He put Lester to bed as soon as Tiffany came home from work at five – thirty that afternoon.

"Hi, Fonz," Tiffany said when she walked upstairs when Fonzie was putting Lester in his crib.

"Hi, Tiff. I didn't hear you come in," Fonzie said as they kissed.

Fonzie remembered Marion was out visiting Howard for a couple of hours before visiting hours were up and she would be back later that evening.

"Where's Marion, Fonz? Is she eating with us tonight?" Tiffany asked.

"Mrs. C is at the hospital, visiting Mr. C until visiting hours are over, so she wouldn't be with us for supper tonight. She'll be back later," Fonzie said.

"All right. Thanks for letting me know," Tiffany said.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," Fonzie said.

Fonzie left their bedroom door open so they could hear Lester if he needed anything during the evening.

"Joanie and Chachi left not too long ago," Fonzie said to Tiffany.

"You mean they didn't want to stay for supper?" Tiffany asked.

"No. They had plans with the children," Fonzie answered.

"I see. I guess they can come next time," Tiffany said.

"I'm sure they will," Fonzie said.

That's when they both heard the phone rang. Lester started crying upstairs.

"I'll take care of Lester," Tiffany offered.

"Thanks," Fonzie said as he headed for the phone.

He knew Lester always cried when the phone and doorbell rang when he was always being put to bed at night. He heard Marion's voice on the other end of the line.

"Hi, Mrs. C," Fonzie said.

"Hello, Arthur. Are Joanie and Chachi still at your place?" Marion asked.

"No, they're not, Mrs. C. They had to pick up their children and do their other activities," Fonzie answered.

"That's all right. I wanted Joanie and Chachi to come to the hospital right away. It's about Howard," Marion said, who was in tears.

"What's wrong, Mrs. C? You sound like you're crying," Fonzie said.

"Howard doesn't have much time to live, Arthur. Maybe you could pass the news out to Joanie and Chachi," Marion said.

"How much longer does Mr. C have to live?" Fonzie asked.

He didn't like what he was hearing.

Marion didn't want to tell Fonzie because it was going to make her cry again.

"Richard can tell you, Arthur. I can't say it," Marion told Fonzie.

"I understand, Mrs. C. I'll drive you home," Fonzie said.

"Thank you, Arthur," Marion said.

Fonzie knew he hated to see women cry. Fonzie called Richie at his house. Richie wasn't home, so Fonzie left a message to call him at his house once he got the message and hung up again.

Fonzie led Marion out of the hospital and they both headed to his motorcycle in the waiting parking lot. He gave her a helmet and the two of them put the helmets on at the same time and then he helped her on the motorcycle and then he drove away from the hospital. It took Fonzie a while to get to the Cunninghams' new place. He knew she and Howard had lived in a new house for quite a few years now so they weren't living in the same place as they were anymore. He saw how quiet it was once they got off the motorcycle and took off their helmets and Marion unlocked the door and invited him into the house.

"It's quiet in here, Mrs. C," Fonzie said.

"I know, Arthur. That's why I don't like staying alone here anymore since Howard got admitted," Marion told Fonzie.

"I don't blame you, Mrs. C. You're welcome to stay with me and Tiff," Fonzie said.

"Is it all right with Tiffany? I don't want to barge in if she doesn't want me over tonight and I don't want to wake up your son," Marion said.

"Let me call her and see if it's all right, Mrs. C. I'm sure it's okay," Fonzie said as he headed for the telephone in the kitchen.

Marion watched Fonzie as he dialed his house telephone number and waited before he got an answer. He spoke to Tiffany for a few minutes and was off the phone again. Fonzie walked into the living room again before giving Marion an answer.

"Tiffany says it's okay. She doesn't blame you for not wanting to stay here alone, Mrs. C. She says you can stay with us as long as you want to," Fonzie said.

"That's nice of her, Arthur. I'll probably stay with Joanie and Chachi for a couple of nights as well. Your son doesn't know me, so I'll stay and help Joanie and Chachi with their children while I'm over there," Marion said.

"You're welcome to stay, Mrs. C. I love your company," Fonzie said.

"Thank you, Arthur. We love your company, too," Marion said.

She took Fonzie's statement as a compliment.

Once Fonzie and Marion left the house with Marion's overnight bag, they once again got on his motorcycle and he drove back to his house.

"Fonzie, there's a message for you," Tiffany said after they kissed each other hello.

"There is? Who?" Fonzie asked.

"Richie," Tiffany answered.

"I'll call Cunningham back," Fonzie said.

"He said he was returning your call," Tiffany said.

"I bet he was," Fonzie said.

While Fonzie went to return Richie's call, Tiffany went to show Marion where she was sleeping while she was staying with her and Fonzie. Richie answered Fonzie's call.

"Hi, Fonz. I guess Tiffany told you I called," Richie said.

"She just did, Red," Fonzie said.

"Why did you call, Fonz?" Richie asked.

"Your mother was in tears when she couldn't give me news on your father, Red. That's why I was calling. She says he doesn't have much time to live. She said you could tell me how much longer he has to live," Fonzie said.

"Are you serious, Fonz? Dad doesn't have much longer to live? Let me talk to Mom," Richie said.

"She ain't in the mood to talk, Red. That's why I want to hear the story from you," Fonzie said.

"All right, Fonz, if Mom put it that way," Richie said.

"She did," Fonzie said.

"Sorry she isn't in the mood to talk, Fonz. If you really want to hear about Dad, I guess I'll have to tell you," Richie said.

"Your mother wanted me to hear about it from you instead of her," Fonzie said.

"Okay, then, if she put it that way, I'll tell you," Richie said.

"I guess you ain't wanting to tell the Fonz, either, right?" Fonzie said, getting the point.

Richie didn't answer his best friend right away, so he stayed quiet.

Fonzie could see that Richie was quiet for a while.

"You're kinda quiet, Cunningham," Fonzie said after five minutes' silence.

"Sorry, Fonz," Richie said.

"That's all right, Cunningham. I know how it is for your family now about your father," Fonzie said.

"I know," Richie said.

That's when they heard a child's voice in the background. They knew it was Sarah. Fonzie knew she was so much like Richie himself. He knew Sarah had Richie's smarts in school since she recently skipped fourth grade and now was in the fifth grade. Both father and daughter were the redheads in the family.

"Hold on, Fonz," Richie said.

"All right, Red," Fonzie said.

Richie put the receiver down for a few minutes. Fonzie could tell Richie was gone for a while because he hadn't been telling Fonzie about how much longer Howard had to live until he died.

"Daddy, I don't feel good," Sarah said.

"All right, honey. We'll get it taken care of right away. What's wrong?" Richie asked his ten – year – old daughter.

"I don't know," Sarah said.

Richie and Sarah headed for the nearest sink in the house and she indeed needed to throw up since she didn't feel good.

"I'll be right back, sweetheart," Richie told his daughter.

He left the kitchen for a short while to get back to the telephone.

"Fonz, I'll talk later. Sarah isn't feeling so hot," Richie said.

"All right, Red. We'll talk later. You can tell the Fonz about Mr. C," Fonzie said as the two hung up the phone.

Richie was off first since he had to deal with Sarah.

Fonzie walked away from the telephone and found Marion in the guest room.

"Did Richard tell you about Howard?" Marion asked.

"He never got the chance, Mrs. C. He had to leave right away because his daughter got sick," Fonzie told Marion.

Marion didn't like to hear about her grandchildren getting sick. She found that kind of news disappointing.

"Did Richard say what made Sarah sick?" Mrs. Cunningham asked.

"No, he didn't, Mrs. C. They didn't know," Fonzie answered.

"I'd better go over to Richard's house first thing in the morning to help Richard if Sarah has to miss school," Marion said.

"I'm sure Sarah will make it to school, Mrs. C. We'll wait and see," Fonzie said.

Fonzie kissed Marion good – night and shut the door behind himself. She was in her pajamas so he could tell she was tired so he didn't bother saying anymore that night. The next morning arrived quickly. Marion went to visit Howard at the hospital that morning around nine o'clock. When she got to Howard's hospital room, she found him waking up.

"Good morning, Howard," Marion said.

"Morning, Marion," Howard said sleepily.

Marion could tell he was still tired.

"Have you eaten breakfast yet, Howard?" Marion asked.

"Not yet, Marion. They want to run some tests on me today to see how I'm doing," Howard told her.

She didn't say anything so she kept silent.

A few minutes later, Howard's nurse, Cynthia walked in. Marion knew Cynthia was beautiful for her age.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cunningham," Cynthia said.

"Good morning," Marion replied back.

"How are we doing today?" Cynthia asked Howard.

"Fine," he said.

"Nurse, is it true you're going to do some tests on Howard today?" Marion asked worriedly.

"Yes, ma'am, it is true. I don't know all the details, but I think your doctor might want to work on him to see how he's doing," Cynthia said.

"They can't work on Howard!" Marion said.

"You'll have to talk to your doctor about this, Mrs. Cunningham. I'm sorry," she said.

That's when Cynthia left after Howard had his medicines taken. After that, nobody had said anything about Howard being operated on.

"Marion, does Cynthia know that I'm in the hospital?" Howard asked.

"Your niece Cynthia?" Marion asked.

"Yes, her," he said.

"I don't think so. Do you want me to call her up and tell her?" Marion asked.

"If you want to, Marion. I'm sure she'd want the latest update on Uncle Howie," he said.

"I'm sure she would. I've never even met Cynthia," Marion said.

"If you call her, you would get the chance," he said.

Marion figured she would do what Howard asked her to.

"I'll call at the house, Howard," Marion said.

"All right, Marion. That might be a good idea to call her at the house," Howard agreed.

Marion stayed a while longer until visiting hours were up. She and Howard kissed and she left the hospital room.

"Where does Cynthia live?" Marion asked.

"Salt Lake, Utah," was his answer.

"Thank you, Howard," she said as she closed the hospital door behind herself when visiting hours were up.

She went to the car in the visitor's parking lot of the hospital and drove away. She didn't want to be at their house alone, but she only drove there to get Cynthia's number in Utah so she could meet her over the phone to pass word about Howard's being in the hospital to Cynthia.

It didn't take Marion long enough to find Cynthia Cunningham's telephone number. All she did was write it down and then leave the house again. She wanted to spend the night with Joanie and Chachi that night instead of sleeping at Fonzie's place that night. Before leaving the house, she called Joanie and Chachi's house and she got through Joanie. Joanie and Chachi were home, so she got to speak to Joanie. Joanie told her it was okay to sleep over at their house for a while.

"All right, dear. I'll be there in a few minutes," Marion said.

She had remembered she left her overnight bag at Fonzie and Tiffany's place. She wanted to drive by and pick up her overnight bag before going to Joanie and Chachi's place.

Marion arrived at Fonzie and Tiffany's house within a few minutes. Fonzie was still there, but surprised to see Marion Cunningham on his doorstep.

"Why, Mrs. C, I wasn't expecting you back," Fonzie said when he opened the door for Marion.

"I'm not sleeping over here tonight, Arthur. I'm sleeping with Joanie and Chachi," she said to Fonzie.

"That's all right, Mrs. C. You can sleep here anytime," Fonzie said.

He had Lester in his hands so he couldn't help Marion with her bags.

"I see you're busy with Lester, Arthur, so that's why I'm going to sleep with Joanie and Chachi for a few days," Marion said.

"I don't mind having you over here, Mrs. C. I love having my best friend's mother over here," Fonzie said.

"Thank you, Arthur," Marion said. She could tell she was welcome at Fonzie's place anytime from his tone of voice.

Marion headed upstairs to the guest room and packed her things and was back downstairs within a few more minutes.

"Tell Chachi and Joanie hello for me and give them a hug for me," Fonzie said once Marion was back downstairs with her overnight bag.

"I will, Arthur," she said.

She put the overnight bag on the floor by the door so she could give both father and son a hug at the same time. "I'm sure he'll get used to you sooner or later, Mrs. C," Fonzie said.

"I'm sure he will, too, Arthur. Right now he looks shy," Marion said, seeing the look on Lester Fonzarelli's face.

Fonzie gave Marion a kiss and then she picked up the overnight bag and was on her way out of the house a second time that day. Fonzie and Lester watched her drive away from the house.

"Off goes Mrs. C, Lester," Fonzie said to his toddler son.

Lester gave Fonzie a shy smile because of Marion since he didn't know Marion at all.

"You'll love Mrs. C, Lester. She was my best friend's mother. I'm sure she'll spoil you like you're her grandson," Fonzie told his son.

Lester didn't understand what Fonzie was telling him.

Marion made it to Joanie and Chachi's house within twenty to thirty minutes. Chachi was at the front door so he could help Marion with her things.

"Thank you, Chachi," Marion said once he opened the backseat's car door to carry the overnight bag for her.

"You're welcome, Mrs. C," he said. He told her Joanie was in the house, waiting for her.

"All right, Chachi. I have a telephone call to make before I make conversation with you and Joanie," Marion said, remembering the phone call to Utah.

"All right, Mrs. C. You know you can use our phone anytime," Chachi said as he disappeared with the overnight bag.

Joanie saw her mother follow Chachi into the house.

"Hi, Mom," Joanie said.

"Hello, dear. We'll talk in a few minutes," Marion said.

"All right," Joanie said as she watched her mother pick up the telephone.

Joanie wondered who her mother was calling, so she stuck around to see who the call was going to. Joanie disappeared from the kitchen and listened to her mother's long distance phone call to Utah.

"Hi, is this Cynthia Cunningham?" Marion asked once the telephone was picked up.

She had gotten the right person, Marion could tell.

"Hi, Cynthia. This is your Aunt Marion Cunningham from Milwaukee. I had a telephone request," Marion said.

She asked who had requested call her all the way to Utah.

"Your uncle Howard wanted me to call you, dear. I do have some news for you. It's about your uncle Howard," Marion said.

She listened to Cynthia on the other end asking a question.

"He wanted me to call you because he is in the hospital. His ulcer isn't doing so well," Marion told her niece.

She could hear Cynthia saying something.

"If you'd like to come out, you can. He doesn't have much time left of life, dear," Marion told Cynthia.

Marion and Cynthia spoke on the telephone for a bit longer, and then Marion hung up again. Joanie was wondering who Cynthia Cunningham was.

"Who is Cynthia Cunningham, Mom?" Joanie asked.

"Your cousin from your father's side of the family, I guess. I wonder why he never tells us about these mysterious family members of yours and Richard's," Marion sighed.

What Marion and Joanie didn't know was that Richie already knew Cynthia. Cynthia was the one who made Potsie Webber's music career famous when they were fifteen years old.

A couple of days had passed. Howard had passed away in the hospital around two – thirty that Friday morning. The doctors thought it best to call later in the morning to pass the word to Marion. Marion talked to the doctors around ten o'clock that morning. After hanging up the telephone, she was in tears. She couldn't believe that Howard was finally gone and she, Richie, Joanie, Fonzie, and the grandchildren didn't get to say good – bye.

"Rest in peace, Howard," Marion said in tears.

"Did you say something, Aunt Marion?" she heard her niece, Cynthia ask five minutes later.

"I'm sorry, dear. I didn't hear you come in. I have news to tell you, but I'll save it until everyone's around so you can hear all at once," Marion said.

"All right. Makes sense," Cynthia said.

Cynthia had a feeling it was bad news but didn't know what it was about and could tell Marion was sad. She could take a guess what the news was about but didn't was to mention it as yet.

"Do you want me wake up Chachi and Joanie?" Cynthia asked.

"No, dear. Let them sleep if they're still tired," Marion said.

"Okay," Cynthia said. Cynthia asked if Marion had eaten breakfast yet. "No, I haven't," Marion said.

"That's okay, Aunt Marion I'd be happy to make it today if you're not in a good mood," Cynthia offered.

"Thank you, dear. I don't feel like cooking today," Marion told her niece.

"Don't worry about it, Aunt Marion. I'll do it until you feel like cooking again," Cynthia said.

"All right," Marion said, liking the idea.

At 10:15 that morning, both Chachi and Joanie were down the stairs.

"Good morning, Mom, Cynthia," Joanie said.

"Good morning, Joanie and Chachi," Marion said.

"What's wrong, Marion? You sound sad," Chachi said.

He could tell by the tone of her voice she sounded sad. Even Joanie noticed.

"Yeah, Mom. What's wrong?" Joanie asked, agreeing to what her husband said.

"There is something you three should know, but I'll save it till Arthur and Tiffany are here so you all can hear the news at the same time. It's about your father, Joanie," Marion said to her daughter.

"What about Daddy, Mom? Can't you give us a little hint what happened?" Joanie asked.

"Sorry, dear, but I'll save it so I can tell everyone all at once if you don't mind," Marion said.

"All right, Mom," Joanie said.

Cynthia wondered who Arthur and Tiffany were so she asked.

"Who are Arthur and Tiffany?" Cynthia asked.

"You mean Fonzie. Fonzie is my cousin and Tiffany is his wife. You'll get to meet them if you're still around," Chachi answered.

"Okay. I'm sure I'll be around, Chachi," Cynthia said.

"You'll like Arthur, dear. He's a nice man," Marion told her niece.

"I'm sure he is," Cynthia said.

Cynthia left the kitchen for a while so she could do something in the guest room she was staying in.

"What should we have for breakfast this morning?" Joanie asked, getting out pots and pans.

"Cynthia wanted to do that, dear. If you want to do breakfast, go ahead. You have to ask Cynthia if you can do breakfast instead," Marion said.

"Okay. I didn't know she wanted to do it," Joanie said and walked out of the kitchen and headed for the guest room.

Joanie knocked on Cynthia's bedroom door.

"Come in," Joanie heard from inside the room. Joanie heard Potsie's one of Potsie's hit songs "Sleepin' Away Till Away" on the CD player.

"It ain't fun sleepin' away till midnight without you, my dear sweetheart," Potsie was singing.

"You're listening to Potsie singing, aren't you? He sure went big, thanks to you," Joanie said, remembering the day Potsie first hit the record charts with "I Don't Want To Be Lonely Tonight".

"You bet. This is one of my favorite tunes, Joanie. He's no songwriter, but it's a good tune," Cynthia said.

Cynthia remembered she helped Potsie get the singing job at a resturant she and her friends used to hang out at when she and Potsie had met when they were 15 years old when they lived in Utah and remembered how shy and quiet he had been. He thought he couldn't do this kind of job, she recalled and she had talked him into it and he went ahead and took the job the manager gave him and he sang for the manager after the manager hired him. The manager had loved Potsie's singing voice and gave him the job.

She remembered the day the Beach Boys had come to Utah to tour and came into the resturant and Potsie had finished singing one song and started singing another, which was one of his family's songs, "Puppy Love" and the lead singer from the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson had liked Potsie and asked him to sing with them that Saturday night and Potsie had to ask his father and see if he could go and Donny said it was all right for him to go and his identical twin sisters couldn't go and had a baby – sitter. Andrea and Virginia were jealous because their friends got to go to the sold – out concert and they had to stay home with the baby – sitter and their father had a date.

The one thing that got them into trouble was sneaking out to the concert and the baby – sitter was on the phone and didn't know Andrea and Virginia had snuck out of the house. Andrea didn't like sneaking out of the house and Virginia had begged her sister to come along and Andrea decided to come along and see what the concert was like.

She also remembered that same Saturday night of the sold – out concert, Donny came home early and found the baby – sitter was still on the phone with her boyfriend and the girls were out of the house. He had figured out only one place where they could be and he paid the baby – sitter and was out of the house again and tracked the girls down to the concert. He sure wasn't happy to what the girls had done. She had remembered he had grounded the girls and banned them from concerts till they were twenty years old. They sure didn't enjoy that.

"I have something to ask you, Cynthia," Joanie said.

"Sure. Go ahead," Cynthia said.

"Mind if I make breakfast this morning? Mom said you planned to do it," Joanie said.

"Go ahead, Joanie. I can do it tomorrow," Cynthia said.

"Thanks," Joanie said.

Both women heard the phone downstairs ring. Joanie didn't know who could be calling at this hour. She let Chachi answer since he was closest to the phone.

"Let Chachi answer," Joanie told her cousin.

"Do you think I would answer a relative's telephone when I don't know anybody here in Milwaukee?" Cynthia asked.

"Sorry," Joanie said and left her cousin's bedroom.

Joanie was downstairs again. She wondered who Chachi was talking to on the telephone.

"Who is it?" Joanie asked Marion.

"Arthur," Marion said.

"Oh," Joanie said.

"Cynthia let me make breakfast this morning," Joanie told her mother.

"All right, dear," Marion said.

Joanie went and started breakfast.

Chachi was telling Fonzie he would see him later that afternoon.

"Fonz will be here later this afternoon so you can tell us the news, Mrs. C," Chachi said.

"All right, Chachi. Did Arthur say what time he's coming over?" Marion asked.

"I think he said around one o'clock," Chachi said.

"All right," Marion said.

The afternoon arrived fast. Fonzie arrived at one o'clock like he had told Chachi earlier that morning on the telephone. He, Tiffany, and Lester had arrived in her car. After Fonzie and his family arrived, Fonzie saw Richie and his family pull up behind Tiffany's car.

"Red's here, Mrs. C," Fonzie said.

Fonzie watched Joanie let her older brother and his family into the house.

They also saw a surprise visitor come into the house behind Richie and his family.

"Hi, Mom," the surprise visitor's voice said.

"Don't you dare scare us like that! Chuck, is that you? Where have you been all these years?" Marion asked Chuck.

"Sorry. Mom. I was told to come home and be with you guys. Didn't you hear what I've done all these years?" Chuck asked.

"No," the family said surprised where he had been all these years.

"I tracked Chuck down in Denver, Colorado, Mrs. C. He's now an NBA player for the Denver Nuggets. He got traded," Chachi said.

"Why didn't you say so when you left the family years ago, Chuck? You never came back home," Marion said.

"Which one of you is PI Chachi Arcola? I was told from the Coach to come home. I heard about Dad, Mom," Chuck said.

"That would be me," Chachi said, answering Chuck's answer.

"So the little twerp got hired to track me down and tell me go back home to Milwaukee and be with my family, huh? What's the news about Dad?" Chuck asked.

"Now you're all here, I can tell everybody," Marion said.

She didn't know where to start.

She started to break down into tears a second time that day.

"Listen, everybody. This is a very sad time for us," Marion began.

"Howard has passed away this morning around two – thirty," Marion said and broke into tears.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. C. I guess his time has come," Fonzie said.

"I can't believe it, Mom. Dad's gone?" Richie asked.

"Yes, Richard. He's gone," Marion said as Richie and Joanie joined in on the tears with her.

"Sorry, Mom," Chuck said.

"Now I see why the Coach wanted me home and not play this week's game," he said.

"That's why I had to search for you, Chuck," Chachi said in a sad voice.

They set a funeral date for Howard to be buried for the following week. The funeral went fast.

As Howard was buried into the ground, Fonzie said, "Rest in peace, Mr. C."