In his bathroom office, Fonzie gloated over the new love of his life and his enthusiasm impressed Richie. Seeing him get so weak in the knees, Richie felt that Fonzie truly found his one. Al suddenly burst in with a letter and a sad face.
"A note from Sadie, Fonz. It's very important."
Fonzie was oblivious to Al's sad expression. "Oh, my little rose is getting impatient, I understand. You tell her I'll be right out, I'm just fixin' my hair."
Fonzie gazed in the mirror and smiled with his arms thrust out. "Aaayy, perfectamundo, never mind!"
Al put it in Fonzie's hand, and scurried out while muttering his famous, "Yup, yup, yup."
Richie looked at the others and frowned, something was definitely wrong.
Fonzie opened the letter with gusto and read aloud. 'Dear Arthur...' He cocked his head bashfully and grinned. "I let her call me Arthur too...'Dear Arthur, words cannot express the joy and happiness I felt being with you these last few days. You are my knight in shining leather armor and my cool rider hero forever.' Fonzie clutched the letter to his chest. "Joy and happiness! I gave her joy and happiness...leather armor? Cool rider? She's original, isn't she? She knows her man! I've never had a chick put her feelings so eloquently before. Woah!" Fonzie emotions swelled to near bursting.
"Oh she's a keeper then, Fonz." Potsie said. "What else does it say, huh?"
Fonzie shook out his arms. "I'm getting' there, Webber, I'm getting' there."
"The suspense is killing me, I hope it's juicy! She's talking about leather!" Ralph laughed impishly and Fonzie glowered.
"It's not that kind of letter, Malph. May I continue?"
"Yeah, Fonz, go ahead, no more interruptions, guys." Richie said.
"Thank you, Cunningham. You keep them in line. Anyway, 'I will never forget the time we spent together, I love talking with you and sharing stories, tonight at Inspiration Point was..." Fonzie chuckled, then read a few lines to himself.
"Never mind all that."
"Aww, come on, Fonz! Read it all. What happened at Inspiration Point?" Ralph whined.
"Zip it, Malph. There are things in life that are not meant for children's eyes and ears."
Richie and Potsie laughed and then quieted down fast so Fonzie could finish.
"I feel like this is second grade ovah here! Anyway, 'I know you won't understand why I'm doing this, but please know it's because I care, no, it's stronger...it's because I love you too much to have anything go wrong..."
Fonzie's smile soured and Richie's jaw dropped. If he slowed down the hands of time he would've literally seen the exact moment where Fonzie's heart broke.
Potsie and Ralph looked at one another scared and moved backwards. They tugged Richie's sleeve to follow. The peculiar look on Fonzie's face could only be described as tranquil rage. Richie, Potsie, and Ralph huddled by the telephone as Fonzie fumed around the bathroom. He punched his palms and kept grabbing the mirror to contain his temper. He let out a shout and did all but break down the tiles and tear the doors off the stalls. He looked in genuine pain.
"How could she do this to me? Why would she do it? Why?" He growled. He leaned over the sink and pressed down on it, prepared to rip it from the wall.
Richie bravely stepped up and clutched his arm. It was time to tell Fonzie all his suspicions and what Ralph found out about the T-Bird.
"Is that a nerd hand I feel on me? Unless you wanna be wearing the toilet for a hat you better let go of my arm!" Fonzie said through gritted teeth.
"Fonzie, it's time you knew the truth. I know why Sadie may have left you...just...let...Let. Go. Of. The. Sink. That's good, Fonz, easy there..."
Richie bravely unhooked Fonzie's fingers from the porcelain one by one. He imagined this was what rigor mortis felt like. Fonzie turned slowly, although livid, his eyes were filled with dejection.
"What do you know about her, Cunningham?" He demanded. "What have you been hiding from me? Better yet, what has she been hiding from me?"
Richie looked at Potsie and Ralph and they scampered over to support him and circled Fonzie. After explaining everything, they backed up. Fonzie's chest heaved and his hands clenched open and shut.
"Gimme room!" He snarled. "You better get outta here now because I'm about to go nutso!"
"Don't do anything out of anger. We have to be cool, Fonz. We don't even know if the guy Ralph saw is her old boyfriend or not. Sadie must've found out through Joanie or one of her friends."
"Well, if she was scared enough to run away and du...du...dum..."
"Dump ya." Potsie announced and Fonzie made a motion to punch him.
Richie kept him calm. "Down boy!"
"If she was scared enough to leave the Fonz...It must be him!" Fonzie sputtered.
"Hey, Rich, now that you mention it, I saw Jenny Piccolo hanging around our booth when I came in. I bet she told Joanie and Sadie overheard. That girl knows the things I do before I even do them!"
"It's always in the bathroom you hear horrible stories about yourself." Potsie mused. "It could be a total coincidence."
"I don't think so. And now she went out there with that wolf on the prowl!" Fonzie said. "So help me I'm gonna find her and..."
"All right, Fonz! Nobody breaks up with you like this and gets away with it. So heartless and cruel! She doesn't deserve you, Fonz!" Potsie cheered him on.
Fonzie's eyes blazed and he and pointed to the door. "Webber! Out!"
Ralph got the hint and shoved Potsie. "Let's go, Pots, you're not any help. Rich, we'll be at the booth. Let us know what's going on."
When they left, Fonzie grabbed Richie's collar. "Where could she go, Rich?" He shuffled around. "I have to find her before he does! It's late out there, she don't know her way around Milwaukee, she could run right into him!"
Only Richie was allowed to see the Fonz in a panicked state. Foregoing all fear of Fonzie's notorious temper, he grabbed his shoulders and shook him.
"We have to think rationally, Fonz! Look at the letter again, maybe she gave a clue."
"Right, right, the letter." He patted down his pocket and pulled out the crumpled paper. He scanned it fast. "Uhh...uhh...here's something! 'By tomorrow morning I'll be heading away from Milwaukee, but I'm not sure where I'm going.'
"Good, Fonz! Okay!" Richie paced. "She's not going back to my house, then she'd have to answer to my parents and there's the risk of running into you. She'll need a place to hide out until morning."
"Well she's not gonna sleep on the park bench, Cunningham. She has the money I gave her, if she wants out of here she'll probably go to the bus depot. I'm going there first, Rich."
"Great idea, Fonz! What can I do?"
"Check in with the big C's just to make sure she didn't change her mind! If she's not at your place, then get your keister down to the Bus depot and we'll form a search party. Bring Heckle and Jeckle with you." Fonzie decided authoritatively.
Richie smiled. "That's good thinking. We're just like the Lone Ranger and Tonto."
"Exactamundo! And we are going to save the damsel once again." Fonzie ran to the door.
"Wait, where you going now?"
"I'm gonna get my bike."
"But you have the truck."
"Aaayy, the Lone Ranger had Tonto, but he also had Silver! Woah!"
Fonzie grinned, referring to his hero's horse. He ran out of the bathroom and smack into Potsie and Ralph. Fonzie shoved them aside but then surprised them with a tiny, grateful smile.
"Hey, you nerds still wanna help?"
"We'll do anything, Fonz!" Potsie said.
"You're good guys. Talk to Richie and he'll tell you the plan. I gotta go!"
"Right, Fonz!" Ralph saluted.
~Oo~
Fonzie rushed into the Bus Depot. The area bustled with people waiting to catch the eleven o'clock buses out of the city. He searched the depot and scrutinized every young, black haired woman he saw. He went up to the ticket booth and asked for her by name, but they didn't remember her buying a ticket. Fonzie was baffled. What if she'd lied all along and her name wasn't even Sadie Rose? Fonzie thanked the ticket taker and glumly walked away. However the ticket taker called him back and said that he was on his break a half hour earlier and probably didn't make the sale. That news lifted his spirits just a bit.
Richie pulled up with Potsie and Ralph. "Fonz! She wasn't home, did you find her?"
"No, and she might not have bought a ticket."
"Then we have to keep trying." Richie urged.
"What's the use? She was done here, her life's in danger if she stays." Fonzie sighed.
Potsie looked at Fonzie in utter shock. "Wait a minute! Is this the Fonz talking? Did I just hear you give up?"
Fonzie wanted to make a snide remark but all that came out was a very weak 'Aaaayy.' Potsie was right. However, his emotions were completely spent.
Potsie stood on the seat. "I will not accept that! A few blocks down is the Hugo Hideaway Motel, I think she could be there."
"Yeah, Fonz! Everyone goes there, especially the women of the night and..." Ralph held his mouth. Hugo Hideaway was aptly named because of its rough and raunchy clientele that certainly needed to hide their deeds. "Well, it takes all sorts to make a world, right? Right?"
Fonzie didn't need reminding about places like that. He leaped on his bike.
"Yo, you nerds coming or what?" He grinned at Potsie and gave him thumbs up.
"Right behind you, Fonz." Richie said.
As they pulled out from the bus depot, a red T-Bird parked across from the motel, and its owner storm inside.
~Oo~
Sadie paced the length of the small room. Her nerves were a jumbled mess and her eyes sore from crying. She'd hurt Fonzie badly. He'd been so good and loving to her, and his friends warm, funny and caring, but she took advantage of all of them. She stopped before the oval dresser mirror and stared at her mussed reflection. She didn't even deserve to wear Joanie's pretty dress.
She heard a low knock at her door. This wasn't a place with room service and she certainly never called for visitors. In some seedy New York motels, the owners sent companions for the evening hoping to make extra cash. But it was always women. This place was seamy, but still in the heart of Middle America. Her check-in garnered a few luscious gazes and nothing more.
Sadie put her ear to the door. "Who is it?"
"Janitor. I was told there's leak in the bathroom." The voice was muffled.
Sadie craned her neck and looked at the moldy bathroom. "No. It's fine, must be the next room."
"Oh no, it's this one for sure, miss. I have it on my roster. You just haven't used the shower yet. The pipe is busted."
Sadie grumbled and opened the door. Before she could react, the man rushed inside and slammed the door behind him. He shoved her onto the bed. She looked up stunned.
"Miss me, doll face?" He sneered.
"Oh my goodness! Mike! What are ya doing here?"
"What do ya think? I followed ya all the way." He leered closer.
"You...you were the one who ran me off the road! I knew it! You tried to kill me!" Sadie attempted to make a run for the door, but Mike caught her and tossed her back.
"Damn right! And I woulda had you too if that greasy ducktail didn't show up! Ya think you were smart, telling the police about the murder?"
Sadie boldly stared him down. "No! I did what was right, Mike! You shot that record store-owner and then you tried to frame Joey. That kid was a lot of things, but he was your best friend."
"Exactly! And he woulda taken the heat."
Sadie laughed. "Don't kid yourself. You're nothing but a user and a punk and I hate you! The police are after you big time, Mike! You made a huge mistake following me here!"
"And you made a huge mistake goin' on the lam and destroying my gang!"
"They're a bunch of pigs and all deserve to be behind bars!"
Sadie jumped up and ran to the window. She attempted to climb on the fire escape. Mike lunged and tugged her waist, dragging her to the bed.
"No! Stop it! Leave me alone!"
"Oh, no you don't! I'm gonna have a good time here, Sadie! And then I'm gonna to finish what I started! No one's gonna help you now!"
Sadie pounded on him and he shoved his hand against her face and knocked her onto the floor. She stumbled toward the door and screamed again. Mike crawled on his knees and yanked her back. He tried to pin her arms down. He reached under his shirt, but a sharp banging on the door stopped him.
"Who the heck is it?" Mike yelled. Sadie squirmed and he kept his hand clamped over her mouth.
"It's a widdle girl scout and I want you to buy all my lemon cookies!" The voice behind it said in a faux high pitch.
"What the hell...?"
The door burst open and dropped halfway off its hinges. Mike fell back from the force and gaped at the leather-clad biker standing there with fists up and malice on his face.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I just realized I'm all out of cookies!" Fonzie growled
"Fonzie! Help!" Sadie cried.
Mike laughed scornfully. "You think this midget's a threat to me?"
Mike rose up to his full height and Fonzie stood next to him unimpressed. He peered into his cold blue eyes.
"Did you just call me a midget?"
"If the shoe fits. Now get the heck out of here, ducktail! I'm with my woman!"
Sadie rose fast and backed against a windows. She clutched at her chest. "No! No! He's the one; he tried to kill me, Fonzie! I'm so sorry for what I did I..."
Fonzie smiled at her. "Aaayy, don't you worry, my flower. I knew you had troubles all along. I just wish ya told me. Then nobody would be in this little dilemma here." Fonzie oozed calmness and he poked Mike's chest.
"Sadie, you didn't tell me you were havin' a rodent problem. The manager needs to know he has rats in his building. I hate rats!"
"And I hate midget bikers!" Mike cracked his knuckles.
"There ya go again, pickin' on my size. Is that the best insult ya got, you overgrown leprechaun?"
Before Mike could take a swing, Fonzie clutched his shirt and pushed him so hard that he fell through the open window and onto the fire escape. Mike was not deterred. He wiped his mouth and climbed back inside furious. He made a grab for his belt again. Fonzie pushed Sadie to the bathroom for her protection and banged on the wall. The entire hotel floor was flooded in darkness. Fonzie snapped his fingers and three figures ran down the hall.
"Charge!" Ralph called out.
Potsie, Ralph, and Richie barreled into the room and ambushed Mike. They all sprawled onto the floor.
"I got a leg!" Potsie called out.
"That's my leg!" Richie shouted. "Ohh! I got his arm!"
"That's my neck!" Ralph croaked.
"Sorry, Malph!"
Fonzie sighed at the jumbled mess of shadows rolling around. He sauntered to the doorway and banged the wall again and the lights turned on. Richie and the others jumped up poised to fight.
Ralph hopped around like a prizefighter and pumped his fists with sharp jabs. "Let me at him! Let me at him! I'll give him a KO!"
Potsie made a karate stance and chopped at the air awkwardly. "I learned the ancient art of Kung-Fu from the master himself! Matsuo Arnold Takahashi! HI YA!"
Richie hung back and shook his head. Mike looked as if he could crush them all like bugs, Fonzie included. However, Fonzie's prowess never failed. Fonzie grasped Mike by the back of his neck just as he was about to make an escape out the door.
"Goin' somewhere, unlucky charm?"
"Get your hands offa me, ya wop!"
"Aww, when are ya gonna stop with the name-callin, paddy?"
Mike thrashed at him and Fonzie kicked him in the leg behind his kneecap. Mike sank to the carpet and fell face down, he whimpered like a puppy. Fonzie looked at Richie and the rest.
"Not bad, not bad, next time I'll leave the light on for ya. I was tryin' to be dramatic, ya know?"
"Yeah, we know. It worked. What do we do now, Fonz?"
Fonzie looked at Sadie, she crouched on the edge of the bathtub and sobbed. All his anger at her melted. He looked at Mike disgusted and kicked him onto his back. Mike covered his head.
"Okay, man! You got me down!" He mumbled in pain. "Lay off!"
"Not so tough now, are we, Mikey?"
Richie watched the scene carefully and gasped. "Fonzie look out!"
Mike reached onto his waist and without warning Richie took a leap in front of Fonzie and kicked Mike's stomach.
"Not so fast, Bucko!"
Mike doubled over and choked. Fonzie crouched beside him and lifted his shirt. He hid his surprise and his heart sank thinking about Richie's stupid heroics. If Mike had shot his best friend, he'd make sure the gang leader disappeared off the face of the earth. Fonzie kept playing it cool.
"Whatta we got here, Mikey? A revolver? Is that what you tough gangs are resortin' to nowadays? Bunch of dirty wimps. You couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag. My grandma Nussbaum could take ya all down in a heartbeat."
Fonzie quickly checked the cylinder and saw two bullets inside. He shook his head. "Only two? What? You were gonna try and kill Sadie and then yourself? You're not getting off that easy, scumbag."
He forced himself not to imagine what Mike would've done to Sadie if they hadn't shown up. Fonzie was so used to handling matters with his mere reputation in this town that he'd almost forgotten weapons like this existed. He rarely had to use his fists anymore.
Fonzie remembered the first night he and Richie nearly rumbled. Richie made him see the stupidity of being in a gang and warned him that if he kept on fighting, one of these days someone would pull a real piece on him. Tonight was the night.
Mike struggled to get up, but Fonzie kept him pinned down with his hand on his collarbone. Mike spit, but Fonzie dodged it.
"No, jerk! I ain't never gonna die! I was gonna blast her then come and use that last bullet on you, greaseball." He said darkly. "I still will! I'll get all of you nerds!"
Mike was deadly serious. Fonzie never looked into the eyes of a murderer before, and it actually scared him. He jumped up and stripped off a pillowcase, then wrapped the gun carefully and lay it on the table aimed away from everyone in the room. He stripped a sheet from the bed and tightly wound Mike's hands behind his back, the man was took weak to put up a big struggle.
"Nobody is gonna say that gun is mine! Ralph, you go down to the front desk and get the police here pronto. Richie and Potsie, you two drag this sleaze outta here and sit on him until they show up. I'll be out in a few."
"Yeah, Fonz!" Richie said anxiously, staring at the gun. "Fonz, be careful with that thing."
Fonzie waved them out. "I'm fine, Rich. The police will handle it, ya dig?"
"Right! Let's go, Pots."
As they dragged Mike out, he writhed in pain.
"Fonz, what did ya do to him?" Potsie asked.
"He was getting on my nerves, so I got on his."
"Will you teach me that fighting trick?"
"I'll think about it, Webber, but I wouldn't want ya to paralyze yourself. Woah!"
When everyone cleared out, Fonzie lifted the door up and pushed it back into place. He went in the bathroom and Sadie looked at him ashamed.
Fonzie opened his arms wide. "Aaay, get over here my little flower!"
Sadie rushed into his arms and Fonzie gentlemanly swept her up and carried her to the bed. He sat her down against the brass headboard and slid close. Sadie could barely look him in the eye. Fonzie cupped her chin and forced her gaze.
"I wasn't kidding when I said all this coulda been avoided. Why didn't you say somethin'? Didn't you trust me?"
Sadie gripped his tee shirt. "Fonzie, I swear I didn't know that Mike was still here after the accident. I thought he was just gonna drive away. I was too scared. I love ya so much and I didn't want him to hurt you."
Fonzie nonchalantly dusted his jacket. "Do you see anyone hurt?"
Sadie thrust her arms around him and put her head on his chest. "Fonzie, please!" Her voice broke emotionally. "He's a killer! He murdered a poor store-owner and I saw it happen! He tried to put the blame on another gang member. He didn't know I knew it until the police tried to hunt him down. I left the city, but he escaped and came after me. Oh damn, Fonz, I ruined everything! I hurt you, I used the Cunninghams, and I'm just a wreck. You can do a lot better than me. You deserve a lot better!"
Fonzie's cold silence alarmed her. He spoke after a long two minutes when he gripped her face to look at him. His voice was full of passion.
"Don't talk like that, Sadie. I may not have killed a man, but I know the crap out there on the streets. Don't tell me what I deserve or don't! You are one heck of a woman and I lov..."
Fonzie clammed up. If he said it now he'd be tied to her forever. That wasn't a bad thought at all in his book, but he realized that neither of them were ready for this commitment. He learned his lesson two years ago after being burned by a woman who wanted to lead the life of a stripper. Fonzie wanted to marry her, but her lifestyle was something he wanted no part of.
Sadie needed to dust a lot of clutter out of her life and she desired to move ahead in New York. If Fonzie admitted he loved her, she'd drop everything for him. He didn't want that. A big part of his attraction to Sadie was her independence.
Fonzie cast his gaze on the nightstand and saw the bus ticket to New York. He licked his lips and his whole body shuddered. His arms tightened around her.
"Sadie, you're the best, and I'm really gonna miss ya when you go back to New York and become a chef. Just like you dreamt about."
Sadie hung her head. She knew it would come to this. There wasn't much more to say. For now they had to go their separate ways.
"Would you just hold me, Arthur?"
"I'll hold you as long as you need me to." Fonzie whispered. He caressed the tears from her cheeks and they fell into a tender kiss.
Sirens wailed in the distance and Richie poked his head in the room, however his better judgment told him not to break up the passionate scene. Fonzie was saying goodbye the best way he knew.
~Oo~
Richie's sleep was troubled all night and by six am he was sick of tossing and turning. He threw on a robe and went down to retrieve the morning paper. His family were still sound asleep. He saw Fonzie roll up to the garage and park his bike. Richie saw the remnants of tears in his bloodshot eyes.
Richie approached cautiously. "Hey Fonz, are you okay? What happened?"
Fonzie nudged the kickstand down. "I stayed with her until it was time to get on the bus, Rich."
"Whaddya do? I mean, uhh...never mind." Richie said embarrassed.
Fonzie smiled. "It's okay, Cunningham. We kissed...a lot...then I just held her. I cradled her in my arms all night as tight as could. It's what she needed most. At four am we went up to Inspiration Point and watched the sunrise. By five o'clock I took her back to the bus depot and we said our goodbyes."
"Wow. I can't believe it's over, just like that." Richie said glumly.
"We're not strangers. Sadie promised to write when she could, so did I. She told me to thank you, Richie. She never met a kinder family than yours."
"I'm gonna have to explain things to my parents and Joanie."
"You're a smart guy, you'll think of something. Just try and leave out the part about Hugo's Hideaway, dig?"
"Oh sure, Fonz! I already told Potsie and Ralph too. I hope it's not all over the papers."
Fonzie shrugged. News traveled very fast around here. "Hey, if it is, or if they hear otherwise, you leave it up to me."
"Thanks, Fonz. My mother's coming down, I better get inside. You wanna stay for breakfast?"
Fonzie rubbed the back of his neck and stretched. He needed to be alone with his thoughts and tears. "Thanks for the offer, Cunningham, but I'm exhausted."
"Sure. I know. Get some rest, Fonz. Lunch on me at Arnold's today."
As Richie turned to leave, Fonzie suddenly grabbed him in a tight hug. He patted his back and pulled away, then bumped his fist against his jaw.
Richie was stunned. "What was that for?"
"For being you, Rich. You saved my life last night and don't think I'll ever forget it. I was furious at ya for pullin' a stunt like that. But I know why you did it. If it were me, I'd take a bullet for you right between the eyes. If there's anything in this world that you ever need, you just come to me. The Fonz is always here for ya."
Fonzie trudged up the stairs and Richie swallowed hard and gazed at him proudly.
In the years to follow, throughout all the hilarity, drama, and mayhem, those words from his best friend always proved true.