Disclaimer: Nothing related to SMK is owned by me. No copyright infringement is intended.
A/n, hello, everyone. This is the first chapter of a short multi-chapter story addressing Lee and Amanda coming clean about their secret marriage. The date is February 13th of 1988, their first anniversary.
Lee stretched and groaned. He turned over the embrace Amanda, but she still slept. He rolled his eyes at the slight whistle from her nose every time she released a breath.
"Let it go, Stetson," he whispered. "She's here with you, and no minor annoyance will come between you."
Amanda's eyes began to flutter as they did when she was starting to wake. He loved watching her rejoin the world after a night in dreamland. She turned to her back and yawned. He dodged out of the way when she stretched, then turned around to face him. "Hey," she said and reached over for a kiss.
"Hey, yourself."
"What time is it?"
"It's a little after 9 am."
Amanda smiled and pushed up to sit with her back at the headboard. "It's so nice to have a morning without rushing around to get the boys out the door and then get to work or dash back here from your place."
Lee reached for her face and cupped it tenderly, "I know it's been rough for the last year, but this won't last much longer."
Amanda sighed and put a hand on her belly. Then she said. "Close your eyes, Lee."
"Why?"
"I have a surprise for you."
"Amanda," Lee protested.
"I promise you won't be disappointed."
Lee blew out a breath and closed his eyes. He heard Amanda leave the bed, rustling, and a drawer opening and closing. He was about to speak when he felt his wife rejoin him in her bed. "Okay, you can look."
He opened his eyes and saw her holding a thin package wrapped in red paper with a golden bow. "Happy Anniversary, sweetheart."
Lee took the package and tore off the paper. It was a manilla folder. "Amanda, thank you, but a file folder –"
"Look inside, silly," Amanda commanded with a smile.
He opened it, and tears filled his eyes. "Oh, Amanda. How did you get this?"
"The technician gave it to me. I have a videotape we can watch as well."
Lee stared avidly at the black-and-white ultrasound photo capture. Seeing their baby, even if it were so tiny he could barely make out the shape, sent waves of happiness he'd thought lost to him after the death of his parents.
"I-" He went silent and then wiped a tear from his cheek. "Thank you. Seeing the baby and hearing the heartbeat with you was so wonderful. I thought it'd be the last time until it was born. This is so amazing."
He leaned over and kissed her until she had to push him away for lack of breath. "You're welcome, darling. I love seeing you so happy."
"I am. You gave me a reason to live outside of my agency – secret agent life. I'll love you forever, Amanda Stetson."
"I love when you call me that," Amanda said and laughed when he tickled her.
"Stop!" She gasped out. "I'm hungry."
"Okay, but first, I have something for you."
"Do I have to close my eyes?" Amanda teased.
"I should make you, but no," Lee shot back. He turned over, reached down, and pulled a package from under the bed. "I hope you like it."
Amanda opened the box and found a necklace with a golden dragon dangling from the chain. She lifted it out and held it up. "It's beautiful, Lee."
He grinned at her and reached for it. As he put it around her neck, he explained. "Well, as you know, the first anniversary is usually paper. I nearly went nuts trying to figure out what to get for you. Then I started thinking about Khai and our secret marriage."
"Lee –"
"Let me finish," Lee said softly. "I thought about the clues we found in the Chinese apothecary. I went back and asked the gentleman behind the counter. He suggested zhezi, which is traditional paper folding, like Japanese origami. He even taught me a lesson, but I couldn't make it work as I wanted. He also told me this year is the year of the dragon, so I bought that for you. "
"Oh, it's lovely, but I want to see what you did with the paper folding."
"No, trust me, you wouldn't. However, I found it intriguing and can see how it might be relaxing if the stakes aren't high."
"Maybe we could learn it together and see if the boys might like it."
Lee smiled. "A good activity for the family," he teased.
"Sure, but I do love this," Amanda said.
"The year of the dragon means you have the characteristics of the dragon. Those born in the year of the dragon are ambitious dreamers. They are brilliant and work hard with great initiative. They are a person with loving hearts. It reminds me of you," Lee said and kissed Amanda."I love you, Amanda. I'm so glad we're married and have a child on the way."
"Lee, I'm starting to show now. We can't keep this a secret anymore. Mother looked at me with the expression she gets every time I'm in trouble for keeping something important from her. I want her to know I found the most amazing man and will have his baby in four months. I don't want to hear her lecture me about getting pregnant by a man that hasn't married me. Not to mention the talking to you're going to get from her when she thinks you don't care enough to propose and –"
"Amanda," Lee interrupted. "You're right."
Amanda met his eyes. "I am."
"Yes. As I said, I've been thinking about what happened with Khai. We can't let it scare us forever. It's time to tell everyone. We'll tell Billy on Monday, and then we'll tell the boys and your mom. I don't know what Billy will say when he finds out we've spilled the covert intelligence beans, but I don't care. I love my job, but I love you and my new family more."
"Oh, Lee," Amanda pulled him down for a long kiss, making his toes tingle to the top of his head.
"Come on. I bought sparkling cider, and I'll make you my specialty for brunch."
Amanda chuckled. "We must communicate better because I have the fixings for your favorite waffles."
"With whipped cream and raspberries," Lee asked, throwing back the covers.
"Yes."
"We'll have both. It's Sunday, and we're off. A little indulgence won't hurt us."
"You sure you can deal with two of us in the kitchen simultaneously," Amanda asked as she reached for her robe.
"I can if you can."
"I can. Dibbs on the shower," Amanda said, dashing past him to her bathroom.
"Hey," Lee called out good-naturedly, but then he smiled and pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt. He'd shower later.
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK
"That was a fantastic brunch," Lee said as he poured more sparkling cider into one of Amanda's champagne flutes.
"Are you sorry that's not the real thing," Amanda nodded to the beverage before taking a sip from her flute.
"No, I mean - sure, a little, but I'm not drinking wine when you can't, Amanda. That's hardly fair to you, and I like sparkling cider. It's a nice change."
"I miss a nice glass of wine, but as you say. It's for the baby. We're going to have the healthiest infant in the world."
"Yes, we are," Lee said and clinked his glass with hers.
"I can't believe Billy gave us three days off. I wish we had more time, but mother and the boys will be back tomorrow, and then it's back to –"
"Let's not think about it. They're not due until 4 pm tomorrow. We have plenty of alone time."
Amanda narrowed her eyes at him. "You wore me out last night. I thought you were supposed to pamper a pregnant woman. Relaxation is key."
Lee waggled his eyebrows and smiled. His dimples on display made Amanda smirk. "Are you saying last night wasn't - relaxing?"
"It was," Amanda said.
"Good. I was afraid I'd lost my touch."
Amanda sighed, then stood up. "Come on, Scarecrow, and help me clean up."
Fifteen minutes later, they laughed and argued about who would wash and dry when the front door opened, and Dotty said. "Amanda. I'm home."
"She's early," Lee said.
"I know, but – you're in your slippers, and it's February," Amanda hissed.
For the first time in Lee's life since meeting Amanda, he froze like a deer in headlights. He stood and stared at the doorway while Amanda lost her head and tried to put one of their plates in the fridge.
"Amanda."
Dotty hurried into the kitchen and stopped short. "Lee. I didn't expect to see you – why are you in your robe, Amanda? It's nearly eleven, and – what is going on? Lee Stetson!"
"You're early, mother," Amanda squeaked.
"Yes. Captain Curt twisted his ankle, and we decided to come home early. I stayed at his place last night to play nurse and came home this morning because he decided to go to the emergency clinic."
"Oh, I'm sorry. How is he?"
"He'll be fine. Now, what is going on here."
"Mother, I'm sure you – "
"Yes, I know what's going on – I'm a little surprised – you said you were going to spend the weekend alone and – "
"Dotty," Lee said and gave Amanda a look. "Let's go sit down." "We hoped to tell you with the boys here, but it might be better if they didn't hear the entire story," Lee said as they sat.
"And what is the story," Dotty asked as she removed the white coat she wore over a red sweater and black slacks.
"Amanda and I eloped a year ago. It's our first anniversary today. Also, she's pregnant."
Dotty's eyebrows went up. "I wondered why you'd gained weight. But you're married. A year ago. Then in California – you were –"
"Yes, our honeymoon. I wanted to tell you then, but –"
"Why didn't you? Amanda! What is going on?"
"Mother. I'm sorry we lied to you. We thought we had a good reason. Then I found out I was pregnant, and then we –"
"Realized that you had to tell me. What if you hadn't become pregnant, Amanda? Would you be telling me about your marriage?"
"Honestly," Lee said. "I don't know."
"Lee, don't take this wrong, but I want to hear this from Amanda."
"Mother, Lee, and I are intelligence agents for the government. We hid out marriage because we feared someone might use you against us."
"What? Amanda. This isn't funny – "
"It's true," Lee said and quailed under the black look Dotty gave him. "I'm sorry, Dotty. I never wanted to get Amanda involved in my job, but – "
"I'll tell you all about it," Amanda said.
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK
Three hours later, Dotty sat staring at her cup of coffee. They were silent until she said. "You've been working as a spy for five years, and you never – Amanda, what were you thinking?"
"I – mother – I never intended to – "
"Don't say you never intended for the deception to go on this long," Dotty cried. "You could've told me anytime."
"No, we couldn't," Amanda said. "Telling you now could get us fired or separated, but – we decided to tell you and the boys anyway because of the baby, and we couldn't take lying to you anymore."
"So, what are you going to tell the boys," Dotty said.
"I have an idea about that, mother. I'll tell you in a minute." Amanda looked over at Lee, and he nodded.
"You have to keep the secret now, Dotty," Lee said. "Can you do it?"
Dotty sighed and put her hands over her face. Then she looked at Lee. "I can, but I'm unsure when I'll forgive you."
"I understand."
"Mother!"
"It's alright, Amanda," Lee said. "Your mom's right."
Dotty stood, and then she went to Lee and hugged him so tightly he thought she might crack a rib. "I should kick you out of here, Lee Stetson, but I keep remembering the anguish on your face when Amanda was in the hospital in California and the desperation in your eyes. I knew you loved her, and I hoped that one day you'd marry."
"Thank you," Lee said. "I will do everything I can to earn your trust from today forward."
"Me too," Amanda said.
"Oh, Amanda," Dotty said, tears streaming down her cheeks. They hugged for a long time, and when they parted, Dotty said. "I love you, Amanda. I'm so proud of you and can't wait for this new baby."
"Me too," Amanda said.
"Why don't I clean up the mess in the kitchen, and you two talk," Lee suggested.
He decided to drag out his clean-up as long as possible. Lee shook his head and said quietly to the empty kitchen. "You're Scarecrow, damn it. You are not intimidated by Dotty West."
Unfortunately, Lee realized that he was frightened of his mother-in-law. Still, he cared for her because she raised Amanda as the woman he loved more than life. That didn't mean Lee didn't need to collect his thoughts. He turned to the mess and sighed. "Thank goodness for dishes that need washing."