New Paths
"There goes our baby", Marion said as Howard put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Fonzie will take care of her", Howard added unsuccessfully trying to console his wife.
He knew that Joanie would be safe with Fonzie wherever she went, but it still didn't mean that he wouldn't worry. He couldn't help it, Joanie was his baby girl. It had taken all his will power not to clobber that weasel. He still couldn't believe that he had hit his daughter, the bastard!
They both stood outside the bus station watching as it disappears down the street.
"Hey Mona" Fonzie called out as he and Joanie stepped inside the large old house. "Mona, sweetheart" Fonzie repeated again as he set their bags down, making his way to the kitchen. Joanie followed him from room to room. She wondered who Mona was; the only thing that Fonzie had told her was that she was some kind of relative of his, "a real nice lady".
After having search the entire first floor of the house, they headed outside and finally found her tending to her plants in the small green house. Immediately, Joanie took a liking to Mona and vise-versa.
The next two weeks passed by in a flash. The three of them would spend the days down by the lake, tending to the garden, and simply enjoying each other's company.
The cool breeze blew over Fonzie and Joanie. The two lay on the large hammock by the small lake, he on one end and she on the other. The portable radio playing some old song from the 40's.
For the first time since that horrendous night she could honestly say that she was happy. The past two weeks had been absolutely wonderful. Both Mona and Fonzie had truly gone out of their way to make her feel as comfortable and loved as possible. But it was almost time to go back to Milwaukee and face the music.
"Penny for your thoughts" Fonzie said as he swatted a fly away.
"Hmm?" Joanie asked not having heard him the first time.
"You look distracted shortcake," he said as he leaned forward to turn the radio off.
Joanie gave him a warm smile, "I just have so many things on my mind" she confessed.
"It's perfectly understandable. You don't want to go back home and face Chachi.. rather get as far away from him as humanly possible" he finished, a sad look on his face.
"I just don't feel ready to face him, just not yet." she trailed off, uncertainty getting the better of her. "God, you must thing I'm the biggest baby ever" a bitter laugh escaping her before she could catch it.
"No, I don't think you're a baby. The Fonz does not associate with babies" his handsome smile making her feel better. "Listen, I'll go back to Milwaukee alone and talk to Chachi and then you can come back home when you feel ready. Ok?"
Joanie looked as if she was about to cry, but instead she flung herself into his arms, knocking him onto his back and landing on top of him.
"Thank you" she kissed him on the cheek. Fonzie couldn't help but give her another intense smile. He loved seeing her smile, especially now that her face had healed and she looked like the same sweet shortcake he knew. Slowly he traced a finger along her cheek and waited for her reaction. When she closed her eyes he leaned in closer.
She didn't pull away but she didn't move in either. Instead she stayed still, her gaze catching his. Blue met brown and so did their lips. The kiss started out gentle and tentative, both afraid to ruin the gentle electricity that flowed about them. His arms came around her and held her to him.
"Be careful Arthur", Mona warned in a motherly tone as she hugged him.
"Don't worry Mona," he said as he looked over at Joanie, "there's nothing to worry about". Mona hugged him and began to cry. "Oh for Pete's sake, I hate goodbyes. I turn into a crying fool.I'll be waiting in the car" she excused herself and headed for the parking lot.
They both watch Mona leave. Fonzie turned toward Joanie and gave her a reassuring smile. "I meant what I said before, there's nothing to worry about shortcake. I want you to get plenty of rest and think long and hard about what you want to do once you come back home". She nodded as he stepped closer and wrapped her in his arms. "I'll miss you" he confessed and kissed her on the forehead. "Me too" she said in an almost inaudible tone, that only he heard.
"Bus 12 is now boarding" a high pitch voice announce over the intercom.
They both looked at each other one last time and parted. She gave him a radiant smile as she watched him get on board. Once the bus was finally gone from the station she turned around and headed to the car. The urge to cry overwhelming even though she didn't know why, at least not fully. She knew that it had something to do with Fonzie and the kiss they had share a few days ago.
Honestly, at the moment she was an emotional mess. She felt torn and confuse. It wasn't as if she had stopped loving Chachi the exact moment he raised his hand to her. The love she felt for him was still there, but there was also something else, or should she say, someone else in her heart too. She just hoped that she could sort out her feelings before it was time to go back home. It wouldn't be fair to anyone if she didn't.
Is it possible to love two people at the same time? She silently wondered on the way back to the house.
TO BE CONTINUE
"There goes our baby", Marion said as Howard put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Fonzie will take care of her", Howard added unsuccessfully trying to console his wife.
He knew that Joanie would be safe with Fonzie wherever she went, but it still didn't mean that he wouldn't worry. He couldn't help it, Joanie was his baby girl. It had taken all his will power not to clobber that weasel. He still couldn't believe that he had hit his daughter, the bastard!
They both stood outside the bus station watching as it disappears down the street.
"Hey Mona" Fonzie called out as he and Joanie stepped inside the large old house. "Mona, sweetheart" Fonzie repeated again as he set their bags down, making his way to the kitchen. Joanie followed him from room to room. She wondered who Mona was; the only thing that Fonzie had told her was that she was some kind of relative of his, "a real nice lady".
After having search the entire first floor of the house, they headed outside and finally found her tending to her plants in the small green house. Immediately, Joanie took a liking to Mona and vise-versa.
The next two weeks passed by in a flash. The three of them would spend the days down by the lake, tending to the garden, and simply enjoying each other's company.
The cool breeze blew over Fonzie and Joanie. The two lay on the large hammock by the small lake, he on one end and she on the other. The portable radio playing some old song from the 40's.
For the first time since that horrendous night she could honestly say that she was happy. The past two weeks had been absolutely wonderful. Both Mona and Fonzie had truly gone out of their way to make her feel as comfortable and loved as possible. But it was almost time to go back to Milwaukee and face the music.
"Penny for your thoughts" Fonzie said as he swatted a fly away.
"Hmm?" Joanie asked not having heard him the first time.
"You look distracted shortcake," he said as he leaned forward to turn the radio off.
Joanie gave him a warm smile, "I just have so many things on my mind" she confessed.
"It's perfectly understandable. You don't want to go back home and face Chachi.. rather get as far away from him as humanly possible" he finished, a sad look on his face.
"I just don't feel ready to face him, just not yet." she trailed off, uncertainty getting the better of her. "God, you must thing I'm the biggest baby ever" a bitter laugh escaping her before she could catch it.
"No, I don't think you're a baby. The Fonz does not associate with babies" his handsome smile making her feel better. "Listen, I'll go back to Milwaukee alone and talk to Chachi and then you can come back home when you feel ready. Ok?"
Joanie looked as if she was about to cry, but instead she flung herself into his arms, knocking him onto his back and landing on top of him.
"Thank you" she kissed him on the cheek. Fonzie couldn't help but give her another intense smile. He loved seeing her smile, especially now that her face had healed and she looked like the same sweet shortcake he knew. Slowly he traced a finger along her cheek and waited for her reaction. When she closed her eyes he leaned in closer.
She didn't pull away but she didn't move in either. Instead she stayed still, her gaze catching his. Blue met brown and so did their lips. The kiss started out gentle and tentative, both afraid to ruin the gentle electricity that flowed about them. His arms came around her and held her to him.
"Be careful Arthur", Mona warned in a motherly tone as she hugged him.
"Don't worry Mona," he said as he looked over at Joanie, "there's nothing to worry about". Mona hugged him and began to cry. "Oh for Pete's sake, I hate goodbyes. I turn into a crying fool.I'll be waiting in the car" she excused herself and headed for the parking lot.
They both watch Mona leave. Fonzie turned toward Joanie and gave her a reassuring smile. "I meant what I said before, there's nothing to worry about shortcake. I want you to get plenty of rest and think long and hard about what you want to do once you come back home". She nodded as he stepped closer and wrapped her in his arms. "I'll miss you" he confessed and kissed her on the forehead. "Me too" she said in an almost inaudible tone, that only he heard.
"Bus 12 is now boarding" a high pitch voice announce over the intercom.
They both looked at each other one last time and parted. She gave him a radiant smile as she watched him get on board. Once the bus was finally gone from the station she turned around and headed to the car. The urge to cry overwhelming even though she didn't know why, at least not fully. She knew that it had something to do with Fonzie and the kiss they had share a few days ago.
Honestly, at the moment she was an emotional mess. She felt torn and confuse. It wasn't as if she had stopped loving Chachi the exact moment he raised his hand to her. The love she felt for him was still there, but there was also something else, or should she say, someone else in her heart too. She just hoped that she could sort out her feelings before it was time to go back home. It wouldn't be fair to anyone if she didn't.
Is it possible to love two people at the same time? She silently wondered on the way back to the house.
TO BE CONTINUE