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Over the next couple months, Jonathan has to admit that therapy is helping at least a little bit. He is even happier once he gets his class schedule for the next school year and can have something new to focus on. When school does start back up, September ends up being a busy month for the Bower and Micelli family. Especially since Tony starts his first semester of college.
"You'll be fine," Angela tells her husband with a grin adding, "Knock 'em dead!"
"Thanks, Ange. You know, I can't help feeling today is gonna be great," Tony begins with a smile as Sam yells for her dad to hurry up so they will not be late.
"Duty calls," Tony jokes before kissing his wife good-bye.
Angela, smirks before finishing getting ready for her own day. Two weeks away from her due date, Angela is a little slower getting ready for work, but she and Mona make it to the station in time just the same.
"You really should be staying home, Dear," Mona tells her daughter for the fifth time that day. Rolling her eyes, Angela answers, "I'm fine Mother. Besides, I'm closer to a hospital here in the city than I would be at home if something does happen."
Nothing does. Everyone's day is surprisingly easy. Tony's classes end at two in the afternoon which gives him plenty of time to get dinner in the oven before he takes Samantha for another driving lesson. Angela has to laugh at Tony's overprotectiveness over the teenager. However, the blonde is keenly aware of her mother's overprotectiveness shining through. The fact that her mother is worried about her is a little confusing, but Angela takes some sort of victory that she never goes into labor at the office.
A week later, Tony mentions a study group that he wants to join, but knows now is probably not the best time since Angela is so close to her due date.
"Go Tony," Angela encourages knowing her husband needs to make friends and study partners. Going with his study group to a hotel, they study for a few hours until they are interrupted by the phone ringing. One of the group members closest to the phone answers before handing the receiver to Tony. Mona is on the other end telling him to get home simply saying, "Angela's in labor."
Shocked and excited, Tony bids a quick good-bye before grabbing his books and driving home. Slamming the front door, Tony hollers for his wife or Mona when Jonathan comes in the room stating, "They're upstairs getting Mom's stuff ready."
Nodding numbly, Tony takes the stairs a two at a time before rushing into the bedroom where Mona is throwing items into a bag.
"Where's Angela?" He asks. Calmly, Mona explains that Angela is currently in the shower and the contractions are not too far apart to cause alarm yet. Nodding, Tony knocks on the door of the bathroom to see if Angela needs anything. Entering, Tony finds Angela doubled over and quickly goes to help her get ready for the hospital. The next day after seventeen hours, Tony and Angela welcome their daughter Anna Ingrid Micelli.
Coming home with the new baby, Angela and Tony happily show her off to their family who have already seen the baby at the hospital. Just as the family begins to settle in with a new baby, they also get to celebrate Samantha's birthday. However, at sixteen the teen's biggest desire is to get her license.
"Please Dad!" She begs her father over dinner the night before her birthday. She and some friends will be seeing a movie for her birthday, and all Sam wants is to be able to drive her friends there.
"First, you cannot drive your friends around an hour after you get your license. Second, I need to find a good time to take you to the DMV. "
"Saturday morning!" Samantha announces happily. Deciding to give in to that one request, Tony agrees and on Saturday afternoon Tony happily announces to the family when he and his daughter get home that Samantha is now a licensed driver.
However, when his daughter comments about getting a car as a present, Tony begins to wonder if he has let his daughter down.
"You think I should have got her a car?" Tony asks Angela later that night as they lay in bed adding, "It's not like I could have gotten her one with three days notice. Besides, I want her to have a safe, reliable car, you know? Something dependable."
Noticing his wife never answers him, Tony looks over to find her asleep and has to smile at how content she looks. Knowing Angela has been having trouble sleeping lately, Tony smiles a little before turning out the light and going to sleep himself. Broaching the subject again to Angela when she is fully awake the next day, Tony eagerly awaits her opinion.
"If you feel that strongly about it, I think you should. Do you want me to go with you to pick it out?" Angela asks.
"Would you?" Tony replies eager to have help.
A week later Tony and Angela excitedly usher Samantha outside where Tony happily unveils the safest and possibly ugliest car Samantha has ever seen. Angela is a little taken aback knowing that this is not the model they agreed upon, but chooses to be Vanna White anyway and shows off the features Tony mentions.
Sam instantly hates the car her father gives her. Saying something to Bonnie at school a week later about how much she dislikes the car, Sam grins when her friend comments, "Too bad you can't get a new one."
"No, but I could lose it?" Sam remarks more to herself than anyone. After another round of teasing from people at school, Sam officially hates her car. Doing her homework in the living room, Sam looks up when Angela comes walking in from work. Greeting the teenager, Angela tells Sam that she saw a car parked on the street that looks exactly like Samantha's. Confessing to Angela that she parks the car away from school so no one will make fun of her, Samantha listens as Angela reassures her that things will get better at school. She does not like the part about having to tell her father her thoughts on her car, though. Unsurprised, Angela listens as Samantha skirts around the issue with her father when Tony gets home.
The next day, Samantha finds out her car is stolen after school and the teen is ecstatic. Explaining to her father later that day that someone stole her car, Tony immediately reports it missing. Feeding Anna on the couch, Angela listens as Tony talks with the insurance people. Getting off the phone, Tony goes to sit down on the living room chair as Sam dramatizes, "'You know, I bet they never find the car. And if they do, it's gonna be trashed beyond repair. Oh! And I really loved that car.'"
Giving the teen an incredulous glare, Angela is amazed at how bad her husband and his daughter are so bad at communicating things to each other. Grabbing Sam's arm once Tony walks to the front door, Angela asks, "'Laying it on a little thick there, aren't we?'"
Sam just shrugs as her dad answers the door. When the police officer is let inside, Sam is horrified when the officer tells them that the car is found. However, she cannot help but glance at Angela as the officer explains how vandalized the car is. Tony is simply humbled that all his safety features for his daughter are hindrances. Once the officer leaves, Angela goes upstairs with Anna while Tony and Sam discuss her car. Sitting in the rocking chair with the baby, Angela tells her how much she hopes Tony and Sam will actually talk about their issues.
"Mom," Jonathan interrupts finding her in the nursery, "Are you using Anna as a sounding board?"
With a laugh, Angela answers, "I guess I am. It's easier to talk to someone who won't talk back. How was your day? You barely said hello when you walked in the door."
Shrugging, Jonathan answers, "Figured there was a lot going on. Besides, I listened on the other line."
Shocked, Angela lightly admonishes her son adding, "I can't believe you'd listen in on Tony's conversation."
"You should have mom! That insurance guy was so sarcastic!"
Rolling her eyes, Angela asks, "How was your day?"
"Fine. Not as eventful as Sam's though. I'm gonna go see Grandma now. Bye, Mom."
"Bye Sweetheart," Angela answers shifting Anna in her arms to put her down for a nap. Leaving the room as quiet as she can, Angela makes her way downstairs to find Tony sitting on the couch.
"Hey," She states getting her husband's attention. Sitting down beside him, Angela asks how his talk with Sam goes. Shrugging, Tony answers, "Fine. We're going to work on fixing it together. Or unfixing it."
"Well I'm glad you were able to figure things out. Do you know when you'll pick up her car?"
With a sigh, Tony answers, "In a couple hours. I wanted to get dinner in the oven first."
Kissing her husband's cheek, Angela remarks, "You're too good for us."
Working half days at the office in order to spend time with Anna, Angela gets home Friday afternoon and immediately changes into comfortable clothing. Taking Anna downstairs, Angela places her in the bassinet she has set up in her office before looking over a few work documents. Noticing the baby is asleep, Angela leaves her and goes to get a glass of water. Looking out the window, Angela smiles noticing Tony and Samantha outside with the hood up on her car. Stepping outside, Angela watches them and listens to Tony's comments about spark plugs. Smirking at the little mechanical knowledge she has coming in handy, Angela remarks that Samantha can fix her car by putting a pencil in the carborator. Stepping away, proud of herself, Angela waits for Tony and Angela to say something. Sam is simply astounded that the trick works and adds another point to Angela being slightly more cool. Tony is simply surprised he finds out something new about his wife. Going back inside the house, Angela smirks proud of herself before heading back to her office to work.
A month later, the family is convinced Tony has taken college too far when due to a comment by his professor, Tony decides to act more sophisticated and recite his speech ad nauseum. With his speech getting closer, Tony becomes more nervous by the day. Trying to ease her husband's mind, Angela listens once more to his speech. On the night of his speech, the entire family plans to go, but Mona finds out how long the night is and opts out. Looking at Jonathan, Angela asks, "Will you see if Mother will watch Anna while we're gone?"
Shrugging, Jonathan goes off to find his grandmother as Tony asks about reciting his speech one more time. Telling her husband he may be taking things a little too far, Angela resigns herself to Tony's new way of speaking hoping it only lasts for the rest of the night. Just then the phone rings and Sam runs downstairs to answer it. Finding out Philly is on the phone, Sam tells her dad, but Tony quickly corrects her grammar. Tired of her dad not acting like himself and possibly messing up his friendship, Sam asks her dad why he is acting the way he is. Watching his daughter leave Tony asks his wife what made Samantha so upset. Deciding not to get into an argument right before the speech, Angela ushers Tony to the car.
At the speech, the Bower-Micelli family prepares for the worst as Tony goes up to give his speech. Tony begins just as his professor teaches him, but through out the speech, Tony realizes how pretentious and boring he sounds. Finally, Tony has to admit he is not being himself. Breaking away from his speech, Tony tells his personal story of being a baseball player. Proud of her husband, Angela shares a look with him as he sits down. Being the last speaker, Tony's speech ends the night and Samantha and Jonathan happily congratulate him.
"'You were wonderful'," Angela praises just as Tony's professor comes up to talk to him. Taking a seat in one of the desks, Angela is appalled by the professor's attitude. Giving her husband a thumbs up at his rebuttal to what the professor tells him, Angela welcomes him back to the Tony the family all knows and loves adding, "'College isn't supposed to change you, it's supposed to bring out the best in you.'"
As they leave, Tony admits that his wife was right and flirts, "'You know something? You're awfully cute.'"
Smiling, Angela answers, "'You do have a good mind.'"
Holding Angela's hand on the way home as they have their own conversations, Jonathan and Samantha glance at each other in the back seat making faces toward the adults. Not having really grown up with parents who are overly affectionate, the children forget how nauseating it can be.
Getting home, Samantha and Jonathan immediately head upstairs to get ready for bed while Tony and Angela head to the kitchen for a glass of wine.
"I really am proud of you, Tony," Angela tells him as they sit in the living room. Neither is out of their fancy clothes, but they have taken their shoes off and prop their feet up on the coffee table. Humming in response, Tony thinks over his and Angela's relationship and how supportive she is of him and he of her. After a moment, Tony states, "Thank you Angela. Thanks for sticking by me this past week. I know I was being a little obnoxious."
Snorting, Angela takes a sip of her wine before stating, "It's good to have you back, Tony."
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