Both Jonathan and Samantha are back in time for dinner. Jonathan arrives 20 minutes before dinner.
"So how was everything at Steven's?" Angela asks him as she lays down the book she was reading.
"GREAT! Mom! They're going to Aruba this year. Steven showed me some photo's. It looks beautiful. Maybe we could go there someday." He hopefully states.
"I've heard it is beautiful Jonathan. And yes, maybe one day we can go there. Or another Caribbean island. We will see okay sweetheart?" She pats the cushion next to her. Jonathan sits down, still smiling. "Are you happy your dad is coming?" Angela wants to have this conversation with him.
"I guess." He shrugs.
"That's good sweetheart. Your dad must be so excited to see you too." She tussles his hair. "I love you Jonathan, more than anything. You know that don't you?" Jonathan smiles at her.
"I love you too mom." Angela smiles and sighs before continuing.
"It's okay to love your dad as much as you love me. It's also okay to love Tony as much as you love your dad. I just wanted you to know that okay. You don't ever have to choose between us, I promise you sweetheart." Jonathan gives her a smile and then hugs her.
"Thank you mom." He hugs her tightly.
Samantha runs into the living room from the kitchen. "OH my.. you guys are never going to believe this!" She yells in joy.
"What?" Angela looks at her in surprise. "What is it?"
"Where's dad?" Samantha jumps around excitingly.
"Whaaat? What is it?" As Tony comes from the basement. "Why are screaming?"
"Dad.. M.. Angela.. listen." She squeals, her nearly slip up doesn't go unnoticed but no one says a word. "Bonnie.. her family.. Cape Cod.. Me.. Please?" Tony looks confused. "Please dad!"
"What?" He looks at Samantha even more confused, making Angela laugh. He shoots her a look, her laugh turns into a snicker. "You understood?" He cynically asks.
"She went to meet Bonnie. Bonnie told her that her family and she are going to Cape Cod and they've invited Samantha to go with them." She raises her eyebrow as she smirks.
"How?" He shakes his head. "How?" He moves his hand between Samantha and her.
"Because it was quite clear. Just as clear as you're being right now."
"Well dad.. can I?" Samantha is feeling excitingly anxious.
"I don't know Sam.." Tony starts. Samantha can't hide her disappointment.
"Let her go!" Jonathan shrieks with a big smile. "When are you leaving? How long will you be gone?"
"Jonathan!" Angela warns him. "Please go upstairs and clean yourself up before dinner."
"Yes mom." He says, but before running off he looks at Tony. "Think about Tony! We could have such much fun without her."
"Hey twirp!" Samantha says in annoyance.
"What?!" He turns to her. "I am on your side here." He grins.
"Yeah right!" She grunts.
"Samantha, why don't you go upstairs to clean up for dinner too. Let's give your dad a moment to think about it, okay?" Angela and Samantha share a look, giving Sam some confidence that Angela might be the one to convince her father.
"Okay.. you're right. Thanks Angela." She bends down and kisses her cheek. "Think about it dad." As she gives him a kiss before heading upstairs. When he hears that she is out of earshot he slumps down next to Angela.
"I really don't want her to go." Moves his hands across his face. "I really don't." Angela takes one of his hands into hers.
"I know you don't. But let's face it Tony. Sam's growing up. She's turning 16 this year and she is smart. You've raised her right. She is a good kid and won't get herself in trouble." Angela automatically starts circling his hand with her thumb. He watches her thumb move across his hand, he loves her touch, he won't ever deny that.
"We." Is all he says.
"We?" She confusingly asks.
"We've raised her right." She looks at him. "I didn't do all of it by myself. You were there in these trying teenage years." He squeezes the fingers that gingerly lay in his hand. "This our family." The last part a mere whisper, but she's heard him.
"Let her have this Tony. Let her go with her friend. Bonnie's parents will be there too. They won't let anything happen to her." Angela keeps making circles on his hand. "And with Michael coming.." She cautiously starts. "Maybe it's a good thing for her not to be here." Her voice is sad. "You never know with him, you know."
"I know. I know you are just as nervous about it as he is." He squeezes her hand again as she gives him a nervous smile. "Why does he get under your skin like that?"
"Why did you let Tony Petardi get under your skin?" She knows she is striking a cord with naming him as she desperately tries to change the subject.
"Nice try Angela." He tries to play it off but she knows the name Petardi will forever get under his skin.
"So you're saying that the name Petardi doesn't ring a bell? Or better said, hearing the name Petardi doesn't affect you?" She innocently asks.
"You're being mean." He says as Angela laughs. "But why do you allow Michael to still have this influence on you?" He sees her physically cringe at his name.
"I think it's because of my last interaction with him Tony." She bites her lower lip to try not to cry.
~God I know she is sad, but she does look so sexy biting her lip. Focus Micelli!~ he berates himself.
"He tried to take my son away from me." She softly gnaws her lower lip. "What if he tries to take him again?" She quickly wipes the single tear that escapes her eye. "I don't want to lose our son." She says those words without noticing, but Tony notices.
"We won't let him, Angela. I promise you." He puts his arm around her and kisses the side of her head. "We won't let him take Jonathan."
That's when they hear the kids come back down.
"Are you going to let Samantha go with Bonnie?" She whispers. "Cape Cod isn't that far, just a little over 3 hours' drive away. We can be there quickly if something happens."
"Promise?" He asks while looking her in her deep brown eyes.
"I promise Tony." She cups his face with her left hand.
"Clean!" Samantha is downstairs quickly. "What are we eating?" Jonathan quickly jumps behind Sam.
"Also clean. And yeah what are we having?"
"First day of summer holiday.. whatya think?" Tony grins.
"No! Really?" Samantha asks as Tony's grin grows.
"What?" Angela and Jonathan say in unison.
"Barbecue!" Samantha smiles at the both of them. "Dad always has a barbecue on the first day of the summer vacation. Well actually we used to. We haven't since we started living here. Is it a barbecue dad?" She gives him a hopeful smile.
"Yes honey, the meat is in the fridge. I've already turned on the barbecue, the coals need to be nice and hot to get the best smoky flavour."
"YES!" Jonathan and Samantha say in unison.
"Okay you kids put everything outside so we can grill. Okay?"
"Okay dad."
"Don't forget the salades okay kids?" He grins.
"Sure Tony." Both kids disappear into the kitchen. Angela watches them disappear.
"We've raised some good kids, haven't we?"
"We sure have." Tony gets up and sticks out his hand to her. "Come, let's barbecue." Tony smiles down on her.
"I'll be there in a minute. Let me just use the restroom and clean up a bit. I'll be right there." Tony nods and heads towards the kitchen. He turns.
"Hey Angela?"
"Yeah?"
"You know why the name Petardi gets under my skin. He is pompous blowhard. And not only was he being disrespectful towards Darlene. He made a pass at you too." He stares at her intently. "That doesn't sit right with me." Angela gives a small smile, knowing he was jealous of the other Tony.
"Why would him making a pass at me bother you?" Oh she was definitely poking the bear. "I mean.. I'm a single lady."
"He wasn't a single man." Tony says through gritted teeth.
"No he wasn't." She looks at him. "He did make a pass at me and I knew saying it, would make you react the way you did." She smiles.
"Oh did you now?" He asks as she shrugs and turns on her heels.
"I guess the truth will forever be concealed." She says while walking towards the bathroom.
~Still waters run deep. You flirt! She never ceases to amaze me!~ Tony knows he feels so much more for her and after her night confessions he knows she feels the same. He watches her leave and then turns and walks into the kitchen. He checks if the kids have taken everything from the fridge, grabs the plates and head into the garden.
"Well done guys!" He says with a chipper. "Jonathan can you check if your grandma will join us for dinner?"
"Sure." He shrugs and runs up the stairs to Mona's apartment. He loudly knocks.
"Grandma?!" He knocks again. "Grandma, are you coming down to eat with us?"
Angela had quietly made her way out to the garden. "Is mother even at home?" Both Tony and Samantha are startled.
"Geeezzz Angela!" Samantha exclaims.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startled you." Tony is still holding his chest. "You okay Tony?"
"Yeah." His voice pitched higher than usually, he scraps his voice. "Yeah.. I just wasn't expecting you back this quickly." His voice as deep as he can get it. Angela rolls her eyes at him, making Samantha laugh.
"Sweetheart, if grandma isn't opening the door, she isn't there or she doesn't want to be disturbed. So you'd better come down." She looks at all the food. "That seems like quite a lot of food for just 4 people. What are you starting with?"
"Well.. An-ge-la you never know if and when your mother comes home and then you never know if she is bringing anybody." Angela smiles knowing he is right. "I will start with the hamburgers and the hotdogs. Kids favourites." He looks at her. "Is that okay with you?"
"Why wouldn't it be? I love burgers! I do hope you have some cheese. I prefer cheeseburgers." She nervously says.
"Oh I forgot to bring the cheese." Samantha is about to sit up straight.
"You're already comfortable, stay there Samantha. I will get the cheese. Anything else?" She turns her head to look at Tony who is about to put the last hotdog on the barbecue.
"I think the kids took most of it. I just checked, but didn't see anything. But if you do, take it out here." He turns to flip the burgers.
Angela looks through the fridge, grabs the cheese, then she notices the corncobs and decides to take those too. Then she notices the beers at the bottom of the fridge, she bends over to grab them as Tony walks in. He just savours the moment and looks at her long legs, ending in a perfect round behind.
~You're being a creeper.~ He thinks to himself. ~She is so fine and she doesn't even realise it.~ He sighs then scraps his voice.
"Oh!" She turns and smiles, her cheeks rosy from bending down. "Now you startled me. I found some corn and a couple of beers. And the cheese of course."
~She looks adorable standing there with all the food and the beer. Kinda proud.~ Thoughts of Angela fill his mind. He shakes his head to get the thoughts out of his mind. "I just wanted to say that the burgers are nearly done. Wanted the cheese to slap on the burgers." She smiles at him.
"Let's go then."
Their barbecue is full of laughter, food and good company. Tony tells his fair share of dad jokes.
"Dad?" Samantha softly starts.
"Yeah?" He definitely knew where this conversation was headed, but he wanted her to sweat a little.
"have you.. uh.. well.. you know.. thought about what I asked you?" She sighs. "Can I go to Cape Cod with Bonnie and her family?" Tony hums and nods.
"Yes, I've talked to Angela and we came to a conclusion." He looks at Samantha and then towards Angela. Samantha follows his eyes to Angela. Angela looks at her nervous face, she feels pity for the nervous girl.
"Oh for heaven's sake Tony, just tell her." Angela snaps.
"So Angela convinced me.." Before he can finish Samantha is around Angela's neck.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.." She squeezes tightly.
"Hey.. what about me? I am the parent who is allowing you to go." Tony says. Samantha turns and lets herself fall into his arms.
"I know but she is the pa.. person who convinced you to let me go." She looks up at her father. "Without Angela I probably wasn't allowed to go." She grins.
"Without Angela you wouldn't know Bonnie and wouldn't be going to Cape Cod." He kisses her forehead. "So there is that too you know."
"I know." She says leaning into Tony while looking at Angela. "I'm glad you took us out here dad. And I'm glad you took a chance on my dad Angela." She smiles, Angela matches her smile.
"Me too honey. Me too." Angela glances from Samantha to Tony. He gives her such a heartfelt, honest and loving smile that she feels herself melt as the colour in her face rises. Still she can't take her eyes off of him and neither can he keep his eyes off of hers. It's like their locked.
"So.." Jonathan starts, getting Angela and Tony out of their trance. Samantha could have kicked him right then and there. She noticed the moment they were having, unfortunately Jonathan was oblivious to the entire interaction.
"So?" Angela clears her throat.
"What's up buddy?" Tony kindly asks. Samantha is rolling her eyes in anger.
"Yeah twirp so?" She can't supress her anger. Angela gives her a confused yet berating look. "Sorry Jonathan." She says under her breath as her eyes genuinely say sorry to Angela. Angela gives her an understanding smile.
"What's for dessert?" Jonathan feels utterly confused. He wonders how the atmosphere could have changed that quickly. "Or isn't there any dessert?" His eyes darting between his mother and Tony.
"You still have room for dessert?" Tony asks in surprise. Jonathan grins and nods. "You are your mother's son." Tony chuckles. Angela just shakes her head, knowing exactly what he is aiming at. Jonathan thinks for a second.
"I guess I'll take that as a compliment." His grins.
"Thank you sweetheart." Matching his smile.
"Always mom!"
"What about we go out and get some ice cream? My treat!" Angela gets up and stretches.
"Yes!" Jonathan jumps up and is already heading towards the door. "I'll get ready." Before anyone can respond, he is gone.
"What about you honey? Would you like to come with us to get ice cream. Or aren't we cool enough?" Angela winks.
"Well you're really not. But you are both definitely cooler than most parents." Samantha gets up and stacks the plates. "I will take these into the kitchen." She sighs as she walks into the kitchen. "Yo twirp, next time help take some things into the house." She yells towards Jonathan.
"I'm sorry." Tony apologetically shrugs, then starts cleaning.
"Don't be." Angela immediately starts helping. "It shows how they've evolved this brother and sister bond. I don't have any but I know from friends that this is normal between siblings."
"Angela?" He stops cleaning to look at her, she stops and looks at him.
"Yes?" She says with a smile.
~She looks so happy.~ He feels his heart melt. "Thank you for taking a chance on bum like me and his kid." Her smile quickly fades.
"Tony!" She says with some indignity. "Don't ever call yourself a bum. Look at you! You've come a long way. You're in college now." She stands straight to directly look him in his eyes. "I am so proud of you." He feels the pride and love radiating from her body. "I truly am so proud of you. And our kids. Look at today. This family barbecue, now getting ice cream. I haven't been this happy in a long time." Her confession startles the both of them but they both know she's right.
"Well thank you either way. And neither have I." That's all they need as they both finish the clean-up before heading out to get ice cream.
Angela grabs her purse as the kids are already at the door with Tony. That's when the phone rings, Tony is about to head towards the phone as Angela holds up her hand.
"I'm closer, I'll get it." He nods. "Angela Bower." Tony sees the colour drain from her face. "Hi Michael." She looks at Tony and the kids as she listens to her ex-husband on the other end. "Of course wasn't that what we already agreed on?" She listens again. "Oh.." Tony not only hears but feels sadness in her voice. "I understand, yeah I will have to speak to Jonathan about that. I mean we didn't talk about this before hand and.." Tony watches her swallow the lump in her throat. "Well I want Jonathan to be comfortable about that, I hope you understand." Again she listens, much longer this time.
"I'm guess dad doesn't have good news." Jonathan softly says.
"I don't know buddy." Is all Tony replies.
"You have to be blind not to see it." Samantha looks up at her father who is now giving her an angry look.
"Sam's right." Jonathan steps forward as Tony puts his hand on his shoulder.
"I think you'd better wait buddy." Jonathan looks up at Tony. "Okay?" Jonathan nods, then turns his attention to his mother again.
Angela sighs, supressing tears she feels well. She wasn't ready. "I think Jonathan will like it, but still as we didn't plan it, I'd like to talk to him about it. Can I call you back later?" She listens again. "Okay we were just about to go out for ice cream, I will discuss it and call you back later, okay? What number can I reach you?" Angela leans over and starts writing down the number. "Okay talk to you in a bit." She hangs up the phone and looks at her family with a big, yet fake smile. "Ice cream!" She claps her hands in front of herself.
"Everything okay mom?" Jonathan asks. Angela caresses his face and feels tears well again.
"Everything is okay. I have some great news, let's talk about it over ice cream." She kisses the top of his head. "Okay sweetheart."
"Yes mom." He smiles but knows that there something is off.
Tony hands Samantha the keys to the Jag. "You kids get into the car, okay?" He stares intently at Samantha.
"Sure dad." Samantha gives a sad smile, also feeling that something is very off.
"Let's go!" Angela smiles and walks towards the door, opening it. The kids run passed her. Tony grabs her wrist, standing so close that she can feel the heat radiating from his body. She stares at his hand on her wrist, he isn't hurting her but his touch heats her to the core. Yet, she feel too sad to even respond to his touch.
"Talk to me Angela." His warm breath on her ear. She looks up to his face. The sadness in her eyes make his heart heavy. "Please." Angela sighs very deep.
"I don't want to spoil the atmosphere." Her voice is a mere whisper.
"Angela, we all felt the temperature drop at least 20 degrees." He gives a small chuckle. Her dark, sad eyes lock with his.
"Michael wants to take Jonathan to Los Angeles for 2 weeks." She almost feel the weight being lifted from her chest.
"What? I thought he'd rent a cabin nearby, so he could be close to home." Tony now feels the same worry and sadness she had been feeling.
"He changed his plans. He wants to stay here a week and then go back West." She starts gnawing on the inside of her cheek.
"I know Jonathan is going to be so happy to be going to Los Angeles with his father. But.." Her eyes fill with tears. "What if he likes it so much he won't want to come back home?" There! She had said it.
"No Angela! Jonathan will always come back to us.. to you. You're his mom, he loves you so much." Tony always sounds so confident, somehow he always knows how to comfort her. She smiles back at him.
"Let's go get that ice cream." She starts walking, but Tony stops her. Softly kisses her cheek.
"He will come back." He walks out of the house back to the car. Angela feels slightly better, but the fear is still gnawing.