Unexpected Love Part 3-A Family Affair
Chapter 1
It was 10:00pm and the Ramones were at CBGB playing a show. The rowdy audience shouted "Hey, Ho, Let's Go! Hey, Ho, Let's Go!" The Ramones had already played their set but the audience wanted an encore. The smoke filled club was hot and stuffy. Apparently Hilly Kristal, the club's owner, did not believe in air conditioning.
Joey Ramone, lead singer of the band, wiped his face with a towel and sipped on an ice cold bottle of water. His voice wasn't the best tonight and he thought he felt a cold coming on. Great, just what I fuckin' need, he thought.
Johnny Ramone, the "boss" and guitarist of the band, said, "We gotta go back out there for an encore. Let's play "Commando, 'Good Boy' and end it with 'Blitzkrieg'".
Dee Dee lit a cigarette and Johnny scolded, "What the fuck are you doing? You don't have time to smoke right now, we gotta get back on stage!"
Dee took 2 drags of his cigarette, put it out in an ash tray that was sitting on a table and said, "I just needed a couple of drags, man." He picked up his bass and put it around his neck.
Joey said, "Let's go!" He led the band back onstage. He picked up the microphone and said, "Well alright! You guys want more Ramones, you'll get more Ramones! Take it Dee, Dee!"
April was studying for her last exam from beauty school. She was to take the exam tomorrow and if she passed, graduation would be the following week. April had no doubt that she would pass, as she has been getting good grades all year. She was excited that school would be over soon and she could begin her career as a hairstylist/cosmetologist. She could not wait to go into the real world and get a job in her field.
April's roommate, Olivia, also attended beauty school, but she only went for hair, not cosmetology. So she had graduated before April. Olivia was already working at a hair salon in Manhattan and she loved her job.
April sat on the couch with her book on her lap. Her eyes were getting tired, as she had been studying for hours. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and thought about her boyfriend, Joey. They'd been seeing each other for a couple of months and they were in love. Who would have ever thought that the singer of the famous punk rock band, The Ramones, would pick HER, to be his girlfriend. Joey was so loving and romantic. He was attentive, intelligent and sweet. She touched the diamond locket around her neck. It was a gift Joey had given her last month, when he came to visit her. Inside the locket, he had their names engraved. She remembers that day so well. Joey ended up leaving a day earlier than planned and both of them were upset. They haven't seen each other since because both of them have been busy. They talked on the phone constantly, but it still wasn't the same as being together. She longed for the day when they could see each other on a regular basis. She sighed and picked her book up again and continued to study.
At CBGB, the Ramones were mingling with fans. Their show was over and Joey was relieved. He didn't feel very well and all he wanted to do was go home and lay down. He didn't even feel like drinking tonight.
Debbie Harry, the gorgeous lead singer of the band Blondie, was amongst the crowd. She was good friends with Joey, but she hated Johnny. A lot of people hated Johnny.
Joey felt a hand on his shoulder and it was Debbie. "Hey cutie, what's the matter? You are being awfully quiet tonight." Joey said, "I think I'm getting sick. I get sick often." Debbie said, "Why don't you go home and rest?" Joey said, "I am. I just wanted to hang out and talk to some of our fans, and thank them for coming tonight." Debbie beamed and said, "You are always so damn sweet. Johnny could learn something from you." Joey smirked and said, "Yeah right." He gave Debbie a hug and said, "Have a good evening. I'm gonna say bye to some folks and head home."
Joey made his way around the room. He saw his brother Mickey talking to a couple of girls. Mickey spotted Joey and waved at him to come over. Joey made his way over to them. One of the girls was a really pale redhead and the other girl was a tall brunette. Mickey said, "What's going on, man?" Joey said, "I'm going home." Mickey said, "How come?" He took a swig of his beer bottle. Joey said, "I ain't feelin' too well, man." The tall brunette said, "Oh, poor baby. Do you need someone to take care of you?" Joey shook his head and said, "Nah. I'll be fine." The pale redhead just stood there, staring into space. Joey said. "See ya" and walked away. Mickey said, "I'll call you tomorrow, bro." He put his arms around the 2 girls and said, "Let's go have some fun, ladies!"
As Joey made his way out of the club, Johnny spotted him. He glared at Joey, but didn't say anything. Johnny was still pissed about a fight they had gotten into a couple weeks ago. Joey actually had kicked the shit out of Johnny and everyone was flabbergasted over it. Shy, quiet, Joey Ramone beat up Johnny Ramone, the "bad ass" of the band. Joey had had enough of Johnny and all his anger and frustration came out that particular evening.
When Joey reached the front door of the club, he felt someone grab his arm. He turned around and saw Linda there. Linda was his ex-girlfriend, Johnny's current girlfriend. Joey pulled his arm back, scowled and said, "What the fuck do you want? Where's your boyfriend?" Linda said, "You don't look good, Joey. Are you ok?" Joey smirked and said, "Why do you care?" Linda said, "Listen Joey, are you gonna hate me forever?" Joey rolled his eyes and said, "I just want you to leave me the fuck alone. I don't wanna be around you, ya know? You make me sick. You and Johnny both make me sick. Ask him about the ass kicking he got 2 weeks ago" Linda raised her eyebrows and said, "What?" Joey said, "Of course he didn't tell you. He would never tell you that he got his ass kicked by Joey Ramone." He turned his back on her and started walking out of the club. She called out to him, "Take care of yourself, Joey!" Joey flipped her the bird and kept walking.
The nerve of her, he thought. She didn't give a shit about him when she was with him, and now she wants to act like she's concerned and cares? Fuck her, he thought. Yes, he loved her more than anything, at one time, but she tore his heart into shreds. Not only was she seeing Johnny behind his back, he discovered she stole money from him, without his knowledge. He could never forgive her for that. She could keep Johnny and be miserable forever. They deserved each other.
Joey hailed a cab and got inside. He gave the cab driver his address and off they went. Joey sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. He thought about his sweet April. She would never hurt him like Linda did. She truly loved him. He felt it, when he was with her. He wondered what she was doing now. He looked at his watch and it was already 1:00am. Too late to call her. He hadn't spoken to her in hours, since noon. How he missed her so. Now he'd have to wait until tomorrow to hear her sweet voice.
The sound of the telephone ringing woke April up. She looked at the clock on her nightstand. It was 5:00am. Way too early for someone to be calling. She knew Olivia wouldn't answer it because nothing woke Olivia up. She slept through anything. April got up, put on her slippers and headed towards the kitchen. She turned on the lights and grabbed the phone. "Hello", she said sleepily. "April, I needed to hear your voice," said Joey. April yawned and said, "Are you ok, babe? You sound weird." Joey's voice was a bit hoarse. He said, "I'm sick, baby. I forgot to tell you that I get sick a lot. My immune system is no good." April was concerned. "Oh Joey, I wish I could be there with you to take care of you. I miss you so much." Joey said, "Me too, baby. We played a show last night and it took the life out of me." April said, "My poor baby. I love you, Joey." Joey said, "I love you too. I can't wait to see you again." April said, "Me neither. You are coming to my graduation, right?" Joey said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world. I fuckin told Monte not to book any shows for that day and he said he wouldn't." April said, "Well, I take my last exam in a few hours. Wish me luck!" Joey said, "You'll nail it, babe. I know you will." His voice kept sounding worse by the minute. April said, "Babe, you need to get some rest. I don't like hearing you sound like this." Joey said, "I'll rest. I just needed to hear your voice." April said, "I love you so." Joey said, "Love you more." They hung up. April didn't like hearing him sick like that. She remembered what Linda had told her, the first night she met her. "Joey's really needy", she had told April. So what if he was? She loved Joey with all her heart and there is nothing she would not do for him.
She went back to bed and pulled the blankets over her. She didn't have to be up for another 2 hours and she intended to sleep until her alarm went off.
Linda's snoring woke Johnny up. He annoyingly shook her gently and said, "Linda! Quit snoring, you're keeping me up!" Linda mumbled, "Huh?" A frustrated Johnny said, "Cut it out! I need my sleep!" Linda opened her eyes and said, "I can't help it." Johnny said, "You'll be sleeping on the couch if you keep it up!" Linda said, "Quit being a dick!" Johnny sat up in bed and said, "I saw you talking to Joey at the club…what the fuck was that about?" Linda said, "Is it true that he kicked your ass? You never told me about that." Johnny smirked and said, "Of course he didn't, he's full of shit, Linda. Don't tell me you believe him." Linda said, "I know Joey and I know he doesn't lie." Johnny got out of bed, his hair a mess. He said, "So fuckin what? Do you wanna go back to him? Is that what you want?" Linda rolled her eyes and said, "Of course not, Johnny! Now come back to bed and quit being a jerk!" Johnny got back into bed and said, "Stay away from Joey. I mean it, Linda." Linda put her arm around Johnny and said, "Ok! You know you're the one I love." Johnny said, "I love you too, Linda. I just can't stand Joey. He's always been a pain in my ass." Linda sighed and said, "Let's go back to sleep." As Linda lay in bed, she thought about Joey. There were times she regretted hurting him and leaving him. She loved Johnny with all her heart, but Joey had been nicer to her. Joey would never talk to her the way Johnny does. But now, Joey hated her guts and wanted nothing to do with her. Plus, he was in love with another woman. Linda fell asleep with tears running down her face.
April rushed into the classroom to take her exam. 2 other students were already there. There were a total of 15 students in her class. "Hi April!", said one of the girls, whose name was Mercy. "Hi Mercy! You ready for the exam?", asked April. Mercy sighed and said, "I hope so. I stayed up all night studying." April said, "You'll do great!" Other students started coming in and the seats in the classroom filled up. The instructor came into the classroom. She was a tall, older woman with bright red hair. She said "Alright class! I hope you've all studied for the final written exam. You'll have a half hour to take the exam. You'll be timed. If you pass this exam, you'll be part of the Class of 1979, graduating next week. Exam results will be posted tomorrow in the hallway bulletin board. Good luck!" She passed out the exam and the students got to work.
Joey woke up and looked at the clock. The clock read 4:00pm. He couldn't believe he slept that long. He got up, went to the kitchen and made some coffee. He had on a pair of sweatpants and no shirt. He felt like shit, like a truck ran over him. He was used to getting sick. He had never been healthy. Even as a child, he got sick often. He hated not being well.
As he poured coffee into his mug, his phone rang. He grabbed the phone and said, "Hello?" It was his mother, Charlotte. "Joey, its mom. Mickey told me you're sick." Joey said, "Yeah." His voice still sounded hoarse. Charlotte said, "I'm coming over." Joey said, "You don't have to, ma." He really preferred that she didn't come over. He just wanted to be alone and to rest. Charlotte said, "I'm coming over Joey, and that's final." She hung up. Joey sighed and put the phone back on the receiver. He loved his mother, but she could be a pain in the ass sometimes. She asked him too many questions. That's what mothers do, but damn, it annoyed him sometimes.
Charlotte was knocking on the door a half an hour later. When Joey opened the door to let her in, she gave him a big hug. She said, "My poor baby." Joey said, "Ok, ma". Charlotte said, "Let's get you into bed. Come on." She tucked Joey in bed and said, "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" Joey shook his head and said, "I just want to sleep." Charlotte said, "I'll clean up a bit while you sleep." Joey said, "Ok but don't misplace my stuff. I know where everything is." Charlotte said, "I know, I know. I know better than to move your stuff around." Charlotte knew that Joey was meticulous about where he put things. If she even moved a piece of paper from where it was, Joey found out and scolded her. She kissed him on the forehead and went out to the living room to let him sleep.
Charlotte dusted, swept and mopped. She enjoyed cleaning. Joey was her messy son. Mickey was organized, Joey was not. It had always been that way. She didn't mind cleaning for Joey, it gave her something to do. She bent down to pick up a piece of paper under the kitchen table. She looked at it closely and saw that it was a receipt from Tiffany & Co. She gasped and said, "$600?" What could have Joey possibly bought there, and for whom? She remembered the time Joey bought Linda an engagement ring. Charlotte had been against it, but Joey did what he wanted with his money. That whore, thought Charlotte. She broke my son's heart. Charlotte had never liked Linda. She remembered when Joey introduced Linda to her. He had brought her over to Charlotte's house. Within five minutes of being around Linda, Charlotte knew she didn't like her. Linda was after something, and it was not her son's love. She was a gold digger. Charlotte had told Joey how she felt, but Joey refused to listen. He found out the hard way. Charlotte sighed and placed the receipt on the table. She decided she would ask Joey about it when he woke up.
Charlotte peeked into the bedroom and saw Joey was asleep. He fell asleep with his rose colored glasses on. She thought about taking them off his face and placing them on his nightstand, but she didn't want to wake him up. She went back to the living room.
Just then, the phone rang. Charlotte grabbed it on the first ring, before it woke Joey up. "Hello?" she said into the receiver. April didn't recognize the voice on the other end of the line and was startled to hear a female voice. "Hello, I am looking for Joey." Charlotte said, "And who is this?" April wondered the same thing. She said, "This is April. Who am I speaking to?" Charlotte said, "This is Joey's mother." April sighed in relief and said, "Oh hello, it's nice to talk to you. I'm Joey's girlfriend." Charlotte said, "Yes, he has told me about you". April said, "I am looking forward to meeting you soon. I know Joey's sick and I was just calling to check on him." Charlotte said, "He's taking a nap at the moment, but I'll tell him you called. Nice talking to you, dear." April said, "It was nice talking to you as well…and thank you. Goodbye."
April hung up the phone and decided that she would ask Olivia to go shopping. Olivia loved to shop and April needed the distraction.
When Joey awoke, he called out for Charlotte. "Ma!" Charlotte came into Joey's room and said, "Oh, you're awake." Joey sat up in bed and said, "Can you get me a glass of water?" Charlotte said, "Of course. I'll be right back." She left the room and came back with a glass of water. She placed it on his night stand. She watched him take a drink. She felt bad for her son. He looked pale in color and his hair was a mess. She went to the bathroom and found Joey's hair brush. She came out with it and said, "Let me brush your hair." Joey scowled and said, "Why? I ain't going nowhere." Charlotte said, "Joey, let me do this." Joey snapped, "Ok, ok!" He felt like he was 5 years old, all over again. As his mom brushed his hair, she said, "So I found a Tiffany's receipt under the table." Joey said, "So?" Charlotte said, "Did you buy something for April?" Joey said, "What if I did?" Charlotte said, "Joey, you don't have to get so defensive. I'm just asking. Besides, I spoke to her. She called while you were asleep." Joey's face lit up and he said, "She called? I have to call her back." Charlotte said, "I told her you'd give her a call later. She sounded sweet on the phone." Joey said, "She has the sweetest voice I've ever heard. Ma, I love her." Charlotte put the brush down and said, "Well I'm glad that she makes you happy. That's all I want for you." Joey said, "She's the best. I can't live without her." Charlotte said, "Now Joey, you need to be careful. Don't forget what Linda did to you." Joey and said, "I know April loves me. She's nothing like Linda. Wait until you meet her. You'll love her, too." Charlotte said, "I'm sure I will, Joey."
Chapter 2
It was 7:oo pm. Monte, the Ramones tour manager, hung up the phone. He was booking The Ramones dates in Mexico. The band was going to do a 3 week tour. They had never been to Mexico, it will be their first time going. Monte had to make sure the band got their passports ready and he had to figure out whether or not he was going to allow the guys to bring their wives/girlfriends. That made it all the more difficult, but the guys could be insistent about things, especially Johnny. He certainly didn't need Johnny in a bad mood during the whole tour. The guy was hard to handle, as is.
Monte picked up the phone and dialed Joey's number. He hadn't seen or heard from him since last night, when the Ramones played the gig at CBGB. Joey picked up on the first ring. "Hello?" Monte said, "Hey, it's Monte." Joey let out a sigh of disappointment, as he was hoping it was April. "What's up, Mont?" asked Joey. Monte said, "You scattered out of the show last night without saying goodbye. Wondered if you were ok." Joey said, "I'm sick, I think I've gotta cold." Monte said, "Yeah, you sound sick. Listen, I'm working on the Mexican tour." Joey said, "Oh yeah?" Monte said, "All the shows and dates are booked. We leave next month, on 15th. Oh and I decided you boys can bring your women, if you want." That made Joey feel a little better, because he could bring April. However, that meant Linda would be going, too. Joey said, "I'll ask April if she can go. She'll be done with school, anyway." As if Monte read his mind, he said, "Just keep her away from Linda, right?" Joey smirked and said, "Johnny better keep Linda away from April! April is a wild one and she won't hesitate to kick Linda's ass if Linda starts something." Monte laughed and said, "Those Latina women have hot tempers." Joey said, "Well, she's rubbing off on me, Mont." Monte said, "I'd say! I can't believe you did a number on Johnny!" Joey said, "He had it coming." Monte said, "That's for sure. Ok, I'll talk to you later. Feel better!" Joey said, "Thanks. Bye". He hung the phone up and decided he was going to watch TV for awhile. He had tried calling April as soon as his mother left, but there was no answer. He left a message on April and Olivia's answering machine for her to call him back.
April and Olivia walked down the aisle of Macy's. They had gone shopping together. Olivia had bought herself 3 pairs of heels, 2 pairs of jeans and a pair of earrings. She was able to splurge because she was already working as a hairstylist. She made great money from her clients. April, on the other hand, had to be careful on what she spent. She had a budget that she had to abide by. Her parents sent her money every month, but she had to use it on her half of the rent, utilities and groceries. Anything extra, she put aside for shopping trips, such as this one. The only thing she wanted to buy was a dress for her graduation ceremony and shoes to go with it.
She looked at the dresses on the rack and couldn't decide. Olivia picked one out and said, "Ooh, I like this one!" She held it up for April to see. April shook her head and said, "No." Olivia put it back on the rack and said, "Well, I think it's cute." April picked out a strappy cream colored dress. It was short, but not too short. She thought it was cute. "I want to try this on", she told Olivia. Olivia said, "I like it!"
April walked over to the dressing room and tried on the dress. She looked in the mirror and twirled around. Hmm, she thought. I love it. The light colored dress complimented her dark hair. It hugged every curve she had. Oliva knocked on the dressing room door and said, "Aren't you going to show me?" April opened the door. Oliva gasped and said, "Oh my god, it's perfect! Look how sexy you look!" April laughed and said, "I'm not trying to look sexy." Olivia said, "But you do. Man, I wish I had your curves! Tiny waist, big boobs and decent bottom." April said, "Oh, shush! You are slim and don't have to worry about gaining weight! I'd love that." Olivia said, "But guys like bodies like yours better." April said, "Not true. Look at all the supermodels. They are all shaped like you." Olivia said, "Well, are you going to get it?" April said, "Yes, I am. This is it. Now I have to get shoes."
Johnny said to Linda, "You'll be coming with me to Mexico next month." Linda said, "I didn't know the band was going there." Johnny, who was sitting on the couch, reading a book about Elvis, said, "Now you know." Linda said, "That should be fun!" Johnny looked up from his book and said, "It'll be a great time if you stay away from Joey." Linda rolled her eyes and said, "Don't worry! Besides, I'm sure Joey will have his little girlfriend with him, anyway." Johnny said, "Good!" He continued to read his book. Linda said, "What do you want for dinner?" She walked into the kitchen.
April and Olivia got home and put their packages on the couch. They were exhausted after so much shopping. Olivia went to the kitchen and got herself a can of TAB, from the refrigerator. She looked over at the answering machine and saw there was a message. She played it. It was Joey's message for April. "Hi April, it's me, Joey. Give me a call later. Bye." Olivia said, "April, call Joey. He left a message."
April looked at the time and it was 9:00pm. She figured she would call Joey, take a bath and go to bed. She was tired from shopping all evening.
Joey was watching TV when the phone rang. He got up to go answer it. "Hello?" "Hi Joey, it's me." It was April's sweet voice on the other end of the line. "Hi baby. How ya doin'?" asked Joey. April said, "I'm fine, my love. And you? How are you feeling?" Joey shrugged and said, "I feel better than I did this morning. My ma said she talked to you for a bit." April said, "She did. She was really nice." Joey said, "I think she likes you." April laughed and said, "But Joey, she hasn't even met me yet." Joey said, "Well she'll be meeting you soon." April said, "So I went shopping tonight with Olivia." Joey said, "Oh yeah? I guess that's why you weren't home when I called." April said, "Yeah, I needed a dress for graduation and shoes. Wait until you see me in the dress I picked out!" Joey said, "I'm sure you'll look beautiful. Uh, listen babe, I could have bought you a dress. Or sent you money to get a dress. You don't have to spend your own money on that stuff, ya know?" April said, "Joey, you're so sweet. It's ok though, I got it covered." Joey said, "Well you're my girl, and I wanna take care of you." April said, "That means a lot to me." Joey said, "You have no idea what YOU mean to me, April." April said, "Joey Ramone, I love you more and more each day!" Joey said, "I feel the same. Listen, I want you to come on tour with us next month. Monte booked some shows in Mexico and we'll be there for 3 weeks." April said, "Really? Mexico?" Joey said, "Yeah, don't you have relatives there or something?" April said, "Yeah, I have an aunt there and some cousins." Joey said, "Well maybe we can see them while we're there." April thought it was so cute how Joey said WE. April said, "I'd love to go on tour with The Ramones! You don't have to twist my arm, babe." A feeling of happiness came over Joey. He was going to spend 3 weeks with his love. Joey said, "Great! It'll be a blast!" April said, "I guess that means Linda will be going, as well, huh?" Joey said, "Don't worry about that bitch. If Johnny knows what's good for her, he'll keep her away from us." April said, "Good, because if she fucks with me, I'll punch her out." Joey laughed and said, "I know you will. My hot blooded girl." April laughed along with Joey.
Chapter 3
April's parents flew in from Texas to attend her graduation. She hadn't seen them in 6 months, so it was good to see them. They took a cab to her apartment. They had never been there before. As they walked inside, they met Mr. Thomas and he directed them towards April's apartment.
April's mom, Irma, said, "Wow, this place is nice!" Her husband, Rudy, looked at her and said, "Indeed it is! So this is what we pay for every month." Irma smiled at him and they kept walking until they found April's apartment.
April swung the door open and said, "Mom! Dad!" She gave both of them hugs and introduced them to Olivia. Olivia, who looked stunning in a red dress, said, "Hi, nice to meet you both." Rudy and Irma gave her a hug. Irma said, "Aren't you stunning?" Rudy chimed in and said, "Like a supermodel!" Olivia blushed and said, "Thank you."
April wasn't dressed yet, she had on her robe. She said, "Mom and Dad. I never told you this, but I have a boyfriend and he's coming to my graduation, too."
Rudy and Irma looked at each other. Rudy said, "Oh? Who is your boyfriend?"
April glanced at Olivia and Olivia shrugged. April said, "His name is Joey Ramone and he's in a band called The Ramones."
Rudy said, "The Ramones?"
"Yes, dad, the Ramones", said April.
Olivia chimed in, "Yeah, they are famous!"
Irma said, "My daughter is dating someone famous? Ok, well, we look forward to meeting him."
April said, "I need to warn you that he is super tall and looks intimidating, but he's a total sweetheart."
Rudy said, "What do you mean he's super tall and looks intimidating? Who are you dating, King Kong?"
April laughed and said, "No dad. You'll love him. So will mom. I promise you!"
April went to the bedroom to get changed into her dress. She thought about how it would go when Joey met her parents. She had told Joey that her parents were coming to her graduation and he said he was excited about meeting them. Joey said they could all ride in his limousine to the ceremony. Wait until her parents found out about that! She knew they would love Joey. Everyone loves Joey.
When April was all dressed and ready, she stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself. Her long dark hair was flowing. Her make-up was just right. She thought she looked pretty damn good. Eat your heart out, Linda. She didn't like the fact that Joey's ex-girlfriend was still around, but it was something they had to deal with. She knew that Linda still had feelings for Joey and that she regretted leaving him for Johnny. Joey assured her that he no longer loved Linda and April believed him. She had to trust him.
When April walked out into the living room, everyone turned around and looked at her. Irma said, "Oh my God, you look stunning!" Rudy said, "My daughter is so beautiful!"
Just then the doorbell rang. Olivia said, "That's probably Joey."
April said, "Go get the door, Olivia. Remember, I don't wanna look desperate." Olivia laughed and said, "Ok".
She opened the door. There stood Joey with a bouquet of red roses in his hand. He looked nice, too. Joey Ramone never dressed formal, but he had on a nice clean pair of non-ripped black jeans and a white button down shirt. He wore black Converse on his feet. He had to look like a rock star, after all.
Rudy went up to Joey and said, "You must be the young man my daughter is in love with. Boy, you're tall-April wasn't kidding!"
Joey shook Rudy's hand and said, "Nice to meet you[LW1] , Mr. Vargas."
Irma gave Joey a hug and said, "Hello Joey! It's nice to meet the man my daughter loves."
April walked up to Joey and he handed her the roses. "Thank you, love," she said. She kissed him on the lips. Joey blushed because everyone was staring at them kiss. He looked at April and he felt his heart flutter. He said, "You look beautiful." He couldn't stop looking at his girlfriend. She looked outstanding, like no other girl that he's ever laid eyes on.
"You look gorgeous too, babe", said April. Joey smiled at her.
Olivia came over and gave Joey a hug. She said, "I'm glad you're here! April said you were sick last week, are you feeling better?"
Joey said, "Yeah, I'm fine now."
Joey walked over to April and put his arm around her. He said, "Well, the limo is downstairs. My chauffeur is patiently waiting. Shall we go?"
Rudy said, "Limo?"
April said, "Joey has his own limo and chauffeur, dad. I told you he's a rock star!"
Joey interjected and said, "It's not really MY limo, it's the band's limo and driver."
Rudy said, "Wow! My daughter is dating a rock star. Imagine that! Son, I will have to check out your band."
April smiled at Joey and Joey said, "Anytime, Mr. Vargas. I'll hook you up with some of our albums."
April wondered if she should tell her parents about Mexico, but she didn't think the time was right. She'd have to tell them at another time.
They all piled into the elevator and went downstairs. As they walked through the lobby, Mr. Thomas spotted the whole clan. He said to April, "Congratulations, sweetheart. I'm proud of you!" April beamed at him and said, "Thanks Mr. T!" Joey waved at Mr. Thomas and said, "Mr. T, we'll see you later." Mr. Thomas said, "Ok son, I'll be here! And it was wonderful to meet you, as well," he said to April's parents. They waved at him and they all walked outside, where the limo was waiting. The chauffeur was waiting by the limo door to let them all in.
In the limo, Joey sat next to April, who sat next to Olivia. April's parents set across from them.
Joey offered everyone a glass of wine. He opened the mini-fridge and took out a bottle. He opened it with care. April handed everyone a glass.
Rudy said, "Once everyone gets their wine, we need to make a toast!"
Joey carefully poured wine into everyone's glass.
Rudy held his glass and said, "This is the life of luxury!"
Joey said, "It's not always luxurious, Mr. Vargas."
Rudy said, "You can call me Rudy, son."
Once everyone had their wine, it was toast time.
Rudy spoke first. "To my beautiful and intelligent daughter. You make your mother and I very proud!"
Joey spoke next. He said, "To the love of my life. You've made me a happy man. I'm very proud to be with a girl as intelligent, beautiful, and sweet as you. You make my life complete, ya know?"
Irma said, "That was lovely!"
Olivia said, "To my best friend in the whole world! I love you like a sister!"
April felt a tear run down her cheek and she wiped it with the back of her hand. She said, "I love all of you so much. I am so glad you are here with me."
Rudy said, "I'll drink to that!"
Everyone took a sip of their wine.
Chapter 4
The limo pulled up in front of the theater where the ceremony was going to be held. The chauffeur got out and held the door open. Joey and April were the last ones to get out. Joey took April's hand and walked along with others, to the building.
Once inside, April gave Joey a kiss and said, "I need to go sit with all the other graduates. Keep my parents company."
Joey said, "I'll do that."
April made her way to the section of the theater where the graduates were seated. She noticed the seats were labeled with names. She looked for her name and sat down. She noticed so many people in attendance. She didn't think there would be this many people here.
She looked towards the back of the theater and saw Joey talking with her father. They looked like they were getting along. That made her happy. Olivia and Irma were also chatting about something. April felt so lucky to have them all in her life.
The CEO of the beauty school took his place on stage and started talking. The audience piped down.
"Thank you all for attending the graduation ceremony for the Manhattan Hair Styling Academy. I am pleased to say that every single student that took the exam, passed with flying colors. I am proud of the hard work they put in. It's not easy being a hair stylist, or a cosmetologist. Working on other human beings is a challenge. You deal with so many types of personalities. I commend all of our students for a job well done. I am proud to present to you the Class of 1979."
There was applause. They started calling people's names to go up to the stage to take their diplomas.
April got nervous. She hoped she didn't trip on her high heels. Oh my god, I would DIE, she thought. Please God, don't let me trip and make a fool out of myself, she thought.
"Annie Boulder", they called. April was going to be the last one to go up, as her last name started with a V and they were going by alphabetical order.
When they finally got to her name, she took a deep breath and stood up. She made her way to the stage. Her heart pounded so hard. The CEO handed her the diploma and shook her hand. The CEO took the microphone and said, "I'd like to inform everyone that April Vargas was the student with the highest grade point average. Congratulations, April."
Joey stood up as everyone clapped. Rudy followed his lead. He leaned over to Joey and said, "That's my little girl." Rudy had tears streaming down his face, as did his wife.
Joey was grateful he wore dark glasses because he felt his eyes water. I can't have people see me cry in public, he thought. He looked at April, walking across the stage, with a happy smile on her face. He thought to himself, she's definitely the one. His thoughts startled him, but it was what his heart felt.
The limousine pulled up to a fancy steakhouse called Morton's. It was Joey's idea for all of them to go out to eat, on him.
As everyone got out of the limousine, some people recognized Joey. "Hey Joey!" yelled out a fan. Another one said, "It's Joey Ramone!" Joey, who held onto April's hand, waved at them, but kept walking. He saw a photographer take a few pictures. Nosy bastard, he thought. He knew that those pictures were going to end up somewhere.
When they got into the restaurant, Joey apologized to April's parents. "Sorry about the chaos. It's rare that I go out and not get recognized. I kinda stand out, ya know?"
Rudy nodded and said, "I'd say you are easy to spot, son." Joey smiled at him.
Just then the restaurant owner came out and said, "Joey, so nice to see you. How many people will be seated at your table?"
Joey said, "Five. And make it a booth, if you can."
The restaurant owner said, "No problem, Joey. Anything for you. Follow me." He led them to the back of the restaurant, in a more private area. He said, "Is this ok?" Joey nodded and said, "Thank you."
When they were all seated and had already ordered their food, Rudy said, "So tell me more about your band, Joey."
Joey said, "Well, we formed in 1974, got signed in 1976 and here we are 3 years later. We play a lot of shows and have a few albums out."
April piped up, "The Ramones are the most popular band out there."
Rudy said, "I'll have to attend one of your shows soon. You know, I was in a band when I was young."
Joey said, "Oh yeah?"
Rudy said, "Yeah, I played the guitar. We didn't get famous, but it was still fun. As a matter of fact, I met my wife at one of my shows." He looked over at Irma and she smiled at him.
Joey nodded and said, "Right on!"
Olivia said, "So your tour to Mexico should be fun, huh, Joey?"
Joey said, "Yeah, we'll be there for 3 weeks. My tour manager is working on booking the clubs."
Olivia said, "April said she's excited about going, too."
April shot a look at Olivia. She shook her head. Olivia said, "Oops." She mouthed sorry to April.
Irma said, "April, you are going too?"
April looked at Joey with defeated eyes.
Joey cleared his throat and said, "Mrs. Vargas, I asked April if she'd like to go with me on this trip. My tour manager said that girlfriends are allowed to accompany us, on this trip. I figured since she is done with school, she could take a trip before she starts her career."
Rudy piped up and said, "If April wants to go, she should." Irma gave him a look as if to say, really?
April said, "I do! And Joey said we could even visit Aunt Carmen and her kids, while we are down there."
Joey said, "I'll take care of her. You don't have to worry about anything."
Irma said, "April will need a passport, she doesn't have one."
Joey said, "My tour manager is going to take everyone to get their passports. April included. It will come out of MY budget, so no worries."
April grabbed his hand and held it. He always came to her rescue.
Rudy said, "I like this young man! He knows what he's doing and has a good head on his shoulders!"
Joey smiled and said, "Thanks, I really appreciate that."
The waiter brought out all their food and everyone started eating. They ate, talked, and laughed. April was in heaven. She thought it was too good to be true that her parents liked and accepted Joey. Her father had always been more easy going than her mother. Rudy was a free spirit and an optimist. Her mother, not so much. However, April could tell that she liked Joey.
When everyone was done with their meal, Joey took out his wallet to pay the bill. Rudy interjected and said, "I'll take care of the bill, son."
Joey said, "No, I insist."
Rudy said, "You've done a lot already. Please!"
April looked at Joey and nodded at him. It was best that he didn't argue with Rudy.
Joey put his wallet away and said, "Ok, if you insist. Thank you."
Rudy paid the waiter and they all got up to go outside.
They walked over to the limousine, where Joey's chauffeur was waiting.
Another fan approached Joey. "Joey! Can I get your autograph?" asked an overweight girl with long, black hair. She was holding the Ramones "Leave Home" album in her hand.
Joey said, "Excuse me" to April and her family. The girl had a black marker in her hand, ready for Joey to sign. He signed her record and she said, "Oh my god, thank you! " Joey smiled at her and said, "Thank YOU, for buying our music!" She gave Joey a hug and walked away happily.
Joey got into the limousine, where everyone else was already waiting. He felt all eyes on him. He could feel himself blushing. He didn't mind talking to fans, but it was a bit embarrassing for him when it happened in front of company that wasn't used to it.
He said, "Sorry about that."
April said, "You don't have to apologize, babe. It's so sweet of you to talk to your fans and be nice to them."
Joey said, "I really appreciate them. Without them, the Ramones wouldn't be where they are today."
Rudy said, "I'm very impressed, Joey. When April told me she was dating a rock star, I had no idea it would be someone I would like. "
Joey said, "Thanks!" He looked at April and gave her a smile.
Irma said, "Joey, are you staying in Manhattan tonight?"
Joey said, "No, I, uh, unfortunately have to get back to Queens soon. My band has rehearsal tonight. We were supposed to have rehearsal this afternoon but I moved it down a few hours so I could be here with you guys. There was no way I was missing April's graduation."
April gave him a kiss on the lips and said, "You're the best!" Joey blushed once again. He saw that April had no problem showing affection for him in front of her parents.
Olivia said, "He IS the best! I want to find a boyfriend just like him."
Joey said, "Just be careful about who you date."
Olivia nodded and said, "Trust me, I will be!" She knew Joey was referring to the incident with Gary, her ex-boyfriend. He had accused Olivia of flirting with one of his friends and he had beaten her up severely. He had been drinking, of course. Joey taught Gary a lesson, though. She would forever be grateful that he was there for her.
The limousine arrived at April's apartment. The chauffeur got out and opened the door so everyone could get out.
Rudy said, "Well April, I think your mom and I are going to catch a cab to take us to our hotel. We're tired and need to rest. "
Joey raised his hand and said, "Hold it! You don't have to take a cab, we'll give you a ride to your hotel. We have time, right Sammy?" He looked at his chauffeur. Sammy nodded and said, "Of course."
Irma spoke up and said, "Oh, that would be nice. Thank you, Joey."
April said, "I told you, he's the best! Now you know why I love him so much!"
Joey said, "Well, I guess we should all say our goodbyes and hit the road, ya know? I hate being on a time schedule, but that's the way my life is, and will be, as long as I'm in the Ramones." He sighed.
Rudy said, "It's ok. Hard work always pays off, Joey."
April hugged her parents and said her goodbyes. Olivia did the same.
Rudy said, "C'mon Irma. Let's give April and Joey some privacy to say their goodbyes." He took his wife's arm and helped her inside the limousine.
Olivia said to April, "I'm going inside. See you in a bit!"
April said, "Ok, I'll be in shortly."
She grabbed Joey's hand and they stepped towards the back of the vehicle, for a bit of privacy.
Joey said, "Today was neat. Your parents are wonderful people."
April said, "My dad loves you! And I know my mom does, too. Thank you so much for coming today. It really means so much to me. I don't want you to leave!"
Joey said, "Close your eyes."
April said, "Why?"
Joey said, "Just do it."
April closed her eyes and she felt Joey put something in her hand. He said, "You can open them now."
April looked down and saw a small Tiffany & Co box in her hand. She looked up at Joey and said, "Joey, what did you do?"
Joey shrugged and said, "It's your graduation gift. Go ahead and open it."
April opened the tiny box and inside was a beautiful diamond bracelet. She gasped and said, "Joey, it's gorgeous! I love it! But you didn't have to do that. You just got me a necklace a few weeks ago." She touched the locket she wore around her neck.
Joey said, "I told you that I am going to spoil you, April Vargas. You're my girl and my girl is going to be treated like a princess."
April said, "But your love means the most to me."
Joey pulled her close to him, embraced her and kissed her passionately on the lips. Both of their hearts fluttered like mad.
April said, "I love you."
Joey replied, "Hey, I love you more."
He let her go, walked away and got into the limousine, where April's parents were waiting.
[LW1]