If Anyone Could Manage It

Chapter 7

It was dark as Amanda tried to keep herself afloat in the deep ocean water that night. She thought then, berating herself, I wish I had listened to Lee and stayed at the Captain's Ball! What was I thinking? She then turned all around to see if she could find the ship, but to no avail! She thought she saw some sort of light in the northernly direction, but it had quickly faded! But maybe if I tried to follow it, she mused, I might reach it?

Her head was starting to hurt, and she felt around for any bumps anywhere, and feeling a small lump in the back, thought to herself, Ooh! I hope it's not bleeding! I don't remember hitting anything...

She began to get tired, and then suddenly heard Lee calling out for her, "AMANDA! AMANDA! ANSWER ME!"

Amanda, looking everywhere around, yelled as loud as she could, answering, "LEE! I"M HERE! LEE! HELP ME!"

But as she finally felt his strong arms grab her, her world went to black!

Amanda woke up, yelling, "NO!"

Looking around, she realized it was just a bad dream she had, and that she was safe at home!

Then. seeing the time on her clock radio, it was just after 2 A.M., and suddenly the phone rang and she picked it up quickly so as not to wake her family, and stated, "H-Hello?"

It was Billy. He remarked, "Amanda? I'm sorry it's so late, but I've come to pick you up. It's Lee...His infection has gotten worse. They have him in the ICU. He's been asking for you. I'm right outside in the driveway, alright?"

Amanda commented quickly, "Y-Yes, Sir. I'll be right there!"

Hanging up, she threw on her Georgetown sweatshirt and a pair of jeans and her sneakers, and brushing out her hair, put it up in a ponytail.

Then, rushing downstairs, left a short note to her mother on the kitchen counter, and grabbing her purse and keys, went out the front door , locking it.

As Amanda got into the car, she greeted Billy and putting on her seat belt, asked, "Sir? How bad is it? What happened?"

Billy shook his head as he pulled out of her driveway and left her neighborhood, stating gravely, "The foot infection's gotten worse since day before last... And they've been giving him a series of antibiotics to fight it, but now he's in a state of delirium...He- He believes you're dead-"

Gulping, Amanda stated in a whisper, "Oh my gosh! But I'm not, Sir-"

Putting up a hand quickly, Billy responded, "I know, Amanda...But Scardelli thinks maybe if you're there for support and some sense of comfort, it'll bring him around and back to normal...Look, I know things were tense when you returned from the cruise, but-"

Amanda nodded and answered quietly, "Yes, Sir. But I do care about him! I don't mean to upset him-"

Billy sighed commenting, "I know, but Lee spends so much time pushing people away when they offer help that...Anyway, I've tried reaching his uncle, but can't locate him yet-"

Amanda asked worriedly, "It can't be that bad, can it?"

When Billy didn't answer, Amanda swallowed hard and shrugged helplessly querying, "What can I possibly do now that hasn't already been done for him, Sir?"

Billy shrugged as he drove them on the interstate, heading into D.C. and remarked softly, "Anything you can to convince him that you are alive, and that you're not leaving him, alright?"

Amanda nodded and gulped, stating, "Yes, Sir...I'll do my best..."

As they reached Galilee General, Amanda prayed with all her might, that Lee would make it out of this!

Going up to the ICU Unit, Billy and Amanda got off the elevator, and seeing Francine coming out, Billy asked, "How is he, Francine?"

Swallowing, she shrugged answering sadly, "I dunno... When I told him I was here and that you were getting Amanda as he requested, he kept calling me a liar, that Amanda was dead, and to stop playing games with him! He-He was crying... I-I haven't seen him this out of it before, Billy...It-It scared me, you know?"

As Billy nodded patting her shoulder, Amanda went over to Francine, and taking her hands in her own, said quietly as she clasped them, "Don't you worry... I told Mr. Melrose that I'd do what I could, alright?"

As Francine nodded numbly, stating, "Thanks...Good luck.", Amanda then said to them, "Why don't you go to the cafeteria for a break? I'll send for you if there's any change...I promise."

Billy stated to Francine with a gesture, "You go ahead down...I want to check on him again for a moment."

Francine nodded and left, as Billy led Amanda in and they were soon at Lee's bedside, where Amanda was frightened by Lee's pallor!

She gasped commenting slowly, "He's so pale, Sir..."

Billy, nodding, gestured for Amanda to wait, and bending down to Lee, said softly, "Scarecrow? Amanda's here...She's really here, and I'm going to step out and give you two some time alone, alright? You'll be fine soon, Son..."

Patting Lee's shoulder in a fatherly fashion, he swallowed hard and remarked, looking then at Amanda, "Thank you for being here."

Amanda, nodding, gave Billy a hug, stating with a heavy sigh, "He-He has to come back...He just has to, Sir!"

Billy, squeezing Amanda's hands gently, commented, "From your mouth to God's ears, Amanda...Good luck..."

-SMK-

When Billy left, Amanda stared down at Lee Stetson, the man that plucked her out of the train station two years ago, the man who although exasperated her at times, somewhere along the line, had become her closest friend!

Sitting down in the chair at Lee's bedside, Amanda, reaching for Lee's hand, and holding it with both of her hands, chided him softly commenting, "You've always been a fighter, Lee...Don't you dare prove us wrong now...Besides, you haven't taken me to Milo's yet for "The best chili dog in the Eastern Seaboard"-a famous quote from you, I might add..."

After a few moments of mumbles and moans from Lee that made no sense to her, Amanda felt tears come to her eyes and slowly go down her cheeks, and gulped, bringing his hand to her cheek, asking him softly, "Where are you, Lee? Why can't you hear me?"

But in Lee's mind then, he was reliving that night in the ocean, trying to swim out in the darkness to save Amanda, who'd fallen off the ship somehow!

He couldn't see her, but hearing her yell and knew he was getting closer, called out, "I'M COMING, AMANDA! JUST KEEP YELLING, OKAY?!"

The second he reached her, he grabbed hold of her tightly , and hugging her, gasped with relief, "Oh, Thank God! It's okay, Amanda! We're gonna get help soon! Just hang onto me, okay?"

But when no sound came from her, Lee became terrified, and queried quickly, "A-Amanda?! Amanda! WAKE UP!"

Lee then heard noise, and then at once, he saw a light coming towards them...It was The Coast Guard!

He waved with one arm yelling frantically, "OVER HERE! WE'RE OVER HERE! HURRY UP! SHE'S PASSED OUT!"

Soon, he and Amanda were helped out of the water, but when the medical people began working on her , and stayed with it for almost twenty minutes, they shook their heads and said solemly, "It's too late, Mr. Stetson...She's gone..."

Lee shook his head disbelievingly and responded angrily, "NO! She's not dead! She's not!"

A week later, he attended Amanda's funeral from the shadows of her church. Her family and friends, people from her volunteer work had attended. The Agency , in the guise of IFF, had sent a card with a bouquet of her favorite flowers.

Seeing Amanda's mother, Dotty West, and Amanda's two boys, Phillip and Jamie King, looking so heartbroken, was more than Lee Stetson could take!

He waited until after the service was over and the family had left the church, so he could be alone with her one last time.

Lee went into the church, and seeing her coffin up front, he gulped, and went to sit in a front pew.

Shaking his head sorrowfully, he choked back tears as he said, "I'm so sorry, Amanda! It never should've come to this! You...You deserved so much better than me!"

And in the present moment, Amanda suddenly saw Lee, in delirium, begin to cry, and heard, "I'm sorry, Amanda, I'm so sorry," over and over again!

Amanda, frightened for Lee now, swallowed hard thinking, How can I bring him back here?! I have to figure out a way, and fast!

TBC