Annie left us with . . .

 

Amanda shared a look with her husband and asked, "Could this night
*get* any stranger?"

Although the question was meant to only be rhetorical, she received
her answer in the form of a red-head who strode in, tossed her drink
in Lee's face with a bitter, "In pregnant, you son-of-a-bitch!" and
strode out.

 

 

Chapter 13

 

Amanda knew her jaw must’ve dropped to the floor when she heard that.  There was a strange silence coming from her husband.  His eyes were as wide as saucers as he stared at the departing figure of the red-head.   

 

He turned to Amanda, seemingly ignoring Emily and the Prime Minister.  “Amanda, I swear . . . I . . . I’ve never seen that woman before in my life.”

 

The Prime Minister patted Lee on the back and shook his head as he leaned closer to him and said in a loud whisper.  “What a bummer, next time you’d better find better pajamas for your python.”

 

She started to put her arms around him, to pull him close and comfort him like she did with the boys, when a still drunk Francine staggered toward them and decided to chime in with her two cents worth. 

 

“Well, well, well.  I guess the mighty Scarecrow’s extensive condom collection finally failed huh?  I mean, it’s no wonder with as many- hic – women he’s played bac. . . baggam . . . bacmam . . . oh shit, you know what I mean.   Amanda, tell him what I mean.  Wait, who am I talking to, like the suburban mom would know anything about it.”

 

Emily wisely took Francine by the hand and led her to the side.  From the look on Lee’s face, the blond might not have her lips by the time Lee was done wiping that smirk off her face.

 

Lee looked back at Amanda, obvious worry in his face then whispered,  “Amanda, I didn’t sleep with that woman.  I swear, on all I hold dear.”  Lee looked around at the small crowd that had gathered.  Speaking a little louder.  “I’ve never seen that woman before, there’s a mistake.  It wasn’t me.”

 

A few smirks from the corner drew Amanda’s attention away from her husband.  A small group of agents and the red head were laughing and passing money back and forth.

 

Lee was still pleading, trying to prove his innocence to the small crowd, when Amanda grabbed his hand and strode to the group in the corner.  With the sternest voice a mother of teenagers could make she placed her hands on her hips and glared at the men. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”

 

They suddenly fell silent as their heads began to hang in shame.  The woman stepped forward.  “Um, Mrs. King, Mr. Stetson.  I’m sorry, the guys here had a little bet going as to what Mrs. King’s reaction would be.  They asked me to help play a joke on a friend.  I’m sorry.  I guess it wasn’t a very funny joke.”

 

Lee was still stunned.  He stood and stared with a deer in the headlights look as Amanda continued.  “No, it wasn’t a very funny joke.”

 

A man from the back spoke up.  “Well, Scarecrow had quite a reputation as a ladies man, and . . . well . . .  I guess we haven’t seen him hitting on the ladies for a while, and wondered what was going on.  Johnson thought that you two were and item and Keller thought that Lee’d just gone through all the Agency girls and was finding dates elsewhere.  Anderson wondered what you would think, cause, well, we just couldn’t decide if you two were together or not.”

 

Johnson stepped forward.  “What this dimwit is trying to say, is that we had some bets on if you two were together or not, and it was suggested to try to see for sure.  So we had some ladies try pinching Lee’s butt on the dance floor to see if he’d search for the lady who did it, but he kept trying to get away ignoring them.  They couldn’t keep up with him.  Then we thought we’d try the ‘he got me pregnant’ approach and see what happened.”

 

Amanda was even more furious now.  “I can’t believe you people.  Do you have nothing better to do than try to mess up people’s lives?  Mr. Stetson’s love life is no one’s business other than his own.  And whether his love life includes me or not is also none of your business.  We are partners and friends.  If there was anything else to it, why should it bother you?”

 

A murmuring of I’m sorry’s echoed as Amanda turned and walked away.  Lee stopped her just as she left the room.  “Hey, wait a minute.”

 

She turned and looked at her husband and wanted to melt into his arms, but there was so much of a crowd, she didn’t want to attract any more attention.

 

“I’m sorry I was so silent back there.  I was in shock. I just didn’t know what to say.”  He looked down at his feet and muttered, “I always worry about my past coming back to haunt our future.  And I was scared that, because of my past, you might wonder if it could be true.”

 

“Sweetheart.  I believed you, before you even said a word.  I could see it in your eyes.  Your past is in your past and it doesn’t matter to me.  I never for one second believed that woman.”

 

They were joined by Emily who was leading Francine by the arm, more precisely, helping her to stand.  “Lee, my dear. Are you all right?  Those awful people.  I can’t believe anyone would even dream of trying to hurt someone in that way.”

 

Lee finally looked like his normal composed self.  “Yes, Emily, I’m fine.”  He put his arm around Amanda and pulled her against his side.  “We’re fine.”

 

“Good, then you go get cleaned up, you look like a drowned rat.  I’ll keep my dear niece company for a while and we’ll see you later.”

 

Lee gave Emily a kiss on the cheek, and with a wink at Amanda excused himself to the restroom.

 

“Now then, lets go find something fun to do and forget about this whole mess.  I think we’d better take Francine with us.  I don’t know if we can trust her to her own devices.”

 

“Thank you, Emily.  I think that’s a good idea.  Here, let me lead Goldilocks for a while.” 

 

“Thank you, my dear, she is getting rather heavy.”

 

“Heaby? I’s not heaby.”  Francine tried to stand up straight and put her fists on her hips then fell back against Amanda and raised one hand to her forehead.

 

Amanda almost fell under the dead weight of Francine.  “Whatever you say.”

 

Emily led the way down the hall and into one of the other party rooms.  

 

“Emily, are we going to crash the psychics New Years Eve party?”

 

The older woman looked back with a gleam in her eye.  “Of course we are, dear.”

 

In the back of the room there was a small tent.  The sign above it said “Madame Alexianna, Fortune teller.”  Amanda could hardly keep up with Emily, especially since she was dragging Francine also.  The older woman disappeared into the fortunetellers tent, Amanda felt like she had no alternative but to follow.

 

“Ah, my dears, please sit.  I am Madame Alexianna.”  She looked Francine over closely, then reached over and placed her hand over the blonde’s head and recited a chant in a language that was unrecognizable.  Suddenly Francine sat up and straightened her dress.

 

“What?  Where am I?”

 

Before Amanda could answer, Madame Alexianna drew Francine from her seat and led her to a chair next to a table that held a crystal ball.  “Do not worry.  I merely got rid of your inebriation.  You will still have a hangover in the morning, but I think you need to hear what I have to say. It is much to important.”

 

Amanda was surprised that Francine obeyed the women.  She wondered if she could get a hold of some chants that could make Francine obey her.   She decided it was better to sit back and observe, rather than break the spell and get the old, drunk Francine back.

 

 

Madame Alexianna took both of Francine’s hands into her own and examined them closely.  After a few minutes she laid the hands down and spoke in a soft soothing voice.  “Your life will change tonight.  Let it happen.  Do not get in the way of true happiness.  You will realize your true love tonight.  At the stroke of midnight, the man who holds you in his arms is your soul mate.  Don’t let your stubborn pride get in the way of being happy as you have done so many times in the past.  If you push him away tonight, your life will never be what it has the potential to be.”  She brushed her off with a flick of the wrist not letting her speak and motioned for Amanda.

 

Amanda felt compelled to go, even when her common sense told her this was rubbish, something deep inside made her body move, where her brain didn’t really want to go.

 

“Sit.”

 

Amanda realized that Francine had vacated the chair across from Madame Alexianna.  She sat and waited for whatever would happen next.

 

“You do not believe.”

 

It was more of a statement than a question.  She didn’t know what to believe.  Her rational mind didn’t leave much room for psychics and fortunetellers.

 

Amanda’s hands moved almost on their own toward the fortuneteller’s.  The woman held her hands gently, examining the backs, and then turning them to see the palms.

 

“Where is your ring?”

 

“My ring?”  Amanda looked at her hands, she wore a ring on her right hand, but Madame Alexianna was looking at the ring finger of her left hand.  She was careful not to let herself get any sun with her wedding ring on; for fear it would show.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

“Your husband does not mind that you do not wear his ring?”  She placed her index finger on the place were Amanda’s wedding ring should be.  Drawing a line across to her thumb she suddenly looked up and stared at Amanda.

 

“Um, I’m divorced.”

 

“Yes, you speak truth.”

 

Amanda was afraid to look the woman in the eye.

 

“You do have an ex-husband, but that is not the man that I speak of.”  Madame Alexianna leaned forward and looked deeply into Amanda’s eyes.  “I do not understand why you feel it must be a secret.”  She paused for what was only moments, but felt like years.  “You are not protecting them.  You are denying them of something that they all need.  All three of the men that you love deserve to be a family.  It is time.  It will not be kept in the dark for much longer.  Everything that is hidden will be brought to light.”

 

Amanda tried to pull her hands away, but the grip of the woman grew stronger, even though her touch still felt light and gentle.

 

“You love him deeply, that is obvious.  You are tired of hiding it, that too is apparent.  Your family is ready, and after tonight, your friends will be also.  Don’t let your fear of the unknown overshadow your happiness, and that of your husband.  He worries for you.  Right now he worries for you.  It is nearing the stroke of midnight.  You must go to him.  Quickly.”

 

Amanda looked back to Francine and Emily.

 

“They will be fine.  The young lady must go also.  Your true love awaits.”  Looking at Emily she frowned slightly squinted her eyes then suddenly laughed.  “You, Madame.  You are very happy, which gives you the luxury to concern yourself with the happiness of others.  You have done all you can.  It is now up to them.  You have done well.  The blessing that you wish upon your niece and nephew is upon them.  Go in love.”

 

With that the fortuneteller disappeared into the folds of the tent in the back.  Amanda looked at her watch and realized that she was right, it was nearing midnight.  She wanted to find Lee and ring in the New Year with her husband.  He was the only man she wanted to kiss on the stroke of midnight.  She hurried out of the tent and pushed her way through the crowd, not bothering to see if her friends were following. 

 

Rounding a corner she ran right into . . .

 

To be continued by . . .?