Addendum 2.8 – "Angela's Ex pt. 2"
February 1985 – Fairfield, CT
Tony hopped into the desk chair and kicked his feet over the arm. Dangling backward, he picked up the phone before the end of the second ring.
"Randolph Residence, Tony speaking," he grinned.
"Tony, it's Michael Bower."
Tony's face got serious and he dropped his feet to the floor. "Oh, hey, there, Michael. …Is everything okay?"
"Well, I think it's going to get better. I'm leaving."
Tony froze.
"I'm going back to Africa, and uh- Angela and I are finalizing our divorce."
"Wow." Tony blinked. "Are you sure?" He squeezed his eyes shut and whapped the palm of his hand against his forehead.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Michael paused. "But we still hadn't found a housekeeper. And with me leaving… what would you say about coming back to work for her?"
Tony started to breathe faster as Michael continued to explain, "I know you're just getting into the groove over there, what with managing all those maids and such-"
Tony's head tilted back and forth in acknowledgement.
"but I think you were good for Angela. And if I can't be here – I mean, I think we both want her taken care of – and I think it would work out well if the person taking care of her were you."
"Well, thanks, there, Michael. But I don't think she needs someone to 'take care of' her."
"I'm not asking you to change her diaper. You know… taking care of the house so she can do… whatever it is that makes her happy… watching out for her, keeping creepy, old men away from her… that kind of thing."
Tony's face twisted in obvious confusion.
Michael finished quietly, "And I think Jonathan could use a good guy around there, too."
Tony bolted to standing and sprinted ecstatically in place. Taking a fast breath, he smoothed out his voice and his shirt, "Thanks, Michael. That's a real nice offer. I think I'll take you up on that. Well, I mean, I'll ask Angela-" His voice rose nervously, "or, does she know you're askin' me?"
"Uh, no. No, she doesn't know, but I don't think you'll have to make much of a case for yourself. You seem to have already done that."
Tony grinned, "Alright, then. Well, I'll go talk to her."
"Ya know, if you hurry, there might still be some chocolate chip left."
Tony exhaled swiftly, "Oh, I'll hurry."
A beat passed.
Michael smiled dryly through the line, "Yeah, I thought you might... I know you'll be giving up a lot, but uh… that is good ice cream."
Tony's eyes stalled to the side. "…Uh, yeah. Yeah, it is." He held his breath.
Michael chuckled, "Alright then. Bye, Tony."
Tony didn't need to take a breath to finish the conversation. "Bye."
Michael hung up and Tony exhaled. With three strong cross-body punches to the air, he jumped up high and sprinted to the front door.
Angela's and Tony's awkward smiles were still in the clouds, and the beats that passed were anything but empty.
I wish that would've been a hug. I could really use one. But I think I need to be careful with those, especially now that Michael's gone.
And especially with Tony.
But the warmth hadn't left Angela's heart or her smile, and she couldn't sustain her disappointment. I'm so glad he's here!
Hug or not, she instantly felt less alone.
Tony could do that over the phone.
Michael could make her feel more alone over the phone… and then he could drop the most selfless present on her doorstep and fly away. Damn it, he's confusing.
And it's not my job to figure him out anymore.
Tony made a wide clap in front of himself.
"Alright, Boss, what's the first order of business? You have dinner planned?" he said with his eyebrows up.
Her wide smiled turned guilty. "I actually haven't cleaned the oven yet from my casserole two nights ago. I know it's self-cleaning, but I couldn't find where to put the soap in."
Tony allowed himself as many seconds as he wanted before answering. "You know what? How about tonight, we order pizza? I can take care of the oven and have Sam and I moved back in in two shakes!"
Angela exhaled ten pounds off herself, "That sounds great."
"Yeah, you go work on that Scrubbos campaign. I've got this."
"Oh, we did that!" But he remembered. She smiled widely, "And can I just say, 'thank you'?"
Tony smiled but looked confused.
"Your idea to focus on the practical benefits instead of some cutesy slogan really worked out for us. They loved it!"
Tony swiped his fist in front of his chest. "Atta girl! I knew you could do it!"
"But I do have plenty of other accounts to work on-"
Before she could say anything else, Tony shooed her in the direction of her office. "Go on! I'll finish- …that is to say, I'll fix this basket of laundry – sheesh - and get it put away. Then I'll go get Sam, our stuff," he chuckled, "and some oven cleaner… and uh, and then I'll phone in the order for Ottavio's. Is Mona eating with us tonight?"
Angela nearly dropped her armload of paperwork in his harried process, but at that, she stopped and turned around slowly. "Well, it's Jonathan who's in question."
Uninhibited confusion briefly registered on Tony's face, then he rolled his eyes. "Angela, he thinks he only wants pepperoni from Pizza Playland, but we've got to get his palette more acquainted with the Old World." His arms waved away her nonsense. "I know he's not Italian, but I'm here, now – culturally speaking, he's grafted in." He made an Italian pinch so perfect, she had to smile at his ignorance. "Say it with me, 'feta!'."
Angela's sweet smile didn't take long to die down and she stared miserably at Tony.
After a few seconds, Tony looked uncomfortable. "Okay, if it's that important to you, Pizza Playland, it is," he said seriously.
Angela shook her head. "It's not that. Jonathan's just-" She took a staggered breath, "Michael and I really hurt him. Toying with him like we did. Saying we were getting back together and then breaking up two weeks later… He's devastated and," her voice broke, "he hates me." Tony's empathetic face tilted his whole head. "I've barely seen him since we broke the news to him together two nights ago. He missed school on Friday. He mostly stays in Mother's apartment-"
Tony pointed toward the couch, "But you were so happy. You were fine. Why were you fine?"
Angela snarled her nose at him as angry tears fell, "And let you know how bad things are? How badly I've damaged my son? Again? You know how important family is, and I screwed it up!"
Tony considered every word she said, and she couldn't hold eye contact anymore. I couldn't have you disappointed in me, too. She continued quietly, looking at the floor. "Besides, I didn't know you were coming back. I thought you were just stopping by again." She shrugged, "In and out." Like Michael.
Tony pointed a finger at her, "Hey! You don't have to pretend with me, Angela. You hear me? I'm your friend. So, you screwed up. Everybody does that." His hand swiped her worries away again. "And Jonathan doesn't hate you. He's just sad and doesn't know what to do with it. Lemme talk to him. That's the first order of business."
Angela smiled and nodded gratefully. Even if she weren't completely convinced, she knew if anyone could help them, it was Tony.
Tony's face was back to its default sweetness, and he dipped his eyebrows up. "And Angela?"
She looked him in the eye.
He spoke gently, "Family is important, but you're a part of this family, too."
Angela swallowed. 'This' family?
"You're important," he said distinctly.
A single tear fell down her otherwise unresponsive face. She wanted to hug him so badly she couldn't do anything but stay frozen until it passed. She couldn't fight this, and she wouldn't mess it up. It was clear she needed him.
Angela's soul felt replenished in just the few minutes Tony had been home.
Home.
Her internal lie detector registered nothing, and she smiled. Tony brought peace and hope and gentleness wherever he went, and she could feel the difference already.
Tony smiled at her, and spoke softly, "You go ahead and keep working." He tossed his head toward the garage, "I'm gonna go see Jonathan."
Angela nodded and hugged her papers tightly against herself. Right as she got to her office door, he stepped up to the back door.
She turned around. "Tony?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm really glad you're back."
Tony smiled. "Me, too."
He held her gaze for a moment and then went outside.
Tony knocked on Mona's door. He heard her voice from out on the deck.
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Hold your horses!"
Mona opened the door, and her whole face brightened. She threw her arms out and jumped up at Tony, clearly confident he would catch her. He did.
She loosened her vice grip on him and jumped back. "Jonathan! Look who's here!"
Several seconds later, Jonathan walked slowly into the living room. As soon as he saw Tony, he looked like a different person – an alive one.
"Tony!" Jonathan ran over to Tony as fast as he could, his blonde hair bouncing in the breeze.
Tony didn't get all the way through, "Hey, Buddy!" when Jonathan made it to him, and all vocal efforts turned to the grunt he needed to lift him up.
Jonathan squeezed his neck so tightly Tony had to cough. "Whoa, whoa! I've missed you, little pal!" he spurted out.
Jonathan didn't let go and talked to him behind his ear. "Take me with you! Please!?"
Mona smiled flatly and went back up to her room.
Tony looked at Jonathan, confused. "Take you with me? Well, I guess I could do that. But you're a big boy, you can walk yourself."
Jonathan pulled back and looked in disbelief at Tony's face. "You'll let me go with you?"
Tony grinned, "Better! Sam and I are coming back!"
"Really!?" And just like that, Jonathan's smile was enormous.
"But what's this about you wanting to leave?"
As quickly as it had come, Jonathan's smile dropped. Looking at Tony, he spoke quietly, "My daddy left."
Tony patted his back and nodded somberly. "I know. He told me."
Jonathan's face scrunched. "He did?"
"Sure, he did. He called me and said if he couldn't be here, he thought it would be good if I was."
Jonathan looked down at his tummy and didn't say anything.
Tony went on, "He thought it would be good for you and your mom."
Jonathan didn't look up and Tony spoke carefully.
"You know, I was only a little younger than you when I lost my mother."
Jonathan's face slowly lifted.
"I was real angry. My mama… my mama was the greatest. She'd tell me stories and sing songs with me. She taught me how to make popsicles, and she cleaned up the scrapes on my knees. She listened to my jokes and made the best food. …And then she got sick, and I couldn't stop it."
Tony had gone to looking off to the distance for clarity, but Jonathan kept watching his face. "I remember… I told her goodnight one time and went to bed. The next morning, my father told me she'd died. Nobody let me know I'd never see her again. She was just gone..." He turned his teary eyes to Jonathan's, whose serious face had gained a distinguishable curiosity.
Tony wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his sport coat and sniffed. "I'm sorry you won't have your daddy around right now. When my mama died, my father had my grandpa come over from Italy to help take care of me cuz he had to work so much. I didn't even know this guy; he wasn't my buddy. But my father knew my grandpa would take good care of me when he couldn't be around. And I'm really glad he did that." Tony shrugged and shook his head. "It wasn't what I wanted. I wanted my mama back. But I know my parents and my grandpa loved me."
He looked gently in Jonathan's eyes. "Your parents love you, too, buddy. And so do I."
Jonathan didn't say anything, but he turned into Tony and hugged him as tightly as he could. Tony returned the hug and let Jonathan cry.
Mona leaned in at the top of the stairs and watched Tony and Jonathan still by the front door.
Tony's eyes stayed closed. "I tell ya somethin', Jonathan: I sure do wish I could give my mama a big hug just like this."
Mona silently shook her joyous face while Jonathan responded with a nod.
Angela was still in her office when a knock came to her door.
"Come in!"
Jonathan poked his head in and adequately stunned his mother.
"The pizza is here, Mom."
She nodded, blinking back the start of tears.
"Thank you, Jonathan," she managed to get out, and fairly shook as she stared at him.
I can hardly believe it. Tony, you're an angel.
Jonathan opened the door just enough to let himself in and walked over to her. He hesitated a second before reaching in for a tight hug.
Angela released tears in streams but didn't say anything as she hugged him back.
"Mom?" he asked into the hug.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for bringing Tony back."
Angela swallowed and leaned back. She brushed his bangs to the side of his forehead. "Actually, your daddy did that," she smiled.
A big smile took over Jonathan's face. "Yeah."
"Mrs. Randolph wasn't upset about you quitting so soon?" Angela said before she took a sip of wine.
Sam and Jonathan had gone to bed, happier than even two kids with pizza in their bellies normally would have. Newly released from her four-foot shadow, Mona had lined up a couple dates for the evening, and Tony and Angela relaxed on the couch.
Tony poured himself another glass and turned to fill Angela's. "You know, she was really cool about it." He put down the bottle and watched as he swirled the potent liquid in his glass. Smiling down at the bubbles, he took a healthy swallow and looked over at Angela. "She's a fun lady - not stuffy at all, when you get to know her."
She rubbed her head. "I still feel badly about yanking you around like we did."
The smile left Tony's face. "You didn't." He shrugged, "It was just a… weird situation. You weren't being inconsiderate or nuthin'."
Angela's hazy eyes tried to focus on his, "I think that's exactly what we were being, Tony." She added softer, "But thanks."
Tony smiled, though she noticed it was a little lopsided. "You doin' okay?" he asked.
"Much better now," her whisper broke. "I can't thank you enough for what you did for me and Jonathan."
His shy smile dodged her adoration. "Nah, I meant… about you and Michael," he prodded carefully.
Angela's eyebrows went up and down and she shrugged. Taking another swig, she looked down at her glass before answering. "I think it's probably going to hurt for a while."
She watched in slow motion as Tony moved to absently pat her knee. But at the last second, he awkwardly patted the air above it, and pulled his hand back to his own lap.
Angela's breathing deepened all on its own.
I don't know if I'm more disappointed or relieved.
Tony loudly interrupted her surprisingly clear thoughts, "This Madeira stuff is really good!"
Angela chuckled into the present, "It should be. It cost a fortune."
Tony's eyes bugged out, and he faltered his glass in a panicked movement toward the bottle.
Angela laughed louder, "Don't put it back! Tony, it's fine!"
But Tony wasn't at all settled and started to stammer as he turned to plead with her. "Gee, Angela. I'm sorry. I di- I didn't know this was expensive - just really sugary! …I've been guzzling it like soda since dinner!"
Angela's laugh softened but stayed, "Tony, please, have all you want." She shook her head gently, "There's no one else I'd rather have it."
Piping up louder, she continued to smooth things out. "…Besides, we're celebrating! My son is finally speaking to me," she tipped her head, "…and our friends are home."
Tony's highly pressurized, flat smile paused a beat. Then he lifted his glass to her, "To many happy returns."
Angela blinked through the haze. "That's not what that means," she said flatly.
Tony squinted. He waited just a second before leaning in closer, his wobbly eyes fixing on hers. "What's an RBI, smarty-pants?"
Miraculously, Angela's fuzzy head had no problem appraising the considerable and familiar leeway in this particular friend zone. She held his glossy gaze as a slow smirk grew on her face.
Lifting her glass, she clinked it against Tony's.
A/N: That's the end of my take on Angela's Ex. Thanks for reading, guys! I'm not sure what I'll be inspired to write after this. Maybe Custody... I'm not sure. But thank you, all for your support! You guys are so good to me.
