"Hey honey I have the perfect idea for our Halloween costumes!"
"Oh you do? Okay; Let's hear it!"
She sat down beside him on their couch and snuggled up next to him. He put his arm around her and pulled her close.
"We go as a bride and groom!" she gushed.
"A bride and groom?" He raised an eyebrow. "Sweetheart you do remember we're getting married after we graduate right?"
She swatted him on the arm. "Of course I do! But I just thought it would be fun, you know?"
He chuckled. "Yeah, it would be. Okay then. If that is what my adorable, gorgeous , and sexy fiance wants then that is what she is going to get!"
She squealed and threw her arms around him.
"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
"You're welcome!"
"I love you Tony!"
"I love you too Kathleen."
She stood up. "Okay it's my turn to make dinner. "
"Okay."
Kathleen went into the kitchen and began preparing dinner. Tony could hear her humming and laughing bringing a smile to his face. God he loved that woman! He never thought he would actually fall in love with her but fate had its own plans. When they had first slept together in that hotel room the night they studied for their art exam he never dreamed it would go this far. After that night he had told Angela he didn't know if it was over with Kathleen. She had been devastated but she had said that maybe this was something they had to go through to see if they could go any further. So he had dated Kathleen while she had dated Peter, Christopher, and Andy. And yes there was that time he had been so jealous of Angela and Christopher that he had dragged Kathleen to the restaurant they were dining at so he could spy on them. Kathleen had been angry and had walked out on him when she had found out but luckily he had been able to smooth things over with her.
But the truth was getting married never really popped into his head. He did enjoy their time together but something like marriage, well he just couldn't see it happening. But then he met her Father who wanted him to become his son-in-law and father his grandchildren. At first the thought scared him. But then it began to grow on him. He could see the two of them getting married and starting a family. He had always wanted more kids. And that was when he realized that he did love her. That she wasn't just some woman he was casually dating. He wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. He chuckled when he remembered how excited she had gotten when he had proposed to her. And when he told her that he was going to move out of Angela's house and into her apartment. She started dancing around and before he knew it he was dancing with her.
The only thing that was troubling him was Angela. He knew she was going to be heartbroken when he told her. And he hated hurting her. She was his best friend and he knew she had feelings for him. His news was going to crush her but he also knew he had to tell her. He owed her that much. They had been through so much together the last seven years. He still recalled the look in her eyes when he told her that he was planning on proposing to Kathleen and moving out to live with her. It still haunted him to this day….
FLASHBACK
Tony sighed as he stood at the door to Angela's office. He had come to tell her that he had proposed to Kathleen and was moving out to live with her. He knew she would be devastated. And it killed him that she would be. But he had fallen in love with Kathleen. It wasn't anything that he had planned, it had just happened.
"Well you might as well get it over with,' he mumbled to himself before knocking.
"Come in!"
He took a deep breath and turned the knob.
"Hi Angela. Could we talk for a moment?" He asked, still standing in the doorframe.
"Sure! Come on in." she smiled.
He gulped when he saw her smile knowing how in just a few minutes that smile was going to leave her face.
He stepped into the room and shut the door.
"So I need to talk to you about Kathleen."
"Kathleen?" 'Oh my God! Did he come in here to tell me is going to break up with her?!' She felt herself getting excited. Was this nightmare finally going to be over?! She remembered the day, the moment she had found out that he had slept with Kathleen in the hotel room. And how hurt she had been when he told her he didn't know if it were over with her. But she knew she had to let him go. After all she had told him maybe this was something they had to go through. And maybe it was time they explored their options and broadened their horizons. And they had done that but now maybe Tony was done and was coming back to her.
"Ummm yeah. "He stood awkwardly in front of her desk.
She leaned back in her chair. "Okay. So what is it?"
She then noticed he wasn't looking in her eyes. Instead he was looking everywhere else. He seemed nervous, fidgety, and on edge.
She suddenly had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.
This wasn't going to be good news.
He took a deep breath. "Angela, you have to know that I never meant to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you. You are my best friend and this- what I'm about to tell you I just.."
"Tony, please just tell me!" she said softly.
"Okay. I… I proposed to Kathleen and she accepted."
He proposed to Kathleen?! When? How? Why? She felt like she was floating.
'Maybe I'm having some weird out of body experience.'
But, no she was in her office and the man she loved had just told her that he had proposed to another woman and that she had accepted.
"And also I'm planning on moving out and living with her."
He was moving out too?! What the hell was going on?!
She stood up and walked around her desk and walked past him. She took a few shuddering breaths and felt her eyes filling with tears. She turned back around and he cringed at the look in her eyes.
"Oh Angela. I am so sorry. I hate hurting you like this. The truth is I never in a million years thought I would fall in love with Kathleen. But, I did. I'm sorry. But, I did and I want to be with her and have a family with her."
The tears flowed down her cheeks. She couldn't believe this was happening! Had she made a mistake by letting him go? Should she have begged him not to date Kathleen? If she had, maybe they wouldn't be in this mess now. But she-they couldn't go back. What was done was done. Tony had fallen in love with her and was going to marry her. And there wasn't anything she could do about it.
"Well ummm that's great Tony! Congratulations!" She said her voice was shaky.
He wasn't fooled though. He knew she wasn't okay. He knew she had had her heart crushed. And it pained him that he was the one who had done it.
"AWWW Angela. Come here." He held his arms out and she went into his embrace and cried on his shoulder. He rubbed her back and whispered over and over how sorry he was. After a few more minutes she got herself under control and released herself from his arms. She walked over behind her desk and sat back down. She pulled open a drawer and took out a pack of Kleenex she kept in there. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose.
"So when are you planning on…" She cleared her throat. "Moving out?"
"In a few weeks."
She nodded. In a few weeks. He was going to be gone.
"Okay."
"Angela I'm.."
"I know Tony. I know."
He nodded. "Okay. So I'm going to go make dinner now."
She nodded, unable to speak.
He turned and walked away and opened the door. He looked back at her but she wasn't looking at him.
She was looking everywhere but at him.
He sighed and left the room, closing the door firmly behind him.
It felt like he had just closed the door on her heart.
END OF FLASHBACK
To this day their conversation still haunted him. But he knew he had to do it. And he was happy. He was going to marry the woman of his dreams. He hated hurting Angela but they both needed to move on.
Kathleen popped her head out the kitchen door.
"Okay honey. Dinner is ready!"
Tony nodded and stood up and walked into the kitchen.
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Another day without Tony. Another day without his charming smile and cheerful good morning. Another day without talking about what had happened at work and at school. Another evening without watching a movie- the nights he wasn't out with Kathleen of course. Instead now she was all alone. He was gone. And the house seemed so empty. It was empty. Sure Jonathan was still living there and Sam still visited even though she had moved out to live in the dorm. And of course her Mother was there a lot. But, without Tony it just wasn't a home anymore. It was an empty shell. And that is how she felt too. An empty shell.
It was a few months after he had moved out. She arrived home and got the mail from the mailbox. She unlocked the front door and hung her purse and coat on the coat rack.
She then began flipping through the mail. Gas bill. Phone bill. A letter from Emily. And what was this? A letter from Tony?! She felt her heart beating faster. Was he writing to tell her he had made a mistake?! Did he want to come home?! She sat down on the couch. Her fingers trembled as she opened the envelope. She pulled out the sheet of paper. And then realized it wasn't a letter from Tony.
It was his wedding invitation.
His and Kathleen's wedding invitation.
She was devastated. He had invited her to his wedding? Well of course he had. They were best friends after all. Best friends! Obviously that was all they were meant to be. She put her glasses on and read the invitation:
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO THE UPCOMING WEDDING OF:
KATHLEEN ANN SAWYER AND ANTHONY MORTON MICELLI ON MAY 23RD 1992.
PLEASE RSVP BY DECEMBER 31ST 1991.
She dropped the invitation on the coffee table. This can't be happening!
"THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!" she screamed.
"Yo Angela! Wake up!"
Angela screamed and shot up. She looked around. She was in her room. She looked to her left and saw Tony standing beside her bed.
"Tony? What are you doing here?"
"Well I heard you screaming. Something about this can't be happening?"
"Oh. Wait a minute Tony. Why are you here?"
"UMMM because I live here?"
"You live here?"
"Uh yeah. For the last seven years." He chuckled. "Angela what is wrong with you?"
"I don't know."
'Well come on. Billy is waiting."
"Billy is waiting? Waiting for what?"
"Angela! It's trick or treat! Now come on up and at 'em!" He clapped his hands. She shook her head still not understanding what was happening.
"Okay so you go get into your costume and I'll go change into mine."
"Our costumes?"
"Of course our costumes! It's Halloween after all!"
She got out of bed. "So what are we going as?"
"As a bride and groom. Angela, you already know all this." He looked at her in confusion.
"Oh right. Right. I'm sorry I guess I'm just tired." She smiled at him.
"AYE OH OH AYE. That's okay." He smiled back at her.
"But whose idea was it that we dress up as a bride and groom?"
"It was Billy's."
"Billy's?"
"Yeah, he said he wanted us to pretend for one night that we… well that we are getting married." he cleared his throat.
"Oh. Okay. So I'll get dressed then."
'I'll do the same."
He smiled at her and left the room.
She sat down on her bed.
Had it all been a crazy dream?!
She stood up and went into her closet. She began going through her dresses until she found it. A wedding dress. She smiled and took off the clothes she was wearing and put the dress on. She quickly brushed her hair and put on a little make up. She took one last glance at herself and then opened her door and stepped out into the hallway.
Tony and Billy were there waiting for her. Billy looked adorable in his batman costume and Tony looked… well he looked dashing, sexy, and oh so debonair She felt her heart beating faster.
Tony gulped when he saw her. She looked like an angel. Sweet, lovely, and oh so beautiful.
"Angela, you look beautiful."
"Thank you. You look very handsome yourself."
"Thank you."
Billy started jumping up and down. "Come on! Come on! Let's go!"
They laughed. "Okay we're going! Let's hit it! Let's move it! Let's do it!" Tony cried.
Billy grabbed both of their hands and they walked down the stairs. A cute and hilarious trio featuring a bride, a groom, and batman.
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A/N: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
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