She couldn't help but notice the look he kept giving her. She had seen that look before. Many times. She was beyond happy that he was giving her the look because she knew what it meant. What he was feeling. How much in love he was with her. It made her smile. Her thoughts were interrupted when they came into the room.
"Do you have everything packed Billy?" Sam asked the little boy.
"Nope!!"
"Billy I told you to pack everything up." Angela gently scolded him.
"But, I was playing with my new babysitter." Billy protested.
"Billy, Angela told you that you had to get your things ready to go." Tony said kneeling down in front of the little boy.
"I'm sorry." Billy said looking up at Angela and smiling sweetly.
"Oh that's okay.' Angela laughed softly at Billy's obvious attempt to placate her.
"Come on kiddo. " Sam said taking his hand . "Let's go get you packed."
"We'll help ya." Tony said gesturing between Angela and him.
Aunt Rosa who had been quiet through the whole *packing exchange* spoke up.
"Tony why don't you let Angela and Samantha help sweet little Billy. I need to talk to you."
"Umm sure." Tony said.
As Angela, Sam, and Billy left the room Aunt Rosa once again took notice of the look on Tony's face as he watched Angela. It was the same look he had been giving her the whole time they were staying with her. A look of love. A look of fondness. The look of the Micelli Man in love.
"So Aunt Rosa." Tony said as he led her to her couch. "What's going on?"
"Tony, there is something very wrong."
"What? Is there something more about the business?" he asked referring to the Family wine business.
"No, no."
"Are you.....Are you okay Aunt Rosa?" Tony asked concerned.
"Me? I am fine!! I am ah how do you Americans say it? Strong as a fox!!"
"No, that's strong as an ox." Tony said laughing.
"Oh yes, yes." she smiled and took his hand in hers.
"So um, what's the matter Aunt Rosa?"
"You."
"Me?"
"And Angela."
"Me and Angela?" Tony asked perplexed. "What's wrong with us?"
"You're not together." she said bluntly.
"Well, Aunt Rosa Angela and I are friends. Best friends. "
"HA!!" she scoffed. "If you and Angela are "just friends" then I hate Italian food!!"
Tony suddenly felt very uncomfortable. He knew what was coming next. Aunt Rosa was just another "well meaning" person in a long line of "well meaning" people to acquire about his relationship with Angela. Why couldn't they all accept the fact that they were just friends?
"Aunt Rosa, I know you mean well but...."
"But nothing Anthony Morton Micell!!" Aunt Rosa scolded him using his full name. "You may be able to fool yourself but you cant fool your Aunt Rosa!!"
"I'm not trying to fool anyone Aunt Rosa." Tony protested standing up.
Aunt Rosa stood up as well. "Anthony, you love Angela." she said matter of factly.
"No, I...."
"I've seen the look you keep giving her."
"I don't give Angela any *look.*"
"Yes, you do." she said taking his hands in hers. "I've seen that look before. It is the same look my Papa used to give my Mama. The same look your Pop used to give your Mama, the same look you used to give Marie, and the same look your Uncle Aldo used to give your Aunt Isabella. All of the Micelli men always have the same look whenever they look at the woman that they love. I have seen it to many times before not to recognize it. "
Tony sighed. "Aunt Rosa, I know you are fond of Angela and would love for her to be a part of our family..."
"She already is Tony. The only thing missing is a wedding ring on her finger and her last name being Micelli."
Tony pulled his hands away and turned away from her. He didn't want to hear this. He couldn't hear this. Things would never work out between Angela and him. Not after what he did. Not after how much he had hurt her.
"Aunt Rosa, " he said sadly. "Even if I did love her it would never work between us." He drew a deep breath."Not after what I did."
"Tony, turn around."
He turned and looked at her.
"What did you do?"
"I hurt her." he said sadly looking down at his shoes.
"How?" she asked gently leading him back to the couch.
"Well there was this woman from my Art class and well we dated for a while."
"I see. And this woman was the reason Angela was so hurt?"
"Yeah."
"Because Angela loves you too."
"How do you know that?"
"I just do." she smiled.
"Okay, I'm all packed!!" Billy yelled running into the living room and jumping on Tony's lap.
"Yeah and only took us 6 tries to get his suitcase closed." Sam said flopping down on the nearest chair in exhaustion.
Angela chuckled and sat down on the couch next to Tony and Billy.
"Yeah, finally we are all packed and ready to go."
"Thank you Angela." Tony smiled at her.
"No problem." she smiled back.
"Ummm hey!!!!" Sam yelled waving her arms. "I helped too!"
"Thank you Sweetheart." Tony grinned at her.
"And it was my suitcase that needed packed." Billy reminded everyone.
"Well thank you to you too then Billy Boy." Tony said tickling him.
Billy laughed and wiggled out of Tony's grasp to sit on Angela's lap.
"Help me Angela!! The tickle monster is after me!!"
"Oh don't you worry sweetheart. I won't let that mean old tickle monster hurt my little Billy." she said cuddling him close.
Tony couldn't help himself from smiling at the beautiful sight before him. He couldn't help himself from looking at her.
Aunt Rosa noticed him looking at her as well. There it was once again. The look of the Micelli man in love.