After a three day stay in the hospital, Angela was released into her mother's care. Michael had taken his things and left the house, and was awaiting another trip to Zimbabwe. He was being billeted by the Geographic Institute in a hotel several miles away from Angela's house. She never wanted to see him again. In the meantime, Jonathan had been staying at Tony's place to make it easier for school drop offs and after school care. Also, with Mona's busy school schedule, it did not make sense to give her the boy for the three days, while Michael was packing, and still in the way. Jonathan got a chance to say good bye to his father, but it was a subdued event and he had refused to hug his dad goodbye.

Now, Tony, Mona and Jonathan were at the hospital picking Angela up to take her home. She was recovering slowly, her physical scars healing more quickly than her emotional ones.

"Hi Angela," Mona called out. She arrived with a fresh change of clothes for her daughter, along with a makeup case. "Thought you might not want to wear your hospital gown home."

"Thank you, Mother. I appreciate the jeans." She greeted Tony and Jonathan and headed into the adjacent bathroom to change. "I can't wait to get out of here," she called out from behind the bathroom door.

"I can't wait to go home too," Jonathan said. "But I'm going to miss Tony and Samantha."

Mona looked at Tony pointedly. "You know, she's going to need some help now. I'm not much of a cook and I still have my classes to take."

"Are you asking me to stay with her for a bit, Mona?" Tony considered. He had been planning to offer to stay a few days until Angela was fully back on her feet. However, he had worried about overstepping.

"Please. She really needs you. So does this little guy," she said, motioning to her grandson.

"Oh Tony please, please say you'll stay with us! Maybe you can even stay forever!" Jonathan pleaded, his little hands clasped in earnest before him.

"I'll um, I'll stay for a few days. How does that sound, buddy?"

"With Samantha too?"

"Yes, with Sam too. You two can fight over the remote at your house this time."

Jonathan squealed and jumped up and down a few times. Angela exited the bathroom, dressed and saw her son in a state of extreme joy.

"What's going on?" she asked, a smile on her face, for the joy in the room was contagious.

"I'm, er, going to stay with you for a few days. Help you while you recover. If … if that's okay, of course."

"Oh Tony, thank you. Are you sure it's going to be alright with your boss?"

"Don't you worry about Mrs. Randall. She has a full staff and they can manage without me for a few days. And it's not like I love going to the jewelry place either."

Angela filed that piece of information for later. Now, she only wanted to get the hell out of the hospital and back to her own house and bed. And knowing that Tony would be staying with her for a few days gave her an enormous sense of relief. He would be looking after Jonathan while she rested. She was still moving slowly, the pain in her abdomen not fully subsided post-surgery. And the antibiotics she was taking made her tired. Her body had been through a lot, and her marriage had just ended. She felt wrung out from both ends, weak and traumatized from the latest events.

"Are you sure Michael is gone?" she asked for the second time as they drove back. Tony could hear the fear in her voice. It made him want to find Michael and give him a taste of his own medicine. A few punches to the face, for starters. Instead, he concentrated on the road and replied that indeed, Michael was gone and had already said goodbye to Jonathan.

"Don't worry, Angela. He's not coming back." Mona echoed. "He knows that if he does, he'll have to deal with me."

Angela smiled at her mother's words and reached into the back seat to squeeze her fingers. "Thanks, Mother."

When they arrived at the house, Angela went inside and inhaled deeply, the familiar scent of her house a soothing balm. Her relief at being home calmed her somewhat, but she kept expecting an angry husband around the corner, ready to either shout at her, or hit her. She couldn't help but cringe. This wasn't lost on the others and they looked at each other sadly.

"Come on, Angela," Tony said, his voice chipper. "How about a nice cup of tea?" He wanted her to reclaim this space as her very own, Michael be damned.

"That would be lovely, Tony. Thank you."

"Great, I'll get that going for you and then I'll take Jonathan to school. He's missed the morning classes but at least he can catch up during the day."

"Awww, but I want to stay home," the child complained.

"Sorry buddy, but Sam is waiting for you. She wants to hear that everything went okay this morning and that Angela is home. Plus, you get to tell her that we're staying here for a few days."

"I do! Oh okay, I'm ready to go to school now." Jonathan busied himself with his knapsack and stood at the door, waiting.

Angela and Tony shared a smile. She loved that he knew exactly how to parent her son.

Tony went into the kitchen to prepare Angela's tea while Jonathan waited for his drive to school. He was pleased that she was settling in and that he would spend some time with her. Perhaps it would allow him to investigate his feelings for her further. Now that he was staying as her friend, and not her housekeeper, he might find opportunities to show Angela how he felt about her. He didn't want to scare her away though, not after the trauma she had just gone through. He merely wanted her to know he was here, and in a capacity that exceeded even friendship. He opened the kitchen door to bring her tea, and stood on the threshold of the living room holding her tray. She was reclining on the couch, her face tranquil and tired. The split lip had almost healed and was now merely swollen, giving her a bee stung look. She had colour back in her cheeks and the look of despair he'd seen on her face at the hospital was gone. His heart began to gallop when she turned to look at him, and he knew he was hopelessly in love with her.

"Here's your tea, Angela." He set the tray in front of her on the coffee table and poured her a cup, then added a drop of milk. "I'm going to drop Jonathan off at school, then quickly pack a few things for Sam and myself. I should be back in an hour tops. Are you going to be alright?"

"Yes, Tony. Thank you. Thank you so much for staying here. I'll see you soon, and don't worry, I'm fine." She picked up her teacup and took a sip to show him.

That evening after a familiar family dinner, Angela sat at the kitchen table watching as Tony cleaned the dishes. It echoed for her a tremendous sense of family, and she was comforted and felt safe again. Her home felt normal once more, the scents of Tony's cooking, the sound of both children playing together, and Michael's notable absence all contributed to her newfound sense of wellbeing.

"Thank you for dinner; it was delicious," Angela said to Tony as he scoured a casserole dish.

"Chicken pot pie is the ultimate comfort food, don't you think?" he asked her.

"Yes, it was a perfect choice for tonight. I've missed your delicious cooking."

"Hey Angela, can I ask you something? How come you never hired another housekeeper during the months I was gone?" he was genuinely curious, not judgmental.

"I couldn't bring myself to do it. First of all, I couldn't replace you," she began.

"And secondly…?"

"And secondly, Michael didn't want a new housekeeper. He wanted me to take on more of that role, even though I did it so badly. It was his way of forcing me to delegate more work at the office, bring less work home, and focus on domestic chores." She shook her head. "And I wasn't able to do any of it properly."

"Not for nothin', Angela, but that's not exactly where you strengths lie. And there's nothing wrong with that. How many women could run a large advertising agency? Now that's something! Michael didn't appreciate you."

"No, he didn't," she said, her head downcast. She still felt shame at the domestic abuse. She did not understand how such a thing could have happened to her, an educated woman, an aware woman.

"I'm real sorry about everything that happened while I was gone," Tony said. He rinsed off the casserole dish and placed it on the side of the sink to air dry. Then he came around and sat next to Angela. "You know that none of it was your fault, right?" he reminded her, noting the humiliation in her eyes.

Angela raised her eyes to meet his. "I never should have let him come back. I should have signed those divorce papers when I wanted to, not let myself be seduced by him again."

"You know, you can go over the 'what ifs' and 'what nots', Ang, but in the end, those divorce papers are signed and he's out. You took the scenic route to it, and it was a painful one, but it's over now. No use kicking yourself over what happened."

"Did it have to be so painful though?" she said, her voice cracking. "I could have done without the abuse and the ectopic pregnancy. I should have known better." She wiped away a stray tear and sniffled. Tony handed her a tissue; he kept those handy all the time these days.

"Ay-oh, oh-ay, how could you have known better? Michael wasn't abusive the first time around, was he?"

"No, just controlling. He had never hit me before, well except for a punch to the arm when I was pregnant before," she admitted.

Tony quietly seethed for a moment and gathered his thoughts. The last thing he wanted was for Angela to feel guilty or responsible. "Seems like he becomes violent during pregnancy then," he said.

"I suppose. I shouldn't have agreed to try for another baby. Not after what happened with my previous pregnancies. It wasn't a good idea," she told him. Then realizing she'd said more than she had intended, she felt the need to explain. "I had two miscarriages on either side of my pregnancy with Jonathan. I knew there was an increased risk of it happening again, but I tried not to think about it. I only wanted a little girl," she croaked out. Now the tears began to flow in earnest. "I never talk about it," she said. "I don't know why I'm telling you all of this, Tony," she began to sob.

"Hushhh, shhh, come 'ere." Tony stood up and held out his hand to Angela, pulling her up to stand against him. He wrapped her in his arms, soothing and crooning over her. "You needed comfort, that's all. You need to grieve your babies, Angela." He held onto her tightly, stroking her hair and letting her cry on his shoulder. He tried to imbibe her with his strength and take her sadness away. Angela focused on the feel of his sweatshirt beneath her face, his quiet steady strength and his measured breathing. Through ragged sobs, she tried to absorb what he was giving her and held on to him like a buoy in the vast ocean of her sadness.

"You can have more children," he whispered into her ear. "One day, if it's meant to be. You had Jonathan; it can happen again." He meant his words to be comforting but Angela only felt sorrow.

"Tony, the ink on my divorce papers isn't even dry yet. I'm a long way from being in any position to have another baby. Besides, I'd be scared of losing it."

"I guess that's always the risk we take when something's so important to us. When we have so much to lose. And yes, you've lost so much," he replied, his tone soothing and even. "But when something is really worth it, you fight for it." Before she could argue with him, for he sensed her stiffen in his arms, he added, "But for now, you heal. You take all the time in the world, and you heal. And anyway I can help you with that, you let me know, okay?"

"You really mean that?" she asked, humbled by his offer. For Michael had not helped her grieve her previous lost pregnancies at all. He had blamed her for them, and Angela had always internalized some of that blame, wondering what she could have done differently to prevent the miscarriages. The doctor had even said there was nothing she could have done, and she found herself listening to that voice now. That one, and the comforting, soothing words coming from Tony now. They weren't just words about healing; they were healing words.

"Of course I do. Hey look at me, Angela," Tony gently grasped her by the biceps and moved away to face her. "You will heal. I know you'll recover from this."

"Thank you, Tony. I know you've had your share of horrific loss so I know I can believe you."

"You bet you can."

"And you're right about the other thing, about fighting for what's really worth it. I hope to have another child someday, when the circumstances line up for me. That's worth fighting for. I guess we all have to fight for what really matters to us."

It was her words that made Tony realize that he needed to fight for what mattered the most to him right now; the woman standing before him.

After spending a week at Angela's, helping her heal, taking care of nourishing her body and her soul, Tony could not justify staying any longer. Mrs. Randall was calling him constantly, begging him to return and reminding him of his duties at the jewelry company.

"But Dad, I don't want to leave," Samantha complained, when Tony asked her to pack. "This is my bedroom, and Angela's house is our home. I don't want to live at Mrs. Randall's!"

"Not even with the horses and tennis courts and swimming pools?" he asked.

"Not even with those, no. I love living here, and besides, doesn't Angela need us?"

"So does Mrs. Randall," he reminded her.

"Oh please, Mrs. R has a huge staff. Angela has nobody, Dad. Only us." Sam huffed out her words and turned away from her father. She loved being part of a family, and having family meals, and a little brother to play with and a mother figure in the home. Dealing with her first period by herself had made her realize that one. Besides, at Mrs. Randall's house, she felt the vast class difference between herself and her father's employer. Here, she felt like a normal child.

Tony paused and thought about his daughter's words. Here, they were part of a family. But being relegated to the role of Angela's housekeeper would mean several conflicting things. Yes, he could help her and co-parent and be there for her when she needed him. He could provide her with excellent meals, a clean house, and friendship. But as her employee, he would not be able to date her. He needed to think. Was he being selfish in wanting to leave so he could pursue her? Is that what Angela needed right now? A potential suitor down the road, but an empty house now? Or did she need his support and assistance right now, helping her navigate life, taking care of her household needs so she could focus on her work? Were Angela's needs and his wants at odds? She seemed to have completely forgotten her words of love at the hospital, but he figured given the sedation, that was to be expected. He wondered if she loved him at all, beyond friendship. He couldn't tell, but he did know she relied on him and trusted him. He had a decision to make, and either way, some part of him would lose. He would either lose the ability to date Angela, or the ability to really help Angela now. And with Samantha wanting to stay, the scales were beginning to tip. He decided not to decide, and leave it up to the person to whom it mattered the most.

"Hey Angela, you got a moment?" he asked her, when she returned from work that evening. They were in the kitchen, she sitting on the counter while he peeled carrots.

"Seeing as I'm just hanging out here with you, of course I have a moment. What's on your mind, Tony?"

"Mrs. Randall's been calling me to return," he said, leaving the words hanging to see how she'd catch them.

"Oh." There was definite disappointment in her voice, Tony decided.

"But you know, uh, Sam isn't happy to go. Not one bit."

"So what are you going to do? Because you can absolutely stay if you want to and get your old job back," she told him, her eyes hopeful. "I don't want to tell you what to do, but you and Samantha are part of this family. You'll always have a home here."

"Right, and I appreciate that, Angela."

"Is this about College? Because I want you to go to College too, Tony. You'd certainly have the time, and you can study whatever you want, not necessarily the diamond business."

The scale tipped with a resounding crash. Tony blinked. "Yes, I do want to go to College. And not study the diamond business either," he told her.

"I understand you'd be giving up a lot. Mrs. Randall entrusted a lot to you. Maybe you should think about it a bit," she said, giving him the space he needed to return to her of his own volition.

"But I also lose a lot if I leave." He looked at her pointedly. This was the most he could show her right now given their circumstances. He hoped she would understand some part of his feelings.

"You mean me? You're not losing me, Tony. No matter what you decide, I'm always your friend. In fact, you're my very best friend, you know that?"

Tony swallowed a lump in his throat. He was firmly in the friend category, but upgraded to her best one. It wasn't a position he wanted to lose just yet. For all he knew, he could return to Mrs. Randall's, ask Angela on a date, and be relegated to friend status forever. At least if he stayed, he would be sharing her life and helping her and Jonathan. He made his decision. "I'm stayin'" he said, without preamble.

"You are? You're sure?" she asked him. For she could sense a twinge of ambivalence in him, as though there was something else he needed or wanted. So she added, "And I'm paying for your College, don't argue with me."

"I won't. Thank you, Angela." Tony thought of College, a mere four years, or a long four years, depending on how he looked at it. At least four years until he could get another job and pursue Angela. On the other hand, that was four years of living with her, being at her side, sharing a home, sharing their children, sharing a life. And right now, that's what she needed; him at her side. He wondered if she might fall for him during those four years and if things could change between them even while he worked for her.

"So you're staying?" she confirmed.

"Yes."