Chapter 62: Put a Ring on It
In the kitchen, the kids and Angela sat around the table while Tony tossed various ingredients into a large pot on the stove. Angela and Tony gave each other another look remembering how rocky those next few weeks of their relationship had been after they'd settled back into what they had agreed would now be their forever home…
Tony couldn't help but think back to the romantic interlude that had taken place before things started to go south again. He'd decided that it was past time for Angela to finally have an engagement ring. It had been bothering him, ever since the night they got engaged, that she didn't have one. After two failed proposals, though, he just hadn't had the heart to buy one, plus he knew Angela would want some input into what it would look like. Tony didn't really understand all the different "cuts" that engagement rings could have nowadays, even after Mona had tried to explain it to him. And while Mona swore that she could help Tony pick one out that would suit Angela, Tony wasn't about to repeat the ring fiasco that had happened during his first proposal.
Tony thought back to how, after Mona had accepted that, she had made one more request.
"Tony, there is one other thing I've been thinking about ever since you and Angela became engaged," Mona began somewhat tentatively.
"What's that Mone?" Tony asked inquisitively, as Mona was usually so sure of herself and of getting her way with what she wanted.
"Well, it does have to do with a ring, just not Angela's engagement ring. My wedding ring has been gathering dust in my jewelry box for the last 25 years, so I thought that maybe you could use the diamonds from it for Angela's wedding ring. In whatever design you all decide on," she clarified quickly.
"Knowing how close Angela and her father were, I think it would mean a lot to her," Mona continued as she looked Tony directly in the eyes. "And it's not something I ever offered to Michael. You've been her match since day one, and I'd be honored if I could contribute something to show how happy I am for both of you."
"Oh, Mona," Tony said, pulling her in for a quick hug. "That's an amazing gift. I'm the one who's honored. And I think you're right. Angela will love it. And ay-oh-oh-ay, now you've given me an idea for her engagement ring."
Tony smiled as he remembered the day he and Angela went "shopping" for her ring. They'd taken the train into the city, had a wonderful lunch at Tavern on the Green and then browsed through a few jewelry stores. Angela didn't seem too disappointed that they'd come away empty-handed because this was already so much better than what had happened with Michael. After she had proposed, and he'd accepted (albeit somewhat reluctantly when she looked back on it now), he'd told her to pick out whatever ring she wanted and just let him know what jewelry store, so he could pay for it. And then, he'd just brought it home one night after work and given it to her without any fanfare. She should have realized then that their relationship was already in trouble.
Tony, though had gotten what he needed when he saw the style of ring that Angela seemed to favor. And he was glad that she seemed content to wait until they found the perfect one. Unbeknownst to her, Tony had been holding on to his mother's wedding ring ever since the day he and Angela had cleaned out his father's apartment. He'd found it in the top drawer of his dad's dresser. While small, the diamond still had a sparkle to it. Tony remembered slipping it into his jeans pocket as Angela came into the bedroom to load up another box. A fleeting thought had gone through Tony's mind then about how beautiful it would look on Angela's left hand before he had shaken his head and told himself to stop imagining the impossible.
Once he had seen what Angela's preferences were when it came to the look of the ring, Philly had hooked him up with a jeweler in the old neighborhood who could create an engagement ring for a "good" price. Tony didn't ask any questions as he didn't really want to know the type of business Philly and the jeweler conducted on a regular basis. He just needed someone he could afford and trust to create the perfect ring for Angela, and when he finally went to pick it up, it was perfect. Even though the diamond was much smaller than what Angela, no scratch that, than what they could afford now, he knew she wouldn't care about the size. He hoped, though, with how sentimental she could be, that she'd be moved by the history of the stone.
Tony smiled to himself as he thought back to the night that he'd presented her with the ring. Angela had told him about having to propose to Michael, followed by his unceremonious delivery of the ring, so Tony was determined to make this special for her.
They'd gone to Chez Rene for a delicious dinner where, of course, they'd run into Rene, the maître d', who was still working there 6 years after their unofficial Valentine's Day date. He was delighted to learn that they were now engaged, acknowledging that he could tell way back then that they were destined to fall in love.
Then, Tony had driven them in his Jeep back to the lake where they'd unfortunately not been able to do any uncorking a few months earlier. Thank god that was all behind them now. It really was such a beautiful spot.
"Tony, what are we doing back here? We're not going to relive what happened last time, are we?" Angela asked with a nervous laugh.
"No, Sweetheart," Tony said, smiling as he turned in his seat to face her. "I wanted to go somewhere special and private for this. Somewhere that has memories even if they're not exactly the memories we thought we'd be making here."
"I love you, Angela. So much. I know it's been a bit rocky here and there since we became a couple, but I will take that over the denial we were in for the past seven years. I can't wait for our future together in our beautiful home with our wonderful family."
Taking Angela's left hand in his right one, Tony fished the ring box out of his suit jacket with his other hand and quickly opened it before continuing, "I would be honored if you would wear this engagement ring as a symbol of our love and commitment to each other. I know I didn't do so well on the ring front the first go around, so I'm hoping this is a home run and not another strikeout. The diamond came from my mother's wedding ring, but the setting and ring itself are new."
"Oh, Tony," Angela breathed as she looked down at the ring. "It's beautiful. It's perfect. I so wish I could have met your parents, but being able to always have this reminder of them is the next best thing," she continued, her eyes filling with unshed tears.
Tony quickly slipped the ring onto her left hand before leaning in for a searing kiss.
"Thank you, Angela. For everything," he said after they finally pulled back from their kiss. "I'm the luckiest man in the world."
"And I'm the luckiest woman in the world," Angela said, bringing her left hand up to cup Tony's cheek before leaning in for another kiss.
"Um, Angela," Tony said in between their kisses. "I did have an ulterior motive for choosing this spot. I thought it might be fun to finish what we started up here last fall to celebrate now that our engagement is complete."
"Oh?" Angela said, arching her eyebrow slightly while her eyes twinkled. "Are you ready to really be uncorked? You sure we won't end up in the lake again?"
"Ay-oh-oh-ay, I'm sure and very ready," Tony said as he quickly set the radio to a familiar jazz station, got out of the car and came around to her side to help her out. He walked them to the back, where he popped open the trunk before quickly lowering the back seat and spreading out his sleeping bag to cover the entire area.
"The two-man sleeping bag?" Angela asked with a smile.
"I wanted to do so much more than snuggle that night on the billboard," Tony whispered in her ear with a glint in his eyes. "I knew it would come in handy again before too long."
"Me too," Angela said before kicking off her shoes and crawling into the back of the Jeep, beckoning Tony to follow. He quickly kicked off his shoes and socks before pulling Angela closer to him once he was inside for a long slow kiss.
"You sure no one will find us here?" Angela whispered as they laid down, and Tony's hand started to slowly pull the zipper on the back of her dress down.
"I'm sure," he said as he trailed kisses along her jaw and down her neck. "It's just my beautiful fiancé and me."
"Oh, Tony," Angela responded as they then made use of every spare inch in the back of the car.
"I'd forgotten how romantic it was, the way you gave Mom her ring up at the lake like that," Katie said, interrupting Tony's thoughts. "And I will forever love that the ring has Grandma Micelli's diamond in it.
Tony turned from the stove to glance at Angela and saw that she had a slight blush on her cheeks, knowing that she was remembering everything that happened that night and how they'd only ever told the kids about the presentation of the ring since that's all they really needed to know.
"I will, too, Katie," Angela said, holding up her left hand to give the ring a quick kiss.
"I'd almost forgotten that story," Sam said with a smile. "See, another good reason we're doing this long walk down memory lane. But I remember what happened next between you two wasn't nearly as romantic or pleasant…"