Mona leaned back and sighed. These past few weeks had been so tense at home and here at work. She wish she knew what to do to help them. They belonged together- everyone knew that but it just seemed like they were growing further and further apart. For once in her life she felt helpless. She witnessed the two of them struggle to present some kind of normalcy to her, the kids, and their friends to no avail. Come on who were they kidding? They were miserable and were making everyone around them miserable. For the past few weeks they had been overly polite and cordial to each other-so much so that it was grating on her nerves. It wasn't a relaxed politeness but more of a tense politeness. Gawd! What could she do? She had to do something! She hated seeing them like this. It broke her heart. Hell, she didn't even feel like herself anymore. She didn't even feel right joking around and teasing the two of them anymore.

She recalled a day about a week ago. She had come home early and had found Tony sitting on the couch looking at a picture. Usually she would have made some smart- alack comment about him goofing off in the middle of the day without the boss around. But one look at his face stopped her in her tracks. She had never seen someone so lost, in despair, and in love all at once. She stood there for several moments just staring at him. He gently stroked his finger over the picture his eyes filled with love and sorrow. Sensing her presence he turned around and sighed deeply. She walked over to him and sat down beside him. He was holding a picture of Angela and him that had been taken in New Mexico.

"I miss her Mona." he said quietly.

That was all he said and it broke her heart. She wish she had some sort of magic words to make him feel better. But the only person who could do that was the very person he was missing.

Mona snapped out of her thoughts and decided that enough was enough. It was time to talk to Angela. With renewed determination she strode to Angela's office and burst in.

"All right Angela." she said sitting down. "It's time the two of us had a little chat."

"I'm busy Mother." Angela replied without looking up.

Mona wasn't having any of that. She grabbed the papers out of Angela's hands.

"Mother!"

"Daughter!"

"Look, I am in no mood for this. Just give me my papers back."

"No."

"No?"

"That's what I said."

"Mother, may I remind you that I'm your Boss?" Angela said although she knew what she said was feeble.

"I'm not here as your employee Angela. I'm here as your Mother."

"Okay fine, so what do you need to talk about?"

"You know."

"Mother I..."

"How long are you going to let this go on? How long are you going to punish him?"

"Mother, I just need time."

"He loves you and he is sorry for what he did."

"I know he is."

"So then why can't you tell him you love him?"

Angela shook her head and reached for the box of kleenex on her desk. She was silent for a few moments.

"Angela, do you remember the night you came home from having coffee with Peter? After you found out about Tony and..."

"Yes. Yes I know." Angela interrupted. "What about it?"

"Do you remember what you told me?"

"No."

"You told me that you told Tony that maybe this part of your journey. That maybe you have to go through this to see if you can go any further."

"Yeah? What about it?"

"Darling, you both went through the journey. Andy and Kathleen are both gone. Tony is waiting for you."

"Mother, I'm..." Angela choked up unable to continue.

"What Baby?" Mona reached across the desk and took Angela's hand in hers.

Angela looked down in surprise. It was very rare that Mona was so loving and motherly. But, when she was it felt nice.

"I'm still so scared and angry."

"Of what?"

"He chose her Mother! He chose her over me. That night in the hotel room and the next day when I asked him if it were over with her. All he had to do was say that it was. That he just got caught up in the moment. And it would have been okay. I mean yeah I still would have been upset but not like I felt when he told me that he didn't know."

"Okay maybe he did choose her over you. But think about it this way. He chose her temporarily. But he's choosing you permanently."

Angela let her words sink in. "I never thought about it like that."

"Angela, he's miserable without you. Its kinda pathetic." Mona cracked a grin to lighten the mood.

Angela smiled softly. "I'm miserable too."

"Then end this so we can all get back to normal. I mean do you realize how long its been since I've teased and harassed the two of you?" Mona asked in mock despair.

"I'm so sorry." Angela replied dryly.

"You need to talk to him. You love him and he loves you."

"I do." she replied softly.

"I know. Now you just need to go home and tell him."