Power and Lies
Disclaimer: I don't own Who's the Boss
So, yeah. Got sucked into another fandom again and inevitably found something to write…
Angela tried to let her anger go after Mother ended her and Tony's latest argument. She supposed it made sense that he didn't want all his time planned for him, especially with how stubborn he'd always been. And she wished to enjoy their relationship that they'd waited so long to finally have, rather than clutter their time with fights.
But the memory of Tony lying to her dug at her heart. While she was in her office, she wondered how the most honest man she'd ever met could tell her a lie to her without blinking. While she ate lunch, she wondered how her closest friend and fiancé would want to lie to the woman he loved.
But perhaps one lie didn't matter, as Tony made it more than clear that he loved her. And Angela had ruined two wonderful proposals from him because she thought too much. She'd promised Tony she would stop.
Everything burst one late afternoon when she arrived home and Tony said something about Ernie. One of the men who'd encouraged Tony to lie to her. Whom she'd caught playing poker in her living room while Tony was supposed to be recovering from a head injury.
"I don't want to hear that name in my house anymore," she said snapping without thinking. Angela wished to relax on the coach after a long day at work and discussing Ernie wasn't part of the plan.
Tony's head whipped around, his mouth dropping open. "He's my friend, and I thought you weren't controlling me anymore? Besides, I thought you liked bottled water?"
Angela sighed, wondering if this was really a good idea, but unable to stop herself. Standing up, she said, "I don't like anyone who encouraged you to lie to me the other night." She shook her head, still remembering how painful that moment was to see him in the middle of this living room, clearly having no trouble with his head.
Tony pounded both his hands in the air. Fortunately, he didn't hit anything, as they were far from her breakables. "Why does everyone believe I'm incapable of makin' my own decisions? I decided not to go to the ballet." He reverted to his Brooklyn accent and he spat out the last word.
The pain in her heart deepened. He hadn't been pushed into lying. And he'd chosen not to spend time with her. "I see," she said forcing herself not to sound tearful although she swallowed a lump in her throat. "Then would you please explain why you decided to lie. To me, of all people. You, the man who is constantly telling everyone the importance of truth."
Tony sighed. "I'm sorry about that, but your controlling behavior was getting too much, especially as I'm still your employee."
Fresh anger pumped through Angela's blood. "You're not still using that as an excuse?" she said, shaking her head, her lips pressed together. "I thought – "
"Ay – oh, oh – ay! It's not an excuse!" Tony said, not even allowing her to finish her sentence. He pounded his fist in the air again. "I know I'm more an employee, and I've tried to let it go now, but it's not always easy." He paused for several moments, shaking his head, before he finally said, "Do you remember the conversation we had the first night I was here, after I caught you with Grant?"
Despite her lingering anger, Angela couldn't help but chuckle. He had to be kidding. "Believe me, Tony that conversation will live forever in my memory." Right away she'd known he was incapable of keeping his opinions to himself, even to his boss. But it also showed his strong principles, much to Angela's occasional frustration.
"Right," Tony said with a nod, his brown eyes staring directly into hers. "And you know that I didn't believe Grant would fire you if you didn't…well…"
Angela shook her head, wondering why he was having such a hard time saying what they both knew. He certainly had no trouble discussing her sex life at that time. "Yes, Tony, once again, I remember. You thought if I slept with Grant before my promotion that I might get it for the wrong reasons. What does that have to do with what's going on now?"
"Yes," Tony nodded. "But more importantly, I didn't think a relationship between a boss and an employee was a good idea, because…said boss has too much power in the relationship."
It was as if he'd slapped her, and the pain in her heart exploded.
"Tony, I don't see you as an employee; I see you as the man I love," Angela said, shaking her head. "And even before we became a couple, you know I didn't treat you as an employee, I treated you as a member of the family." Countless memories of the two of them watching television together in her living room flashed through her head, or Angela, Jonathan, Mother, and Samantha all eating dinner in the kitchen. Samantha's friends and boyfriends had been welcome in the home, as had Mrs. Rossini.
But to Angela's relief, Tony nodded. "See, this is exactly why I didn't want to talk about this." He waved his hand toward her. "I knew you would take it personally, and I hate causing you pain."
His words mended her heart a bit, but she still needed to understand why he hadn't thought lying would cause her pain.
"I know you don't see me as an employee, not since the first year I was here, and I love you for treating me, and Sam as your family for years," The tone in his voice had gone softer, and that mended her heart just as much as Tony's words. "But the truth is, very occasionally, you do treat me like a subordinate. Like the time you encouraged me to participate in the housekeepers' strike and then turned around and got angry when I wouldn't cook for you Japanese client. Or when you gave me orders when we were renting out the Harper House. I guess my insecurities about your power get to me when you started telling me what to do and what wear."
Angela didn't answer for a moment, never realizing that this was even an issue between them. She'd always thought he was making an issue out of nothing when he complained about "getting involved with his employer." "I suppose I find comfort in control, Tony; I always have. And I'm not going to apologize for being a powerful woman, Tony. Are you 'worried you cannot handle being with me' again?"
Her heartbeat wildly and she refused to look at him, too afraid of his answer. Angela truly had thought they'd delt with all of his insecurities already.
"No, I don't want you to apologize for that, I think it's great," Tony said to her relief. "You're a 'strong babe', remember?" He grinned. Despite herself, she grinned back. That comment made her feel warm all over, just as it had the first time, he'd said it. "Just don't control me so much. Last week was one of my worst fears about us being together."
Angela nodded, realizing she'd hurt him just as much as he'd hurt her. She sat back down on the coach. "I will, but please tell me when I become too much; I apparently do it without thinking."
Sitting next to on the coach, Tony nodded. "I will. I should have been honest from the beginning. Didn't we have this conversation several months ago, about how it's even more important now than when we were just friends?" Angela nodded. "And none of that justifies lying to you. I'm really sorry about that, sweetheart." His pushed his lower lip out, pouting like a little boy, as he always did when he knew he done something wrong.
Finally hearing a true apology for what had bothered her for days, Angela lifted his head and pulled his lips to hers. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and shifted his weight, pulling her closer.
His warm body and his terrific kisses were intoxicating, and Angela couldn't get enough of them. Deep kisses. Sweet little kisses on her shoulder and cheek. Firm muscles. Hot kisses on her throat. All she could think of was how easy it would be to take him upstairs right now. His room, her room, it didn't matter as long as they could be together.
Still, Angela suddenly pulled back, remembering how important it was to him that they wait. Besides, Jonathan could be home at any time now. "I think I'll get started on my next campaign."
Tony nodded, a mixture of disappointment and gratefulness. "I should get started on dinner."
I dislike that Tony never apologized to Angela at the end of this episode for lying.
But I really dislike that the power Angela had in their relationship was never addressed, although it was clearly one of Tony's insecurities, as much if not bigger, than the money inequality. And if Angela were a man and Tony a woman, in a relationship while still technically boss/employee, Angela's controlling behavior in this episode would be seen as a "red flag for an unhealthy relationship."
I like to think they discussed these things off screen…