The Room, Unslept in
A/N: Time for Chapter 10! Those two months were agony for both Tony & Angela. But what triggered Tony to decide to go back to Connecticut? Find out in this new chapter of The Room, Unslept In.
PS – I don't own any of the characters from Who's the Boss? I also don't own the song(s) I use in this story. I also don't own the dialogue I sometimes use in the chapters. I've tried to pick songs that remind me of Tony & Angela and their relationship. If you'd like to hear them, check out YouTube – you can find just about everything there.
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Chapter 10: The Short Road Home
"Angela, don't you want me to get you a new housekeeper from the agency? It's been over a week since you fired Marge!" Mona was trying to persuade Angela to change her mind, but she wasn't having any luck convincing her to interview any new people.
"No, no, no more right now," Angela said frustrated. "I can't take one more housekeeper, the introductions, walking them around the house, getting used to another person in the house, going through horrible cooking again, and anything else associated with hiring a new housekeeper. I don't have the patience right now. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I don't want to look at one more strange face coming through this house. Mother, we talked about this right after Marge left," Angela said snapping at Mona.
"You're bothered by Samantha leaving in a few days, aren't you?" Mona asked picking up on Angela's bad vibes.
"What makes you say that, Mother?" Angela answered back in an annoyed, but innocent tone.
"Angela, you can't fool me," Mona went on trying to sound sympathetic. "Haven't we already had this conversation? I can pick up on just about anything, and right now you're wondering what Samantha might tell Tony about the past couple of months when she sees him."
"What could she possibly tell him? She doesn't know about the baby. I haven't said anything about why I fired the other three housekeepers," Angela rattled off.
"If I'm any judge of a person, and I am as you know," Mona added with confidence, "He's feeling the same way you are, Angela. I don't think Samantha will have to tell him that." By the way, Angela, why did you fire the other three housekeepers?"
The conversation ended with that question. Angela got up from the sofa and went upstairs.
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A few days later, Samantha was standing in the kitchen saying her goodbyes to Angela.
"Angela, are you sure there's nothing you want me to tell Dad?" Samantha asked her again.
Angela thought for a moment and then said, "Wait, there is something you can tell him from me."
"Sure, what is it?
"Tell him, "She paused then slowly continued "Tell him this… I always knew you'd do big and important things. Yeah, that's it. Tell him that," she told Sam with a faraway glaze over her eyes remembering when she told him that after he decided to change his major to teaching. Oh, how proud she was of him at that moment she thought as tears started to well up in her eyes. She quickly returned to the present so Samantha would not see her starting to cry.
"Sure, Angela, I'll tell him that for you." She stood up and gave Angela a big hug. "Angela, I'll see you in a few days."
"Have a safe trip sweetheart."
Having said good bye, Samantha went out the back door to meet Hank who was waiting for her at the car to take her to the airport.
Angela stayed in the all-too quiet kitchen and sipped her orange juice. Then she got ready for work.
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Later that afternoon, Sam landed in Iowa and rushed up to her Dad to give him a big hug when she caught sight of him waiting at the gate.
"Sam, Sam, Sam, my baby Sam. I've missed you so much he said kissing her hello. "I'm so glad you made it. How was the flight?" They remained in a tight hug.
"A little bumpy, but fine. The movie was Groundhog Day, so I watched that. Dad, I missed you so much. I even missed you watching over me like a hawk."
Samantha had carried a weekend suitcase with her so there was no need to stop for luggage before leaving the airport. "Let's go to the car and get back to my apartment," Tony said as he led them out of the airport to the parking lot.
Father and daughter talked about many things on the ride back, except for the one thing neither one brought up. She talked about her summer class and how excited she was to be going back to Ridgemont for her final year. She talked about a potential internship she might be doing during the upcoming semester. Tony talked about his baseball team and how he had made inroads with several students who had been having difficulties with Tony's history class. It was a lot of small talk. Both were ignoring the one topic that they needed to talk about but didn't.
Samantha found it awkward walking back into Tony's apartment. The last time she was there, the visit ended in disaster. But Tony had a surprise for her – home cooked lasagna. She was so hungry and couldn't wait to dig into those hot, cheesy noodles and home-made marinara sauce. He also baked fresh garlic bread for her.
"Yum!" Samantha sniffed as she walked in. Let me call Hank before we eat and tell him I got here safe and sound," Sam said as she put her purse down after waking in.
"Sure, Samantha. You remember where the phone is," Tony said, pointing in the direction of the desk.
Samantha dialed Hank, and when he answered she told him she'd arrived. She asked him to tell Angela that she had arrived. Hank let her know he'd give Angela the message as soon as she got back from work.
Tony listened to Samantha talk to Hank while imagining Angela walking through the front door of their Connecticut house ready to have one of his home-cooked meals knowing it was a vision that lived in his memory. He sighed heavily hoping Samantha wouldn't notice.
After she got off the phone, she walked over to her Dad and gave him another big hug. "Congratulations again on your award."
As Samantha got settled in the apartment, Tony prepared their early dinner and brought the food out to the table. Samantha dug into the lasagna thanking her dad for making her favorites for her first meal back with him.
Tony continued filling her in on what was happening at Wells during the summer session. Samantha filled him in on what was happening at home skirting around anything to do with Angela – or Jonathan's graduation. She was not happy that he wasn't going, even though he hadn't outrightly said he wasn't going. Jonathan had filled her in on his conversation with Tony.
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Driving over to the banquet the next day and feeling guilty for looking at Candy's friend, Theresa, with even a slight bit of interest, Tony finally bit the bullet and asked, "How is she?" too uncomfortable to even say her name.
"Well, it's about time you asked about Angela," Samantha told Tony indignantly. She started rattling off how Angela was, leaving out little details such as the fact she was still wearing his engagement ring and seemed to be unusually sick to her stomach all the time.
"We've gone through four housekeepers since Angela got back from Iowa. She found fault with each one, although we don't know what was wrong with the first three. The fourth one, Marge, seemed like a character from a bad horror film. She was gawdawful," Samantha stated with emphasis in her still detectable Brooklyn accent.
Tony chuckled and asked for Samantha to define what she meant by "gawdawful." Samantha went on to tell him about Marge's weird diabolical voice and how she fed them non-stop fried food.
Tony slipped his cassette into the player and turned it on. The first tune to come on was Frank Sinatra's version of It Had to Be You. He listened while Sam continued their conversation. It reminded him of a night almost two years prior at the closing of the Starlight Ballroom and his slow reconciliation with Angela after the Kathleen fiasco. He shivered at the thought and turned his attention back to what Sam was saying. He wanted to turn off the cassette, but didn't want to draw attention to himself for doing so.
"She did get a new account – something about bagged salad," Samantha added positively.
"That's great," Tony said missing how Angela would always call him when she won a new account.
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They dined on typical banquet food – a choice between chicken piccata and prime rib. Sam picked the chicken piccata which came with wild rice and honey-glazed carrots. Everyone else at the table selected the prime rib with a fully loaded baked potato and asparagus. Everyone dined on the corn bread from the basket in the middle of the table. Although Tony tried to strike up a conversation with Candy's friend, Theresa, the conversation was very superficial going nowhere beyond talking about some movies that had recently come out.
Then Dr. Graham got up and walked over to the podium on the back wall. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to take this moment to thank everyone for coming this afternoon. I don't often get the opportunity to honor a new teacher with such a winning record for our baseball team, but today I get that chance. Tony, when you changed your mind and decided to begin your teaching career with us, we were so glad you made that decision. You took our team and turned them into a first-place winning team. We – and Wells - have you to thank for that. Your students had nothing but the best things to say about the way you teach and how you treat every student like a family member. Today, I'm honored to give you this award, "Outstanding New Teacher of the Year. Please come up here to say a few words."
Applause followed as Tony walked up to the podium. He was really proud of his accomplishment. As he got to the podium and looked out across the room, he was relieved about one thing – that they hadn't had any more baby blue tuxes available. He inwardly grinned as he looked out at a sea of blue.
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After the banquet, Tony and Samantha quietly sat in his Jeep. Tony let out a long breath declaring, "That was some event, Sam, huh?" as he remembered her face as he went up on stage to collect his plaque.
"Yes, they seem to love you here, Dad. I'm so proud of you." Sam was holding the plaque now, looking at the design and writing on it.
Tony thought back to the event after he walked up to the podium. Dr. Graham handed Tony his award and then went back to sit down at their table.
He looked out at the audience and particularly the table he had just left to walk up to the podium. He saw Dr. Graham smiling happily. He saw Candy and her friend Theresa. Then he saw Sam. He thought about how proud he was at the woman she had turned into. But then his stomach bottomed out. What he didn't see was the rest of his family! There was no Mona, no Jonathan, no Hank, and no Angela. The intensity of loss he felt at that moment made him hesitate before speaking.
His speech was a blur and, quite frankly, he couldn't remember much of what he said. He had been so distracted by his missing family. He did remember that he swallowed hard and thanked everyone for the award. He thanked all his students for making teaching and coaching so easy. He thanked his daughter for coming to the banquet. His mind couldn't escape thinking that the one person he really owed his career to wasn't sitting in that room. Standing there at the podium, he understood why she had left. The anger he felt towards Angela the past two months slowly dissipated, and he was left with a feeling of gratitude.
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Tony started the engine and slowly started to drive Sam and him back to his apartment. He turned on the radio to the last strums of Cass Elliot singing what remained of, Darling, Be Home Soon. He hadn't heard that song in ages.
….
So, darling
My darling, be home soon
I couldn't bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled
My darling, be home soon
It's not just these few hours, but I've been waiting since I toddled
For the great relief of having you to talk to
Go
And beat your crazy head against the sky
Try
And see beyond the houses and your eyes
It's okay to shoot the moon
Darling be home soon
I couldn't bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled
My darling, be home soon
It's not just these few hours, but I've been waiting since I toddled
For the great relief of having you to talk to
"Dad, I just remembered that Angela wanted me to tell you something about your award tonight. She said to tell you she said, I always knew you'd do big and important things."
Tony's eyes opened wide as he remembered when he first heard those words said to him.
As he was thinking about what Samantha just told him, Barbra Streisand came on the radio with her duet with Vince Gill. If You Ever Leave.
When I fall, you're my place to land
I lose my touch, you're my hands,
The one I hold on to
If you run out of reasons to try
I'll love enough for both you and I
I'll be the one you can run to
… I'd rather go through any pain love puts us through
Than to spend one day without you by my side
… If you ever leave me, will you take me with you?
If you're ever lonely, I want to be lonely too
My home's beside you, no matter where you may go
My love's inside you, even more than you know
… In a world of anger and lies
I find peace in your eyes
A flame in the darkness
… Ooh, and through all space and time
'Til every star refuses to shine
… You know where my heart is
I'd rather go through any pain love puts us through
… Than to spend one day without you by my side
If you ever leave me, will you take me with you?
If you're ever lonely, I want to be lonely too, woah
My home's beside you, no matter where you may go
… Where you may go
… My love's inside you, even more than you know
… And I can't remember life without you
The way it used to be
Feels like a million years away
… Well hold me 'til the angels sing
… Tell me every little thing
… Promise me forever from this day
… If you ever leave me, will you take me with you?
If you're ever lonely, I want to be lonely too, woah
My home's beside you, no matter where you may go
… Where you may go
… My love's inside you, even more than you know
… Even more than you know woah, woah
… Even more than you know
… Even more than you know
Even more than you know
Even more than you know
This was getting to be too much. As Tony listened to the words, his eyes grew wide as reality hit him. It was FATE! As he sat there, he remembered his rendezvous with a blonde teen at summer camp all those years ago. Anthony and Ingrid had led to Tony and Angela. The last nine years flashed before him, and he realized that none of what he had in Iowa meant as much as Angela did to him. This long-time-coming revelation was like the clouds parting after a storm revealing the sun.
And no, they were not both doing what they were meant to do he thought after telling Samantha that earlier in the day. They had both been wrong on that account. They were both crazy for even thinking that. That's when he blurted out his announcement.
"Samantha – I have to go home – NOW!"
Confused, Samantha replied, "But we are home, Dad."
"No, no – Connecticut home – home to Angela. I have to leave NOW!," he repeated with more emphasis. "None of this means anything without her!"
"Dad, are you crazy, how are you going to get home now? There aren't any more flights today. Your job is here! You just signed a three-year contract to teach here." Samantha was starting to panic.
"Yes, yes, there's one more. I took it once when I was commuting back and forth to Connecticut. There must be some tickets left tonight. There just have to be. I need there to be two tickets left," Tony said wishing the tickets into existence.
Tony parked and gave Sam the key to the apartment. He told her to grab her stuff and come back to the car as fast as she could. He didn't want to waste any time right now getting his own stuff, he was too frantic at the moment. So, he wound up driving to the airport in his tuxedo carrying only what he had in his pants pockets and his award plaque.
Once at the airport, Tony bought two tickets back to LaGuardia flying through Chicago. Before getting on the plane, Tony placed a call to Dr. Graham.
"Dr. Graham, I'm glad I reached you. Thank you again for tonight. It's been a highlight of my life. Now I need to give you two-weeks notice," Tony plainly stated.
Dr. Graham listened in shock as Tony explained his motives for doing this on such short notice. Dr. Graham, slowly realized that nothing he was going to say was going to change Tony's mind. "It's Angela, isn't it?"
"Yeah, I need to go home to Angela." I want to thank you for everything. Tonight solidified what I had been feeling for a while now. At least since I accepted the three-year contract," Tony elaborated. "Dr. Graham, I'll be back in a few days, but my flight is about to leave," and Tony hung up the phone.
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As they sat on the plane, Sam revealed something she'd been holding back for almost six years. "Dad, I knew at the Ferguson wedding all those years ago. I know it took me awhile to figure it out completely, but the two of you could not take your eyes off each other while you were dancing."
"I think you and Jonathan both had it figured out before we did." Tony told Samantha reflectively. He smiled at his daughter.
Tony turned back to look out the window and thought about what was about to happen next. He was nervous. He was excited. But he wasn't bereft any more. He promptly put his head back on the headrest and anxiously waited for the plane to land in New York.
The End – Chapter 10 of The Room, Unslept In – The Short Road Home
So sorry for making you wait some more, but …
Chapter 11 coming soon….