It's Somebody's Birthday

The whole family was finally gathered into the new car. Mr. Nickel and the button from Tony's wedding tux were firmly ensconced in a small tray under the FM radio. Tony beamed proudly in the driver's seat, his hands touching the wheel as reverently as he touched a lover. Angela sat next to him in the passenger's seat, gazing at him. His joy gave her joy and she was beaming almost as much as Tony was, the only thought dampening her happiness was the twinge of jealousy she felt over Tony's attention to the steering wheel.

Sam and Jonathan sat behind their respective parents with Mona in between them in the back seat. This was by Mona's design, she wanted a good view of what was going on in the front seat, and right now it was paying off. She wedged herself in between the front seats, "I could take the kids for ice cream in the Jag and you two could see how well you can fog up these windows. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge." She literally nudged Angela who only put her hand to her forehead, shook her head and looked out the very non-fogged up window beside her. Her mother had a great idea for christening this car, but it was not an option, no matter how much she wished it was. This was a family car and it was going to be christened with a trip to the ice cream parlor, not with window fogging.

Tony looked straight ahead, ignoring Mona's idea at all costs. Thoughts of being alone with Angela in this car would upset his equilibrium and that state of being would not be safe for driving. It hadn't escaped his notice that Angela looked especially cute tonight with that bow in her hair. His inward dialogue tried to distract him by repeating three things sure to douse any arousing thoughts he might be having: "strike outs, spiders and Tiny's collection of Hawaiian shirts; strike outs, spiders...," it didn't take long for Tony to be refocused on the driveway and the evening ahead. "We are going for ice cream," he said in a tone that said the decision was final. He even shocked himself for being able to make it sound like ice cream was the only thing on his mind.

"Party pooper," Mona pouted as she slid back into her place in the back seat, crossing her arms petulantly.

Angela continued to ignore her and stared out the passenger side window. Jonathan also stared out a window, his was looking at the back door of the house and he was wishing he was there instead of in the car. His grandmother's overbearing personality was once again embarrassing him. He thought that if there had been a blanket in the back seat he would have hidden under it, but then realized that it was just as well there wasn't as his grandmother would only find a way to make a suggestive remark about what Tony and Angela could do with a blanket. Sam took a practical view and asked Mona, "you really didn't think she'd trust you with her Jag, did you?"

"Good point, Sam," Angela agreed, doing anything she could to drag the conversation away from fogging up windows. She turned to Tony and said, "ice cream sounds delicious." If only she hadn't said 'delicious' quite so deliciously. She and Tony locked eyes for a moment, both silently wondering if maybe a moonlit place for two just might be the better way to christen this car.

"Are we going to go or just sit here in the driveway?" Jonathan asked, breaking the spell. His grandmother wanted to kick him in the shins for that one, but she behaved because she knew that Tony and Angela dumping them in the first place was not going to happen.

"Ice cream," Tony nodded.

"Ice cream," Angela agreed.

Tony looked forward and turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life and he put the car in gear, enjoying the moment of new car ownership. Angela went back to looking out the side window, sighing a sigh that was a mixture of relief and regret. Relief that the conversation had turned from window fogging and regret that the conversation had turned from window fogging. She hoped that no one caught it, but Mona did and smirked a secretly satisfied smirk that even though they were going for treacly sweet ice cream, she had still succeeded in injecting a little less innocence into the proceedings.