Hope for All- chapter 75
The week and weekend went all too quickly for Angela. She was scheduled to head back to work that Tuesday. Mona took her Saturday afternoon to Bloomingdale's to get some new work clothing. She was not quite back to her regular work clothing but didn't fit into her maternity clothing. She was able to find a bunch of pants and tops that would hopefully last her until the spring. She was even able to get two pants suits, shoes and a new purse. It helped to temporarily lift her spirits.
Tony made a special dinner Monday night to celebrate Angela's return to work the next day. Tony also made a special cake for the babies as a few days earlier they had turned nineteen weeks old. Angela just rolled her eyes at Tony, but secretly loved how he doted on the babies, celebrating each milestone. Both babies had begun to roll from their backs to their stomachs and had great control of their necks.
After dinner and dessert were eaten, the dishes cleaned and dried, Tony found Angela in her office, going over some work. Both babies were content in her arms as she read through some paperwork. He stood in the doorway watching the way both babies looked up at her as she stopped to make cooing noises at them.
"Okay you two! Tomorrow is a big day for us! First full day back in the office! I hope everyone adjusts okay! Me more so than either one of you! You will be in very capable hands with Daddy, Frances then Samantha and Jonathan until I get home! Oh I'm going to miss you both so much!" she said as she began to to cry.
"Oh sweetheart!" he said as he came over to her, wrapping his arms around her as best as possible with the babies in her arms.
"I have no idea how I went back to work after Jonathan. He was barely six weeks old! These guys are at least four months old but still… I don't know how I'm going to be away from them for so long…" she said as a new round of tears came down.
"It's going to be okay! It's just one day then you'll be back working from home until Thursday! We will be just fine here and I'll make sure we check in with you during the day! We've got this!" he said as he looked down at the babies and then back at her, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.
"We do! They will be in good hands with you and everyone in the afternoon. Thankfully Frances can watch them for those hours before the kids get home from school. Once flu season is over, I think we should put them in daycare. They will be about six months then" she said as she held them closer to her side.
"We will make it work! These kids are loved for sure! So many people want to help us out with them! It's getting late though… how about I make a cup of tea for us and bring it upstairs? They should be due to eat soon and then we can cuddle in bed…" he said as he rubbed her back.
"Sounds wonderful…" she said as she stood up, heading out of the office to head upstairs. Tony joined her with the tea about fifteen minutes later as she was feeding the babies in bed. Soon both babies were asleep and put down in their cribs. Both Angela and Tony stayed a few extra minutes standing by the cribs, watching the babies sleep. Tony knew she needed this time but soon led her back to their room.
The alarm went off early as Tony got up to shower and get dressed. Angela woke up a short while later to get the babies changed and fed before getting herself ready. She had both babies in their bouncers as she debated her outfit.
"Alright you two! Which one do you think? The red or the blue blouse?" she asked them as she held out each one. Anna cooed when she put the blue blouse in front of them so she took that as a sign of approval.
"I don't remember the last time my hair hasn't been thrown up into a messy bun! This weekend I really think I need to go and get it cut again!" she said as she sat down to put on her makeup and do her hair. By the time she was done, both babies started to fuss.
"Perfect timing! Let's get downstairs to Daddy!" she said as she picked them up and brought them down to the kitchen.
"Hi sweethearts! Are you ready for school?" asked Angela as she handed Anna to Tony.
"I've got a history test I wished I had studied more for…" said Samantha as she tickled Matthew, causing him to giggle.
"History test? Since when do you have a history test?" shouted Tony as he handed the kids their lunches.
"I studied for it! Just… not enough…" she said as she grabbed Jonathan and dragged him out the door before the real yelling began.
"Make sure you are here to relieve Frances after school!" he shouted out the back door.
"Alright Tony. I've got pumped milk in the fridge and some in the freezer. There are some of their teething rings in the fridge too since teething is in full force these days! There are extra diapers and burp cloths…" she said as Tony cut her off.
"Angela… I'm not the babysitter! We've got this! I'll make sure Frances has everything she needs. I've packed you your lunch plus some snacks" he said.
"Okay good. I've got all my work stuff in my briefcase plus my pump and empty bottles and the cooler bag. I think that's everything…" she said as she ate her breakfast. Just then, Mona walked in the back door.
"Good morning everyone! Isn't it a wonderful day?" she said as she practically floated through the kitchen.
"Good morning Mother! We need to leave in a few minutes if we are going to make the train" she said as she finished her breakfast and took both babies into the living room.
"Oh today is going to be glorious Tony! I can finally stop actually working now that she's back!" she laughed as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
"Mona! You're going to be working alright! You've gotta make sure she takes care of herself! Today is gonna be hard for her- this is the longest she's been away from them! Make sure she stops to pump regularly and eats lunch! You know she's going to be going full force to try and distract herself…" he said.
"Oh you're no fun Tony! Ruining my good mood with actual work! Tell Angela I'm going to meet her in the car…" she said as she stole Tony's breakfast and headed out the back door. Tony just shook his head and headed into the living room.
"Mona's gonna meet you in the car. Okay, I think it's time for you to head out" he said as he watched her snuggle the babies while she fought off tears.
"I… I know…" she said as she kissed the babies, the tears no longer being held back.
"It's going to be okay! I'm sure the moment you leave one if not both of them will have blowouts and I'll have my hands full!" he chuckled as he sat down next her, slowly rubbing circles on her back.
"Oh I'm sure! Okay, okay I need to go! Alright you two… you've got a lot of people who love you taking good care of you today! I need you to go easy on them okay? Maybe take some good naps and try and not scream the whole time Matthew! Mommy is going to miss you both so much!" she said as she kissed them again. Finally, she handed them back to Tony, kissing them all another three or four times.
"Angela… go to work!" he said to her as he gave her one last kiss and walked her to the door. He watched as she grabbed her stuff and reluctantly headed out the door.
"Okay Anna banana and Matty boy! It's you and your old man for the next few hours! What can we start on huh? I'll tell you what I need to do- the laundry, dusting and some homework! Any of that sound good?" he asked them. Both started to fuss and then cry.
"Okay, okay! So none of those activities sound fun! How about we do some tummy time and play with our toys?" he said as he placed them down on the blanket and put some toys around them. They were engaged and quiet for a few minutes until they started crying again.
"Mommy's been gone less than ten minutes! You can't miss her already! How about some teething toys? Those gums bothering you I bet!" he said as he ran into the kitchen and grabbed some from the fridge.
Angela and Mona got two seats together on the train. Mona found a businessman who caught her attention, spending most of the ride into the city flirting. Angela pulled out some work but found that her mind kept drifting to home. She wondered if the babies were giving Tony a hard time or if they had settled into playtime.
She pulled out a small photo album she had made of photos of the twins. Tony had taken enough photos of the twins that she had her fair pick of ones to choose from- she found her favorite ones of each of them as well as ones of the whole family. She had framed some photos too to put around her office. She was lost in daydreams of the babies when the train pulled into Grand Central Station.
Angela headed straight into her office to do her first pumping session of the day. She was able to multitask and prepped for the first meeting of the day. She was pleasantly surprised when it was almost lunchtime and she had gotten a good amount of work done. She decided to eat her lunch, pump and call Tony.
"Hello Micelli residence, Tony speaking" he said, a crying baby muffling his voice.
"Hi Tony! How's it going?" she asked, although she had some idea based on his voice and Matthew's crying.
"Hi sweetheart! It's umm… it's going! Anna's been a real champ! Took her bottle and then a two hour nap in her crib! Matty boy on the other hand… he's being a bit more challenging, but we are about to go for a car ride to hopefully settle him" he said as he tried to reposition him in his arms.
"Oh Matthew! I had a feeling you'd be the one to take this day the hardest! Put him next to the phone" she said as he moved the phone near him. She started talking to him, her voice going up a few octaves. Soon, she could hear the crying slow down to soft whimpers as he calmed down. Tony was able to put back in his pacifier and within a few moments he was asleep.
"Finally! He's asleep Angela! I think I'm gonna record your voice and play it! He hasn't slept since you left this morning so I'm hoping he sleeps for a longer nap. How's your day going?" he whispered to her as to not wake him.
"It's been good! I spent the whole train ride on the verge of tears but since being here I've been busy with meetings and paperwork. I've got two more meetings so I should be leaving by 4:00pm. I'm hoping they don't give Frances a hard time!" she said.
"As long as Matthew can get a good nap in now I think we will be okay! Speaking of, I need to get back to some school work before work. Have a great rest of your day sweetheart! I love you!" he whispered.
"I love you too! Good luck at work!" she said as she hung up the phone. She finished up her lunch and was soon back to work.
"Hi Frances! We can't thank you enough for watching them! The kids should be back by 3:30pm. I've left all their stuff here on the coffee table. They just ate and hopefully will go down for another nap. I left the stroller so if you want to push them around to get them to sleep feel free! Anna won't be a problem but Matthew likes to test out his lungs! If you need anything, I've left Angela's work number and the number to contact me at work" he said as he showed her around the living room, Anna tucked into his arm while Matthew sat in his bouncer.
"It's not my first rodeo Tony! We will be fine! Now that you're retired from the housekeeping business and I've got this side gig, guess who is the best paid housekeeper in Fairfield?" she asked with a smirk.
"Let me guess… you?" he asked as he put Anna in her bouncer.
"That's right pal! So let's be honest Tony… you were reaping the benefits of this job long before you were official right?" she asked as she sat down, picking up a magazine.
"Frances! Angela and I were only ever professional until we became a couple! Not that it's any of your business! Anyway… I've gotta go. Thank you again!" he said as he kissed each baby goodbye and headed out the front door.
"If you two believe that line of garbage, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn for sale!" she chuckled as she leaned back against the sofa, propping her legs up against the coffee table.
"I can't believe we made the train! We really need to leave a few minutes earlier if we are going to make this train" said Angela as she caught her breath. They were able to find seats as they got comfortable. Angela felt like she was on a small vacation with all her bags.
"So you survived the first day back! I have to say Angela… I half expected you either in tears or leaving early today!" chuckled Mona.
"Mother! Well… the thought of leaving early did enter my mind, especially after my phone call with Tony and Matthew screaming in the background but speaking to Samantha just now calmed my nerves. She said Frances said they were angels for her and they are still napping now. Hopefully we can get home before their next feeding" she said as she leaned back against the train window.
"I hope they let you sleep tonight! The first time I left you all day, you revolted that night! You were up every half an hour and refused to be put down! If I was a betting woman, I'd say your son will be making you pay for your absence today…" she said.
"Oh I hope you're wrong but I am sure you're not! It's okay though… I've missed them so much!" she said as she tried not to cry. While Mona found another businessman to flirt with on the trip home, she was able to close her eyes and get in a short nap.
As the train pulled into the station, Angela grabbed all her belongings and headed to the car, Mona lagging behind. If Tony hadn't gotten held up at work, he should have been home about fifteen minutes before them, which from the sign of the van parked in the driveway, he had. She could hear the babies crying before she even opened the front door.
"Hi everyone! I'm guessing they are hungry!" she said as she placed her belongings down, handing Tony her cooler bag as she took Anna from him. Samantha eagerly passing Matthew to her as well as the crying subsided.
"We held them off as long as we could be they are definitely hungry! Otherwise they were great!" said Samantha as she gave Angela a side hug and headed upstairs.
"Good timing! I'll feed them now. So how was your first day of work?" she asked as Tony helped her set up. Soon, both babies were feeding, acting like they hadn't eaten all day.
"It was great! The kids were so cute- I really felt like I was making a difference! I've been thinking about it for a while but I really think teaching is what I want to do…" he said as he cuddled into her side, giving her a quick kiss.
"I think you will make a wonderful teacher Tony! You were destined to do big and important things…" she said as she returned the kiss.
"So how was your first day back?" he asked as he took Anna to be burped. Both babies started crying but soon let out burps and were back to feeding.
"It was good! I met with three new clients and got caught up on the new potential clients. It was so good to be back but I really missed these two…" she said as she looked back down at them. Both babies had fallen asleep but were still nursing.
"The feeling was mutual, especially Matthew! Boy that kid gave me a run for my money this morning! Once he fell asleep, it was good! Anna was the best though! Settled right into a routine!" he said as he gently stroked her cheek.
"It will get easier for everyone as time goes by! So what's for dinner? I'm surprised you didn't pick something up for dinner instead of making it!" she said.
"Spaghetti and meatballs! Just need to warm it up and make the pasta! I figure it was the easiest meal! I'm going to check on it and then get changed. Hopefully they are done by the time I get back and you can get changed" he said.
"Take your time Tony… I'm enjoying this time right now…" she said as she looked back at both of them. Tony worked on dinner and then headed upstairs, checking on Samantha and Jonathan before getting changed. He was halfway down the stairs when he heard Angela talking to the twins.
"How are you two still feeding? We've been at this for over an hour! Oh well… I'll get changed later! I've just missed you two so much! You really did great today! Tomorrow it's back to being home with me! Daddy will be at school for most of the afternoon and night! I hope there's leftovers for dinner tomorrow since he won't be home for dinner! Mommy is not the best in the kitchen!" she chuckled.
"You more than make up for it in other rooms of the house…" he said with a smirk as he walked down the rest of the stairs.
"Don't you know it…" she said as unlatched them, handing Anna to Tony for a final burp. After they were burped, she handed Matthew to Tony so she could go upstairs. She wasn't even on the first step when they started to scream.
"You two are gonna give me a complex!" he laughed as he tried in vain to calm them down.
"I'll take them upstairs. They are just going to be clingy I think until we settle tonight" she said as she took back the babies and headed upstairs. She was able to put them in their bouncers as she got changed. She changed them before heading back downstairs, settling at the kitchen table as Tony called the rest of the family for dinner.
"So do we think we can go into your bouncers while we eat?" asked Angela as she put both babies down. She grabbed a few teething toys, which settled both babies long enough for Angela to have a few bites of food. It was short lived as Anna started to cry a few minutes later.
"She must have been storing it up all day and Matthew is cried out!" laughed Mona as she watched Angela pick her up.
"Why don't I take her while you eat Angela! Spaghetti isn't easy to eat with one hand!" chuckled Tony. Angela agreed and passed their daughter across the table to Tony, resulting in Anna starting to cry once again.
"Hey little girl! I'm really going to start to get a complex! And what gives… you're the calm one!" he said as he stood up and walked her around the room.
"It's fine Tony! I'll take her back…" she said as she took her back, grabbing her pacifier and settling her in her arms. They were able to finish eating before Matthew started to fuss. Mona and the kids offered to clean up while Angela and Tony took the babies into the living room.
"So the first day in the books! And we all survived!" laughed Angela as she handed Anna to Tony and took back Matthew. Both babies settled in their parents' arms as Tony turned on the television.
"You know… sometimes I have to pinch myself that this is our life. I never would have dreamed that we would have four amazing, smart, beautiful kids. Not to mention having the sexiest, most amazing and gorgeous wife. My dreams really have come true…" he said as he wrapped his free arm around Angela's shoulder.
"And the best is yet to come…" she said as she cuddled in closer to his side, looking down lovingly at the babies now sleeping contently in their arms before leaning over and giving Tony a kiss.