Yeah, Most Probably.
.-
~Madison, Wisconsin; October 22, 1993
"Daddy? Was I a mistake?"
"What the hell!" Hyde jolts from where he's spilled a whole glass of apple juice on his henley in shock, and looks back down at his baby girl.
The dying afternoon light pans through the blinds, skipping over her bright blue eyes, and dances in her windswept curls, making it look like she's got on a golden halo. She's pretty like her mother, but also's got all of Hyde's hard edges carved in the pinch in her lips, and ever appraising stare. Hyde loves her more than what he knows what to do with most days. So he's shocked as all get out at her out of the blue question.
"Ooo you cursed!" She cackles with an excited little hop, flailing out one of her arms until Hyde finally relents and pulls a quarter out of his pocket, handing it over to a preening Rosalyn.
"At this rate I'll have a barbie bike by Christmas!"
"Yeah, yeah, just don't tell your ma hah?" Hyde grouses, dabbing his chest with a paper towel. He ultimately reasons that it's hopeless, and sheds it off before grabbing a wife beater from the pile of unfolded laundry in the living room, throwing his now soiled shirt into the hamper.
"Yo Rosie, get you're tush back in here."
All Hyde hears in return is a gargle of incomprehensible jabber, but thinks it's something close to "I'm brushing my teeth Daddy!" He just rolls his eyes, but can't help the impossibly fond grin that turns up the corners of his mouth.
"What's up?"
"What's up with me? What's up with you bug?"
She just hikes up her brows in a silent question, blue eyes staring back up at blue.
"What kinda question is that? Whether you were a mistake or not?"
Rosalyn just shrugs her dainty shoulders, fingers toying with the tips of her damp hair.
"'S what Betsy is."
"Wait— What?" Now Hyde's really confused.
"'S true!" Rosalyn insists, looking like for all the world she'll start stomping her feet and crossing her arms in indignation. "She told me so! Uncle Michael tells her she's his favorite little accident!"
"Hey, what'd I tell you about listening to anything Kelso says?"
"That I shouldn't cause Uncle Michael use to glue himself to the frigerator, and he's lucky cause Aunty Brooke is smart enough for the both of them."
"There's my baby girl," Hyde rubs a hand in her disheveled locks before padding off to the kitchen, pulling out the casserole Mrs. Forman had brought him earlier that morning. Because "I gotta make sure my baby boy, and my baby boy's baby is eating!"
Hyde kind of smiles to himself at the memory. He's never known what a mother's love is suppose to be— Edna having bounced on his ass the second she got her pre-baby bod back— running off with some Harley riding asshole without so much of a goodbye tossed Hyde's way— and W.B's wife, Eunice, having passed away over a year prior to Hyde's discovery of his true family lineage, which of course had been the catalyst for Angie finding out about him, and insisting that she finds her long lost baby brother before she loses any other of her family members.
He's beyond thankful that Kitty Forman is probably the most compassionate, effortlessly kind woman on this entire, fucked up planet, and she found something within Hyde to love, and smother with warmth. A love that's probably better than even Edna at her best could've offered.
But mostly, Hyde's thankful that his baby girl— his pride and joy— will never know the missing love of a parent.
"No but Daddy! "s true! Aunt Brooke even told Betsy that she was an accident! But she still loves her to the moon and back! Just like how you and mommy love me!"
Hyde hands her the spatula he just got finished using, watches as Rosalyn sets it in the dishwasher while he reheats their supper.
"Alright, so there's no problem. Betsy's still loved, just as much as her little brother, who wasn't an accident. So why do you care Bug?"
"Ugh, Daddy! That's not my question!" He cocks a brow at her, watches amusedly as she begins pacing the length of their kitchen, lecturing at him just like every other woman in his crazy life. "'S just, how can you have a whole entire baby by accident! I mean what'd Uncle Michael do to get one by accident!" She's starting to get a little V in-between her brows, cheeks infused red with frustration, and seriously Hyde challenges anyone to look at that little face— angry over not understanding something way above her pay raise— and not keel over in laughter at the sight.
"Daddy!" The skewer she gives him right then is the epitome of if looks can kill, and that just makes Hyde cackle even harder. "This is so not funny! I'm just trying to understand! And don't even give me any of that garbage about the Bird and the egg!" Hyde clamps his mouth shut, effectively reprimanded. "You and mom must think I'm real stupid! I mean we're mammals! We don't hatch from eggs Daddy!"
"Ah, ah, ah. Not true Bug, platypi hatch from eggs and they're still mammals."
She eyes the finger Hyde's wagging at her with pure contempt.
"Platypuses, the plural of a platypus is just Platypuses."
"You're adopting you're uncle Eric's smart mouth, ya know that?" Hyde tells her, pulling out their plates from the microwave, and begins to pour them some drinks. (Slow this time, he's really not in the mood to do any more laundry than what's absolutely necessary).
"You still haven't answered my question Daddy," she prods, spearing a chunk of her meal with a little more force than necessary. Yeah she's definitely all him on the inside, and Hyde can't help but revel in that.
"How about we make a deal to put this little conversation on a raincheck till you're mom's around, and you're like twenty years older."
"Five years older."
"Twenty."
"Ten."
"Fifteen."
"Fine!"
"Fine," he hands her a napkin, and she thanks him. Gleefully noting that he's got a good amount suck in his beard.
"Oh crap."
"Ooo! That's another one daddy! Pay up!"
"Oh man, are you serious? You can't give me a freebie?"
"Hah," she scoffs with a lofty flip of the hair. "Gramps says that someone cheating you outta your doe is the worst offense."
"Yeah, well WB is a capitalist, big wig. You really wanna end up like that Bug?"
Rosalyn's eyes go wide, lips parted in utter astonishment. "Don't talk about gramps like that Daddy!"
"Right… I forgot you love'm more than me."
"Not more, just different," she smiles toothily, readily excepting the shiny new quarter Hyde handed over. "Ya know, just like how you and Mommy love each other differently now… not any less. Just different… right?"
There's a sudden static in the air— a strange stillness that Hyde can feel in his core. The same exact sensation Hyde always gets whenever Rosalyn speaks of the divorce, sounding defeatist and hopeful all at once. It's like he can feel it when his heart plunges somewhere deep in his chest, not only sad over his divorce, but the way it's so obviously hurting his baby girl— his one and only. Hyde'd do just about anything to get that brilliant, megawatt smile back on her lovely, round face.
"Yeah Bug, just different."
She nods, giving him a weak little smile. Trying to disguise her hurt just like Hyde has always done. And he hates that Rosalyn has hurt to hide now, hates that he's one of the people that it's stemmed out of— no matter how reluctantly.
"C'mon Bug," let's wash up before dinner. You're gonna have to brush your teeth again."
"Ugh, daddy," she roles back her entire head, but eventually hops off her stool and washes off her dinner plate before putting it away.
.-
"So, was I a mistake too?"
Hyde starts, glancing down at Rosalyn who's fresh mouthed once more, and peering up at him with a pink, fluffy unicorn clutched tight to her chest. "Am I like Betsy I mean?"
"Oh, no way Bug. You were completely on purpose. You're Ma was crazy about finally having you." Her eyes brighten, just so.
"Cool, I'm glad I'm not an accident. Or else I'd be the same as Ben Friedman peeing on himself."
Hyde huffs out a little laugh, pulling her up into his arms.
"You're a weird little kid, you know that?"
"Well you raised me Daddy. You got some 'splainin' to do!"
Hyde just cocks a brow at her, to which she just grins with absolute glee.
"No more watching tv with you're Uncle Fez,"he tells her deadpanned.
"Sucks to you daddy, it was with Aunt Laurie! Uncle Fez was at work last time they babysat."
Hyde just roles his eyes before plunging his fingers into her ribs, tickling her until she screams uncle three times over.
"Not fair daddy! You're bigger than me! I'm just a wittle girl."
He shakes his head at her exasperated pout, pulling out a blanket from her closet, and wrapping her up for bed.
"Yeah well how about you actually finish all your vegetables on your plate, and then you'll grow bigger and stronger than even me?"
Rosalyn just shutters with a decidedly grossed out expression spread across her delicate features.
"Nope, no way, the price is to high! Besides mommy says that girls are s'pose to be pretty like me!"
"Ya know Bug, modesty is a good color on you."
With just a sage sort of nod, Rosalyn thanks him. , the sarcasm going right over her perfect, little head.
"Thanks Daddy."
"Anytime Bug," he kisses her forehead before stretching up and heading towards the colossal bookshelf on the left wall. "So what you in the mood for tonight? Some Mother Goose? Or what about a little big bad wolf action?"
Hyde gets concerned when Rosalyn doesn't answer him back with an enthusiastic decision straight away. Story time is probably the girl's favorite part of the day after all.
Pivoting on his heels, Hyde finds a very downtrodden looking Rosalyn, gaze transfixed on the open window and towards the starlit skyline, not meeting Hyde's eyes.
"Hey Bug? What's up with the long face?" He tugs on one of her pale pigtails before collapsing besides her on the twin sized mattress.
"Daddy, how'd you and mommy meat? You guys never told me."
Hyde's only a bit taken aback at the non sequitur, but was also kind of expecting it. After all, It only makes sense that Rosalyn's trying to grasp onto the last vestiges of the relationship that was the bedrock of her life up until this point. Until they're divorce.
He feels a whole new wave of guilt churning against his chest.
"C'mon Rosie, you know. Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. And then all the cr—stuff… All the stuff that follows."
She eyes him scoldingly for the near slip up, but then just drops her gaze back down. As if she doesn't have it in her to even play along with their little game.
"Yuh, but I don't know any of the romantic stuff! Like your first date! Or you're first kiss! Ooo, or When you guys knew that you loved each other more than anyone else!" She deflates again, probably remembering that they don't love each other in that way any longer, if they ever had.
"You really wanna know all that boring stuff?" Hyde snorts, pulling her close into a his embrace.
"Course I do! Like, erm. How many girls did you date besides mommy?"
"Date? Like, you mean go out with multiple times?"
"Ah, duh! What else would I mean daddy!"
Hyde hates how his cheeks flush before averting his gaze with a breathy sort of chuckle, feeling Rosalyn's eyes on him all the while.
"Oh ah nothing kid. Nothing at all. Nothing you ever have to worry about. Ever!"
Her lips twist up in severe irritation, but Rosalyn thankfully doesn't press him on the subject. Just nudges him to answer her question.
"Ah, I've only had a couple other serious girlfriends besides your ma baby girl."
"Really?"
"Mmhmm, and you're mom has only had two other fellas besides me."
Rosalyn worries on her lip, eyes darting around her room before catching sight of a little notebook on her desk. The most animated he's seen her for the past hour, Rosalyn leaps from her pink duvet, and grabs the notebook and a marker before snuggling back in her sheets besides Hyde.
"Did you love any of them? Anyone other than mommy?"
"Hey? What's with the third degree here Bug?"
"I've found a new idea for bedtime stories," she shrugs with one of her shoulders, while her other hand is flying across the sheet of paper.
"Something I'll like? Cause I bet not."
The smear she gives Hyde right then is all Angie, equal parts mischief and a self assurance that she'll get her way.
Hyde hates that she's probably right— What can he say? His baby girl's got him wrapped around her littlest finger. And the worst part is that he really doesn't mind.
"Alright, so why don't ya tell me now so I can come up with an excuse not to do it."
"Daddy!"
"Bug!"
She huffs, and he blows her a raspberry.
"You are such a boy!"
"Well I'm you're Daddy! Sooo, Rosalyn, you've got some 'splainin' to do."
She collapses back in sheer exhaustion over his admittedly lame joke.
"C'mon daddy! Please!"
"Fine, fine Bug. I'll listen."
She beams up at him, grabbing the marker once more, and starts to doodle on the paper once more.
"Let's make a new bet!" Hyde cocks a brow in curiosity. "If I win, you gotta buy me a Malibu Barbie, with her dream house, and a bicycle to match!"
"Right… This sounds like a pretty bum deal so far Bug."
"Cause you gotta let me finish!"
Hyde raises his hands in concession, gesturing for her to carry on.
"And if you win," she jabs her marker at him. "I'll give you back all the money from you're swear jar, and do a whole month of free chores!"
"Is that right?" Hyde smirks at her business savvy attitude, W.B would be so totally proud of his little grand baby.
"Yes, of course." She sniffs. "Now deal or no deal?"
"Hold your little horses little mis, I don't even know what the bet's about," Hyde points out.
"Oh shoot," she snaps her fingers like a parody from an old time movie. "I was hoping you'd forget about that detail."
"Not a chance," he chuckles, flicking her on the back of the head playfully.
"Ugh, fine. I wanna find out you and mommy's love story! But like a scavenger hunt!"
"Excuse me?"
"You said you dated only a couple girls besides mommy right?" Hyde nods, cautious. "Well, I wanna hear all their stories, and from their I'll figure out which is mommy!"
Hyde gives her a one eyed squint, nervous about how this could turn so easily on him.
"And what if you get it wrong?"
Rosalyn just shrugs.
"Then you win, and you've got a month of free chores outta me. But if I guess before the end, then I win! And I get an early Christmas!"
Hyde should probably decline. He should tell her no, that she has no business knowing so much of his past— especially at such a young age. It should be easy.
But just as Hyde's parting his lips to say as much, he catches the hope twinkling in her big, sapphire eyes. He realizes this is as much for her closure over his and her mother's divorce over anything else. Knows that he's got to do this for her, for his baby girl.
With an emphasized exhale from his nostrils, Hyde begrudgingly agrees.
"Fine."
Rosalyn's whole entire face gapes in utter shock, but then she's squealing with uninhibited mirth and bouncing on her bed with excitement.
"Hold it Bug, some ground rules." She settles down at that, but is still smiling like a total lune. "First, I'll be changing everyone's name, so you have no hints to who any of the girls are."
"Deal!"
"Second, you need to tell me if you want to stop. Or if this isn't fun anymore. We'll stop right there, and we'll call it a draw. capisce?"
A still positively beaming Rosalyn smacks their hands together to shake, gleefully snatching up her favorite stuffed unicorn and snuggling into the blankets and tugging on Hyde's arm.
"C'mon Daddy! Let's start tonight! Tell me the first part of the story!"
Hyde sighs, but ultimately relents, sliding back up against the headboard of the white, wooden bed frame.
"Fine, but only ten minutes Bug. Then you've gotta go to bed. You've got school early tomorrow morning."
"M'kay! Fine! Just start will you!" She pleads, and Hyde just chuckles, taking extra long to get comfortable just to tease her.
"Daddy!"
"Okay, okay! Now where should we start."
Hyde thumbs his chin, really trying to figure out where to begin the story Rosalyn is begging to hear.
Ultimately he decides that there's no better place than the start.
"Alright Bug, we're gonna have to go back in time. Way back in 1978, in Chicago of all places."
.-
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Author's Note: akljoiajeklfjad Yaya I didn't lie to ya'll! I told you I had a J/H multi chap up my sleeves ;) Now if ya'll didn't get the hint from the title, this is a very lightly inspired version of the movie Definitely, Maybe. I just like the premise, and decided that I needed to make a J/H version, but of course. So I'll be straight up with you guys, I've mostly written one-shots on my Tumblr for the past couple years, just cause I find multi-chaps daunting. I'm always over thinking like crazy and am so nervous of publishing what I've got. So i'll definitely be updating at least once every couple weeks, but I'm really trying to take this lightly, I psyche myself out way to often.
But anyways, this is the first chap out of 11 , and if you know the movie— things will definitely be different, but please don't spoil anyhow— just incase ;)
I would love you for forever and a day if you actually let me know what you thought of this prologue-esque chapter, and any ideas you might already have;)
I can't wait to hear from you sugarplums!
All My Love
~Lennix