SMK Epilogue

Three weeks later…

"Oh, Mother!" Amanda cried out as she jogged over to Dotty. "You're home!"

"Amanda!" Dotty wrapped her arms around her daughter in a long hug. Lee came down the steps into the house just moments afterward carrying the luggage.

Amanda moved her mother away from the doorway so Lee could squeeze through and drop the bags. "Oh, Mother! I'm sorry you had to come home early, but how was Europe?"

Dotty raised her hand. "Amazing. Just amazing!" She put her purse down near the door. "I'll tell you all about. I've got just tons of pictures to develop!"

"I can't wait to see them, Mother." Amanda gave her another tight hug.

Dotty stilled, put her hands on Amanda's arms, and pushed her slightly away. She looked down. "Amanda, have you gained some weight?" Dotty looked at her with raised eyebrows.

Amanda glanced up to meet Lee's gaze. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged as if to say they might as well get it over with. Well, here went nothing.

"Uh, Mother," Amanda took Dotty by the hand and led her to the couch in the living room. Lee followed them and sat on the other side of Amanda.

"What's going on you two?" Dotty expression morphed into one of suspicion.

"Well…Mother…" Amanda held Dotty's hand. "Do you remember several months back when you told me that if I ever found I had a good thing going…"

"… 'don't hesitate'," Dotty interrupted. "Yes, I remember." She looked back and forth between Lee and Amanda.

"Exactly." Amanda looked over her shoulder at Lee. "Well, I followed your advice, Mother."

"We followed your advice, Mrs. West," Lee interrupted with a smile as he rested his hand on Amanda's back.

"All right, you two," Dotty looked back and forth between them. "What's going on…"

"I asked her to marry me."

A smile broke over Dotty's face, "Well, that's…"

"That's not all mother," Amanda interrupted her. "I not only said 'yes', but we're also already married."

Dotty's jaw dropped open. "The two of you are…married?" Understanding dawned in her eyes, and she nodded her head. "Your trip to California."

Lee and Amanda glanced at each other – both surprised Dotty had put two and two together so quickly. "Yes, Mother. That was supposed to be our honeymoon."

"Aw, poor things!" Dotty patted Amanda's hand. "What a honeymoon!" Dotty lowered her eyelids. "What else?" A guilty look passed between Lee and Amanda at her question. Dotty grabbed Amanda's hand. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"

"Uh," Amanda was caught by surprise again. "Uh, yes, Mother. I'm pregnant."

"Amanda!" Dotty threw her arms around her daughter. "I should be so angry with you for leaving me out of all this," she drew back to look into her eyes. "But I'm just so happy for you, Darling!"

She looked over at Lee who was smiling from ear-to-ear. "Lee!" Dotty reached out for his hand. "Oh, Lee! Welcome to the family!"

Lee continued smiling as tenderness for the West/King/Stetson family swept over him. "Thank you, Mrs. West."

"Oh, my gosh! There's so much to do!" Dotty stood up and started pacing the room. She stopped suddenly and looked at the couple sitting together on the couch. "Aw, you two are so adorable together." She clapped her hands and brought them up to her face. "Do the boys know?"

"No," Amanda admitted. "It's actually rather complicated, Mother."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me, Dear." Dotty looked at Lee. "So, the two of you have been married for five months now, and you've – what? Been splitting time between the house and your apartment, Lee?"

"Basically."

"I'd like to have Lee move in here, Mother," Amanda suggested. "Actually, we moved a lot of his stuff in yesterday."

"But only if it's no imposition, Mrs. West." Lee amended. I don't want to get in the way or cause trouble."

"Look," Dotty said pointedly. "I'm sure the two of you must have had good reasons for keeping your relationship a secret for so long. I'm assuming there were national security issues involved?"

"Mother!"

"Well, like you always say, 'you work for IFF; IFF works for the government: the government…"

"…has secrets," Amanda finished. "Yes, I remember."

"I'm afraid I can neither confirm nor deny your allegations, Mrs. West," Lee chimed in, knowing full well his mother-in-law was where Amanda had gotten her shrewd powers of observation from.

"Uh-huh." Dotty just looked back and forth between them. "Well, anyway, I'm sure you had good reasons, but the facts of the matter are that the boys are going to feel left out no matter how you break it to them. The longer you wait, the worse it will be. I suggest you just be as honest as you can, let the chips fall where they may, and we'll all try to pick them up together." Dotty walked over to her luggage and lifted a piece by the handle. "Let me get my luggage upstairs and unpack. We can talk later."

"Here," Lee stood. "Let me help you, Mrs. West."

"Hmm. It might be nice having a man in the house." She winked at Amanda, who just smiled. "You know, Lee, if you ever feel comfortable doing so, you can call me Mother or Mom." Lee stopped in his tracks and just looked at her. "Or not," Dotty shrugged her shoulders, "if you're not comfortable with it."

"It's not that, Mrs. West," Lee rushed to explain. "It's just that I haven't called anyone 'Mom' in thirty-two years. You see, my parents both died in a car accident when I was five."

"Oh," Dotty looked stricken. "You poor man. I'm so sorry." Dotty looked at him for a moment, then headed up the stairs. "Well, if you ever feel comfortable, I'd be honored."

Feeling surprisingly vulnerable, Lee turned and looked at Amanda. She got up from the couch and walked over to him. "Aw, Lee," she brushed her hand down his arm. "I told you she'd be okay. She's a big fan of yours, you know."

Lee set the luggage down and reached for her. Wrapping his arms around her, he buried his face into the side of her neck, relishing the feel and smell of her. "Amanda, four years ago I was all alone in this world." He pulled back and framed her face with his hands. "Then this amazing, quirky, woman full of vitality and love invaded my heart and wouldn't let go no matter how hard I pushed her away." Lee swiped hair away from Amanda's face and tucked it behind her ear. "Now here I am – a friend, a husband, a dad…and even a son." He kissed her gently on the lips. "Thank you, Manda" he whispered.

"You're welcome." She went up on tiptoe to kiss him back. "Now, you'd better get that luggage upstairs for Mother before she calls out the militia."

"Sure." He gave her another quick peck on the cheek and picked up the bags. It was Dotty's luggage, but for the first time in a long time, Lee felt like he was the one coming home.

THE END

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