Savor the Rewrite: chapter 16 Allergic to Love
Angela spent the next few days in the hospital, Tony never leaving her side. Mona, Samantha and Jonathan visited them every day and brought them anything they needed from home. Angela tried convincing Tony to go home for a few hours and rest, but he refused. The furthest he left her side was to head to the cafeteria to get her some snacks and some meals for himself. He made a point to stop at the nursery window to look at all the newborns sleeping in their bassinets. His heart melted thinking about their own baby being in there among the other babies in a few short months.
Angela was discharged the day before Valentine's Day. He pushed her in the wheelchair to the lobby as Mona pulled up in the jeep. He helped her into the passenger's side as he went around to put the bags in the trunk, hoping the next time they were all back here was when the baby was due in July.
Once they arrived home, Tony helped her upstairs and into their bedroom. She was under strict instructions to be on bed rest for the next two weeks. Tony had arranged for Samantha and Jonathan to buy a television and small refrigerator for their bedroom. Everything was already set up when they walked into the bedroom.
"Oh Tony! What is this? A television? A refrigerator?" she said as she looked around the room in amazement.
"Well since you will be up here for at least two weeks, I figured you could use the entertainment! Plus, I can stock this fridge with food and drinks for you when I'm in class. I've got one week left of classes then my winter break so it's really just next week I'll be gone for a few hours each day. I'm going to see about getting everyone to chip in around here and be around when I can't be. I don't want you alone Angela…" he said as he helped her over to the bed.
"I think I will be good for a few hours but if it will make you feel better, we can see who can be around to help me. I think right now I just want to lay down in our bed and rest for a bit, followed by a nice, warm shower…" she said as he pulled the covers down and helped her into bed.
"I think that can be arranged… for now I just want you to relax and sleep" he said.
"Stay with me Tony? Just until I fall asleep…" she said as she grabbed his hand.
"Of course sweetheart! Let me rub your back…" he said as he came around to the other side of the bed and started rubbing her back. Within five minutes, she was asleep. It took everything he had not to fall asleep too as he barely slept for the last few days but he knew he needed to plan out a special Valentine's Day for Angela.
He headed downstairs to the kitchen to figure out his plans for Valentine's Day. Mona was finishing up an afternoon snack and reading her magazine as he came in the room.
"Hi Mona! Reading anything good?" he asked as he took out a pad of paper and a pen and sat down next to her at the table.
"Top ten ways to make a guy do anything you want them to… such amateurs! One through six might get you a free meal, but if you really want a guy to…" she started to say as Tony yelled her name.
"Leave somethings to the imagination please!" he said as he shook his head and began jotting down some ideas.
"What are you doing Tony? Writing a follow up to the article?" she snickered.
"No! I'm planning out some ideas for Valentine's Day tomorrow! She's on strict bed rest for the next two weeks so it has to be something in the bedroom…" he said, not realizing he set up Mona for a laundry list of dirty jokes.
"Nah… too easy… so the second thing you could do…" said Mona as Tony gave her a dirty look.
"Mona! Get your mind out of the gutter! That is off the table at least for the next two weeks…" he said sadly.
"So Valentine's Day spent in a cold shower… got it…" she chuckled.
"You have no idea Mona! Anyway… I need something to show her just how much I love her! It's our first Valentine's Day as a married couple and with the baby on the way so it's gotta be special! Maybe a romantic dinner we can eat together in bed plus her favorite dessert!" he said.
"What did you get her for Valentine's Day?" she asked.
"Well before all this happened, I had planned on getting her a mommy to be spa package but now with being on bed rest I don't know if that's a good idea…" he said.
"You could still do that for her- maybe see if they have an option where she could use it after the baby is born in case she can't before then…" she suggested.
"That's a great idea Mona! You're the best!" said Tony as he came over and gave her a big hug.
"Alright already! Save it for someone who cares!" she laughed as she got up and headed back to her apartment. He spent the next hour planning the perfect day for Angela. He checked in on Angela, who was still sleeping. He decided to head to the store and pick up some groceries and other things he needed.
They spent the rest of the night enjoying the dinner Tony had prepared for them in bed. They found some television shows to watch until Angela couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. He pulled the covers over her and made sure she was comfortable before getting out of bed. He decided to take a quick shower and then headed downstairs to start getting things ready for the next day.
Despite going to bed later than normal, Tony was up before his alarm. He was still having flashbacks to his unconscious dream or rather nightmare from the hospital. He couldn't imagine not having Angela and their baby in his life and he knew he had to find ways of keeping his insecurities and fears from getting the best of him.
He headed downstairs to start making Angela's breakfast before having to head off to class. Thankfully it was only one class and he would be back by lunchtime. He wanted to make sure the mini fridge was packed with her favorites. He mixed up some pancake batter and made some freshly squeezed orange juice. He put everything in the fridge and put all her snacks for the day on a tray to carry upstairs. When he entered the bedroom, he was surprised to see Angela already awake and reading a book on pregnancy.
"Morning sweetheart! What are you doing up so early? Are you okay?" he asked with a slightly panicked voice.
"Morning Tony! I'm fine! I woke up to use the bathroom and saw you were already up and dressed so I figured I would just wait for you…" she said as she put the book down.
"Oh okay… Happy Valentine's Day Angela! Our first one as a married couple!" he said as he leaned down for a kiss.
"Our first one as a couple and the last one as a family of five!" she said with a smile as she rubbed her belly.
"So I've brought up a bunch of stuff to stock the refrigerator with… drinks, food, you name it! I was able to get a bunch of different flavors of cranberry juice since I know you don't like the taste but they said it was good for the infection. Also, the thank you cards for the wedding finally came! If you are up to it, I'll bring them up this weekend and we can start writing them out! Just don't lick them Angela! I don't want you to get sick from the adhesive!" he said.
"Alright Tony… we could do them tonight if you want…" she said, disappointment in her voice as she figured they wouldn't be able to celebrate.
"Eh oh, oh eh! It's Valentine's Day! No work… only celebrating!" he said as he sat down next to her on the bed.
"Some celebration… from this room…" she said as she looked around.
"Yes from this room and don't you worry Angela… I've got some things up my sleeve! It's going to be the best Valentine's Day ever! So can I get you something while I make your breakfast?" he asked.
"Let me try one of those cranberry drinks. The one mixed with other tropical fruit. Hopefully it hides the taste!" she laughed. He grabbed her one and poured her a glass, smelling it first.
"Hmm… this smells good! I might have to try some!" he chuckled as he handed her the glass. He gave her a quick kiss and headed downstairs to make her breakfast. About twenty minutes later, he brought up a tray filled with heart-shaped pancakes, orange juice, fresh fruit and a single pink rose in a vase. He made sure she had everything she needed before heading out to class. He made sure that Samantha was going to stop by to check in on Angela.
"Hi Angela! How are you feeling?" asked Samantha as she walked into the bedroom.
"Much better thank you! How are your classes going? You have plans tonight with Pierce?" she asked.
"Classes are good! Looking forward to the winter break though! Pierce and I… broke up…" said Samantha sadly.
"What? Oh Samantha I'm so sorry! What happened?" she asked as she motioned for her to sit down on the bed.
"We were growing apart for a while. He really was a workaholic and school just took up so much of my time… we called it quits last week…" she said.
"Well, maybe that's for the best…" said Angela.
"Yeah… some of the girls are having a single's party tonight with some of the guys from the pre-med department. Melinda and Laurie are trying to set me up with one of them… they think he's perfect for me. His name is Hank… so we shall see…" she said.
"Just have fun sweetheart. Don't rush into anything…" said Angela.
"I won't! Oh before I forget, I picked you up some hard candies like you asked! There's all different flavors, some I've never even heard of! Make sure you only eat the butterscotch ones when Dad isn't around! He can't stand those!" laughed Samantha.
"Thank you! This antibiotic leaves such a bad taste in my mouth!" said Angela as Samantha headed out. Angela unwrapped one of the non-butterscotch candies as she went back to her reading. A little while later, Tony came back from class and brought her up lunch. They enjoyed lunch together as they cuddled together in bed, watching the rest of a sitcom.
"Alright sweetheart, let me head downstairs for a little while so you can rest up. I need to get things started for our dinner tonight!" he said as he leaned over for a kiss. What started out as a gentle, soft kiss, soon turned into something more until Tony reluctantly put on the brakes.
"Oh boy I can't wait until that's back on the table Angela!" he chuckled.
"You and me both! I'm hoping once I'm off bed rest we can go back to that…" she said as she reached over to kiss him one more time.
Tony headed downstairs and made his way into the kitchen, where Samantha and Jonathan were already sitting having lunch.
"Oh good! You two are here! I need your help! Mona and I have started working on Angela's surprise baby shower invitations! Mona was able to have them printed up but I still need them stuffed and addressed with the labels. They should be ready tomorrow. Any chance I can convince you two to help me out?" asked Tony.
"Sure Dad! Do you need stamps too?" asked Samantha.
"Yes actually! Jonathan could you go to the post office and grab some stamps? The commemorative love ones would be great! I'll give you money after breakfast tomorrow" said Tony.
"Will do Tony! Okay I've gotta go get ready for my date!" said Jonathan. Tony and Samantha gave each other surprised looks but didn't question it. Samantha left shortly after to get ready for her party, leaving Tony to start preparing for tonight. By early evening, the dinner was on the stove simmering. He started making the appetizers and checked on dessert in the oven. Once everything was done, he headed back into the living room. He was about to take the stairs to go and get changed, when he saw Mona was coming back down, wearing a bright red evening gown.
"Whoa Mona! Have a hot date tonight?" asked Tony as he looked her up and down.
"No Tony… I'm running a women's group at the local church… Am I overdressed?" she asked sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.
"Those poor women!" laughed Tony as he headed past her and up to his old bedroom. He had gotten out a suit and tie as well as his toiletries earlier in the day when Angela was napping. He quickly changed and fixed his hair. Once he gave himself a quick once over in the kids' bathroom mirror, he grabbed the small folding table as well as a box full of things for the evening and headed into his old bedroom. He spent the next few minutes setting up the room.
"Happy Valentine's Day sweetheart!" he said as he made his way into the room.
"Happy Valentine's Day Tony! You look so handsome!" she gushed as she looked him over in his suit.
"And you look more and more beautiful everyday… I know you are on bed rest but I'm thinking we can make an exception for the next hour or so… come with me…" he said as he took her by the hand and helped her out of bed. He walked her out of the bedroom and into his old room. The lights were dimmed low and candles were lit around the room. The table was set with place settings, candlesticks and a single pink rose in a small vase. The rest of the roses were in a larger vase on the desk. Romantic music was playing from the portable stereo.
"Oh Tony! This is wonderful! I can't believe you did all of this!" she cried as tears started to form in her eyes.
"I'd do anything for you Angela, especially to see that beautiful smile… here come sit down"
he said. He had gotten a rocking chair that was in the attic and had soft cushions tied to it as well as a foot rest so she could keep her feet elevated.
"Alright! Let me go get the first course!" he said as he headed back downstairs. Soon, he was back up with an assortment of appetizers, everything from baby quiches to Swedish meatballs.
"All my favorites!" gushed Angela as she began to eat.
"Of course! This is an Angela appreciation dinner! All your favorites!" he said as he started eating.
"I don't think I need an appreciation dinner but I do appreciate the food! I'm starving!" she laughed.
"Yes you do Angela! You are the best thing to ever happen to me and you are growing inside of you the second best thing to ever happen to me…" he said as he reached over and started rubbing her stomach.
"I won't tell Samantha or Jonathan you said that! Don't want to start the sibling rivalry before this one is even born!" she laughed.
"Very true!" he laughed as they finished eating. He cleared their plates and headed downstairs to get the dinner ready. He carried up the food and placed it on the table.
"Is that linguine alle vongole?" she said as she smelled the delicious aroma as he opened up the food.
"Of course! I made sure the clams were cooked throughly so it's safe for you to eat. I've got a side salad too plus some garlic bread" he said as he plated their food. They enjoyed their meal and had a chance to catch up on school, work and the family. Once they were finished, Tony started to clean up their dishes.
"How about we head back into the bedroom and have dessert in bed?" she asked as she grabbed a hold of his hand.
"Sounds perfect! I'll go grab dessert and I'll be right back!" he said as he leaned down for a kiss. Angela headed back into the bedroom and was able to get her gift for Tony that Mona had helped her both purchase and hide in the bedroom earlier in the day. Tony came back up with two bowls of vanilla ice cream and a hot molten triple chocolate lava cake.
"I tried a new recipe for dessert. I hope you like it!" he said as he placed the tray down in between them on the bed.
"Chocolate cake and ice cream… what's not to love?" she asked with a laugh. They both started eating, throughly enjoying the new recipe. Soon, they were both finished, completely full.
"That… was amazing! Don't lose that recipe!" she laughed.
"I won't! Once you are feeling better and off bed rest, I'm going to take you out for a proper dinner and maybe some dancing…" said Tony.
"Tony this was wonderful! We can definitely go out just to go out but nothing is going to top this night! I've got your Valentine's Day present!" she said as she reached over to her side table drawer and grabbed a medium sized box.
"Angela! You didn't have to get me anything!" he said as he started to rip open the wrapping. He opened the box, taking out a beautiful cashmere sweater. Underneath the sweater, there was a smaller box.
"This is beautiful Angela! Two gifts though? You shouldn't have!" he said as he opened up the small box. He pulled out an old pocket watch.
"It was my father's… I know you have your father's one, but I figured you could have one and… so could the baby…" she said as she wiped away tears in her eyes.
"I love it Angela! You hear that little one! Your first Daddy and baby gift!" he said as he rubbed her belly. He too had to wipe away some tears. He got off the bed and pulled out a big box with an envelope on top.
"Open the envelope then the box…" he said. She tore open the envelope and squealed when she saw the gift certificate for the spa day.
"Oh Tony! This is perfect! I can't wait to use it!" she gushed as she hugged him. She put aside the envelope and started to open up the box. Inside, she saw a beautiful, handmade baby blanket. It was crocheted with pink, blue, green and yellow yarn. She pulled it out and held it up.
"This was the blanket we took Samantha home in and… and the one I came home in. My mother made it when she was pregnant with me. When I was cleaning up the attic a few months ago, I found it in one of the boxes. I know this little one is going to be a summer baby, but I figure at some point they could use it…" he said. Angela was full on crying now. She couldn't think of a more perfect gift.
"Tony I love it and I love you even more for being so kind and caring…" she said as she wrapped her arms around him.
"I guess we both had similar thoughts about our gifts! How about we toast our great minds that think alike!" he laughed as he poured some of the cranberry juice into two wine glasses.
"Here's to us… let this be the start of many, many more romantic moments…" he said as they clinked glasses.
"How about we put on a movie and cuddle up together?" she said.
"Sounds like a great way to spend the rest of the night!" he said as they got up to get changed into pajamas. They cuddled back into one another and found a movie. They were about halfway through the movie, when they both fell asleep, wrapped in each other's arms.
The next morning, they both slept in, Tony finally having a good night's sleep. After he was up and cleaned up the kitchen from the night before, he made breakfast for her and brought it upstairs. While she was waiting for Tony, Angela had a few more of the hard candies. They spent a few more minutes in bed kissing before he put the brakes on and started getting himself ready. He came back down to start working on the baby shower invitations as he finished up his breakfast. He started trying more of Angela's new cranberry drinks and found he had liked a few of them. Samantha was still missing in action from her party the night before; Jonathan was down early and sent to the post office. He came back a short while later.
"Here are your stamps Tony" said Jonathan.
"Oh thank you Jonathan… wait a minute Jonathan! I wanted those commemorative love stamps!" said Tony.
"Well they were all sold out! You can use these…" he said.
"Great American comedians? I am not putting Abbott and Castillo on our wedding thank you's and baby shower invitations!" he practically yelled at Jonathan.
"Why not? You and Mom taking seven years to get together and married is kinda funny!" laughed Jonathan until he saw Tony's face.
"I'll just go to another post office…" he said as he took back the stamps.
"Good… go ahead, get outta here…" said Tony as started to lick some of the baby invitations. He got through about half of them when his mouth started to get dry. He went to the refrigerator and pour himself one of the new cranberry drinks. Just then, Mona and Samantha walked in from the living room.
"Hi Dad!" said Samantha as she walked over to Tony at the counter.
"Hey Sam! How was the party last night? Must have been so good you forgot you were going to help out your old man with the invitations…" said Tony sarcastically.
"Relax Dad! It was amazing! Hank and I really hit it off! Anyway, here is my guest list for the shower!" she said as she handed Tony a piece of paper.
"Great! Sam… Bonnie? Well one person Sam?" asked Tony.
"Well I feel like a baby shower is a special, intimate occasion that should only be shared with those closest to you Dad…" said Samantha.
"Aww! My sentiments exactly sweetheart!" he gushed as he hugged her close.
"Besides… it's party til you heave night on campus… nobody will show up anyway…" she said as she pulled back and took a seat at the table.
"Oh! Is that the same night?" asked Mona with a whiny, defeated voice.
"Mona!" shouted Tony.
"Don't worry… I wouldn't miss my little girl's baby shower for anything in the world! I mean she was at my wedding, so it's only right I be at her shower…" said Mona. She was met with two shocked expressions staring back at her.
"Well so much for that family secret! Don't tell Angela I told you!" laughed Mona as they just shook their heads.
"You sure you're not taking on too much Dad? You've got all the baby shower planning, taking care of Angela, classwork with that big paper due right after your break… not to mention getting things ready for the baby…" said Samantha.
"I'm fine Samantha! I don't want Angela to have to worry about anything and I can manage the rest!" he said as he started to scratch at his face.
"Dad are you okay? You're face is getting blotchy and you look like you've got hives on your face! Your lips are blowing up!" said Samantha with some urgency in her voice.
"What? My whips?" he said with a lisp as he ran to the toaster to get a glimpse of himself.
"Oh my gosh! I've got blimps for whips!" he said as he continued to look at himself.
"It's gotta be an allergic reaction to something! I think we better take you to the doctor" said Mona. Tony just nodded as he and Mona walked out of the house. Before leaving, he asked Samantha to keep an eye on Angela and whatever happened, do not tell her what was happening. He didn't want her to worry or be stressed out. They were able to get to the doctor's office within fifteen minutes and were seen right away. The nurse brought them into the exam room.
"I don't even know why I am here! I don't need a doctor! I'm sure in a whittle while my whips will go back to normal!" said Tony as he continued to have difficulty with pronunciation.
"You've been saying that for the past fifteen minutes and you still look like Julia Roberts! Pretty Woman you're not!" laughed Mona.
"It hasn't hurt her career any!" he said. He continued to try and make excuses as to why he didn't need the doctor, none of them valid, until the doctor came in.
"Hi! I'm Dr. Thomas. How are you? What seems to be the problem?" he asked, only causing Tony to try and leave until Mona grabbed him and pulled him back into the exam room.
"It's his lips doctor…" said Mona.
"I thought so! Let's just see what we got here…" said the doctor when his joke fell flat with Tony. He pulled over the medical equipment and did an examination.
"It looks like you've got an allergic reaction. Have you changed your soap? You've eaten any unusual foods? Slammed your lips in a drawer?" asked the doctor to try and lighten the mood. Tony just stared at the doctor as he wrote down no to the questions.
"Wait a minute! You were licking those envelopes for the baby shower before this all happened! Could the glue from the envelopes do it?" asked Mona.
"You're right Mona! I spent half the morning wicking those wings! That's gotta be it! Case closed! C'mon Mona before he takes out my gallbladder…" said Tony.
"No wait a minute! That's only one possibility. It could be a lot of things… from something in the air to stress…" he said.
"Stress huh…" said Mona as she thought of everything that had happened the past few weeks.
"Nah… the only stress I have is coming to see you Doc!" said Tony.
"You sure? Stress can come from work or sitting in traffic… any change in your life?" he asked.
"My life is great! The only change I've got is a good one! Angela and I got married a few months ago and we are expecting our first child in a few months…" he said proudly.
"Married! A baby! Hmmm…" he said.
"What… what are you 'hmmmm' about?" asked Tony.
"Well there's a recent study that said the only thing more stressful than a wedding and having a new baby… was death…" said the doctor.
"So you're saying the reason my whips are swelling up is because I'm stressed out about having a baby?" he asked.
"No… I'm just pointing out new babies can cause a lot of stress. You're the one who said you're stressed out about the baby…interesting…" said the doctor.
"I said it but I.. I didn't mean it!" said Tony.
"No, no Mr. Micelli! What do you say we just schedule you for some allergy tests on Monday" he said.
"Fine, fine… hey Doc… does that involve any shots?" asked Tony.
"No… the shot's today… just a little something to relieve the swelling…" said the doctor.
"Listen isn't there a pill or something I can take?" he pleaded.
"Well there is a suppository…" said the doctor as he prepared the needle.
"Bring on that needle…" said Tony.
The doctor administered the shot, much to Tony's dismay. The doctor finished up his paperwork for the allergy tests and prescribed the medication in case of future reactions. Tony and Mona headed out to the car.
"This better be a one and done Tony because if you think I'm giving you that shot, as tempting as where the location maybe… no way. I don't do needles so you will have to have Angela do it for you. You need to tell her what's going on Tony and talk to her about any stress you are under with the baby" said Mona.
"No way Mona! I'm not putting any more stress on Angela! I've done enough to stress her out over the last few weeks! She's finally starting to feel better and I'm not messing this up! Besides… I'm over the moon excited about this baby! It's gotta be something I've touched or ingested!" shouted Tony.
"If you think that's best… at least your lips have gone down. It was like talking to Elmer Fudd there for a while!" she laughed. She quickly stopped laughing as the glare Tony was giving her seemed to pierce right through her. She drove them both home, Mona opting to head out for her date earlier than planned as she wanted to avoid what could only turn out to be a disaster once Angela inevitably found out. Tony was exhausted, the side effect of the shot being extreme tiredness. He climbed the stairs and opened up the bedroom door to see Angela and Samantha talking on the bed.
"So we just hit it off! I'm seeing Hank again tonight!" gushed Samantha.
"That's wonderful Samantha! You've been busy Tony! Everything okay? You look exhausted!" said Angela with a worried look.
"Yes I'm fine Angela… just really tired. I think I'll take a quick nap before starting dinner…" he said as he collapsed on the bed. He was asleep moments later.
"I hope he's okay! He's been trying to do everything for the past week and is barely sleeping! The stress he's trying to take from me is too much for him! I hope he can sleep for a while…" said Angela as she gently rubbed his back.
"You know Dad… that Italian stubbornness! I'll hang around until he wakes up. Do you need anything?" asked Samantha.
"Actually, if you have anymore of those hard candies, that would be great! Otherwise the next time you go out, pick me up a bag or two please!" said Angela.
"Will do Angela!" she said as she headed out of the room. Angela curled into Tony's side and soon she was asleep.
Tony slept until early evening, getting up to make them dinner, before falling asleep once again right afterwards. Angela was worried he was getting sick, but by the next day, he was back to his old self. He made sure he avoided the baby shower invitations, the wedding thank you notes and the cranberry juices. He even decided to live on a diet of spaghetti o's just to be sure.
Monday morning came around and Tony snuck off early to get his allergy testing bloodwork before classes. They told him it would take about a week or two to get the results. He was doing a good job of keeping everything from Angela. He had no additional issues with the allergic reaction. By Friday, he was done with all his classes and work in time to take Angela to her twenty week appointment.
"You ready to see this baby Angela? I can't wait to see how big they have gotten!" he gushed as he rubbed her belly.
"I know! I'm almost as happy to be out of the house as I am to see this little one! I'm hoping the strict bed rest will be lifted. I just want to be able to move around the house again!" said Angela as her hand joined Tony's.
"I know sweetheart. I'm hoping you get the all clear too… for all activities, if you catch my drift…" he said seductively as he leaned over and gave her a passionate kiss.
"Is that a new gum you have? It tastes… I'm not sure exactly what…" he said as he tried to pinpoint the taste.
"Oh it's just these hard candies Samantha got me more of today! They are so good! All different flavors!" she said. Just then, the nurse called them into the exam room, where Angela's vitals were taken. Everything was checking out okay as they got Angela set up for the ultrasound.
"So this is the twenty week anatomy scan. It's going to be a longer scan to look for any abnormalities that may have been missed and to make sure the baby is developing on track" said the technician.
"But the amniocentesis came back all clear… could there still be something wrong with the baby?" asked Tony anxiously. He could feel the worry move from his stomach on up to his face and finally his lips. He could feel the swelling starting as well as the itchiness. He tried his best to hide his face with one hand and hold onto Angela's hand with the other.
"As of right now, things have been looking good, but we just want to make sure" said the technician as she began the scan. Tony's apprehension continued to grow as the technician took measurements and scans from all different angles. Angela was surprisingly calm during the scan as she watched the many different views of their baby.
"Look at the baby's profile Tony! I think he or she is going to look just like you!" she gushed as she squeezed Tony's hand.
"I fink you're right!" slurred Tony.
"Are you okay Tony?" she asked as she tried to look back over her shoulder at him. He just nodded at her and pointed to something on the screen, getting her attention back to the baby.
"Alright! Everything looks great! I've printed out some sonograms for you! The doctor will be in soon to go over some things" said the technician as she left the room. Tony helped her off the table, still trying to hide his face. Thankfully, he had the medication in the car so maybe one of the nurses could be persuaded to administer it to him before they left if he could sneak away.
"Tony did you hear that? The baby is okay! And we are at the half way mark too! This little one will be here before we know it! So much still left to do! We need to start on the nursery, make a registry, sign up for a childbirth class, look at getting a bigger car! It's all so exciting!" she said as she rubbed her belly.
"Hmmm… yes it is!" he mumbled behind his hand, trying desperately to avoid her seeing his face.
"Tony, put down your hand! I want to see that handsome face that I'm sure this baby will take after!" she said with a smile as she grabbed his hand and pulled it down. She gasped at the swollen face in front of her.
"Tony! Are you alright? What's wrong?" she asked with a great deal of concern.
"It's nothing Angela! Just a whittle allergic reaction… no big deal…" he said as he tried to play it off nonchalantly.
"No big deal? Your face is red and swollen! What are you allergic to?" she asked.
"I'm… I'm not sure yet. I went for testing at the beginning of the week but the results aren't in yet…" he said.
"Beginning of the week? This has happened before and I'm just finding out about it now? Tony!" she shouted.
"Easy Angela! I had a reaction the day after Valentine's Day. They think it could be an allergy to something I ate or ingested or…" he started but couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.
"Or what?" she asked, the concern in her voice turning quickly to anger.
"Or it could be stress…" he said as he cast his eyes downward, only looking back up when he thought maybe the puppy dog look would win her over. He was wrong, but was saved when the doctor came in.
"Hi everyone! So everything looks great with the baby! All your vitals are good so I'd like you to continue the antibiotic for another week. You can resume most normal activities as well but I'd like you to work from home for the next two weeks or so, just to continue to rest. Do you have any questions?" asked the doctor.
"No not right now at least not about the baby. My husband, on the other hand, is having some type of allergic reaction. Can you treat him for it by any chance?" asked Angela as she gave Tony a stare.
"I've got the medication in the car Angela. I… I just need someone to administer it…" he said as he looked back down at his feet.
"That is some nasty allergic reaction! Did you go for testing?" asked the doctor as he examined Tony's swollen face.
"Yes… I should get the results soon…" he said.
"Well unfortunately we can't administer any medication to people who aren't our patients but I have a feeling Angela won't mind giving you the injection…" the doctor said with a chuckle.
"Oh I won't that's for sure…" said Angela as she thanked the doctor and headed out the door, Tony following behind her like a sad puppy dog. They made it to the car; Tony tried to help her into the car but Angela was too angry and got in the car herself.
"Angela…" he started to say as he was interrupted by Angela.
"Don't Tony… just drive home so I can give you the shot and you can rest" she said as she looked out the window. He decided trying to reason with her now was a waste of time and would put more stress on both of them, something he wanted to avoid, so he drove them home. Angela was out of the car first, Tony coming behind her as they walked through the front door. Mona was sitting on the sofa reading a magazine when she looked up, knowing instantly Angela was aware of Tony's issues.
"Well I guess she found out Tony…" she said with a chuckle.
"Wait you knew too? Does everyone know besides me, your wife?" shouted Angela.
"Who do you think took him to the doctor Angela? Relax… it's just us plus Samantha… who I'm sure told Jonathan and I wouldn't be surprised if the new lover boy Hank knew…" said Mona as Tony walked over to her and gave her a look to shut up.
"Great! Everyone knows but me! Where is the medication Tony? You need it now before your face gets any worse…" she said angrily.
"I'll get it Angela…" he said as he took the medication and went into the kitchen to get it set up.
"Go easy on him Angela… he's just trying to avoid stressing you out after the last few weeks…" said Mona as Tony came back in with the syringe. He started to unbuckle his pants when Mona stood up.
"As entertaining as this will be… I think I'm going to head to my apartment now… try biting down on something hard Tony…trust me on this one…" said Mona as she walked away.
"Angela…" he started to say when she again interrupted him.
"Stop talking and bend over!" she said forcefully as she injected him with the shot. He cried out in pain but soon recovered well enough to try and talk again.
"Tony… you need to go lay down. I'm assuming that shot knocks it out of you eventually so go and lie down. I'm going to do some work and then I think I will join you. It's… been a long day so far…" she said as she walked into her study. He reluctantly headed upstairs, kicking himself for not telling her sooner.
The next few days were quiet around the house. Tony didn't have any allergic reactions but things between him and Angela were cool. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and confronted her one day after breakfast while she was working in the living room.
"Angela we need to talk! It's been like Antarctica around here for days! Please!" he pleaded with her.
"Okay Tony… I guess we should talk" she said as she crumbled up some wrappers and put them on the table.
"Look Angela I never meant to lie to you, to hurt you! I just didn't want to stress you out! I've done enough of that recently and I'm not going to do it if I can help it!" he said as he held back tears.
"But Tony… we talked about this… we have to be honest with one another about how we feel and what's going on if this is going to work…" she said.
"Of course it's going to work! I love you Angela and I love this baby! I can't wait to become a father again!" he said as he pulled her to him, sealing his declaration with a deep kiss.
"Okay, okay! Just promise me no more hiding things from one another okay?" she asked as she leaned back in for another kiss.
"That I can promise Angela!" he said as he deepened the kiss. "You know… they gave you clearance for all activities you know…" he said with a smirk.
"He did…" she said as she took his hand and led him up the stairs. They were barely in their room when they were taking off each other's clothes.
"Oh Angela… I wuv you so much!" he said as he went to kiss her again.
"Wuv? Oh no… Tony your lips! They are swollen again!" she said as she sunk down on the bed.
"No, no! They are just so happy to wiss you again!" he said, trying to hide the obvious.
"Tony! I know what's happening! It's your lips isn't it?" she asked.
"No! Well yes…" he said sadly as he sat down on the bed.
"It's because we are talking about the baby! Tony! Lips don't lie! Look at them! They are revolting at the thought of having a baby with me!" she cried, as tears came streaming down her face.
"Oh Angela! Angela! I swear they're not! I want you and this baby more than anything! There's no stress! No second guessing!" he shouted.
"That's what worries me the most! Having a baby is stressful and something to be worried about along with all the happiness" she said. Just then, Jonathan walked in the room, covering his eyes as he saw them half dressed.
"C'mon guys? Stop adding things to talk with my shrink about! Tony, here's your blood test results!" said Jonathan as he flung the letter inside the room and quickly existed, making gagging noises on the way out.
"Angela! Angela! Wook! It's my test results!" shouted Tony as he ripped open the letter.
"Oh good! What does it say?" she said as she wiped away her tears.
"According to this, the only thing I'm allergic to is the lapitus flower and… butterscotch…" he said as we the frown on his face grew even larger. Angela's face got larger as she put her hand to her face. Tony quickly got changed and headed downstairs.
"Tony…" she started but he was already out of the bedroom. She quickly got dressed and found him pacing in the living room.
"So now we know it's not an allergy… I haven't had either of those…" he said defeatedly.
"Wait Tony…" she started to say.
"Look! Look! I'm not going to believe in that doctor's psycho babble!" he shouted as he stood up, ignoring Angela.
"Tony!" she shouted.
"I know having a baby so soon after getting married is stressful, but I want this more than anything! Of course I have my doubts… it's been almost two decades since either one of us has parented a newborn! And I'm just about to graduate and start a brand new career… can I handle a new job plus sleepless nights? And we've never parented a baby together… Jonathan was six, almost seven, a far cry from a newborn!" he said as he kept on rattling off more and more of his fears and insecurities.
"Tony! Okay so you have insecurities about this! So do I but like everything else we've done these past seven, almost eight years, we will take it on together! But if we don't start communicating about the fears as well as the joys, we are going to be in a lot of trouble…"
"I know Angela… okay I promise you no matter what I'm feeling or going through, you will be the first to know… but I'm still not feeling any better Angela! I guess I'm awergic to wove…" he said with a pout.
"No Tony! That's what I was trying to say earlier! You're allergic to butterscotch! The hard candies that Samantha got me… about half of them are butterscotch! I bet you each time you had an allergic reaction, I had just had one of those candies and then you kissed me!" she practically shouted.
"What? So I'm not awergic to wove?" he asked with a great deal of enthusiasm.
"No! It's the butterscotch!" she said.
"Oh this is wonderful! We are gonna have a baby! See wittle one! I told you I'm excited for you!" he said as he leaned down and talked lovingly to her belly.
"I'm so relieved Tony!" she said as he stood back up.
"Yeah! And you thought I had doubts!" he said.
"Yeah… well wait a minute! What was that laundry list you just rattled off a minute ago?" she asked sarcastically.
"Slip of the whip?" he slurred as she just stared at him.
"Well… can you say you have no doubts? No fears about being parents again?" he asked.
"Well…maybe a few…" she said as she turned around and started to walk over to the sofa.
"You do? Wike what?" he asked as he followed her to the sofa.
"Well Tony… like you said it's been a long time since we took care of a newborn and we've never done it together! We are not exactly spring chickens here either- this baby will be in college and we will be sixty! Samantha and Jonathan are almost grown- our potential grandkids could be within five years of this little one!" she said as she continued to rattle off her doubts and fears.
"Okay Angela! Please! I don't want to hear about it! I mean we are going to have doubts and fears but that is to be expected when we are… expecting! It comes with the territory! We are going to make great parents! This baby is going to have all it needs… a family who already woves them more than anything…" he said as he put his hand back on her belly.
"Oh Tony…" she said as the tears started to flow.
"Kiss me Angela!" he said as he leaned into her.
"Maybe I should give you a shot first…" she said as she looked at his swollen face.
"Why? There's so much more to wove this way…" he said as she reluctantly leaned in for a kiss, both of them smiling and laughing as they collapsed on the sofa.