A Day Fishing With the Fonz

Chapter 6

So Richie had lunch with Lori Beth the next day. Their children, Sara and Richie Jr. were both staying at a couple of friends' houses for the afternoon.

"Lori Beth, I would like to talk about our anniversary," Richie told her.

"What do you want to share with me?" she asked, pushing her dark hair out of her face.

"I was talking about this fishing trip with the Fonz and Ralph. They both said you are welcome to come along if you want."

"What about Tiffany and Karen? Are they coming?" she asked.

"Karen has to work, so she is out of the question. Fonz said that Tiffany will definitely be coming. At least she would want to have another woman around with her during the day at the lake."

"I'll go. It just sounds silly that there is going to be a fishing trip on our anniversary."

"It's not silly, Lori Beth. I'm pretty sure there are several people out there who have done that."

"I do see you have a good point, Richie. Maybe Tiffany and I can take a walk besides hanging out with the fish all afternoon."

"You don't have to stay all afternoon, Lori Beth. I would like to have you there because of our anniversary. You ladies can be welcome to take a walk anytime in the afternoon," Richie told her.

When he finished saying that, they both kissed.

When they finished their kiss, both of them heard the telephone ring a couple times.

"I'll get it, Richie."

He watched as Lori Beth headed to the kitchen. He had no clue who made that call.

"Hello?" Lori Beth said on the second ring.

"Hi, Mom. I'm ready to come home."

"Either your father or I will come by to pick you up, Sara. You won't worry about your brother since he can drive."

"How long will it take you to pick me up?" Sara asked her mother.

"I think about fifteen minutes or less."

"Okay, Mom. I'll see you then."

That's when Lori Beth put the phone back in the receiver.

"That was Sara who called. She's ready to come back home. Do you want to drive or should I?"

"I won't mind doing that," he answered.

"That settles it. I told Sara one of us would be there to pick her up in fifteen minutes or less."

"I will see you soon, Lori Beth. Is there anything you'd like me to do?"

"No. Just Sara is all."

"I will leave now so she won't have to wait very long."

Once again, Richie and Lori Beth kissed on his way out.

"See you later," he told her.

"You be safe."

"I will."

While Richie drove away from the driveway, he saw Lori Beth was at the window, waving at him. He returned the wave. He turned the radio on as soon as he waved to Lori Beth. It was only talk radio, but it isn't very often when they listen to something like that. Richie showed up to pick his daughter up within ten minutes. It was a good thing he left right away. There was no need for him to knock on the door.

Sara was already outside when he drove up. Sara had her friend, Jessica with her to keep her some company until he picked her up. Sara waved to Jessica and opened the passenger's side.

"Hi, Sara. How was your afternoon?"

"It was good, Daddy."

"That's good to hear."

"I have a question," Sara said.

"What's that?"

"When do you and Mom leave for your fishing trip?"

Sara and Richie Jr. knew about the fishing trip because he and Lori Beth had been talking about it a lot recently.

"Saturday afternoon. Dr. Branson – Fonzarelli will be there as well, so that way she wouldn't be bored to death."

"That makes sense to me. I would like to come along."

"Sorry, honey. Dee Dee isn't going to be with us. She will have the house to herself for the afternoon," Richie told her.

He saw that she seemed to understand.

"It's your anniversary, Daddy. You can do anything you want since it's your day. You don't need to go fishing with your friends. You can do something else instead."

"I understand, Sara. I have been invited to come along, and I don't want to turn that invitation down. This fishing trip is something none of us have never done before. It's always nice to try something new once in a while."

"Okay. It's always fun to have you and Mommy at home, even when I get bored."

Richie took that as a compliment. Even Lori Beth would too. About five minutes later, they were back at their own house. They both unbuckled their seatbelts as he got the key out of the ignition. He also locked the car as they stepped out of the vehicle. Sara was already in the house when he locked up the car.

Richie then joined them.

"Thanks for picking up Sara, Richie. I've started dinner not too long ago."

Richie and his family normally eat between five – thirty and six. Richie Jr. showed up within five minutes left.

"I hope I'm not too late," he greeted them.

"You're just in time, Richie Jr. We have only five minutes left," Lori Beth told him.

"I thought I was going to be late."

When supper was finally on the table, Richie Jr. had his turn to ask about the fishing trip.

"When do you and Mom go on that trip?"

"Saturday afternoon," Lori Beth answered.

"Okay. I don't think I'm going to do anything special. I'll just stay here then."

"I'm not doing anything either."

"It will be a perfect day for you two to be together," Lori Beth told him.

"Your mother is right. It's not very often you two have that chance. Dee Dee isn't going either."

"Why not?" he asked. His father.

"This fishing trip has been talked about for quite sometime now. It looks like we will have a nice and warm day unless the weather does change."

Both Sara and her brother saw his point.

"We hope you have a nice trip to the lake," Sara told her parents.

"I'm sure we will," Lori Beth told her.

The rest of the meal was in silence. When everyone cleared the table and put the dishes away, they went to do their things for the rest of the evening.