Perry was released from the hospital four days after his heart attack. He knew that everyone had seen the tape except Della. She didn't want to see it. Perry was glad the others saw it and even more glad that Tony and Samantha were forming a great relationship with Della. Tony helped his father into the house. Jonathan, Angela, Mona, and Samantha ran to greet him. "Where's your mother?" he asked them.
Tony helped his father to the couch. Angela looked at the man, "she's in the kitchen working on dinner."
"So, she wants to finish me off?" Perry joked.
Just then, Della walked out of the kitchen. She gave her husband a slight smile, "welcome home," she said and gave him a gentle peck. "I'll sit with you later. I need to finish in the kitchen."
"Ma, I can take care of dinner," Tony said.
"That's alright," Della said, "I'm almost done." She turned and went back into the kitchen.
"I don't get it," Tony said, "I thought she'd throw herself into your arms."
"So did I," Perry said.
Samantha went to the kitchen without saying anything. "Nana, are you alright?"
Della turned and smiled at her granddaughter, "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
Tony walked in, "ma, what's wrong with you?"
"I see that Samantha got her approach from her mother."
"Dad, I've got this," Sam said.
"I want to know."
"Not now, Tony," Della said.
"Ma, tell me."
"Anthony, knock it off!" that got Tony to be quiet and leave the kitchen. Della turned off the stove, "I need some air." She decided to go to the backyard.
Samantha went into the living room, "dad, you need to make dinner."
"Why?"
"Nana went out to the backyard for air. She turned off the stove. I don't think she's gonna finish."
"Okay," Tony sighed and went into the kitchen. He noticed something in the corner by the stove, "she didn't take her cane?"
"I guess not," Samantha said. Tony went to go outside, but Samantha stopped him, "she needs space."
"She needs her cane or she could fall."
"I'll take it to her," Samantha took the cane and went outside. She found her grandmother lying on her side on the lounge chair, crying. Samantha put the cane down and went to sit by Della. She started rubbing the woman's back, "it's okay, nana. Everything's okay," she said.
Della turned and sat up when she heard her granddaughter, "what are you doing out here?"
"Dad wanted to bring your cane out. I told him that I would."
"Thank you, sweetheart."
"You can tell me what's bothering you. I know I'm only eleven, but you've told me other stuff that was big."
Della sighed, "I'm mad at your grandfather."
"Why?"
"I've been on him for our entire marriage to take better care of himself. I knew this would happen sooner or later. He never listened."
"Maybe he will now?"
"I hope so because," Della began to cry again, "I'm not ready to lose him." She choked out as she put her face in her hands. Samantha hugged her grandmother as tightly as she could.
Tony walked into the living room, "pop, I think we need to give mom some space and time."
"What did she say?"
"I don't know, but she's sobbing in Sam's arms. We need to wait until she's ready to talk."
"Don't tell her you saw her."
"I won't," Tony said.
"Or that you told me."
Tony agreed and returned to the kitchen. Samantha walked inside without Della, "dad, nana needs a little help standing. She said the chair is too low."
"Okay," he said, "dinner's in the oven. Why don't you go spend time with grandpa?"
"Okay," she said.
"Sam, tell Angela to sneak some makeup in here." The girl smiled at her father and left. Tony walked outside and over to his mother.
"I'm sorry," Della said.
"Hey, it's okay. Although, this is lower than the couch and you struggle with that."
"It wasn't my best decision."
"Did you fall or hurt anything?"
"No," Della said.
"I'm sorry for trying to push you to talk. You'll talk when you're ready."
"I must really look pitiful."
"Nah, well, not really," Tony smiled. He bent down and wrapped an arm around his mother before helping her stand. He held onto her as they walked back into the kitchen. She winced when she took the step down. "You need to get off your feet."
"I know," she said. The woman was surprised to see Angela.
"I had Samantha tell Angela to sneak some makeup in here. You were pretty upset when you walked out and I figured you'd probably have a good cry."
Della smiled at her son, "thank you."
Tony helped her sit, "I'll go wait in the living room and make sure pop doesn't come in."
Tony left and Angela began helping Della put herself back together.
That night, Tony helped Della get Perry to bed. She had gone to the bathroom to brush her teeth. When she returned, Perry was sitting up, awake. "Aren't you tired?" she asked.
"Yes and no."
"What's wrong?"
"I was hoping you'd tell me."
"What?"
"I promised Tony that I'd let you wait until you were ready, but I need you to tell me now."
"Tell you what?"
"What is going on with you? Why were you so distant when I got home? Why were you sobbing in our granddaughter's arms in the backyard?"
"How do you know that last part?"
"Tony told me he saw you."
"I was crying because Samantha was being very sweet and understanding. She told me I could tell her what was bothering me."
"And you did?" Perry was surprised. "You can talk to an eleven-year-old you hardly know but not your husband of thirty-two years?!" he yelled.
"Perry, please calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down!"
"You'll give yourself another heart attack. Plus, you'll wake everyone up."
"I don't care. I'm not quieting down until you talk."
"Fine," Della sighed angrily. "I'm mad at you."
"Why?"
"Why? Why?! Because I have been telling you for thirty-two years to take better care of yourself and you've never listened. You've told me how awful and traumatizing it was whenever I was close to death. Well, that's how it was for me when you collapsed in the driveway. Dammit, Perry, I'm not ready to lose you. You, you, selfish bastard!" The two sat there in silence for a moment. Della grabbed a pillow and headed back to the door.
"Where are you going?" Perry asked quietly.
"I can't sleep in here tonight." Della stormed out of the bedroom and shut the door behind her. She found everyone in the hallway. Without saying a word, she turned and went towards the stairs.
"I should go talk to her," Tony said.
"I'll talk to grandpa," Samantha said.
Jonathan followed Tony while Angela and Mona followed Samantha. Downstairs, Tony found his mother sitting on the couch in the dark, "ma, why don't you go back to bed?"
"I'm not sleeping with him tonight," she said choked up.
Tony turned on a lamp and sat on the coffee table to face her. He took her hands in his, "hey, it's okay. You said what you had to say."
"Everyone heard me."
"Eh-oh, you think it's always quiet around here? Angela talks in her sleep, Samantha is always on the phone, and Mona is," he saw Jonathan sitting there, "always entertaining."
"I never wanted to need a man. Now, I don't think I could go on without him."
"You don't need a man. You need your husband. Your best friend. The love of your life."
"I guess I've never thought of it that way."
"Why don't I take you upstairs and the two of you can straighten this out? If you can't then I'm sure Samantha will share her bed with you. The couch is out."
"Okay," Della said.
Tony turned to look at Jonathan, "get her pillow, will ya?" The boy grabbed the pillow and Tony helped his mother up. Jonathan went ahead up the stairs.
Samantha sat on the side of the bed, "she was so upset the entire time you were in the hospital. I decided to stay with her at night cus I saw her two scars. She told me and I wanted to be with her. Nana called your name out in her sleep every night."
Angela looked at the man, "at the hospital, she was beyond distraught. She kept repeating how she can't lose you."
"It's true," Mona said, "the two of you have been together for so long, I don't think she knows what she would do without you."
"I don't," Della said. Everyone turned and saw Tony, Della, and Jonathan.
"Okay, everyone, it's time for these two to talk," Tony said. He helped his mother step aside and ushered everyone out.
"Tony, will you stay?" Della asked.
"Sure, I can stay."
"Della, come here, darling," Perry said gently, "please." The woman sat on the edge of the bed by her husband. "I'm so sorry for everything. For not taking better care of myself, for yelling at you, for forcing you to tell me why you were crying outside."
"By the way," Tony said, "weren't you the one who said we shouldn't tell her I saw that?"
Perry looked at his son, "that's beside the point. Anyway," he turned his attention back to his wife. "I'm sorry that I scared you. I've done some thinking and when I'm stronger, I'll have the weight loss surgery. I'll start eating better."
"Really?" Della asked as Tony quietly opened the door.
"Really," Perry smiled, "now, I didn't have surgery. I won't break and I'm not used to you being so demure."
Della smiled, "oh, Perry," she threw herself into his arms and cried.
"Shh, it's okay. It's all going to be okay." He said as he rubbed her back.
Della looked at her husband, "always?"
Perry smiled, "always."
"Now this, is what we like to see," Tony said happily.
The couple turned and saw everyone watching. Both of them smiled, "well, I think it's time for bed," Della said.
"You heard the lady," Perry told them.
Everyone said good-night and left, "Tony," Della stopped her son. He turned to look at her, "close the door," she said softly as she waved him in. Tony walked back in and closed the door, "could you help me?"
Tony walked over and helped his mother stand and move to the other side of the bed. Once she was settled, he left. He turned back as he went to shut the lights off and saw his parents in each other's arms. The man smiled, shut the lights off, and went to bed.