Single White Female

Amanda was at her Q Bureau desk before Lee, which was extremely rare. Lee was always in early, but lately he'd been coming in slightly unfocused and tired. She suspected that it was because of a new woman in his short attention span, and next week it would be a new woman. Amanda popped a pair of Rolaids into her mouth, trying to settle her stomach. Over the weekend she had put a personal want ad into the Washington Post, and that was the reason for the butterflies in her stomach.

"Morning Amanda." Lee's voice broke through her thoughts, making her look up. He flashed his dimpled mega-watt smile as he crossed the room to sit at his desk, still looking slightly bedraggled. For a moment Amanda wasn't sure what to say, but she quickly recovered.

"Hi Lee." She resumed typing the reports left over from Friday as he read the paper, going straight to the Classifieds. Every morning he went through the paper, looking for another 'Flavor of the Week' as everyone called his girlfriends.

Amanda was so shy, knowing that being petite and brunette, she would pass unnoticed by Lee. The senior agent tended to go for leggy, blonde, airhead bimbos who didn't ask too many questions about what he really does. That is what prompted her to put out a personal want ad, and it was in the Monday edition of the Post Lee was reading.

Amanda prayed that Lee would pick up the meaning of the ad. He could be so hard headed at times and blind to the smallest things.

Amanda was so nervous she could barely type, heart pounding. Was it a wise thing to put out a personal want ad? Dotty had encouraged the idea, not wanting her daughter to be lonely. It had been early Saturday afternoon when she had placed the ad, and she hadn't cared what the repercussions would be. At that time all she wanted was to do something so completely out of character that Lee would notice her.

She was at the point of reckless desperation to get Lee to notice her. Amanda knew that if she confronted Lee face to face he would do something to deflect the course of the conversation to something totally different, but having her confession in writing before him he couldn't dismiss her feelings as easily. Proof on paper and on record was much more convincing that words could ever be in their line of work.

"Listen to this Amanda, you won't believe it." Lee said with a laugh and he began to read aloud her ad.

Single white female, looking for that special lover.

To put it in a nutshell, a one woman man who doesn't want no other.

You never can tell, she just might be your dream come true.

A single white female is looking for a man like you.

"Can you believe someone actually sent this in?" Lee questioned before adding, "A line or two sounds like something you would say Amanda."

Amanda was doodling on a notepad, refusing to look up at him. It really hurt her to hear him inadvertently laughing at her. She couldn't believe she had actually thought this would be better than a face to face.

"Yeah, I can Lee." Her voice was distant, even to her. 'Waste of time and money.' Amanda thought sadly. There was a longer pause before Lee spoke again, voice confused,

"Amanda, you didn't - I mean…you?"

Amanda took a deep breath and looked up…

"Yeah, Lee. I did."

"But…why?"

"I guess it's the only way I knew to tell you." Amanda finally looked away, unable to bear the emotions in his hazel eyes.

"I never…how…oh, Lord." Lee was at a loss, she could tell.

"I guess I made a monumental mistake." She sighed and stood. "I'll go pull it."

Amanda left before Lee could say a word, not wanting to hear his apologies. She held her tears in until she reached the parking lot.