Angela's cheeks flushed from the warmth of the fireplace and the effects of the red wine. She wanted to tell Michael that their reunion was not working but since they'd both started speaking at the same time, she conceded the floor to him. "You go first," she said between gulps of wine.

"I've got amazing news, Angela!" Michael smiled at his wife and made to clink his glass with hers. However, instead of raising her glass, Angela was taking a sip. His clink caused her to spill a significant amount of the drink on her lovely black dress.

"What news, Michael?" Angela asked, while mopping at her lap. Michael looked at her wet lap and shook his head.

"As you know, desk work is incredibly dull," he began.

She interrupted him. "I knew this was coming. Let me guess …. You're heading back to the jungle." She bit her lip in anticipation and raised her head to study her husband.

"Not quite," he responded.

"What does that mean?"

"Means that for putting up with extra boring duties, they're rewarding me at the Geographic Institute. Two short trips per year to the jungle, as you call it. And a significant annual bonus! Isn't that terrific?"

"Oh."

"Oh?" Michael observed his wife's paling face, mouth twisted in consternation. "What's wrong, Honey? Is it the two trips? Because without them, you'll need to commit me", he joked.

"No, no, it's not that." Angela paused to consider her words. She'd been about to end her marriage and here was Michael so excited to stay. Tony's face came to mind and with it a tinge of self-recrimination. "I … I guess I was expecting you to leave."

"Why? Do you want me to leave?" he asked, offended.

"No, no, of course not," she volleyed back automatically. She gave him a wan smile and took another sip of red wine.

"Good, 'cause I want to stay. And …." His words dangled in the air.

"And?"

"And," Michael plucked Angela's champagne flute out of her slim fingers, and set it down on the little table. He grasped her hands in his. "And, I think Jonathan should have a sibling."

"Oh, oh my," Angela blinked a few times in quick succession. "You want another baby?"

"We always wanted two, Angela. And Jonathan is already seven. If we wait any longer, the age gap between our kids will be huge. It's now or never, don't you think?" He nodded at her and shook their grasped hands up and down in tandem with his head. The movement made its way up Angela's arms, then to her neck. She nodded too.

Over the next weeks, Tony and Samantha slowly eased into their new life at Mrs. Randall's mansion. For Sam to keep some normalcy in her life, she still attended the sixth grade at Fairfield Elementary, where Jonathan was also a student. This way, the children could keep in touch, exchanging a few words at recess.

As for Tony, he had become indispensable to Mrs. Randall. In watching him supervising all the maids and cooks and the smooth functioning of her estate, Mrs. R had come to rely on him in greater manners. As the widow of a phenomenally successful businessman, she had inherited everything, including a chain of jewelry shops. Randall Diamonds was a household name, a place where young men spent three months of their hard-earned salaries on engagement rings for the first time. There were five such locations in the tristate area, including one on Fifth Avenue. Mrs. R was getting old and she had no children. She called Tony to her private rooms in her wing of the enormous estate.

"Come sit, Tony," she beckoned from her wheelchair, a bright brochure on her lap.

"What can I do for you Mrs. R?" Tony beamed a bright smile at his elderly boss.

The old woman handed him the brochure.

Tony studied it; his brow furrowed in confusion. "Ridgemont College?" he asked.

"You're going to attend," she stated.

"Are you gettin' rid of me, Mrs. R?"

"Not at all. You are essential to the daily running of this place. I like the way you do things Tony. You're the most efficient person I've ever met," she gushed.

"Then why do you want me to attend Ridgemont?"

"Because you're destined for greater things than managing housemaids and cooks, Tony. Surely you can see that in yourself. Your confidence, charm, brains. .. Kid you've got it all, and I want to give you more responsibility. But for that, you need a business degree."

Tony's jaw dropped and he quickly shut it again. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He glanced down at the shiny brochure in his hands; it depicted happy looking students, smart and well-groomed and young.

"You, you don't think I'm too old?"

"Did you just ask me if you're too old?" she guffawed. "You're what, thirty?"

"Thirty-two," he replied.

"Still a baby," she told him. "And with plenty of time to improve your station in life. A three-year degree and you'll be done by the time you're thirty-five. In the meantime, you can become acquainted with my business and start from the bottom up. That is, if you're interested being more than a house manager," she said. "Don't you want to give your daughter more in life? Isn't that why you left Brooklyn?" She nodded at him encouragingly. "College is on me. You're getting a free ride, Kid."

Tony nodded too.

It had been a couple of months since Tony had moved out and he had only seen Angela a few times since attempting a game of tennis with her. Usually, they met briefly at the children's school during morning drop-off. For some reason, he felt uncomfortable coming to her house since Michael's return. Now, when he saw her walking back to her car, he caught up with her and confided that he had matriculated and been accepted at Ridgemont College.

Angela smiled at him and began to gush, "Oh Tony, I always knew you would do amazing things!" They were standing next to their parked cars. "I'm so proud of you!" Impulsively, she leaned into him and gave him a quick squeeze. The scent of her shampoo tickled Tony's nostrils and he inhaled deeply. He was reminded of her home and the good times he had had there during the half year he'd lived with her.

"We should celebrate," he blurted out. "I mean. . . I mean, of course, only if you want to." Shy now, he pulled back from her embrace and stared at his feet.

Angela thought of inviting Tony to dinner but then she imagined Michael's reaction. "How about a coffee now?" she said instead. "I mean if you're not too busy, that is."

"I haven't started College yet. I think I've got a few minutes for some coffee with my boss, er my ex-boss, er my …

"Friend?" she finished for him.

"Yeah, friend," he replied.

They had a leisurely coffee in a cozy coffee shop near the school. During that time, they caught up on each other's lives, as well as the kids'.

"That's great, you got the Crunchy Crawlers account, Ang. First Scrubbos, now this. Look at you Miss Hotshot President." Now it was Tony's turn to gush. "But I hope you aren't going to get too many freebies. That stuff ain't good for Jonathan."

Angela shook her head. "Michael loves them; he keeps insisting that I buy them so of course Jonathan eats them too," she said shame faced.

"Oh Angela, no. The kid needs eggs before school. A shot of protein, ya know?"

"Yes, I'm aware," she replied. "It's just so rushed in the morning and when I make the eggs, he won't eat them."

"Sounds like you need a new housekeeper," he began. "Someone like me."

Angela took a bite of her donut, slowly chewed, and swallowed. "I could never find anybody else like you. Not in a million years, Tony."

"I'm, er, I'm right here," he said.

Angela nodded, feeling her eyes begin to moisten. The hole left by Tony and Samantha's departure felt like a gaping chasm now. She thought back to those early days when Tony had just moved in, when he'd threatened Jonathan with hunger if he didn't eat his eggs, and a smile formed on her lips.

"You were so good with Jonathan," she said.

"And you, with Samantha," he replied.

"I miss her!" Angela uttered those words at the exact same time as Tony stated that he missed Jonathan.

"We should," he began.

"Yes, we should," she echoed. "Soon."

"Will Michael mind?"

"He won't mind when he's in Zimbabwe." She looked into his eyes and her heart skipped a beat.

"Michael's leaving?" Tony's own heart began to skip a beat.

"Only for two weeks. It's part of his contract. He leaves next month. Do you and Sam want to come have dinner with us when he's away?" She held her voice steady even though her legs were trembling beneath the table.

Tony considered her words. It was a family dinner. They were not going behind Michael's back, were they? It's just that the one time he'd dropped by unannounced with a lasagna, Michael had welcomed him like a hair in his soup. He hadn't even invited him to stay, and since Angela hadn't been home, he hadn't even seen her. She had later called and thanked him for the lasagna of course and wondered why he hadn't been able to stay. He had made up some lame excuse, but they both knew that Michael did not want Tony around.

"So dinner with the kids? And Mona?"

"Yes, Mother, of course, Mother." There, now she didn't need to feel guilty. Angela could have friends over, after all. With Mother there, it would all be very innocent. She rose on still slightly wobbly legs. "I'll call you when Michael's gone, and we'll set it up."

"It'll be really good to see y … Johnathan," he said.

"And Samantha too," she said.

Tony nodded.