Hope for All- chapter 43
The next morning, Tony was up and getting ready to head out for golf. They both slept pretty well as they were both exhausted but he didn't want to wake up Angela on his way out. He left a note on Samantha's nightstand to help Angela until he got back. He packed himself some snacks and a quick breakfast to go and was out the door. He pulled into the Fairfield Country Club golf course and handed his keys to the valet as he grabbed his clubs.
"Tony! Over here!" yelled Nick from the front steps of the club.
"Thanks again for the invite! I don't know the next time I'll get to a round of golf!" joked Tony.
"Hey you're doing me the favor! Here let's get you a locker to put your stuff and then we will head out. The guys are excited to meet you!" said Nick. They headed into the locker room and dropped off Tony's stuff. As they headed to the reception area to check in and grab golf carts, they ran into Nick's two friends.
"Joe and Frank, this is Tony, our fourth for today! He's from Brooklyn too!" said Nick.
"No kidding! Where are you from? I grew up right off 86th Street!" said Joe.
"Small world! Born and raised on Pickett Avenue! You're a hop, skip and a jump over the turnstile to Coney Island!" said Tony.
"You know it! I spent my summers on the boardwalk… boy if the alley behind the Cyclone could talk!" laughed Joe.
"Joe and I grew up a few blocks from each other and stayed close after all these years! We met Frank over here in the service and became close. Our friend Sal is also from the old neighborhood but his wife had him cleaning out the attic today so he was a no show…" said Nick.
"Alright are we ready to get started? It's supposed to hit ninety degrees today and I'd like to get these eighteen holes in before the heat really hits!" said Frank.
They all teed off, getting a good start, even Tony who hadn't played in almost a year. Tony couldn't help but think of the golf tournament he played with Jonathan in a few years ago when he tried to set them up on Valentine's Day. He'd taken him out to play every few weeks in the warmer months but had stopped when they started this whole process in the fall. He made a mental note to take him back out when he got back from camp, assuming the babies weren't born yet.
"So Tony… Nick tells us you're about to become a father again! Congratulations!" said Joe.
"Thank you! It's twins actually! They will join their big brother Jonathan and big sister Samantha! We couldn't be more excited! Nervous but excited!" laughed Tony as he hit his ball down the fairway.
"Twins will keep you on your toes! My son and daughter-in-law just had twins a few months ago! Two boys that look just like my son! Double the trouble If they are anything like my son!" laughed Frank.
"Yeah I'm anticipating little to no sleep for the first six months if not longer! It will be worth it!" said Tony.
"So what do you do Tony? Aside from play a good game of golf!" asked Joe.
"Well… right now I'm in between jobs. I actually started off as Angela's housekeeper before we got together. My daughter Samantha and I were living in Brooklyn and I had enough of her coming home with black eyes and bruises, so I moved her up here to get her a better life. Angela and I blended our families almost right from the beginning, way before we fell in love. Needless to say, since we got married I haven't been working, just going back to school. I plan on getting a part time job once the twins are a bit older and then of course when I graduate I will finally have the chance to get a full time job" said Tony.
"He was a pro ball player too! Played second base for the Cardinals! Too bad about that bum shoulder! I bet you would have gone far!" said Nick.
"Wow… talk about pulling yourself up from your boot straps Tony! That's some story! You know… my daughter works at a local afterschool program at one of the elementary schools. They are always looking for good workers to help with the kids. If you are interested, I could give her your name and information for when you are ready for work" said Joe.
"Oh wow… that would actually be perfect! I'm not sure exactly when I'd be able to start, but I would definitely be interested! Thank you!" said Tony.
They continued to play through each hole, enjoying each other's company. Tony found it refreshing to be around people who didn't judge him for their reverse relationship roles. He loved his Brooklyn friends but at times he felt like part of him had outgrown them or at least their traditional views. By the time they finished their round of golf, he was exhausted but happy.
"Thanks again Tony for a great game! I'll keep you posted if we need a fourth again!" said Nick as he shook Tony's hand.
"It was good meeting you all! I appreciate being asked to come!" said Tony as he wished them well and headed to the valet. He pulled up to the house and got out of the car, the heat now becoming unbearable for the late morning. He hoped the house wasn't too hot for Angela.
"Hey everyone! I'm home!" said Tony.
"We're up here Dad!" yelled Samantha. Tony put his clubs up against the coat rack and headed upstairs. He headed up to their bedroom and opened the door. Angela was sitting up in bed on the phone and Samantha and Mona were sitting next to her.
"Jonathan's on the phone" whispered Samantha.
"Okay sweetheart! Tony is here so I'll pass him to you. He's going to come with Grandma next weekend for family weekend… okay… I miss you too! I love you sweetheart!" she said as she handed the phone over to Tony, wiping away tears in her eyes.
"Hey Jonathan! How are you buddy… oh wow really! That's awesome! That zip line looked fun… oh really… all of you found that snake… sounds… fun… any chance he could stay up there? Or with one of your new friends? Please… alright, alright… have fun and I will see you next weekend! Love you buddy!" said Tony as he hung up the phone.
"The dweeb better not bring home another snake! He can sleep in the garage with it if he does!" shouted Samantha.
"I'll convince him next weekend. The last thing we need around here is another snake…" said Mona.
"So how was your golf day? Did you have fun?" asked Angela.
"It was a lot of fun actually! I forgot how much I liked golf! And I have a lead on a part time job when the time is right! One of the guys has a daughter who runs an afterschool program. Apparently they are looking for workers. I figure that could be perfect when I'm ready for it… just a few days during the week" said Tony.
"Oh Tony that's wonderful! I'm glad you got to get out for a bit" said Angela.
"Me too… a few of the guys were actually from Brooklyn! It was really nice and getting out before the heat got too bad! Have you been okay up here? I was worried it would get too hot for you" said Tony.
"I'm okay but if we have an extra fan or two I wouldn't mind. They called about the furniture and it should be here within the next two hours" said Angela.
"Okay perfect! Let me jump in the shower and pull some fans down from the attic. I'll make us all lunch afterwards" said Tony as he headed into the bathroom to shower.
"Alright Samantha… you said you needed my help picking out an outfit to wear for your date tonight so let's check it out!" said Mona as they walked out of the room. They headed into Samantha's bedroom and closed the door.
"Okay are we all set for tomorrow? Do you think Angela suspects anything?" asked Samantha.
"No I think we are safe! I don't think anyone has blabbed anything… well I surprisingly haven't!" said Mona.
"Do you think it's a good idea giving a very pregnant Angela a surprise baby shower? I mean what happens if she goes into labor?" asked Samantha, worry very present in her voice.
"She will be fine… maybe we won't jump out and scream surprise… just to be on the safe side. Wendy and Isabelle will be here early to help us set up and decorate the living room. People should start showing up around 11am. Tony already said he would take Angela out for a late breakfast so she will be out of the house while we set up. Mrs. Rossini is bringing all the food and I think the rest will be covered. How about you and I go now and pick up the cake? We can store it in my apartment along with the rest of the decorations" said Mona.
"Okay let's go!" said Samantha as they walked out of her room and downstairs.
Tony finished up showering and got dressed. He headed back into the bedroom and sat down next to Angela on the bed, who was reading one of her pregnancy books.
"Ahh that felt good! I was going to start making lunch. Anything sound good to you Angela?" asked Tony.
"Maybe some cheese and crackers? Some fruit maybe? It's getting harder and harder to eat as they get bigger and bigger, despite being hungry all the time! I think I might need to move to smaller more frequent meals during the day" she said.
"As long as you are still eating, I'll make anything you want! Okay let me get started on lunch before the movers get here" he said as he kissed her before heading downstairs. He made them both lunch, along with some additional snacks for Angela to have throughout the afternoon. He brought her up some water and some homemade ice tea too. He put it all on a tray and headed back upstairs.
"Thank you Tony!" she said as she started eating the cheese and crackers.
"Since today was a rest in bed all day type day, how about I take you out for breakfast tomorrow? We can relax for the rest of the day and then have special dinner for Samantha before she heads out with Bonnie on Monday. Sound good?" he asked.
"Sounds wonderful Tony! We can sleep in and snuggle up together! Then we will have the next two weeks to ourselves…" she said as she leaned over for a kiss.
"Sounds wonderful Angela…" he said as he was interrupted by the doorbell.
"Let's hope that's the movers with the furniture!" he said as he headed downstairs. He opened the front door and greeted movers. They started moving the furniture up to the nursery. Angela met them at the top of the stairs and showed them where each piece would go. It took them about an hour to move everything in and put the bookcases together. Tony relented and allowed them to put those together but he refused to allow anyone to put together the cribs. He started opening the box on the first crib and pulled out the instruction manual, second guessing his ability to put them together.
"Are you sure you want to do this Tony? It looks awful complicated" she said as she stood in the doorway and looked around at the pieces on the floor.
"Angela… yes I can do this! I… I just might need to take a few more hours than I anticipated…" he said as he stared at the thick manual.
"Well I'd offer to help you but I'd be no help and I know you'd never let me so…" she said as she rubbed her belly.
"You got that right! If you want to keep me company, feel free to test out that new glider over there…" he said as he nodded his head in the direction of the chair in the corner. She carefully made her way to the glider and sat down. The babies were moving around a lot but after a few minutes in the glider, their movements started to slow.
"I think the movement is putting them to sleep" she said as she continued to rock back and forth.
"Let's hope that works that well once they are here!" he laughed as he began assembling the sides of the first crib.
"I think tomorrow after breakfast, we need to start making a list of everything we are going to need for them. I know we've picked up somethings here and there but there's so much more to get. Now that the furniture is here I really want to start getting it ready. I don't know if this is early nesting or what, but I want to start" she said.
"Sure Angela. We can start tomorrow when we get back. As long as it doesn't mean these kids are ready to make an appearance, I'm game. We can even go shopping this week" said Tony as he finally put together two of the sides.
"Okay good. Well I think this glider is putting me to sleep! I'm going to go lay down for a bit. Try not to work too hard Tony…" said Angela as she headed to the bedroom.
By the end of the night, with just a brief stop for dinner, both cribs were assembled. All the furniture was set up and with the exception of the accessories and decorations, the nursery looked complete. Tony and Angela stood in the doorway admiring the room, Tony beaming with pride at his accomplishment.
"Oh Tony it looks perfect! I absolutely love it!" said Angela.
"It does look perfect doesn't it? Now all we need are these two little ones in a few weeks to make it complete…" he said as he wrapped his arms around her, holding onto her belly.
"I can't wait Tony… it's going to be so wonderful…" she said as she turned in his arms and kissed him.
"Yes it will be Angela… come on let's head to bed…" he said as he led her back into their room.
The following morning, as promised they stayed cuddled in bed until almost nine. Tony had went to make them tea and some fruit to eat but otherwise they just enjoyed each other's company. Finally, they got themselves ready, showered and dressed. By ten, they were pulling into the local diner and sitting at a table.
"What would you like for breakfast Angela?" he asked as he took a look at the menu.
"I think the French toast sounds good! How about you?" she asked as she put down her menu.
"I'm thinking the big breakfast- eggs, pancakes, bacon… the whole package! Putting together those cribs really had me working up an appetite!" he chuckled. The waitress came over and took their orders. After about fifteen minutes, their food came out.
"I think the babies like French toast! They are kicking like crazy!" she laughed.
"Wait until they can actually eat it! Breakfast was Samantha's favorite meal when she was little. We used to have to make her breakfast for lunch and dinner some days!" laughed Tony as he finished up his breakfast.
"Jonathan was the opposite. I couldn't get him to eat breakfast to save my life. That was until we found Crunchy Crawlers… that was a game changer… obviously not in a good way, but at least it got him to eat something!" she said.
"Well these kids aren't having Crunchy Crawlers that's for sure! Empty calories I tell ya…" he chuckled.
"You say that now, but when they refuse to eat, especially our little girl who you know will have you wrapped around her finger… you'll try anything, even Crunchy Crawlers!" she laughed as she finished up her breakfast.
"We shall see… alright how about we start making that list! I brought a pen and paper" he said as he pulled them out of his pocket.
"Alright Tony… let's start with clothes. They will need onesies, shirts, pants, socks and booties. Diapers of course, blankets, wash clothes, towels and burb clothes…" said Angela as she continued to rattle off items.
"Slow down Angela! I can only write so fast!" he said as he tried to keep up with her fast paced talking.
"Sorry! Okay as for other accessories… we already have the car seats. We need a double stroller, diaper bag- possibly two, high chairs, two baby bouncers, pacifiers, bottles if for some reason I can't breastfeed…" she started again until Tony stopped her.
"Slow down! This is definitely nesting! My hand is getting a cramp! Okay there I'm caught up. I think this list is a good start. Once we go into the stores I'm sure there will be more things we can add" he said.
"Okay you're right. When do you want to start shopping?" she asked.
"How about tomorrow? Once Samantha leaves we can head out to the store for a bit" said Tony.
"Okay! I'm actually starting to really get excited now that things have calmed down a bit" she said. The waitress came over and took their plates, leaving the check. They paid and headed back out to the car. Tony checked the clock and it was almost 11:30, plenty of time for the guests to have arrived and things to be set up.
"Wow there's a lot of cars on the block right now! I wonder who is having a party…" said Angela as they pulled into the driveway.
"Beats me… probably one of the neighbors down the street… maybe a delayed 4th of July party or early Labor Day celebration!" he chuckled. He helped her out of the car and headed up the front walk. Tony took an extra few moments to open the door, slightly annoying Angela because she was starting to get very hot in the humidity and just wanted to be in the cool house.
"Sorry Angela, I think the keyhole needs some WD-40! Here you go…" he said as he opened the door for her. A look of confusion and surprise came over her face as she walked through the door and saw Mona, Samantha and about twenty other women all gathered around the room.
"What's going on?" asked Angela.
"Surprise! It's your baby shower silly! We figured it wasn't a good idea to yell it at a very pregnant woman!" laughed Mona.
"Surprise sweetheart! We wanted to surprise you with a shower… enjoy it because you deserve it!" said Tony as he kissed her and helped her into the living room. He took his cue to leave as the women all flocked around Angela. He smiled as he headed through the kitchen door, deciding to head out to the garage to get a workout in while he had sometime for himself. He knew his alone time would be nonexistent in a few short weeks so he wanted to spend an extra few minutes to soak it up while he still could.