In Limbo

Chapter 33

Lee came back to the Tribune office as Sandy was on the phone, and holding the receiver out, she shook her head at Lee, mouthing, "Help me!"

Lee with a sigh, grabbed the receiver, answering carefully, "Hi, this is Chuck Castle. What can I do for you?"

Then came a barrage of expletives a mile long that made Lee wince, and he whistled into the phone replying quickly, "Hey, Pal! Knock it off already! I'm sure whatever was said was not meant to upset your wife...Now, how may I possibly help you?"

Then Lee paled at the comment from the caller, and remarked drily, "I-I see...Well, all I can possibly say is that if you find an airline that can take you there first, let us know...Goodbye!"

Slamming the receiver down, Lee next unplugged the phone from the wall, and groaning, sat in the chair across from Sandy, replying, "W-Wow! I was only gone a half hour for lunch...What the hell happened?"

Sandy carefully answered, "Well, it's an in-law issue. The woman wrote us about her mother in-law that has to have her own way in everything...So, the daughter in-law got summer cruise tickets through work for her husband and kids only, and at the last minute, the mother in-law decided she wanted to go also."

Lee shrugged responding, "And?"

Sandy replied, "The daughter in-law tried to get another ticket, but they had none left, and when she told the mother in-law that, the mother in-law stopped speaking to her."

Lee let out a low whistle, asking, "What did her husband do?"

Sandy sighed, commenting, "He said to the wife, "You should have considered her as well when you were getting the tickets to begin with, so let's just stay home."

Lee shook his head, stating, "Unbelievable!"

Sandy answered, "I know, right?"

Lee queried, gesturing to the phone, "So, what was all that on the phone we just went through?"

Sandy scoffed remarking, "That was the son telling us to mind our own business...That his wife and mother aren't speaking now because of a wardrobe insult."

Lee groaned saying, "I'm afraid to ask what that was..."

Sandy replied, "The mother in-law told the woman that she probably needed a more appropriate wardrobe for the cruise anyway, and the daughter in-law got her back by mentioning a fat farm visit judging by her wardrobe-"

Lee shook his head stating, "Oh my God!"

Sandy answered, "And that, my friend, is why you can't leave."

Just then, Mark appeared at the door, and coming inside, closed the door, and remarked matter of factly as he looked at Lee and Sandy, " Listen up...I just got off a conference call...The higher ups have decided to get rid of the advice column for good...And I'm sorry, Sandy, but they put you on suspension next week, and when you return, you'll be retrained for another position here."

Sandy gulped, answering, "I understand, and I'm sorry for all this, Mark."

Mark nodded, responding, "I-I know, Kid...I'm sorry, too."

Then looking at Lee, he said, "Chuck...Lee...Whatever the hell your name is, thanks for being here and for what you tried to do for us, but you can go back to your own life now, and good luck to you, but no more advice work, huh? You really weren't cut out for it."

Lee rose from the chair, and shaking Mark's hand, stated with a chuckle, " Yeah, I guess not. But thanks, Mark. I appreciate the opportunity you gave me."

-SMK-

By mid to late evening, Lee taking a flight from Chicago, landed at Dulles, and grabbing his luggage, went to a pay phone, and dialed Billy first.

When he answered, Lee said, "I'm home, and I'm staying...I'll see you at the Agency in the morning... Goodnight."

Hanging up, he then dialed Amanda, and when she answered, he asked, " Hey, Beautiful. I just landed at Dulles, but I need a lift."

Amanda replied quickly, " What?! Don't you dare move, Mister...I'll be right there!"

They hung up with Lee stating, "That's what I was counting on."

With traffic and all, it took almost an hour for Amanda to get to Dulles and get Lee back to Georgetown.

When Lee opened the door, he answered to Amanda, "I know I don't have anything in the fridge yet, but maybe we can go to the deli across the street and-"

He stopped mid sentence as he then saw his dining room table filled with gift baskets of food and wine!

Incredulous, Lee looked back at Amanda, who followed him in, asking her, "D-Did you-"

But Amanda shook her head, surprised as well, answering, "C'mon! You think I had time to go from my house, have all this delivered, and then go get you at Dulles? Please! Why don't you look at one of the envelopes?"

Lee, putting down his bags by the living room couch, walked over to the dining room table, and taking one of the envelopes off one of the baskets, shook his head in amusement and chuckling, replied, "Confucious says: Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life". Welcome back, Scarecrow! Billy, Francine, and the gang..."

Amanda smiled as she walked over to join him, stating, "That was very sweet of them. We should check your fridge after all then, huh?"

Lee winked at her and taking her hand, led her to the kitchen, where upon opening the fridge, found even more food, namely, Chinese!

Lee smiling, replied, "Ah! I've hit pay dirt! Let's dig in..."

-SMK-

And as they later finished and threw away their paper plates, Lee responded, "Well, it's late...Otherwise we could map out our future here finally."

Amanda answered, "Yeah, but we do have an awful lot to talk about as it is. Now that we're back, we'll have time."

They each rose from the table, and Lee, walking Amanda to the door, nodded, stating, "Correction. With our schedules, we'll have to make time, alright?"

Amanda nodded, and after she left, Lee thought, Come hell or high water, we will make this work...

TBC