Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Chapter 3

Angela floated into her bedroom to find Mona placing a box with a giant red bow on her bed.

"So?" Mona asked expectantly.

"Oh Mother! I'm getting married!" she sighed happily, flopping herself down on the bed.

Mona smiled smugly. "I know. I helped plan it."

"Aw Mother," Angela began before noticing the box. "Is this for me?"

"For you, yes – and I guess for Tony too."

Angela already had the box open. "Mother," she chided, lifting up the soft pink silk negligee. "It's beautiful."

"I know it isn't a traditional Mother of the Bride type of gift, but then again, I'm not a traditional Mother.

Angela hugged her. "Thank you. For everything."

They sat for a moment holding each other before Mona announced, "Enough of the sappy stuff. Let's get you ready!"

By the time Samantha knocked and popped her head around the door they had finished Angela's makeup and were debating whether she should wear her hair up or down. Angela thought up because that was how Tony liked it. Mona thought down because she thought it looked more fun that way. Sam intervened and they decided on a happy medium – half up. Sam sat on the bed quietly, watching them as they fussed and argued and laughed.

After a while Angela turned to her a little concerned. "Sam, honey. Are you okay? You seem awfully quiet. You're okay with all of this?"

"Oh Angela, of course! I'm so happy for you and Dad. I've always wanted this" She made as if to get up, but quickly turned pale and collapsed back on the bed.

"Sam!" Angela rushed over to her. "Are you sure you're okay? You don't look so well." The concern was written across her face.

"Very astute Angela," Mona interjected. She sat down on Sam's other side.

Sam for her part protested, "I'm fine. I'm fine! I just got up a little too quickly. I'll be fine."

"Samantha," Angela interrupted. "I'll ask you one more time. Are you okay? You haven't seemed yourself for quite a while."

"Yeah," Mona added. "You're always so tired and last week when we were shopping we had to leave because you were feeling sick."

"That was only because I had a piece of anchovy pizza for lunch." Sam tried to explain it away.

Angela and Mona's eyes met over Sam's head – strange cravings, nausea, tiredness, dizziness? "Sam," Angela began hesitantly, "You're not...pregnant. Are you?" Her voice was full of concern and surprise. She stared intently at the younger girl who had gone from pale to pink at the question. Sam glanced up at her and nodded, biting her lip. "Aw honey!" Angela exclaimed, then wrapped her arms around the girl she thought of as a daughter. She held and rocked her for a moment.

Sam eventually pulled away and nervously asked, "You're not upset with me?"

"Why should I be upset with you?" wondered Angela in confusion. "You're having a baby. That's not a bad thing."

"But I'm still in school, and Hank and I have only been married a year, and we're both so young." Sam wouldn't look at either of the women sitting beside her.

"Yeah, and a baby is going to change everything. I do wish for your sake that your life were a little more...stable before you had children. But Samantha babies happen. Sometimes when you least expect them. Don't they Mother?" she asked pointedly.

"Uh huh." Mona agreed. "It's happened to the best of us."

Angela continued, "And you're not so young. Your Mom and Dad were the same age when they had you. And you WILL finish school. Just maybe not when you had planned." She was trying her best to remain calm and rational and supportive for Sam, but inside she was reeling and more than a little upset. Not with Sam or Hank, but with the situation. She wanted so much for her little girl. She wanted Sam to be successful AND happy. She wanted her to have all the advantages and not miss out on any of her dreams. A child and a young marriage made things much more difficult.

Sam snapped her out of her reverie. "Angela...How do you think Dad is going to take this?"

Tony – Angela's mind flashed back to her soon to be husband. She hesitated a moment before replying. "Sam, I won't lie to you. He'll probably be upset and overreact, at least initially. And he'll probably be sad because you didn't tell him first, but..."

"I tried to Angela. But it didn't seem right over the phone and I was going to tell him in Iowa..."

"But he ended up rushing back to me?"

Sam shrugged. "There just hasn't been a right time."

Angela spoke without thinking, "Tell him now."

Sam and Mona both stared at her as if she were insane. Sam spoke up, "And ruin your wedding? No way!"

Angela started to protest and then stopped. "Maybe you're right, tomorrow then. Sam, you do need to tell him – and who knows, maybe he'll surprise us. I do know that once he gets over the shock he's going to be over the moon."

They all sat for a moment in silence. "Angela," Sam began.

"Yes?"

"Thank you. You're going to be a great Grandmother."

"Grandmother?!" Angela gasped.

"Well, yeah. I mean, you've helped raise me and you've been like a...no, you have been a mother to me. And now that you and Dad are finally making it official...I was hoping that you'd be my babies grandmother."

"HA!" Mona laughed. "You're going to be a grandma. Finally you get to have some of your own medicine!"

"Well, you know Mother, if I'm a grandmother, that makes you a great- grandmother."

Mona looked horrified, and then relented. "We'll work on our titles later. Right now though, I think the bride and the mother of the bride need to get dressed."

"Oh my! I almost forgot! What time is it?" Angela jumped up in a panic.

"Calm down, calm down," Mona said soothingly. "There's enough time left, you're almost ready. Let's just go change, okay?"

Mona gave Sam a quick hug before leaving the room. Angela paused before entering her bathroom as if there was more she wanted to say.

"Go on, get ready," urged Sam. "We'll talk more later, I promise."

Angela smiled, relieved, and then turned on her heel into the bathroom.