All Paths Lead To You
Joanie tossed and turned on her bed, finally she gave up on sleep. Quietly she slipped out of bed, grabbed her robe and headed downstairs. She needed to get some fresh air, the last few days had made her extremely tense. It was ridiculous! It was as if her peace of mind had left along with Fonzie. Joanie couldn't stand being away from him. Hating to admit it, she had grown very fond of having him at her side twenty-four hours a day. Any time she had needed a confidant he was there, day or night.
Not that Mona wasn't great, but Joanie hadn't known her for half her life already, like she did Fonzie. This fact alone was largely responsible for her frazzle behavior. She still couldn't believe the new feelings she had begun harboring for Fonzie, but the strange thing was that they weren't exactly new feelings. Somehow they had always been there suppressed in the confines of her heart.
Naturally, she too, like every girl in Milwaukee, at one time did have a crush on Fonzie. It had been when he had first come into her life. She had been blown away by his dazzling smile, his leather jacket, and of course the motorcycle. Eventually her crush subsided, but never really went away. Goosebumps would still break out all over her skin when he would kiss her on the cheek or put his arm around her, but he never noticed. She never expected him to. Ever.
The cool country air blew through his hair as his "bike" picked up more speed. The desperate need to be by her side, not surprising him at all. Fonzie was a man who knew what he wanted, it didn't take him long to figure what his exact feelings and intentions toward Joanie where. He just wasn't sure if he should act upon them. Love, true love, had never been easy for him. The only two women he ever truly allowed into his heart had ended up breaking it into a million pieces. He wasn't sure if he could take such a devastating blow again.
Besides, it wasn't like she was any other woman. It was shortcake! The sweetest, noblest woman he had ever known, just like Mrs. C. he thought with a smile. It all came down to whether or not he was good enough for her.
Sure, he had changed his way in the past years. Being Fonzie no longer meant what it used to ten years ago. Things were different now. He no longer cared for dating an endless parade of women, far from it. The only thing he wanted was a simple kind of life. One that would be made up of him, her, and the love they would give one another.
Joanie stood on the patio looking out into the night sky. She remembered the warm summer nights when Ritchie would tell her the names of all the stars. Those were the days, back when the world, at least to her, was simpler and innocent.
They never mentioned it to one another, but the summertime ritual was very important to them. Each summer they would pick a nice clear night to stare out into the sky. Eventually the years progressed and Fonzie became part of their small family and their small ritual. He never once made fun of what they did; instead he sat down beside them and stared out into the sky in awe as Ritchie explained to him all the names of the star.
Tears where coming down Joanie's cheeks. If only she go back to those days, go back and do things differently.
She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't hear Fonzie slowly approaching her. He mutely made his way up to her, not wanting to disturbed her. It wasn't until he was right behind her that he said, "Joanie" in a small voice. Joanie whirled around to find herself face to face with Fonzie.
The smile on his face immediately fell when he saw the tears on her cheeks. "Shortcake" he said as he wiped her tears away with his thumb. "What's the matter?" he asked, genuinely concerned.
"Oh, nothing I was just thinking about things" she said with a weak smile. Fonzie wrapped his arms around her as hers automatically went around his waist. They both stayed liked that starring out into the sky.
"I was thinking about Ritchie and how the three use to sit out on the front lawn watching the stars," she admitted in a nostalgic tone. Fonzie smiled, "yeah, those were great times" he said as she looked up to see his face. Seeing him happy made her happy and she could already feel her peace of mind returning to her. It felt good to be in his arms, she felt safe and loved.
"I missed you, a lot," Fonzie confessed.
"I missed you too," she said with a sad look in her eyes.
Fonzie dreaded what he would have to say next, but he had to. "I spoke to Chachi yesterday" he said in a hesitant voice. Joanie didn't answer; he decided to keep on going. "He said that he was worry about you and that he's very sorry about what he did." He could feel her tensing up in his arms.
After what seemed like an eternity she finally said something, "I don't want to go back to him Fonzie. I don't love him anymore, not the way he loves me." her voice growing stronger with every word. It hurt coming to this painful realization, but after all the thinking she had done and being in Fonzie's arms, she now knew that she could never go back. "Things can never go back to the way they were, I don't want them to." There was a look of determination in her eyes and one of hope in Fonzie's. "I don't love Chachi, not as a woman loves a man. I do still care for him, but he no longer owns my heart", her voice shaking a bit by the emotion that overpowered them, "you do".
Fonzie couldn't move, afraid that if he did it would be a dream. Shortcake loved him, wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Everything that he wanted for so long was right in his reach, but would he take it? That was the million-dollar question. Why not? They both deserved happiness.
With his mind fully made up Fonzie brought his lips down to hers and brought her closer to his body. Unlike their first kiss this one was much more urgent, full of need and passion. Her mind was racing, but in a good way. This was right; it was exactly what a kiss should be. Joanie could feel his tongue seeking entrance, which she happily granted.
The small moans that came from her where driving him crazy, he wanted nothing more than to carry her upstairs and.. But he wouldn't, now with shortcake, he would take things slowly, he didn't want to rush anything. Although, he was confident about their love, he couldn't say the same about their future.
They finally pulled apart, their chest heaving and both flush.
"I want to go back home, I'm ready," she said in a confident voice, which made Fonzie smile. Yes, she was ready, they were ready. It was now time for them and he would be damned if anyone said other wise.
TO BE CONTINUED
Joanie tossed and turned on her bed, finally she gave up on sleep. Quietly she slipped out of bed, grabbed her robe and headed downstairs. She needed to get some fresh air, the last few days had made her extremely tense. It was ridiculous! It was as if her peace of mind had left along with Fonzie. Joanie couldn't stand being away from him. Hating to admit it, she had grown very fond of having him at her side twenty-four hours a day. Any time she had needed a confidant he was there, day or night.
Not that Mona wasn't great, but Joanie hadn't known her for half her life already, like she did Fonzie. This fact alone was largely responsible for her frazzle behavior. She still couldn't believe the new feelings she had begun harboring for Fonzie, but the strange thing was that they weren't exactly new feelings. Somehow they had always been there suppressed in the confines of her heart.
Naturally, she too, like every girl in Milwaukee, at one time did have a crush on Fonzie. It had been when he had first come into her life. She had been blown away by his dazzling smile, his leather jacket, and of course the motorcycle. Eventually her crush subsided, but never really went away. Goosebumps would still break out all over her skin when he would kiss her on the cheek or put his arm around her, but he never noticed. She never expected him to. Ever.
The cool country air blew through his hair as his "bike" picked up more speed. The desperate need to be by her side, not surprising him at all. Fonzie was a man who knew what he wanted, it didn't take him long to figure what his exact feelings and intentions toward Joanie where. He just wasn't sure if he should act upon them. Love, true love, had never been easy for him. The only two women he ever truly allowed into his heart had ended up breaking it into a million pieces. He wasn't sure if he could take such a devastating blow again.
Besides, it wasn't like she was any other woman. It was shortcake! The sweetest, noblest woman he had ever known, just like Mrs. C. he thought with a smile. It all came down to whether or not he was good enough for her.
Sure, he had changed his way in the past years. Being Fonzie no longer meant what it used to ten years ago. Things were different now. He no longer cared for dating an endless parade of women, far from it. The only thing he wanted was a simple kind of life. One that would be made up of him, her, and the love they would give one another.
Joanie stood on the patio looking out into the night sky. She remembered the warm summer nights when Ritchie would tell her the names of all the stars. Those were the days, back when the world, at least to her, was simpler and innocent.
They never mentioned it to one another, but the summertime ritual was very important to them. Each summer they would pick a nice clear night to stare out into the sky. Eventually the years progressed and Fonzie became part of their small family and their small ritual. He never once made fun of what they did; instead he sat down beside them and stared out into the sky in awe as Ritchie explained to him all the names of the star.
Tears where coming down Joanie's cheeks. If only she go back to those days, go back and do things differently.
She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't hear Fonzie slowly approaching her. He mutely made his way up to her, not wanting to disturbed her. It wasn't until he was right behind her that he said, "Joanie" in a small voice. Joanie whirled around to find herself face to face with Fonzie.
The smile on his face immediately fell when he saw the tears on her cheeks. "Shortcake" he said as he wiped her tears away with his thumb. "What's the matter?" he asked, genuinely concerned.
"Oh, nothing I was just thinking about things" she said with a weak smile. Fonzie wrapped his arms around her as hers automatically went around his waist. They both stayed liked that starring out into the sky.
"I was thinking about Ritchie and how the three use to sit out on the front lawn watching the stars," she admitted in a nostalgic tone. Fonzie smiled, "yeah, those were great times" he said as she looked up to see his face. Seeing him happy made her happy and she could already feel her peace of mind returning to her. It felt good to be in his arms, she felt safe and loved.
"I missed you, a lot," Fonzie confessed.
"I missed you too," she said with a sad look in her eyes.
Fonzie dreaded what he would have to say next, but he had to. "I spoke to Chachi yesterday" he said in a hesitant voice. Joanie didn't answer; he decided to keep on going. "He said that he was worry about you and that he's very sorry about what he did." He could feel her tensing up in his arms.
After what seemed like an eternity she finally said something, "I don't want to go back to him Fonzie. I don't love him anymore, not the way he loves me." her voice growing stronger with every word. It hurt coming to this painful realization, but after all the thinking she had done and being in Fonzie's arms, she now knew that she could never go back. "Things can never go back to the way they were, I don't want them to." There was a look of determination in her eyes and one of hope in Fonzie's. "I don't love Chachi, not as a woman loves a man. I do still care for him, but he no longer owns my heart", her voice shaking a bit by the emotion that overpowered them, "you do".
Fonzie couldn't move, afraid that if he did it would be a dream. Shortcake loved him, wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Everything that he wanted for so long was right in his reach, but would he take it? That was the million-dollar question. Why not? They both deserved happiness.
With his mind fully made up Fonzie brought his lips down to hers and brought her closer to his body. Unlike their first kiss this one was much more urgent, full of need and passion. Her mind was racing, but in a good way. This was right; it was exactly what a kiss should be. Joanie could feel his tongue seeking entrance, which she happily granted.
The small moans that came from her where driving him crazy, he wanted nothing more than to carry her upstairs and.. But he wouldn't, now with shortcake, he would take things slowly, he didn't want to rush anything. Although, he was confident about their love, he couldn't say the same about their future.
They finally pulled apart, their chest heaving and both flush.
"I want to go back home, I'm ready," she said in a confident voice, which made Fonzie smile. Yes, she was ready, they were ready. It was now time for them and he would be damned if anyone said other wise.
TO BE CONTINUED