CHAPTER 1
"Good morning Tony, good morning sweethearts," Angela strolled cheerily into the kitchen and picked up her coffee. She began absentmindedly stroking the back of Samantha's hair and studied Tony's unusually formal attire. "Tony, you look extra spiffy this morning. Fun plans today?"
"Morning Angela. Oh, uh, not much, I uh, I actually just have a meeting with Mr. Winslow, you know, from the National Parents' Association."
She forced a smile through raised eyebrows. "A meeting! Why, that's - that's wonderful, Tony," She was using effusive cheer mask her disappointment; after all, she pushed him to reconsider. "I'm so glad you are giving the offer some more thought. They would be lucky to have you." Her tone shifted to one of conviction; she knew he would be marvelous at the job.
Samantha stopped eating. "The Washington D.C. offer, Dad?" Jonathan and Samantha swapped wide-eyed looks of concern.
"Uh, yeah, yeah it is, Samantha - but there's more to it than that. And I promise I'm not going to make any big decisions on this without a lot of thought. We are really happy here, and I don't take this sort of thing lightly. And Angela, I really appreciate you encouraging me to pursue it."
"Of course, Tony," she said quietly, feigning a supportive, upbeat tone. "You owe it to yourself to give this a shot."
"Give what a shot?" Mona breezed in through the back door, taking her seat at the breakfast table.
"Oh, uh, not much Mone," Tony placed her eggs and coffee in front of her. "I'm just talking to the Parents' Association President again today about that job offer."
"Mmm, I see. Good for you Tone. They would be lucky to have you." She shot a furrowed brow at Angela.
"Dad, don't forget I'm going to Marci's tonight after school."
"And Tony will you still be able to drive me to the cub scouts' campout at 4:00?"
"Oh, uh, actually I totally forgot about that buddy. I may not be back in time from my meeting in the city at 2."
"Don't worry Tony, I have a light workload today - I can come home early and take him."
"Oh gee, Angela, are you sure? I feel bad making you come home."
"It's not a problem, Tony! It's Friday. I can cut out a little early. And if I can't get away, mother certainly can." Angela shot a look at her mother, who rolled her eyes but nodded.
"All right, well I sure do appreciate it."
She smiled at him. "Happy to do it."
Samantha rose from the table abruptly. "Dad, could I talk to you for a second?"
"Uh, sure honey, sure you can." Tony glanced back briefly at Angela, who gave him a small sympathetic smile as he pushed the door open to the living room.
"Look Sam, I know what you're going to say. I know you don't want to move and I promise I'm not going to uproot you without giving it a lot of thought. I know you don't want to leave your friends and your school, and I don't blame you, but I–"
"Dad," she interjected, "you're right, I don't want to leave my friends and my school. But I know this is a really good opportunity for you, and you've sacrificed a lot to give me a better life. If we have to move to give you that same opportunity, I think we have to do that."
Tony looked at her in surprise. "You do?"
"I mean, yeah. Look Dad, you're a housekeeper. A really good housekeeper...and more than just a housekeeper, you're more like...a house manager. But still, that's not exactly a career path."
"No, it isn't Sam, but you and I are really happy here. And that counts for something."
"It does, Dad. And I guess that's my biggest worry. Maybe my only worry." Suddenly tears were forming and her voice broke. "Dad, if we move, what happens to us - to our family? Do we just never see Angela and Jonathan and Mona again?"
"No sweetheart, of course not. We'll see them. It'll be different, but we'll see them." A panicky feeling began to creep up in his throat. "Samantha, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I don't even know if this is happening yet."
"It's just - Dad, this feels like our home. And I know this is just your job, but it feels like we've become a family. I don't want to move away from Mona, and Jonathan needs me. And losing Angela would be like losing Mom all over again," her tears spilled over, and he pulled her a tissue from behind the sofa as she struggled to regain composure and save her freshly applied makeup.
"I don't really want that either, Sam. And of course you should feel that way. That's why this has been such a hard decision for me."
She tore away and looked up at him, sniffling. "And Dad, what about you?"
"What about me?"
"You...and Angela."
He stiffened. "Me and Angela? She's my boss."
"Dad."
"And my best friend," he conceded.
"Dad."
"Okay, okay, I know what you're saying. I care a lot about her. She's very special to us both. They all are, and Sam, we *are* a family. Again, that's why this is hard. That's why I turned them down in the first place. And since we're being really honest here, there isn't much I can do...about me and Angela...right now. Even if she or I wanted to." He ran his hands through his hair, carefully choosing his words. "Not until she's no longer my boss. And I don't know if we'll ever be ready to go there. Because if it didn't work out, that really would end things with all of us, and I know neither of us want that to happen. We're in a comfortable place right now, and I don't know what that means for us down the road. But one thing I know for sure is, I can't be working for Angela for us to take that step, if we even want to."
"Well, you can't really be living in D.C. for you to take that step either, can you? I mean, Dad I just always thought you and Angela would end up together one day. I see the way you look at each other. You mean so much to her. You're practically married already. Neither of you ever go on dates with other people, you spend all your free time together. Don't you ever think about it?"
He stared at her for a long pause and swallowed hard. He hadn't realized the facets of their unusual relationship were so apparent to the kids. "Well, yeah, yeah I do, Sam. Sometimes. But I can't really let my mind go there for very long," he backpedaled. "Mostly I just can't seem to picture a future without her - without any of them, anymore." She looked at him silently.
"Me either, Dad."
He wrapped his arm around her. "Look honey, one thing that won't ever change is, you'll always be my little girl. And you'll always have a place in Angela's life, Sam. Just like Jonathan will in mine. No matter where we are. Angela loves you like her own daughter. She knows I love Jonathan like a son. Angela and I don't have to be a couple for us to know that we're a family."
"So, what are you going to do, Dad?"
"I have a plan, sweetheart. At least where the job is concerned. It may not work, but I owe it to myself, and to you, to at least explore it further. Angela and I are...always have been...a little more complicated. Let's just take it day by day."