"Come on Angela. Let's go have that tea!" Tony said, grabbing her hand and leading her into the kitchen.
"Have a seat." He told her as he went to the cupboard and got out a plate. He then grabbed a few snickerdoodle cookies out of the cookie jar and placed them on the plate and sat down beside her.
"Can you believe it Angela? How they all stuck up for each other? And yes I know it wasn't the smartest thing they ever did but it was just so great to see." He smiled and took a cookie and bit into it.
Angela smiled and shook her head. While she too was happy to see the kids all bonding-especially since lately Sam and Jonathan were constantly bickering- it still didn't mean she was just going to forgive and forget.
"Tony, I know you're all happy about this and everything but it doesn't mean we should just let them off the hook." She took a sip of her tea and grabbed a cookie.
"Oh, I know. I'm not saying that we should. I think grounding Jonathan for a month and telling him that he won't get his license for a while was the right move. Of course we can't really do anything about Mona and Sam since they're both adults-but hey I got it! I won't do Mona's laundry for a whole week. That will be her punishment!" He said gleefully.
Angela burst out laughing. "Yeah. I think that would show her! So what about Billy?"
Tony leaned back. "Well on the one hand I do like how he was willing to cover for Jonathan."
"You are?"
"Well yeah. It was like they are finally brothers. I mean in a sense. But then again I don't want Billy to think that lying is okay because it isn't. "
"So maybe we should tell him that even though we like how he stuck up for Jonathan it's also wrong to lie to us?"
"Yeah. And maybe to show him that we're serious, a week of no T.V.?"
"Okay. That sounds good. So how about Sam?"
Tony picked up his tea and took a sip. He sat it back down and sighed. "Well it was like I said it doesn't work as well once they move out. I mean what am I supposed to do? Go over to her dorm and ground her there? I guess the only thing I can do is lecture her about covering up for him especially since it was my jeep he took a joyride in."
"Oh, I get it. If it were my jag it would be different?"
"No, I'm not saying that! All I'm saying is that Sam knew he drove without a license and got into an accident. What if it had been worse? What if Jonathan or Patricia had gotten seriously hurt?"
Angela felt a chill go through her body. While she was furious over what Jonathan had done Tony had brought up a good point.
"I know. That is what scared me the most. They both could have been seriously hurt. And I know I didn't exactly warm to Patricia but she is someone's daughter and I wouldn't want to see another mother go through something like that."
Tony smiled and intertwined his fingers through hers. "That's because you are the most loving and caring person I have ever met."
"Even though a part of me wants to go up to Jonathan's room and yell at him for being so irresponsible?"
"Well yeah." He smiled at her.
"But then the other part wants to go up and take him in my arms and tell him that I love him and that I'm so glad he is safe." She wiped a tear away that had fallen down her cheek.
Tony got up and tore a few pieces of paper towels off the roll. He handed them to her and sat back down.
"I guess that's all part of being a parent. I mean we do the best we can but we still make mistakes and so do they."
"Yeah, like telling him to go for it?!" She raised her eyebrow at him
"Well, I uh…." He cleared his throat and took a long swallow of his tea. "Look, all I was trying to do was help him out. He told me he really likes her and so I told him to do whatever he could to win her heart."
"He said he really likes her?"
"Well actually he said something about how he feels like his insides are going to show up on his outside."
Angela laughed. "I guess that's one way to put it."
"Yeah. But when I told him to go for it I meant maybe write her a poem or giving her some flowers."
"Which he did." Angela reminded him.
"Hey! It's not like Mr. Inella deserved them!" He growled. "And I'm serious if the funeral is postponed again, it's burial at sea!"
Angela shook her head and took a bite of her cookie. For a few minutes they were silent enjoying their tea and cookies.
"Tony, I just realized something."
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
Angela started laughing.
'Angela! What is so funny?!"
"Oh, well it's just that both Sam and Jonathan both took a joyride in your van and jeep respectfully."
"Oh that's right! Gee why mine and not your jag?"
Angela shrugged her shoulders. "And yes they were both wrong to do so but in a way it's kind of cute they have this in common."
"CUTE?!"
"Okay, maybe not cute. But, the important thing is neither one of them was seriously hurt."
'Yeah, and neither were Jesse or Patricia."
Angela nodded. "And at least this time we didn't end up in court."
"That's true."
"Of course if we hadn't I never would have found out your middle name." She gave him a coy smile.
"Angela!"
"Morton!"
"Do you want to be grounded like everyone else?" He winked at her.
"That depends what would be my punishment?" She asked, lowering her voice.
"Well last time I banned you from chocolate fudge cake for two weeks but this time maybe….he trailed off and put his hand under her chin and kissed her softly on the lips. After a minute he pulled back and took another sip of tea.
"Tony, what was that for?"
"Well you know what they say. Let the punishment fit the crime."
"Ah, so if I were to call you that name again I would be punished again?"
"Maybe. Maybe."
"Good to know." She got up and put her cup in the dishwasher. He did the same and turned the light off and they walked out of the kitchen. She went to the bottom of the stairs and waited while he made sure the front door was locked and then turned the lights off. They went up stairs and stopped in front of their bedrooms.
"Good night Angela."
"Good night Tony."
"Wait a minute! No good night Morton?" He pouted.
"You really didn't think I was going to make it that easy for you did you?"
Tony laughed. "I guess not."
"Yeah, I mean you have to earn it."
"So I guess I have my work cut out for me."
"That you do."
"HMMM this is going to be fun!"
Angela laughed and blew him a kiss which he caught. She opened her door and closed it behind her.
"Oh yes Anthony Morton Micelli this is going to be fun!" She took off her clothes and put on her pajamas and washed her face and brushed her teeth. She slipped under the sheets and closed her eyes. She placed her fingers on her lips still feeling the tingling sensation only his kisses could provide. She smiled as she drifted off to dreamland.
Tony went into the bathroom and brushed his teeth. He went back to his bedroom and opened and closed the door. He changed his clothes and got into bed. He placed a hand behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. He could still taste her sweet lips. He closed his eyes and smiled as he drifted off to dreamland.
