It was the 50th anniversary of Fonzie and Rema's wedding. Now 81 and 75, the happy couple, still in love as they ever were, contently sat together on the sofa in what was once the Cunningham house. They had briefly lived in Fonzie's last apartment for about two years after the wedding, until Rema became pregnant with their first son, Bryce, before deciding to move. The Cunninghams, still feeling empty nest syndrome, had graciously offered to take them back in, as Marion put it, "It will be like having grandchildren live with us!" Now, 48 years later, Howard Cunningham had passed away in recent years and Marion was now living alone in a nearby senior home, and Richie's children had grown into successful adults as well. As the couple sat reminiscing, suddenly the song "Memories" by Elvis Presley began playing on the nearby radio.
Rema looked over at her husband, squeezing his hand, "Oh, honey, remember this song?" she beamed.
"I sure do," Fonzie said, staring back at her, "This song was released the same month we were married."
"That's right, it was." Rema recalled, "If I'm not mistaken, we had just set the date for our wedding around that time."
"That we sure did!" Fonzie sighed, almost seeming to miss the old days more than ever. Suddenly, he got quiet and turned away.
Rema got concerned, "Darling, what is it, did I say something wrong?"
Fonzie shook his head silently, taking a breath, "No, honey, it's just that, I guess I just can't believe we've been married for 50 years now. I've been doing a lot of thinking about things lately."
"What about, honey?" Rema inquired, cupping his hand in both of hers.
"It's nothing, really," he began, "I sometimes wonder if I've been the husband you deserved all these years. I'm not getting any younger, sweetheart, I wanted to be, I've tried to be, but I just don't know, sometimes I feel like I'm losing my cool and I wonder if, I don't know, if you still love me, if I'm.." he paused briefly,
his voice beginning to tremble a bit, "If I'm still good enough a husband to you."
Fonzie suddenly went quiet again, moving his other hand to cover his eyes just as he did during his wedding vows, Rema let go of his hand and put her arm around his shoulder, holding his head into her chest.
"Baby," Rema said in disbelief, "Of course you've been everything I deserve! You've been the best husband any woman could ask for, not to mention an excellent father to Danny and Bryce! And remember what I said in our vows, I love you for cool or uncool, and trust me, honey, uncool is not something you ever were!" She leaned over and kissed the side of his head as he held onto her, "Now chin up, it's happy anniversary, not sad anniversary!"
"Yeah I know," he cleared up, "I just got a bit misty there for a second, it's a lot to take in, ya know?" he sat up and swiped at his eyes, "Both our kids are grown up and got kids of their own, all of our friends have moved away or moved on. So much has changed, and yet here we are still, it's everything I ever dreamed of and I couldn't ask for more even if I wanted more."
"I know, me either." Rema now leaned into him, "You've been there for me through so much in my life, not just as my husband but as my best friend in the whole world.
Of course we always enjoyed the good times we've had, like our honeymoon in France, or when Bryce was born, but then there were the tough times too, like when my band broke up."
"Of course I was, sweetheart. For better or worse, remember? And you did the very same thing for me too when we lost Mr. C. and..." Suddenly, Fonzie paused again and leaned back into her. Suddenly, they both realized where his emotion was stemming from.
She took him back into her arms in full, "It's okay, dear." she whispered, holding his head, "It's Joanie, isn't it?"
All Fonzie could do was shake his head, "She was the baby sister I never had, honey." he tightened his own hold on Rema as if to tell her to keep holding onto him, and she did, "I wish she could have stuck around to see us reach this anniversary, not every couple makes it this long!"
"They sure don't," she rubbed his hair, "But we sure did and if there is one thing I know, she's up there right now looking down at us and thinking, 'I knew they'd make it that far!'"
Rema no sooner said that when the radio switched, and "Can't Help Falling In Love" began playing. Fonzie suddenly froze, pulled back and broke into a smile, and Rema looked over at him, "What's that about?"
Fonzie looked into Rema's eyes, "Chach used a line from this song in his vows to her."
Rema's mouth dropped to the floor, "See, what did I tell you? She knows, baby! That was probably her way of saying congratulations to us!"
"You think so?" Fonzie smiled lightly, holding onto Rema's arms.
"Honey, I'm sure of it! Happy anniversary, my love." she leaned in to kiss him, gently closing her eyes, and he reciprocated, "Here's to another 50 more! May the day our love is no more be the day doo wop isn't awesome!"
Fonzie looked into Rema's eyes and kissed her once again, "Still after all these years, Rema, I love you with all my heart."
Rema slipped her arm through his, resting her head contently against his shoulder, "I love you too, Arthur. For cool or uncool, I'm forever yours!"