"Grandpa Tony!"

"Nicky my boy!" Tony picked up his grandson and swung him around.

"Hi Dad!" Sam laughed at her son's enthusiasm at seeing his Grandpa Tony. She was nervous though. She knew her Dad had come home to tell Angela that he was getting married. She could only imagine how horrible it must have been for her. She knew that Angela still loved her Dad so the fact that he had moved on with another woman and was planning on marrying her must be making her miserable. Her heart went out to her. Ever since they had broken up she as well as Mona, Jonathan, and Hank had wished they would patch things up and get back together. But as the months and the years went by the odds of that happening became smaller and smaller.

"Hey Tony. How was the flight?" Hank asked.

"Good. " They walked into the living room Tony carrying Nicky over his shoulder. He set him down on the couch and sat down beside him. Sam sat beside her son while Hank sat down on the reclining chair.

"So this looks like a nice place you got here. Care to give me a tour?"

"What's a tour?" Nicky asked.

"It is when you show people your house.." Hank explained.

"Do you wanna tour my room Grandpa Tony?"

"I would love to!"

"Ok, come on!" Nicky got off the couch and ran out of the room. They laughed and went to follow him.

"He sure is a bundle of energy." Tony remarked.

"Tell me about it. He runs me ragged sometimes."

"Grandpa Tony!"

"Hang on buddy we're coming!" Hank assured him. They arrived at his room which had decorated with dark blue carpeting and baseball themed wallpaper.

"Do you like it Grandpa Tony?"

"It is great Pal! I love the baseball wallpaper!"

"I wanted it cause you like baseball and you played for the Cardinals."

Tony chuckled and knelt down so he was face to face with him. "Well you have good taste! I wish I had a room like this when I was your age."

"If you come stay I'll let you sleep here. I'll sleep in the guest room."

"Well that sounds like a very nice idea. But how about if you stay in here and I stay in the guest room?"

Nicky thought about that for a few minutes. His expression so serious it nearly set the adults into fits of laughter. Finally he spoke.

"Ok!"

"Ok!" Tony answered him. "Now how about you show your Grandpa the rest of the house?"

They both got up and Nicky took his hand. Sam and Hank followed behind while Nicky gave Tony a tour of the house. It was a three bedroom, two and half bathroom ranch house with an eat in kitchen and large living room and a medium size backyard with a sandbox and swing set.

"Grandma Angela helped mommy pick out the kitchen table and chairs."

At the mention of Angela's name Tony felt his heart break and his mood decrease. Sam noticed this and decided it was time she talked to him. She motioned to Hank and then out to the backyard. He nodded and turned to his son.

"Hey Nicky how about if we go outside and play on the swings?"

"YAY! Wanna come Grandpa?"

"Actually Mommy has to talk to Grandpa." Sam told him.

"Ok! Come on Daddy!" He ran to the side kitchen door that led to the backyard.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Hank shook his head in exasperation but with a big smile on his face and opened the door and they both went outside.

"Here Dad sit down. Do you want some coffee or anything?"

Tony sat down on one of the chairs and shook his head. Sam sat down beside him.

"I take it didn't go too well?"

Tony shrugged. "It went as well as it could have I guess. I just hated hurting her!"

"I know Dad but like you said you had to tell her. If she was the one who was getting married I know that she would tell you."

"It was just...so hard Sam! I mean at first she was shocked. Which I understand and then she just broke down. I held her for a few minutes and then I started crying too." He winced at the memory.

"Dad I'm sorry. I wish that things were different. We all do."

"You mean you all wish that we were getting back together?"

"Well yeah. But I think we have all accepted that you're not. It's just weird. Things didn't turn out like we all thought."

"I know."

"I mean I do like Theresa. She just isn't Angela."

Tony nodded. He knew that Sam did like Theresa but she loved Angela. He was okay with that. In fact he was happy that Angela and Sam had maintained their friendship after they had broken up. Luckily he and Jonathan had stayed friends as well.

"So where do you stand now?"

"With Angela?"

"Yes."

"Well we have lost touch with each other and I would like to get our friendship back. Not that we ever lost it. It was just backburned for a while. I do miss her. I mean before we became a couple we were best friends. I still want her in my life."

"Does she?"

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Dad! You are marrying another woman! Okay yeah you and Angela were friends for years before you became a couple but things are different now."

"You're right. It's just when I was leaving we both said how important we are to each other."

"Well then even if you don't get back together again maybe you can renew your friendship. I mean hey at least it would be something right?"

"Yeah." He smiled sadly. Sam's heart broke at his crestfallen expression. She got up and went over to him and gave him a hug.

"I love you Dad."

"I love you too."

They broke apart and Sam sat back down.

"Do Mona or Jonathan know yet?"

"Well unless Angela called and told them no they don't." He sighed. "It won't be easy telling them either."

Sam nodded. She hated this! She hated the fact that her family was going through this. Even though it had been four years since her Dad and Angela had split up she still had this fantasy of them getting back together. But, she reasoned she was an adult and couldn't dally in childhood fantasies. Her Dad was marrying Theresa and that was that. They all needed to accept it.

"So when do you have to go back?"

"Well my flight is the day after tomorrow. I was planning on going to Brooklyn tomorrow and seeing Mrs Rossini and the guys. But I'll probably be back sometime in the evening."

"Okay. The guest room is all ready for you."

"Thanks Honey. Hey about I make you all dinner?"

"You don't have to Dad."

"I would love to. I mean if it's okay."

She smiled at him. "Of course it is. My kitchen is your kitchen."

He smiled back feel a little bit better.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning Angela was in the kitchen enjoying a cup of coffee. Well enjoying it as much as she could. She couldn't help but think of how mornings used to be. The kids would be talking about the day ahead or fighting with each other. Mona would be complaining about going to work. Tony would be humming while he cooked breakfast for them all the while scolding her for not having anything to eat.

"Come on Angela! At least have some of these eggs. Or how about a piece of toast?"

She would give into him sometimes. She would pretend to be annoyed but secretly she loved how concerned he was for her. Now that was all over. He would never be concerned for her again. That privilege now belonged to Theresa.

Theresa. Her romantic rival. But was she really? After all she and Tony had been apart for four years now. She wanted to hate her but it seemed unfair. After all she was the one who had left Tony. She was the one that had broken his heart. So how could she blame or even be angry that another woman had come along and mended his heart? That he had fallen in love with said woman and wanted to marry her? Was he supposed to stay single the rest of his life as a sign of his love and devotion to her? No, he was to loving and passionate for that. But still it hurt that he had moved on and was marrying another woman. She felt her eyes filling with tears and got up to get a piece of paper towel. She tore a piece off and was wiping her eyes when Mona came in.

"Good morning Dear!"

"Good morning Mother." She sighed and sat back down.

"So is Claire here this morning? I wanted some of her french toast."

"No it's her day off."

"That's too bad." It was to. Claire was the best housekeeper they had had since Tony. Of course she didn't hold a candle to him- no one did- but she came pretty close. She had been working there for almost a year when she had been looking to get out of her house a few days a week after her husband's death a few months prior to that. Her children were all grown and she wanted and needed something to fill the void. To everyone's amazement Mona and Claire instantly became friends bonding over the loss of their husbands.

Mona poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down. "You don't look so good dear. Have trouble sleeping?"

"Yes, I did as a matter of fact."

"Really? Why?"

"I take it you don't know?"

"Know what?"

"About Tony."

"What about Tony?" Suddenly it became clear to her. Angela looked horrible and said it was about Tony. Oh God! Was he okay? Was he sick?

"Angela what about Tony?! He isn't sick is he?" She picked up her cup to take a drink.

"No. not that. He's getting married!" She blurted out.

Mona choked and spat out her coffee. Angela got up and got her a piece of paper towel. She nodded her thanks and cleaned up the mess.

"Angela, you can't mean that? How did you find out?"

"He was here yesterday. He said he wanted and needed to tell me himself. He said he wanted to give me the respect and courtesy of letting me know."

"I see. I take it Sam knows."

"She does and Tony told her not to tell me because he wanted to."

Mona shook her head. "I'm sorry Angela. I know you still love him." In a rare gesture of love she got up and put her arm around her daughter. For a few minutes they held on to each other each lost in their thoughts. Mona sat back down and repeated that she was sorry.

"Why are you sorry Mother? It's all my fault. I was the one that left Tony. I have no one to blame but myself!"

"Don't do this to yourself. Yes, you are the one that left but he could have come back. Instead he chose to stay there because of his job!"

"I left because of mine! How is that any different?"

"Because you were more invested in yours. i'm not saying that the Tony's job isn't important but at the time he had only put in one year. You had put in a lot more than that and had your Agency to consider. You know if anyone is to blame it's me."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I was the one that made up that story about Prescott threatening to walk. If I hadn't maybe you and Tony would be married now. "

"You don't know that. We could be in the same situation we are in now."

"But if I hadn't…"

"Mother don't blame yourself. I'm the one to blame. I know the only reason you made up the story about Prescott was because you were worried about me."

"I was. I know you weren't really happy. I just wish it hadn't come to this."

"Me either Mother. Me either."

"So what happens now?"

"What do you mean?'

"With Tony and you."

"There is no Tony and me. There hasn't been for four years."

"Maybe not romantically." Mona mused over what might have have been then shook herself out of her thoughts. "But you two are best friends or at least you were at one time."

"We still are. We just lost touch for awhile. "

"So do you want him back in your life then?"

"I-I do. I mean I do miss our friendship but knowing that he is going to marry someone else…" She trailed off.

Mona patted her hand. "I know it's hard Dear. I wish things hadn't come to this."

"They did though."

"Well I guess the only thing you can ask yourself is this; Do you still want Tony in your life despite the fact that he will soon be another woman's husband? Or do you want to completely cut him out of your life?"

Angela pondered this. Could they possibly renew their friendship? They did say how important they were to each other and they were friends for years before they became a couple. She did miss him and not just in the romantic sense. She missed confiding in him. She missed talking to him. She missed him being in her life. It would be hard being friends with him knowing that he was now in love with another woman but she would rather have him in her life as a friend than out of her life completely.

"I want him in my life."

"Well Dear then you need to…" She stopped when they heard a knock on the door.