*******************
February 13, 2008
the train station
8:30 AM

The coffee shop was busy as usual today. I was writing my ninth book and babysitting. It's hard to believe that Lee's been missing for a decade. Everyone has told me that it would get easier as time goes on, but it doesn't. I'm here for all the important things that he should be here for.

Three years ago, Philip got married and Jamie lost his fiancé in a F-14 accident on the U.S.S. Sea Hawk. Six months after Philip and Emma's wedding, Emma gave birth to my only grandson, Lee. They had been told that the child was going to be a girl early on in Emma's pregnancy, so they weren't prepared with a boy's name. Emma asked me to name my grandson, and I gave him the first name that popped into my head. At first I couldn't believe that I had said his name aloud, but I got used to it. Even though I could never give Lee the legacy of a child, I could make sure that his name would continue and that he would be a part of my family for as long as I lived.

Jamie and I share a bond other than the mother and son bond; we share the bond of loss, of the loss of someone we dearly loved who wasn't a member of the family. Jamie visits me every August. He says that he just wants to relax before another school year begins, but I know he wants to have some peace to grieve for the woman he loved.

The three-year-old Lee starts to fuss. I think he senses that all is not well with his Grandma. I look at my watch. Emma should be here shortly. She and little Lee were supposed to be visiting with her folks in New York for a while, but something came up and they couldn't make their flight and needed an emergency babysitter. The last three days had been my happiest in a long time and I felt that it was too early to see it end. I guess that's what every grandmother thinks at least once in her life.

"Mom!" I look up as I hear Philip's voice. I smile and pick up Lee to give him one last hug. Philip runs over to me and I get to be on the receiving end of a gigantic bear hug.

"Hello, Sweetheart. Where's Emma?"

"Right behind you, Mom." I hand Lee over to Philip and give Emma a hug. We chat for a while and then it's time for them to leave. They had canceled their flight and decided to take the train up. The conductor gives the boarding call and we say our goodbyes. I wave to my young ones as the train pulls out of the station then sit down to finish my writing.

A lot has happened to me in the last few years. I was offered Francine's job when she got promoted to New York last year. I tried to refuse, but Francine said that I had better take it. I didn't want to give up my desk in the Q-Bureau, but it was time to move on. I would be leaving it in good hands and it wasn't like I couldn't visit it when I wanted. I accepted the promotion on the condition that I could still take some of the cases. Dr. Smyth agreed to my condition and now I have more than enough work to do. But I still take my week off to write and I continue to look for Lee during the time that I should be sleeping. I take another sip of my coffee and get back to my typing.

The man walked into the train station. His blond hair had turned to a dark blonde or brown color with white speckles in it and was pulled back into a ponytail. His beard was long as well. He stopped at the counter in the coffee shop and asked for a glass of water. His brown eyes scanned the shop and the station outside it. On the bench outside the coffee shop sat a woman with a little blond haired boy who couldn't be more than four years old. The woman was of average height with brown hair. He saw her look up from the boy when a shout came to his ears.

"Mom!" He couldn't make out what the woman said, but he saw her get enveloped by the man.

"Excuse me, Sir. Here's your water." His thoughts were interrupted by the young lady behind the counter. He turned to face her. She handed him a glass of water and a doughnut.

"I didn't order a doughnut, just the water."

"I know, Sir. But the doughnut is from the lady you've been watching. She insists that every one who looks like they need some food, get a doughnut. She'll pay for it."

"Oh. Uh.. thank you." The man looked back at the woman he had seen earlier. The woman turned around and started to gather her things and he gasped, "Amanda."

"Is there a problem, Sir?"

"Uh.. no. I just thought I recognized someone I knew a long time ago."

"Who?" The man continued to observe Amanda. "Oh her. That's Mrs. A. Lee Cumberland. She writes the spy novels that involve a housewife with two young boys."

"She writes spy novels?"

"Yeah. It's kinda strange, though. Most publishers want at least two books a year from an author, but she only writes one book a year. The books usually come out about two months after she comes here."

"How do you know all this?"

"She told me. Say, you wouldn't want to read her first book, would ya?" The man looked at the lady who had been talking to him like she was crazy. "I just thought you would like to see what her books were like since you've obviously have an interest in her. By the way, my name is Linda," she replied to his unasked question.

"I'm Lee. Thank you, I would like that very much." Linda handed him a worn paperback copy of The Man In The Red Hat and he began to read.

'It all started when I was taking my boyfriend, Dan, to the bus station. Dan was a weather man and had insisted that because there was a thirty five percent chance of rain, that I had to drop him off at the station so his car wouldn't get rained on. ---' Lee started to smile. The book reminded him of how he first met Amanda at this train station. She was dropping her boyfriend off here and he just picked her out of the crowd to give that package to. Lee continued to read the book every now and then looking up to observe the author. The more he looked at her, the more she looked like the Amanda that he left behind nine years ago and the more scared he became. He didn't know if she had moved on with her life or if she had waited for his return. He hoped for the latter, but he couldn't be sure.

When he finished the book, he asked Linda, "Do you know anything else about this Mrs. Cumberland?"

"Yeah. She's been coming in here for nine years now. I'm thinking of giving her a gift for being my most loyal customer. Why?"

"I was thinking of trying to say hello to her and to thank her for the doughnut. I want to know what I may be getting myself into." Actually Lee was getting very restless sitting at the counter instead of marching over to Amanda, but he needed to know if she had moved on with her life.

"Oh. Well, let's see. Like I said, she has been coming in here every February 13, for the past nine years. She sits in the corner booth with either a pad of paper and a pen or her laptop and writes for a few hours. Then she sits outside on the bench where she is now and stares out into the crowd for the remainder of the day. I asked her why she only came for one day a year a couple years ago and she told me that she came here to 'remember happier times and where it all began.' The only time that I've seen her smile was when she was writing or today when she greeted her family.

"I've tried to get her to open up, but nothing seems to work. I think she lost a friend or something a long time ago and she keeps it bottled up inside her for the year and then comes here to remember that friend. That's all I know."

"Thanks. You wouldn't have anything that I can give her, sort of an ice breaker?"

"Not really, just her lunch. Tell you what... I normally deliver her lunch, but why don't you do it. I'll give you a lunch to eat in return. Hold on a second." Linda disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes. When she returned, she had a bottle of wine, two wine glasses, and a picnic basket. "Here's her bottle of wine and glasses and here's the food. There's enough for both of you to have something. Good luck, Lee."

"Thanks, Linda." Lee took the things and headed out to meet the love of his life. He stood a few feet away from her trying to get the courage to speak to her. 'God, she looks more beautiful than I remember.' After a few minutes, he walked up next to her and said, "Pardon me, Ma'am. But have you seen a man in a red hat? I have this package for him and it's a matter of life an death."