Mother, what are you doing here?"
"Eavesdropping." Mona said bluntly and plopped down in the chair near the kitchen.
"Okay Tony continue. You were an ASS, you broke your promise." She gestured to him with a get on with it hand movement.
"Mother please! This doesn't concern you."
"Okay fine, I'll go. But before I do I have a couple of things to say to you Tony."
"Okay Mone. What are they?"
"#1 It's about time you got your butt home!"
"And #2?"
"It's about time you dumped that woman."
"Mother!"
"That's all for now! Have a nice chat!" with those parting words she got up and exited via the patio door.
Angela groaned and shook her head. "Tony I'm sorry. She should not have said that to you."
Tony shrugged. "Why not? She's right. I should be sorry and I am. I can't begin to tell you how much."
"Well I'm sorry too."
"For what? You didn't do anything wrong."
"I did though. I left you in Iowa. But, I just couldn't live there anymore. I didn't feel like myself anymore."
"I know you didn't. And I could see that. But, I was so wrapped up in myself that I ignored it."
"But, you didn't. You did ask me a few times if I was happy."
"I did. But, the thing was I knew you weren't being truthful. I knew that you were just putting on a brave front for me. Because you wanted that opportunity for me. You put aside your wants and needs and happiness for mine. No one has ever done that for me."
"And I don't regret it. I never will regret it. It was like I told you at the airport when I was trying to convince you to accept the job. For all these years you've been putting your life on hold for other people for other people's dreams and now it's your turn."
"And you said please let me do something for you." he finished for her.
"And that was why even though it broke my heart I told you that teaching there was what you were meant to do. "
"And like a fool I believed it."
"Tony, no you weren't a fool. You were thriving there. I saw it. I saw how happy you were."
"Yes, I was. And it was a great job. I'm not going to lie about that. And I'm also not going to pretend that I won't miss Candy and my team. But, I also know accepting Elliot's job offer was the right decision. I have no doubt in my mind. And I know this is probably the last thing you were expecting but I was just wondering about something."
"What's that?"
"If you would be willing to resume our relationship? I mean I know you're probably overwhelmed with everything but.."
"Are you kidding me?! Tony, how could you think that we could get back together just like that?!" she asked, her voice taking on an astonished and irritated edge.
"Well, I know it's a lot to think about."
"Think about it? Tony you don't get it do you? You were engaged to another woman. You just barely broke up with her. And the only reason you're here is because you accepted a job offer."
"Angela, I know all that. I don't understand where you're going with this."
Exasperated, Angela stood up and walked over to the bookcase next to the swinging door. She put her hand on a shelf and calmed herself with a couple of deep breaths. After a few moments she turned around.
"Tony, you didn't come back here for me or for us. You came back here because you got a job offer. And don't get me wrong I am happy for Sam and Nicky. And I know Mrs Rossini is going to be over the moon when she hears that you are back. But the fact that you think I would just run into your arms when as I said you just barely broke with Teresa is beyond me."
"Angela, you've got this all wrong. I want to be with you."
"Do I though? Face it Tony if Elliot and Joan hadn't been at the park at that exact moment you would still be in Iowa engaged to Teresa and planning your wedding. I would just be a woman from your past. A woman that left you."
"Angela please, look okay you're right if Elliot and Joan hadn't been in the park that day I would still be in Iowa. But, that wasn't what happened. They were in the park that day and because they were I was able to see that Teresa wasn't willing to put me first. But, you did. You've always have. So the way I see it it was a blessing in disguise. If Teresa and I had gotten married it would have been a disaster. I see that now."
Angela felt her eyes welling with tears at his speech but she was still hesitant.
"Tony, you know what's funny?'
"What?"
"If you had come back home a month or two months or hell even six months after I left you I would have been so happy. I mean I would have been over the moon. But, you didn't, you stayed. You stayed for nearly four years and got engaged to another woman. You are right. You did break your promise to me. We did both agree on you only teaching there for a year. But, the sad thing is I can't blame you completely for everything. After all, I was the one who told you that you were doing what you were meant to do. So, I have to take my share of the blame. I have to accept responsibility for my part in our break up. But, you could have come home. You made the decision to stay. That is all on you."
Tony's eyes filled with tears. She was right. There was no use denying it. Mona and Jonathan had been right as well. He was just like Michael. He had put his job over the woman he loved. He was ashamed of himself and all he wanted was a chance to make it up to her.
"Angela, you're right. Everything you said is right. And all I want is for another chance. A chance for us to make things right again. A chance for us to get back what we once had. What I know in my heart we can have again. All you have to do is say yes."
"No."
"No?"
"That's what I said. No." she said quietly, tears streaming down her face.
He stood up and started moving toward her but stopped when she put her hands up.
"Don't." it was only one word but it packed a lot of meaning.
He nodded respecting her boundary. But, he also knew he couldn't leave things as they were.
"Angela, I love you. I have always loved you and I always will. Please don't shut the door on us."
"I love you too. And that is what makes this so painful. But, I can't. I just can't, " she shook her head.
"Angela please…"
"Tony just go."
"Angela I.."
"Just go!"
He sighed and turned around and walked to the front door. He turned back around and looked at her. He saw the tears flowing and wanted nothing more than to kiss and wipe them away. But, he knew he couldn't and it broke his heart.
Without another word he opened the door and left.
Angela walked over to the door and slid down it, her tears running down her cheeks.
#################################
A/N: There are a few lines taken from the show so obviously the credit goes to the WTB? writers.