Passageway

Chapter 5

Lee drove slowly into the entrance of the park. Parking near the opposite side, he got out of the car and looking around spotted Amanda's car near the ball field.

Sighing, he carefully made his way over not having the slightest idea what he would say to her.

The talk she had with Dotty really must have done her in! Swallowing hard he got to the passenger side and gently tapped on the window.

Amanda jumped slightly and seeing it was only Lee unlocked the door to let him in.

Lee got in closing the door and stated, "Hi. Are-are you okay?"

Amanda gulped as she wiped her eyes and sighed replying, "Define okay? I was going to head to the session and then work when Mother insisted I stay and tell her what's really going on with us! By the way, it would've been helpful had you stayed to offer support-"

Lee retorted angrily,"You told me you decided to tell her-you asked me if you could mention the job! And to be clear she's not only upset with you now, but she laid into Billy pretty good as well and she also wants me to come over for dinner to give me the business! Boy, this is some perfect life we mapped out for ourselves, isn't it?"

Amanda nodded numbly as tears came down her cheeks and she wiped them away asking, "So, what do we do now? How do we get ourselves out of this mess?"

Lee looked at her and shrugged chuckling lightly as he responded, "We-we can't, Sweetheart! The mess has been made and the only thing we can do now is try to clean it up as best we can. Um, that reminds me. Bridget's gone on vacation as of a little while ago and she won't be back for a couple of weeks. She said to tell you she was sorry she missed you."

Amanda sorrowfully remarked, "But I really needed to talk to her today! Especially after what happened at the house earlier-"

Lee cut her off quickly querying, "Then why didn't you just go to the session immediately after that? Or, here's a novel idea. Why didn't you just come to me instead?!"

Amanda yelled, "Because any time we're together lately, all we do is argue!"

Lee gritted his teeth and sighed replying, "Yeah, and it's always about the same garbage! That night in Monterey! Since when have you NOT been able to depend on me, huh?! I've gotten you out of more jams than I can count since we met-"

Amanda then whispered icily, "Except once-"

Lee yelled, "I was there that night! I was chained up in the other room but I was there! I heard everything! Didn't you hear me yelling for him to stop or I'd kill him?!"

Amanda countered angrily with, "No! Because I was too busy trying to fight him off and screaming myself!"

She began sobbing all over again as the memory washed over her and Lee gently pulled her to him and holding her rubbed her back as he fought back tears and gasped stating, "I'm-I'm so sorry, Baby! I'm so sorry!"

They sat like that for a while and finally when they were calmer Lee asked gently, "So, what do you want to do about tonight? Because I really don't wanna go ten rounds with Dotty. I care about her but from what just happened here I'd say that we both aren't up to it, you know?"

Amanda sighed as she blew her nose and wiped her eyes answering, "Well, can we go back to the apartment for a while? I'm feeling kinda drained myself."

Lee gently kissed her temple and whispered, "You bet."

He opened the passenger door and responded, "Hey. Why don't you leave the car here and I'll drive us back and we'll pick it up on our way to the house later for dinner, okay?"

But Amanda shook her head commenting, "No, I'm okay to drive now. You go ahead and I'll follow, all right? Really. I'm fine now."

Kissing her gently Lee remarked, "Okay. On the way, I'll call Billy and tell him we needed to talk so the day is done for us anyway, huh? See you in a bit."

Amanda nodded as he shut the door and headed to his car. Shaking her head she thought as she watched her husband get into his car and start it up, Maybe this is what Bridget meant by shaking things up as we talked. To get our relationship back to a more solid footing, we had to lay everything out there even if it hurt the hell out of us!

She started the car up and commented aloud, "Maybe it worked and maybe it didn't. We'll know soon enough."

Lee signalled that he was ready to pull out and she nodded and followed him out to the main road toward the expressway to Georgetown. Tonight could be a turning point for them after all, he thought as he drove ahead...

TBC