Chapter 1- Seer of Love
As always, all the credit goes to the writers, staff, crew and actors of WTB? Many of the lines are directly from the show.
Disclaimer: many people from this wonderful fandom have written about season 8, even redoing the season like I plan to do. Not trying to step on any toes, just trying to give my own take on what I would have liked season 8 to be!
"If you don't throw up on him tonight, I will…" said Mona as she walked out the front door, leaving Angela standing in the living room alone, lost in her own thoughts.
Angela stood there, holding onto the unwrapped jewelry box. She wondered how she could have gotten her signals so crossed these past few months since coming back from Washington DC. Since their game of show and tell, they had found more opportunities to play it and more. Their evening teas at the kitchen table became more intimate. Their weekends continued to be spent together- at the movies, sporting events, concerts or just spent together cuddled on the sofa watching an old movie. When Billy left to go back to his grandmother, they grieved together, growing even closer.
"How could I have been so wrong? Weren't we leading to somewhere? He had to invite the whole family? I get that it is our family's anniversary but still… and to a carnival? Oh Angela… stop getting your hopes up!" she thought to herself as she silently chastised herself for getting her hopes up. She decided to throw away the wrapping paper in the kitchen before heading out. If she had looked out the front window instead of heading into the kitchen, she would have seen two sets of prying eyes.
"So do you think she bought it?" asked Mona.
"Hook, line and sinker!" said Tony as his smile grew larger.
"It's about time you got off the dime and told her how you feel! Finally you two are going to ditch the blind nun!" laughed Mona.
"I know, I know! It's been seven long years but tonight is the night! I'm going to finally tell her how much she means to me. How much I love and adore her and can't imagine my life without her in it…" he said.
"So do you have it?" asked Mona.
"Right here!" he said as he pulled out a small blue box from his pocket. He opened up the box and revealed a beautiful engagement ring.
"Oh Tony she is going to love it! I can't wait for this to finally happen!" said Mona as she wrapped her arms around him.
"Okay okay! She's coming back out! C'mon let's get in the car!" said Tony as he put the ring back in his pocket and headed to the car.
The family headed to the carnival, parking the cars close together. They walked in together as a family. Tony had only let Mona in on the ruse- no one else in the family was aware of his true intentions. He tried to play it off as cool as possible- stopping for cotton candy and taffy, playing as many arcade games as possible. His go to game, knocking down the milk bottles, was a guaranteed win each time he played. He purposely won stuffed animals for everyone, leaving Angela last. He knew he was putting it on a little too much when she stopped talking to him, giving a lame excuse that her dinner was so chewy. He knew the time to start to shift gears was now so he gave Mona a slight nod. She was able to get the rest of the family, including Mrs. Rossini who happened to show up at just the wrong time, to leave them alone so he could start to put on the old Micelli charm.
He decided to let her pick what they did next. He expected her to pick the ferris wheel or the tunnel of love. Never in a million years would he have thought she'd pick the fortune teller. He reluctantly agreed, thinking maybe he could stretch out his ruse a little while longer, really play it up. Unfortunately, he played it up a little too well with Madam Alexandra. He was shocked she would just up and leave. He really got freaked out when the psychic knew his full name, even the Morton part.
"Oh I really blew it! I might have ruined everything!" he said as he stepped out of the tent. Madame Alexandra followed him outside.
"You still have time Tony! You must find her and convince her you love her more than just friends. She loves you but you have your work cut out for you tonight. Remember… you must kiss your true love by midnight, or you risk losing her forever!" said Madame Alexandra.
"Oh man! This is not going to plan! Think Micelli, think!" he said out loud to himself. He put his hands through his way too short hair, trying to conjure up an idea on how to get out of this mess. All he knew was that he had to find her and fast.
Meanwhile, Angela was wondering aimlessly around the carnival campgrounds. Her despair soon turned into frustration, which eventually turned into anger. The test your strength game seemed to call her name. She didn't realize just how heavy the sledgehammer was; she could barely lift it up over her shoulder to bring it back down. However, once she caught sight of Tony, the anger that was bubbling to the surface energized her in a way that surprised the carnival worker, Tony and most of all, Angela.
After Angela left him standing there and he had opened the box to reveal the beautiful watch, he almost had to sit down when he read the inscription.
"It's time I said I love you" he said out loud. "Did she know? Did Mona blab to her? If so, why did she runaway? No she couldn't have known his plans but if I don't find her soon, I'm jeopardizing losing her forever, a chance I can't take! I have to find her!" he thought to himself.
He looked all over the campgrounds but couldn't find Angela. Finally, he found the family as they were about to head into the circus tent for the show. After talking to them and letting them all know how he blew it, he was feeling more defeated than ever. Just then, Mona came back out from the tent, Samantha and Jonathan in tow.
"What are you still doing here? Go find her Tony!" yelled Mona.
"I don't know where she is! She could have left the carnival for all I know!" yelled Tony.
"Without the car keys Dad? She's still here somewhere! Go find her!" said Samantha.
"Tony don't overthink this… just go!" shouted Jonathan.
"Eh oh, oh eh! I'm going, I'm going!" he said as he took off through the crowd.
After her quick conversation with Tony and practically throwing the watch box at him, she knew she needed some space and ideally some more distractions. She walked around aimlessly until she saw the shooting range.
"If I just picture a certain insensitive Italian housekeeper, maybe some of this anger can be released" she thought as she reluctantly picked up the rifle. She knew she probably wouldn't be any good at shooting, but nothing prepared her for just how bad she was with a gun. She would have laughed at the whole situation if she hadn't seen Tony walk up to the booth. She couldn't believe the conversation they were trying to have… him stumbling over his words like he was back in the fifth grade infuriated Angela to no end.
He couldn't believe he was stumbling over his words so badly. He had a whole proposal planned out and he was stumbling over saying he loved her? What was he doing? How could he be messing this up so badly? It didn't surprise him when she took off again. This time, he was determined not to make the same mistake twice and took off after her. How he didn't get hit with the flying pins the jugglers were throwing, he didn't know but was relieved when she got into that swan in the tunnel of love.
She quietly cursed herself for getting on that stupid swan, essentially trapping herself in the tunnel. She figured she was safe until he took that gigantic leap into her swan. She could have sworn they were going to tip over, not only ruining the remainder of their night but most likely her dress as well.
He couldn't believe he made that leap. Tipping them over would have been the final nail in the coffin for any type of romantic evening. He felt the nerves again as he sat up against her, feeling the anger radiating from Angela. Desperation was evident in his voice and the ramblings coming out of his mouth. He could tell Angela had about had it and knew if he didn't do something fast, his chance would be over before it even began. Before he even fully realized what he was doing, he jumped off the side of the swan.
The announcement the carnival was closing spurred him into action. Standing in the knee deep water, he knew this was his last chance as he pulled them into that little cove and got back in the boat. His ramblings only got worse until finally the three little words he had wanted to tell her all night, well make it almost seven years, finally escaped his lips.
"Because I love you!" shouted Tony.
"What did you say?" she asked, hardly believing the words that came out of his mouth, but slowly starting to allow herself to feel some of the excitement and happiness she had felt earlier that morning. A soft smile started to form on her face.
"What did you hear? No, no… I said it… I said it and I meant it. I love you. I've loved you for a long time. And the only reason I haven't said it before is because I was afraid of losing what we have… but if loving you is going to ruin that, then I'm willing to ruin it…" he said.
"You would ruin our friendship for love?" she asked, still struggling to believe this was truly finally happening. She half expected to wake up from this dream, alone and sadden in her room.
The conversation that followed would eventually become a blurred memory for both of them, completely overshadowed by that kiss and impromptu make out session. If the carnival worker hadn't interrupted them a half an hour later, they would have been there all night. Not that either of them would have minded. Tony wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked out of the carnival.
"Did this really happen Tony? Did we both really admit we love each other?" she asked as she wrapped her own arm around his waist.
"Well technically I said I love you… you wrote it on a watch!" laughed Tony.
"Well you got me on a technicality I guess… well then I guess I need to do something about that" she said as she stopped walking and turned in his arms. She took her hand and gently placed it on the side of his face, looking him straight in his big brown eyes.
"I love you Tony. I too have loved you for a long time and worried what would happen to our friendship, our family, if we took this next step, but I'm not afraid anymore. I love you with all my heart!" she gushed as she leaned over to kiss him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back with everything he had in him. It took everything in both of them to eventually pull apart. They made it back to the jeep, Tony opening up the door for Angela before getting in the driver's side.
"I know it's late Angela but I'm not exactly tired… would you want to go for a little drive?" asked Tony.
"Honestly I'm not tired either so a drive sounds lovely…" she said as she grabbed on to his hand. He pulled out of the empty carnival lot and headed back north on the expressway. Soon they were back in Connecticut, Tony opting to drive an extra two exits on the expressway past their normal exit. Angela gave him a questioning look but decided to humor him and didn't say anything. Soon enough, Tony pulled the jeep into a familiar wooded area.
"Tony… inspiration point?" she asked as she looked around at the secluded spot.
"Yes Angela. I can still remember taking you here like it was yesterday. That kiss we shared to… ya know… check off your list… has been seared on my brain since that night. I was so jealous of that idiot Jake! When I heard you scream, my blood boiled and I just saw red. The thought of you being hurt was enough to put me over the edge!" he said.
"Oh Tony… that kiss has never left my mind for too long either. It wasn't our first kiss but I feel like that was the first time I truly felt my resolve falter. If you had said the word, I would have continued that kiss…" she said seductively.
"Just like that night, my plans for tonight did not go as I had wanted them to. I had no intentions of kissing you that night but once we did, it was like I had been waiting hours, days, months, heck my whole life for that kiss. No kids at camp, no alcohol involved… just us" he said as he picked up her hand and gave it a quick kiss.
"What did you initially have planned for tonight? You didn't plan the carnival?" she asked.
"Oh I planned the carnival but not like you might have thought… same thing with the sheepskin seat covers!" he laughed.
"I can only imagine the look on my face when I opened them up!" she laughed.
"I definitely deserve an academy award for the performance Angela! How I kept a straight face I have no idea! But no… being at the carnival and seeing you miserable the whole night was not how I envisioned spending our anniversary. I figured I'd keep the ruse up for a bit and then start the real romantic part of the night after we ditched the family. It just… it just didn't work out that way…" he said.
"So… what was your plan then Tony?" she asked seductively, causing Tony to audibly gulp.
"How about we go out over there and sit on that bench and I can explain it better?" he asked as they both got out of the car and headed to the bench overlooking the city.
"The view is so beautiful" she said as she cuddled into him on the bench.
"It's beautiful alright…" he said as he looked down at Angela. She met his gaze as he leaned in for a kiss.
"So about tonight… I realized this summer just how close we were getting. Ever since our trip to Washington DC, it's seemed that we managed to get even closer… and we were pretty close before then!" he laughed.
"Our dinners out together ending in romantic dancing, cuddling on the sofa, you being the first person I'd think about when I woke up and the last person I'd think about before I went to sleep. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that this was love and I'd been feeling it for longer than I could remember but once I did, I realized I wanted an us… an official us. You are the most important person in my life, aside from Samantha, and I wanted to stop denying my attraction, my love for you. I wanted you to make me the happiest guy in the world by agreeing to be mine for the rest of our lives. That's when I bought this…" he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring box.
Angela was absolutely frozen in place. Her thoughts were running a mile a minute but nothing she could grasp onto for more than a moment. The last thing she pictured this morning was getting engaged to Tony tonight, despite wanting to marry Tony more than anything in the world.
"I know we could spend the next few weeks or months or longer dating but haven't we waited long enough? I want to be with you Angela… today, tomorrow and forever. Will you marry me?" he asked as he got down on one knee.
"Oh Tony! I've dreamed about this moment forever… my answer is yes! A thousand times yes!" she said as Tony placed the ring on her finger. She looked down at the ring adoringly and then through teary eyes back up at Tony. He took her in his arms, engaging in the most passionate kiss they had ever shared together. Finally, they came up for air.
"So the future Mrs. Micelli… can I interest you in an overnight stay at the Fairfield Inn?" he said with a smirk.
"Nothing would please me more Mr. Micelli…" she said as they headed back to the car to celebrate their anniversary turned engagement.