After dessert, Tony took Aunt Rosa and Nana back to Fairfield Inn, while Jonathan, Hank, and Carmella cleared the table and cleaned up the kitchen. Mona sat at the kitchen table per Carmella's request, and Angela and Samanatha stretched out on the coach per EVERYONE'S request.
"Mona," Carmella started "I just really wanted to thank you for allowing me to be involved with the baby shower for Angela and Sam. I Know that you and I don't always see eye-to-eye, but I feel in some ways we're kind of like sisters. And Lord knows if my Joey will ever make me a grandmother, so I've always seen Samantha as a granddaughter. And you are now a Grandma to her. She's lucky to have you in her life."
"Carmella, you've known Sam her entire life. For all intents and purposes you ARE her grandmother. Yes, her dad is now married to my daughter, thus making me her step-grandmother. But if I've learned anything in the past nine years, it's that blood and marriage are not the only ways that a family is made. The day that Angela hired Tony, we began to form as a family. Yes, I did hope that someday we'd become a family for real, which we finally have become. But I knew that even if that hadn't happened there were bonds already made - Angela and Samantha, Tony and Jonathan, Samantha and Jonathan, Samantha and I, and Tony and I - we'd all formed bonds like a family. And you as Tony's surrogate mom and Samantha's grandma-figure are a part of our family too."
"Grandma is right, Mrs. Rossini,' Jonathan spoke. "You're as much a part of this family as Hank here is."
"Sam has talked about you as much as she has about Mona, Jonathan, Tony, and Angela from the day that she and I first met," Hank interjected. "Mrs. R., she's looked up to you her entire life. She told me that although she had lost her Mom and two grandmothers, she still had one left. And then she added another in Mona later on."
"Oh gosh, you're all making this old woman so proud!" Carmella gushed with tears in her eyes. "I don't think that my own blood relatives have made me feel so loved and honored as you three here have tonight."
"Mrs. Rossini, please don't cry," Jonathan said as Tony came through the kitchen door.
"What happened? Why is Mrs. R. crying? Mona, did you say something to upset her? Jonathan? Hank? Would someone please tell me what happpened!" Tony snapped.
"Tony, please don't yell. These are happy tears. They were all saying such wonderfully nice things about me." Carmella said trying to calm him down.
"Really? Even Mona?"
"Hey bub, I AM your mother-in-law now and I can send you to your room you know!" Mona glared at him.
"Uh-oh, Dad. I don't think that you want Grandma's wrath on you!"
"You're right Jonathan, and I'm sorry Mona. I see Mrs. R, crying and you're in the same room so I just assumed..."
"And that makes an ass out of you!" Mona retorted.
"Yes, I know. I really am sorry, Mone. So what kind of things were being said?"
"Just that we are all family. We're all connected by two common bonds - you and Mom," Hank stated.
"And you all didn't realize that already?"
"Yes, Dad, we did. But just how strong all those bonds have been and how much stronger they are now that you and Mom mare married are what we were discussing. And that also includes Mrs. Rossini," Jonathan added.
"Ah, I see," Tony sighed.
At the same time the above has happened...
"Mom, are you feeling okay? It's been a long day celebrating our babies with our family and friends," Sam asked.
"Yes, sweetheart, I'm just tired," Angela replied. "How about you? How's my granddaughter doing?"
"Well, I think she is pretty tired herself with all the kicking she was doing earlier."
Angela laighed. "Well she, her aunt, and her uncle will be the stars of their soccer team! Matty and Bella were pretty active themselves today. I don't remember Jonathan being this active during my pregnancy with him."
"Must be those Micelli genes then! Dad said from what he remembers from my mom's, errr I mean Marie's, pregnancy with me that I was pretty mobile too."
"Sam, don't feel bad about talking about Marie with me. She IS your mom, she's the one who gave birth to you. It's one thing for you to clarify which one of us you're meaning when you say "Mom" around others, but with me, I know who you are meaning when you talk about Marie."
"Yeah, but you've been my mom for the past nine years. She was my mom until I was five, then I guess Dad was my mom until we came to live with you."
"But Marie is still your mom, and your little girl's grandma and namesake. You heard your dad earlier - she pushed him to us here."
"I guess I can see that too. I love you, Mom!"
"And I love you, my beautiful daughter!"
"Wait, is that Dad shouting in the kitchen?"
"I think so! Want to go see what's going on?"
"You bet I do, Mom!"
All together now...
"What's going on in here?" Angela exclaimed as she and Samantha came through the swinging door into the kitchen.
"Yeah, Dad, what's with all the shouting?" Sam asked.
"Ladies, it was all a big misunderstanding," Mona stated. "Tony walked in and saw Carmella crying and he thought that I was the cause of it, which I kind of was."
"MOTHER!"
"Dear, would you let me continue before you interrupt?"
"Okay, go ahead."
"Thank you. Anyway, it was me, Jonathan, and Hank."
"MOT-"
"Mom! Please let Grandma talk!" Jonathan interjected.
"Thank you, Jonathan. We were all talking about how interconnected we all are, and how Carmella is indeed a part of our family as well. And also how lucky Samantha is to have her has a grandma in her life, and how she will also be a great-grandma to little Marie."
"Oh Mona, that's beautiful!" Sam gushed as went over to give her a great big hug.
"Mother, I'm sorry for misjudging you. It's just that your history with Mrs. Rossini isn't exactly sunshine and rainbows."
"Angela, I pick at you all the time yet I love you very much. Carmella and I aren't really friends, we're more like sisters. After the accident, I wasn't exactly thrilled that she was coming to help Sam care for us while Tony and Hank went to Iowa, but she was so kind and caring about all of our needs - yours, Sam's, and mine. And when she was sick with pneumonia this winter, I made sure to bring her some things she needed."
Tony was shocked. "You did that Mone? I didn't know that. Heck I didn't even know that Mrs. R. had pneumonia."
"Well, there was a lot going on between Angela recovering and being on bedrest, plus the planning for your wedding, that I didn't want to bother you with even something else."
"Wow. I'm so glad that your relationship has progressed over the years, My mom figure and my wife's mom are even more bonded than I'd thought."
" Thank you, Mona, for everything." Carmella said. "Now c'mere and give me a hug!"
"Alright, if I must" Mona groaned jokingly.
"I should start heading back to Brooklyn. It's getting late."
"Nothin' doing, Mrs. R!" Tony stated. "It's getting pretty dark out there and storms are brewing. I'll call Mrs. Napoli and see if she and Billy can take Fiorello in for the night. Billy will probably enjoy having him to snuggle with. You can bunk in Jonathan's room and Jonathan will take the couch."
"Now Tony, I'm not putting Jonathan out. I can sleep on the couch."
"No, Mrs, Rossini, You take my bed and I will sleep on the couch," Jonathan agreed.
"Okay, I know when I've been beat. Thank you, Jonathan."