The glow of the full moon shined through the office window as Angela shuffled on the couch, cuddled up to Tony on the inside part of the sofa, her arms wrapped around his body as if holding him from falling off the side. Realizing they were still in her office and the moon would soon be setting and the sun rising, Angela lightly rubbed Tony's chest trying to wake him,
"Tony, honey, wake up."
Grumbling, Tony turned and wrapped his left arm over her, pulling her into him closer.
"Tony, honey, we've got to go upstairs, wake up."
A few more grumbles, a snore, and a little tighter squeeze.
"TONY WAKE UP!" She shouted
"What...huh...what's the matter?" He jumped up nearly tossing her off the couch.
"Tony, wake up, we have to go upstairs, it's nearly morning, the last thing we need is for Jonathan or Mother to find us down here." Still half asleep, "Ya, ya, okay, come on sweetheart, let's go to bed."
He got up, reaching for her hand, not realizing he had no clothes on.
"No, Tony, honey, wake up, get your towel and go to bed, your bed honey, it's almost morning," She reiterated again.
Finally coming to his senses, "Oh Angela, yes, oh my, okay, goodnight baby." He leaned down, kissing her head as he reaches for his discarded towel, wrapping it around his waist as he reached for the door.
"Shhhhh," she reminded him, "I love you," she whispered.
"I love you baby, see you in the morning." He stumbled out of the office, still half asleep making his way up the stairs to his room.
Waiting a few minutes to make sure he got up without incident, she followed and retreated to her room for the remainder of the night.
The Monday sun rose bright and early over 3344 Oak Hills Drive. Exhausted from his all-night workout, Tony caught an extra few minutes sleep before getting up to prepare breakfast and face the day. As per his usual daily ritual, he knocked on Jonathan's door then Angela's for their six-forty-five wake up call.
"Jonathan buddy, are you up? How you are feeling?" He questioned after the second knock on his door.
Cracking the door open, Jonathan sighed, "Like a pink marshmallow." Exposing his fully pink covered face and arms.
Stunned, "Oh man, did the lotion help?"
"Ya, after I practically poured the whole thing on my body, I finally fell asleep about 1 A.M."
"Uh, 1 A.M," Tony stuttered, becoming a little uneasy.
"Ya, I heard you..."
"Oh my God he heard Angela and I last night," Tony thought to himself as Jonathan spoke.
"You heard me what?" Tony hastily interjected.
"I heard you in the shower, then a loud thump and it woke me up and of course, I started itching again so I just took the whole bottle and rubbed it all over me."
"Uh, you heard me in the shower?"
"Ya, and a loud thump, what was that?"
"What was what?" Angela questioned as she came out of her room and set eyes on Jonathan's pink make over.
"Uh Angela, good morning," Tony's voice a pitch higher. "Jonathan here was up till about 1 A.M last night. I hope I didn't wake you also when I ran into my dresser after taking a shower." He emphasized hoping she would catch on. 'I'm sorry buddy that I woke you up and that your itching got bad again."
"A thump," Angela repeated, "No, no, I didn't hear anything. Guess I fell asleep pretty quick after going to bed. I don't think I was totally ready for a full day after being so sick." She hesitated. "Jonathan sweetheart, maybe we should take you back to the doctor, do you want to stay home today?"
"No mom, I'm fine, I'll get through it, plus, maybe that little blond that sits next to me in calculus class will feel sorry for me and rub some lotion on me," He grinned.
"Jonathan!" Angela exclaimed.
"Kidding mom, kidding," Jonathan rolled his eyes, turning towards Tony and winking.
Shaking his head, Tony turned and mumbled, "I'm going to get breakfast started." Eager to get away and not have to make any more excuses or fabricate anymore stories he quickly descended the stairs and headed toward the kitchen.
Still shocked my Jonathan's statement, "Jonathan sweetheart, are you sure you don't want to go to the doctors?"
"No mom, I'll be fine, promise. You take care of yourself and get some rest, you look exhausted." He turned to go back into his room.
"Well!" She huffed turning to go back into her room.
Having prepared eggs, bacon and biscuits for breakfast, Tony went to the basement to collect a jar of jelly from the overflow pantry as Angela made her way towards the kitchen.
Standing at the coffee pot, pouring herself a cup of fresh brew, Angela was humming, when Mona entered the back door.
Lost in her own thoughts, a broad smile on her face, she didn't hear the door open as she continued to hum.
Standing at the door for a moment, staring at her daughter, Mona suddenly slammed the door with a loud bang, bringing Angela back to earth with a fright.
"Mother! What are you doing here?" She exclaimed. "Why did you slam the door?"
"Oh dear, I'm sorry, I thought I lived here, well, across the driveway but nevertheless, here. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you or interrupt your humming." Mona retorted with an inquisitive tone.
"Humming, I wasn't humming," Angela's voice flustered and defensive.
Walking towards her, Mona gave Angela an inquisitive look as she reached of the pot of coffee, "Where's Tony?" She questioned.
"Tony? Uh, I don't know, where's Tony," Angela stuttered, becoming increasingly more uncomfortable with Mona but trying to keep her cool. "How was your weekend?" Angela spat, trying to change the subject.
"Fine, fine, your uncle sends his regards, "How was your weekend?" Mona questioned with a suggestive tone.
Before Angela could answer, a puzzled look on her face as if she had fully forgotten the story, she was to tell Mona, she continued,
"From the looks and sounds of it, I would say pretty good?" Mona cocked her head with a sly smile.
"What are you talking about Mother," Angela spat, becoming defensive, "Looks and sounds like what Mother? I was in bed all weekend."
"I bet you were dear." Mona winked.
"Mother!"
"What dear, you were in bed all weekend doing what?" She inquired. "By the smile on your face and the exhaustion in your eyes and what was that you were humming, could it have been "Climb Every Mountain," I would say that you ummm, well you and Tony got, let's say, closely acquainted?" She raised an eyebrow with a smirk on her lips.
"I was not, and we did not and I do not know what you're talking about Mother." Angela began to stammer, her heart racing, her palms sweating. "I was sick, in bed sick!" Angela spat.
"Ah, my poor baby, sick? I'm sorry, you sure don't look very sick." Mona probed.
As Angela began to defend herself, Tony entered the kitchen, jar of jelly in hand singing, "Wait a moment, wait a moment longer."
Catching sight of Mona, "Mona," his eyes wide as pools, "Good morning Mona, what are you doing here?" A nervous tone in his voice.
"Funny you should ask me that also, Tony," looking at Angela, "I live across the driveway, remember, I have breakfast here often, like oh most normal mornings, but then again, this morning doesn't seem all too normal, does it?"
A lost but franticly panicked looked on his face, Tony's eyes darted to Angela.
"Mother, I don't know what's so abnormal and why you're being so inquisitive," regaining her senses and trying to sound convincing. "As I was saying, I was sick in bed all weekend, wasn't I Tony?" Turning to Tony for backup.
"Ya, Mone, sick as a dog, all weekend," he mustered. "Pretty pitiful." He emphasized.
"Ya, sick," Mona mocked, "Well dear, I sure do hope you're feeling better than?" She looked back and forth between Angela and Tony.
"Much, thank you Mother," Angela spat as Jonathan entered the kitchen.
As she laid eyes on Jonathan, Mona began to laugh hysterically, "What's with the pink polka dot kid?"
"Mother! What's with you today?" Angela spat irritated. "He fell into a poison ivy bush while he was camping. He's covered in poison ivy."
Still laughing, "It looks like he got spit on by a pink elephant," Mona continued to taunt Angela.
"Mother, that's enough!"
"I'm sorry dear! Guess neither of you had a very good weekend then but at least Jonathan has the marks to prove his crappy weekend, you just have a smile and a song." Mona laughed again.
"Thanks Grandma! Forget it, I'm going to school, at least there I'm used to people making fun of me!"
"I'm sorry Jonathan, I didn't mean to upset you." A remorseful tone to her voice. "Come, sit, have your breakfast," she pulled his chair for him.
"So, when did this happen?" She inquired as Tony served Jonathan his breakfast.
"Saturday morning!"
"Poor dear, were the boys upset to have to cut their camping trip short because of it?"
"No, we didn't come home. Mr. Thompson took me to the medical tent but when we couldn't reach mom or Tony, we just went back to camp and I just dealt with it."
"Couldn't get ahold of your mom or Tony? Shame on you guys, what might you have been doing that you couldn't take care of my grandson?"
"I told you Mother; I was sick!"
"Oh, that's right, Tony, were you sick as well?" She cross-examined?
"Me? No, no, I was at the store when they called. They didn't leave a message." Tony declared.
"Oh, what a shame." Mona mocked, "At the store, and Angela didn't hear the phone while she was sick in the bed?"
Flustered once again, getting irritated but trying to keep his cool, "No, I unplugged the phone so she could get some rest, undisturbed!"
"Ohhhh, how thoughtful of you, Tony." A patronizing look on her face.
Unable to take any more of the lying or her mother's inquisition, Angela abruptly stood up and exclaimed, "I'm going to finish getting ready then I've got to get to the office. I have an early appointment with a new client. Mother, I'll be driving so I'll meet you at the office."
Angela quickly exited the kitchen before Mona could say anything else hoping she could escape her mother's continued probing by not riding on the train together.
"Well, I guess I better get going to school," Jonathan sighed. "Wish me luck."
"Good luck buddy," Tony replied. "Have a good day and take your lotion with you." He hollered as Jonathan made his exist.
Busing himself with clearing the table, Tony tried not to make eye contact with Mona as he asked, "Would you like another cup of coffee before you get going?"
'No, no, I'm fine, thanks! So, sounds like a pretty rotten weekend you two had huh?" Mona replied.
"Ya, ya, pretty lousy." He shook his head in affirmation still not facing her.
"So, what did you busy yourself with all weekend? Angela sick, the kids gone, quite house, must have been pretty uneventful huh?"
"Ya, pretty uneventful, I, ummm, I just did homework and tried to make sure Angela was okay." He stuttered.
"I bet you did, by the look of her today, you took really good care of her, allllll better." Mona smirked.
"Yup, all better!" Tony replied nervously. Well Mone, gotta run, early class today. Great seeing you, glad you enjoyed your trip to the city, I'll see you tonight ay?" He hung the dish towel up and proceeded out the kitchen hastily, still not making eye contact with Mona.
"Okay, have a good day Tony," Mona hollered after him. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, she giggled as she placed her coffee cup in the sink and headed out the backdoor.
"There's something they aren't telling," she thought to herself, "And I intend to find out what it is." A devilish smirk crossing her lips.