Fiction Rated: T - English - Romance/Drama - Reviews: 9 - Published: 08-13-04 - Updated: 08-19-04 id:2010294

This little story bounced out while I was working on a more serious piece. I guess I needed a wee bit of fun. I went through and did a few minor tweaks since I first posted it.

Comments/criticisms/suggestions & funggestions are always welcome.

Flames will be used to light my Capri 120 menthols (hmmm…I’ve changed my habit – it’s now Misty Menthol Light 120’s) – a habit I need to quit but haven’t quite accomplished.

What happens when Amanda decides to go shopping before returning to work after a scheduled doctor’s appointment could prove very interesting. Because, you never know who you’re going to run into and what conclusions they may have formed about your personal life.

I really don’t know much about the shopping malls in the DC area or if there is even such a restaurant as I’ve created. On this one, I’m not striving to be location accurate. If there is such a place as Shefield’s, then I hope they do have a wonderful chicken salad on the menu.

Of course, we all know who created and who the lovable cast of Scarecrow belongs to. If you’re in doubt, however, go webvestigating, you’ll discover lots. (Yeah, how’s that for a word?)

Now that homework assignments have been issued kiddies, please do the required reading below, k?

Hope you enjoy.

Soft and very silky.

Not quite white and not quite a cream color. Just a delicate, soft, and very silky piece of fabric, if there ever was one. The coolness of the fabric did nothing to ease the growing heat of desire that had begun to rise even though the man responsible for the heat in question was nowhere near the Washington DC shopping mall.

It was beautiful and Amanda King thought it might just be absolutely perfect for what she wanted it for. With a sigh, she let her fingers slide over the flimsy garment. So delicate, feminine, and yet so tempting. A smile crossed over her face as she thought about the reason why she had even ventured into this store when she should have gone straight back to work.

If, and sometimes that seemed like an almighty big if, if things went well and there were no international catastrophes nor espionage snafus, she would be getting married next Friday. She, Amanda King, divorced mother of two, would be marrying Lee Stetson, the single and devastatingly handsome Scarecrow, a former loner and spy of the secret Agency.

A radiant smile formed on her face as she anticipated this big event. It seemed a lifetime in the making when in reality it had just been a little over three years. Oh my, how Amanda’s life had changed since that fateful encounter at the train station one chilly October morning.

If only she could have guessed the changes that were destined to come her way after that October day. Changes that had brought her, Amanda, the ever practical and economical mother of two, to Victoria’s Secret at the Washington shopping mall on this chilly February day.

It had been a very long time in coming but she’d decided last week that this event warranted forgoing practicality. It was a major, perhaps even destined to be a historical moment.

The great Scarecrow was getting married. Not that anybody within the Agency suspected it or even knew about it, nor would anyone know about it anytime soon.

That didn’t matter to Amanda or Lee. Things were what they were and secrets sometimes had to be kept.

Amanda pulled the lacy peignoir set from the rack and held it up, twisting and turning it so that she could appreciate the delicate sensuality of the garment. She eyed the price tag and then the silky fabric.

It was expensive.

It was beautiful.

It was not on sale.

But the color played beautifully against her skin and this was for the most important night in her life. It was for the most important man to ever have entered her universe.

Amanda had been putting aside money for several years now, just for her own special savings. She had started doing so shortly after meeting Lee and then beginning to work with IFF.

Why, she didn’t know. At the time she’d just told herself it was for something special. A dollar here, a quarter there. Over the years that she had known Lee her savings had grown, as had their relationship. Next week they were getting married. Not even seven days were left now, days that were counting down the end of their single lives and the beginnings of their special, together dream.

Amanda mentally calculated what she’d be spending so far, just in this one store. A small set of special perfume and body lotion, a new lacy bra and panty set, the adorable purple pajama set with tap pants and little shirt, and if, if she bought this, over one hundred dollars.

Amanda wasn’t sure. She had the money, but could she justify it? With a sigh she thought that maybe she wouldn’t buy the purple p.j. set after all.

But then again, she loved the deep purple shade. It was one of her favorite colors but , of course, highly impractical for her life as Amanda King, mother of two. For her other life, the one where she figured prominently in Lee Stetson’s private life, it was perfect.

Amanda longingly looked at the peignoir set. Lee would love it. Or at least he would love taking it off of her. She blushed as she thought of him, her, of what they would be doing. Their honeymoon night.

"Amanda dear, it is you," a gentle voice broke through her musings and she turned to find Jeannie Melrose standing there.

"Hello Mrs. Melrose," she said.

"I saw you deliberating and wasn’t sure if I should intrude or not dear, you looked so deep in thought."

"Oh," Amanda murmured. Oh dear, indeed.

How would she explain this if Jeannie told Billy he’d seen her at Victoria’s Secret? She was supposed to be at a doctor’s appointment, not shopping.

Well, she had been at a doctor’s appointment, earlier in the morning. She just hadn’t quite made it back to the Agency yet. Surely Jeannie wouldn’t say anything to Billy. Then again, maybe she would.

Oh my, Amanda could just picture it, later today, or perhaps tomorrow. Billy would casually drop in a line about Jeannie mentioning meeting Amanda and then Amanda would have to think up of some excuse as to why she was at the mall, when she should have been back at the Q-Bureau.

What kind of excuse could she use? The boys certainly didn’t need anything from Victoria’s Secret for any kind of school project, no matter how creative Amanda’s mind could be.

Picking up something for mother? Well, then Billy might think that Amanda’s mother, no, stop that Amanda! You wouldn’t really want to know what Billy might think of your mother’s romantic adventures. Then again, your mother isn’t the one sneaking off to be married by a Justice of the Peace in Virginia on Friday.

"Amanda?"

Jeannie’s concerned voice drew Amanda back to the here and now.

"What?" she brought her eyes up from the garment she’d been deliberating about and faced Jeannie.

"The color suits you," Jeannie offered helpfully.

"Oh," Amanda let out a small laugh. "I really was just looking, I don’t really need it," she shrugged.

"Mmm, I see." Jeannie’s eyes took in the other items in Amanda’s little basket.

She’d seen the looks that had crossed Amanda and Lee’s face the last time she’d seen the two of them together, and it hadn’t been the holly, jolly, Christmas feeling that had placed the sparks she’d witnessed between them. Say what they will, or rather won’t, but both Billy and Jeannie had suspected that there was more to the partnership than either agent was letting on. Deducing from the looks on Amanda’s face, there was much, much more.

"I suppose when you’re going away on vacation, one always needs to be prepared. By the way, that scent is extremely alluring, at least Billy thinks so," Jeannie said with a laugh.

Amanda’s dark eyes widened and she gulped. "Oh, well, maybe I shouldn’t, you know, if you think its too," Amanda stammered through her words until Jeannie cut her off, placing a motherly hand on Amanda’s arm.

"Amanda, heavens dear, you’re a grown woman. I would think you’re entitled to something sexy for your little vacation. By the way, Billy told me that Lee’s taking his vacation at the same time. Isn’t that coincidental?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, well, you know how it is. I mean, we thought it would be better if we both took our vacations, his, and mine, at the same time, you understand how it is, being partners and all."

Jeannie shook her head and smiled. "Not cutting it dear."

With that Jeannie took the lacy peignoir set from Amanda’s hand and beckoned one of the young sales ladies that she knew well from her previous shopping trips.

"Julie, could you keep this and Amanda’s basket behind the counter? I haven’t seen her since the office Christmas party and I think we’re going to do lunch first."

The pretty young clerk smiled as she took the delicate garment and held out her hand to retrieve Amanda’s shopping basket. "This color would look beautiful on you," she hinted of the set.

Amanda could only nod as Jeannie took her by the elbow and led her out of the store.

"Come along Amanda, I think Shefield’s has a wonderful grilled chicken salad that I’ve been dying to try."

Oh gosh, Amanda thought, I should have just gone back to the office. With a resigned sigh she left Jeannie lead her down the mall walkway. The word interrogation entered Amanda’s mind.

Jeannie Melrose viewed her lunch companion with a skeptical eye. She knew when somebody was trying to hide something and she didn’t need to be an employee of the Agency to do that. Amanda King was doing her best to steer the conversation to any topic other than that of Lee Stetson.

Jeannie had first met Amanda just a few months after Amanda’s rather unusual introduction to the Agency. It had been New Year’s Eve and Jeannie had been on a mission of her own, acquiring items for a small party she and Billy were hosting later that evening. She had stopped by the IFF building to meet her husband for lunch. He had been in a meeting with Lee and Amanda at that time and had introduced the Agency’s newest recruit to his wife.

Right away Jeannie had been captivated with the younger woman. She was pleasant, sweet, and wholesome. She’d also observed that Lee Stetson wasn’t quite able to keep his hazel eyes off of Amanda, no matter how hard he tried.

Now Amanda certainly was unlike any of Lee’s other women and Jeannie remembered clearly her first thought upon watching the two politely excuse themselves and exit Billy’s office.

Those two are going to end up surprising everyone. She’d asked a few discreet questions of her husband after the two younger people had left and much to her delight, found that Billy already shared her feeling. Given time, they both felt that the Scarecrow and Mrs. King would find themselves in a lot more than just a working relationship.

Over time and through visits to IFF and a few social gatherings over the holidays, Jeannie had found that their initial speculations were proving quite right, even if Lee and Amanda worked extremely hard at maintaining a professional cover. Jeannie was a true romantic at heart and she knew love when she saw it. Amanda King and Lee Stetson were undoubtedly, undeniably, unquestionably head over heels in love.

"Amanda," Jeannie spoke, "you didn’t tell me where you were going on vacation."

Here it comes, Amanda thought. She’d hoped her ploy of talking about their children would have steered them safely away from the topic. Obviously not.

"Uhm, well, I thought I’d just go visit some friends, do a little sightseeing and just relax," Amanda answered.

"That sounds nice. And what about Lee, where is he going?"

Amanda winced. Great, now she wasn’t just lying about herself, but about Lee too.

"I think he said something about fishing or something," Amanda said as she quickly speared another bite of lettuce. "You know, this chicken salad really is great. I’ll have to bring mother over sometime. She’ll love it."

"Fishing, huh?" Jeannie took a sip of her ice tea. "I didn’t know Lee fished."

Amanda shrugged. "I really don’t know."

Jeannie felt a smile tug at her face and she fought to keep it back.

"So, I take it you have plans of meeting up with somebody special on vacation?" Jeannie pushed.

"Just friends," Amanda said.

"Oh Amanda, what you’re going to purchase at the store isn’t for friends. More like somebody special?"

Jeannie casually added a small amount of sugar in her tea, stirred the beverage, and looked Amanda squarely in the face. "Perhaps there’s a fisherman out there just waiting to reel you in."

Amanda’s dark eyes widened. "Uh, oh," she stammered, then quickly took a sip of her own drink.

Jeannie simply laughed. Oh yes, that confirmed it. Lee and Amanda were going on vacation, together.

"Amanda, is there some reason why you don’t want anybody to know that you and Lee are involved?"

"I didn’t say we were," Amanda barely squeaked out.

"You both may be very good at uncovering everyone else’s secrets, but Amanda, you and Lee have never been able to hide what’s really going on. At least not to those who know what to look for."

Amanda let out a sigh. Other than a few letters to Penny and Emily, nobody else really knew what was going on between her and Lee, nor how serious things had gotten. Not her mother, not her boys, not even her ex-husband knew what was going on, although she had the feeling that Joe suspected something but was too polite to ask, yet.

Right now there wasn’t anybody who knew that she and Lee were going to be wed, much less engaged. As far as her family was concerned, Lee Stetson was somebody their mother worked with a lot and dated occasionally. There was still so much distance to cover with the boys and even Dotty.

And the Agency, well, Amanda didn’t even want to go there. Lee Stetson was still the most talked about man in the place, and not just by the girls in the steno pool. There was daily speculation as to who the great Scarecrow might be involved with. Yesterday alone Amanda had heard that he was involved with twins from Ohio, as well as dating a girl from West Virginia, and of course, the usual daily fodder of whether he was involved with his partner romantically or not.

Today Amanda didn’t care about any of those rumors. She and Lee knew the truth and the truth was that she was happy, he was happy and Amanda really, really wanted to share this with someone. She’d never been happier, she was excited and thrilled, and Jeannie was right, she had absolutely nobody to share the most exciting secret with.

"Jeannie, can you keep a secret?" Amanda asked hesitantly.

"Amanda, consider who I’m married to. My life is as full of those as yours is."

Jeannie reached across the table and patted Amanda’s arm.

"If you need somebody to talk to you, my door is always open. And on a need to know basis, Billy doesn’t have to know, if you want it that way."

Amanda smiled. She trusted Jeannie, knew that the woman would indeed understand all the crazy, wonderful, and sometime unsettling things that Amanda’s life had now become.

"Then I’ve got a secret to tell you," Amanda said quietly but with an expression that spoke volumes to the older woman.

"Jeannie, can you keep a secret?" Amanda had asked hesitantly.

Mrs. Melrose had smiled in that motherly way, patted Amanda’s arm, and opened the door for a conversation that Amanda had needed to have for quite some time now.

The woman sitting across the table from her wasn’t Agency and yet she knew, she understood. Amanda didn’t have to concoct some convoluted yarn about who was where and why she hadn’t been home all night.

Jeannie would understand things Dotty never would, like the unexplainable bruises and the ruined clothes. Not to mention the extreme amount of damage that had been done to Amanda’s former station wagon that Dotty still questioned to this day.

Amanda took a sip of her ice tea, then spoke quietly after glancing around the restaurant to make sure that she knew none of the other patrons.

"It’s more than a vacation Jeannie," Amanda said.

"Oh?" Jeannie’s eyes widened.

She watched as Amanda picked up her black purse and opened it up. Amanda retrieved something out, one of those small white round jars indicative of a sample size of lotion from one of the department stores.

Amanda tentatively twisted the lid off and pulled out a ring. A ring that caused Amanda’s dark eyes to soften with a warmth that could have heated most of Georgetown on this chilly February day.

Jeannie looked at the sparkling diamond solitaire and smiled. "Oh, Amanda, it’s beautiful," she gushed quietly.

Amanda simply smiled. Words couldn’t even begin to describe the thrill she felt every time she looked at the ring, her ring. The ring she dared not wear anywhere but when she was at Lee’s apartment.

Jeannie spoke slowly, her face alight with delight as she watched Amanda.

"Valentine’s Day is coming up, you’ll be on vacation, together." Jeannie paused then clapped her hands together quietly as her mouth opened.

She ventured forth her question. "Amanda, you and Lee wouldn’t be planning something special on this vacation, would you?"

Amanda nodded then, a small giggle escaping her.

"We’re getting married," Amanda said.

"Oh Amanda, Billy has no idea," Jeannie told her.

"I mean he often says that the two of you are extremely close, but I don’t think he was anticipating wedding bells yet. Oh Amanda, you must be thrilled. And you haven’t told a single soul, have you? Amanda, the most happy time of your life and you haven’t even gotten to share it with anybody, have you dear?"

Jeannie frowned as a quick expression of sadness clouded Amanda’s eyes before quickly disappearing.

"It’s ok, really," Amanda insisted. "Lee and I have discussed this, an awful lot. There’s just so much to consider. We’ve not even dated a full year, and then we got engaged this fall, and my family hardly knows him."

Amanda paused to take a sip of her drink before continuing.

"Some days I feel like I don’t know my family anymore, and they don’t know what I do, not really. And then there’s Dr. Smythe and I don’t know that he likes me, and he can get so mad at Lee, and we certainly don’t want it broadcast all through the Agency. Some days I think we keep more secrets than they do. All we want to do is keep my family safe and be together."

Jeannie smiled sympathetically. "It isn’t an easy job, professionally or personally."

Now Amanda gave Jeannie a sympathetic smile. "How did you and Billy ever manage?"

"We struck up a balance, I guess. I suppose I don’t need to tell you that it would be easier if only one of you was Agency, do I? So tell me about the big day. Details Amanda, I want details."

"Well, it won’t be anything fancy. Justice of the Peace in Marion county, his last appointment on Friday. We’ve got a flight into Dallas late Saturday afternoon. We’re spending the night in Dallas at some fancy hotel that Lee insisted we stay in. Then Sunday morning we’re flying into LAX and from there we’ve made no concrete plans other than to just enjoy the weather and relax. Lee mentioned visiting some old friends and well," Amanda blushed. She knew she didn’t have to further reveal the other more intimate details of her honeymoon.

"That sounds wonderful," Jeannie agreed. "And from the look on your face, I can see you’re happy."

Amanda smiled. "Who would have thought? I mean, who meets the man of their dreams the way I met Lee?"

"People who destined to be together Amanda."

Amanda nodded. "Must be."

"Well, I for one couldn’t be happier for the both of you. Although, you do realize don’t you, that the steno pool will go into mourning?"

Both Jeannie and Amanda laughed. "Oh, the gossip," Amanda said. "I guess its force of habit with most of them, take the smallest clue and extrapolate upon it, to see where it might lead."

With a look at her watch, Jeannie frowned. "Oh dear, look at the time. Do you have to go back to work?"

"I haven’t been there yet, I had a doctor’s appointment this morning. Lee will probably be wondering where I disappeared to."

"Getting ready for your vacation," Jeannie smiled knowingly. "You are going to buy that set, aren’t you?"

Amanda nodded. "Yeah, I am."

After settling their bill for lunch, they walked back up the mall to Victoria’s Secret.

"Jeannie, thank you."

"For what dear?"

Amanda smiled. "For sharing secrets."

Jeannie hugged her. "This one’s a doozy. But I won’t say a word, need to know basis. Amanda, you know Billy and I wish you and Lee all the happiness in the world."

"Thank you," Amanda said.

"And anytime you need to talk, you call me. You might need an understanding ear now and then, I’m available."

Amanda smiled at the older woman. "I guess I should get going before Lee calls out the troops for a search mission."

Jeannie nodded. "Have a wonderful time Amanda."

Jeannie turned and left Amanda to finish her shopping, reminiscing about the earlier days of courtship and marriage with Billy. She understood all too well Amanda’s situation, having lived through a nearly identical situation. If only everybody in the world could find the same happiness.

Meanwhile, Amanda had returned to the counter inside the lingerie store, happily telling the clerk that she was purchasing all of the items. After all, every bride was entitled to sexy perfume and sexy negligee on her wedding night.

He was handsome.

Seductive.

Lee Stetson was worth every penny she’d spent inside Victoria’s Secret for the soft and very silky negligee. With happy thoughts and not a care in the world, Amanda made her way back to the Agency, anxious to see the man who had stolen her heart and made her heart sing.