Disclaimer: "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" is the property of Warner Brothers and Shoot The Moon Enterprises Ltd.
Just a little bit of "what if.."
"Would you like your Jell-O now?"
Lee looked across the table at his companion for the evening, Amanda King, divorced mother of two and erstwhile spy. The bane of his existence or the light of his life, that changed from day to day, sometimes from moment to moment. Amanda had just got him to confess that this wonderful dinner at this very elegant restaurant was in fact, an apology. He really did owe her an apology. Too much of what he had said to her in the last 24 hours was mean and hurtful. He was well aware of the reputation enjoyed by "The Dodger" and it was no surprise that a simple, gullible, homemaker like Amanda could be swept off her feet by someone like this suave, accomplished con man.
The thing that Lee was unsure of, though he would never admit to such a thought, was whether his anger was because of the potential injury to National Security, as he loudly proclaimed, or whether it had more to do with Amanda being so obviously taken with and taken in by Alan Squires. The very idea that Lee might be the tiniest bit jeal.. He couldn't even say the "J" word.
No, that was inconceivable. It was national security, plain and simple.
But, his temper had got the better of him. He had said some things, too many things, in anger and had hurt Amanda very deeply. A fact which he regretted most sincerely and was doing his best to redress.
That's what dinner at Le Trianon was all about. An apology. Now that the admission had been made and his apology graciously accepted he relaxed and thought about Amanda. She looked absolutely stunning tonight. It never ceased to amaze him that, dressed in evening wear, as she was now, she looked like a fashion model. But she looked equally beautiful in the every day clothes she wore to The Agency or in the jeans and sweatshirts she wore at home. 'Well', he back-pedaled, 'maybe "stunning" and "beautiful" are a bit too strong.how about "pretty" or "attractive". That's it, pretty attractive.'
Lee would have smiled at her, if his mouth hadn't hurt so much. Despite his earlier denial, he was in quite a bit of pain. He allowed himself to think briefly about how this evening might have gone if he didn't have this great big fat lip - courtesy of the Dodger!
Dinner was over and they drove to Arlington, mostly in a companionable or contemplative silence. Lee parked the car in front of the house, got out and went around to the passenger side where he offered Amanda his hand and assisted her in exiting the Porsche. As he walked her to the front door he couldn't help but think how nice it would be, perhaps how exciting it might be, to kiss her goodnight. A kiss goodnight followed by a loud bellow of pain, in his current condition. 'Right, Stetson. That certainly would make for a very romantic and memorable moment!' About all he could do was offer his hand.
Amanda looked at him with a curious expression he couldn't quite decipher. She raised her middle and index fingers to her lips, kissed the tips of those fingers and then gently touched them to the undamaged side of Lee's mouth. She turned and went up the last step into the doorway of her home. She stood there for just a moment, smiling, then she closed the door.
Lee stood on the porch, his eyes closed, his fists clenched, thinking to himself - If The Artful Dodger were standing before him right at this exact moment - he would happily shoot the man dead and no jury in the *world* would convict him!