July 4, 1987

The Fourth of July began dreary and dry.  Amanda didn't care...today was going to be a wonderful day. Lee was coming over to spend the holiday with their family. They hadn't made any specific plans- Lee and the boys would probably play basketball and Amanda was going to grill some burgers. Dotty had no plans either, so it was going to be a relaxing day at home. Lee was really becoming a part of the family and she couldn't be happier. Jamie had finally relaxed and was getting to know Lee. He had even started dropping hints that he wouldn't mind if Lee became a permanent member of their home. Of course, Phillip had latched onto Lee almost from the beginning- the Corvette had been a big selling point. But, as Lee had become a more active participant at the King house, Phillip and Lee had discovered many shared interests. Now, Jamie was discovering that Lee was interested in things he liked as well.

Amanda wondered how the boys would react if they knew that Lee was already a member of their family. Would they be angry to know that they were already married? She was so tired of the mystery marriage, and thought that Lee was as well. They had had good intentions when they made the decision to keep their marriage secret, but hadn't thought about the downside. Lee deserved to be a real part of a family. In fact, Amanda planned on broaching the subject of ending the mystery once and for all with Lee when he came over for breakfast.

As she began to prepare the food, she thought back to that devastating day five years ago. When she realized her marriage to Joe was through, she thought that her life was effectively over. That night had been the death of her youthful dreams of a life with Joe. Looking back, she knew that all of the wonderful changes in her life had begun that day, even though she hadn't realized it at the time. She glanced at the back window and smiled, remembering the many times Lee had peeked at her through the glass, always a secret from her family. Now, he came in the front door, welcomed by one and all.

The doorbell rang. As always, Lee had impeccable timing. She hurried to answer it and opened the door to her handsome husband. "Good morning," Lee said with a grin. He leaned over and kissed her. "I'm not too early, am I?"

"Never," Amanda answered with a smile and motioned for him to enter. "The boys are still asleep and Mother is in the shower. Want some coffee?" They walked together into the kitchen. "Since you're here, I want to talk to you about something, Lee." She looked at him shyly.

"OK, what's up? Is everything all right?" Lee replied with concern. She loved how in tune he was with her. Joe had never seemed to understand her at all. She always put a happy front up for him, never wanting to worry Joe with any of her little worries. Lee, on the other hand, wanted to know everything. She didn't even have to say a word to him and he knew when something was up.

"Well..." she began, feeling a little nervous, "I was wondering what you would think about telling Mother and the boys about us." Lee looked at her blankly. "I mean, about us...our marriage, our jobs...everything."

Lee looked stunned. "Amanda...are you sure? I mean, we...I thought...what about..." He took a deep breath. "What's going on, Amanda?"

She looked deeply into his eyes. She could tell that he was confused by her right now. They hadn't talked about ending the mystery, although both had mentioned many times how hard it was living apart. Lee especially hated the idea of going home to an apartment without his wife. She smiled at him and he relaxed a little.

"Lee, I've been giving this a lot of thought. You and I are both tired of living apart. You go home alone to that apartment every day. You get up alone every day. You are my husband, and I miss you when you aren't here. Jamie and Phillip love you and love having you around. My mother loves you. You are here all the time and we all adore you. If anyone wants to hurt us, don't you think it would be better for you to be here...with us? You could protect us so much better...here. I know we thought this was a good idea, but, Lee, honey, it isn't. You need to be here with me...and your family." Amanda felt such a relief after saying this to Lee. She looked at him and could see him processing what she had just expressed. She smiled at him and said, "Just think about it for awhile. I'm going to finish breakfast." She went to him, wrapped her arms around him, and gazed into his eyes. "I love you so much, Lee," she whispered, then pulled his head down to hers, kissing him with every fiber of her being.

SMK SMK

Lee was stunned by Amanda's speech. He watched her begin to prepare breakfast and then walked into the living room, sitting down on the couch. Was he ready for this? Lee thought back over the last few months. He had spent his entire adult life shying away from commitment. He'd drifted from woman to woman without thought, getting physical satisfaction but little else. He moved at least once a year, never staying in one apartment for very long. His life revolved around his job, one he did very well, and nothing else...until he met Amanda.

He thought back to five years ago when Eric had been killed. If someone had told him then that, in a few short years, he would meet his soulmate and eventually marry her, he would have laughed himself silly. And, yet, here he was...sitting in his wife's living room. He sighed...his wife's living room. He wanted it to be their living room. Amanda was right. He hated going home to his empty apartment. In the last few months, he'd spent more and more time here and as little time as possible over there. He loved being with her, no their, family, which still surprised him a little. He had never imagined that he would enjoy being with her boys, but he did. He loved watching football games with Phillip, arguing over plays and critiquing the different teams. He enjoyed watching documentaries on the Civil War with Jamie, discussing the different strategies of the generals, and arguing "what ifs".

Was he ready to end the mystery and let everyone know exactly how much Amanda meant to him? He thought about how Dotty would react. Would she be angry with them for hiding this from her? Would she hate him for dragging her daughter into a dangerous world and making her lie to her own mother? This worried Lee more than anything else. He could handle almost anything, but if Dotty hated him...if she never wanted him around...it would devastate him. Over the years, Lee had begun to think of Dotty as almost a surrogate mother. He'd spent most of his life without a mother or, with the exception of Emily, any mature female influence. Now, he had someone who doted on him, mothered him, and he didn't want to lose it. On the other hand, what if she was overjoyed? What if she welcomed him with open arms?

Lee sighed. He didn't really know what to think. He got up off the couch and walked into the kitchen. He watched as Amanda took bacon out of the frying pan, then poured the grease out. She carried the bacon over to the table, where she'd already placed a platter of pancakes, syrup, butter and a bowl of mixed fruit. She turned around and smiled at him. He grinned back. As he was walking over to her, Dotty walked into the kitchen.

"Lee, darling, good morning! You're here bright and early," she smiled and patted him on the cheek. "Good morning, Amanda, oh- you already have breakfast ready! Let me go get the boys- they were moving around in their rooms." She turned back around and headed to the stairs, calling out, "Phillip, Jamie! Lee's here and breakfast is ready!" The boys tumbled down the stairs as Amanda continued to smile at Lee. Lee laughed and walked over to Amanda, putting his arm around her waist, and whispered, "OK, let's do it." Amanda looked at him and gave him a brilliant smile. Together, they walked to the breakfast table.

SMK SMK

Right after breakfast, the boys asked if they could meet some of their friends at the park down the street. Seeing this as an opportunity to speak to Dotty alone, Amanda had readily agreed. They boys had grabbed their basketball, while Lee told them he'd get them in a couple of hours for lunch.

Once the boys were gone and the kitchen had been cleaned, Amanda asked her mother to join them in the living room. Dotty gave Amanda a strange look and sat down on the couch. Lee looked at Amanda, then joined Dotty on the couch, while Amanda sat on the chair facing them.

"Mother, um, Lee and I have something to...uh..." Amanda stammered, trying to figure out the best way to start. She looked to Lee for help. He stared at the floor, hoping it might have a magic answer for him. It didn't. He stared back at Amanda and shrugged.

Amanda looked at Dotty, who stared back at her. Amanda couldn't figure out the enigmatic look Dotty had. She took a deep breath and continued, "Mother, well, I don't know where to begin...OK, well, you know that Lee and I have been seeing each other for some time now..."

"Yes..." Dotty responded.

"Well, we've actually known each other for longer than you might think."

"Really?" Dotty answered. Again, Amanda couldn't figure out what her mother was thinking. Her answer didn't sound curious...it sounded...almost as if her mother was laughing.

"Um, Dotty, I've actually known Amanda for about 4 years, but we only started dating a year ago," Lee continued, trying to help.

"Mother, we're married," Amanda burst out. Dotty and Lee turned their heads simultaneously to look at Amanda. Lee was shocked and Dotty...well, Dotty just smiled.

"I know," she smirked.

Lee and Amanda turned their heads simultaneously to stare at Dotty. "You know?" they both gasped.

Dotty laughed. "Well, really, children...oh, come on, you honestly thought I didn't know? I've known for months! You were married when...on your trip to California, right? I figure it couldn't have been long before then because Lee wasn't around as much before that. Am I right? I found out while I was at the hospital with you, Amanda. Lee had signed the consent forms and then a nurse called him your husband. I will say I was somewhat shocked that you had done it secretly, but then, well, for the last few years, you've been pretty secretive about a lot of things, haven't you?" she gave Amanda a rather pointed look. "Anyway, I could see how devastated Lee was when you were...ill. I know you, my darling daughter, and I figured you had a reason for not telling me. I decided to keep your little secret until you felt like you could tell me. I have to admit, though, that I don't see how either of you thought you could be secretly married...it has to have been pretty rough on you. So...I take it you're tired of lying."

Amanda and Lee continued to stare blankly at Dotty while she spoke. When Dotty finished, Amanda blinked back tears and Lee cleared his throat. Finally, Lee answered Dotty, "Uh, yeah, Dotty, we, uh, wanted to end all the lies. We're both tired of being apart."

"All the lies?" Dotty asked. "Oh, so does this mean you're going to tell me about your jobs...I mean, your real jobs?"

"Real jobs, Mother?" Amanda rasped. What on earth was going on? She knew it was going to be difficult to tell her mother everything, but this was surreal.

"Yes...I've been wondering for awhile now what it is you really do. I mean, last year when all those federal agents were looking for you and Lee...I knew then that you couldn't possibly work for a film company. And, when you gave Jamie that camera, he told me you knew nothing about film. So, are you with the FBI? CIA? Am I close?" Dotty started laughing. "Oh, I wish the two of you could see your faces...priceless. I'm sorry...it's just too funny. OK, I'm done now. Go ahead and tell me what you want to tell me."

Amanda and Lee then began the process of telling Dotty everything from the train station to falling in love to the decision to marry in secret to finally being ready to tell everyone. Dotty had nodded throughout the story and finally had said, "Darlings, I'm glad you've decided to tell everyone. The boys will be so excited to have you here permanently, son. I hope you're planning on moving in soon. It will be good for all of us to finally be together."

Amanda glanced over at Lee and smiled. Dotty had hugged him tightly and Lee had gotten a little misty eyed. The three of them decided that they would tell the boys at dinner, so that Amanda and Lee could recover from their surprise with Dotty. They decided to head to the apartment to get their wedding picture and their rings after lunch, and maybe a few clothes for Lee, just in case the boys accepted the news well. It had been quite a tumultuous morning.

On the drive over, Lee smiled at his wife and said, "One down. I still can't believe she already knew. But, I'm glad it went so well. How do you think it'll go with the boys?"

Amanda responded, "I can't honestly tell you. Mother shocked me this morning, so I don't think I can even hazard a guess."

Lee grinned. It had been quite a morning.

SMK SMK

The afternoon passed uneventfully. Lee picked the boys up and took them to pick up some sandwiches for lunch. Then, after an afternoon of basketball and just laying around watching a movie on TV, Lee helped Amanda set up the grill and played catch with the boys. Dotty helped Amanda prepare dinner, talking to her about different events over the years. While visiting, Amanda asked her mother, "Are you upset with me, Mother? I really didn't want to lie to you over the years, but I didn't really have a choice. You understand, don't you?"

Dotty smiled at her daughter. "Amanda, I've known you for a very long time. If you felt that you needed to keep me in the dark, you had a good reason. I've also seen you grow into a strong, confident, happy woman over the last few years. You are a good daughter, a great mother, and, if I may say so, an excellent wife. Lee is very lucky."

"I'm lucky, too, Mother. Thanks for being so understanding. I have been worried for so long that, once you found out about my secrets, you would be extremely angry with me," Amanda admitted, hugging her mother.

"I could never be angry with you, Amanda. I'm your mother," Dotty kissed her on the cheek and continued to prepare the meal. "Just make me a deal...no more secrets, at least personal ones, OK?"

Amanda grinned and nodded her head. "Deal."

Once dinner was ready, Amanda called the boys over to the picnic table. It had rained off and on all day, but it seemed to be holding off for the time being. Dotty had placed a tablecloth on the table, and towels on the seats. When everyone was seated, Lee stood up and said, "Phillip, Jamie, your mother and I need to talk to about something pretty important."

Jamie leaned over and whispered to Phillip, who whispered back, then piped up. "What's up, Lee?"

"Well, fellas," Amanda began, "What would you think about Lee as a permanent member of our family?"

Jamie laughed at Phillip, who was pulling a dollar out of his pocket. "Pay up, Phillip!"

Amanda looked at boys perplexed. "What's going on?"

Jamie answered. "Phillip and I bet when you'd tell us you were married. He guessed August, right before school started back, and I guessed July, probably around the Fourth. So, I win and he has to pay me a dollar!"

Lee looked back and forth between the boys. "You knew? How? When? Amanda?" He turned to his wife, who looked just as incredulous as he felt.

The boys started laughing even harder. Dotty looked at Lee and Amanda and started laughing with them.

"OK, boys, what's going on? How did you know Lee and I were married?" Amanda questioned.

"Well, do you remember when you picked Lee up from the airport a couple of months ago?" Phillip started.

"Well, we had been with Dad, but he had to drop us off early. We had just walked in the front door when we heard Lee say he missed his wife and you said you missed your husband and then you started kissing, so we hightailed it out the door, waited a few minutes, then made a bunch of noise coming in," Jamie continued.

"Yeah, we figured you didn't know we were there, and you'd be embarrassed that we caught you being mushy, so we acted like we had just came home," Phillip finished.

Amanda stared at her two sons and asked, "Why didn't you say anything?"

Jamie looked at her sheepishly. "Well, that was my idea. We talked about telling you, but then I thought it would be better to let you tell us when you wanted to. I kind of thought you didn't tell us ‘cause I'd been so rude to Lee." He looked down at the table.

Lee looked at Amanda and said, "Jamie, hey, we didn't keep this a secret because of something you did, OK? It's just that, well..." He glanced at Amanda and she nodded. "Your mother and I don't exactly work for a film company and we..."

"What? I knew it!" Phillip exclaimed. "I knew you didn't work for a film company! Told you, Jamie!" Jamie nodded and handed Phillip the dollar back. Apparently, they had had another bet on their occupation.

Amanda shrugged and said, "Wow. I don't think I want to know how you figured that out! Well, Lee and I work for the federal government, for a group called the Agency. We're federal agents."

"Cool, Mom- you mean you're like James Bond?" Phillip smiled excitedly.

"Not exactly," Lee said.

Amanda was amazed. They told the boys the story they had told Dotty earlier, about the train station and a little of everything since then. They ate their meal while visiting and had a great time. The boys had a lot of questions and were amazed at how long Lee had really known them.

Later, Amanda had pulled Jamie aside and asked, "Are you sure you're OK with all of this?"

Jamie answered, "Yeah, Mom. Lee's great and I'm really happy for you. So, is he gonna finally move in here? I mean, you are married. Isn't it kind of weird for him to live across town?"

Amanda laughed. "Yeah, Jamie, it's kind of weird. I think it would be nice for Lee to live with us, don't you?"

Jamie nodded, then ran off to play ball with Phillip.

After all the excitement, Amanda and Lee relaxed in the living room. She was so relieved that her family knew everything- although, she was amazed that they had known for awhile and she had been totally clueless. She laughed and Lee turned to her.

"What's so funny?" he asked as he pulled her close.

"Us," she giggled. "We've been so worried about how everyone would react, and it turns out they figured it out all on their own. Some spies we are!"

Lee kissed her hair and murmured, "Agents...I don't care for the term ‘spy'." Then he pulled her closer and began to kiss her gently. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened their kiss. It was so wonderful to be able to spend time with her husband while her family was around.

SMK SMK

As the evening progressed, they watched the fireworks in the front yard with the neighbors, then stayed up late playing cards. When Lee got up to leave for his apartment, everyone froze at the table. Phillip then said, "Dude, why are you going back there? We know you're married, so you live here now, right?"

Lee looked at Amanda. Amanda shrugged her shoulders, then Jamie piped up. "Lee, we want you to live here. In fact, I think we should start packing up your apartment tomorrow. Don't you?"

Amanda smiled at the boys and said, "They're right, Lee, you don't need to go anywhere. You're home."

"That's right, son," Dotty added. "So sit back down and let's get back to the game. It's my turn to beat you."

Lee looked around at everyone...his family and realized that they were right. He was home.