Chapter 37: Freshmanitis

Angela's eyes fluttered open, and it took her a minute to register where she was. But, as soon as she turned her head and saw Tony sleeping next to her, she remembered that they had opted for a night at the Fairfield Inn rather than another night on the air mattress at the house. She shook her head slightly to clear the cobwebs and also because she couldn't help but feel that she'd spent the whole night dreaming about their life when Katie was a baby and then about their wedding. Of course, that wasn't too surprising considering the conversation over the past couple of nights and what she and Tony discussed before falling asleep.

Speaking of which, Angela gazed over at Tony as he lay beside her still sleeping soundly. Sure, his face had softened over the years and every year there seemed to be a few more wrinkles, but, to her, they just added to his expressiveness. She smiled as she smoothed a lock of grey hair away from his face. He had always been so proud of his thick head of hair even after it turned grey. Angela had to admit that between his face, his hair, and his still toned physique, he cut a very distinguished figure. Had it really been over 30 years that they'd been together?

She couldn't help but lean over and start to place little kisses all along his jawline. Almost immediately, she felt his hand at the back of her head pulling her in for a good morning kiss.

"Morning sweetheart," Tony said. "Sorry about the morning breath, but you can't expect me not to take advantage when my wife wakes me up with sexy little kisses."

Giggling, Angela leaned in for another kiss before laying her head on Tony's chest. "Of course not. I don't mind your morning breath if you don't mind mine," she said before turning her head to nuzzle Tony's neck.

"Somebody's in a good mood this morning," Tony said teasingly. Before she could answer, Tony again captured her lips while his hand reached down and suggestively pulled her black silk nightgown up and over her hips. He was pleasantly surprised to feel that her nightgown was the only piece of clothing she had on.

"I'm not the only one," Angela answered back before obliging him by leaning up slightly so he could pull the gown over her head. She then made quick work of his white undershirt followed by his boxers.

"Oh baby, you are still such a vision," Tony said as he pulled the covers back to admire Angela in the morning light. "What was that line I said all those years ago? Even a fine wine needs to be aged before it's uncorked? Well, you have aged like the finest wine, and I am most definitely ready to be uncorked."

Grinning, they both leaned in for a deep and passionate kiss before expressing exactly how much they still admired and wanted each other.

Later, as Angela came out of the bathroom after her shower, Tony couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she looked in her white hotel robe. Of course, it couldn't hold a candle to the pink bathrobe he had first seen her in; so many things about that first day remained close to his heart.

"Sam texted a few minutes ago. She, Jonathan and Katie made brunch this morning, so whenever you're ready to go we can head over."

"How wonderful," Angela said smiling. "We really do have the best kids."

"Agreed," Tony said before leaning in for a quick kiss. "Are you ready for round three of our interrogation?"

"Oh, Tony, it's not that bad," Angela said swatting his bicep. "I think we've both enjoyed, for the most part, seeing the kids' reactions to our past. I don't think I ever realized how many things we never told them, so I'm glad that we're getting the chance to come clean now."

"I guess that's true. I just never thought they'd be all that interested, especially Katie since she wasn't around for most of it. But, bring on 1988 through the first half of 1991 before we both finally caved," he said his eyes twinkling.

"Hey Mom, hey Tony," Jonathan said from over by the stove, as Tony and Angela walked through the kitchen door about 30 minutes later.

"Good morning, honey," Angela replied giving her son a quick hug. "Where are your sisters?"

"They went to grab a few more things from my place," Jonathan replied just as Sam and Katie walked back into the kitchen.

A little while later, the whole family was squeezed around the kitchen table laughing and talking.

"Ok, ok," Sam said finally. "We still have a lot to get through before I go pick the kids up and bring them over for dinner. Where were we? Oh, that's right, somehow you both denied your feelings yet again even after Angela said 'I love you' in her sleep! I don't think too much happened after that from the time I got my car to when Dad first started college. Oh wait, wasn't there that frat party that you went to where Angela ended up drunk?"

"What?" Katie squealed. "Mom, you got drunk at a college fraternity party?"

Tony and Angela exchanged a surprised look. "You knew about that, Sam?" Angela asked raising her eyebrow.

"Well," Sam said blushing. "I kind of woke up and overheard when Dad was helping you into your room after you finally got home. What actually happened?"

Angela thought back to that crazy night that had started off so innocently. Tony hadn't even wanted to join a frat or go to the rush party, but she had convinced him. So, she was probably to blame for everything that happened even though now they could both look back on it and laugh. And, she had to admit that it was quite a confidence booster to have a bunch of college-aged guys flirting with her and wanting her to join in their fun. Of course, things would never have gone as far as they did if the punch hadn't been spiked. To this day, she still didn't remember a whole lot of what happened before she finally came to her senses, her head on Tony's shoulder, in the holding cell of the campus police station.

She still had a pretty good recollection of their conversation and Tony's concern when he realized that she'd been tricked into getting drunk. And she remembered how, when they finally got home, he'd helped her up to her bedroom, since she still wasn't all that steady on her feet.

"Angela, you getting drunk and me having to help you up to bed is getting to be a regular occurrence," Tony had said teasingly as he opened the door to her bedroom.

"Very funny, Tony," she had replied. "At least I know I'm with a perfect gentleman. As I recall, you said the first time this happened that you'd never take advantage of this type of situation. How did you phrase it? Oh yes. I'd want you to remember it, and you would."

"And you still would," Tony said with a cocky grin.

"So would you," Angela said again in that same throaty voice that made Tony gulp. "And Tony…" she started to say before a searing pain in her head stopped her mid-sentence making her gasp.

"Angela, are you alright?" Tony asked quickly.

"It's just my head. More payback for tonight. I think I need to lay down," she said as she crawled onto the bed and sank back against the pillows.

"Here, let me get you some Aspirin and a wet washcloth," Tony said as he walked into her bathroom.

A few minutes later, he was back with a glass of water and the Aspirin. After Angela had swallowed the two capsules, Tony gently placed the damp washcloth on her forehead.

"Thank you, Tony. This feels good," Angela said with a small smile. "In spite of everything, it really was a fun night. I am sorry that the fraternity thing didn't work out though."

"Don't sweat it, Angela. I have plenty on my plate as is. Plus, like I said before, I'm not going to college for the partying; although it was fun to at least cut loose for a little bit."

"It was," Angela said before grimacing as the throbbing in her head grew worse.

"Angela, are you sure you're going to be ok?" Tony asked; a worried expression on his face.

"I will be, but umm, Tony, would you stay for a bit? As my best friend...," Angela said softly as she patted the empty space next to her on the bed.

"I guess I can for a little while," Tony said uncertainly. He was concerned that whatever the punch had been spiked with was making Angela feel this bad, so it probably would be a good idea to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't have alcohol poisoning or worse.

Sighing, he kicked off his shoes, sat down on the bed and leaned back against the pillows that were up against the headboard.

Without saying anything, Angela leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. Eventually, they both fell asleep only to awaken early the next morning spooned together with Tony's arm resting protectively across Angela's stomach just below her breasts. Surprisingly, it hadn't been all that awkward when they both woke up. They had just smiled at each other as they detangled, and Tony gave her a quick kiss on her forehead before slipping across the hall to his room.

"Again," Katie stated bringing Angela back to the present. "You all slept together again?"

"Yeah, I didn't realize you spent the night in Angela's room, Dad," Sam said giggling. "Damn, I should have gotten up to investigate after I heard you all instead of falling back asleep!"

Tony and Angela exchanged another look as they both remembered that this really was the beginning of the cementing of their best friend status as their relationship grew deeper, and they became more connected than ever. No more so than when Angela helped Tony's grandfather become a US citizen posthumously. That was when they really realized how much they cared about each other, and how important it was to both of them that the other one was happy. It was definitely love even though neither one of them could say it consciously yet.

And then of course came that eventful night at The Plaza Hotel, when Tony had thought Angela was having an affair with her new employee, Jack, followed a few months later by their trip to St. Louis for his Cardinals baseball reunion. Angela knew they were probably going to have to clue the kids in on the fact that they weren't quite able to resist each other, in a hotel room, the way they had been able to a few years earlier, in that dingy little room at the motel by Jonathan's camp...