Chapter Four: Sharing
Dinner was a rather bland grilled chicken with rice pilaf and carrots. Tony had been accommodating Angela's aversion to strong smells and flavors for weeks. After clearing their plates, Sam and Jonathan took a basketball outside to play horse.
As the daylight waned, Angela sidled up to Tony. "I'm ready" she told him.
Tony set their plan in motion. "Kids, can you come inside pretty soon? Angela and I need to talk to you about something before bed," he called out the back door.
Sam gave Jonathan a look. "Did you do anything to get us in trouble?" she asked.
"No, did you?" he challenged.
"Almost done, Dad!" she yelled.
"Mother, we need to talk to you, too," Angela said across the kitchen table.
"Is this about you being knocked up?" Mona asked.
"Mother! Keep your voice down," she cried. "How long have you known?"
"A few weeks. My question is whether this is from your farewell with Michael or your reunion with Tony."
"Monaaaa," Tony warned.
"Can you just go sit on the couch and keep your mouth shut? All your questions will be answered. Maybe not in front of the kids."
Mona reluctantly pushed through the swinging door and sat down in the middle of the couch. Sam and Jonathan ran in, and she opened both arms to invite them close. Tony followed, settling into a side chair.
Finally, Angela came in and started to pace the length of the living room. Tony caught her eye. Stalling wouldn't do anything. She sat down across from him and leaned forward with her hands on her knees.
"There's something I want to share with you all. Something that will affect our family," Angela began.
"For the better!" Tony chimed in.
"Around Christmastime, I'm going to have a baby."
Sam gasped. Jonathan looked confused. "You're going to have a baby?" he repeated.
"Yes, Jonathan, you will have a little brother or sister."
"Does that mean Daddy's coming home?" he asked. Sam looked anxiously at her father. Michael's return and their move to Mrs. Randolf's had been a rough time for her.
"No, honey, your dad isn't going to be around." She hated to disappoint her son.
"But he's the baby's father?" Sam blurted out. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on between Angela and her dad, but they had been acting weird lately, and she had to rule out the idea that she would also be gaining a sibling.
"Yes, Samantha. This baby is Jonathan's full sibling."
Jonathan was silent, contemplating what changes a baby would bring to his life. Mona was remarkably quiet, as well.
"Then why am I here? What does this have to do with me?" Sam demanded, looking to her father. She realized it was self-centered, but she needed to clarify her role.
"A baby is a big responsibility, Sam. Angela needs someone she can depend on so she can continue her career. I'm going to step in and do all the things a partner would do," he explained. Mona raised an eyebrow. "This is kind of a long-term commitment. We're going to be staying here with the Bowers."
"Like I'll live here until college?" she asked.
"Yeah, most likely. I hope that's ok." He prayed that his daughter would be kind enough to share him with Angela's baby, just as she had readily shared him with Jonathan.
Sam sprung off the couch and wrapped her arms around Angela. "This is so amazing. I'm really happy for you!" she chirped.
Angela reciprocated Sam's hug. "Thank you, sweetheart. I'm so glad you're on board with all this. It means a lot to me."
"Why don't you guys just get married?" inquired Mona, as Sam returned to the couch.
"Mother, Tony and I are just friends," Angela pushed back.
"Oh, just friends who raise a baby and two children together. Got it." Mona smirked at her daughter, but schooled her face into a more neutral expression when Sam glanced up at her.
"Congratulations, Mom." As dazed as Jonathan was, he knew he was supposed to be happy. He made his way over to the side chair and allowed Angela to pull him into her lap and kiss his cheek.
"Thank you, darling. Now, I think it's time you get ready for bed. We can talk more tomorrow."
The boy said goodnight to each member of the family and ran upstairs.
Sam kissed her dad and said "I'm happy for you, too!" before following Jonathan.
Mona waited until the kids were out of the room. "I'm going to ask one more time. Is a paternity test necessary?"
"No, Mona. I've never touched Angela," Tony protested. He glanced across the coffee table to see that Angela had turned a deep shade of crimson.
"If you say so," Mona relented. "Goodnight, Tony. Goodnight, Angela. I won't ask why there were half a dozen matching buttons on the kitchen floor the morning after your birthday, dear. Congratulations on the baby!" she called as she exited the back door.
"Well, that wasn't so bad," judged Tony. Angela just stared at him.
Angela took a Saturday to shop for some more forgiving clothes to wear in her second trimester. She started planning for her maternity leave, but did not share the news of her pregnancy with anyone at Wallace & McQuade.
Tony accompanied her to two more monthly appointments. He was getting more comfortable being by her side through the poking and prodding. On the way home from a late July afternoon checkup, they discussed his upcoming vacation. He planned to take Sam to Florida for three weeks.
"Are you sure you're going to be alright without me?" he asked as they entered the empty house.
"Yes, Tony. You deserve a vacation, and I'm really going to need you around by winter break. This is your chance to devote some time and attention to Samantha."
"I'm gonna miss you," he whined. "And Jonathan and Mona," he added hastily. He was struggling to maintain the façade of simple friendship while his feelings grew stronger. They hadn't crossed any physical boundaries since before telling the kids. And they definitely hadn't gotten intimate since her birthday. The problem was that he thought about it constantly.
"I'm going to miss you, too," Angela said, meeting his eyes. Then she took a chance. "Um, Tony, do you remember my birthday?"
How could he ever forget? It was the greatest night of his life. One of them, anyway. "Uh, yeah?" he stammered, trying to seem unbothered.
"Do you think…? Would you ever want to…?" She could not manage to voice her request. She knew it was a lot to ask, but her libido had gotten out of control lately. She was taking matters into her own hands almost daily, and it wasn't enough.
"Angela, I've been through a pregnancy before. I mean, as a partner," Tony reminded her in a low voice. He stepped into her space and smoothed her hair back, unnecessarily. His hand landed lightly on the back of her neck. "If you need some release, I can help you with that," he offered as he leaned in to kiss her softly.
She didn't reciprocate. It felt so unseemly. "I'm not paying you for sexual favors."
"I'm not doing it because you're my boss. I want to because you're you. I told you, Angela, I care about you. And I think you're incredibly hot. Especially with…." He stroked her small bump, eliciting a sigh. Encouraged, he slid his palm up her side, brushing against her breast with his thumb.
"Come to my room," she exhaled.
"OK." Tony leaned in to kiss her again. This time Angela kissed back, then took his hand and led him up the stairs and into her room. She locked the door, kicked off her shoes and peeled her dress over her head. She was still wearing a slip, which clung to her bump, and pantyhose, but he was delighted to see her in any state of undress.
She approached and started to unbutton his shirt while peppering kisses down his neck. He always dressed a little better when they went to doctor's appointments. Being with her, having people assume he was her partner, was a heady feeling. He toed off his shoes.
"Can you take off your bra and let me see them?" Tony requested. He'd always been a leg man, but he appreciated boobs, too. During Marie's pregnancy, he'd been obsessed with the constant changes. It was like seeing a different set every day. Angela's bosom was off limits most of the time, and he wasn't about to let the opportunity pass him by.
She eagerly complied with his request, allowing the straps of her slip to fall down her arms, before unhooking and pulling off her bra. Her nipples hardened under the cool breeze of the air conditioner. She was now wearing a C-cup, and blue veins stood out against her pale skin.
Tony's mouth watered. "You're perfect. Not that you weren't perfect before, but wow." He tentatively reached out, feeling the new weight in his hands. "Do you want me to do what I did in the kitchen?" he asked, licking his lips.
She didn't answer directly. "Do you think you could take your pants off?" He had his belt buckle undone before she finished the sentence. He didn't know exactly where this was going, but he had no qualms about being seen in his underwear. His arousal was evident and growing under her intense observation.
She walked him into a seated position on her bed and leaned over. As she kissed him deeply, he again took hold of her swollen breasts. She hiked up her slip and straddled his lap, enjoying the feeling of his bare chest. "They're not as sore anymore. You can squeeze them," she offered.
She rocked her hips, sliding her center along the underside of his manhood. As he kneaded and mouthed at her, he grabbed her rear end, grinding her against him. It had been many years since he dry humped a girl. By the time he was sixteen, most of his girlfriends were willing to skip to the main event. He wondered where she had learned this, and how many men she had done it with.
"Harder." Angela cried, digging her fingers into his shoulders in frustration. Her chest was flushed, and she was starting to pant. Unfortunately, she was nowhere near completion when the front door slammed.
"Dad? I'm home!" Samantha's voice pierced their intimate bubble.
Tony lifted Angela from his lap and jumped up to dress. "I'll come back later. After the kids are asleep. I promise you'll get what you need."
He paused at the top of the stairs, thinking of cold, dirty dishwater. "I'll be right down, baby," he called to his daughter.
A/N: I'll have to bump this up to an M rating for the next chapter, so adjust your filters.