Chapter Seventeen

This was it. I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock, but not for work. I'd called my boss last night and said that I "unexpectedly" had to quit and move somewhere else. Ha! Whatever...I was free of my job, forever!

"John! John! Hey, wake up, man! Get up, it's the morning." I shook Johnny violently in the bed like a little kid would. He groaned and yawned in the process. "Come on, John. Wake uuup!"

He jolted upwards and sighed. "Jesus, lady, what is it?"

"Baby, it's the morning. We're leaving today!" I screamed joyfully and threw my pillow up in the air. "Oh man, I can't wait to get the hell out of here."

Johnny grumbled and turned over in the bed, taking his pillow from under him and putting it over his head. "Oh, Angie, will ya go to sleep?"

"John. It's the morning." I snatched his pillow away and threw it on the floor. Then I jumped on top of him and kissed his neck. "Wake up baby. Please?"

He sighed. "Alright, alright. Get off me."

I moved over and laughed. "Oh, quit being so grumpy. Want me to make you some waffles?"

He turned and faced me, his eyes suddenly bright at the mention of food. "Waffles, mommy?"

"Yes. But if you want them, you'll have to leave the bed and come downstairs."

"Okay, mommy." He smirked. My heart stopped.

Within five minutes, he joined me downstairs for breakfast. I swear, only food would get him this excited. I still didn't understand how he didn't gain any weight. Why was it that women had to be the ones to look like fatties all the time when we ate something? If I were ever jealous of John, it was because of that.

He sat at the table and I gave him his plate. He looked closely at the waffles and made sure that the blueberries I put in there were in every hole.

"Oh, will you stop it and eat your damn breakfast?" I laughed and washed my hands, then sat with him at the table. "So, we're driving to New York, right?"

"Well of course, we have to babe." He chewed noisily. "I mean, how else is the van gonna get back to where it belongs? I borrowed it, remember?"

"Yeah, that's true. I'll bring some money for the road and stuff-"

"Nah nah, you don't need to worry about that. I got all that." Johnny finished his last waffle and got up to put his plate in the sink. "I'll take care of it."

"Are you sure?" I smiled.

"'Course I'm sure. I've got it figured out. But honestly...if we're gonna be in New York later on this afternoon, we're gonna have to leave now."

My heart sunk. "Right...right now? This early?"

"Yeah, we gotta go. Where's your mom?"

"Oh, I think she's coming down soon. I'll call Mayra and the others too so they can say goodbye."

. . .

"And don't have so much fun to the point where you're not watching the road. And call me often, you hear? I'll be mad at you if you don't call. Oh, and don't have too much sex, I don't want you getting pregnant. Life is going to be stressful for the both of you as it is-"

"Oh my god Mayra, will you ever stop talking?" That girl could talk up a storm, my goodness. "I'll be fine. You know I'll call you and everyone else too."

Mayra looked shocked. I never saw this look on her really. I mean yeah she'd been surprised before, but this was a different kind. It was a sad kind of shock that she was in. And just as I knew, her eyes welled with warm tears and she looked down at the concrete. "I'm sorry, I...it's just I...you're my best friend." She fiddled with her hands. "And now, you're leaving. I guess I just don't know how to react, really. I'm just...I feel like I'll be empty now. You know?" She cried harder and put her arms around me.

My eyes teared up too, but I tried to lighten the mood. "Hey, now May. You act like I'm dying or something." I chuckled and wiped her eyes. "Come on, lighten up, girl. You know I'll always be here for you. I'll call you and always invite you over to stay with us whenever you like. You know that. So come on, don't cry." I kissed her forehead and hugged her tighter. "Believe me, I cried more than you did just the night before. But don't worry, I'll be alright."

Mayra sniffled and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I know. And I'm so happy for you two." She looked over at Johnny and reached her hand out to him. "Come here, John." Her voice was soft and kind.

Johnny walked over to her and held her hand. "Yeah?"

"Now listen. Angela...I grew up with her since middle school. I've been friends with her for nearly ten years now. She means alot to me, and I know she means alot to you too. So be good to her, okay?"

"Of course." He smiled. "I'll tell Joey you said hi too."

She blushed and kissed Johnny on his cheek. "Thank you. It was so nice meeting you. And I admit...I used to be one of those people that hated you before, but I don't have any reason to hate you now. You're a good guy, John."

This was the first time in my life that I ever saw Johnny with the look that he had on his face. He was completely appalled, but I knew he'd try to hide it like Mayra's comment mattered none to him. "Uh...thanks. Thank you. That's, uh...that's nice o' ya to say."

"Well, we should be getting on our way now. Bye, everyone!" I gave my mom and friends one last hug and kiss and got in the passenger seat of the van.

As we drove off and farther from my house, there was a certain kind of feeling I had. A sense of freedom...of destiny. It was like I could do anything. I truly felt independent now. Maybe this was what it felt like when you finally moved out of your mother's house. Pure, unrefined liberation. And it felt amazing!

Johnny and I sang Elvis (his idol) and other stuff on our way. We took a couple of rest stops for food and the bathroom, and were back on the road again. It was about 12:30 when we finally arrived in New York City. We drove to his house in Queens, then took the Long Island Railroad to the East Village. Johnny and I walked up to an apartment building, and he knocked on the door. A guy with a mustache answered it.

"John! You're back!"

Johnny smiled. "Yup. I brought back this wonderful lady with me too."

The man looked in my direction, and I tensed. I never saw him before. "Um...hi."

"Hey, how are ya?"

"I'm doing okay, and yourself?"

"Just fine, just fine." He nodded politely.

"'Ey Monty, where's everybody?" Johnny scratched his head.

"Oh, they're inside. Come on in, we're just chillin'."

Johnny took my hand and led me inside. And just like two years before...that same familiar smell hit me like a huge wave and washed over my nostrils. The putrid stench of cigarettes. I swear, by the time I was fifty I'd have lung cancer. Then, that was when I saw Joey lounging in a loveseat. I let go of Johnny's hand and ran towards him. "Joey!"

"Hey, Angela! Oh man, it's been ages!"

"I know! I've missed you so much." I embraced him in a hug and he chuckled. "I missed you too. How ya doin'?"

"I'm great now that I'm here in the Big Apple instead of that stupid town I came from."

His laugh was beautiful, a hearty, full laugh. I could see his bright teeth through the dark hair that blocked his face. Joey was still incredibly shy, it seemed. "Yeah, been a while since we went to Baltimore."

I chuckled. "Yeah. I'm so glad I'm here! Where's everyone else?"

"Oh, Dee Dee and Marky went out to get us some food and stuff. They'll be back soon, though."

"When they get here, I'm going to tackle them too."