Mona eagerly waited for the van to pull up on Tuesday afternoon. Angela wouldn't be back until late. She was going out to dinner with Grant after work. Mona had a mixed opinion about Grant. He was good-looking and very successful of course, but he was Angela's boss and that was a risky situation. Not that Mona had anything against risky situations for herself. She thrived on them. But Angela usually lived her life so cautiously.

Mona did prefer Grant to Michael, but then he'd had less chance to make mistakes with Angela. Mona was mostly happy about Angela's plans for divorce. Michael and Angela weren't right for each other, and he wasn't much of a husband or father. Or son-in-law. Maybe Angela shouldn't be dating during the separation, but she'd been alone too often in her life, and at least Grant distracted her.

And speaking of distraction, Mona had found out what this Tony Micelli fellow looked like, very hunky! Angela swore that that had nothing to do with why she'd suddenly decided on making an almost stranger into her tenant. She claimed that it had more to do with Tony's motherless daughter, who needed a better environment than Brooklyn. That might be true, but if Sam's mother was dead, then that meant that Tony was available.

When Mona asked, Angela said that no, she hadn't yet told Grant about her new tenants. She claimed it didn't really matter, although she might mention it if it came up in conversation, or if Grant came over and Angela had to introduce Samantha. Tony would be mostly on the road for the next five months.

And, no, Angela was not going to tell Michael. Michael didn't live there anymore, although Mona wasn't so sure Michael knew that. Mona thought that even Michael might take an interest in the family if a strange man was living with them.

OK, Tony would be in the loft over the garage, but did Angela honestly think Tony wouldn't want to spend time in the main house, especially with his daughter living there? And what if Tony and Angela became attracted to each other? It was in the realm of possibility, even if Angela refused to consider it. Never mind that it would be on everyone else's mind, Mona's especially.

She wished she could see Angela and Tony together, but that might not be for weeks or even months. Mona dropped by pretty often but she wouldn't know when Tony would be in town unless Angela told her. Which she probably wouldn't, because she seemed to think Mona was interested in Tony for herself. And after seeing his picture in Sports Illustrated, she did think he could be good for a fling, but she could get a younger, good-looking man any time she wanted. She was more intrigued by the possibility of Tony with her daughter. Who, let's face it, needed a fling with a hunk far more than Mona did.

Tony was supposed to be back on the road, heading to St. Louis for the Cardinals' home games, the next day. He was moving Samantha and her possessions after school. And since Angela had given Mrs. Hitler twenty-four hours off, to make the move-in more bearable, that meant Mona had to be there to let Tony in and make him and Sam feel at home. She was happy to do so.

"Grandma, are they here yet?"

Ah, Jonathan was home. Good, she could pump him for information, since he had apparently met Tony and might've observed in his innocent way how Tony and Angela got along. "Not yet, Kiddo. So, are you excited about them moving in?"

"Well," Jonathan said with his baby-scientist's need for precision, "Tony won't be moving in here. He'll live above the garage after the World Series. But I think it'll be fun to have another kid around here, especially since it looks like I'm never going to have a brother or sister."

Mona wondered how much he knew about his parents' estrangement. There had been a time when Angela had wanted another baby, but she'd eventually told Mona that it was hard enough raising one child mostly on her own. Yes, Angela had housekeepers but that wasn't the same as having a fully involved partner.

"And Tony seems nice, so it will be good when he's here more."

"You like him, huh?"

"Yeah, he's funny and he listens."
"Do you think your mom likes him?" Mona decided to be direct.

"Of course she does. She wouldn't ask him to live in the garage if she didn't. It's bad enough we have Mrs. Hiller."
Mona realized that this was probably the best information she was going to get. She couldn't expect a little boy to notice romantic chemistry. He probably couldn't even imagine his parents kissing anyone but each other.

Then Mona heard a honk. She looked out the front window and saw the old blue van that Angela had described. It wasn't exactly what Mona would imagine a professional athlete to drive, but maybe Tony was frugal. After all, he'd been living in a little, run-down apartment in a bad neighborhood.

"Is it them?"

"I think so."

Jonathan joined her at the window and together they watched Tony and a preteen girl, both in baseball caps, get out of the van and then start loading up with boxes.

"Should we help them?" Jonathan asked.

Mona didn't want to risk breaking a nail, but it did seem like the neighborly thing to do.

So she and Jonathan went out to the van. Jonathan made the introductions, even though he'd never seen Sam before.

Sam said, "Hey, Kid, nice to meet you," and loaded him up with three boxes.

Tony took the top two boxes off and then they all went into the house. He was easy to talk to and Sam also seemed very friendly and outgoing. Mona liked the Micellis immediately. She thought their relaxed attitude would do Angela good, whether or not anything romantic happened with her and Tony.

With four of them, it didn't take long to unload the van, not that there was a lot of stuff in it. Angela had paid movers to take old furniture that was still in good shape out of the attic and down to the former sewing room. (Not that Angela ever sewed. And Mrs. Hitler claimed it wasn't her job.) The Brooklyn furniture would presumably be left there. So it was just Sam's clothes and toys and such. Tony presumably would leave his own possessions with friends till the apartment was ready. And Mona had the impression that Tony traveled pretty light.

"So what do you want for dinner tonight?" Tony asked when they were all done with the move and sitting around the living room.

Mona and her grandson looked at each other and then at Tony. She said, "You don't have to take us anywhere."
Sam laughed. "Dad means what should he cook. Since the housekeeper ain't here."

"You cook?" Jonathan said, staring at Tony. He'd never met a man who could cook before.

Mona hadn't met too many herself. Maybe Tony was even more of a catch than she'd realized, although she was still thinking in terms of Angela.

"Yeah, he's the best!" Sam said.

"Well, not the best," Tony said modestly. "But I'm pretty good."
"How about something Italian?" Mona suggested, in case that was all he knew. "Like spaghetti."
"Yeah, I love pasghetti!" Jonathan exclaimed.

"Not much of a a challenge, but, yeah, OK. I'll check the kitchen to see if you've got the ingredients."
Knowing Mrs. Hitler, Tony would be lucky to find margarine, let alone anything for sauce. He did end up going shopping, taking the kids along. Jonathan seemed to enjoy the novelty of that, since Mrs. Hitler would never take him to a grocery store, or anyplace else.

Meanwhile, Mona sat and plotted. Mrs. Hitler wouldn't be back till about noon the next day. Tony would have to catch his flight around then. Would he be heading back to Brooklyn? Was there a way to make him stay overnight? What time would Angela be home? She would have to work the next day, although if it was the boss keeping her out, she'd be less likely to be in trouble if she came in to work late. How could Mona get Tony and Angela to be in the house at the same time, with herself around, too? After all, she had her own apartment that Angela and everyone would expect her to get back to.

Well, she'd look for an opportunity. Maybe she'd luck out and Angela and Grant would make an early night of it. She could maybe get Tony to linger and then he'd still be around when Grant brought Angela home. Of course, that would be awkward if Angela asked Grant in, not knowing Tony was there. But Grant had to find out about Tony at some point, right? Why not that night?

The spaghetti was delicious. Jonathan was finicky, but he had no complaints about the dinner. The poor boy had been living on what Mrs. Hitler made, so it was nice to see him wolf down a meal for a change.

Tony had the kids help him do the dishes, even though Jonathan told him that they had a dishwasher.

"Hey, it's good practice. Sometimes machines break down. Humans need to be ready when they do."
Jonathan looked puzzled but he did dry what Sam washed. Tony stacked the plates and cups, while Mona looked on and smiled. They looked like a family, not just the father and daughter, but the little boy, too. All that was missing was a mother. (And Mona was not the kind of person who usually had these sorts of sentimental thoughts. Maybe it was hanging out with Italians that did this to her.)

When the last dish was done, Sam said, "Dad, do you have to go back to Brooklyn tonight?"
"Sweetheart, you know the garage apartment isn't ready yet. And won't be for awhile."

"Yeah, but you could sleep in my room. Mrs. Bower got me a really big bed."

"Gee, I don't know. I mean, Mrs. Bower might not want me to."
"I'm sure Angela won't mind," Mona said, unable to believe her luck. "And she'll be out late tonight."
"Yeah, Mom is working late in the City," Jonathan said. That was probably what Angela had told him.

"Well, OK. But, Sam Sweetheart, you're going to have to get used to living here without me."
"I know. But it'll make it seem less weird if you're here the first night."

"OK. And I guess there should be an adult here with the housekeeper and Mrs. Bower gone."
"Oh, I thought Grandma was going to stay," Jonathan said.

"You did?" Mona asked him, surprised that another piece was falling into place.

"Yeah, I thought you were going to babysit us till Mom gets home."

"Hey, I can watch the kids," Tony offered, "if you need to go."
"I want Grandma. You can stay, too, Tony, but Grandma makes great chocolate sundaes."
"Oo, chocolate sundaes!" Sam exclaimed. "Yeah, I want Mrs. Robinson to stay, too."

Tony looked at Mona and shrugged. "Well, I guess we're both babysitters tonight."
The way he said it wasn't flirty. Was it possible that he wasn't at all attracted to Mona? Her ego was a little bruised, although that would make things easier. If she had had designs on him, well, she wouldn't try to seduce him with the kids in the house. But she might've laid down the groundwork tonight. Instead, she'd see if she could nudge him towards Angela before Angela even got home. Or at least find out if there was any possibility of something happening down the road.

The kids and Tony liked the chocolate sundaes. Then they all watched some TV, already moving into summer reruns although May had just started. The kids wanted to watch Three's Company after Happy Days, but Tony put his foot down. Mona didn't see any harm in a little innuendo but Tony said it was getting late. Sam argued that she should have a later bedtime than Jonathan, but he said they'd discuss that in the Fall.

Mona put Jonathan to bed while Tony said goodnight to Sam.

"So what do you think of the Micellis?" Mona asked.

"I like them," Jonathan said simply, but he soon drifted off.

Mona wasn't demonstrative with family, but she brushed back his bangs with her hand and kissed his forehead. Then she met Tony downstairs in the living room again.

"This is a really nice house," he said. "I think Sam will be really happy here."
"And you?"

"Well, we'll see how the garage fix-up goes."
She almost said, "And speaking of fix-ups, how would you like to be fixed up with my daughter?", but she had to play this more subtly. So instead she said, "You're lucky you're not living with Angela. She's not the easiest person to live with."
"Yeah, she seems pretty high-strung. Nice but intense."
"Yes. She takes after her father."
"You seem more easygoing."
"I'm much easier."
He coughed. "Uh, I should probably get to sleep myself. I've got a flight tomorrow."
"Right. Sleep well, Tony."
"Uh, where are you sleeping?"

"Well, probably in Angela's room till she gets back." She assumed that Angela wouldn't invite Grant upstairs with Jonathan home, although that would make the night even more interesting.

"Oh." He looked down at the couch, as if hoping she'd sleep there.

"But first I'm going to watch TV." She turned on Three's Company.

He chuckled. "Have fun."
"I always do."