"So where were you this afternoon?" Angela asked, taking her painting out of Tony's hands and rolling it back up.

"I was in Brooklyn. I had to talk to Mrs Rossini."

"Oh really? Is everything okay?"

"Yes. No. I mean yes."

"Tony, you're not making any sense."

He sighed. "I know."

"Okay so what is going on?"

"Marie."

"What about her?"

Tony stood up and walked over to the bookcase. After a few moments he turned back around.

"Actually it was about Marie and Cristos."

"Marie and Cristos?! What about them?"

Tony walked back over and sat down.

"It's just when I found out that Marie took art lessons from him it threw me."

"Why?"

"Because I…Angela I thought the worst."

"What?"

"I thought they were having an affair."

"You thought Marie cheated on you? Tony, come on, that's ridiculous! Marie wouldn't do something like that!"

"How would you know? I mean it's like you knew her or anything."

"Okay. That's true. But everything I did learn about her from you, Sam, Nick, and Mrs Rossini she was a lovely and devoted woman. "

'Yeah, she was. She was the greatest. I, on the other hand, was a horrible husband."

"Tony, come on!"

"Angela, it's true. When I told Mrs Rossini that Marie was unfaithful she got so angry. I don't think I have ever seen her that angry at me."

"Okay I can understand that. But why would you say you were a horrible husband?"

"Because she told me that Marie tried to tell me that she wanted to take lessons but I kept blowing her off. Angela, Marie had this whole other life-so to speak-that I never knew about. And when Cristos told me that he had given art lessons to her I just jumped to conclusions that they had an affair."

"Tony, I'm so sorry."

"That's okay." he chuckled. 'You know what's sort of funny about this whole thing?"

"What?"

"Mona and Mrs. Rossini were on the same page."

"You talked to Mother about this?"

"Yeah. She told me that I was crazy. She said, "Why would Marie fool around when she had a big, strong man like me at home?"

"Well she does have a point." Realizing what she just said she felt her face getting red. "Well what I mean is… The thing is I… So, what did you say?"

"I said that I was hardly ever home. I was on the road going from city to city and state to state playing baseball."

"Tony, I'm so sorry you were going through all this. I just wish you would have talked to me about it."

"Ah Angela. It's not that I didn't want to say anything to you. I guess with Mona and Mrs. Rossini it was kind of like I was talking to my Mom, you know? I mean yeah Mona never knew Marie either and yes she is kind of a pain in the butt sometimes…"

Angela laughed.

"But, she also can give great advice."

"Yeah, that is true. The truth is when she wants to be, she is a great listener and advice giver."

"Yeah, and Mrs. Rossini knew Marie and me since we were little kids."

"So it was easy for you to talk to her about this."

"Well I wouldn't exactly say easy. But yeah."

They looked at the portrait of Sam again.

"She really does look like her." Tony said softly.

"Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about her."

Tony turned and looked at her."

"You want to know about Marie?"

'Yeah, I do."

"Why?"

"Well because she was so important to you and Sam. And the two of you are so important to me."

Tony smiled, "Okay, what would you like to know?"

"Anything you're comfortable with telling me. Her favorite color. Her favorite flower."

"Okay let's see. Her favorite color was yellow. Her favorite flower was lilies. She loved warm rainy days but whenever it snowed she was like a little girl and would pull me outside so we could build a snowman with everyone else in the neighborhood." He started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"I was just remembering the snowball fight she started."

"She started a snowball fight?"

"Yeah, Philly was walking over to us and she threw one right at him!"

Angela laughed. "So I take it, Philly threw one back?"

"Yeah, but it missed her and got me instead. So of course I just had to…" he smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, yeah of course you did." She smiled and shook her head.

"Yeah, and before you knew it the whole neighborhood looked like a snowball war zone!"

'It sounds like she was a wonderful woman."

"She was. I miss her. I mean it is a little easier now but I still miss her.'

"I know Tony. and I know it isn't exactly the same but that's how I feel about my Father. It is a little easier now but I still miss him."

Tony smiled at her.

"So how about some tea?"

"Sounds good."

They got up and walked into the kitchen.

Tony filled the kettle with water turned on the burner. Angela got a couple of mugs out of the cupboard and two tea bags out of the canister. After the water had boiled they fixed their tea and then sat down.

"So this has been a crazy few days for you hasn't it?" Angela asked taking a sip of her tea.

"Yeah, it has. And Angela I want to thank you for throwing this party for me and for the portrait of Sam."

"You're welcome. But, it was the least I could do. I meant what I said Tony. When I was fired I didn't know what to do or what I was going to do. But you were there for me."

Tony smiled. "You want to hear something ironic?"

"What?"

'When I was cut from the majors I felt the same way you did and Marie was there for me."

Angela smiled.

"And I know that the two of you are completely different and everything but I really think if you had met you would have become good friends."

Angela lifted her mug up.

"To Marie."

Tony lifted his mug up.

"To Marie."

They clinked their mugs together in honor of Marie.