Oh My Gosh
Chapter 20
Amanda arrived, and as Lee let her inside the apartment, he went to reach for her to give her a kiss, but she quickly darted out of the way answering, "Uh-uh! None of that until you tell me just what the hell you've been up to, Buster!"
As she passed him by into the living room, Lee, bewildered, gave a deep sigh and replied, "Okay...Let's talk, like we always do...First of all, other than being pregnant, what's your problem?"
Amanda shook her head and queried in a hurt tone and gesturing to herself, "What's my problem? Excuse me, but my being pregnant is not a problem for me, but apparently, for you, it's monumental!"
Then, beginning to pace, she remarked lightly, "If I recall correctly, Joe was over the moon about the two boys when they were due, but listening to you, it's as if I've ruined your life!"
Lee sputtered as he went directly in front of her, putting his hands on her shoulders to stop her pacing, "Aw, c'mon! Don't bring your ex into this! I am on board with this! I really am! I-I just had some stuff to take care of, but some of it got snarled, so I have to start over-"
Amanda asked, "What stuff? And don't you dare say need-to-know, Buster-"
Just then, the phone rang, and Lee rushed to answer, stating, "Josie? How'ya doing?"
As Lee nodded, and put an index finger up to Amanda to stop her questioning, he answered, "Yeah, yeah, I went to the store, but they sold the last one...How do I know?! Well, it's complicated...Let's just say I did the best I could..."
Listening another few minutes, he sighed heavily, and turning from Amanda for a moment, said, "Okay, okay...If you're sure... What? No, no! I can't haul out the big guns unless it's necessary, you know that!"
He sighed again stating, "Okay, okay...Just call me back when you have confirmation...Right...Bye..."
Hanging up, he saw Amanda had disappeared from the living room, and called out, "A-Amanda? Where are you?"
-SMK-
Amanda emerged from the kitchen with a glass of water, and putting it on the coffee table answering coolly, "Had a headache and went to take aspirin...Are you finished, or is this just a break for you?"
Lee put up a hand, commenting, "It's fine...C'mon and sit down, and we'll talk, okay?"
The phone rang once more, and Amanda shook her head as Lee, picking up the receiver, answered quickly, "One more second, I promise...Hello?"
Amanda then saw Lee straightening his posture as he remarked, "Colonel? Yes, Sir...Um, nothing...Amanda just came over and we were about to have lunch-"
The doorbell rang, and quickly, Lee, pulling out his wallet, handed it to Amanda, said, "That's our lunch. Would you mind?"
Amanda sighed as she took the wallet and shrugged, deadpanning, "Why not? I have nothing better to do since we can't seem to start our talk..."
As she went to the front door, and opening it, took the Chinese food the man offered, and giving him twenty dollars said, "Keep the change..."
Coming back with the food, Amanda saw Lee slowly sit on the couch, and ask worriedly, "Lee? Are you alright?"
Lee whispered, then cleared his throat, asked into the phone, "Just a second, Honey...What, Colonel?"
Gulping, Lee then queried, " R-Really? But-But I thought they were lost after the accident?"
He then sighed, answering softly,"Oh, I-I see...Well, then, what are you saying?"
Then quickly getting a pen and scratch paper, he began writing something down, and remarked, "Sure, okay..."
Putting the pen down, he commented, "Well, thank you, Sir...It's more than generous...Whew...I really thought I was sunk, you know, and then like Superman, you swoop in and..."
Chuckling into the phone, he remarked, "Yeah, I-I understand, Sir...Alright...What?"
Lee sighed, and responded, "Of course. Goodbye, Sir."
Handing the receiver to Amanda, he grabbed the bag of Chinese food, stating, "He wants to talk to you, so I'll take this stuff, and go warm it up in the oven..."
Perplexed, Amanda nodded to Lee as he left the living room, and getting on the phone, queried, "Hello, Colonel...What's this all about?"
-SMK-
A moment later, Amanda called to Lee saying, "I'm off the phone...You can come out now."
A few minutes later, Lee came out of the kitchen with plates and utensils and napkins, and setting the dining room table, asked, "So, what was that about?"
Amanda shrugged as she came over to help, answering thoughtfully, "I'm really not sure...But all he said was, "Don't be too hard on him, and that everything would work out in the end, and see you soon." So, now, if it's too much to ask, can we get our talk started?"
As they finished putting everything out on the table, Lee, taking Amanda's hand, nodded, stating, " Sure...Let's go sit down, huh?"
But as Amanda went to sit on the couch in the living room, Lee put up a hand, commenting, "Hang on another minute..."
Amanda, watching Lee unplug the phone, shook her head as he disappeared into the bedroom, and then seeing him come back and sit down next to her, she asked pointedly, "Lee Stetson! What is going on?!"
Taking Amanda's hand, he kissed it, and the still holding onto it, remarked, "Okay...So, I just found out that my trip to Atlanta last night was a waste of time, and after talking to the Colonel, found out it wasn't necessary at all..."
Amanda, puzzled, queried, "So, the Colonel helped you...Finish a case?"
Lee sighed, answering, "N-No! But, do you still have the engagement ring I gave you? I see you don't have it on, but I'm gonna need it back..."
Amanda was floored and gulping, commented slowly with a shrug,"I-I see...Well, the reason I don't have it on is because of some weight gain I'm starting to have, not because I don't love it... But-But if this is how it's gonna end, then-"
Lee shook his head at the implication, answering quickly, "N-No, no, Sweetheart! I'm not ending things with you! Far from it! Let-Let me try to explain...See..."
TBC
