Author Note:....Greetings! I hadn't planned on writing another fiction again so soon, but I was sent a request from "down under" to write an angsty Eric-centric story and not exactly in my usual style (thanks Caroline) - it was a challenge I was happy to take. Hope you enjoy. (Disclaimer: I do not own the characters...I'm merely borrowing them for a short while.)

Recluse. Hermit. Words Eric Forman would associate with himself – it's 1985 and Eric is finally returning home from Africa, but not without some emotional baggage. Sharing his new life with his old friends is harder than he thought it would be. Could one little girl and maybe her godmother bring about his emotional rescue?

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Chapter 01– Homecoming

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October 1985

The voices in the living room were hushed. From the other side of the kitchen door, Eric Forman could hear a group of people murmuring, speaking in whispers and others weeping. There were several cars in the driveway that he didn't recognize so Eric had no clue what was happening or why. His duffel bag sat on the kitchen floor and he was sorting of hoping to see his parents after a five year absence. He wiggled out of his light jacket and tried to peer through the door.

No luck.

Eric certainly didn't want to walk into his family home with whatever that was on the other side of the kitchen door. Quietly, he picked up his worn duffel bag, threw his jacket over his shoulder and tread lightly towards the basement. Cracking the door open just a bit, Eric listened for sounds emanating from the floor below.

It was quiet.

Perfect.

Perhaps, he could hide out here until the assembly on the main floor left. In reality, he favored the solitude after that long airplane ride. No need to call Red for a ride from the airport, Eric had plenty of cash to splurge on a cab ride home. That wasn't a problem.

The problem was all those cars in the driveway!

Eric awoke hours later into the darkness of the Forman basement. The house creaked with the usual sounds of settling – it must have been late. He looked at the Timex watch on his wrist and the iridescent glow of the hands indicated it was nearly 11:00 p.m.

Not a good time to wake up Mommy and Dad, he mused. Carefully weaving his way through the darkened room, Eric found the old black and white television and clicked it on mostly for light and also to see the local news. It had been a long time since Eric Forman had been home.

Or watched a television.

WFPP's Newscaster, Anna Cantana, still looked the same, albeit five years older, but it was nice to know some people stayed the same. Anna reported on an accident that happened earlier in the day and segued softly to Brian Tramonte for the weather. Eric knew it was chilly outside, but his body had grown used to inclement weather – maybe in the morning it would be nice to walk the old neighborhood. The worn loveseat was uncomfortable but at this late hour, Eric didn't think waking his parents would be in anyone's best interests.

He turned on his side and used the armrest for a pillow. Eventually, the drone of the weatherman's voice put him back to sleep.

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1979

Eric had landed in South Africa as inexperienced as a Wisconsin native could be. The continent was different, the time zone was crazy, the weather was insane. He didn't have a British accent and when he spoke, the locals made fun of him. Still, he had left home to make something of himself and gosh darn it – it was going to do just that!

But it was lonely. He missed his family. His missed his friends. He missed his girlfriend Donna. He would lie awake at nights in the dorm room he shared with three other teachers-in-training and wonder if he had made a mistake coming here.

Then he sent 'the letter' releasing Donna from their high school relationship. That act, that simple act of walking the envelope to the Post Office was freeing. Now he could concentrate on training, bettering himself and working towards a goal. He'd never really had a goal before – well maybe graduating high school, but now his future was wide open.

Eric Forman was going places!

1980

Eric was taught and he taught. During the day, he took classes of his own and in the afternoon Eric schooled children for a few hours. Watching the faces of a child as she learned to pronounce and comprehend a new word was exhilarating. Eric loved teaching Grammar and Mathematics classes at the small village school.

His days may have been busy, but the nights were long. Eric spent many hours playing basketball and soccer, which actually proved to be a major bonus. Over the course of a year, Eric's body transformed from geeky loser to tan hunky athlete. On visits into Alice Town to do his banking and some shopping, Eric was getting winks and admiring nods from the young ladies and had no clue that his new body was the reason.

When a couple of school friends invited Eric to spend Break with them, he couldn't say no. Eric definitely needed a vacation from South Africa. He was packing his duffel bag when Connor dropped onto his bunk and flashed four plane tickets. Eric stopped packing and sat down. "So where are we going?"

Connor grinned and popped open a can of soda. "I got us tickets to Egypt dude."

Eric frowned. "What? I thought we were going to Australia. That's what Gene said last night. "

Connor shrugged, "There weren't four tickets available. Besides, have you seen the beauties that bathe in the Nile? C'mon Eric, it'll be fun. We can see the pyramids, check out the Valley of the Kings….ride a camel…."

Eric sighed. It did sound interesting, but he wanted to be with people more like Wisconsin and south of the Equator, Australia seemed to be what he was looking for. "Okay, but I want to see some beautiful women – if the women look anything like the school staff….."

Connor laughed and barked like a dog. "Guarantee that you'll probably find someone to sleep with you before the week is over."

Two days later, Eric, Connor, Gene and the fourth roommate Dave were headed to Cairo for a much needed vacation.

1981

Kitty smiled and set the package on the kitchen table. Red glanced from his newspaper and smiled, "Is it that time again?"

Giggling, Kitty replied, "The last week of every month. I can't wait to see what's inside." She smoothed out a line on the brown paper package. She recognized her son's handwriting on the address. "Ooh, this one is from Kenya!"

Red motioned towards the box. "Open it now. You don't have to wait for those dumbasses."

Kitty frowned, "Red, it's our new tradition. I can't open the box until everyone gets here for dinner." Red rolled his eyes. "Tradition? Those kids would be here every weekend for food if we let them."

"Red, they are Eric's friends. I'm not going to turn them away because they're hungry." Kitty chastised lightly.

"They're moochers. Every last one of them and if Hajii takes the last biscuit again….."

She smiled, "I'll save you a warm biscuit sweetheart and I'm making your favorite pie again….." she added in a sing-song voice. "All I can say is that it's a cobbler."

Red's lips turned into an almost smile. "Well, I guess we can wait until after dinner to see what your son sent you this time." Red looked at the shelf that was full of matching salt and pepper shakers, some in the shapes of giraffes or lions….an African mask that was made from plant husks – his favorite was a pair of bookends that looked like the Sphinx. Eric sent those from a trip to Egypt. At least the boy was getting some geography under his belt!

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Jackie passed the bowl of potatoes to Steven who dished some onto his plate. Kitty smiled, "Steven, how long do I have to wait for that Frank Sinatra album you ordered?"

Hyde looked up and grinned, "As soon as it gets in, I promise to hand deliver." He passed the potato bowel to Fez who scooped out a serving. "Miss Kitty, where did the package from this time?"

Kitty looked at Red and smiled, "Kenya. I can't wait to see what's in it."

Jackie took a biscuit from the straw basket and set it on her plate. "I thought last month's box was the best one yet."

Kitty smiled, "That was from Nepal….right?"

Red grunted around a mouthful of roast beef. "He went mountain climbing with some friends."

Fez's brows lifted. "I don't remember that. What mountain?"

Kitty replied, "Mount Everest in the Himalayas. For some reason I always thought that was on an island near Hawaii somewhere."

Grinning, Hyde looked at Fez as if to educate him, "You know Fez, it's right next to Mount Commonawannalaya. Very popular tourist place." Jackie started giggling and Red snorted while Kitty looked perplexed. "Steven, I've never heard of that mountain. Are you sure it's in the Pacific?"

Red covered his wife's hand, "Honey, I'll show you on a map…..later."

Jackie and Hyde continued laughing. Fez simply replied, "I will look for it too."

Kitty nodded, "Well, now that we have the Nepal box over, I'm going to get the new box. You finish eating and bring the dishes to the sink when you're done." She instructed her dinner guests.

With the meal over and the dining room cleared out, Kitty had placed the recently delivered gift on the coffee table. Jackie, lover of all gifts, took a place next to Kitty while Hyde perched on the arm of the sofa and Fez knelt on the floor. Red took his traditional seat in the old green chair. Kitty lovingly ran her palm over Eric's handwriting and then carefully peeled back the strips of strapping tape. The box slid out easily and Kitty smiled wide as she opened the lid.

The box from Kenya contained a colorful beaded bracelet that elicited a gasp from Jackie, a bag of Fahari Ya Tea got a "yay!" from Hyde until he realized it was just tea. Kitty passed a drum with the head of the cylinder made from the skin of a goat. Red thumped the drum head once and passed it to Fez who beat out a salsa number from an old I Love Lucy show. Kitty draped a Kikoi tasseled cotton sarong around her neck and pressed the soft red checkered pillow made from a Masaai blanket against her cheek.

Hyde grunted. "No pictures this time?"

Jackie frowned, "What do you mean pictures? Eric never sends pictures….just stuff."

Red, Fez and Hyde looked at each other as they recalled the nearly nude Egyptian postcards from a few months earlier. "Er, Jackie….sometimes he just sends stuff." Red shot a warning glance to the boys. "There were no pictures."

1982

There were no packages sent home for that year. Eric lost one of his dear friends on a safari. The group of new teachers had ventured to explore the Serengeti as a camping tour. The colorful brochure promised five days and nights of magnificent views of nature that were unencumbered by inexperienced tour guides. This special tour would take them close to zebra migrations, wildebeests and they would experience the exhibition of predator versus prey. The Savannas and grasslands would be the bed they laid on to look at the dazzling spray of a star strewn nights in the Southern Hemisphere.

Only the brochure didn't promise that the group would return unscathed. On the third evening, unknowingly, the guide had set up camp yards away from a den of tiger cubs. Connor got up that night to take a piss and all Eric remembered was hearing screams amid the angry growls of the tigers.

Eric sort of blanked out that whole week and when he came back to earth, he was in his dorm room watching a utility worker packing his friends belongings to send them stateside. Gene was sobbing and Dave had decided it was time to find another job.

Eric was filled with grief. This wasn't something he could phone home about and explain to his parents – they would be horror stricken that their son had put himself in such a position that he could have been killed. It was insane at how quickly someone could lose their life in such a violent and tragic manner.

1983

Eric decided to play safe and asked for a transfer to Cape Town. He signed on to teach fourth grade math to local students and found a very small apartment to rent. The job was mediocre, but he was able to spend his nights at the Twankey Bar making new friends. He occasionally picked up women at the Brasserie Pub and on the weekends, Eric swam in the harbor building muscle and trying to forget his friend's bizarre death.

A few months into the new year and Eric finally felt comfortable. He began sending packages home to his mom with no letter explaining the absence of mail or telephone calls. He just didn't want to deal with thinking about his old friend.

His work kept him sane.

1984

Eric taught high school math and spent his evenings in his tiny apartment listening to the radio. He began meditating and reading books by Hemingway and Tolstoy. Eric struggled to stay current in the present. He attended the award ceremony when Archbishop Desmond Tutu received his Nobel Peace Prize.

Eric was beginning to question his life. He often called Dave who had transferred to Mozambique for a tutoring position. Dave was also shaken by the death and spoke of returning home to Oregon to teach at a private school. Eric mulled over the idea of Point Place. It was safe. It was quiet. It was boring. It was probably just what he needed.

Dave made Eric promise that if they were both ever stateside, they would meet up one weekend and have a drink for Connor. Eric felt that was a promise he could live up to. He continued to teach his eager students and tried to relax and enjoy his self-imposed exile. It didn't work.

Two months later, Eric lost four students in a bus accident. He couldn't handle those emotions all over again. More senseless death.

Eric was going home.

Loner.

Hermit.

Coward.

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October 1985

Sounds of footsteps from above woke Eric from his slumber. His neck had a crick in it from being jammed on the armrest and his shoulder. He was keenly aware that this little loveseat was much older and more uncomfortable than he remembered. Hopefully, the footsteps he heard were only from his mother. Hopefully.

Gathering his duffel bag and straightening out his clothes, Eric tried to look like he had just got off the plane. He opened the back door and tread lightly up the stairs so he could possibly stage his appearance without his mother suspecting he had actually spent the night in the basement.

Eric paused at the slider and looked inside. His mother was busy at the stove and he could see his dad pouring coffee into a cup. Red looked up and his face turned white. The cup of coffee fell into the sink. Kitty looked at Red and then looked at the back door and her eyes got big. Eric could read her lips. "Oh My God."

Eric smiled and slid open the door.

"Mom….Dad….I'm back."

Red's cane toppled to the floor as he fell in a heap.

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