Amanda had just risen from having her head shoved in
her oven when she heard the front door bang against
it's frame and the excited voice of her youngest son
vibrating through the structure ahead of him as he
tore through the house. "Mom, Mom! Look what Lee
bought me!" Jamie exclaimed in joy, thrusting a small
brown nondescript box into her face. "Isn't it just
the coolest thing in the world?"
Taking a step back in surprise and allowing her eyes
to focus on the object before her, she frown upon
seeing the assortment of round holes along its
circumference. "What is it?" The tone of her voice
gave clear indication that she wasn't sure she really
wanted to know the answer as her eyes met those of her
smiling husband who had trailed in behind the boy.
"It's a hamster!" Jamie supplied grinning.
"A what?" Her frown was then directed toward Lee who
had leaned against the doorframe with an air of
innocence. "You bought him a hamster?" she repeated.
"Sure why not?" he returned smiling.
"We saw him in the window of the pet store at the
mall," Jamie continued to explain as Amanda gave Lee a
strange look. "He was sitting all by himself in the
corner while the other's where eating. I just couldn't
resist him."
"I could have," she muttered under her breath.
"We have a cage and everything. Lee talked to the
salesman and we're all set up. You should see the cool
food I have to feed him. They're little green balls
about this big." Holding up a hand, he demonstrated
the size before speaking again. "You wanna see him?"
he asked beginning to open the box. "I think I'm going
to call him Bach. Phillip is going to be so
surprised…"
"No, no, that's all right," she said stopping him
from extracting the small animal from its current
container with a firm hand on his. "I'll see him after
you get him situated into his new home."
"Okay," Jamie nodded smiling as he closed the lid
then pushed his glasses back onto his nose. "I'll
bring the stuff in and get it all set up. Here."
Without waiting for a response, he shoved the box into
her hands and headed out of the room. "You hold Bach
while I fix his house."
Eyes wide, she turned and placed the box onto the
counter pushing it away from her before looking back
to her husband. "A hamster," she repeated.
Lee grinned pushing off the wall. "Yeah I thought it
was a good idea."
"What part of this is a good idea?" She asked as he
stepped to the counter and popped the lid open, gazing
at the small animal in the box.
"Oh come on Amanda. He's wanted a dog for the last
year. I thought since you didn't want a dog running
around the house we'd get something small… something
contained." Grinning he reached in and drew the small
furry creature out, cupping his hand around it's
squirming body and began stroking it's head, just
above it's twitching nose. "Hi ya Bach. Welcome home."
"Lee… it's a rodent. I don't want a rodent in my
house."
"It's a hamster," he corrected.
"Same thing," she said with strength.
"No it's not. People have hamsters for pets all the
time. And you should hear the great deal the salesman
gave us…"
"I really think you should have consulted with me
first before you bought that," she protested shaking
her head. "Now that he's here Jamie's never going to
want to give him up."
"You're always telling me to be a parent, to make
decisions on my own," he retorted giving her a look.
"So I did. I decided to buy him," he finished holding
him out toward her. "Look at him, he's not a rat, it's
just a small, cute, little hamster. Look at those
beady little eyes. Isn't he adorable?"
"No."
Lee sighed. "He's not going to be any trouble.
Jamie assured me that he would take care of all the
cleaning. This will be a good way to teach him to be
more responsible. It's just a small thing…"
"A small thing that will get away and run throughout
my house…"
"He's not going to get out," he responded shaking his
head.
"Yes he will. Danny Morrow, down the road, had one
and it climbed out of its cage and pushed the lid off
and disappeared into their house two years ago. It
hasn't been seen since."
"His cage isn't built like that. It's one of those
new plastic jobs," he tried to assure her. "We bought
tunnels and accessories for him to play in. You should
see the wheel adapter that came with it. Bach's going
to have so much to do he's not going to have time to
think about escaping."
"Somehow I doubt that," she muttered unconvinced.
When it became apparent to her husband that she
wasn't going to take or touch the furry creature in
his hands, he drew it back to his shirt, cuddling it
against his body. "Just give it a chance, I really
think it's going to be fine," he tried once more as
Bach began playing with a button on his shirt,
fingering it then tasting it with his sharp teeth.
Lee grinned down at him as Amanda shook her
head. "I can't believe I'm considering allowing him to
stay," she muttered. "Don't let him chew a hole in
that new shirt," she scolded as Lee continued to pet
the animal. "Mother is going to throw a fit when she
sees him."
"What? She doesn't like hamster's either?" Lee asked
with a downtrodden look.
"We," she stressed, "do not like rodents.
Rodents are meant to be exterminated, not pampered."
Lee looked back up, grinning at her tone.
"Hon, it's just a hamster. You're acting like it's a
Killer Rat from Mongolia or something." Amanda gave
him a look that caused him to laugh. "Trust me, he's
not going to be any problem. You'll forget he's even
here."
"We'll see."
* * *
Bach was the hit of the household that night, at
least from the male perspective. Phillip and Jamie sat
downstairs with him between them, watching him scurry
about the floor to the distaste of their mother and
grandmother. Upon seeing the small creature, Phillip
inquired as to when he could purchase one and Lee
stilled the coming argument when he saw the look in
his wife's eyes, by telling him to wait and see how
Bach adjusted to his new environment before they began
adding to the community. That seemed to still the
boy's desire for the time being and with Jamie's
assurance that Phillip could play with Bach anytime he
wanted, it helped smooth the waters.
Jamie had constructed the cage carefully, adding the
new additions and filling the bottom with shavings
before placing Bach, with a ceremonious flair, into
his new home. Lee applauded the boy's diligence upon
determining the best spot for its placement in their
room. The salesman had said that extreme temperatures
of either degree would be harmful to the small animal
and after several considerations, Jamie had decided
upon using half of his desk to keep Bach out of harms
way of any drafts.
With his exercise, as Jamie and Phillip called it,
out of the way, Bach was loaded up and transported on
Jamie's shoulder back upstairs to his home when the
boys were told to go to bed. Lee followed them up,
just to insure the cage was fastened and to keep the
peace between him and his beautiful wife. The boys bid
him and the hamster goodnight as they climbed in bed
and he shut off the light.
Twenty minutes later, when he and Amanda moved up the
stairs to bed, she stopped, looking into their room.
"You're sure that cage is fastened?" she asked in a
low voice.
"Guaranteed," he assured her. "Bach is not going
anywhere through that door."
"I suppose not," she agreed turning off the hall
light. "Do you hear the way he's going at it in there?
That wheel is making a horrible racket. I don't see
how the boys can sleep with that in the same room."
"I'll oil it in the morning," he said, trying to draw
her toward their room and away from the hamster. "Come
on, take your ole husband to bed. I need a little
TLC," he teased nibbling on her neck when she leaned
against him.
"You do, do you?" she asked smiling.
"Sure do. I haven't had any in… almost eighteen
hours. I'm overdue."
"Hmmm…" she whispered snuggling against him as they
stepped through their bedroom door and shut it. "It
feels good going to bed with you. I don't know how we
managed living apart for those six months."
"It was hell," he breathed, kissing her throat.
"Thank God we came to our sense. The last year I've
spent under the same roof as my family has been
incredible. I look forward to the next fifty."
"Me too…" she purred turning his head toward her and
capturing his lips as they moved to the bed.
* * *
He was lost in peaceful sleep, his dreams pleasant
and inciting when he heard his name, followed by a
shake on his shoulder. He groaned, nuzzling deeper
into his pillow. Again a hard shove disturbed his
rest.
"Lee…"
"Mmm…" he managed, half asleep.
"Lee…" Amanda shook him again, jarring the bed.
"What?" he asked, not bothering to open his eyes.
"Are you asleep?" she asked into the darkness.
He sighed. "Not anymore." Rolling over, he turned
toward her adjusting the blanket. "What's the matter?"
he asked waking up.
"I can't sleep," she complained.
"So you woke me up to tell me this?" he asked in a
teasing tone. "Come here." Lifting his arm he wrapped
it around her body as she nestled against him, laying
her head on his warm chest. "Why can't you sleep?" he
inquired caressing her shoulder as he kissed her hair.
"I'd have thought after the day we had at work today
you'd pass out the moment your head hit the pillow.
We're not even going to mention our extra curricular
activities a while back."
"Can't you hear it?"
"Hear what?" he asked with a frown.
"That insane squeaking. I've been laying here
listening to it since we came to bed," she muttered.
"Doesn't that hamster ever sleep?"
Lee smiled into the darkness. "He's nocturnal Amanda.
I doubt sleep is on his agenda at the moment."
"I'm not going to be able to sleep listening to
that," she protested.
"Just close your eyes," he whispered, doing that
himself as fatigue began pulling at his eyelids.
"It'll be fine…"
"I've tried that. It doesn't work."
"Listen to my heartbeat… It'll drowned out… Bach…" he
muttered again then fell back asleep.
Amanda grumbled to herself, trying to settle down
against him as the insane squeaking continued in the
distance. "I'm going to hide that wheel, I swear I
am…" she commented in a low whisper.
* * *
"Lee…"
"Lee…"
Frowning he turned his head, pushing away the hands
that were again shaking him. Could he not get a decent
night sleep around here? "Stop…"
"Lee… wake up!"
Opening his eyes, he saw the forms of his stepson's
standing over him still clad in their pajamas. The sun
was shining through the opening of the bedroom
curtains, cutting through the receding darkness.
"What?" he growled, rubbing his eyes with a weary
hand.
"Get up," Jamie pressed shaking him again.
"Why? It's Saturday?" he complained.
"Bach's gone," Phillip supplied in a quiet voice.
"What?" Lee hissed coming full awake as his world
crashed down around him. "Are you sure? They like to
burrow." He looked toward his wife who was still
resting beside him as the boys both nodded. "Did you
check under the shavings? Maybe he's curled up…"
"He's gone," Jamie stated.
"Shit!" Lee cursed, rising up and jerking the covers
off his body.
Amanda stirred in bed as Phillip snickered upon
seeing his race car covered boxers. "Cool boxers
dude."
"Don't even start," Lee warned shaking a finger at
him. "Your mother bought these for me. I have to wear
them."
Phillip laughed then covering his mouth. "Better you
then me."
"Stop it, this isn't funny," Jamie growled, pushing
his brother sideways. "We have to find Bach before Mom
goes ballistic."
"He's not my hamster," Phillip said, chuckling again.
"I'm not going to get the fall out."
"Enough!" Lee growled between his teeth reaching for
his robe. "How did he get out?" he demanded ushering
the boys toward the door as he drew the garment around
his body. "That cage was securely closed last night."
"You're not going to believe it," Phillip said
shaking his head as they stepped into the hall.
"He chewed his way out," Jamie announced.
Lee stopped short of their door, giving his youngest
stepson a look. "He did what?"
Jamie nodded. "Chewed his way out. There's a huge
hole in the upper compartment in the corner. There are
plastic shavings all over the desk. He took the whole
corner out."
"That damn little rodent…" Lee growled surging into
the bedroom. "Shut the door and start looking around.
Maybe we can contain him in here…"
But to his dismay Phillip was standing there shaking
his head. "We've looked everywhere before we woke you
up. I even shoved Jamie under the beds with a
flashlight. Bach isn't in this room."
"Did you check the closet?" Lee asked. Both boys
nodded. "Behind the dresser?" Again all they gave him
was the nods. "Great. I am so dead," he muttered
eyeing the destroyed section of the cage.
"He has some pretty sharp teeth doesn't he?" Jamie
stated standing beside him. "I never would have
considered him doing something like this."
"The salesman didn't say anything about habitual
escapes from this unit when he sold it to us. This
can't be normal," Lee added shaking his head.
"We have a freak hamster or something,"
Phillip piped in trying to be helpful.
"Bach is not a freak!" Jamie shot back.
"Boys…" Lee interrupted, drawing out the word.
"Now is not the time for this."
"What are we going to do?" Phillip asked.
"We have to find him," Jamie pressed. "Grandma
might squish him if she sees him. She hates mice."
"Your Grandmother is not going to squish Bach,
Jamie," Lee said shaking his head. "He doesn't look
anything like a mouse."
"You haven't seen her Lee," Phillip corrected
with a hard shake of his head. "The last time we had a
mouse in here, she screamed and jumped up on a chair
then ran into the kitchen and grabbed a skillet." He
made a face holding out his hand. "Let's just say it
wasn't pretty and she threw the skillet away when she
was through. That would be a horrible ending for
Bach."
"We have to find him Lee," Jamie pressed
grabbing his arm. "I can't let Bach die like that. I'd
never forgive myself."
Lee took a deep breath, running his fingers
through his hair. "Okay look. We'll go about this
systematically. We each take a room, starting with
upstairs. I doubt he's gotten very far to tell you the
truth. It must have taken him most of the night to
chew through that," he said indicating the mutated
cage.
"Okay, I'll grab the bathroom," Phillip
offered.
"I'll check our room," Lee stated then pointed
to Jamie. "I want you check the hall closet and linen
closet. We'll hit Dotty's room after she gets up. If
we still come up empty handed we start downstairs."
Phillip smiled. "I hope she doesn't find him
first." At the look that crossed his brother's face,
he added, "Operation Bach is now motion. All hail the
furry dude," before turning and running smack into the
slim form of his mother standing behind him.
"Oh no…" Jamie groaned covering his face as
Amanda stared at them.
"Care to share anything with me?" she asked
looking directly toward Lee as she crossed her arms.
He swallowed hard hoping that one of the boys
would jump to his rescue. When nothing was forth
coming, he sighed and gave her a weak smile. "At least
he didn't get out through the cage door," he offered.
* * *
Two days later they were all at their wits
end. They had searched the house from top to bottom
and back again, and still no hamster was to be found.
Dotty had taken to looking into every room before
entering it, hesitant toward any scurry of movement.
Jamie was depressed and Amanda voiced her opinion of
the situation to Lee every chance she could.
Lee for the most part, felt as if he were
walking on glass whenever he entered the household.
He'd tried everything in his arsenal to find the
elusive creature, even going so far as returning to
the pet show where Bach had been purchased to talk to
the salesman. The only advice the man could give was,
put out a small bowl of food and he'll eventually turn
up. They always do.
Little help that did.
To Lee's knowledge, the food was still sitting
where it had been placed, untouched. Horrors of Danny
Morrow and his ill-fated hamster kept flashing through
his mind. Two years… Amanda would kill him. Resigned
to his fate, Lee finally gave up the futile search. If
the hamster was to return, no amount of searching was
going to work. He'd come back when he came back, end
of discussion. Until then he was just going to have to
deal with the dirty looks the women of the household
kept shooting in his direction.
It was late in the week, after a long, tiring day
that Lee sank down on the cushions of the couch with a
sigh. He'd missed supper, been late for Phillip's game
and still had that forsaken hamster hanging over his
head from the week before. Things just weren't going
his way and the tides didn't show any signs of
changing soon. "Oh God…" he groaned closing his eyes
as he rubbed a hand across his face.
"Is it that bad?" Amanda asked coming up behind him.
"I'm real sorry about tonight," he whispered looking
up at her as she leaned over him. "I couldn't break
away Amanda, I did try."
"I know," she admitted, lowering her head to give him
a tender kiss. "You tried, and that's what matters."
"Are you still mad at me?" he asked.
She smiled, moving around the couch. "I was never mad
at you to begin with. I know how hard it is sometimes.
We're not even going to discuss all the plays and
games I missed over the years."
She sank down on the couch beside him as Lee
leaned toward her. "Thank you," he whispered, sliding
his hand along her leg before he kissed her again.
"I've missed my wife."
"Hmmm… I've been right here," she teased
around his lips.
He sighed pulling back. "Yeah but I've been
afraid of getting frostbite if I come too close."
"Have I really been that bad?" she asked.
He shrugged. "That's the signals I've been
getting. I know I made a mistake with that stupid
hamster. I'm sorry… I just… I never thought he'd chew
through the cage like that," he admitted shaking his
head. "That was just bizarre."
She laughed, wrapping an arm around his
shoulder. "Just consider it a lesson in parenthood
101. Never underestimate any animal pending pet
status. They'll run you through the wringer every
time."
"Hear, hear," he agreed smiling. "I've learned
my lesson."
"And so have I," she continued, caressing the
back of his neck. "I'm sorry for being so mean to you
and not realizing it. You were doing the best you
could and you did please Jamie."
"For about half a day, all the way up until
Hoodini made his great escape." Smiling he allowed her
to pull him toward her and pressed his weight forward,
laying her back on the couch. "I love you," he
breathed, caressing her lips with his.
"Hmmm… show me…" she moaned closing her eyes.
As he lay forward to do just that, he
stiffened and stopped in mid motion, jerking his head
back. "Oh Shit!" Amanda opened her eyes in confusion
at his exclamation and felt Lee bolt out of her arms
and scurry across the floor on all fours.
"Lee…" she protested rolling over on the
couch.
"HA!" he shouted in triumphant, dropping down
on his stomach and thrusting his hand beneath Dotty's
chair. "Come here you little devil!"
An instant later he drew back, holding the
slim form of Bach, skinner, but apparently in good
health as he leaned back on his knees. "Found you!" he
exclaimed grinning. "Lee Stetson will NOT be beat by
the likes of you!" Amanda sank back on the couch,
laughter bubbling from her throat as he sprang to his
feet and shot out of the room. "Jamie, Jamie you're
never going to believe who I just found!" Lee called
as he disappeared through the house.
The End
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.