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Monday morning Tony watches as the kids file sleepily into the kitchen. Greeting them cheerfully, Tony asks while he hands them each plates of eggs, toast, and sausage, "No Good Morning Dad?"
Sam and Jonathan mumble a good morning, and begin to eat when Jonathan perks up a little. After a moment he asks, "Sam, do you get Columbus Day off?"
Eyes lighting up, Sam answers, "Yeah!"
"See, something to look forward to!" Tony tells them just as Sam unenthusiastically announces, "That's not until next week."
Halfway through their breakfasts, the kids see Angela walk in saying, "Good Morning All!"
"Morning," They all reply, the kids glumly. Giving Tony a questioning glance, he smiles in reply. Taking the expression as the children are simply upset about Monday, Angela gives Tony as kiss before she takes her mug of coffee and sits at the table with the kids. Tony watches as Angela quizzes a now annoyed Jonathan over a few of his Algebra equations prompting him to ask Sam about her schoolwork. Gulping down her orange juice, Sam responds, "Well, look at the time! Gotta go Dad! Bye Angela."
On Friday after school, Sam talks to her grandfather excited to hear from him and learn what the weather is like in Fort Lauderdale. When her grandfather asks her to visit him, Sam wants to say yes, but makes sure to clear it with her dad first.
In the living room, Tony is dusting and notices one of the feathers from the duster fall out. Aware of his wife sitting on the couch reading, Tony decides to pester her by touching the back of her neck with the feather. After a couple times, Angela stands up and warns, "'You do that one more time and you're in big trouble.'"Sarcastically, Tony answers, "'I'm shaking.'"
Smirking ever so slightly at her husband and knowing she will not actually do anything, Angela heads back to the couch when Samantha comes in and lays out her case for visiting her grandfather in Florida. Finally agreeing due to both his daughter's and wife's insistence, Tony tells her they need to book a flight.
"And I need a new bathing suit!" She gushes excited for the chance to have a tan after the school break.
A week later, Tony comes back from the airport to find his family asking how the drop off went. Telling them it went well, Tony is surprised when he answers the phone that Nick's girlfriend is on the other line. Noting the seriousness of the situation, Mona and Angela stands beside him as Angela asks what happens and what trouble Nick Milano May have gotten into. The receiver a little loose in his grip, Tony answers, "'No, Nick's not in trouble. He's dead.'"
When Sam comes home, Tony gingerly asks if she knows why she was sent back home. Cheerfully, Sam replies, "'Grandpa's dead.'"
Immediately, Tony and Angela are concerned for the teenager. They let her grieve as she needs to, but when Sam begins to yell at everyone after Jonathan gives her geraniums he pulls out of his grandma's flower box and Tony asks her to fulfill Nick's request to eat at his favorite restaurant, Tony tells Mona and Angela, "'I can't get through to her.'"
Taking matters into their own hands, Mona and Angela talk with Sam when they find her in the attic. After their talk, Sam agrees to go to the restaurant. A couple nights later, Tony and Sam get their coats on and head toward the door.
"Jonathan!" Tony yells hoping the almost twelve year old will hurry up. Coming downstairs, Jonathan apologizes saying, "Brad wouldn't eat his crickets."
Rolling her eyes, Sam remarks, "I wish he'd eat you."
Glaring at his daughter, Sam stays quiet until they get out of the neighborhood.
"What time are the reservations?" She asks. Reassuring his daughter, Tony answers, "We have plenty of time. We're dropping Jonathan off with Angela and then we're heading to the restaurant."
Sitting down in the restaurant, the owner, Bruno comes over and asks how the pair knows Nick since they are sitting at his table. Finding out they are family of Nicks, the Bruno comments on how Nick never lied about how pretty Sam is.
"'I hope there was one other time'," Tony replies adding, "'He says your carbonara's the best.'"
"'And he's right!'" The Bruno announces before asking how Nick is. Unceremoniously, Sam bluntly replies, "'He's dead.'"
"'That would explain it'," Bruno answers without missing a beat. After a second he makes sure they are joking. When he finds out that Nick is really dead, Bruno asks what happens. Sick of hearing about her grandfather and death, Sam exclaims a little to Tony's understanding but embarrassment, "'He's dead, okay? Just like my other grandfather, my grandmothers, my mother! Everyone who ever meant anything to me!'"
"'Take it easy, Sweetheart'," Tony whispers to his daughter fully realizing now what is bothering her. Turning to her dad, Sam answers, "'Next it'll be you.'"
When Bruno leaves, Tony asks his daughter, "'Are you, you worried about me dying?'"
"'Dad, everybody else does'," Sam answers with a voice that carries too much pain for a fifteen year old to have. All Tony can do is listen to his daughter as her voice breaks when she says, "'It's not fair. I mean, I loved Mom so much. I loved Grandpa. And I love you.'"
Immediately going in to hug her father, Tony reciprocates eagerly.
"'Oh! Okay. Alright Sweetheart, okay. I know, I know'," Tony tells her as she cries into his shoulder.
"'I know it hurts'," He tells her before pulling away, but listen to me. Listen to me, you you can't use that as an excuse to stop loving people. Because, you know, when you stop loving people then you're not really living anymore. And Nick knew that. He lived every minute, no guaruntees. Even when things were bad. I mean, when he was locked up, and when he lost your mom? And he never stopped loving people. Especially you.'"
"'I can't believe I'm never gonna see him again.'"
"'Yes, Sweetheart, but if you keep loving him then you keep his memory alive.'"
"'Yeah?'" Sam asks. Comfortingly, Tony parrots, "'Yeah.'"
Just as Tony starts to see his daughter calm down, Mona and Angela come into the room.
"'Got any room here for a couple of working gals?'" Mona asks as Jonathan adds, "And me!"
Tony motions for them all to sit down as Angela tells Sam hello before looking over the teen's head at Tony and mouthing if she is okay. Winking at her that she is, Tony sits down next to Mona with Angela on the other side of Sam.
"'Okay, everybody, let's party'," Mona exclaims to bring to mood up.
"Yeah! What's good here?" Jonathan asks as Angela admonishes him. Shaking his head, Tony answers, "It's alright."
"I heard the carbonara is," Tony begins about to say to die for, but immediately switches to, "excellent."
Before anyone can order, Bruno comes by with the house wine and grape juice for Samantha and Jonathan. Just as the family begins to toast to Nick, a few of his friends and his old probation officer show up telling them how sad they are about Nick's passing. Leaving the restaurant that night, Tony and Angela get in the front seat of the Jag while everyone else piles in the back. By the time they get out of the city, both Sam and Jonathan are asleep. Mona has her headphones on which allows Angela to freely ask, "I know you said Sam was okay earlier, but how are you?"
Knowing he is going to cry, Tony shakes his head before answers, "Ask me when we get home. I don't want to talk about it while driving."
Instead, Angela takes Tony's free hand in hers and gives him a small smile.
"The food was excellent," Angela mentions after a moment. Nodding, Tony replies that it was adding, "There's very few things Nick didn't lie about and one of them was food."
With a laugh, Tony remarks, "When Sam was a baby and Marie and I were exhausted, Nick would come over and sit with Sam for hours just to let us sleep. There were times Marie would bundle Sam up in the winter and take her over to Nick's. They'd come home with so many presents. Dresses, rattles, you name it. Nothing was too good for his Sambina. I never told him how thankful I was for that."
Beginning to choke out the last few words, Tony realizes he may need Angela to drive. Pulling over, Tony has Angela switch places with him. Waking up due to the stop, Jonathan asks, "Are we home?"
"Not yet. I'm just letting your mom take over."
Nodding drowsily, Jonathan easily falls back asleep.
Watching Sam sleep, Tony looks behind him when he feels a hand on his shoulder. Smiling Angela tells him, "I'm going to the kitchen for some water. Want to join me?"
Nodding, Tony answers, "Be down in a minute."
He looks at his daughter for a few more minutes before following his wife downstairs. When Tony walks into the kitchen, Angela decides not to press him on the matter of Nick's death. Instead she watches as he begins to clean the counters. After a moment, she asks, "Tony, how are you, really?"
"Fine," Tony answers not looking at his wife. The couple is quiet until Tony whispers more to himself than to Angela, "He was the last connection Sam had to Marie."
This revelation becomes a last straw for Tony who suddenly breaks down crying. Standing up from her seat, Angela puts a hand on Tony's shoulder to turn him toward her. Comforting Tony much like he did Sam earlier, Angela simply keeps telling him everything will be okay. When he finally lets go of her, Tony begins to apologize for getting his wife's blazer dirty. Shaking her head, Angela answers, "It's all right, Tony. What's important is that you are okay. Did you want to talk about him?"
Thinking over the question, Tony shakes his head saying, "Let's go to bed."
A couple weeks later, Tony gets the idea to help the elderly by making batches of lasagna for them. Then, he enlists Jesse and Sam to take his van and deliver the food. While the teens are out, Tony, Angela, and Mona clean up the kitchen. Mona praises Tony on his lasagna while Angela criticizes it a bit. Mona simply enjoys watching the pair bicker like an old married couple, happy that they actually have the married part to lean on. Then, they hear a car whiz by and run outside to find the teenager with the black car and racoon tail on his antenna who has been terrorizing the neighborhood. Then, when they find out the boy hit Tony's van that Jesse and Sam drove, the adults take the boy to court. Unfortunately, Tony only finds out when Jesse is on the stand that his daughter lies to him and that she had driven the car. The ride home after the case is silent. Entering the house, Tony makes his way toward the couch as his family files in behind him.
Walking toward her husband, Angela remarks "'Tony you haven't said a word since the trial.'"
"'No, but that little vein on his temple is doing sit ups'," Mona remarks coming around the other side of the couch. At this point Sam begs her father to say something to her. What she does not expect is for him to tell her that she cannot see Jesse.
"'I'll see you at school tomorrow'," Jesse tells Sam as he leaves. A few minutes later, Sam makes her way upstairs. Watching his daughter until she is out of sight, Tony turns to find Angela and Tony glaring at him. Asking them what he has done they try to reason with him regarding his punishment choice. Sitting down on the chair as Tony and Mona take the couch, Angela comments how every teenager makes crazy choice. When her mother scoffs at her crazy teenage self, Angela tells the story about how she and a friend snuck into a club with fake IDs, danced with older men, and drank.
"'That's illegal. I am aghast'," Tony remarks before Angela sits beside him reminding him of what he did as a teenager. Remembering a time on his Birthday when he had both the cops and the coast guard called on him, Tony realizes he is being a little too strict. When Sam comes downstairs, Angela and Mona leave allowing the father and daughter to talk. When Sam tells her father she is sorry, the pair soon make up before Sam heads back upstairs. Coming out of the kitchen, Angela and Mona go toward Tony asking, "You feel better?"
With a sigh, Tony answers, "I guess. Thanks for talking me down."
"Glad to be of service," Mona replies as Angela nods in response remembering finding out Tony's middle name and snickering. Remarking on Tony's middle name in bed that night, Angela tells him, "We never did say our middle names at our wedding, did we?"
"No, and I'm sorry you had to find out my middle name on a witness stand," Tony replies. With a laugh, she replies, "I think that was my favorite part of the case."
Receiving a sarcastic laugh, Angela smirks remarking, "You want to know what Michael wanted to name Jonathan originally?"
"Can't be as bad as Morton," Tony grumbles. Shaking her head, Angela replies, "No, but it was still bad. Um, I had to talk Michael out of naming Jonathan after a guide he had when he was somewhere in a jungle."
With a small laugh, Tony asks, "What was his name?"
Rolling her eyes, Angela answers, "I can't even remember really. I do know that most of Michael's choices were not that great. One time he suggested Hudson."
"Like Rock Hudson?" Tony asks. Nodding, Angela states, "I'm sorry your parents named you Morton."
"Eh, could be worse, I guess. It could be my first name."
The couple is quiet a moment until Angela asks, "Did you have another name for Sam?"
Chuckling, Tony answers, "Marie liked Christina. Then, we both liked Matthew for a boy. What about you?"
"For Jonathan? If he'd been a girl, we thought about the name Amanda or even Jessica."
The couple is quiet a moment until Angela tells him she has a long day in the morning. Kissing his wife good night, Tony turns out the light.
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