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Lee Stetson stared in annoyance at the files cluttering his desk. He'd hoped to be able to leave work early today, but just as he was getting ready to leave, his section head had dumped a load of paperwork on his desk that had to be taken care of immediately. Now, not only was he not going to be able to get away from the office early, but he probably wouldn't be home until the wee hours of the morning -- again. This was becoming a habit that Lee didn't like. For the third time in two weeks he would have to call Amanda and tell her not to wait up for him. Once again circumstances were going to prevent him from spending a few hours alone with his wife.
Frustrated, he thought back over the last few weeks and the minimal amount of time he and Amanda had been together. Something always prevented them from acting on their plans. Twice they'd tried to go out to dinner, but at the last minute he had to cancel because of work. Then they attempted to take in a movie, but Matt got sick and Amanda hadn't wanted to leave him with a sitter. Another time Lee actually left work early, but the car died and when he was through hassling with the tow truck and the mechanic, he wasn't in any kind of mood to go out. Now, tonight, he and Amanda had made a simple plan to have dinner as a family, then spend some quiet time together once Jenny and Matt were in bed. It sounded foolproof enough, but once again the fates were against them. Exhaling in resignation, he picked up the phone to call Amanda.
By the time he got home that night, Lee was exhausted. It was well after midnight and everyone was asleep. With a tired sigh, he set his keys on the kitchen counter, read the note Amanda had left him saying that dinner was in the fridge, and headed up to bed. Climbing the stairs, he loosened his tie and unbuttoned his jacket, glad to finally be home. Before stepping into his own room, though, he stopped briefly to check on the kids, tucking them in more snugly and lightly kissing them on the forehead. He then quietly entered his and Amanda's room.
As he crawled into bed and curled up next to Amanda, she stirred slightly. With a dreamy, half-awake yawn, she murmured, "Good, you're home." Snuggling closer to him, she mumbled, "G'night," as she fell asleep once again.
"Good night," Lee whispered, then drifted off as well, deciding something needed to change... soon.
"I'm sorry I had to work late," Lee apologized the next morning. "It took me longer than I thought to finish. Did you and the kids have a nice evening at least?"
Amanda glanced up from making the bed. "It was pretty quiet. We played a couple of games before bed. They missed you, though."
"I missed them too," Lee responded. "I hate coming home to a sleeping house." He walked into the closet to pick out a tie. "You know, Amanda, I was thinking... why don't we try and meet for an early lunch today? I have a couple of hours free late this morning."
Amanda finished with the bed, then walked over to help him with his tie. "Oh, Lee, I'd love to, but I can't. I promised Jenny's teacher I would help out in the classroom today. They're doing some kind of special project and they needed parent volunteers."
Lee sighed in frustration as he put his arms around her. "Well, when do I get you all to myself, Amanda? This is getting worse than it was when our marriage was a secret. At least then I got to see you every day at work."
Amanda smoothed down his collar, then gazed up into his eyes. "I know it's been hard lately, Lee, but what can we do about it? It'll get better soon. I promise. We just have to be patient."
Lee groaned unhappily. "I don't want to be patient. I want to spend time with you now, not at everyone else's convenience." Thinking quickly, he added, "I'm not going to give up. What do you say we try again tomorrow night, huh? Dinner and a show?"
Amanda couldn't resist his pleading expression. "Okay, but I can't promise anything," she warned. "It might be hard to find a sitter on a Friday with such short notice."
Lee smiled in response. "Just do the best that you can, that's all I ask."
The next day Lee could barely concentrate at work as he watched the minutes slowly tick by. He kept thinking about his and Amanda's "date" that night. When five o'clock finally rolled around, he dashed out of the office, afraid if he delayed for even a minute longer, something would spoil things.
He walked in the door that night with a smile on his face and a bouquet of roses in his arms. This was his and Amanda's night. After the kids enthusiastically welcomed him home, he headed upstairs.
As he entered their bedroom, he let out a low whistle of appreciation. "Wow, you look gorgeous!" he exclaimed.
Amanda smiled broadly. "Thank you." She noticed the roses and moved to take them from him. "They're beautiful, Lee. How thoughtful. I'd better put them in water."
As she made her way downstairs to find a vase, the phone rang. "I'll get it," she hollered as she entered the kitchen.
Lee joined her just as she hung up the phone with a disheartened look on her face. "Who was it?" he asked warily.
Amanda glanced up at him, dreading telling him. "Uh, that was the baby-sitter. She had to cancel -- a family emergency."
Lee's face dropped in disappointment. "You're kidding, right?"
Amanda shook her head gloomily. "I wish I was. She said she had to go out of town tonight, but she'll probably be back tomorrow afternoon. She agreed to baby-sit tomorrow night if she gets back in time. I told her we'd let her know."
Lee sighed in defeat. "Dammit, Amanda, all I want is one evening alone with you. Is that asking too much?" he demanded in frustration.
"No, it's not," Amanda replied quietly. She placed her hands gently on his chest. "I know you're frustrated, so am I, but let's just try and have fun tonight with the kids and hope we can go out tomorrow. Okay? All is not lost yet."
Amanda's eyes pleaded with Lee to relax and make the best of it, so he took a deep, steadying breath. Smiling gamely, he finally responded. "Okay, what do you say you put these in water while I change. Then we can find out what the kids want to do."
Amanda smiled in relief. "Great!"
The next morning was busy with chores around the house. They'd had fun eating pizza and watching videos the night before, but Lee still harbored hopes for that evening. The baby-sitter was supposed to call when she got home, and Lee was anxiously waiting for the phone to ring. When she finally reached him around noon, he was ecstatic. After making plans, he quickly hung up the receiver and went searching for Amanda to tell her that they were on for that night.
The rest of the afternoon was filled with Jenny's soccer game and the team party afterward. By the time they arrived home around four, Amanda decided she'd better start getting ready. On her way to the stairs, however, the phone rang. She turned to answer it, but Lee intercepted her.
"I'll get it," he told her. "You go on and take your shower."
After watching her disappear up the stairs, Lee picked up the phone. "Hello," he answered cheerfully.
"Lee? Hi, it's Dotty. Is Amanda there?"
Picking up on the tremor in her voice, Lee responded, "Yeah... Are you all right? You sound upset."
Dotty hesitated for a second. "Uh, no... I'm not all right. I really need to talk to Amanda."
Lee had a horrible feeling, but knew there was nothing he could do about it. "I'll get Amanda."
"Thanks, Lee," Dotty responded shakily.
After getting his wife on the phone, Lee sat down to read to the kids and wait for the inevitable. Sure enough, a few minutes later Amanda came downstairs to find him, regret written all over her face.
"Lee, I have some bad news."
Lee closed the book and sent the kids into the other room. Then he regarded Amanda expectantly. Amanda didn't know how else to say it except quickly, so she took a deep breath and continued.
"Mother and Curt had their first fight and it was a big one. Curt stormed out the door and now Mother is scared and she doesn't know what to do and really needs someone to talk to. She asked me to come over and I told her I would." Before he could respond, she held up her hand to forestall him. "This may sound bad right now, but I have a plan. I'm going over and hopefully get this whole thing straightened out in a matter of a few hours. You phone the baby-sitter, put her on call, and as soon as I get home, you and I can go out. I promise I'll hurry."
She waited, wondering how Lee was going to take this. He sat there for a moment, his face doubtful.
"Lee, I have to go. She's always there for me. It's my turn to do the same for her."
Lee sighed in utter frustration. "I understand, Amanda, I really do. It's just I'm tired of never getting you to myself. I always have to share you. When is our time?" he demanded in a defeated voice.
Seeing that he did understand, even if he didn't like it, Amanda answered. "I don't know, Lee. If I don't get back in time, we'll have to think of something else." Glancing at her watch, she apologized. "I'd better get going. The sooner I get there, the sooner I can get this resolved." Kissing him softly on the cheek, she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.
That evening, as Lee sat watching a late night movie on television, the phone rang. He moved to answer it before it woke up the kids, who had fallen asleep on the floor in front of him hours earlier. "Hello," he answered tiredly.
"Lee, it's me," Amanda answered. "It's been crazy over here. Curt just got home and he and Mother are straightening things out now."
"Is Dottie feeling better?" Lee asked curiously.
"She's a lot calmer now that he's back. I was going to leave once they finished talking, but I'm exhausted. I think it'd be better if I stayed tonight and drive home in the morning. "
"That's probably best," he sighed. "Everything's quiet here. The kids are both asleep and I was just getting ready to head up to bed. I called the baby-sitter a while ago and told her we wouldn't need her."
"I'm sorry, Lee," Amanda said regretfully, "I thought we'd be able to salvage some of the evening. You must be pretty upset."
Lee tried to comfort her. "I'm upset at the situation. This isn't your fault. It's just rotten luck. Get a good night's sleep and I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I love you," he added before he hung up.
Walking back into the den, he flipped the television off. Then, one by one, he carried the kids upstairs and tucked them in. After climbing into his own bed, he found he couldn't fall asleep. Instead, he laid there and tried to think of some solution for his present problem. Determined not to rest until he thought of one, he went over all the failed attempts in his mind, trying to figure out exactly what went wrong. After discarding a half dozen ideas, he finally lighted on one he liked. A smile started to form on his face as the thought took shape and he began to formulate a plan. "This just might work," he mused as he finally drifted off to sleep.
The next week sped by for Lee as he put his scheme into action. He made reservations, arranged for baby-sitting, and took care of every other conceivable obstacle. He checked and double-checked everything, making sure nothing got in the way. He was determined that no matter what, come Friday, Amanda was his.
Amanda, oblivious to all of Lee's planning, went about her week as usual. She noticed that Lee seemed preoccupied with something, but didn't press the issue. Whatever it was, it seemed to be keeping his mind off of his disappointment, and for that Amanda was grateful. She was curious, but figured in due time he would tell her. She didn't have long to wait. Friday afternoon, after shopping and running errands with the kids, she returned home to see Lee's car parked in the driveway several hours before he was due.
"Lee?" she called after entering the house.
She didn't get a response, so curiously, she called again, "Lee?" Setting her purse and bags on the counter, she started upstairs to see if he was in the bedroom.
When she entered their room she saw him and stopped dead in her tracks. He was calmly filling a suitcase, obviously for some trip Amanda knew nothing about.
Stunned, she asked, "Lee, what are you doing home so early and where are you going? You didn't tell me about any trip."
Continuing to pack, Lee glanced up at her. "That's because I wanted it to be a surprise."
Amanda looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean? What in the world's going on?"
Unable to keep her in suspense any longer, Lee stopped and walked towards her, grinning broadly. Putting his arms around her, he said, "You, Mrs. Stetson, are being kidnapped for the weekend."
"What?" Amanda asked in bewilderment. "Who's kidnapping me?"
"I am! Since we can't seem to be able to find any way to spend time together here without some kind of interruption, I am taking you hostage for a relaxing, romantic weekend in a cabin in the mountains."
"Now I know you've gone crazy! Have you forgotten our two small children? What are they supposed to do while we go off together to the mountains? Besides, how are we going to manage a trip when we can't even make it to dinner and a movie?"
"The kids are spending the weekend with your mother and Curt. We're dropping them off on our way out. And as for pulling this off, I've got all the bases covered, the kids, work and the car. Everything is taken care of."
"No wonder you've been so preoccupied lately!" Amanda was still not completely convinced, though. "Are you sure Mother and Curt are up to taking care of the kids? They can be a handful," Amanda reminded him worriedly. "And what if something happens? We've never left them for an entire weekend before," Amanda added anxiously.
"You're mother jumped at the chance to spend the weekend with her grandchildren. She and Curt are excited, and I'm sure they'll all be fine. Now, stop worrying and help me." He paused. "You can't say no because you're my hostage. Just think Amanda, for one whole weekend it'll be just the two of us -- moonlit strolls by the lake, romantic dinners, lounging by a warm fire at night."
Unable to resist his enthusiasm any longer, Amanda relented. "I give in, I'm yours!" held up her hands in mock surrender. Truthfully, it sounded incredibly romantic to her. She couldn't believe Lee had gone to so much trouble. Since having the kids, this kind of opportunity had been rare. Amanda was touched that he had worked so hard to find a way to be alone with her. Fully caught up in the excitement, and confident the kids would be fine with her mother, Amanda helped Lee finish packing. They rounded the kids up and within half an hour were on their way.
After stopping for a bite to eat on the way, they finally arrived at Dotty and Curt's house. As soon as Lee stopped the car, the kids scrambled out and raced to greet their grandmother. They were met by a round of cheery hellos, then Dotty asked them to come in and sit for awhile.
Lee declined. "We'd love to, Dotty, but we really should get going before it gets too dark. We'll visit when we pick the kids up."
Amanda agreed. "We'll stay longer on Sunday. Don't let the kids run you ragged."
"I understand, dear. Don't worry about the kids, we're delighted to have them and we're going to have a wonderful time. Isn't that right, Jenny?" she asked as she smiled down at her young granddaughter.
"Yeah, we're gonna bake cookies, play games, read books, play house, go to the park..." Jenny answered all in one breath.
Amanda laughed. "Wow! You'll be pretty busy! But listen, Jenny... you too Matt," she said in her motherly tone, drawing Matt closer so she could talk to both of them. "I want you to be good and do what grandma tells you to. I mean it, I want a good report when Daddy and I get home."
She was answered with a chorus of "Okay, Mommy." Amanda gave each of the kids a hug then turned back to her mother while Lee said his goodbyes to the kids.
"Relax," her mother assured, smiling at Amanda's forlorn expression. "You and Lee just have a good time."
Amanda gave her mother a hug. "I know, I'm not worried. You have the number of the lodge, right? And we'll call you with the cabin number."
"All right, dear."
"Come on, Amanda." Lee took her hand and led her to the car. They waved goodbye as they backed out of the driveway. Once out of sight of the house, he looked over and caught Amanda's eye, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "The kids really will be fine, you know."
Amanda smiled softly. "I know. It's just that they're still so little. What if they miss us?"
Lee nodded knowingly at her and teased, "You mean, what if we miss them? Seriously Amanda, they're going to have a great time, and..." he kissed her hand, "so are we."
Amanda leaned into Lee. He put his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. For the rest of the two hour drive to Pine Top Amanda stayed snuggled against Lee, becoming more excited with each passing mile.
They finally arrived a little after eight. Lee quickly checked them in, then drove the short distance to their cabin. After opening the door, He turned and scooped Amanda up in his arms.
"What are you doing?" Amanda gasped in surprise.
"What do you think?" he replied. "I'm carrying my beautiful bride over the threshold."
"But Lee, " Amanda reminded him, "we've been married for seven years now."
Undaunted, Lee smiled. "I know we've been married seven years, but there are no rules saying only newlyweds are allowed to do this."
Touched by his romantic impulses, Amanda laughed. "You're a hopeless romantic, Lee Stetson... but a sweet one. I love you."
They shared a long kiss. "I love you, too," Lee said as he gently set her down. "Now, what do you say we unpack the car and get settled? This 'hopeless romantic' could use a little relaxing by the fire."
After another quick kiss, they brought the bags in from the car. Lee started a fire and poured them some wine, while Amanda called her mother. Within a few minutes, they were cuddled together in front of the romantic blaze.
Amanda sighed contentedly. "This is so nice, Lee. Thank you."
Lee hugged her closer. "Don't thank me yet," he quipped. "You know I had my own selfish reasons for wanting to get away. I've missed you, Amanda. We've both been so busy lately. We need some quality time, no interruptions and no distractions."
"Oh, Lee, I've missed you too. I'm glad you finally found a way. The question is, now that we're alone, what are we going to do all weekend? I haven't been up here in awhile... in fact, the last time I was here was when you and I came up to go skiing before we got married. Remember? The skiing was terrible, so we ended up staying indoors all weekend."
"Yeah, I remember that weekend. We may have been stuck indoors, but we certainly weren't bored!" Lee chuckled fondly. "In fact, I wouldn't mind repeating some of those indoor... activities," he teased with a twinkle in his eye.
"Lee Stetson!" Amanda tried her best to look indignant, but failed miserably, her face melting instead into a broad grin. "You're impossible, do you know that? This time I'd like to see what there is to do... outside these four walls."
"Okay, okay," Lee acquiesced, "But Amanda, will you at least promise to spend some time inside? There's only so much a man can take of the great outdoors, especially when there are so many fun indoor activities to enjoy."
"Oh, don't worry about that," she assured him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his and kissed him passionately on the lips. Lee eagerly responded. Soon their kisses became more fervent, their caresses more intimate. Lee gently scooped Amanda up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom, placing her softly onto the bed. All thoughts of the kids and the outside world vanished. For the first time in a long time all they had to concentrate on was each other. They moved slowly, enjoying the closeness of one another, until they were unable to resist their desires any longer. Later, they fell asleep content and comfortable in each other's arms.
The next morning the light filtering in through the windows awoke Lee. Amanda was nestled beside him, her head resting on his chest. She was so beautiful. He lay there and watched her, absently stroking her back. Before long, she sleepily opened her eyes and noticed him watching her.
"Good morning," she murmured through a yawn.
"Good morning yourself, sleepyhead," Lee teased as they kissed. "You looked so comfortable, I didn't have the heart to wake you."
"Mmm, I appreciate it. It's been a long time since we've gotten to sleep in."
"I know, Amanda, just think... a Saturday morning with no cartoons. What are we going to do?"
Amanda laughed against his lips. "Oh, I think we can survive."
After sharing a few more tender kisses, Lee asked, "What do you want to do? Since we have the whole day to ourselves, your wish is my command."
Amanda thought for a minute. "Why don't we start with breakfast and then we can see what there is to do around town. "
Lee nodded his agreement. "Great. I noticed a little restaurant when we drove in last night, why don't we try there?"
A couple of hours later, after a leisurely breakfast, they decided to go for a bike ride around the lake. They made their way to a rental shop. Neither had ridden in awhile, so they laughed at one another as they got used to the feel of the bikes. Before long, though, they were flying along the paths. They found one that led to a trailhead for a 1/2 mile hike to a waterfall. Unable to resist, they locked up the bikes and started up the trail.
They twisted through beautiful green undergrowth and high shady trees, following a quick running stream all the way up. Reaching the bottom of the falls, they stood mesmerized by the cascading water.
"Oh, Lee, look at that," breathed Amanda. "I've never seen such amazing white water before. I didn't know these falls were here."
"Neither did I." Lee, studied Amanda's reaction with a smile on his face. She was so lovely. Impulsively, he kissed her, taking her by surprise.
"Wow! What was that for?" Amanda asked when their lips finally parted.
Lee just squeezed her hand. "Oh, I was standing here watching you be blown away by the beauty of Mother Nature and it suddenly occurred to me how much I still love you and how lucky I am to have found you. Amanda, you really are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I hate to think where I'd be if you hadn't entered my life and made me see what a fool I'd been all those years. I'm a better person today because of you."
Lee's words created a warm spot in her heart. "All I did was love you." Her eyes visually caressed his face. "You're a wonderful man, Lee, and I can't believe how lucky I am to be married to you." She reached out and pulled him close. "And I love you, too, more now than ever before."
They kissed once again, with the waterfall pounding behind them. Then slowly, arm in arm, they headed back.
After returning their bikes, they went shopping for a little while, buying gifts for the kids. They bought Jenny a doll and Matt a teddy bear that they found in an old-fashioned toy store in the center of town. While Amanda paid for the gifts, Lee wandered into a nearby store and saw a small painting of the waterfall they'd hiked to. He bought it, planning to surprise her later.
After their active morning they were starving. They found a cafe and ate lunch on its terrace, overlooking the lake. While eating, they saw a boat out on the lake giving tours and thought it looked fun. They finished eating and wandered over to the dock.
The tour took them around the lake, showing them all the local sights. Often, they would wave as they passed a boat full of water-skiers enjoying the last of the warm weather before winter set in. Amanda couldn't remember when she'd felt so content, leaning against Lee as the boat glided along, feeling his arms around her. It had been a perfect weekend so far and they hadn't even gotten to dinner yet. Amanda shivered with excitement, causing Lee to tighten his hold.
"You cold?" he asked, concerned.
"No," Amanda answered, "how could I be cold with your arms around me? I was just thinking about tonight and how much fun we're going to have. We haven't been dancing in years."
Lee squeezed her lovingly from behind. "I know. We don't seem to do enough dancing, do we? I'm going to be the most envied man at the lodge with you on my arm."
Amanda just smiled and rested her head against his chest. "You're too sweet for your own good, Lee Stetson."
"A perfect dinner to end a perfect day." Amanda sighed and sat back in her chair.
Lee reached to take her hand into his. "What do you mean a perfect end? The day's not over yet. In fact," he winked at her, "the night's still young and I think they're playing our song."
Amanda let Lee guide her out to the floor. While they danced, they held each other close, moving as one, oblivious to everything and everyone around them. All of their attention was focused on each other, on the feeling of security and happiness they felt in each other's arms.
After a few songs, Lee whispered into Amanda's ear, "It's getting warm in here. How 'bout a stroll by the lake?"
Amanda readily agreed, so they made their way out to the lakeshore. It was a beautiful night -- the sky filled with millions of twinkling stars and a full moon glistening brightly on the calm waters. The silence around them was almost overwhelming -- the world taken over by peace and tranquillity. They found a bench along the path and sat down to enjoy the night.
Amanda sat with her head against Lee's shoulder, his arm draped around her. She marveled at how lucky she was to be able to share this wonderful evening with him and thought about how far they'd come.
The first couple of years she could only dream about being this close to him, thinking it would always remain just a dream. Then, as their romance began to blossom, she found herself trying to imagine a future with him, wondering what kind of a husband he would be, if he would ever be able to adjust to a normal life outside of the Agency.
Now, eleven years later, she no longer had to wonder. Lee was the kind of man she had been waiting for her whole life -- the kind of man Joe never could be. He was a loving and caring husband, always putting hers and the children's needs before his own. Surprising her with this weekend getaway was a perfect example.
As her thoughts returned to the present, she gazed up into his handsome face, the light of the moon highlighting his etched features. Overcome with love, she squeezed him tightly and lifted her head to kiss him softly on the lips. Lee returned the kiss then gazed down at her.
"You've been awfully quiet, Mrs. Stetson. Penny for your thoughts."
Amanda squeezed him once again. "I was just thinking about how much I love you and how glad I am that I took that package from you at the train station all those years ago." Chuckling softly, she added, "It sure makes me a believer in destiny! Imagine, of all the people you could have given that package to, you gave it to me. Why? I've always wondered."
Lee thought for a minute before replying. "There was just something about you -- I knew I could trust you, though I don't know why. I'd never trusted anyone in my life. Someone was watching out for me that day. As much as I fought my feelings at first, I can't imagine my life without you -- it would have been so dull and empty."
Amanda laughed at that. "Your life! What about mine? I would have ended up marrying Dean. His idea of excitment was watching for hurricanes and tornadoes! No thank you!"
"Well, I guess we colored each other's worlds, eh?" Lee asked, pulling her deeper into his arms.
They sat quietly for a time, until the chilly night air and the thought of a cozy fire in their cabin beckoned them both.
The next morning Amanda woke to the sound of birds chirping. Lee was still asleep so she lay quietly, absently stroking his bare chest, thinking about what a wonderful night they'd shared. They'd returned to the cabin after their walk and Lee had built a warm fire for them to sit by. The fire, however, was soon forgotten as their affectionate cuddling had turned into something more.
Amanda smiled at the memory. He made her feel so special, showing her how much he loved her with the gentleness of his touch and the sincerity of his words. They could never get enough of one another, even after all these years. She loved the closeness they shared, how their hearts seemed to beat as one.
As she lay there now, warm and secure in his arms, she could feel his heart beating and it soothed her. She was sorry their weekend was over and they would soon be returning to the endless demands of two small children. It wasn't that she didn't love the kids, she did very much, it was just that they kept both Lee and her so busy that they usually fell into bed exhausted, too tired to really enjoy each other. While nights like the one they had just shared used to be common, they were now a rarity. She sighed wistfully.
Her quiet sigh was enough to wake Lee, who suddenly kissed her, startling her out of her reverie. "Good morning" he said sleepily, kissing her lightly. "Anything wrong?"
Amanda sighed softly. "Good morning yourself. No, I was just wishing this weekend didn't have to end."
Lee nodded understandingly. "I know, Time's just flown by. Back to the rat race tomorrow."
Amanda sighed again. "I wish we could stay longer. Isn't that horrible? I should be excited to get back to Jenny and Matt. I must be a terrible mother."
Lee regarded her seriously. "Everyone needs a break now and then. Everything was really starting to wear us out. We needed a sabbatical. You know once we see the kids we'll be happy to be back."
"I do miss them. It's just..." Amanda paused, not sure if she should finish her thought.
"It's just what?" Lee prompted.
"Well... it's just that when we're at home I miss you. I mean, you're right there with me, but we're both so focused on other things, we don't have time left over for each other. I sometimes miss the days when it was just the two of us."
Lee looked at her in astonishment. "I've felt that way a lot recently, but I didn't think you did too."
Amanda was surprised. "I've been as frustrated as you recently."
Lee didn't know what to say. Finally, he answered her. "Whenever things fell through, you seemed to take it in stride." He leaned towards her. "I was going crazy missing you while you seemed perfectly content with the way things were."
"I knew getting upset wouldn't do any good. Believe me, though, I've been ready to pull my hair out in frustration," she explained. "I just hope when we go back we're able to find more time to be together. This weekend was a great temporary solution, but something has to change or else we'll end up right back where we were a few days ago. Got any ideas?" she asked hopefully.
Lee was quiet for a moment as he thought. "For starters, we set aside, say one weekend, or even one evening, a month that's ours. Maybe your mother and Curt can watch Jenny and Matt. That way the kids can spend some time with their grandparents."
Amanda smiled broadly as she thought about his plan. "That's a great idea, Lee!" she answered enthusiastically. "It sounds like one that'll work, too. We can talk to Mother and Curt about it when we pick the kids up today."
Glad to have that settled, they exchanged a few more warm kisses before reluctantly climbing out of bed. By 11:30 they were on the road, headed down the mountain back toward civilization.
They arrived at Dotty and Curt's amid a flurry of excitement. The kids came bounding out the front door and raced into their parents' waiting arms. As soon as Amanda saw them, she realized that Lee was right -- she really had missed them and was happy to be back. They were both talking at once, trying to tell Lee and Amanda everything that had happened while they were gone. Dotty came out and helped shepherd them back inside where they spent the rest of the afternoon exchanging stories about their weekends. After dinner, Lee and Amanda loaded the kids into the car and started for home.
The drive seemed to take forever as they battled through the rest of the weary weekend vacationers returning home. It was late by the time they finally pulled into their driveway and Jenny and Matt were sound asleep. Lee and Amanda carried them upstairs and settled them into bed then collapsed on the couch together.
As they sat there, exhausted but happy, Lee suddenly remembered the painting. "I almost forgot -- I got you a memento of our weekend."
"What?" Amanda asked in surprise, as Lee got up to go get the present he'd hidden away. "You didn't have to get me anything, Lee. The weekend itself was a present."
Undaunted, Lee brought the package over to her. "I saw this and immediately knew you had to have it." Smiling mysteriously he pulled the painting out of the bag and handed it to her.
"How beautiful!" Amanda cried in amazement. "It's our waterfall!"
Lee smiled, relieved she'd recognized it. "I wanted you to be able to look at this and remember the weekend always."
Setting the painting aside, Amanda reached up and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, Lee, it's wonderful." Then, peering up at him, "We'll have to find a place to hang it where we can see it everyday."
Laughing, Lee pulled her close once again, kissing her meaningfully. Then they turned off all the lights and headed up to bed, sad that they would have to return to the reality of work and family the next day, but confident in the knowledge that this would not be their only weekend getaway but merely the first of many.