Unforeseen Path
Chapter 11
Amanda took the letter from Lee and nodded saying, "I'll try, but it's a personal letter and I don't think I should-."
Lee got up from the couch and went to the living room window and said irritatedly, "Forget about respecting my privacy for a minute here, huh? Besides, you constantly clean up my place anyway so you've already been in my stuff literally as it is! "
Amanda sighed dejectedly and looking at Lee's back as he leaned against the wall looking out the window she said, "You know, I don't mind helping you out here from time to time, but a little "thank you" once in a while goes a long way. You know what I mean?! "
Lee leaned his forearm against the window and sighed putting his head down and said tersely, "Aw, geez! Okay! Thank you so much for your kind help! Now, would you please look at that damn letter and tell me what the hell it means and then later we can fix my horrendous manners, all right?!"
Amanda shook her head. She'd known some surly people in her life but Lee Stetson was one of a kind! He was like this even before the Colonel and Emily's passing. The man had liitle patience or tolerance on any human level! She was at that moment even sorry she wanted to get to know him better.
But then she realized that in situations like this things usually got worse before getting better. She began reading the letter aloud. It said:
"Dear Lee(A.K.A."Skip" or "Diaper Duty"),
I know we've had our ups and downs over the years and we each never expected life to turn out the way it did, but I hope I did a fair job in raising you. You were my brother and sister-in-law's only child and I knew I had a responsibility to them to see that you grew up to be the best man you could be. I didn't have to teach you about self-defense as you handled yourself well with your schoolmates who tended to pick on the young ladies that you admired from afar. Don't deny it. I remember Alice and I'm sure you do too. You came home that day from school with a black eye and bloody nose and never cried once. You became a man that day in my eyes, son! Now, your mother would've thrown a fit but in a lot of ways you're just like your old man so I think she would've given you a pass that time. We've butted heads more times than I care to count but in the end we were there for each other when we had to be.
Son, I've been meaning to talk to you about the future. Not your career but for yourself personally. I've set aside a tidy sum for you and for your family if you ever decide to settle down. From what I saw a few months ago, that won't be too far away even if you don't realize it yet. You can date who you'd like but I know the serious one is just around the corner and in time you will too.
My doctor recently told me to slow down and to maybe think about retiring soon. I think you know what I told him! Hogwash and a lot of other things I can't repeat here!
I'm not much for sentiment here but I think you know how I feel son. You were hell in a hand basket some of the time but I loved you and I always will.
Uncle Bob
Amanda swallowed hard and said softly, "L-Lee, that was a wonderful letter! I wish I'd gotten to know him a bit better. I didn't know he-."
Then she heard Lee sobbing and turned to see him leaning against the wall away from the window as his body shook in spasms!
Amanda went immediately to him and held him as he cried! "I'm so sorry, Lee!"
Lee raged against Amanda as she held him and said, "Why didn't he ever tell me?! E-Even at my parent's funeral he never said anything like that! Why?! "
Amanda pulled back for a moment and cupped his face and wiped his cheeks with her thumbs gently and said, "I guess he thought it was unmanly to do that. He thought he had to be strong for you then and he was."
They looked at each other for a moment and then Amanda sighed and said, "Well, I think I'd better go and let you get some rest..."
Going to get her purse she said at the door, "You have enough food for a while but if you need anything else let me know, okay? "
She was almost in the elevator when Lee suddenly appeared and said, "Wait... please? "
TBC