Go out for a family dinner and one by one find excuses to leave them alone. (Jonathan's idea)
-Set up a romantic dinner-catered of course-for the two of them at home. (Sam's idea)
-Have them kidnapped and locked in a room together until they come to their damn senses! (Mona's idea.)
"Okay kids. Let's weigh the pros and cons of each idea. "
"Okay Jonathan's idea is good because we can say it's our way to apologize for tricking them."
"Hey, thanks Sam! And yeah I like the apology route."
'Thanks. But there is a con. If we tell Dad and Angela we want to go out to dinner you know they're not going to believe we'll actually show up."
Mona tapped her chin. "You're right. Tony will insist we all go together."
"That's true." Jonathan agreed.
"Okay, so we'll just suggest we all go together then and then halfway through the dinner we all will find a reason to leave."
"I can pretend I have something stuck in my teeth." Jonathan said.
"That's good." Mona nodded.
"Oh! I'll have my roommate Laurie call the restaurant pretending to be upset and needing to talk to me. I'll excuse myself and ..well that will be that." Sam smiled.
" as for me I'll pretend I saw the man I'm dating out with another woman. So of course I have to go confront them. Meanwhile I'll have him waiting for us in the parking lot to drive us home."
"Good idea Grandma!"
"Yeah. Yeah. I know." Mona waved her hand in the air. "But who am I dating now? Bill? No. Frank? No. Seth? No, I dumped his boring ass last week. Ron? No. Oh I know! It's Tim!"
"How do you ever keep them all straight Grandma?!" Jonathan rolled his eyes.
"Ah put a sock in it! You sound too much like your Mother!"
"Okay. Okay. Let's discuss the pros and cons of my idea." Sam laughed.
"Okay pro: They will be here all alone." Jonathan said.
"Con: We'll have to find someone to cater while not letting them get suspicious about what we are doing." Mona pointed out.
"And it would probably be too much of a hassle to get everything set up with both of them in the house." Sam said.
'Yeah, you're right." Mona agreed.
"Okay now Grandma's idea. Which in theory sounds good but hey things could derail."
"I could call Gus Stone and ask him for help." Sam told them.
"Who is he?"
"He's a guy from Brooklyn and let's just say he isn't a guy you cross."
"You mean he's a…" Mona raised her eyebrows.
"YEP!"
"Oh, I don't know Sam. I don't want my Mom getting hurt."
Sam shook her head. "Gus, wouldn't hurt her. If I told him what we needed and why he would make sure she was well taken care of."
"Okay, but why would he help us?" Mona asked.
Sam sighed. "When Dad was little he got caught stealing candy. Gus convinced the store owner not to press any charges. And luckily he didn't."
"But wouldn't that mean that Tony would actually owe him?" Jonathan asked,
"Yeah, but Gus has always been fond of Dad. So I'm sure if I asked him he would do it."
Mona clapped her hands together.
"Okay! So what's it going to be?"
"I think Jonathan's idea is the best one."
"Yep! Me too!"
"Really? Wow! Thanks!"
"Don't get a swelled head kid. We still have to convince them and if they agree we have to get Laurie and Tim on board too."
"So we're in agreement?" Sam looked between the two of them.
"Agreed!"
"I definitely agree!"
##############################
He knew he should be upset. He knew he should feel a loss in his heart. The truth was though all he felt was relief. He did feel guilty. He hadn't planned on breaking up with her over the phone but there wasn't anything he could do about it now. Kathleen and him were though.
'Angela! Go tell Angela!'
'You can't! She's with Andy! And besides, she hates you!'
He groaned and sat down at the table.
'If I tell Angela how would she react? A few months ago she would have been so happy and relieved. But now…..?'
Now she probably wouldn't care.
##############################
Angela sat down on her bed, her feelings tumbling all over the place.
Tony and Kathleen were over! They were finally over! She knew she should feel relief and she did. But she also still felt a little anger. If Tony had never gotten together with her in the first place she wouldn't be dating Andy now. Was she just supposed to dump Andy now? Was that fair to him? No, it wasn't. But at the same time it wasn't right to keep leading him on. So maybe it was time to break up with him- Tony or no Tony-
Angela sighed. "Okay, it's time Angela. You can't put this off any longer." She got up and walked out of her bedroom and trotted down the stairs. She grabbed her purse and walked out the front door. She got in her jaguar and drove over to Andy's. She parked in his driveway and turned the car off. She took a deep breath and opened her door and walked the pathway up to his house.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
The door swung open.
"Angela! Hi sweetheart! Come on in!" Andy opened the door wider and motioned her inside.
Angela entered and went into his living room and sat down.
"So! Do you want something to drink?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Okay." He sat down beside her. "So to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" He smiled.
Angela's heart sank. He looked so happy. How could she….no she had to.
"Andy, I...I want you to know the time we spent together was some of the…"
Andy narrowed his eyes.
"Some of the best, what?"
Tears started falling down her cheeks.
'Are you….are you breaking up with me?"
She nodded.
He got up and walked away from her his hands clenched in fists. He counted to ten and then turned around.
"So does this have anything to do with Tony?"
"Tony? No, I mean well…"
"Angela, at least be honest with me!"
"Okay, it does a little. But the truth is I don't see a future for us."
"But, I guess you do with him!" Andy smirked.
"I don't know. Everything is so complicated."
Andy scoffed. "Yeah, I bet."
"Andy please!"
Andy walked over to the front door and opened it.
Angela sighed and got up. She walked over and stepped onto his front porch.
"Andy, I am really sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."
"Yeah, right. Oh by the way if things don't work out with the help or if you get tired of slumming it don't you dare come crawling back to me!"
He slammed the door in her face.
Angela wiped her face and proceeded to her car. She got in and took a tissue out of her purse and blew her nose.
"DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!"
She sighed and started her car and pulled out of the driveway and headed for home.
##############################
Mona, Sam, and Jonathan entered the kitchen and saw Tony sitting there lost in thought.
"Everything okay Dad?"
"What? Oh are fine." He decided not to tell them that Kathleen and him were no longer together. He didn't want to get their hopes up and he knew he needed to tell Angela first.
"So what's up?"
"We need to talk to you and Mom."
"Ok. What about?"
"It's about setting you up. Look, this will be easier if we say this all at once." Mona said.
'Okay. Fine. Let's go into the living room and someone can go up and get Angela." Tony shrugged and walked into the living room with the others following him.
The front door opened and Angela walked in.
"Angela! Where were you…I mean.." Tony stammered over his words.
"I went for a drive."
She started up the stairs.
"Angela, hold on. We all need to talk."
"Not, now Mother."
"Yes now! The kids and I need to say something."
Angela sighed and walked over and sat down in the chair closest to the front door. Mona, Sam, and Jonathan sat on the couch, and Tony walked around the couch and sat in the chair by the kitchen.
"Okay. Out with it!"
Mona shot a quick glance at Sam and Jonathan.
"All right. The three of us were talking and we realized setting you up like we did probably wasn't the best idea."
Angela rolled her eyes. "You think?!"
"Yeah, if we hadn't Linda never would have slapped you." Sam said sympathetically.
'Yeah, look, we know we were wrong to interfere and we want to make it up to you." Jonathan said.
"How?"
"Well Jonathan suggested we take you out for dinner." Mona told them.
Tony held his hand up. "Hold it! How do we know this isn't a trick?"
'We figured you would think that. So how about this? We all leave together in your jeep. Sam suggested.
"Please guys. We really feel bad." Jonathan said.
"Well, it's okay with me." Tony said.
"How about you Angela?" Mona asked.
"Ok. Fine."
"Good. So how about tonight at 6:00? We can go to McClain's." Sam said.
"All right. We'll go." Tony told them.
###################
MCCLAIN'S RESTAURANT 6:10.
"Hello everyone. My name is Michelle and I will be your waitress this evening. May I start you off with something to drink?"
"I'll have iced tea with an extra lemon." Angela said.
"A club soda please." Mona said.
"I'll have a root beer." Sam said.
"Yeah, so will I." Jonathan said.
"And I'll have a Sprite light on the ice." Tony said.
"Okay. I will get those for you."
"Thank you!" Angela smiled at her.
Michelle nodded and walked away.
"So gang! What looks good?" Mona asked.
"I heard the perch is really good." Sam said.
"This baked chicken looks pretty good." Jonathan said.
Michelle came back with their drinks and set them down in front of them.
"So are we ready to order?"
Tony glanced around the table. Everyone nodded.
"I guess we are. Ladies first."
"Okay, I guess I'll start." Sam said. "I'll have the perch with a baked potato, and green beans."
"And I'll have the ravioli with a side of garlic knot rolls." Mona said.
"I'll have the seafood pasta." Angela said.
"I'll have the baked chicken and roasted potatoes." Jonathan said.
'Well, I guess it's my turn." Tony chuckled. "I'll have the steak-medium rare, with mashed potatoes, and corn."
"All right! I'll put your orders in." Michelle collected the menus and walked away.
The five of them looked at each other a little awkwardly. Normally they would be joking around but after everything that had happened things were certainly tense.
"So Sam. How is school going?" Mona asked.
"It's good. Except…"
"Except what? What's the matter Sam?" Tony demanded.
'Dad! Don't worry. I'm fine. It's Laurie!"
"Laurie? What's wrong?"
Sam sighed. "She's going through a really bad time right now."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Is there anything we can do?" Angela asked.
Sam shook her head. "No, but thank you."
Mona scratched her right cheek, their secret symbol for a job well done.
"Hey Grandma! How's the new guy you're dating?"
"Oh Tim? Not bad kid. Not bad!"
"Mother please don't say anything more than that!" Angela begged her.
"Well you're no fun. Okay fine. I'll just say I've been having a good time with him. Ok?"
"Okay."
They continued making polite and awkward conversation until their food arrived. Thankful to have something to do besides filling their time with meaningless chit chat they began eating.
After about ten minutes Jonathan decided it was time to put his part of the plan into action.
"Oh great!"
"What's the matter?" Angela asked.
"I have a piece of chicken stuck in my teeth. I need to go and get it out. If you'll excuse me." He stood up and walked over to the bathroom. He looked over his shoulder and Mona motioned to the front door with her head. He nodded and walked out and saw a blue toyota driven by a guy with light brown hair. He got out of the car.
"You must be Jonathan. I'm Tim."
"It's nice to meet you. My Grandma and Sam should be coming out soon."
Tim nodded and told Jonathan he could wait in the back seat.
Inside the restaurant the other four continued eating. After about five minutes Mona decided it was her turn.
"WHAT THE HELL!"
"Mona, what is it?" Tony asked.
"I don't believe this! Tim! He's here with another woman! I'm going to give that jerk a piece of my mind!" Mona threw her napkin down, got up, and stalked off.
"Oh great!" This is just what we need!" Angela placed her head in her hands.
Sam glanced at her watch. She had told Laurie to call the restaurant about 6:45.
It was almost time.
Michelle came over to their table.'
"Excuse me. There is a phone call for Samantha?"
"That's me"
"She said her name is Laurie and she really needs to talk to you."
Sam sighed. "Okay. I'm sorry. Dad. Angela. I need to take this."
"That's fine honey. Angela told her.
Sam nodded and got up. She went to the front where the cashier was and picked up the phone.
"Laurie?"
"Hey Sam!"
"Okay, hey thanks for your help!"
"Anytime!" They hung up and Sam slipped out the front door.
"Sam! Over here!" Mona called.
Sam grinned and ran across the parking lot. She slipped in the back seat beside Jonathan while Mona and Tim got in front.
"Mission accomplished?" Tim asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.
Mission accomplished!" They all said in unison.
Tony and Angela sat in awkward silence waiting for them all to come back. After about a half an hour they realized they had been played-again!
"I don't believe this! They did it again!" Angela snapped.
"Yeah, they did. And I'm supposed to be street smart!"
"Well you know what? When we get home they are going to get it!" Angela stood up.
Tony smiled. He loved it when she was fiery. It was all he could do not to take her in his arms and…no he couldn't think about that now. He stood up as well.
"I'll go pay the bill."
"Angela? I'll pay."
"Tony, I…"
"Please? I need to find some way to make amends for everything I did. I guess this could be a start."
"Okay. I'll wait outside."
They parted ways. He went up to the register while she went outside. After a few minutes he joined her and they began walking to his jeep.
"It's a nice night isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is."
"Angela, I need to…..'
"HEY! YOU STOP RIGHT THERE AND DON;T MOVE!"
Tony and Angela looked to their left. A man covered in black and wearing a ski mask had a gun pointed at them.
"Oh my God!" Angela whimpered.
"Angela! Get behind me!"
Angela did what he said and moved behind him. Tony could feel her shaking.
"It's going to be okay. I won't let anything happen to you."
He turned to the guy.
"Okay Pal. I'm going to reach into my back pocket and pull out my wallet. Then I'll toss it to you."
"I don't.. Yeah, okay. Just hurry up!"
Tony pulled his wallet out and tossed it to him.
"Okay, now her purse."
"Angela, give me your purse."
"Tony, I…."
"Angela, please. We'll be okay."
She nodded and slipped her purse off her shoulder and handed it to him. Tony tossed it to the guy.
"Okay Pal, you got what you wanted."
"Oh no I haven't. I want her!"
Tony glanced behind him. Angela was shaking, her breathing getting heavier and heavier. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
He looked back over at the guy.
"Well you can forget that! You are not touching her!"
The guy gave Angela a hard and cold stare.
"You're Angela Bower aren't you?"
Tony and Angela glanced at each other.
How did he know her name?
Who was this masked man?
"Why would you say that?" Tony asked him.
"Oh yeah. You're just like Linda described you."
"Linda?" Angela asked in a shaky voice.
"Yeah. Linda! You remember her, don't ya you bitch?!"He growled. 'Oh where are my manners? My name is Keith and Linda is my girl. And you got her in trouble with the police and you are going to pay! But first some of my buddies are going to enjoy teaching you a little lesson. Now come on!"
"I TOLD YOU YOU ARE NOT TAKING HER!" Tony yelled.
Keith raised the gun up and pointed it at Tony's head.
"I don't think you have any say in this. PAL! Now she can either come willingly or I am going to drag her. But one way or the other she is coming with me. My buddies are waiting and I'm going to enjoy seeing her get knocked down a few pegs!"
With a growl that rivaled a bear, a lion, and a tiger Tony pounced on Keith knocking him to the ground. He began pummeling him with his fists.
"TONY!" Angela cried.
"Stay back Angela!"
Angela watched as Tony hit Keith. But then Keith managed to roll himself over and began hitting Tony. Angela frantically looked around for some help but they were all alone.
"Oh my God!" She placed her hands over her mouth and watched Tony and Keith battle for control.
The sound of a gunshot echoed through the quiet night…..