Second Opinion (The Sopranos) leave the marriage since Tony's life is dangerous and his income is derived from blood money. He advises Carmela to use only the legitimate funds she can muster to survive on and raise her two children alone. Carmela visits Meadow, who is still sour over Noah's breakup and Tony's attitudes. Carmela defends Tony and challenges Meadow to explain herself, but she does not respond. Later, Carmela has lunch with Columbia's dean over a donation. Carmela is receptive to funding a student center, but Tony angrily balks and only agrees to go as high as $5,000. Later, she tells Tony that
Carmela Soprano season, Tony and Carmela separate after Tony's former mistress Irina Peltsin calls the Soprano home, talks to A.J., and informs Carmela that Tony slept with Irina's cousin and Junior's nurse, Svetlana Kirilenko. Carmela even begins dating A.J.'s guidance counselor, Robert Wegler, and pursuing divorce proceedings against Tony, but is drawn back to her husband by financial concerns and difficulties in rearing A.J., as well as a difficult breakup with Wegler, who correctly accuses Carmela of using sex to manipulate him into giving A.J. special treatment in school. At the end of the fifth season, Carmela agrees to reunite with Tony