To Love A Punk

Chapter Eight: Secret Lovers

To Love A Punk

Chapter Eight: Secret Lovers

Karen and Dee Dee are continuing their conversation in the hotel dining room. Joey and Mindy, are sitting a few tables away. Joey is trying conceal the fact that he is listening to Karen and Dee Dee's conversation.

"Karen, I've gotta go. I just wanted to let you know."

"What do you mean you've gotta go, Dee Dee? You'll be back, right?" Karen asks, confused.

"I just need to get away! It's too much for me right now." Dee Dee confesses.

"Can you at least tell me where you're going? Or give me a number to reach you at, please." Karen pleads.

"I'm sorry. I just can't. I'll be back, before we leave at eight, tonight." Dee Dee says, giving Karen a kiss on the cheek.

Dee Dee takes off, without saying another word.

Not knowing What else to do, Karen goes back to her hotel room.

Shortly after Karen had entered her hotel room, there was a knock at the door. When Karen open the door, she saw Johnny Ramone standing before her.

"Karen, no one can find Dee Dee anywhere. Everybody is saying he took off, again! He better be here by eight. If he's not here by then we're taking off without him!" Johnny yells at Karen.

"I understand, John. He promised he'd be back on time."

Many hours have passed. It is now six pm. There is once again a knock at the door.

Karen quickly goes to answer it.

"Oh thank God, you're not Johnny. Come in, Joey."

"What?" Joey asks, as he walks in, shutting the door behind him.

"Nevermind. If Johnny sent you here, to ask about Dee Dee, tell him I honestly do not know where he is. He absolutely refused tell me anything, about where he was going."

"It's ok. That's not why I'm here." Joey says, as he slowly comes closer to Karen.

Karen begins to cry, and Joey wipes the tears from her eyes.

"You can't stress yourself out like this, Karen." Joey says, and they each take a seat on the bed.

"I know. I'm just so worried about Dee Dee." Karen says.

"Forget about him." Joey says, taking her hand.

Karen begins to blush, as she looks up at Joey. And she remembers what he said earlier, in the dining room.

"What do you mean, Joey?" Not wanting to admit, to herself what she already knows.

"I think you know what I mean." Joey whispers to Karen.

He leans closer to her, so close in fact, their faces touch for but a brief moment. Karen is nervous, though. Nervous, confused, and upset. She turns her face away hastily. She sends Joey out of the hotel room. Once Joey is gone, a flood of tears pour down from Karen's eyes.

Before Karen knew it, it was time to leave. Karen hurried down to the hotel lobby to check out. Once she arrived at the lobby, she immediately overheard a conversation between Johnny and one of the roadies.

"That's right, Johnny. We found him passed out at some groupie's house."

"Well, which one?" Johnny asks.

"Geez. I don't know her name, but here's the address." The roadie says, handing Johnny a piece of paper.

"Ok. Take me there. Now!" Johnny demands.

"Johnny! I'm going with you." Karen insists.

"Fine. Let's go."

Karen, Johnny, and Joey have now arrived at the address the roadie gave Johnny. It's a small, abandoned house. There's no electricity, and it's full of junkies. Karen is extremely worried. When they enter the house, they ask a man, barely conscious, if he knows of Dee Dee's whereabouts. The man, simply points to a room to his left.

The trio enter the room, to find Dee Dee stoned out of his mind. When they find Dee Dee, he is with the groupie, the roadie spoke of earlier. This indeed, does not make Karen happy, though she does not have time for jealousy at the moment. She is also far more concerned about her boyfriend's well being. They get Dee Dee into the van as quickly as they can.

Once in the van the members of the Ramones who are present, inform Karen, that this is not the first time, that they have seen Dee Dee in this condition, and that she should get used to seeing him this way as well. Though, this is something she already knows, and it's already beginning to take a toll on her heart.

Dee Dee was so stoned the previous night, that when he awoke the next morning, he didn't even know where he was. He had absolutely no recollection of Joey and Johnny bringing him back in the van. He immediately began looking for Karen.

When Dee Dee realized, that Karen wasn't in the hotel room, he went to look for her in the hotel dining room. She was there, as he suspected. She was there, laughing, and talking with Joey.

Dee Dee makes his way over to the table, where Karen and Joey are seated.

Karen was so confused about what had happened in the hotel room between her and Joey, that she woke up early, specifically to talk to Joey about it.

As luck would have it, Joey was in the hotel dining room, at the same table he was at yesterday. Perhaps, he was waiting for Karen?

"Joey!"

"Hey." Joey smiles.

"What the hell was yesterday about?" Karen asks, trying to control her temper.

"What do you mean?"

"You tried to kiss me." She whispers.

"It's always like this for me. I just thought I might finally have a chance with the girl of my dreams."

"I had no idea that you felt that way. How long?"

"Only since high school." Joey says fixing his hair nervously.

"Oh my God, there's Dee Dee! Act normal. We'll go somewhere and talk about this, later, I promise." Karen says.

"Hi sweetie. I missed you, when I didn't see you next to me, this morning." Dee Dee says, before giving Karen a quick kiss.

"Hello Dee Dee." Karen says, forcing herself not to fall victim to his charming words.

"What city are we in?" Dee Dee says, scratching his head.

"We are in Detroit." Karen answers.

"Don't forget, we have a show in less than five hours. Don't go taking off again, I'm not putting up with John, if you do." Joey says.

"Ok. Ok. Where's Mindy, Joey?" Dee Dee asks, after looking over at Tommy and his girlfriend.

"We broke up. I gave her a one way ticket, back to New York." Joey says, sipping his coffee, before leaving the dining room.

"Dee Dee, I'm gonna be leaving for a few hours. I'm not sure when I'll be back." Karen tells Dee Dee.

"Where are you going?" Dee Dee asks.

"Just shopping." Karen says quickly.

"Ok. I guess I'll see you later. Bye."

"Bye." Dee Dee says, confused.

Karen goes outside to attempt to hail a taxi cab. When she sees Joey, stepping out of the taxi cab.

"Hey. You said we could talk about this, remember?"

"You're right, Joey."

"Where do you wanna go?" Joey asks.

"Anywhere. As long as I'm with you." Karen says, holding Joey's hand.