Letting It All Out- Chapter 4
The rest of the weekend was relatively uneventful for the family. Both Angela and Tony managed to make it home without getting sick in the jeep, much to the delight of both Jonathan and Samantha. However, their shared happiness was short lived when upon arriving home, both Angela and Tony made a beeline for the front door, one hand over their mouths and the other over their stomachs. Neither made it into the house, instead losing all six scoops of ice cream all over the front walkway. Jonathan spent the evening with the hose, not so silently cursing their idiocy. At least it was still a tie, he thought, once he was long finished cleaning up.
The following week, Tony had been thinking over and over again about the conversations with the family, especially his initial conversation with Angela about… things. He vowed never to let his family doubt his love and commitment to each of them again. Love and commitment- those two words were on repeat in his mind all throughout his time with Kathleen and her drill sergeant of a father. That night, his thoughts from the last week finally became crystal clear. He couldn't commit to Kathleen because he didn't love her… not the way she deserved to be loved. Things, he mused, were in the way and he just couldn't see his future without his family, without Angela. He knew he made the right decision in breaking up with Kathleen, but where did that leave him with Angela?
He sat there in his camouflage outfit, having just finished his conversations with Mona and Angela, feeling more than a little sorry for himself, when the phone rang. He leaned back on the sofa and picked up the phone.
"Bower residence, this is Tony speaking… oh hi Philly! No I'm not busy… I could be there in about an hour… alright see you then!" he said as he hung up and phone and headed upstairs to get ready to head into Brooklyn for the night. He was so focused on heading up the stairs that he missed a certain redhead spying on him from the kitchen.
Just then, Samantha and Jonathan walked in the back door into the kitchen.
"Grandma, what are you doing?" Jonathan asked as Mona closed the swinging door and took a seat at the kitchen table.
"I'm watching the third part of my plan to get these two together start to come together. Tony broke up with Kathleen tonight…" she said with a satisfied smirk on her face.
"Dad broke up with Kathleen? Already?" said Samantha, finding it hard to believe.
"Oh yes he did! I was hoping Angela would come to her senses once she found out that he dumped Kathleen but she's going to need some additional help to see what's right in front of her I'm afraid…" said Mona.
"So where is Dad now? He must be upset…" she said with concern in her voice.
"He's upstairs changing. He's heading into Brooklyn to spend the night with Philly and the guys…" said Mona with a smirk.
"Oh so the guys just conveniently called him on the night he broke up with Kathleen to hang out?" said Jonathan with a laugh.
"Convenient isn't it? Or I just happened to call up Philly after my conversation with Tony and let him know he could use some cheering up and that it might be a good idea for him to be reminded that he needs to get back on the horse again, sooner rather than later… just as long as that horse is my daughter…" said Mona.
"Ewww Grandma! That's gross!" shouted Jonathan.
"I meant it in a metaphorical sense…" said Mona as innocently as possible.
"Yeah sure you did…" laughed Samantha as Mona just shrugged.
"Either way, I think a night out with the guys will do him good. Now to focus on the other one who needs some sense knocked into her… I'm afraid Angela will be more difficult than Tony" said Mona.
"Hey… if anyone can figure out a way for Mom to dump what's his face, it's you Grandma!" said Jonathan with a laugh as they all got up from the table and went their separate ways.
About a half an hour later, Tony was showered, dressed and in his jeep headed the very familiar route to Brooklyn. He found a parking spot near Mrs. Rossini's apartment. He was meeting the guys at Philly's place down the street but he figured he would stop by and see her first.
"Tony! How are you? What are you doing here? What's wrong? Are you hungry? Here come sit and eat something! You look like you're wasting away!" she practically yelled the questions at him in rapid succession.
"Eh oh, oh eh! I'm fine Mrs. Rossini! I'm meeting up with the guys down the street and I figured I'd stop by and say hi! Maybe grab a plate of your veal parmesan!" he said.
"Of course! Let me heat you up a plate! Then you can tell me what's wrong…" she said as she headed into the kitchen. She was back within a few minutes with a large, heaping plate of veal and pasta. Tony grabbed the plate and started to eat. She gave him a few moments before she started in on the third degree.
"So spill it Tony! What's wrong?" she asked as she refilled his plate with more food.
"It's nothing really… I just broke up with Kathleen, that's all" he said as he shoved more food in his mouth, hoping filling his mouth with food would stop him from answering more of her questions. He was wrong.
"What? When did this happen? You know… I always thought she was all wrong for you. I mean aside from the whole blonde thing, I never saw the attraction…" she said as Tony nearly spit out his food.
"Blonde thing? What do you mean blonde thing?" he asked, slightly agitated.
"I mean you are attracted to blondes silly… have you forgotten the blonde you work for, who you are at the very least attracted to, if not more. We've all seen the puppy dog eyes you give each other, well that was until you broke her heart… stunad!" she said as she smacked the back of his head.
"Eh oh, oh eh! What was that for? You're acting like I cheated on her! We weren't even together!" he shouted.
"Oh Tony can you stop being so dense for once in your life? Everyone with eyes saw how all last year you two were headed for something. Then just like that, you start it up with some fling from an art class? I don't understand it!" she shouted back.
"Look, what's between me and Angela is… between me and Angela! Besides, we've already talked things out last week and I apologized to her! We even talked to the kids about everything to make sure they were okay because we know now that they were hurting in all of this. I just want things back to the way they were… before…" he said as he poked at his food, no longer hungry.
"Well, then what are you waiting for? Ask her out! Take her somewhere special!" she shouted as she put her arm around Tony's shoulders.
"I can't… she's still with Andy. She's happy with him- he's… he's in her league. He can give her all the things she deserves…" he started before he was cutoff.
"Ah ha! That's it! You don't think your enough for her, that she would be settling if the two of you ever got together! Well Tony Micelli… I'm here to tell you that's ridiculous! She'd be lucky to have you and vice versa! There's more to a relationship than money Tony. You and Marie were flat broke when you got married and that didn't matter. You are in college, making a better life for yourself and Samantha. She fell for you not for those superficial reasons but because of who you are as a person Tony… same reason you fell for her… you don't care what she does for work!" she said.
"I… I don't know okay! Can we please change the subject? Actually, I've got to head out to see the guys. Thanks for the food and… the chat Mrs. Rossini. I'll see you soon" he said as he hugged and kissed her goodbye.
"Remember Tony you offered to babysit for me in two weeks for my neighbor's grandson Billy! Don't forget!" she called out to him as he was already down the stairs. She went back into her apartment and found a phone number in her phone book, dialing quickly.
"Hi ya Mona… yes you were right he came here just like you said! Oh he's a mess alright… those two are so infuriating! Yes I told him that… let's hope it sticks! Okay… hey Mona, are we becoming friends? Mona? Mona are you there? Mona?" she said as she held back the phone, hearing the dial tone beeping. She rolled her eyes as she hung up the phone.
Tony headed down the street, Mrs. Rossini's words in still in his head. Could he really be enough for someone like Angela? She was right that money wasn't important but shouldn't she deserve someone who could give her it all? He was getting himself more and more confused as he knocked on Philly's door. He heard him yell to come in as it was open.
"Hey it's Tony! Good we'll have a real poker game now! Deal him in!" yelled Pee Wee.
"I hope you brought enough cash Tony! I've been on a roll tonight!" said Philly.
"So are you gonna sit down Tony or just stand there with your thumb up your…" Eddie started as Tony sat down and punched him in the arm.
"Alright Joey deal would ya?" said Tony in a frustrated tone.
"What crawled up your butt and died Tony? You get in a fight with that art chick you've been seeing?" laughed Pee Wee. The guys all laughed at Pee Wes's comment, except Philly and of course Tony.
"Is this a poker game or an episode of Oprah Winfrey? Yes I broke up with Kathleen today alright? There it's out there… deal or I'm out of here!" shouted Tony.
"Easy there Tony! Relax! Joey… you heard the man… deal!" shouted Philly. Once the cards were dealt, they eased into a friendly game of poker. Tony won the first few rounds, putting him a better mood. Soon, he was joking around with the guys.
"So Tony, does Angela know about you and Kathleen?" asked Philly, slowly testing the waters with Tony.
"Yeah, I told her tonight before she was heading out on a date with Andy..." he said with an emphasis on the Andy.
"So I don't get it Tony. You and Angela were like a perfect pair. We were all taking bets when we'd be getting our fancy schmancy wedding invitations in the mail! Then nothing… what gives?" asked Joey as he dealt out another round.
"Yeah Tony… how could you do that to Angela? You broke her heart man! When Emily came to town a few weeks ago, she told me how she met up with Angela for brunch and how upset she was over how things were between you two. Not cool man, not cool…" said Eddie.
"You still see that girl Eddie? Way to go!" said Pee Wee.
"Of course I do… whenever she's in town… so am I! I know a good thing when I see it, unlike some people…" he said as he stared down Tony.
"C'mon Tony, go after her now! We all know you two belong together! What are you waiting for? You're not getting any younger!" said Pee Wee.
"Alright alright! We're here to play poker and I for one want to play poker!" yelled Philly.
Tony had had about enough for one night and called it quits, much to the dismay of the guys. He tossed in his cards and headed for the door, followed closely behind by Philly.
"Hey Tony wait!" he yelled as Tony was already outside.
"What is it Philly? Gonna rag on me too? Tell me how much of a fool I am? That I've made the biggest mistake of my life by screwing up the best thing that's happened to me since Marie? That I've risked true love because I'm afraid I'll never be good enough for someone like Angela? Hmmm?" said Tony with a mixture of anger and sadness in his voice.
"Why should I say it when you've already said it?" laughed Philly. Tony let out a slight laugh and sigh.
"C'mon Tony! You know as well as I do Angela isn't like that! She don't care what you do, what your bank account looks like or any of that stuff. That's all in your head man! We can all see you guys are in love, whether you're ready to admit it or not. When you're ready, talk to her Tony. I think you'll be surprised that all you think you've lost is waiting right there for you" said Philly.
"You've been talking to your parole officer again haven't you?" laughed Tony.
"Hey it's cheaper than therapy and it's keeping me outta jail so…" he said with a shrug of his shoulders. Tony gave him a quick embrace and pat on the back before he turned and headed for his car. He knew they were all right tonight, whether he wanted to admit it or not. He just hoped Philly was right and he could figure out a way to get things back on track and soon.