"Angela what are you doing here?"
"I'm meeting a client for drinks. What are you doing here?"
"I'm meeting Sam for a little Father-Daughter get together."
Curtis cleared his throat. "Well actually you're not."
Tony and Angla stared at him in confusion.
"We're not?"
'What do you mean?"
Curtis reached inside his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He handed it to Angela.
"This will explain everything."
Angela unfolded it and started reading. Her eyebrows shot up.
"ANGELA! What does it say?"
Angela sighed and read the note:
Dear Tony and Angela aka the two most pig-headed and exasperating people in the world!
Yes, we all tricked you because we are sick and tired of this game the two of you have been playing the last few months-no scratch that- the last few years. So Jonathan suggested we set you up somewhere like he did on Valentine's Day. If you are reading this note it worked. So have some dinner and drinks and talk to each other. And yes Angela you are paying for it (you didn't think I would spend my own money?!)
Anyway, eat, drink and be merry!
Love,
Your long suffering family
P.S. If you decide to throw caution to the wind and elope to Las Vegas we fully support you!
Angela crumpled the note up.
"I can't believe they did this! When Jonathan set us up it was cute. I mean yes I was a little upset but this is just….you know what? I'm not staying! I refuse to be manipulated like this!" She stood up.
Angela, wait!"
"Wait? For what?"
Tony sat down. "Why don't we stay? I mean they went to all this trouble."
"Are you saying you're okay with all this?"
He shrugged. "Well no. But hey we're here now."
"Tony, I don't feel right about this."
"Why not?"
"Why not? We're dating other people in case you have forgotten."
"No, I haven't. But we are friends Angela. Best friends."
'Yeah friends. That's all we are.' She thought sadly.
"Please stay. The thing is we have both been so busy lately we hardly had any time to talk. I miss you."
Angela looked into his warm brown eyes. She missed him too. He was right. They had both been busy the last few weeks.
"Okay. I'll stay." She sat back down.
"Ah good. Now Mr. Micelli. May I get you something to drink?"
"Yes, anything you have on tap is fine."
"Very good sir."
Curtis left the room.
"Well I guess we better look at the menu." Angela said and picked hers up.
"That's a good idea."
They scanned the menu for a few minutes.
"Everything looks and sounds so good." She said,
'It does. But let's promise each other something."
"What?"
"We don't pig out like last time!" He winked at her.
She started laughing. "Oh yeah. That was the worst! "
"Yeah, it was. But it was worth it." He gazed at her.
She felt a warm sensation overcome her. But she told herself to forget it. He was with Kathleen. He had chosen Kathleen. He only saw her as a friend.
"So how are things with Kathleen?"
He felt like he had been doused with a cold bucket of ice water.
"Kathleen?"
"Yes, Kathleen. You know the woman you are dating?"
"Oh, well actually she's out of town. Her Aunt Janet had a stroke and she went to be with her."
Angela gasped. "Oh my gosh! That's awful! The next time you talk to her will you give her my best?"
Once again Tony was amazed by how kind hearted she was. Here he had betrayed her- and the relationship they had been building- and broken her heart, and she was sympathetic to Kathleen and her family. But it wasn't any big surprise of course. After all this was the same woman who had opened her home up to him and Sam. This was the same woman who helped him clean out his Father's apartment. This was the same woman who treated and loved his daughter like she was her very own. It was no wonder he had fallen in love with her .He wanted to tell her so bad that it hurt. But he knew that as long as he was with Kathleen it wasn't possible. And with her out of town and devastated over her Aunt-well he would be the biggest jerk in the world if he broke up with her. So he had no choice but to wait.
"I will." He smiled.
She nodded and looked back at her menu.
Curtis came back and set Tony's drink in front of him.
"Thank you."
"Your waitress will be with you momentarily."
"Thank you."
Curtis nodded and left the room. A couple of minutes later their waitress entered.
"Good Evening. My name is Sandra. Are you ready to order?"
"I am. How about you Angela?"
"Yes, I am."
"Ladies first."
"I will have the tilapia with garlic and lemon with mashed potatoes, and asparagus."
"Very good. For you sir?'
"I will have the ribeye steak-medium- with a baked potato and green beans."
"Butter and sour cream for your potatoes?"
"Yes. Thank you."
Sandra collected their menus and left them alone.
"So how are things with Andy?"
"Andy?"
"Yea, you know. Andy."
"Oh. Things are fine."
"Angela, I uh…..Mona told me that…"
"What? What did she tell you?"
"That you almost accepted his proposal."
"Yes, I did. I mean I almost did. I changed my mind."
"Why?"
"I just don't think it's the right decision for now."
"For now? Does that mean that in the future you will agree to marry him?" Tony felt his heart breaking.
'Yes, it's possible. He does love me and I care about him. I could do a lot worse."
"But, Angela, you don't love him!"
'No, I don't. I love you but you love Kathleen.'
"Well that's between Andy and me."
"Angela you…"
"TONY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH HER?!"
################################################
RING! RING!
"Hello?"
"Hey Mona. It's Curtis."
"Curtis! How are things going?"
"Well at first Angela was going to leave after she read your note. I mean she was furious. But Tony convinced her to stay."
"He did? Oh that is fabulous!"
"Yeah, and as far as I can tell everything is fine. They just ordered dinner."
"Okay thanks! "
"No problem Mona! Bye!"
"Bye!"
Mona hung the phone up and turned to Sam and Jonathan who had been waiting with baited breath.
'Well what did he say?"
"Yeah, Grandma, Is everything okay?"
"Well he said at first Angela was going to leave but Tony convinced her to stay."
Sam squealed and clapped her hands. "He did? Oh this is wonderful!"
"Yes, it is. Now we just have to be patient just a little while longer.
######################################################
Tony turned around in shock into the livid eyes of Linda-Kathleen's co-worker.
"Linda! Hi." He stood up.
"Don't you Linda, hi me! I can not believe what I am seeing! Kathleen is out of town probably crying her eyes out at her Aunt's bedside and here you are two timing her with this-she waved her hand- tramp!"
"Excuse me?" Angela shot her eyes from Linda to Tony and then back at Linda.
"You heard me!"
"Linda, you have this all wrong!"
"Oh, I have this all wrong? Well let's see. You are here all alone with another woman while Kathleen is out of town. What is this? A little while the cat's away the mice will play?" She smirked.
Tony counted to ten. "Linda, this is Angela."
"Angela? You mean your boss Angela?"
"Yes."
"Oh yes. Kathleen has told me about you."
"She has?"
"Yes". She looked between the two of them. "She told me about the time Tony here completely humiliated her when he took her out to a very fancy restaurant just so he could spy on you and your date."
"Okay, yes I did do that. But we talked through it."
Linda looked at Angela. "So then tell me something Angela. You do know that Kathleen is going through a family crisis right now?"
"Yes, I do."
"And you thought that you would just sweep in and steal her man?"
"I…"
"YOU BITCH!"
Before Tony and Angela could react Linda hauled off and slapped Angela right across the face.
