Fonzie sped down the highway from Inspiration Point faster than he intended, and his nerves spun harder than a jukebox 45. He and his star lady Paula Petralunga just finished their last hot date. She'd dropped the bombshell she was becoming a nun.
"Oh the humanity!" He wailed. He quickly glanced at the starry sky. "I thought I was your favorite guy! Now you're taking her away from the Fonz...well...I don't blame ya. What man can resist Paula's bouncy Petralungas?"
He realized whom he addressed and straightened up on his bike. As he made a turn he waved his thumb in the air. "Aaayyy, big man, we're still cool!"
Fonzie was so lost in thought he almost missed a T-Bird erratically weaving down the road and trailing one of the worst cars ever made – the Renault Dauphin. The last time Fonzie fixed one at the garage, he told the owner in no uncertain terms to junk it if he wanted to save face. The RD was paper-thin and took over a minute to reach sixty miles per hour.
Fonzie heard the crash around the bend and a woman's scream. Mr. T-Bird's tires screeched and the driver flew the coop. Fonzie saw the Dauphin smashed against a tree and the engine billowed smoke. He slammed his brakes, jumped off his bike, and dashed to the scene. Through the closed windows he saw a girl slumped over the steering wheel with a gash on her head.
He banged on the glass but she kept unresponsive. "Hey! Lady, you okay?"
Fonzie backed up and tossed out his arms with a shrug. "It's cool! It's cool! You could do this, you're a Fonzarelli!"
Now was not a time to panic. The Fonz never panicked. He glanced up again. "Hey, big man, I'm sorry about the Paula comment, but I could use a little help here!"
The woman stirred and choked as smoke seeped into the car. She wearily raised her head and saw flames shooting out from the hood. She screamed and smacked the window when she saw a guy outside.
"I knew you wouldn't let me down!" Fonzie tugged on the hot door handle, but it wouldn't budge. The girl lifted the locks, but it still refused to move.
"Please get me out! Please help me!" She begged.
"I'm tryin' doll! I'm tryin!" Fonzie shouted.
The heat intensified. Any minute the car was liable to explode. Fonzie swiftly kicked at the door. Nothing. He growled and banged the top of the car with the side of his fist. The door popped open and dropped off its hinges and the radio blasted.
"Well, you can rock it, you can roll it. You can slop and you can stroll it at the hop. When the record starts spinnin' you calypso when you chicken at the hop. Do the dance sensation that is sweepin' the nation at the hop! Let's go!"
The woman was nearly overcome from the smoke. Fonzie caught her before she fell onto the grass. The music gave him a pounding headache and he bopped the steering wheel and immediately silenced the radio.
"Tha...thank you! Thank you!" She moaned and her rolled her head onto his shoulder. The odor of searing gas attacked him.
"You can definitely thank me later, sweet cheeks!" Fonzie tossed her over his shoulder and ran as far as he could.
The car exploded. Burning pieces ricocheted left and right. Fonzie tumbled down a small slope with the girl and kept her body covered. The girl stayed entangled in his arms and they refused to move for what felt like hours. Through the ringing in his ears Fonzie heard his name being shouted from the side of the road. He saw Richie Cunningham and his friends driving home from a night on Inspiration Point. Fonzie weakly raised his arm and thumb and eased himself to a sitting position.
"Aaayyyy! Over here, Cunningham!"
Richie was oblivious to the danger. Despite his friends' protests he scampered down the hill. He waved the smoke from his view and skidded to a halt beside them.
"Fonz! We heard the crash and saw the fire...then the whoosh! And the explosion! We saw your bike and your helmet and we thought....Fonz! You're alive! Alive!"
Richie fell to his knees and grasped him tight. Fonzie smiled and allowed the embrace for a few seconds then shrugged him off. "Easy, Cunningham, easy. I'm alive, just watch the leather...the leather!"
"Oh, right. Sorry, Fonz! What happened? How...?" Richie noticed the young woman on the ground. She looked in pain and held her head.
"That's not Paula...Fonz, she's hurt bad, she's bleeding."
"I know that, red. Gimme me your cardigan."
"My cardigan? You sure?" Richie tugged nervously at the light blue Jefferson High School sweater.
"Do you want her to bleed to death because you refused to get your sweater mussed up?" Fonzie demanded. "Don't be a nerd. Be a hero."
Off it came. "Absolutely, Fonz! What was I thinking? Is she gonna be all right? We heard police sirens and an ambulance, the fire trucks too. They're not far off."
"Good...there we go, lean on me." Fonzie sat the woman up and delicately patted her head with the sweater sleeve. She winced and cried.
"Hey, doll, you're gonna be okay. The Fonz is here." Fonzie put his arm around her petite shoulders. She buried her head onto his chest and smeared up his white tee shirt with blood. He owned a dozen of them anyway.
"Is there anything I can do, Fonz?" Richie hovered.
"Yeah, tell those two nerds up there to stop the chit-chat and let the medics come and check her out. She might have one of those bad headache things. A concoction."
"You mean a concussion?"
"I knew that. Yeah."
Richie jogged up the hill and turned back. "Wow, Fonz, this is gonna be some story for the school paper. You're a real hero!"
Fonzie waved him off. "Will you hurry up before we need a hearse instead of an ambulance?"
Although he'd often bask in glory, Fonzie knew when to show humility. He groaned when he saw flashing lights and Officer Kirk mechanically climb out of the police car. Somehow, the unyielding Sheriff would find a way to blame him for the mess. Fonzie vowed to keep his cool tonight, if only for the poor girl's sake.
She shuddered and he studied her through the moonlight and flickering orange blaze. She wore her curly black hair bobbed around her face. Her pale, peaches and cream complexion and rosy, full lips made him think of fairy tales. She blinked and stared up at him with light blue eyes and long lashes.
"Woah." He gulped as his heart jumped. "Very nice."
She wore little make up and dressed comfortably in jeans, loafers and a button down red shirt. Fonzie cupped her chin and tapped her cheeks to keep her from passing out. He read somewhere that a person with a concussion must be kept alert.
He nudged her playfully. "Heyyy, I didn't know Liz Taylor was coming to Milwaukee, ya think I got a shot in your next picture?"
"I'll call my agent, we'll do lunch." She whispered and Fonzie laughed. She had a cute voice and kept up her humor despite the trauma. "Eddie Fisher can't hold a candle to you."
"I bet you get that all the time, huh?"
She smiled and gazed at his leather jacket and spotted his motorcycle. "Yeah, I do. Thanks for saving my life, James Dean."
Fonz grinned bashfully at the mention of his hero. "Aayyy, no problem."
The medics came and helped her onto the stretcher and administered first aid to her wounds. She clutched Fonzie's hand before they put her in the back of the ambulance.
"Hey, James Dean, I'm kinda scared. I don't even know where I am. Is this really Milwaukee?"
Fonzie caressed her fingers. "Don't you worry Liz Taylor, I got my good friend Richie Cunningham here and he's gonna follow the ambulance to the hospital. I'll be there. The Fonz don't break promises, especially to a pretty lady."
"The Fonz...is that your real name?"
"It's uhh...Arthur Fonzarelli. You can call me Fonzie." He shocked himself owning up to the nerdy name "Arthur" so quickly.
"I'm Sadie Rose...Heart." She murmured as drowsiness overtook her.
"That's very pretty."
Fonzie loosened her hand and let the medics do their job. He sauntered to Richie's car. A bunch of other cars lined the highway and everyone cheered, whistled, and flashed their headlights on and off. Fonzie grinned and waved. Officer Kirk grunted and marched over.
"I don't know all the details of what happened here, Fonzarelli, but know this. You are not off the hook. I know you had something to do with this car crash and I'm going to prove it."
"Well then you're gonna have a long gray beard before you do, Kirk." Fonzie ran his hand from his chin to his chest. "I was not involved in the accident, I was riding by and heard it, and I stopped to save the woman." He shot back and everyone clapped.
"We'll see about that!" Kirk gritted his teeth.
"Is it just me, or is it starting to rain?" Fonzie remarked and wiped the spittle that flew out of Kirk's mouth off his jacket. "Everyone knows Officer Kirk likes to put a damper on things."
Kirk nearly turned purple and faced the laughing crowds. "Everybody go home! There's nothing more to see here! It's past ten o'clock; you should be safe in your beds, not gallivanting around Milwaukee! Move it! Or else I'm calling all your parents!" He blew his whistle and the crowd groaned and pulled out. Kirk shook a warning fist at Fonzie and went to talk to the firemen.
Fonzie clapped Richie on the shoulder. "Hey Cunningham, I need a favor. I have to get home and change ya know, I was wondering if..."
"You want me to go to the hospital and make sure she's okay, right Fonz? I heard what you told her."
Fonzie stiffened. "The Fonz does not like to be interrupted in mid-sentence." He eased his stance and smirked. "Yeah, Rich, do ya mind? Just call your folks and tell them what happened. If I go and tell them what went down, they'll keep me there all night and Mrs. C will have a heart attack."
"Hey Fonz! That was a cool rescue! We didn't think you got out of the explosion! You're like Superman." Warren 'Potsie' Webber beamed at him.
Ralph Malph tagged closely behind. "Yeah, was it a bomb?"
"No, it was a crash and of course it was cool, Webber. I know how to save damsels in distress and I prefer, the Lone Ranger." He snapped his finger.
"But you don't have a mask." Potsie said.
Ralph rolled his eyes at his inept friend and tipped his hat to Fonzie. "Another few seconds and you would've been more charred than Al's burgers." He laughed. "Hahaha! Even in a disaster, I still got it!"
The group sighed and Richie jumped behind the wheel of his car. "Hey Fonz, are you gonna be okay? Do you need a ride?"
"Naw. Richie, I am more than okay. I'm all pumped up. Hurry and get to her, her name is Sadie Rose Heart."
"Rose heart? What kind of name is that?" Potsie chuckled and Fonzie frowned.
"Hers...Potsie."
Potsie clammed up. "It's a cute name, really, Fonz."
"You better believe it."
Richie noticed the agitation in Fonzie's hazel eyes. He smiled breezily at him. "Fonz, I'll find her. We'll see you there."
Finally left alone on the road, Fonzie kicked at the gravel and flexed his arms to ease the tension in his muscles. He cracked his knuckles a few times and tried to remember the features on the T-Bird. It was definitely black, with the top down – but that was all he could make out in the darkness. If he ever found the driver he wanted to hang him by his toenails over Inspiration Point and compact his car to a tiny square with his bare hands. Fonzie picked up his bike and put on his helmet. He grinned in spite of himself. It wasn't often he met a beautiful chick this way. He had a good feeling about her. With a last worried glance at the accident scene, Fonzie took a deep breath and sped off.
~Oo~
Fonzie peeked in on the Cunningham family. Howard, Marion, and Joanie laughed at "I love Lucy." Fonzie rushed to his attic apartment and quickly changed his shirt after washing the soot and the blood off his arms and face. He spot cleaned his jacket and raced back down. He heard Mr. C shouting through the phone about Richard at the hospital. The door opened before Fonzie could rev up his motorcycle.
"Hold it right there, Arthur!" Marion said sternly. "Richie's on the phone and he said there was an explosion! We want to know what happened right now."
Fonzie didn't let the use of his given name rile him too much. Marion Cunningham was the only person in the world he allowed to call him "Arthur." Howard rocked on his heels and smiled tight-lipped with his hands in his pockets. Fonzie grew accustomed to that stance, it was full of tension and demanded answers. He put down his kickstand, but didn't go into the house.
Marion fiddled with her short, red bouffant. "Arthur, we're waiting."
"Look, Mr. and Mrs. C, don't get your panties in a knot, I mean...don't worry. I assure you, Richie's fine. He wasn't involved in the crash. I found the car, I got the girl out and now she's in the hospital. I just asked him to go along with the ambulance and keep an eye on her until I got there."
Richie's fourteen-year-old sister Joanie pushed between her parents and jumped into his arms. She surprised him with a hug. Fonzie grinned and set her down. She gave him her brightest, dimpled smile.
"Hey, now that's what I call a welcome, shortcake!"
"Fonz! You're fantastic! You're a hero! Richie just told me. I can't believe it! Wait until I tell Jenny Piccolo tomorrow! No...make that right now!"
Joanie kissed his cheek and Fonz swung his head back. "Woah! Now that's what I call a kiss too!" He snapped at her and Joanie squeaked happily and rushed inside.
Howard wagged his finger. "You tell Richard I want him to come straight home. I have to call the Webbers and the Malphs and tell them their sons were not caught in this accident. It's on the local news already."
Fonzie started the bike again. "Mr. C, Richie will be home in one piece, I promise ya."
Marion approached him and kissed his cheek too. Fonzie blushed hard and looked at his boots. "Aww, Mrs. C..."
"Don't think that we don't care about you, Arthur. After you visit this girl you go straight to bed and get some rest. I'll make you boys a hero's breakfast in the morning and you can tell us all about it."
Fonzie whispered in her ear and Marion nodded happily. "Of course, with whipped cream hair and a strawberry for a nose and a blueberry mouth, or was it raspberry? Anyway, Richard loved the pancake man when he was a little boy. I used to have so much fun and even put bacon strips as a mustache."
Howard shook his head and tossed up his hands. His wife sometimes couldn't keep a secret if it killed her. Fonzie shrugged embarrassed and rode off. He felt very warm inside. The Cunninghams were special people. Not many Middle American families would take in a so-called hoodlum with open arms and consider him like one of the family. On his way to the hospital he thanked his dear friend in the sky.
~Oo~
Sadie Rose awoke frightened and hooked up to hospital machines with a bandage on her forehead. Her limbs felt weak. The nurses had cleaned her and dressed her in a hospital gown. She glanced to her left. The red-head teenager who helped her and Fonzie dozed in the chair.
"Freckles, are you awake?"
Richie popped his eyes open and shot up. After the phone call home, Potsie and Ralph left so their parents wouldn't get worried. He cautiously came to her bedside and stared at her. She certainly was beautiful. She looked at least twenty-one.
He smiled warmly. "Hi, umm...I'm Richie Cunningham, Fonzie's friend. How do you feel, Sadie?"
"Like I was in an explosion. I'll be okay, Freckles. Where is Fonzie? Is he hurt?" Her gaze darted around the room. "Gosh, I hope not!"
Richie blushed at the nickname. "No, Fonzie's fine. He's on his way. He had to make a stop home. Umm...so, you're not from around here, are you?"
"No, I just drove through town tonight. I wasn't planning to stay."
"Where are you from?"
"New York City."
Richie thought he recognized her accent. "Oh, that's cool! Fonzie's from New York too, but he moved to Milwaukee many years ago, you'll probably have a lot to talk about."
"Maybe. Hey, Freckles, I really appreciate you staying and everything, I hope your parents aren't too upset."
"My mom and dad? Naww, I called them. They understand. They hope you feel better too."
"I'm sorry about the sweater. I'll pay you back for it."
"It's no big deal, Sadie. I have another one."
Richie drew out his little black notepad. He carried it everywhere in case he stumbled onto something newsworthy. "Hey, Sadie, do you think you can tell me a little bit about what happened? I mean, what you remember right before the crash?"
Sadie grinned weakly. "A reporter, huh? I really don't know. I uh...I was cruising along and this big car comes out of nowhere on my left and tries to shove me off the road. I mean, first he bumps me a few times and then pulls alongside me. My stupid Dauphin was no match for that T-Bird. I lost control and slammed into the tree when I made the turn. The rest is kind of hazy until Fonzie came. He's a lifesaver."
Richie wrote it all down and tapped the pencil on his lip. "Did you see who the driver was? Can you give any description?"
Sadie was reluctant to answer and Fonzie appeared in the doorway wearing a new black tee shirt and holding a bouquet of freshly plucked wild flowers. He carried a box of chocolates and a vase.
"Cunningham, she'll have to answer these questions for the police and she needs a little time to relax. You'll get your scoop, don't worry."
Sadie tapped Richie's hand. "Are you on a school paper or something, Freckles? You look like a smart kid."
"Really? Thanks! I was hoping I could get an article prepared for Monday's edition."
"Sure, Richie. Just write what happened tonight then do a follow up later. When Sadie gets her head together she'll talk more. Now get outta here, your parents are havin' a conniption fit. And Joanie wants to cast me in bronze in the town square. She's planning a parade." Fonzie joked.
"That would be cool, wouldn't it. But Kirk might have something to say. Sure, I'll go now, Fonz. No problem." Richie backed to the doorway and let Fonzie take charge of the situation. Outside the room, Fonzie gripped his arm.
"Cunningham, you're a good kid. I owe ya one big time."
"Thanks, Fonz. You do enough for me. Are you sure you don't need me to wait or anything?"
"No, I got my bike. Visiting hours may be over, but the night nurse Rhonda is easily persuaded, if you catch my drift."
Richie laughed at his friend's never-ending romantic wiles. "I catch it. I passed her earlier and she's swooning over your heroics. G'night, Fonz. Tell Sadie good night for me."
Fonzie turned back to Sadie. She admired the flowers and disregarded the dirt and roots crumbling on the sheets. He put them in the vase on the nightstand and made himself comfortable on the edge of her hospital cot. She observed his every move, almost as if sizing him up. She seemed a little weary of what his reputation might be.
Fonzie did his own observations, and she couldn't fool him with her innocent gaze. This chick had been around the block and then some and he could tell that somehow it wounded her. He empathized with her.
He folded his arms. "So, the kid says good night. Wanna Bon bon?"
"Freckles is a sweet heart." She dug into the box. "Mmm, the caramel square ones are my favorite. Thanks."
"Freckles, huh? I'm sure he's digging that. Cunningham is the best."
"I'm sure he is, or else you wouldn't be hanging around a clean-cut like him."
"Hey, the Fonz does not discriminate, even with nerds. I can get along with anybody if I wanna. Richie is privileged to know me."
Secretly Fonzie felt it was the other way around. She eyed him like she knew that too.
"That's good, Fonzie. So, I hear you're from New York."
"What gave me away?"
Sadie rolled her eyes playfully. "Well definitely not your voice or your attitude or anything like that."
Fonzie laughed. "Well, if ya wanna get technical, my family came to Ellis Island in 1889 and parked it on Mulberry Street for the last sixty-somethin' years. Well, until my dad left when I was two and then my mom when I was four. I lived with my grandma Nussbaum until I was..."
Fonzie couldn't believe how easily he talked to her about his past and before they knew it, two hours passed. He noticed she carefully avoided revealing too much of her personal life and gave only vague answers to his prodding questions. He would get it out of her at some point. Fonzie had a strong 'sixth sense' about people and something irked him about the events tonight. Somehow, none of this was over.
The new night nurse, Ethel – a brooding and paunchy older woman with cat-eye glasses – rapped hard on the door and barged in. "Time's up, Mr. Fonzarelli, it's been up for an hour already. Rhonda begged me to let you stay. I guess there was no harm done. You kept it quiet."
Fonzie stared the nurse down. He was too tired to flirt. "Okay, nurse Ethel, I'm just saying a final g'night."
"Any longer and you can say good morning. She needs her rest. You enjoy her company so much then come back tomorrow and pick her up. She's being released. Clean bill of health."
Fonzie went back to Sadie's side. "Fonzie, do you hafta go?"
"Yeah, Ethel's giving me her evil eye, but don't you worry, I'll be here for ya first thing after breakfast."
Sadie clung to him. She couldn't fight a growing panic. "Fonzie, I...I have nowhere to go, I wasn't planning on staying in Milwaukee, maybe just to get a tune up, but that's over with. All my stuff, my clothes, were destroyed. They got my pocket book and suitcase out, but it's burned and..."
Fonzie stooped down and kissed her on the forehead. He brushed her curls behind her ears. "Say no more, I'll take care of everything and get you back on your sweet little feet."
Tears filled Sadie's eyes and the unruffled front she put on that evening melted away as she leaned against him. "Fonzie, I couldn't ask you to do any more. You already saved my life, kept me company, fed me bon bons..."
"You're not asking, I'm tellin.' You just rest your pretty eyes and let me take care of it all, capice?"
Sadie's grip slid down his arm and she laced her fingers through his. Fonzie wasn't a big man, but he possessed a certain wiry strength and tough, loyal personality that was beyond compare. Just being near him, she felt very safe, but she didn't mention it. He suspected too much already.
She lay back on the pillow and smiled. "Okay. I trust you, Fonzie."
Fonzie squeezed her hand. He shut the light and left the room. As he passed the desk a gut instinct struck him and he rang the bell.
"Ethel, Listen. Sadie's new in town and I'm taking full responsibility for her." Fonzie wrote down his phone number. "If anyone comes here looking for her, unless it's Richie Cunningham, you don't let them past this desk until you call me and I come down to meet them. Okay?"
Ethel sighed and put the information in her chart. "Okay, Fonzarelli, I get ya. You're Sadie's man and guardian. I'll tell the doctor."
Fonzie gave her a thumb up and headed outside. He liked the sound of that.
Sadie's man.
~Oo~
As he pulled into the Cunningham driveway, Fonzie caught a light flicker in Richie's bedroom window. He sighed and went up to his apartment. Five minutes later Richie appeared in his plaid robe and pajamas with milk and homemade chocolate chip cookies. He set the plate down on Fonzie's table.
"To what do I owe the honor, Cunningham? It's late ya know? You got school tomorrow."
"Tomorrow's Saturday, Fonz. I've stayed up later reading comic books and other stuff."
Fonzie smirked and chugged the milk. "Never mind, Hugh Hefner, I'm actually glad you're here. You know what Rich, don't breathe a word, but that was the first time in my life I ever, and I mean ever, spent a night just talking to a woman! It was amazing. I should try it more often, to really get into their minds and hearts ya know? Women love that sensitive stuff. In the right doses of course. No one is gonna call me a chump or a fairy."
Richie never failed to be bowled over by the things he learned about Arthur Fonzarelli. "That is amazing, Fonz. That's a good thing. Take it from me, they really do like talking and all that mushy stuff. So, did she tell you more about the accident?"
"She didn't wanna talk about that, so we didn't. I know you're out to make a mystery, Cunningham, but don't be so quick on the draw. There are some things I think she wants kept secret. Ya know what I mean? It is what it is, an accident."
Richie didn't think Fonzie believed that either, but he didn't press him. If Fonzie wanted answers, he'd get them. "Yeah, Fonz. Okay...umm, so...what next?"
Fonzie finished off another cookie and led Richie to the door. "Right now the Fonz needs to sleep! I have a plan, I always have a plan. I'll talk to you in the morning, just have the guest bedroom ready."
Richie knew that was coming. "Fonz, I don't know, what if my parents disapprove?"
"Don't worry your carrot top. I know how to handle Mr. and Mrs. C. Tell shortcake to pull out some skirts and tops too. Nothing too fancy. Sadie's just a little shorter than her, it'll all fit."
"Fonzie, do you really think this is a good idea? You hardly know her."
"I just spent two and a half hours of my precious life gettin' to know her, Cunningham. She's real. You have a better idea? Oh wait, hey, I could let her stay up here with me!"
Fonzie pondered the thought, too happily, but Richie wagged his hands.
"No, Fonz. That's even worse, guest bedroom it is."
"I knew you'd see it my way. Now get some shut eye, your mom is making us a hero's breakfast."
Richie's boyish face lit up. "Mr. Pancake! Oh you're gonna love Mr. Pancake, Fonz, he's got eggs for eyes and..."
"Cunningham, if you don't get back to bed I'm gonna make you look like a pancake."
Richie bounded down the steps and grinned up at his friend. "There's something else you're not telling me, Fonz. Come on, spill it."
Fonzie looked at the porch light, he felt down the wall and jabbed a spot with his fist. The light went out and Richie could no longer see his expression. Fonzie didn't want Richie to see him looking like a nerd with the hearts he felt dancing in front of his eyes.
"I have four more words for you, Red. Between us only, I'm. In. Love. WOAH!"
Fonzie went inside and Richie slowly crept up to his bedroom. The Fonz may have set the world record for dating, but he rarely admitted to being in love. The entire situation with Sadie was serious and he hoped that in the process, Fonzie's heart wouldn't get broken.