"Rog, Gina you ready yet?" Collins asked pounding on the door of the apartment.
"Yeah, we're comin hold on. Baby, you ready?" Roger said rushing to the door as Gina tied her sneakers.
"Yeah, I'll be out in a second." she told him from the bedroom.
"Joanne'll be here any minute." Collins said as Roger opened the door.
"I'm ready. Let's go." she said excitedly as she grabbed her coat off of the coat rack.
"Baby, you got the registration sticker and the insurance card?" Roger asked pulling on his coat.
"Yeah sweetie, they're in my bag. Let's go. I wanna get my baby." she told him leaning up to kiss him before leaving the apartment.
"I guess she's ready." Roger said winking at Collins as they laughed.
"Mark, Mimi, let's go. Joanne'll be here soon." Gina yelled as she entered the loft.
"We're coming Gina. No need to yell." Mimi said coming out of her room laughing.
"Sorry, I'm just anxious to see my car again. I hope it still runs. No one's started it in 6 months." she said standing in front of Mimi's room smiling.
"That's why I got the spark plugs, oil, oil filter, tranny fluid and new battery. If she doesn't run when we get there, she will when we leave." Roger said coming into the loft holding a milk crate filled with car supplies.
"I know sweetie. You can do anything with a car." she said leaning up to kiss him as they heard a honk from downstairs. "She's here." Gina yelled as she ran to the fire escape. "We'll be right down." she shouted excitedly.
"Think we should hurry or make her suffer?" Mark said laughing.
"Come on guys. She's just excited to get her car back." Roger said as she grabbed his jacket and dragged him out of the loft.
"Come on, she's waiting." Gina said as the others followed her.
"Thank you so much Jo. I really appreciate you doing this." Roger said putting the milk crate in the back of the SUV before climbing into the back seat as Gina slid next to him.
"Don't worry about it Roger. It'll be fun. So Gina, are you excited to be getting your car back?" Joanne asked looking to the back seat.
"She didn't sleep much last night. What does that tell you?" Roger told her as Gina elbowed him. "Ow, that hurt." he said laughing.
"Yes, I am very excited." Gina said as she looked up at Roger.
"So what made you park it in Albany?" Collins asked from the rear seat.
"Well we grew up in Loudonville and I figured if I parked the car in Albany, my parents couldn't get to it. They wouldn't know where to find it. I'd drive there in my new car when I was high and just sit in it and cry. I hid my pictures of you and my jewelery box in there and everything else you gave me in the trunk, so when I left, I stopped there and got it before I left." she said as Roger swung his arm around her and pulled her close.
"Oh wow. Roger never told us where home was." Maureen asked from the front seat.
"Well, I didn't want to think about that place again. First it was because of how I left and then it was because of Gina's parents and what happened back there after I left." he told them as Gina laid her head on his shoulder.
"Do you want to visit your mom while we're up there?" Joanne asked driving to the FDR Drive.
"We can't. Gina's parents live down the block and they'll see us and know my mom's been lying to then the last 2 months. It's not a good idea." Roger said caressing Gina's hair as she fell asleep.
"We can call her and ask her to meet you guys in Albany. I'm sure she would love to see you guys." Mark said from the rear seat.
"Yeah, I'm sure Gina would like that. But don't tell her. I want to surprise her." Roger told them as Joanne handed Roger the car phone.
"Mom, hey what's goin on?.. Nothing much here. Do you have any plans today?... How about you meet me in Albany?... No. Everything is fine mom. We're driving up to get Gina's car from a storage unit there and we thought it would be nice to see you... Yeah, that car I built her when I was 17... I know, I can't believe she still has it either, but she does and we're coming up to get it... OK it's New York Self Storage on Washington Ave... OK, we'll see you there... We should be there in like 3 hours... OK love you too. Bye mom. Thanks Jo." he said handing her the car phone to hang up.
"No problem. Maureen, can you get the directions my dad got me from the glove box?" Joanne asked pointing to the glove box as Maureen opened it and took out the piece of paper sitting in it.
"Where did he get these?" Maureen asked looking them over.
"Triple A." Joanne answered as she continued driving north, following the directions.
"Cool." Maureen answered.
"Roger wake up. Where are we?" Gina asked waking Roger up seeing the car was stopped at a rest stop.
"I don't know. They must be inside getting food. Let's go find them." Roger said waking up and stretching before leaning down to kiss her as she opened the door.
"OK sweetie." Gina said as they approached the building.
"Hey guys. Good morning." Collins said holding a cup of coffee out to each of them.
"Where are we?" Gina asked standing in front of the coffee place.
"We're at New Baltimore." Joanne told her sipping her coffee.
"We're almost there? Already?" Roger asked surprised.
"Yeah, you guys fell right to sleep." Mark said filming the rest stop.
"Yeah, I didn't sleep very well last night and I kept poor Roger up too." Gina said putting her free arm around Roger's waist.
"That's OK Baby. I know you're excited." Roger said leaning down to kiss her head.
"Are we ready?" Joanne said holding a bag full of food. "Oh I see the sleeping beauties are up. Does anyone have to use the bathroom before we get going?" she asked noticing Roger and Gina.
"Yeah, I think I will. Be right back sweetie. Hold this for me please." she said handing her coffee cup to Roger.
"Sure Baby. We'll be in the truck." he said kissing her head before she went in.
"Roger, maybe you should call your mother and tell her where we are so she can meet us there." Joanne suggested as Maureen nodded stuffing french fries in her mouth.
"Good idea." he said going to the pay phones to call his mother before Gina came out of the bathroom.
"Mom, it's Roger... No we're in the New Baltimore rest stop... Yeah, we'll be there soon...OK, see you in a bit... Love you too mom. Bye." he said hanging up the phone quickly before Gina came out of the bathroom. "She's leaving now." he told the others as Gina came out of the bathroom.
"I thought you guys were waiting for me in the truck." she said wiping her hands on her jeans.
"We were, but thought we'd stay and wait for you instead." Roger said kissing her and handing her her coffee.
"Well let's go. We should be there in a half an hour." she told them excitedly as they went back to the truck.
"Let's go." Roger said smiling as they piled back into the truck.
"Too bad we can't see where you guys grew up and went to school." Mark said filming the road and the view outside.
"Yeah, well it would risk us being seen in the neighborhood and Gina's parents might see her and then everything we have all worked so hard for would be down the drain." Roger told them as they approached Washington Ave.
"It's right over there. It's Unit 12." Gina said sitting up straighter to see out the windshield.
"OK. Here we are." Joanne said parking as Gina dug in her purse for the key to the storage unit and the car.
"Who's that over there?" she said as she and Roger stepped out of the back seat seeing a black shiney car.
"Gina dear. Oh my, you look wonderful sweetie." Mrs. Davis said running over to the girl to hug her.
"Mrs. Davis. I missed you so much. I am so sorry for everything." Gina said grabbing the woman breaking down in her arms.
"Oh shhh sweetie, it's OK. As long as you're alright that's all I care about." Mrs. Davis told her holding her in her arms rubbing her back up and down.
"I'm sorry we asked you to lie to my parents. It isn't fair to you to have to do that." Gina told her gripping the woman tight.
"Oh now you stop it right now young lady. Your parents are asses and they always have been. After what they put you through, I'm just glad you and my baby boy are finally back together and getting married. I always knew you two were destined to be together. Even back then." Mrs. Davis said pulling Gina back to take a look at her. "Oh sweetie, don't cry. Everything is back the way it is supposed to be. You and Roger together again. And you're getting married. A bride to be should be happy." Mrs. Davis continued wiping the girl's tears.
"I know. I just missed you so much. I missed being with you and talking to you. You were always such a good friend to me." Gina told her as Roger rubbed her back.
"Hi mom." Roger said smiling.
"Oh, I'm sorry baby boy. How are you doing? Are you eating? Taking your medicine?" Mrs. Davis asked hugging her son.
"I couldn't be better, yes I'm eating, yes I'm taking my medicine and I got a job." he told her as his mother looked up at him surprised.
"You got a job? Where? When?" she asked smiling.
"I work at a garage uptown. I got the job on Monday. I figured I'm getting married so I should at least have a job." he told her smiling at her.
"I am so proud of you Roger. You didn't quit playing your music, did you?" she asked looking up at him.
"Yeah like Gina would let me do that. No mom, I'm just gonna be doing it on the weekends now. I'm still with the band." he said smiling down at her.
"Oh good. You have way too much talent to give up on that." she said caressing his cheek. "Roger you should try to shave closer. You have so much stubble." she complained as he looked away smiling.
"Mom, you know that's my trademark. Mom, you remember Mark, Collins and Maureen, right?" he said pointing to the three of them.
"And you must be Joanne. Roger told me so much about you. It is very nice to finally meet you sweetie. And you my dear must be Mimi. Roger has told me so much about you too. I am so proud of what you are doing. You look great sweetie." Mrs. Davis said pulling Joanne in for a hug.
"It is really nice to meet you too Mrs. Davis." Joanne and Mimi said in unison hugging the woman together.
"So why don't we get this door open so I we can see how the car looks?" Roger said wrapping his arm around Gina's waist.
"Oh right." Gina said looking up at him laughing as she put the key in the lock and opened the door.
"Oh Roger, it looks incredible." Mimi said smiling as she stood next to Gina.
"I missed this car so much." Gina said with a tear in her eye.
"Why don't you start her up so I can hear how she sounds?" Roger said as Gina opened the car door and Roger stood by the hood.
"It sounds great, considering. But I'm gonna give her a tune up just to be sure she makes it back to the city. Collins can you put the plates on for me?" Roger said as Gina popped the hood.
"No problem Roger." Collins said going to the back of the truck for the milk crate he packed into the truck.
"Baby, you can turn the engine off." Roger said looking past the hood to Gina who was still sitting in the drivers seat.
"OK sweetie." Gina said turning the car off and stepping outside with the others.
"So Mark, it's nice to see you're still filming things." Mrs. Davis said as Mark took his camera out to film Roger working on Gina's car.
"Roger did a really great job on that car." Maureen gushed staring at the hearts on the open hood.
"He worked so hard on that car. He was so excited about it when he found the right junker and his boss said he would let him work on it at the garage. Nothing was more important than him giving Gina that car when she got her license." Mrs. Davis told them smiling and putting her arm around Gina.
"Yeah, you guys actually registered and insured it for me and made sure my dad would let me keep it." Gina said looking at Mrs. Davis smiling back at her.
"You have no idea how happy I am that you and Roger found each other after all these years. You were always so good for him." Mrs. Davis told her pulling her soon to be daughter in law closer to her.
"She's been good for everyone, Mrs. Davis. She is helping me so much to stay clean." Mimi said smiling as Joanne put her arm around Mimi.
"But you're the one who made the decision to get clean, Mimi. I only helped take your mind off of your cravings." Gina told her smiling at Mimi.
"Stop being so modest, Gina. You have been really great for everyone." Mimi said taking Gina's hand.
"Well thank you Mimi. I appreciate it." Gina told her holding her hand tighter.
"It seems you have made quite an impression in the city as well." Mrs. Davis told her smiling at her.
"Hers and Rogers love for each other has been good for all of us." Maureen told Mrs. Davis holding Joanne's hand.
"They've always been so in love. Ever since they were freshman in high school. Roger used to get into trouble in school until he started seeing Gina. He only got into one fight when he was with her. And to this day, I have no idea what it was about. But I have my suspicions." Mrs. Davis told them as Roger came out of the unit.
"Suspicions about what?" he asked wiping his greasy hands on a rag.
"Why you got into that fight sophomore year?" Gina told him looking up.
"Mom, you wanna know why I got into that fight?" he asked looking at his mother.
"I'd like to know, yes." she answered him looking up at her grown son.
"Tommy Doyle made a pass at Gina and she told him that she was dating me and he better not do it again, he grabbed her and threw her against the wall. I came around the corner and saw this and I lost it. I hit him." he told her looking down at Gina.
"I had a feeling it was something like that. I knew you had to be defending Gina in some way. My honorable son." Mrs. Davis said smiling as she caressed his stubbled face.
"Are you almost done sweetie?" she asked leaning up to kiss him.
"Yeah, I just have to change the spark plugs and check the tires." he said smiling down at her.
"Do you kids have to go so soon? I don't get to see my son and his beautiful fiance very often." Mrs. Davis said as Roger looked down at his mother.
"Mom, I wish we could visit you at the house, but you know Gina can't go back to the neighborhood." Roger told her with a weak smile.
"I know that and you kids know I would never tell anyone where you are. But I do wish I could spend more time with you." Mrs. Davis said flashing the same green eyes Roger posessed.
"Well you are coming for the wedding, right?" Roger asked putting his arm around Gina.
"I wouldn't miss this fairy tale wedding for anything in the world." she said bringing them both in for a hug.
"Good. We'll let you know when we pick a date." Roger said looking down at Gina.
"What? I just want to make sure Mimi is OK before we get married. I don't want to get married worrying about her." Gina said as Mimi looked down folding her arms.
"I told you that I don't want you postponing your wedding for me. You and Roger belong together and you have waited long enough to get married." Mimi told her Roger and Mrs. Davis looked at Gina.
"We're not doing it for you. We're doing it for me. I want you at my wedding. Healthy. We'll have to look at a calender when we get home, but we'll set a date for next month. We're going to city hall, so Roger has to clear the day off with his boss first and then we'll start arranging everything." Gina told them smiling at Roger.
"We can have the reception in the loft. It looks great since Gina got her hands on it. She really shaped it up." Mimi told everyone smiling.
"How about on your birthday Roger? It's on a wednesday." Mrs. Davis suggested smiling at the couple.
"That's a great idea Mrs. Davis. That way Roger will never forget his anniversary." Maureen joked as all the ladies laughed.
"Very funny Mo. I'll see if I could get that day off, OK? Can I get back to fixing my Baby's car now? I'd like to get back to the city today." Roger said smirking at Maureen.
"Oh sweetie, we're just playing." Gina said as she patted Roger on the rear as he went back to the car.
"Rog, you really got a way with cars." Collins told him watching him work on the car.
"Thanks Collins." Roger said as he finished up under the hood.
"I guess you learn something new about your friends everyday." he said as Roger put the hood down.
"Well, I'm full of surprises." Roger said as he got in the car to start it up and see how it sounds.
"Sounds good, man." Collins said as Roger threw the car in reverse and backed out of the unit.
"He got it." Mimi squealed cheering.
"Oh, she is a beaut Rog. Close on Roger, who just fixed the car he originally built for his soon to be wife 9 years ago when she was just 16 and just got her license. See the hearts on the hood. One contains an R and the other a G. Standing for Roger and Gina. This here is Roger's mother, Mrs. Davis. She met us here so she could see Roger and Gina." Mark narrated filming Roger pull the car out of the space and the others looking on smiling.
"Do you want to drive home Baby?" Roger asked getting out of the car.
"I would love to." Gina told him smiling at him.
"You kids should get going so you can beat the traffic." Mrs. Davis said getting teary eyed. "I have so missed you kids." she said wrapping her arms around Roger and Gina.
"We missed you too mom." Roger said hugging his mother.
"You be good to this girl and love her like you always have and there is nothing you can't get through. Gina my dear, keep my baby boy in line. And don't worry sweetie. Your secret is safe with me." she said kissing Roger and then Gina on their cheeks.
"Thank you Mrs. Davis. I really appreciate it." Gina said hugging Mrs. Davis harder.
"I think we could officially stop the Mrs. Davis stuff. You are to call me mom from now on. After all you're marrying my boy and you've loved him for so long." Mrs Davis told her smiling at her.
"Thanks mom. We'll take care of each other." Roger told her smiling as she turned to the others to say goodbye to them too.
"I will see you kids next month for the wedding." Mrs. Davis said as Roger and Gina got into her car and the other piled back into Joanne's fathers truck.
"Bye Mrs. Davis." everyone said waving out the car windows.
"Bye kids. Be careful." she said waving at them.
"Bye mom. Thanks for meeting us here. It means a lot." Roger said from the passenger seat of Gina's car as he waved goodbye to his mother.
"It means a lot to me too to see you two together again. You make sure Roger keeps taking his medicine, OK Gina?" she told her as she bent down into the car.
"I will mom. Don't worry. I want him around for a long time." Gina said smiling at Mrs. Davis as they pulled away.
"Sweetie that was an amazing surprise. Thank you." Gina said driving to the highway.
"I did it as much for her as I did for you. She has been wanting to see you for 2 months." he told her staring at her from the passenger side.
"Why are you staring at me?" she asked looking over at him as she got on the thruway.
"I just missed seeing you drive." he told her reaching for her hand.
"I missed driving this car. The car you made for me." she said smiling at him while still keeping her eyes on the road.