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For personal use and select distribution only © March 2002 by Amber Stockton
Matter of Choice - tagalogue
Written by David Brown, Lynne Kelsey & Lee Maddux (excerpts from the episode belong to them)
"Well, you know what they say," Lee began, grinning as he looked at his coffee cup, "everything comes out in the wash." He raised his eyebrows and glanced at Amanda, then raised the cup to his lips to take a drink.
"Oh, speaking of the wash." Amanda tossed the dish towel on the strainer and rubbed her hands together. "Something of yours came out in ours." She turned toward the corner of the counter where the laundry basket was.
"Oh, no!" Lee groaned and placed his cup on the counter. "Not another sock."
"Nope, not a sock." Amanda brought a pair of powder blue boxers around between them and snapped them with her hands. A grin formed on her lips as she watched his reaction.
"Ohh." He sighed and turned his head away, looking embarrassed.
"I'd recognize them anywhere."
Lee snapped his eyes back up to hers and smiled, a gleam in his eyes. "Oh, really?"
"Yeah. It's a good thing Mother didn't find these, or I'd have had a lot of questions to answer." She turned around and was about to put the boxers back in the basket when a voice interrupted them.
"Good thing I didn't find what?" Dotty stepped down into the living room and walked over to the coffee table.
Amanda immediately tried to hide the incriminating evidence. Lee quickly grabbed them, then hid them behind his back. "Uhh, I was just saying it's a good thing you didn't find the extra basket of laundry that still needs to be done."
Dotty looked up and pushed her glasses up on her head. "Oh." She paused, then continued. "Why would you have to answer a lot of questions about that?"
"Is there anything you don't hear in this house?" Lee interrupted, hoping to save Amanda from having to answer the question.
Dotty smiled, a knowing look entering her eyes telling them she knew were hiding something. "Not much." She picked up a random newspaper section and turned back toward the stairs. "I'm leaving, so you two can go back to your little secret," she informed them, gesturing with a little wave of her fingers in their direction.
"We don't have any secrets," Amanda lied.
"Uh-huh," Dotty replied, obviously not believing her. "And I suppose Lee hiding his hands behind his back is just so he can rest them on the counter." When the two of them looked rightly chagrined, Dotty smiled. "You two behave yourselves and don't get into any trouble." She sounded like she was talking to two children instead of two full-grown adults.
"I'll take good care of her," Lee replied, placing an arm around Amanda's shoulders.
"You better!" Dotty warned, shaking a finger at him. "Good night, you two."
"Good night, Mother," Amanda called as Dotty disappeared around the corner and up the stairs. "Phew! That was a close one!" She turned her head to look at Lee.
"It sure was, but your mother knows something is up."
"Of course she does. Mothers have a sense about those things," Amanda stated with an air of knowledge, crossing her arms in front of her.
"Do you think she..."
"No," she interrupted him. "But if we wait too much longer before telling her, we won't have to worry about it. She'll figure it out on her own."
Lee left the boxers on the counter and placed his other hand on Amanda's left shoulder to turn her to face him. "How about we tell her after my vacation?" he suggested in a low voice.
"Yeah, what happened with that, anyway? You promised me a few weeks ago that we were going to be able to make up for the honeymoon we never had. I thought you and Francine were both supposed to have two weeks off? Why have you been spending the past three weeks working on this Brodie case?"
"Well, we were supposed to have the time off, but then Jonathan showed up and well..." Lee explained, shrugging. "It's over, though, and since Francine is taking hers, I'm going to take mine. Interested in joining me?"
Amanda gave him a doubtful look and narrowed her eyes. "I thought you weren't going anywhere."
"I'm not," Lee replied with a knowing grin.
"Well, just because you have off, doesn't mean I won't have to work."
"I know that, but they won't be sending you on any assignments without me, so it'll most likely just be paperwork at the office. If not," he paused and leaned in close to her ear, "then you and I can do some work at my place."
Amanda relaxed her pose and uncrossed her arms, succumbing to his suggestive overtones. "Work, huh?" She grinned. "Somehow, I don't think that's what you have in mind."
Sliding his hands down her arms, he rested them at her waist. "Sure it is," he answered. "We could work on our hugs..." Lee broke off and moved his hands around her back, pulling her closer and demonstrating. "We could also work on getting better at being married," he added, dropping a kiss on her nose.
By now, Amanda was fully in tune with Lee. She slowly slid her arms up his chest to rest on his shoulders. Staring intently into his eyes, she lowered her voice to be as seductive as she could manage. "And, we can work on these," she breathed before initiating a very tender and loving kiss.
"Mmm," Lee murmured when they broke apart several moments later. "Now you're getting the idea."
Amanda smiled and nodded toward the living room. "Why don't we continue these lessons in the other room? I'll make us some popcorn, and you can find us a movie to watch."
Lee pecked her on the lips, then removed his arms from her waist and stepped back. "Sounds like a plan," he said and started to head for the video cabinet beneath the TV. "So, I get to pick the video?"
"And it better not be one of the Indiana Jones ones, either!" Amanda called as she reached into the cabinet for the tin can of kernels, then retrieved the popcorn maker and vegetable oil from underneath the counter. She plugged in the cord, then added a little bit of oil to the bottom and waited for the oil to heat. "The boys have watched those movies so many times, I could probably quote them. That's not exactly something I'm proud to claim as an ability."
"Aww, shucks," she heard him mutter, a note of teasing in his voice.
When she glanced in his direction, Lee looked up and gave her a wink. Shaking her head and grinning, she dumped the kernels into the bottom with the oil that was now bubbling and locked on the lid. Next, she opened the refrigerator and pulled out the stick of butter, then reached under the stove for a saucepan and into the drawer for a butter knife. Slicing off a bit of the stick, she dumped it into the saucepan.
While waiting for the butter to melt, Amanda pulled down two glasses from the cupboard, pulled out the ice cube tray and dumped two cubes of ice in each glass, then took out the bottle of coke and filled the glasses, returning the bottle to the refrigerator when she was finished. After that, she turned around and pulled out a handful of napkins so they would have something for their buttery hands. As the popcorn started to pop, she stepped to the corner and grabbed the laundry basket from the counter, snagging Lee's boxers from the other counter as she walked toward the stairs.
"You actually have this movie?" His voice was raised to be heard over the popping kernels.
She glanced up, set the basket on the floor and walked over to the couch to see what movie he was holding, dropping the boxers on the back of the couch. "Well, it was on TV a few months ago, and I happened to be home, so I recorded it. Is there a problem with it?"
"No, just didn't picture Michael Douglas as your type."
"A handsome guy who makes his own rules and breaks the rest, all the while doing everything he can to protect the woman who was thrown together with him? How could you say he's not my type?" she teased and walked back to the kitchen to unplug the popcorn maker, then flip it upside down and spread the vegetable oil onto all the popped corn.
"Very funny. Does he really do that?"
"Haven't you seen it?" she asked, pouring the small amount of melted butter over the popcorn and sprinkling a little bit of salt, then shaking the bowl to evenly coat each popped kernel.
"No."
"How about we watch it, then?"
"Romancing the Stone?" Lee asked incredulously. "Doesn't exactly sound like a movie I'd enjoy."
"Oh, don't be fooled by the title," she countered, popcorn bowl under her arm and two glasses of coke in each hand as she joined him in the living room. Amanda turned out the light in the kitchen on her way past the wall and watched as he flipped out one of the lamps next to the couch, leaving on just one lamp.
"Here, let me help you with that," he offered and took the bowl from her.
"Thank you." She handed his glass to him, then continued the conversation. "Really, Lee. This movie isn't all about romance. In fact, that's actually only a small portion of it. Most of it is about a novelist, Turner, who goes to Columbia to help save her sister. She ends up on the wrong bus and runs into this guy who wants a map she's carrying. This other guy, Douglas, gets rid of him. She then pays the guy to take her to Cartageña, but they run into all sorts of problems with the government and some illegal drugrunners and," she paused, "well, you'll just have to watch and see."
"Doesn't sound like it'll be too bad. I guess I can tolerate it." He sighed and sank into the cushions of the couch, the bowl of popcorn resting in his lap. "Of course, the company while watching will certainly make it worthwhile," he added, giving her one of his dimpled grins.
She smiled in return, never able to resist it when he looked at her that way, but pleased that he was willing to watch a movie she'd been wanting to watch again for some time. "Believe me, it's right up our alley." She stepped around the coffee table and turned on the TV, then set the VCR to the right channel and started the movie.
There was one or two commercials and a promo for the movie at the beginning. That gave Amanda time to get back to the couch and join Lee. He lifted his left arm and invited her to settle in close to him, then draped his arm around her shoulder and held out the popcorn bowl for the two of them to share. Their drinks were on the coffee table in front of them, so she leaned forward and grabbed them.
"Why don't we set them behind us on the wire plant rack. That way, we'll have them in reach when we need them."
"Good idea," he said as he took his drink from her and stretched his arm to place it on the rack.
Amanda did the same, then settled back against Lee, relaxing as his arm came around her shoulder once more. Almost by mutual agreement, they both lifted their legs and propped them on the coffee table, exchanging a shared grin at their actions.
Lee kissed her forehead just as the promo began and murmured, "This is the kind of stuff I enjoy ... sitting here with my wife and sharing a movie together."
She leaned her head against his shoulder and smiled. "Me too. It's nice not to have to worry about the phone ringing or being on a case for once."
"Yeah, and I intend to enjoy this two weeks just as much as Francine."
Amanda turned her head and quirked an eyebrow. "Are you insinuating that certain activities will take place during this time?"
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and grinned. "I think it's safe to say that."
"Don't be so sure of yourself, Mr. Stetson. Last time I checked, it takes two to tango!"
"Yes, but somehow, I have a feeling that you'll be more than willing to participate in the dance when asked, Mrs. Stetson!"
Amanda caught the self-assured grin on his lips, but wasn't about to give in. Instead, she turned her attention to the television screen. "Shh, the movie's starting." His chest rumbled against her shoulder, but he didn't reply.
They sat in companionable silence as they watched the beginning of the movie and saw the plot unfold before them. Once Joan Wilder had met Jack Colton, Amanda couldn't help but smile at the unconventional meeting, remembering how unusual her own meeting with her husband had been. Perhaps that's why she enjoyed this movie so much. Although the circumstances weren't exactly the same, Joan certainly found herself in way over her head in the beginning. She quickly adapted and realized how well she and Jack worked together. Amanda could certainly relate.
"Well, that looks familiar," she teased Lee as Douglas' character, Jack, immediately pulled his gun and began shooting at the men shooting at him and Joan. They had just met, fallen down a mudslide and were soaked to the skin. Now, they were facing a group of men firing guns in their direction.
Lee squeezed her shoulder and laughed quietly. "Yeah, sure does. Wonder if the outcome between them will end up like us," he whispered.
"You'll have to watch and find out," Amanda whispered back.
"So far, this movie hasn't turned out half bad. I think I might actually enjoy it."
"Good, now shh. As I remember, the dialogue is pretty good between them. You don't want to miss it."
"Yes, ma'am," he retorted with a touch of sarcasm.
Amanda ignored him and reached into the bowl for some more popcorn. After they had escaped the men chasing them and swung across the ravine on the vines into the cover of the jungle on the other side, she smiled at the way Jack forged ahead and cleared a path for them. Just like Lee so often preceded her when they weren't sure about what they would face. When Joan began clearing a path and Jack watched as part of her dress fell back and exposed a bare leg, Lee cleared his throat.
"I can remember having that reaction seeing you in various outfits at different times and in certain situations," he remarked.
"The difference is that I actually knew it," she countered with a smile and glanced up at him. "Joan wasn't even watching, so she missed out on all the fun she could have had teasing him."
"Oh, is that what you call it?"
"Mm-hm, that's the best part."
Lee made a sound that was something between a groan and a laugh and shook his head. Amanda smiled and pecked his cheek, then returned her attention to the movie. He remained quiet for another spell, but when Joan and Jack had just been turned away from the bellmaker's house only to face a group of drugrunners with their pistols aimed at the two of them, he laughed again.
"Now, that [i]definitely[/i] looks familiar!" Lee nudged Amanda's feet with his. "We've been in situations like that before."
"And gotten out of them as well," she countered.
"Yep, like Jack and Joan just did," Lee pointed out, as the bellmaker realized that Joan was the novelist who wrote the books he loved to read and welcomed them into his home. When the three of them busted out of the garage in a 4x4 and played chicken with the federales that were after them, Lee was really into the movie. "You know, this movie is pretty good!"
"Lee," she intoned.
"Oh, sorry. I'll try to be quiet."
"Good." Amanda reached down to give his leg a gentle squeeze.
"You keep doing that, though, and we might not finish the movie."
"Oh." She felt the familiar heat rush into her cheeks, still embarrassed once in a while when her touch affected him a certain way. Her mind back on the movie, she didn't hear anything from Lee until after Jack and Joan had gone to dinner and engaged in some celebration with the town that included a party with fireworks and dancing, as well as Jack and Joan's first kiss. They had finished the popcorn, so Amanda leaned forward and placed the empty bowl on the table.
When she leaned back into Lee's embrace, his hand began to rub her arm and he shifted positions. "Certainly can't blame the guy for that!" he remarked, then leaned his head down to kiss her neck. "I'd say he definitely has the right idea," he whispered once Jack and Joan were in the hotel room.
His warm breath sent tingles up and down her spine. "Lee," Amanda breathed.
"What? It's not like you have to watch what's happening. Besides," Lee paused and lifted her chin, "nothing's better than the real thing." His lips covered hers and immediately engaged her in a passionate kiss.
Thoughts of the movie disappeared as she got lost in Lee's embrace. After several moments, Amanda reluctantly pulled away, but gave him a tender smile as she gazed into his eyes. "There's time for that later. Why don't we at least watch the end of the movie and see what happens?"
Another groan from Lee, but this time without the laughter. However, he nodded and agreed, even if watching a movie was obviously not what was on his mind at the moment. She smiled at the self-control he was exhibiting, then snuggled closer against him and rested her head against his shoulder. His arm tightened around her in response. Lee rested his chin on top of her head as he released as sigh, his breath blowing across her hair.
After Jack and Joan went over the waterfall and Jack promised to meet her in Cartageña, then Joan was reunited with her sister, Amanda could feel Lee relax once more. When Joan and her sister and Jack faced the opposition again, she couldn't help but inhale a sharp breath at the confrontation with the leader of the group. Lee's hand automatically began to move up and down her arm in a comforting caress, and they both were happy to see the man meet his final demise, then watch as Jack scaled the wall and came to embrace Joan.
As the scene faded to Joan standing in front of a window and talking with her editor, Lee remarked. "Aww, come on. You mean he's just gone like that? You've got to be kidding!"
"Shh," Amanda reprimanded. "The movie's not over yet."
"Oh, ok," he replied, then quieted once more as they watched Joan walk down the street toward her apartment. All of a sudden, she looked up to find a large sailboat attached to a truck that was transporting it through the city. She looked up to see Jack on deck, then wasted no time in climbing up the rope ladder to join him. Their reunion was tender. As the final credits rolled, Lee moved his hands to her shoulders and began gently massaging them. "You were right," he whispered against her hair. "That was a good movie."
"Mmm, that feels nice," she murmured.
"I don't think I'll doubt you the next time you recommend one for us to watch."
"Good, so that means you'll watch The Sound of Music with me?" she teased, enjoying the feel of his hands and how his massage completely relaxed her.
"Don't get your hopes up too much," he countered.
She turned her head and glanced up at him. "Well, thank you for watching it with me."
"My pleasure!" Lee kissed her nose and continued to work out the kinks in her neck.
Amanda knew if she didn't do something, his 'magic fingers' were going to do too good of a job. Pulling herself away from Lee, she lifted her feet off the coffee table and stood, turned off the TV with the remote, then walked to the set to rewind the movie. She gathered up their dishes, took them to the kitchen, and cleaned up everything.
When she returned to the living room, Lee had just stood and was now stretching his arms over his head, trying his best to conceal a yawn. When she approached, he lowered his arms to her waist, drew her against him and touched his forehead to hers. "I really did enjoy tonight, Amanda. It's not often we get to spend an evening together like this."
"And certainly not one that I can remember since we've been married!" Amanda slid her hands up to his shoulders and began to gently work out the kinks in his neck.
"All the more reason it was special." He loosened his hold, closed his eyes and relaxed under her touch.
"You're so tight."
"Yeah, I know. Comes from not getting enough sleep these past few days." He opened his eyes again and looked down at her. "You know, I still got Jonathan's debriefing tomorrow morning, but after that, I'm all yours."
"Two weeks, right?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Amanda smiled, then reached toward the back of the couch for the boxers. "So, what are we going to do about these?" She dangled them from her fingertips. Lee's eyes showed exactly what he was thinking. "What about Mother and the boys?"
"I'm a spy, remember? It's my job to move about undetected." He gave her smug smile. "Besides, it wouldn't be the first time."
Amanda stepped away from him, sliding her hand down his right arm as she did, only to clasp his hand in hers and pull him with her. "In that case, it's a good thing you had that extra cup of coffee earlier..."
(THE END)