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Lee rang the doorbell, looking around anxiously as he waited for someone to answer. The debriefing earlier had lasted for hours; he hadn’t even been certain he was going to make it over to Amanda’s in time. She had been allowed to leave after only three hours, but he had been there for just over seven. He had finally been allowed to leave with just enough time to go home and shower, then drive to Amanda’s.
He heard the door opening and turned to face it.
“Lee!” Philip stood at the door, swinging it wider so Lee could walk through.
“Hey, Philip.”
“Mom said you were coming over.” Philip grinned at him. “I’m glad you’re here. She’s always happiest when you’re around, and we like having you here, too.”
Lee’s heart gave a little jolt as he heard Philip’s statement. “I’m always happiest when I’m here with you guys, too.” He slung his arm over Philip’s shoulders and the teenager moved a little closer, leaning in until his side bumped Lee’s. The agent looked down at the boy, his eyes watering, and gave him a squeeze, pulling him into a sideways hug. Just like that, they started walking toward the kitchen, where he knew Amanda would be working on the finishing touches of their dinner.
She looked up as she caught the movement out of the corner of her eye, and the sight of Lee with his arm around Philip’s shoulders almost did her in. She swallowed hard but gave Lee a brilliant smile, taking a deep breath to try to avoid any tears. She was further challenged when Jamie came in from setting the table in the dining room and spotted her partner.
“Lee!” Jamie ran the few steps separating them and threw his arms around him, wedging his arms in-between his brother and the agent. Lee put his other arm around Jamie’s shoulders and pulled him into a one-armed hug. “We were worried about you.” Jamie’s voice came out a bit muffled since his face was squished into Lee’s side.
Amanda couldn’t stop the tear from slipping down her cheek when she saw her three men hugging each other, and then couldn’t resist setting down the utensils she was holding and joining them in their group hug.
Philip and Jamie used their free arms to pull her closer, too, and the four of them created a little circle of love.
Lee and Amanda looked across at each other. In all their years working together and getting to know one another, Amanda had never seen the look in Lee’s eyes that she saw now. There wasn’t really a word to describe it, she decided. It was like a combination of vulnerability, love, surprise, and elation. It was the most amazing expression she had ever seen on his face, and the tears she had almost avoided before started slipping unnoticed down her cheeks.
Lee glanced down at the boys snuggled against his sides, then looked back up at Amanda. “I love you,” he mouthed silently, then leaned forward enough that he could meet her lips in a soft, quick kiss.
“Where’d everyone--” Joe came into the kitchen and saw the huddle, swallowing hard as he saw how the boys were hugging Lee. “Oh, hello, Lee.”
The boys let go of Lee almost guiltily and glanced at their dad. “We’re going to go wash up for dinner,” explained Philip as the two boys ran up the stairs.
Lee turned to Amanda’s ex and held out his hand. “Hey, Joe. Thanks for taking care of everyone around here while Amanda and I were gone.”
Joe raised one eyebrow, reluctantly taking Lee’s hand and shaking it. “’Gone’, huh?”
“Yes, Joe, gone,” interrupted Amanda. “You know we can’t say much more than that. I already told you it was all a setup, and I believe Mr. Melrose told you pretty much everything else you need to know.”
Joe sighed, rubbing his temples. “Yeah, I know. I just don’t like that your job put the family in danger.”
“They were in a lot more danger when you came back than they were this time, Joe,” Lee reminded him.
“You complained about all the agents that were here, but you know as well as I do that they kept everyone at the house perfectly safe,” Amanda added. “That’s one of the reasons I had to go with Lee.”
Joe held up both hands in surrender. “Okay, I’m sorry. I understand.” He sighed. “Just forget I said anything, alright?”
The sound of Dotty and the boys coming down the stairs interrupted their conversation at that point, and they all turned to see the two boys step off the bottom step, followed by their grandmother.
“Oh, Lee, thank goodness you’re alright. I mean, Amanda said you were okay, and that you were off explaining to Mr. Melrose everything that happened, but it’s just good to see you with my own eyes, you know?”
Lee grinned at the rambling greeting. “I know exactly what you mean, Dotty.” He reached forward and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips and dropping a gallant kiss on her knuckles.
Her eyes widened momentarily, then she gave a blushing grin and glanced up into Lee’s face. “You are such a charmer.” She gently pulled her hand away from his and took a step closer to him. “Now give me a proper hug. We haven’t seen you in almost two weeks, and we missed you around here.”
Lee gladly wrapped his arms around Dotty, looking over her head at Amanda who met his eyes with her own glistening ones.
The two lovers smiled tenderly at each other until the soft clearing of a masculine throat caused Dotty to pull back and glance around at the other occupants of the room. She saw Joe’s uncomfortable expression and exclaimed, “Well, I think it’s just about time to eat!” She patted Lee on his forearm and stepped away from him. “I hope everyone’s hungry!”
“I’m starved!” replied Philip.
Jamie nodded vigorously. “Me, too!”
Dotty held out her arms in invitation to adjourn to the dining room, and she, Joe, and the two boys moved in that direction. Lee and Amanda stayed where they were for a moment by mutual accord, their eyes locked until the others left the room.
As soon as the room was clear, they rushed into each other’s arms. Amanda took a deep breath and let it out, letting her body relax into Lee’s embrace. She felt his hand cradle the back of her head, holding it to his chest.
After a moment, Lee moved his hand and leaned back a little so he could see her better. “Hey.”
She looked up and met his eyes.
He smiled. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Dr. Smyth—” he waited until she nodded her understanding of the importance of his news— “never holds a grudge.”
She let out the breath she didn’t even know she was holding. “Oh, good.”
“He was so impressed, he wants to offer you a full-time job.”
“Working with you?”
“I think that can be arranged.”
“Oh, good.” She leaned toward him, and he tilted his head down to receive her kiss.
“Amanda!” Dotty’s voice interrupted just when it was getting good. “We’re waiting on you two to eat.”
She pulled back and sighed. “We’ll be right there, Mother!”
The two of them grinned at each other and walked into the dining room.
**SMK**
After dinner, Joe left. Amanda returned from walking him out and saw her three “men” huddled together on the couch, talking in quiet voices. Dotty was sitting in the armchair holding one of her romance novels, but wasn’t reading it; instead, she gazed fondly at the three males, a small smile on her lips.
When she sensed Amanda’s return, she looked up at her daughter and grinned. “They just love him, don’t they?” she murmured.
Amanda nodded and smiled, turning to look at the men she loved best in the world with luminous eyes. Lee seemed to sense her presence, and looked up right then, meeting her eyes. She saw the same look she had noticed earlier, vulnerable and loving and amazed. She didn’t know if she’d ever get used to it, seeing that look from her “lone wolf,” but she hoped he kept it forever, because she felt like her heart’s capacity to love him just about doubled every time she saw it.
He smiled softly at her, as if understanding the expansion of her heart. As she looked at his smile, she thought maybe he did understand, at that. They were linked in so many ways, and often spoke to each other wordlessly, in complete understanding. Maybe he knew exactly how she was feeling because he was feeling it, too.
She took a deep breath and announced, “Alright, fellas, time to get ready for bed.”
“Ah, Mom, can’t we stay up a little bit later? You and Lee just got back.” Philip had a pleading expression on his face, and when she glanced at Jamie, she saw the same look on his face, as well.
“Please, Mom?” Jamie added his two cents. “You were gone for a week, and we didn’t see Lee for almost a week before that!”
She took a deep breath and let it out, glancing at Lee. He, too, had a somewhat wistful expression on his face. She laughed, giving in. “Alright, but just for a little while. Maybe we can play a game or something. Something short, though. No Monopoly!”
“How about Uno?” suggested Philip.
“Uno would work,” agreed Amanda. “You okay with Uno, Jamie?”
“Yeah, I’m good with Uno. Do you like Uno, Lee?”
Lee glanced at Amanda, then back toward Jamie. “I’ve never played it before.”
Jamie and Philip looked surprised, but Jamie just said, “It’s really easy, you just do what the cards say, and the goal of the game is to be the first one to get rid of all of your cards.”
“And when you get down to just one card in your hand, you have to say ‘Uno!’” added Philip.
“Alright, Philip,” interrupted Amanda, “since it was your idea, why don’t you go get the cards. We’ll clear off the coffee table to get ready.”
“Are you playing, Dotty?” Lee asked.
She tilted her head, considering. “I guess I can play a hand or two.” She set down her book and found a place around the coffee table. Philip returned with the game and shuffled the cards, passing them out to all the players.
As they played, Lee looked around the table. The laughter and smiles he saw on each face made him happier than he could remember ever feeling before. When Jamie, and then Philip, conspired to keep him well-supplied with cards by continuously dropping ‘draw four’ and ‘draw two’ cards on him, laughing and teasing him all the while, he just smiled at Amanda with that heart-stopping grin of his, dimples showing and love in his eyes.
After two hands, Dotty announced that she was going to go to bed and said her goodnights, then went upstairs. Amanda made the announcement that it was also time for Philip and Jamie to turn in.
After a couple complaints, the boys collected all the cards and placed them back in the box. “Goodnight, Mom. Goodnight, Lee,” Philip said, hugging his mom.
Jamie turned to Lee and hugged him. “Goodnight, Lee.”
Lee gave Jamie a hug in return, ruffling his hair. “Goodnight, Jamie.”
Philip turned to Lee for a hug, and Jamie wrapped his arms around Amanda. “Goodnight, Mom.”
“Goodnight, fellas. I love you.” Amanda watched as her two sons stood up and walked toward the stairs.
“I love you, Mom,” answered Jamie.
“Love you, Mom!” replied Philip.
The two boys stopped and looked at each other, then turned back to the two adults. Jamie swallowed, then looked at Lee with determination and a little uncertainty. “We love you, too, Lee.” Philip nodded in agreement, ducking his head, then glanced up to meet Lee’s eyes.
The agent’s eyes were wide. They had taken him completely by surprise. He inhaled quickly, then before he could lose his nerve, blurted out, “I love you, too!”
The boys’ expressions relaxed, and smiling, they said goodnight again and went upstairs.
Lee turned to look at Amanda as the boys disappeared up the stairs. She got up and walked around the table to where he was sitting on the couch. Wordlessly, she sat in his lap and wrapped her arms around him, placing her head on his shoulder and nuzzling her nose into his neck.
He enfolded her in his arms and was content to just sit silently for a few minutes. In his entire life, the number of people who had told him they loved him could be counted on one hand, up until now. He had the barest memory of hearing it from his parents when he was very young. He figured that the Colonel loved him in his own way, but he had never said it in so many words. Dorothy had casually said it, but it was more like a “love ya!” when she was leaving, as she would say to any of her close friends; they hadn’t had the time for anything truly meaningful to develop between them. Eva had said it, but since she had also tried to kill him the next day, he could be forgiven for not believing her. And then there was Amanda.
Amazing, loving, adventurous, perceptive, stubborn, resourceful, fierce Amanda. Amazing Amanda. My amazing Amanda. And now… Philip and Jamie?
He put his hands on Amanda’s shoulders, pushing her away enough that he could see her face. He guessed his feelings were still visible in his expression, because she took one look at him and whispered, “Oh, Lee…” and leaned forward, giving him an intense kiss that expressed her love for him better than any words could at that moment.
When they separated, he looked into her eyes. “Thank you.” He dropped another kiss on her lips, then pulled her back into his arms. “Thank you for not giving up on me all those years when I was such a jerk to you. Thank you for breaking down the walls I had around my heart so I could let you in. Thank you for being my brilliant, brave partner and my best friend. And most of all, thank you for loving me, and for sharing your life—your children, your mother, your home with me. I’ve never felt so welcome, or so happy, in my entire life.”
She pulled back so she could look into his eyes. That look was back, the vulnerable, loving, amazed look, and she felt her heart was about to overflow with all the love she was feeling toward him. Placing her hands on his cheeks, she gazed into his hazel eyes. “I love you more than I can ever express.”
He reached up and took her hands off his face, then raised them to his lips. He gently kissed one, then the other, then pulled her back into the place he loved having her the most, in his arms. They settled in together, content and happy, and after a moment, they both fell asleep curled up on the couch. At this moment, all was right with the world.
Happy Man written and performed by Peter Cetera
Merely by chance
Very unsuspecting
You caught my heart
Unprotecting me
Now I've fallen in love with you
Just when I thought life was free and easy
You came along to me
Soft and breezy
Now I've fallen in love with you
I've fallen in love with you
And for the first time in my life
I know what it's like to be a happy man
Happy man
And for the first time in my life
You've given me something that I can't understand
Now that I'm a happy man
Be with me now, love me forever
Leaving you lady
Is something that I'd never do
I've fallen in love with you
All of my life it seems I have waited
Now I can say these words I have stated are true
Because I've fallen in love with you
I've fallen in love with you
And for the first time in my life
I know what it's like to be a happy man
Happy man
And for the first time in my life
You've given me something that I can't understand
Now that I'm a happy man