Chapter 34: Another Brand New Life (Part III)

In an instant, Angela was transported back to those first weeks after Tony returned. He had started to fuss over her almost immediately; making sure she had something to eat and drink the moment she woke up every morning and cooking a little more blandly to combat her ever-present nausea. He also encouraged her to rest whenever she wasn't working, which she was grateful for because she had never been the best at taking care of herself the way she should.

She was also grateful that when Tony had to go back to Branford to pack up his apartment, it was decided that Sam would fly out with him and then help him drive back to Fairfield. Angela had tried to insist that she should go, but the whole family had put their collective foot down and insisted that she needed to put herself and the baby first. That filled her with such relief as she honestly couldn't imagine going back to Wells right now. Her last few months there had been so painful that she just didn't think she was ready to revisit Tony's apartment or the school. Their decisions in Iowa had almost cost them their relationship, and she vowed that would never happen again.

Once Tony and Sam returned from Iowa, she and Tony seemed to settle into their own little world. Since it was summertime, it was an opportune time for Tony to be looking for a job and before long he had secured interviews with several community and junior colleges around the area. He ended up at Bridgeport Junior College as an Associate Professor in the History Department and as an assistant coach for the school's baseball team with the knowledge that he was in line to take over for the head coach when he retired in a few years. This teaching position seemed ideal as it would allow Tony more flexibility to be home with the baby than teaching at a university would once she went back to work. And Angela knew deep down that with how smart and determined he was, he would have plenty of time to climb the academic ladder.

"Sweetheart, where are you? You're far away again." Tony said as he climbed into their bed at the Fairfield Inn and pulled her towards him so that their faces were a few inches apart.

Smiling, Angela replied, "I was just revisiting those first few weeks after you came home from Iowa. It was such a wonderful time that I never wanted to end," she said as she caressed his cheek.

"Well, it didn't for a long time," Tony said, leaning over to peck her lips. "As much as I would like to take another walk down memory lane tonight, I'm beat, and I think we could both use a good night's sleep," he said.

"You're right, you're right," Angela said as she rolled over so that her back was now nestled into Tony's chest. "Goodnight Tony," she said.

"Goodnight, Sweetheart," Tony said closing his eyes and drifting off almost immediately. Meanwhile, Angela couldn't keep her thoughts from straying back to her pregnancy with Katie.

True to his word, Tony did everything he could to make her feel beautiful and wanted as her pregnancy progressed. While her ever expanding belly was something she was constantly getting used to, she knew Tony thoroughly enjoyed some of the other changes to her body especially when it came to her chest once her breasts stopped feeling so tender. She smiled ruefully as she remembered Tony saying one time that he was a leg man; well, turns out, he was a breast man as well. Angela didn't mind though because she had always been able to see in his eyes how much he adored her. She was actually excited to show off a little more cleavage than she would have once the baby was born and she stopped breastfeeding.

He also seemed to relish coming with her to all her doctor's appointments, and there were many since she was considered a high-risk pregnancy. But everything progressed normally, and when it came time to decide whether they wanted to find out the sex of the baby, after much discussion, they had decided to do it. Angela's practical side had won out, and since the pregnancy itself had been a surprise, she wanted to feel like she had control over something during it. She remembered that day so well.

"Are you sure, Tony?" she asked again as the nurse squeezed ultrasound jelly onto her stomach. "If it's that important to you, we'll be surprised."

"Angela," Tony said squeezing her hand. "I'm fine with it. This whole thing has been the most wonderful surprise, and I know it's what you want. And as we discussed, it will be good to be prepared especially since this will be our one and only kid together."

"Ok, then," the doctor said as he pointed out the various body parts on the little screen. "And what I'm not seeing here is a penis, so congratulations, it's almost certainly a girl."

"A girl," Angela repeated shocked. She had been almost positive that it was a boy and that's what she pictured when she thought about Tony holding and rocking a tiny little newborn or playing with a giggly adorable toddler. And, while Tony had said that he didn't care one way or the other as long as the baby was healthy, she felt that deep down, he would like to have a son even though she knew Tony loved Jonathan like he was his own flesh and blood.

"A girl," Tony said in awe. He had thought he maybe wanted a boy even though his priority was a healthy baby. But as soon as the doctor said girl, he pictured a toddler with dark hair, maybe a little lighter than Sam's, big brown eyes like Angela's and, of course, Angela's radiant smile.

Angela remembered how Tony had leaned over and whispered in her ear that he couldn't be happier and that he couldn't wait to raise their beautiful daughter together. And he reiterated again that this was more than he had ever hoped for.

They really were living in a blissful bubble throughout her pregnancy at least until the last month when the bubble finally burst…