Chapter 20

Lee was waiting for her just outside the hotel with Charlie's stroller. "You're right, it is a beautiful day out here," Lee agreed.

Amanda strapped the baby in, covering him lightly with his blanket. "Which way do you want to walk?" she looked down one way of the boardwalk then the other.

Lee pointed toward the left, "We can walk toward the fishing pier. It only looks to be about a half mile or so from here."

"Sounds perfect. Here, why don't I push the stroller," Amanda moved to take the handle from Lee. Together they started walking at a slow pace, enjoying the late summer weather.

"Did you talk to your mother?" Lee asked.

"Yeah… the boys got picked up with no problem. I guess Joe really did come through. Maybe Carrie is helping him make a positive change. Shoot, you didn't send your reply back before we left, did you?" Amanda just remembered.

"No, no I didn't. But I'll tell you what, I'll personally hand deliver it to him when we get back," Lee assured her.

"That will be nice. It's going to be a lovely wedding, I'm sure. The boys will look so handsome in their tuxedos," Amanda said.

"What else did your mother have to say?" Lee asked, sidestepping a woman on rollerskates.

"Well, she knows we...ah..." Amanda blushed.

Lee looked at her strangely, "When you say she knows… she knows what?"

"She knows… we… you know," Amanda couldn't make eye contact.

He stopped, putting his hands on her shoulders, "When you say she knows we… do you mean..."

Amanda interrupted him, "She knows we opened the box she gave me to take with us."

Lee began laughing, "Amanda, so what if she knows. After all, we are adults and you are my wife. I am allowed to make love to my wife," he finished speaking in a loud whisper.

"I know, but she doesn't know we're married, remember?" Amanda whispered back. She started walking again, smiling as she did.

"What's with the smile?" Lee was curious.

"She, um, asked me if you were as wonderful as you looked?" Amanda grinned, glancing at him as she pushed the stroller.

Lee put his arm around her waist to pull her close, "And what did you tell her?"

"I didn't. That's private. My mother doesn't need to know that. I don't ask her how Captain Curt is, she doesn't need to know how you are," Amanda was blushing again.

"Well, if you could tell her, what would you say?" Lee teased, knowing his wife was embarrassed talking about their sex life.

Amanda stopped walking and turned to look at him. She glanced to one side, then the other, then leaned close to him, "Well, if I could tell her, I would say you exceed all expectations and then some."

Lee pulled her close, practically growling. He kissed her deeply, running his hands down her back and hip. "Hmmmm, like I said, exceeds all expectations," Amanda murmured.

Lee murmured back, "Oh, Amanda, what am I going to do with you?"

"I could think of a few things. My mother may even approve," she smiled, teasing him.

"Let's keep walking or else Charlie may get another lesson on how quiet I can keep you, only this time he won't be asleep," Lee hugged her to his side.

Smiling, they walked side by side in comfortable silence, reaching the pier in no time. Amanda bent down to check on Charlie. He was sound asleep, fingers in his mouth again. She ran her fingers down his cheek before adjusting the blanket over him.

Standing fully, she looked around the pier, brushing her hair off her face as she did. Lee just watched, mesmerized by her. She could take his breath away with the simplest of actions and she didn't know. He tore his eyes away from her to glance at his watch. "We should probably start heading back. Harry said noon so I'd like to be at the hotel when he gets there. We are going to have a lot to talk about before we try to find Lauren," Lee sighed.

"Do you think she's doing okay? You don't think they've hurt her do you?" Amanda was worried. It had been almost 16 hours since Lauren had been grabbed in the parking lot. A lot could happen during that time.

Lee shook his head, "I told you before, these guys do not appear to be professionals. They want something from her but I don't think they really know what it is. And from the conversation we had with Lauren, SHE doesn't know."

"I know, I'm still worried about her. She must be so scared. She probably has no idea we have Charlie. I would be frantic if I didn't know who had my boys," Amanda announced sadly.

"I know, I know. As soon as we talk to Harry we will go check out that address Billy gave me. It's the only lead we have right now," Lee assured her. "And we know Charlie is safe, that's something. He's been in good hands." Lee pulled her close to him to kiss her temple, trying to push her fears aside.

They walked back to the hotel chatting about the weather, the boys and Amanda's mother and Captain Curt, anything Lee could think of to keep her mind off Lauren. Once they arrived, Charlie was just beginning to stir so Amanda offered to bring him to the room, change and feed him while Lee waited for Harry and Christina in the lobby.

Lee checked with the front desk for any messages as Amanda rode the elevator with Charlie and the stroller. He took a seat in the lobby, picking up a nearby newspaper to read as he waited. Almost 45 minutes later, he saw Harry and Christina walking in, hand in hand. Standing to get their attention, Harry practically dragged Christina to where Lee was.

"We got here as quick as we could. Is Lauren here?" Harry didn't bother with a greeting.

"Slow down, slow down. We need to talk first. There is someone you need to meet," Lee said, seeing Amanda step off the elevator carrying Charlie.

Harry followed Lee's eyes to see the two walking toward them. He looked at Lee, confused, then to Amanda who stopped when she got close.

"Harry, meet Charlie," Lee said, hesitating.

"Lee, not to be disrespectful or anything but why am I…" Harry started to question him.

Amanda interrupted, "Charlie, meet your Grandpa, Harry."

Christina's hands went to her mouth immediately in surprise. She grabbed Harry's arm to steady herself.

"I don't… I don't understand. Lee…. " Harry was at a loss for words.

"Let's go up to our room so we can talk privately," Lee suggested. Placing his hand on Amanda's lower back he guided her back toward the elevator. Harry and Christina followed behind them.