either and sharing the crazy life of an agent with his wife was something special. Something most don't get to experience, well, he didn't know of anyone since it was against agency policy. That thought brought him back to the moment.
"Mind your manners," Lee said when Francine answered. He knew Francine would recognize the old code. They were getting so old that not many did anymore.
"Lee?" Francine was worried now. She knew this must relate to the time before Hollinsworth case. Before Lee Steadman. It was early which usually wasn't a good thing if Lee was already headed in.
Lee smiled hearing the worry in her voice, "everything is fine. Don't worry. We just need to talk." He was quick to re-assure her. He didn't want her to worry and he wanted to put her at ease as soon as possible. He'd learned as he met Amanda how to sense when a woman was worried. It wasn't something he'd thought about all that much before Amanda.
"Ok, Pilgrim's Peach Landing, then?"
"Yeah sounds good. Billy should join us. Just let me know what time."
It was less than five minutes later when Billy called Lee. "Lee, what's this about, is everything ok?"
"Yeah, Billy," Lee said cheerfully, "everything is fine." He thought back to how his family had taken the revelations they shared yesterday, how happy he was to really feel like part of his family, and the relief of it all.
Billy could hear the tone in Lee's voice and he calmed down. "Well, can you give me about 20 minutes to get over there?"
"Yeah Billy, it'll take at least that long for me to get there. I'll call Amanda."
"Okay," Billy answered wondering if Lee really would have to call her to tell her.
"Hey, don't rush and take it easy getting over there. There's no fire. It's not an emergency."
They met in the field where Amanda had landed her first helicopter. Amanda had set up a picnic blanket and extra blankets for warmth along with some of the cookies her mother had baked while they had been out of town.
After they had all sat down and Amanda had poured each of them some coffee, Lee laid back on his arm and side and began to speak, "Something happened in Tennessee that we didn't share with you in the debriefing. There's just some things the four of us have agreed not to speak about at the office. And, to be honest, it needed to be dealt with fully once we got back. Apparently, Efraim's intel fell short. Jaime was at the party that the Senator held while we were down there. To Beaman's credit, he was assigned the security detail at the last minute after Jaime's big case in New York was wrapped up in time. But, we didn't know he was there- I didn't know until Jaime spotted me and came up to talk to me. Apparently, he remembered me even after all these years- after all that happened when he was kidnapped, I can understand why." Lee's expression clouded before starting to smile as he remembered how quickly the whole deal at the party had gone down. "We had no more begun speaking when the Senator called us over to where he was standing to formally introduce the two of us- and Amanda who was standing right beside the Senator. I knew the gig was up. The Senator would introduce us as agents and as husband and wife. I managed to lean over to Jaime as we walked to tell him it was going to be weird and that we needed to keep our game faces on. Sure enough, Senator Long gave Jaime the golden nugget."
Francine, "Oh my, Amanda, that's not how you planned it. After all the work we've done over the years to make sure he didn't find out. . . How did he take it?"
"Oh, I wish you guys had been there," Amanda replied. "He handled it so well. You couldn't tell things were crumbling down around him. There was no way anyone would have known. I actually contemplated for a second whether he already knew because he didn't show his own shock. He was so gracious in meeting us and said he was sorry he didn't get to work with the legendary Lee and Amanda on this case."
"Yeah," Lee said. "He even said it would have been an honor. To be honest, I almost lost it right there in front of the Senator. Well, he pretty well figured it all out before we could explain. You two know that Amanda and I have kept so many secrets over the years and there's been so many lies over the years just trying to make it all work. He figured out the one secret that we've never told the two of you. I can't tell you how many times we've wanted to tell you but we knew it just wasn't safe. It could be someone's big ticket if they wanted to harm any of us. But, agency policy be damned." Lee's looked over at Amanda and took her hand and his voice softened, "Amanda and I are married."
Francine was clearly in shock, "How long?"
Amanda's head dropped, as if keeping this secret from Francine wouldn't hurt Francine enough, Amanda feared knowing how long they'd kept the secret from her would ruin their friendship. "19 years. Just before I was shot, that was on our honeymoon. Our 20th anniversary will be in February."
Amanda couldn't even look Francine in the eye. She turned her attention to Billy, "Billy, I,"
"I've known for quite some time," Billy interrupted. "I found out at the beginning of Hollinsworth case and by the time we had resolved that case, I understood why you kept it a secret. As we started burying your full identities at the agency, I buried the records of your marriage as well. Oh, I wanted nothing more at the time than to talk to the two of you about it and about how all that had transpired with your family had affected you. But, I chose to respect your wishes. I don't know how the two of you continued to do so well in your casework after that. As the boys got older and you two requested more out of town assignments, I tried to oblige as much as possible. I told Francine Lee probably wanted to share so many of his travels with you."
Lee regarded his friend Billy. "Thanks Billy. We made it through because we had each other. Billy, Francine, we understand agency policy. We were planning to wait to tell our family until after my birthday, but when Jaime found out, that time table went out the window. We told them all our secrets, well, the big ones, yesterday. And, we didn't want to keep this happy secret anymore. I know it may mean we can't work in the field together, but I'm ok with that. It that's the case, we are as prepared to retire if need be as we would be in a few months."
"Let's figure out the work stuff later," Francine said. "How did Jaime figure it all out? How did the family take it? How are you all doing?"
"Oh, Francine," Amanda exclaimed and she gave Francine a hug. "We've just shared this huge deception with you and you're worried about us. You've become my best friend over the years, well next to Lee." She smiled. "I was so worried I'd lose you as friend when we told you."
"You're not getting rid of me that easy," Francine replied.
Lee smiled, "we met Jaime on the veranda but there were video cameras. He played it off as if he wanted to take a walk with the legendary Lee and Amanda to swap stories. So smooth and calm- he's amazing, certainly a better agent than I was at his age. He'd already put the pieces together or at least the big ones. His first question was to confirm we were married and find out how long. I told him the story of how his mom came to this business when we met at the train station and a little of the in-between. I explained why we kept it all a secret. I think it's easier for him to understand- especially after we explained that the Hollinsworth case led to us realizing how secret it all must be. He wound up on the same plane going home."
Lee laughed, "the younger Beaman is much like his father. It didn't take much for Amanda to convince him he would rather trade seats with Jaime so he could sit next to an attractive blonde out of his league allowing Jaime to sit by us."
Francine smiled, "sounds just like Efraim."
"Jaime and I had a heart to heart on the plane. To be honest that moment was one I'll cherish forever- finally getting to talk to my son again. Amanda and I knew we couldn't ask him to keep our secrets from Dotty and Phillip and certainly didn't want him to get caught in the web of lies those secrets have weaved. So, after the debriefing, we met everyone at Amanda's house."
He smiled, "Francine do you remember Yankee Doodle Pot Pie?"
"Sorta," she smirked. "Mrs. Welch."
"Yup, well as luck would have it, that's what Ms. West was cooking for lunch. So we started from there. Jaime actually helped by reminding Phillip that he'd been the one to remember the code inside that music box. Jaime also helped to begin the telling of our biggest secret."
"I think he knew how to start to explain why we'd kept out relationship a secret in a way Phillip might understand," Amanda added. "After we broke the news that we were married we wanted to give them some time to process. Before we had left the Agency yesterday, we pulled our letters to them out of the safe. It had been so hard to write them but I don't think I was prepared for how hard it would be to tell them in person about our secret life- especially in a way that could help them understand why we kept them in the dark even after the boys became adults. We thought the letters might help. We let them be with their thoughts and our letters to give them time to process."
"What followed next was nothing short of a miracle," noted Lee.
"My mom came in the dining room and apologized to me- to me, as if she had something to apologize for."
"Jaime came in next. He called me dad." Lee said in astonishment and joy. He was choked up again. "Phillip came in and he apologized and thanked us for the sacrifices we had made. He thanked us. Then we all embraced." Lee looked off in the distance clearly cherishing the memory. "We were finally all together, a family. I was able to wrap my arms around my family. I was home. I don't guess I've ever felt anything like it."
Francine and Amanda had tears running down their faces. Billy smiled and regarded Amanda, Lee, and Francine. He was so glad they had found love in their life. There is nothing quite like having a family.
"Lee, Amanda, congratulations! Rather belatedly I know but I am really happy for you. I can't say that I didn't wonder a time or two about the nature of your relationship but I had no idea you were married. You've done a good job at keeping your secret. But I often found myself wondering what would happen if you started dating again. Huh, the joke was on me."
"Francine, we never wanted."
"Oh, I didn't mean it that way Amanda. I totally get why you've kept it a secret. I've felt for a long time that you two belonged together as more than just partners or even as friends. You two are so good for each other and your always seemed so much happier when you were together than when you were apart. I see why now. I just always figured you were worried about your jobs or losing your friendship. I am just so darn happy to find out you'd spent all these years together as a couple." Francine choked up.
"Brand and Greenwich," Billy called them by their second generation code names. "I have no problem with allowing our unspoken arrangement to continue. It's really up to you, and perhaps your family. What do you want to do?"
"I want to go camping with my family," Lee exhaled seemingly lost in his own thought, "I always missed out on the family adventures." Lee noticed everyone got quiet and it brought him back to the present. "Sorry, that was just the first thing that came to mind. I guess we really hadn't thought much about if we were allowed to stay in the field. I don't guess I know; I suppose we need to discuss it."
"Why don't the two of you take the day off and discuss it? There's no rush. Take all the time you need to decide. We won't have any new recruits for a while and with all the cutbacks we won't be able to replace you until we get them." Francine regarded them and was already beginning to formulate a little plan.
"You can certainly continue to work for the agency, obviously marriage has not hindered you, but I'm afraid that means you'll have to keep your marriage a secret too. You just never know when we might have a mole who could use that to stir some trouble up."
"Thank-you sir," Amanda smiled as she said sir and then continued, "thank-you, Billy, for all your help over the years. Now I know why we didn't have to navigate any more peacock dances."
They talked a while longer as they shared a new perspective on several of the cases they had been on and things that had happened. Billy shared that he or Francine would have been in California in an instant had he known at the time when Amanda was shot that they were married. They talked about how being married was a tremendous asset in cases. Lee shared some of their adventures to take vacation time together. They laughed and cried. But soon it was time for them all to leave their secret picnic place before someone started looking for them. Lee and Amanda said goodbye before deciding to drive up to their favorite small town with all the antiques. It would give then some time to talk.
As Billy and Francine were headed back to the agency, Francine called Billy. "Hey, do you have a few minutes to meet me at Marsh of the Mellow Man?"
Lee and Amanda walked and talked. Their lives had changed so much in the past two days yet some things hadn't changed a bit. They were closer to being a whole family again- and a whole couple rather than being married part time. Lee had gained a family that loved him. Yet, the circumstances that led to all the secrecy hadn't changed- they wouldn't until they were retired and could assume their real identities again- there new agency personas would just disappear into thin air. They had decisions to make but realized they didn't want to keep the family out of it. Lee and Amanda resolved to figure out some way to talk to the family about the decisions they had in front of them.
Then Amanda returned home to her house and Lee to his apartment- like they had for too many years. As Lee looked around his place, he realized it never felt as much like home as the relatively few times he'd been in Amanda's. He'd settled into this apartment years ago always keeping state of the art security. When he settled onto the couch, he felt that all too familiar ache. He missed his wife already. He smiled before pulling her picture out of his wallet's secret little compartment. It was a picture from one of Amanda's first cases without him. He'd seen her with groceries in hand and an umbrella and thought he'd go help her commandeering a cab. Only he'd startled her and she sunk to the ground before she realized it was him. He'd known for sure he was marrying her sooner rather than later when he saw that surveillance shot.
