December 1973 - Cos Cob, CT

Angela used her hip to pop the slightly open door into the den. She kept her eyes steadily on the heaping bowls of ice cream she was carrying (along with a bottle of caramel syrup, and a can of whipped cream) as they were scant inches from her silk blouse. She plopped down on the couch next to her mother.

"You still love chocolate?" Angela tried.

Without taking her eyes off of Rock Hudson on the screen, Mona said, "Yup."

"Too bad; it's butter brickle." Mona gave her daughter a side eye, as Angela, equally tuned into Rock Hudson, offered her mother the bowl with an arm outstretched to the side. Mona plucked the spoon from the bowl her daughter was still holding, and squirted a mountain of whipped cream onto it.

"Fine," Angela put the bowl onto the coffee table.

They'd kept their gazes fixed solidly onto Pillow Talk for several minutes before Mona spoke, still looking at the TV. "He should've told her."

"What?"

"Brad. He should've told Jan who he was." It took Angela a second to realize she was talking about the movie.

"Wouldn't be much of a story if he had." Angela pointed out, dryly. Mona gave Angela another side eye, and continued to watch the screen.

Another 30 seconds or so went by, when Angela decided to roll with it, "The secrecy was the intrigue. He had this great adventure with her that he otherwise wouldn't have had. He wasn't ready to open up to Jan as Brad. But as Rex, he could still talk to her."

"I hate to break it to you, dear, but the movie isn't about emotional maturity. Rex is trying to get her in the sack. It's called using people."

"Ahh, but as he tries to run his scheme, he spends time with her. He can't help but mature emotionally as he starts to fall in love with her. It's called being bitten in the ass," Angela said with eyes wide and all the pointedly fake sweetness she could conjure up.

Mona picked up the bowl of butter brickle from the table. Both women smirked, but still maintained their focus on the screen.

After a minute or two, Mona thought aloud, "I suppose, he did get what he deserved - after being so devious. And they were the better for it…."

"Exactly."

Mona bobbled her head a little from side to side in consideration. "Maybe secrecy isn't all bad. Maybe things can still turn out right in the end. Even if one is dealing with someone as high and mighty as Brad Allen," she said palm up, toward the TV.

Angela turned to her mother, keeping her innocent eyes wide. "Yes, and isn't it refreshing that Jan, being every bit as arrogant, in no way impedes that outcome?"

Mona turned to her and nodded with a great deal of faux sincerity. "Life is beautiful."

"Indeed."

Angela and Mona returned their attention to the movie. As Angela watched Doris Day sing loudly in a club, she piped up again. "Look at that smile. She'd never have had that much fun on her own. She needed fake Rex for a while."

Mona thought for a couple seconds. "I think you're right, dear. For a while."

Angela smiled. She may not have the relationship with her mother that she wanted, but her mother didn't have the relationship with her daughter that she wanted, either. Maybe, for now, it was okay if they just kept it on the surface. They needed a break. If the situation arose, they could square off again. And as Angela sat there next to her mother - who was now laughing loudly at Doris Day's accompanist - she thought there was no one with whom she'd rather contend. No one else was quite so worth it.

May 1975 – Harvard Business School

Angela's arms were getting tired trying to get her mortarboard to stay on. "I look like a vampire," Angela called to Emily in the other room.

"Well, we didn't have a lot of sun this spring," Emily said, walking into the bathroom in her graduation gown. Angela just looked at her.

"…I mean the cap!" Angela said after a couple beats. "See? It's all pointy in the front."

Emily froze, but proceeded to grin sheepishly. Giving her friend a side hug with her left arm, Emily reached with her right to spin Angela's mortarboard around so that it faced the correct way. "There."

Angela closed her eyes in embarrassment for a few seconds, but she couldn't rid herself of her smile. She was still blushing when she finally opened her eyes.

"Thank you," Angela popped her chin up, trying to regain some dignity.

"You're velcome, my dear," Emily played.

Angela just shook her head. "We're graduating with Master's degrees in two hours. I dress myself like a five year old, and you sound like the Count from Sesame Street."

"The world is lucky to have us", Emily said confidently. Kissing Angela's cheek, she did one last mirror check before putting on her heels.

Angela looked at herself in the mirror. I did it, Father. She smiled at herself. I know it's not Yale, but it's still good. Angela felt peace wash over her.

"I still can't believe we're done," Emily said, shaking her head and grabbing for her purse. The reminder shoved aside Angela's brief sense of peace. At her sad look, Emily smiled. "But we've also just started."

"We'll do well," Angela volleyed Emily's smile and poise back her way. "Your internship sounds fascinating." Emily had been offered a placement as a statistical analyst at Vassar, and Angela was honestly very happy for her, if not also quite sad at herself not having received any job offers.

"Thanks. I'm really excited!" She smiled at Angela. "The right position is out there for you, too, Angela. You are one of the smartest people I know, and I know many." Angela looked at her friend. She'd never had a friend her own age who was as genuine as Emily. But at that moment, all she heard was Trish cruelly patronizing her the night of the Winter Carnival. Angela furiously but nonchalantly shook herself out of it.

"Thank you." Angela plastered on her best imitation smile, as she was still coming to. She tried to absorb the confidence Emily was willing her, but all the phoniness seemed to be blocking any real progress for the time being. Angela tried to refocus. "...So, your parents are taking you to dinner afterward?"

"Yes, Your mother is coming up, right? Because you're welcome to join us!"

"Oh, no. Thank you. My mother is bringing up Carwen and Ben to see me. I haven't seen them all in months!"

"I bet they're so proud of you - even if it is Harvard," Emily winked.

Angela laughed, and lifted her lipstick in a mock salute. "Yeah, even if it's Harvard."