Their weekend rolled by without any major incidents or aerosol of suspicion. Saturday was spent at the park, feeding the ducks and Jonathan entertaining Billy on the swings while Tony and Angela desperately tried to maintain their appropriate distance, only seldomly partaking in a lingering touch and a couple of stolen kisses when not in sight of the children. They grilled burgers and hot dogs for dinner than gathered for family movie night with a double serving of extra-butter popcorn in the evening. Billy's insistence that he lay between Angela and Tony gave them the safety net they needed to not get lost in the moment of movie darkness until exhaustion overcame them all and Tony woke up in the middle of the night to find they were all asleep in their respective places; Angela on the left, her legs and feet curled beneath her with Billy's legs resting on her lap, his head on Tony's leg that was extended out onto the coffee table while Jonathan was curled in ball on the side chair.
Taking in the moment before him prior to trying to get up without waking Billy, Tony had thought to himself that the only thing to have completed this beautiful picture before him was to have his little girl on the other side chair and Angela wrapped in his arms. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his family, especially now that he and Angela had finally confessed their feelings for each other and technically were a real family, at least in the eyes of the law.
Carefully sliding out from under Billy's head, Tony gently woke Angela and Jonathan up, sending them to bed as he lifted the younger boy into his arms and carried him up to his room, lovingly tucking him in to bed and kissing his forehead goodnight before retreating to his bed for the remainder of the night.
Sunday had been dedicated to homework and advertising work. Angela spent the better part of the day in her office going over storyboards for an upcoming campaign while Tony juggled calculous and Ancient Art homework between helping Billy with his A, B, C's and 1, 2, 3's. Upon completion of homework duties, Tony began preparations for dinner after a surprise call from Samantha asking what he was making and if she could come home for dinner. Never one to deny a visit from his daughter, Tony set out to make a feast fit for a king, or at least one that would allow for leftovers for his college princess.
Tony and Angela fell into their normal easy with one another, neither on guard or worried that the children would catch on to the extra spark between them but giving them a preview of things to come as their relationship would begin to evolve into their "dating" phase; A shared laugh, a special touch, a warm smile and of course, a few more stolen kisses when not in the company of extra eyes. Throwing caution to the wind, in an attempt to gage the children's reaction, Tony blurted out, over dinner, an invitation to dinner and a movie to Angela, a date night. Arising no reaction from the children as to anything abnormal, Tony and Angela shrugged their shoulders and proceeded through the night as if life was normal, and normal it was, their family normal.
Having bid all the children goodnight, Sam back to her dorm with a plethora of leftovers to get her through the week, Billy tucked tightly into bed and Jonathan in his room for a last weekend call to his female interest, Angela and Tony retreated back to the living room to tidy up as they brought their weekend to an end.
Plopping on the couch, releasing a sigh of contentment, Angela turned to Tony, "What a wonderful weekend and incredible dinner, thank you Tony!" She reached for his hand.
Taking her hand in his, he kissed it as he replied, "Anything for my family." He smiled. "It really was a great weekend, wasn't it?"
"It sure was! I'm so glad that Sam came for dinner. I miss that kid so much with her living on campus now." She whined.
"I miss her too!" Taking a seat on the couch next to her, "I know I should be glad she's just a few miles away at Ridgemont versus some school hundreds of miles away, but I still miss my little girl not being under the same roof as me." He patted Angela's hand tenderly.
"Our little girl has grown into a remarkable and beautiful young lady Tony. I'll never forget that little tomboy with a shiner that melted my heart from the day she walked through my door." She beamed, "Her dad a had pretty good affected on me as well." Caressing his cheek with her fingers.
"I couldn't have raised her without you Angela," he took her hands again in his, "She loves you so much, I think sometimes she worries that by loving you, she's somehow replacing Marie in her heart, but you have really been like a mother to her, there when she needed a woman to talk to, to help her grow up, to help me help her grown up. I couldn't have done it without you." His eyes tender and warm, nearly betraying the emotions he was trying to contain.
"Oh Tony," she cried, "I couldn't love her anymore if I had given birth to her myself and I hope she knows I would never, ever want to take Marie's place. I hope she knows how much I love her and will always be there for her." Tears swelling in her eyes.
"You know, for a longtime," he took a deep breath, "I felt as if I was betraying Marie's memory when I would look at you and all these feeling would begin to surface with-in me and I would try to bury them down trying not to feel them until one day, I started to realize that Marie would want me to be find someone to love, that loved Samantha just as much as we did and would treat her as their own and although not able to, or ready to admit it, I knew that was you. I knew or at least I hoped that one day I would be able to tell you and show you just how much you really meant to me and how much I loved you. I'm sorry it took me so long to wake up and realize that I was the only thing standing in our way."
Tears now uncontrollably flowing down her cheeks, Angela gushed, "I love you so much Tony and I love how you love our family. You've been more of a father to Jonathan than Michael ever thought about being, and seeing you with Billy, I just feel so incredibly lucky that we were given the opportunity to raise Billy together. I know that they, all three of them are "OUR" kids, not yours, not mine but ours and I would never want it any other way."
Both no longer able to suppress their emotions, they wrapped their arms around one another and held each other tightly. Rubbing his cheek against her soft, blond hair, Tony inhaled her scent, "God I love how you smell!" He moaned into her hair. "God, I love how you feel!" He rubbed his arms up and down her back, pulling her tighter into his embrace, "God I love how you….." He crashed his lips onto hers for a deep, passionate kiss.
The physical tension they had tried so desperately to suppress all weekend was now boiling over as they hungered for each other's contact, pulling closer, kissing deeper till they had lost all control of themselves and Tony suddenly ripped Angela's shirt off her and laid her back on the couch fully prepared to lose each other as friends right there in the middle of their living.
Reaching for his belt to unbuckle his pants for closer contact, the realization of where they were and what they were about to do suddenly stopped Tony dead in his tracks, "Oh my God Angela, we can't do this," he jumped up trying to find her shirt, "The kids are upstairs, your mother could walk in any minute!" His face flushed and breathless.
Giggling as she watched Tony's panic, Angela smirked, "But I thought you were all for sneaking around like teenagers?"
"Sneaking around yes, making love on the couch with the kids upstairs, no!" His voice panicked, still trying to find her shirt that has been tossed across the room.
Getting up to meet Tony as he brought her shirt back to her, Angela pressed herself against him, her face inches from his, "Okay, I'm sorry, yes, this is a little too out in the open," her voice low and sultry, "So, what do you say we retreat somewhere a little more private?" She ran her fingers softly up his arm.
"We agreed, no sharing a room till we were officially married!"
"We may have said no room, but nothing was said about no office! How about we take this to a more private couch, behind a closed door, where nobody can find us!" She breathe into his ear, nibbling softly on his neck.
His breathing rapid, his face flushed and his manhood responding where his voice was failing, Tony captured her lips as he led her backwards into the office, their lips joined, their bodies walking as one, their lust and desire taking over every facies of their mind.
Crashing through the door, Tony locked it and quickly began shedding clothes as Angela led them to the couch. Laying her down upon the soft cushions, Tony trailed her body with soft kisses as he slowly removed the last few articles of clothing she still possessed. Making his way down her chest, onto her stomach, along her thighs, Tony found her center, raising his eyes to meet hers for approval before he began to pleasure her in the most intimate of ways. Her varied moans and sighs were all the proof he needed that their relationship had reached a new level of intimacy. Feeling her body react rhythmically to his touch, Tony quickly discarded his boxer as Angela signaled that she was ready for him, ready for all of him. Joining for their new favorite dance, Tony and Angela found ecstasy as one, both climaxing together before falling asleep in each other's arms.
The bright New England sun beamed through the Bower-Micelli house at Oak Hill Drive, welcoming a new day and new week. Having stayed snuggled on the small couch throughout the night, Angela shifted slightly giving Tony the nudge he needed to wake up. Realizing they had fallen asleep in the office, Tony jumped up, nearly knocking Angela off the small couch and exclaimed, "Oh my God Angela, wake up, it's past 6, you need to get ready, and I need to get the kids up!"
Stretching, still half asleep, Angela yawned, "No, Tony, it's Sunday, lay back down!"
"No Angela, it's Monday and you've got to get up!"
Popping her eyes open, Angela panicked, "Oh my God Tony, you gotta get the kids up, I've got to get ready, it's Monday!"
"Yes, honey, that's what I just said!" He snickered collecting his discarded clothes off the floor. "I'll go out and make sure nobody is up, wait a minute then you come up and go straight to your room and I'll get the kids up."
"Okay!" She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "By the way, I love waking up in your arms!" She smiled.
"Me too, now shhhhhh, wait here."
Creeping the door open slightly to listen for any house activity, Tony quickly made his way through the living room and up the stairs to confirm the kids were still asleep. Waiting a couple minutes, Angela listened for any warning sounds from Tony then proceeded out of her office towards the living room. As she made it to the base of the stairs, she let out a loud holler, jumping in fright as Mona came through the kitchen door calling out, 'What are you doing sneaking around the house at this hour of the morning?"
'Oh my God Mother, you nearly gave me a heart attack," trying to regain her composure, "What am I doing here? It's my house! What are you doing here?" Her voice shaky and breathless.
'What happened, what's the matter?" Tony came running down the stairs. "Mona, what are you doing here?" He screeched as he caught sight of her.
Not answering their question, Mona continued, "Angela, is that what you're wearing to work today, or did you sleep in your clothes?"
"No Mother! I'm not wearing this to work today, I, uh," she stuttered, "I fell asleep in my office and just woke up. If you'll excuse me, I need to go get ready!" She turned back towards the stairs. "Tony, are the children up yet?"
"Uh, no, no, I was just about to get them up when I heard you holler," he covered.
"Running a little late also Tony?" Mona inquired, "And in your clothes also? Let me guess, you fell asleep on the couch and just got up also?"
Clearing his throat, sweat beginning to build on his forehead, he growled, "No Mona, I was just getting the kids up and if you'll excuse me, I better get them up and start breakfast." He proceeded up the stairs.
"Something smells fishy in Denmark, and I think I know what it is," Mona whispered to herself as Tony disappeared up the stairs.
Getting the boys up, Tony quickly made his way back downstairs to begin breakfast, grateful that Mona appeared to have temporarily disappeared.
Serving up a healthy helping of scrambled eggs and bacon to the boys, Tony greeted Angela with "Juice and Coffee today or can I interest you in some eggs and bacon?" As she came through the swinging door.
"I think I'd like some eggs and bacon today," she grinned, "I seem to be a bit hungrier this morning." Winking at Tony discreetly.
As he plated her serving, Mona reappeared through the back door, "Good morning again, Mona, eggs and bacon?" he smiled innocently.
"Yes please," she replied taking her seat at the table. "Angela, you're eating breakfast. Is it a special occasion?" She smirked.
"No Mother, no special occasion, just a bit hungry this morning, that's all."
"Very well dear! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it helps keep up your energy level, you know." She taunted.
"Yes Mother, thank you, I know!" She sneered.
Finishing his breakfast, Billy got up, taking his plate to Tony at the sink and questioned, "Hey Tony, why are you wearing the same shirt you wore yesterday?"
As panic crossed both Tony's and Angela's face, Tony replied nervously, 'No, no buddy, I'm not wearing the same shirt, silly boy!" He turned back toward the sink, trying to calm the blush of his cheeks.
"No Billy honey," Angela interjected, "Tony was wearing a blue shirt yesterday, this one is like a, uh, blue/green."
Unwilling to turn back around, Tony yelped, "Ya champ, they just look the same." Turning the water off, he quickly turned, grabbed Billy's hand and led him out of the kitchen, 'Come on buddy, lets finish getting your ready for school. I have to drop you off and get to school. Early class," he added. Calling over his shoulder, "Jonathan if you want a ride, you best come on! Bye Angela, bye Mona, have a great day."
Rising from the table, Jonathan took his plate to the sink, "The color looks the same to be but hey, what do I know?" He shrugged his shoulders, "Guess I better get going, don't want to miss my ride! Bye mom, bye grandma."
Looking down at her plate, Angela mumbled, "Yum, these eggs sure are good," as she finished her last bit, quickly rising to discard her plate, attempting to make a quick exist before having to endure any grilling from her mother.
Standing at the sink, Angela exclaimed, "Well Mother, I best get going, I have to drive today, early meeting with Mr. Hamilton. Can you please take the train in, and I'll see you at the office?"
"I didn't see a meeting with Reed on your calendar for this morning. When did that come up?" Mona inquired suspiciously.
"Saturday, he left a message with the service he wanted to see me first A.M today so I best be going!" She turned from the sink to find her mother standing inches away from her. Startled, she quickly tried to maneuver away only to be met with Mona following her every move.
"Mother, if you don't mind, I need to get going, would you please get out of my way!" She demanded.
"Oh, of course dear, I'm sorry, didn't mean to delay you!" Her voice low and patronizing.
"Thank you, Mother, I'll see you at the office!" Angela proceeded towards the swinging door.
"Oh Angela," Mona hollered after her.
"Yes Mother, what is it?"
"Quick, little question!"
"Mother, what is it? I really don't have time for this!" Angela croaked.
"I was just wondering," taking a couple steps toward her daughter, "Did you and Tony consummate your marriage before or after your annulment?"
Frozen and momentarily panicked, Angela took a deep breath, quickly trying to compose herself, turned to face Mona and exclaimed, "Mother, I don't know what the devil you're talking about, but I don't have time for this! I'll see you at the office!" She turned, exited the kitchen, stopping at the couch to catch her breath before continuing out the front door, briefcase, purse, and jacket in hand as her heart nearly beat out of her chest.