Ch 51 – New Haven Line
Grand Central
On the way back to Fairfield, Tony remembered why he had sworn off day drinking many years ago. Sobering up while one was awake was a special kind of hell. Not to mention that he had been three beers in by the time it occurred to him that he shouldn't have been drinking at all because of the painkillers for his knee.
Harlem – 125th Street
It also didn't help that he was presently riding on a half-empty commuter train through the winter afternoon twilight. The flurries of snow from earlier in the day hadn't turned into anything, but the clouds were hanging low in the sky, thick and ominous.
Fordham
As the train passed through station after station, he went back and forth over Philly's suggestion. Either it was utter genius, or complete madness. One could never be totally sure.
Mt. Vernon East
How was quitting his job going to prove to Angela that he was truly sorry? How would it help her forgive him, and – even more important – trust him again?
Pelham
Wouldn't he risk hurting her more by cutting this tie between them? His coming to work for her was what had made them a family in the first place, absurd as it sounded.
New Rochelle
Then again, a radical step like this might be just what would set him free. Free to become the husband he wanted to be for Angela. Not right away, maybe. But down the line.
Larchmont
At first he resisted, just as he had in his conversation with Philly. However, the longer Tony thought about it, the more sense it started to make.
Mamaroneck
The fact that he was technically still working for Angela, while they were engaged and expecting a baby, felt wrong.
Harrison
Heck, she still wrote him a paycheck every week! Of course, it was largely a matter of routine at this point, and she was very discreet about it, leaving it in a little envelope in his kitchen drawer without so much as a word.
Rye
Regardless. The envelopes and Angela's custom checks with the wild horses theme and her immaculate handwriting were weekly reminders of … something.
Port Chester
If he really did quit, nothing whatsoever in their day-to-day lives would have to change, at least not in terms of the practicalities.
Greenwich
He would continue to take care of the house, and he would be going to school.
Cos Cob
Alright, yeah, he still wasn't wild about the idea of living off Angela's money. But who was he kidding? That was what he and Sam had been doing from day one. The money only took a detour through his account.
Riverside
Their financial situation would – hopefully – change once he found a job outside of Angela's- outside of their house. And until then …
Old Greenwich
Hadn't she told him before Christmas that she would be happy to loan him tuition money?
Stamford
He had some savings, but those wouldn't last forever, and he could probably get her to agree to let him pay her back with interest once he was able to.
Noroton Heights
Philly had talked about a big gesture, a real sacrifice.
Darien
Ending his working relationship with Angela once and for all, and before he had an alternate source of income lined up, not to mention a career in any way, shape, or form – that was one of the biggest sacrifices he could think of.
Rowayton
He had swallowed his pride before when it came to the people he loved most in the world. Becoming a housekeeper hadn't been his life's dream, but it had been his and Samantha's ticket out of the inner city. Now he was willing to do it again if it meant that he would get a chance to repair the damage he had done.
South Norwalk
By the time the train left South Norwalk, Tony felt sober, and as clear-headed as he had on only a few other occasions in his life.
East Norwalk
Right before he had asked Marie to marry him.
Westport
When he had stood in the doorway of Samantha's bedroom, clothes rumpled and stale from two long days and nights at the hospital, watching his little girl sleep, knowing that it was just the two of them from now on.
Green's Farms
After the Cardinals had dissolved his contract and he got in his car to drive 1,000 miles home to Brooklyn, where Sam, and his dad, Mrs. R., and a job at the fish store were already waiting for him.
Southport
As the train slowed down in preparation for the next stop, Tony shouldered bis backpack, righted his crutches, and got up. He knew what he had to do, and he was determined to do it tonight.
Fairfield
No chickening out.