The first cooking lesson went about as expected, though, Angela was pleased with the final result. Cooking with Tony would have been more fun, as she'd said to him many times since the initial conversation, but she was also glad he hadn't had to witness the fire she nearly started when browning the flour for the gravy (and the meltdown that followed). She'd been easy to tears since her arrival which frustrated her beyond belief. Just when she thought she was getting a hold of herself, something like smoking flour set her off again. Tony was patient, at least. The girls? Not so much.

"It's all right, Angela," Candy and Rosie took turns saying through their coughs.

"Nothing to get so upset over."

"Chicken doesn't need gravy."

"Tony isn't going to notice it's missing."

"Looks like you're not accustomed to those kinds of foods anyway. So thin!"

Angela hadn't felt so scrutinized since her last visit to Brooklyn. Comments like that would have bothered her more a few years ago. Now she was more concerned about airing out the apartment. No wonder Tony likes it here, she thought.

By the time Tony was finished with his classes, Angela cheered up. The chicken looked good and not too dry thanks to Candy's watchful eye. And the vegetables she managed all on her own once Rosie gave her some pointers on how to properly hold the knife. They made little effort to hide their exhaustion. Their plans for bowling the next day were still on, so Angela took comfort in knowing she hadn't driven them away. Best of all, Tony said her meal was delicious.

"It's a great life, isn't it?"

"Yup."

She wasn't lying. It was nice. Sometimes she wondered what she missed out on by choosing a career over a traditional lifestyle. Not all women were fortunate enough to be able to make the choice. They had to work. They didn't have the privilege of choosing a career they loved. They had to work dead-end jobs for the food that they also had to prepare after a long day. Other women, like a lot of the Brooklyn wives she'd met over the years, very much had the choice. Perhaps if she'd gone the route of pregnancy on top of pregnancy she would have felt differently. Michael didn't stick around long enough to put that theory to the test. Nevertheless, she didn't regret any of her choices. After all, she wouldn't have met Tony if not for being too busy to take care of the house and needed someone to be around for Jonathan when he got home from school. It was hard to believe how much had changed since those days. When she hired Tony, she never could have pictured he would bring her to Iowa and convince her to explore those traditional ideals she'd fought so hard to escape. She wouldn't have done it for anyone else.

She had missed some things, she discovered. The satisfaction of cooking a proper meal, watching someone she loves enjoying it. Taking a breather and not feeling the pressures of clients and their expectations. Chores were split, Tony too much of a perfectionist to relinquish all responsibility. Painting was a good creative outlet now that she was away from the art of advertising. A long-forgotten hobby of her youth. She only wished Jonathan could be here, though at his age it didn't matter if she was here to greet him after school. He didn't seem to care at all that she would a thousand miles away. She hoped it was his age and not because she hadn't been available enough to him growing up that she didn't make a difference. Then again, he gave Tony the same brush off when he took the job and he was more his father than Michael.

Regardless, Angela called home every night, both Mona and Jonathan telling her it wasn't necessary to check-in. Samantha was more sympathetic when she answered. Angela knew, while she'd never admit it, Sam missed her father. At least she had Hank and school to keep her distracted. Angela had to settle for cooking lessons, bowling tournaments, painting, and knitting. When homesickness crept in, she went for a run and reminded herself she only had to wait two more weeks before she flew home for a weekend visit. It was planned mostly as a check-up on the agency to make sure things were going smoothly in her absence, but with no other trips planned, she intended to make the most of it. She just hoped it didn't come with the same problems as her visits with Tony.