Frank entered his shop and noticed Billy and Carl having a discussion about a race. "I tell ya, that ain't gonna happen again," said Billy.
"Why didn't you check it before the race," said Carl.
Billy shook his head. "I did. I checked everything just before. She must've blown during the run," he said.
Frank walked up. "Is this about the race you lost a couple weeks ago, Billy?" he asked.
"Yeah, in front of all those people too. What a time for the carb gasket to blow," he said.
Carl chimed in. "It was crazy. There were a lot of people there. Even Joey and Donna were there. Man that was a blow-out," he said.
It took a moment to register with Frank what Carl had said. "Did you say Donna was there with Jackson Joey, Carl?"
"Yeah, I didn't know they were goin' together," he said.
Frank's mood turned to anger. "They're not," he fumed and stormed out.
Billy turned to Carl. "You're an idiot all day long, you know that, Carl," he said.
Carl displayed a blank look. "What did I say?" he said.
"You have a big mouth that's all," said Billy.
Frank drove home with thoughts of Joey's neck nestled between his hands. His car pulled onto the driveway and he made his way to the front door. He entered the house as Donna and her mother were doing morning dishes. "Donna!" he yelled in anger.
Her mother continued drying dishes. "Your father knows, dear," she said with certainty.
In a panic, Donna dropped her dish in the sink. "What I do mama? What do I say, what do I do?" she said nervous and frenzied.
"I told you I would handle your father, Donna," she said.
Her father stormed into the kitchen. "Donna what's this I hear about you and this Jackson Joey punk? You two were seen together a couple weeks ago," he yelled. "Well Donna?" he demanded.
Donna saw fury in his eyes. She could not remember ever being more scared. She stood silent unable to speak. Her mother spoke for her. "Frank she's seeing this boy and that's it," she said matter-of-fact.
He was quick to retort. "Oh no she isn't," he protested. "Not while she's under my roof," he declared.
Her mother continued. "And they are more than just seeing one another. They've been intimate, Frank," she declared.
Donna thought things could get no worse but her mother just ruined her life! She thought her mother understood and she went and made things worse! Donna felt alone—trapped.
Her father's anger escalated. "You what!" he screamed. "I'll kill 'em. I'm gonna strangle that punk with my own hands," he fumed and was beside himself with anger and the thought of his daughter being touched by another.
Donna was shaking, she couldn't speak.
Donna's mother looked at her husband in a way Donna had never seen. She had looked at her pretty hard before when she was serious about something. It was just a look but you knew whatever she said, there would be no further discusion. But this look was different. It was a little frightening. "Frank, no," she said. Her father started to walk toward her and stress his pull in his own household. "Frank... no," she said with resolve.
Donna had never seen such a thing. She had seen fights where her father would win and ones where her mother would win. This was no fight nor was it even a discussion. Donna had never been so proud and so affraid of her mother.
Her father halted. She could see the way he looked at her mother. Quite angry yet, stood there. Frank knew, in the two words that his wife spoke, he had no ground with which to stand. He disagreed with everything that had happened yet had no ground as he knew he was going against a force much greater than he—nature. If there is one thing any man can learn in life, that is when nature has made up her mind, you would do well to go along. He knew he was out of his depth as this was the purview of the woman as it was territory mandated to her by Mother Nature herself. This had nothing to do with right or wrong, this had to do with affairs of the heart. In this arena, no man, no matter how understanding, caring and loving he was, had no authority here. There is no winning or losing, there is only that which is or is not. With Donna and Joey—it is and Frank now knew this. Still fuming, he turned and left for work.
Donna ignored the rest of her chores and went to her room and shut the door. She had never experienced such an intense scenario in her life. While the truth was out and it was over, she was more nervous than she had ever been.
The next day the phone rings and Bonnie answers. "Hello?"
"Hello, Bonnie?"
"Yes?"
"Hi Bonnie. It's Donna."
"Hi Donna! I've been keepin' an eye on Joey for you."
"You have? Oh that's wonderful, thank you. Someone needs to be watchin' him all the time!" she joked. Bonnie laughed. "Bonnie is he there?" she asked.
"Hold on." She put the phone down and ran outside. "Joey!" she called.
He is under the hood of their mother's car. "Yeah, Bonnie."
"Donna's on the phone."
"Can you tell her I'll be right there?"
"Okie-dokie," she said and ran inside and picked up the phone. "He said he'll be right in."
"Okay, thank you, Bonnie."
"Donna?"
"Yes, Bonnie?"
"Would it be okay if, um, I wanna, um, talk to you about stuff," she asked.
"Oh, Bonnie, you don't ever have to ask to talk to me about anything. You just start talking! You understand me?" she asked.
"Yeah, I do."
"We're girlfriends now and I want you to know I will do whatever I can if you need to talk about something,"
said Donna.
"Okay. Here's Joey—bye."
"Bye, bye," said Donna as Bonnie handed Joey the phone.
"I see you're building an army against me."
"Someone has to keep you in check," she paused then continued, "But I called because I need to talk to you about something."
"Shoot."
"Well, it appears word got out about us to daddy."
"Oh, really? That was expected. Can't hide forever I guess," he laughed.
"I don't think you understand—he knows, she was emphatic.
"Oh, this could get interesting."
"Joey, this is serious. He's not happy. I mean I'm his little girl and well—now I'm not so innocent. "And he wants to meet you."
"I figured as much. When?"
"Tonight. He's pretty upset. Mama tried to hold him off but he's pretty insistent on meeting you now."
"What time?"
"Seven."
"Oh, that's a bad time. I have a thing I gotta attend and, well you know, it's pretty important and stuff," he kidded.
"Joey that's not funny! This is serious! Daddy's really mad. I mean really mad," she was emphatic.
"Of course he's mad. I would be too. This is what happens when you have a daughter come of age."
"And you're not worried?"
"Worried? No."
"Well am glad one of us thinks this isn't bad. So I'll see you at seven? Maybe a little early just to be safe?" she asked.
"Don't worry, I'll be there before eight."
"Seven!"
"Oh yeah, now I remember. I'm gonna write that down."
"You're tryin' my patience on this joey. It's not a joke."
"No it's not and I promise you don't have anything to worry about."
"Well I'm already worried, but just be there okay?"
"I'll be there."
"When?"
"A little before, hang on let me check my note here, right, a little before seven."
"Joey?"
"Yes?"
"I love you, you dope."
"I love you too sweetness. More than you know." he said.
"I know a lot you know."
"I know you know, you know?" he said
"I know. I'll see you soon sweetheart." she said.
"Okay, and I meant what I said."
"You love me?" she beckoned.
"No, I'm gonna write the time down—silence on the other end—Oh and that I love you," he confirmed.
"Bye," she said smiling. He could here her smiling at the other end of the phone as she hung up. "God I love him," she said.
The Deuce pulled onto the driveway and Joey cut the motor. Donna was waiting at the door and ran to The Deuce to give Joey his last minute instructions. "Okay, daddy's a little calmer now. He's still pretty upset but at least he can form a sentence now," she said nervous.
"You're not really helping you know," he said matter-of-fact.
She looked down. "I know, I know. I just want this to go well. That's all. You need to know what's goin' on that's all," she rambled nervous.
"You're not nervous are you?" he joked.
Donna's nervous eyes turned to a display that of anger. "Joey, I swear! If you don't start taking this serious I swear I'm gonna... well I don't know 'cause I cant think right now but it's gonna be bad. Okay?
"Okay," he said.
Donna then displayed a look of realization on her face. "You can handle pressure really well, can't you?" she asked a bit impressed.
He looked at her and smiled. "You can't win race after race if you can't," he chuckled.
Having a difficult time with this subject, she continued. "Just be at your best tonight okay, honey, please, for me?" she asked.
He looked her in the eyes. "Darling whenever It's involving you I will always be at my best, you deserve no less," he said confident.
She was not sure how it could be in her current condition but she began to melt and lose her train of thought. She recovered quick. "Don't do that to me now Joey. This is serious," she demanded.
"I can see that. I know that if we stay out here any longer we'll be in trouble even more than we are now," he said matter-of-fact.
"I know, I know. Okay, let's go," she agreed.
Donna entered her home and Joey followed. Her mother stood at the entrance to greet him. Joey looked her in the eyes and smiled. He noticed how much Donna looked like her and she is just as beautiful as her daughter. "Hello Joey," she said. "Hello Mrs. O'Connor," he responded. When Joey passed her to meet her father, Donna's mother looked at Donna with raised eye brows and a look of impressed approval. Donna smiled and beamed in acknowledgement.
Joey approached Donna's father, hand outstretched in anticipation of a handshake, "Sir," he acknowledged him. Her father, reluctant, reciprocated. They shook hands and he noticed Joey's firm grip.
Her father motioned to the chair. "Sit down, son," he said as he wielded his authority.
Donna's mother started for the couch and Donna grabbed her arm and led her to the kitchen. In the kitchen her mother addressed Donna. "Dear we should be out there. I would like your boyfriend to wake tomorrow in his own bed not one in the hospital," she said concerned.
As serious as the situation was, Donna could not help herself and abandon Joey with her father as he abandoned her. "It's okay mama. Joey likes this game. He played it on me with his sister and his friends," she said.
"This is no game, dear," she said with desperation.
"It is now, mama. Don't worry he's not worried, he told me so." said Donna as they watched with baited breath from the doorway. Her mother was more than apprehensive so Donna kept an eye on her to keep her from interfering.
Joey realized he had been abandoned so he sat quietly while Donna's father stood by the fireplace and rest his elbow on the mantle. "So, young man, what are your intentions toward my daughter?" he said as he leered.
"Oh, Frank." Donna's mother gasped in disappointment.
Tough first question, thought Joey. "Honorable, sir," he said.
Agitated, he was not satisfied with the answer. "You're going to have to give me more than that, son," he said.
"You weren't very specific with regard to intentions, sir," he replied.
"No!" whispered Donna and her mother in concert. "I can't believe he said that," said her mother. Donna's hand hovered near her mother's arm in case an intervention of her mother's impromptu interruption was needed. Her mother remained.
Still agitated, her father had to reposition himself. "Son you don't seem to understand the serious nature of this situation," he was stern.
Joey remained calm and without movement. "Yes sir, I believe I do. You want to know my intentions toward your daughter. And they are most certainly honorable. But there are many areas this could involve such as her future with me. Or her hopes, dreams, and goals and will I help and support her in them. And to listen and treat her as my equal especially in the areas of decisions we make together. There are many ways this question could be interpreted but I believe it was meant with regard to her general well being now and in the future. And I must say there is no one I have been enamored with more than your daughter. To say she is special to me would be an understatement indeed. I would not be so bold as to say I care for her and her well being more than you or her mother but I believe there in nothing I can think of I cherish and would protect and care for more than my family and that now includes you daughter, sir," he said.
Donna and her mother stood peering into the living room stunned, dumbfounded with mouths agape in amazement. "Dear, if you don't marry him I will," her mother blurted.
"He's a good kisser too, mama," she whispered in excitement and as they continued to peer out.
Joey sat and collected his thoughts then spoke. "Sir, I understand your position and I'm rather certain that you may throttle me before the night's out, but if can be candid here. Donna is a woman now and has been for a while. This is how this situation occurred. She is ready to start a life of her own. And I believe you and her mother knew this day would be here at some point. And that's what is happening right now. We may not have handled it in the most cordial manner but we are discrete and I will never let any harm in any way come to her. I know you know my reputation and I'll tell you now, your daughter means far more to me than any car or any race. And as you know, that is my life. You race and you know the life and what it takes to be a winner. I win. And I plan to win in a life with your daughter too," he said.
Her father looked at Joey and said, "But you have no future, son. You're a street racer. I race professionally. They don't throw me in jail for racing. One bad race and my daughter is bailing you out of jail."
Nodding in agreement, Joey responded. "Point well taken, sir. As of two days ago I am no longer a street racer. I have had offers from a few pros and I believe it's time I got serious about racing. After all, I'm going to have to take care of a family at some point and I plan to be ready," he said.
Frank looked thoughtful and his demeanor calmed as he could see this was a well-reasoned young man and considered the possibility of rash judgment on his part. Joey was correct in what it takes to win consistent races. It takes discipline and you have to know your business. This boy in front of him was not what he expected. Indeed there was a sense of respect for coming here and handling the situation the way he has. "Well son, I'm not sure Donna is ready for something like a family just yet," he said.
Joey looked him in the eyes. "Whenever she's ready I will make sure I can handle whatever she decides is best," he said with conviction.
"Your father needs us. We need to go out there," said her mother. The two scrambled to find some refreshments. Donna got a tray and they piled what they thought would be adequate.
Her mother entered the living room followed by Donna. who set the tray on the table. "Well what have you two men been talking about?" her mother asked cheerful. The two men stared at the tray. There were two tea cups, a salt shaker, a jar of mustard, a bowl of sugar, one spoon and three napkins. Donna and her mother looked down and noticed the discrepancy. Donna quickly lifted the tray off the table. "Oops, grabbed the wrong tray," she said as she hurried back to the kitchen.
In one of his rare moments, her father looked at Joey and said, "Are you sure about this son? There's still time to back out," he joked easing the tension. Donna returned with proper refreshments and as she stood holding the tray, they chuckled. "What did I miss?" she asked confused.
