Author's Notes: This story takes place on Thursday, December 8, 1994 and inspired my challenge to write a story about a first date between a couple other than Lee and Amanda. This story primarily explores Dotty's relationships with characters other than Lee and Amanda and introduces an original character who plays a part in later adventures. This tale fits in my Eternal Flame saga, but familiarity with other stories is neither expected nor required to (hopefully!) enjoy this tale. All characters are property of Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon, except Phil Crank and Kara Melrose who are my own.
Blind Date
"Wow Grandma, that outfit's dope!" Phillip King paused his video game as his grandmother came down the stairs into the living room. "Hot date? Who's the lucky guy?"
Dotty held out her wrist so Phillip could help her with the clasp on her bracelet (or "bling" as he'd say) as she sat down next to him on the couch. "Oh, just dinner and cards with the Melroses. Jeannie says Billy has an old college friend he wants to introduce me to. Lawyer, widower, just moved to the area. Jeannie says he could use someone to show him around and that I might enjoy his company. But she said it with a wink, if you know what I mean."
"Nervous?"
"Darling, you know how her mind works. She gave me THE LOOK!"
Phillip certainly did know how Mrs. M's mind worked. She'd given him THE LOOK 3 years ago after learning that his girlfriend Michelle broke up with him for a popular football player from a rival school the week before Prom. She helpfully suggested that her younger daughter Kara might enjoy going with him since she'd missed her own Prom by going to Howard a year early. Her semester had just ended and she would be home in time.
Kara was 2 years older than Phillip, but the two had become close friends when she tutored him in his summer school repeat of Freshman English all those years ago. She'd grown from an awkward, lanky teen who shared his interest in sports cars and could play basketball maybe even better than he could, into a gorgeous young woman.
All of his friends had been surprised and hopefully a little jealous to see him walk in with such a righteous babe on his arm. Michelle had been totally buggin' and spent most of the evening crying in the ladies' room, leaving her new trophy boyfriend to the sympathetic attention of several of their single classmates. He and Kara had a great time but it was the great time of good friends playing it up for revenge, nothing more.
He'd gone inside with Kara when he dropped her off and Mrs. M. had given them THE INTERROGATION. It was a far cry from his own mother asking later if he'd had a good time. She'd always has a soft spot for Phillip and wanted them to make sure Michelle knew what she'd thrown away and how easily she'd been replaced. She was delighted to hear that Michelle's new boy toy danced with several other girls while she was being a full-on major drama queen in the bathroom. The woman wanted the TOTAL 411! Mrs. M. was cool like that... at least when when Mr. M. wasn't around.
His mother and step father worked with Mr. Melrose at what he'd been told for years was a documentary film company. In retrospect, it was obvious to Phillip that the man was a spy. They were all spies. Finding out that spies were real was sort of the reverse for him of finding out that Santa wasn't. These people with almost magical abilities really existed, and he had two in his own family! That had revelation awakened something inside him, but he still wasn't sure what. Ironically, if Phillip had been told one person he knew was a spy, he'd have suspected it was Mrs. M, Unlike the others, who had a very convincing way of seeming to know nothing, she always seemed to know what was going on. She'd been an investigative reporter for the Washington Post until she got pregnant with her older daughter Julie. It was no surprise that she and his grandmother had become close friends.
"Dear, have you heard a word I just said?"
"Sorry Grandma, I was just thinking how rad it is that you and Mrs. M. became BFFs."
"That's very sweet, dear. I asked if you had any plans tonight."
"Nah, just a little homework. Cartography. Easy. Probably hit the gym after." He knew what she was really asking. "Don't worry, I'll wait up so you can tell me all about this new dude when you get home."
Dotty blushed a bit under her foundation. Her grandson knew her entirely too well. She was glad he'd moved back in with her when he enrolled in Prince George's Community College at Air Base. As much as he sometimes seemed to resent her asking about his love life, he was always happy to listen to her talk about hers. After years of her daughter's loving but determined disinterest in more than the who, when and where of her dates, it was refreshing to have someone at home to talk to. Not that she blamed Amanda, of course. She and her father had been very close.
She gently ruffled his hair as she got up to grab her purse. He'd long since reached that age where he wasn't into getting a goodbye hug and kiss, but they had reached this compromise. Occasionally he'd return the gesture, which she pretended to hate (which is only fair since he pretends to hate hugs and kisses) but secretly enjoyed.
"Well, I'm Audi five hundred."
Phillip laughed. "It's five thousand, Grandma. Audi five thousand. Have fun, and BEHAVE!" he called as she walked to the door.
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Listening to the ladies chattering away in the kitchen, Billy Melrose hoped his intuition was right. When Phil Crank, his somewhat shy best friend since freshman year in college, had told him last month that he'd be transferring to the D.C. area, something inside him immediately thought of introducing him to Dotty West. On the surface, the two didn't seem to have much in common except being longtime widows with adult daughters, but Billy was a firm believer that opposites do in fact often attract.
Popping a pair of antacids, he reminded himself that his gut was most likely still scolding him for the sandwich he'd had for lunch rather than signaling any misgivings about his matchmaking instincts. He had a solid track record in that department. It was probably the onions on my liverwurst and Limburger. My taste buds are closer to my brain, but lately my stomach has been disagreeing with some of their choices. Usually the tastiest ones.
A pair of photographs on the wall momentarily caught his attention. On the left was his Julie at Prom with her now-fiancee Derek. On the right was Kara with Phillip King. He knew them both well enough to understand how hard they'd tried to keep straight faces for the generic pose. He correctly suspected that Phillip had tried to tickle her while she tried to stomp on his toes. He definitely got that from his grandmother rather than either of his parents. It had taken considerable skill for the photographer to time the photo around their antics.
When he'd suggested that Kara tutor Phillip it had reminded him of pairing Phillip's now-stepfather with a young agent named Francine Desmond. They were birds of a feather. At least in this case, he'd known there wouldn't be any romantic entanglement.
The same couldn't be said when the wild instinct hit him to pair one of his best agents with Phillip's mother after her unexpected but invaluable involvement in an operation. He'd had to constantly defend that decision for well over a year, but never wavered. The suburban mother of two was in no way conventionally qualified for espionage, but there was something that told Billy she'd always have the infamous Scarecrow's back –whether he wanted her to or not. Over the past eleven years he'd been proven right more times than he could count. Being the best man at what turned out to be their second wedding five years ago had been the crowning glory on that particular decision.
That event was also when his wife and Phillip's grandmother became fast friends, and when, despite carefully crafted cover stories, the proverbial cat escaped the bag regarding the true nature of everyone's employment.
Fortunately it happened at the rehearsal dinner rather than during the wedding or reception. All things considered, everyone but Amanda's younger son Jamie had taken that revelation relatively well. That was also the day Efraim Beaman finally successfully swore off alcohol.
That occupational knowledge was another thing Phil Crank and Dotty West had in common. Billy and Phil had not only been best friends but roommates when Billy had been recruited by The Agency. He'd known from the start, and over the years Billy had referred his agents to Phil in matters of estate planning and power of attorney. It was important to have those things on paper early in one's career in the espionage game.
Dotty had never been particularly adept at keeping secrets or worries to herself. While she wasn't privy to the former, she'd had more than her share of the later. Jeannie and a few other mutual friends provided a support system, but Billy saw the potential for Phil to provide her with something more in that department. She on the other hand could be wonderful for bringing him out of his shell and reviving the sense of fun and adventure he'd lost since cancer claimed his beloved Rebecca all those years ago. It had been painful watching his best friend slowly becoming a shadow of the man he used to be.
The buzzer pulled him out of his thoughts. He pressed the button to admit his guest to the building. His friend had arrived. Time to find out if I've still got the Cupid touch!
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Phil Crank wasn't sure what to expect as he waited for the elevator to the Melrose's 5th floor apartment. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, surprised at his nervousness. Bill had told him that they'd invited one of Jeannie's friends to dinner as well so they could play cards later, but Phil knew Bill entirely too well to not suspect an ulterior motive when he'd mentioned that the friend was an active, attractive widow.
He tried to calm his nerves by observing details. The lounge area had been redecorated since his last visit, with warm autumn hues replacing cool blues from three years ago. There was a magnificent Christmas tree -probably a good 12 feet tall- in the far corner where the grand piano usually stood. Instrumental Christmas music softly suffused the room. He thought maybe he'd take a drive later. He loved Christmas decorations and it had been years since he'd seen the Capitol decked out in all her holiday splendor.
Finally an elevator arrived to whisk him upstairs. There were only 4 units per floor, with Billy's being across the hall to the left. His old friend met him at the door.
"Hello, Mrs. Weisen!" he called loudly enough for a half-deaf octogenarian to hear through a heavy door.
Billy chuckled, not surprised that Phil remembered the name of his neighbor across the hall...and her habit of looking through the peephole whenever she heard sounds in the hallway. Old Mrs. W had never met Phil, but Billy knew she'd find some excuse in the next few days to ask Jeannie about their handsome guest. He doubted it would escape her attention that Dotty was visiting as well, although after several years a visit from Dotty was hardly newsworthy. He waved in the direction of her door before leading his friend inside. I bet she'd be tickled to learn she's not the only spy in the building!
Billy took Phil's jacket then they joined the women in the kitchen. Jeannie had always had a soft spot for Phil and greeted him with a warm hug before introducing him to Dotty.
Unlike Billy, Jeannie had told Dotty quite a bit about Phil over the years, but had forgotten to mention a few things, like tall and handsome with dimples that almost rivaled her son-in-law's. Like her, he had a grown daughter and two grandsons, a bit younger than Phillip and Jamie. She'd mentioned his kindness and charity work, which were all well and good, but what about those bright blue eyes flitting rather uncertainly in her direction?
She suddenly realized she was standing there like a fence post. In fact, they were both just standing there not quite looking at each other. Awkward!
Something clicked suddenly for Phil. She'd immediately looked familiar but it took him a second to place her because she was far prettier in person than in the photo he'd seen several years ago. "You're Lee's mother-in-law, right? Lee Stetson?"
Dotty hadn't been expecting that. She looked at Jeannie, wondering why she'd never mentioned that he knew Lee. Jeannie looked as surprised as she was.
Phil smiled, flashing slightly uneven but beautifully white teeth. "I helped Lee update some...paperwork...after the wedding. He had some photos on his desk. I almost never forget a face" especially a pretty one.
Dotty on the other hand almost never forgot a name and she didn't remember Amanda or Lee ever mentioning a lawyer named Crank. It's a funny name. I would have remembered if they'd mentioned it.
Billy quickly intervened, realizing Dotty thought he meant the second wedding. "They just met for a few minutes in the office. I don't think Amanda was there."
"No, I've never met Amanda." Phil agreed, suspecting he'd inadvertently stepped into murky waters. It didn't take much to remind him that his social skills were a bit rusty outside of the legal context. There he was confident, knowledgeable, and reassuring; here he a little out of his element.
Fortunately Dotty accepted the explanation without further question. After all, Amanda and Lee had been so secretive those first few years. She did make a mental note to ask her son-in-law about Phil in the near future. Maybe he'd even reveal what kind of paperwork the lawyer had helped him with. Or maybe I'll ask Phil. Not for details, of course but it'll give me a reason to contact him later, if I need one. She found herself hoping he'd turn out to be someone she'd like to see again.
"So how did you and Billy meet? He's said you've been friends since college."
Jeannie had already told her all about how they'd been thrown together as roommates their Freshman year, courtesy of the campus housing lottery. Their ground floor room was in the only unsegregated men's dorm on campus, and Phil had enrolled late enough to be one of 3 white students placed in the 12 room building.
The way Jeannie told it, they'd both been uncomfortable with the arrangement until Phil learned that Billy and a few other men had put together a hot little jazz band. He played trombone himself and was initially reluctant when Billy invited him to sit in. Still, he felt somehow like he couldn't refuse and was pleasantly surprised to find the other fellows welcoming. The shared appreciation for jazz helped break down barriers.
He and Billy had found their initial common ground, leading eventually to the kind of close friendship they'd each hoped to find in college. They'd remained roommates all 4 years in that small, unsegregated dorm, then through Law School at NYU. Phil had been the first friend Billy introduced Jeannie to when they started dating.
Dotty wanted to see if he'd be honest about it, especially the part about his initial discomfort and how he'd overcome it. Her beloved late husband Carl had advocated tirelessly for equal rights for everyone without regard to their race or gender.
Amanda had thankfully inherited that mindset from him. She herself had shamefully taken a bit of convincing, having grown up in an area where racial segregation was the unquestioned norm. Now she couldn't imagine accepting a world where she and Jeannie's friendship would be scandalous, or Amanda and Lee wouldn't be able to work under Billy.
"Why don't you two go into the library and get acquainted while I help Jeannie finish getting dinner ready? Can I get either of you a glass of wine? Water? Anything?" Billy's Cupid instinct told him this was The Moment to combine playing host with playing matchmaker. As they both accepted his offer of wine, Dotty realized she'd left the platter of cutout cookies she'd meant to bring on the counter in the kitchen at home.
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The library had two chairs, a desk, a coffee table, an attractive artificial Christmas tree behind the chairs, and a cozy electric fireplace. Billy had directed them there to avoid any awkwardness about sitting too close, or not close enough to each other. He knew Dotty could be rather... forward... and didn't want her to scare Phil back into his shell.
"So" Dotty repeated, "Jeannie tells me you and Billy were roommates?"
"Yes, for eight years."
"I don't mean to be indelicate, but wasn't that unusual for the time?" She hadn't meant to be so direct and hoped he didn't misinterpret it as disapproval.
"It wasn't what either of us had expected or hoped for, but I've found that many of the best things in life are hidden behind the biggest challenges, if you're willing to work through them. "
"Did you not get along at first?"
"The first two weeks, I'd say we cautiously coexisted. If you're asking me if I had an issue with having a black roommate and living in a dorm with mostly black men, then my answer is yes. I was terrified. I don't think I'd considered at first that the feeling might be mutual for the rest of the guys, living with three white boys on an overwhelmingly white campus."
"Obviously you overcame it. How did that happen?"
"Jazz. If I know Jeannie, she's already told you the story about an awkward trombone player from the middle of Nebraska finding his soul. I appreciate you being forward about this, but the simple truth is just that getting to know people, you realize that we're all more alike than different. Same hopes and dreams. Same fears, even, but the social sales pitch is different. Unfortunately, that makes it easier for some and much harder for others. I don't want to talk your ear off about it tonight, though."
He noticed Dotty trying hard to suppress some kind of emotion. "I'm sorry if I've said something-"
"No. No!" She was quick to reassure him. That was exactly the kind of answer she'd hoped to hear. "Just for a moment, it was like hearing my dear Carl again. I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. It's an honor to remind someone of somebody they love."
I am going to marry this man. The say you always know, I'll always remember that this was the moment I knew, just like I knew it with Carl the moment he spilled his soda all over himself after I'd accidentally spilled mine all over my dress on our first date.
"That's beautiful. I do think you and Carl would have been great friends."
"I'm honored. And I know my Rebecca would have appreciated your directness. She loved it in Jeannie as well. So, how did you meet Bill and Jeannie? Through your son-in-law?" It felt like time to extricate the conversation from potentially deep, melancholy waters.
"It's complicated."
"Isn't it always, in his business?"
"My daughter is a spy as well." It still gave her a little thrill of excitement -and worry- to think of Amanda that way. "She kept it from me for years; until their wedding actually."
"She must be a very good spy to be able to fool her own mother."
"Oh yes. She and Lee are among the best. That's why they work with Billy. I'd met him as a federal agent when Amanda and Lee went missing several years ago, so you can imagine my surprise when he showed up at the rehearsal as Lee's best man!"
Phil chuckled at the image. He had a contagious laugh, and Dotty soon found herself laughing along with him, recounting the events of that memorable day. With her vivid descriptions, Phil felt like he'd been there himself.
Maybe I'll invite her to drive around to take in the decorations later. No, not maybe. This is a chance I can't NOT take. She's so vibrant, and lovely. He once again thanked whatever higher power was responsible for introducing him to Bill Melrose, who -as if on cue- poked his head in to announce that dinner was ready.
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Dinner was enjoyable. Billy's signature cheesy garlic bread perfectly complemented Jeannie's lasagna. The conversation was light and lively, mostly reminiscing about adventures the men had shared through the years. Phil seemed to come alive recalling some of their more adventurous escapades. Dotty was thoroughly smitten by the time the lemon cake and coffee were served.
Jeannie always loved reminders of why she'd fallen for Billy in the first place, and tonight provided a bonanza, including a story about replacing a photo in the Dean's office that she hadn't heard before. She could tell that work had been more stressful than usual for her husband lately and knew that tonight's laughter and companionship was very much needed.
Her parents had approved of the intelligent, compassionate law student, but had some concerns when he turned down a junior partnership in a fairly well-known law firm to accept a job with a newly formed company that made documentary films for the federal government. It seemed to them that he was throwing away a solid, respectable career to chase something frivolous. Fortunately, the salary was sufficient to allay their fears of their daughter having to support a starving artist, should the relationship progress. And progress it obviously had. They were engaged within a year of Billy's graduation.
Jeannie was in the know from the beginning, of course, and her position with the paper occasionally helped her husband slip an "assistant" into interesting situations. She sometimes regretted not accepting The Agency's formal offer of contract employment, but knew it wasn't her calling.
As they were getting ready to start their Euchre tournament, Billy got a phone call. Sources indicated that Russian troops were mobilizing to invade Chechnya. Without needing to know the content of the call, the others all immediately recognized that their pleasant evening was over.
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Billy left for the office immediately, but without the urgency of reacting to a disaster. That was reassuring to both women. They'd long since learned to assess reactions to those after-hours calls. Dotty wondered if Amanda and Lee had received a call as well. She said her goodbyes soon thereafter, needing to find out.
Phil recognized Jeannie's wink and subtle prodding to accompany Dotty. If he didn't know how to read Bill so well, he might have suspected that the phone call was part of his obvious matchmaking scheme. He did know Bill though, and it was a quick leap to suppose that Dotty might be anxious to touch base with her daughter. No doubt Jeannie would have allowed her to call from their apartment, but sometimes the obvious is easy to overlook.
The payphone in the lobby was in use, but Phil had his new Motorola mobile phone in his car. Dotty gratefully accepted his offer to use it to call Amanda. So many men would tell me not to worry, if they noticed my concern at all.
Amanda picked up on the first ring, thinking it might be The Agency changing their mind and needing her to come in with Lee after all. While she couldn't have given her mother any details if she'd had them, she was able to reassure her. Lee had a few contacts in the Russian sphere, and they'd been expecting the situation to develop sometime soon. The Agency's involvement was likely to only involve providing intelligence, not personnel.
Dotty handed the phone back to Phil, not quite sure if she'd ended the call correctly. She'd never used a mobile phone before. It wasn't as glamorous as she'd imagined, even though calling a spy from a car phone was straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster.
"Well that's a relief. Just a developing situation they need to keep their eyes on."
"Whatever's going on, it probably just kept me and Bill from being destroyed at cards. For a top-drawer spy, the man has no poker face."
"Oh, I think he makes us think whatever he wants us to think. I'm also half convinced that Jeannie has figured out how to rig the deck when she deals."
'It's been a long while since I've played with her, but I wouldn't put it past her. She's a woman of many talents."
"She certainly is."
There was a wistful, awkward lull in the conversation. Neither was ready to say goodnight and go their separate ways.
Phil too a deep breath. "Do you know what else it's been a long while since I've done?" Here goes nothing. "Driven around looking at Christmas lights. Would you care to go for a spin?"
To his delight, Dotty's face lit up, more charming than any Christmas tree.
"That sounds lovely. I'd like that very much. The city is always so beautiful around the holidays, even with no snow." The past week had been unseasonably warm.
They went to the passenger side and he opened the door for her. "I was hoping for a white Christmas when I moved back east, but it doesn't look promising."
As they drove around, Phil told her about the years he'd spent in St. Louis. They discussed their respective daughters and grandchildren, favorite movies, the recent Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan scandal, the ridiculous pink booties on a Great Dane they saw being walked, and of course oooh'd and aaah'd over beautiful decorations. It felt like they were old friends. Phil hated to see the evening end, so he suggested stopping somewhere for hot chocolate and cookies.
Dotty suddenly remembered the plate of cookies she'd meant to bring with her earlier. Maybe it was fate that I forgot them. I'll bet Phillip has finished his homework and headed for the gym by now. She almost shyly suggested they pick her car up back at Billy and Jeannie's, then head to her house in Arlington for hot chocolate and homemade cookies.
Phil knew that when a grandma offers you homemade cookies, you accept. She'd mentioned that her grandson lived with her but probably wouldn't be home. They had a good laugh, feeling like they were sneaking around before their parents came home.
Over cookies and chocolate, they shared stories of said sneaking around in their youth. Dotty appreciated that unlike a lot of men she'd spent time with, Phil had obviously loved his wife so very much. It was a welcome change from the frequent bitterness or self-pity she'd encountered, and it made her feel better about the great love she would always have for Carl. For his part, Phil couldn't help thinking that if Rebecca and Carl were still alive the four of them would have been the best of friends. He was so glad Bill had maneuvered him into this blind date.
Around ten, they heard Phillip's car pull into the driveway and knew it was time to end their evening. They quickly exchanged phone numbers with the intention of doing something on Saturday. They may not have been secret agents, but this was far from the first time this house had seen a guest scooted out one door as someone else came home through the other. Like Lee Stetson before him, Phil had parked on the street rather than in the driveway. Dotty smiled to herself, knowing that unlike Amanda, there was no way she was going to keep this wonderful man a secret.
His grandma was glowing as she met Phillip in the kitchen. This new guy musta been all that and a bag of chips! She grabbed his mug from the cabinet and started making more hot chocolate. He returned her grin and grabbed one of the few remaining cookies as he took his usual seat at the counter so she could tell him all about her evening.