"Call me when you get home"
It was late. Jackie hadn't realized just how late until she opened the basement door and a cold, snowy wind blew through the basement, causing everyone still there to yell for her to "shut the damn door!"
God, I gotta get a stopwatch or something for circle time, she thought. She had thought they had been sitting there for just an hour or so, but according to her watch, it was 9:30. And, apparently it was now snowing.
"You goin' home?" Jackie turned to see Hyde leaning back in his chair, carefully studying her.
"Yeah, I still got some homework to do," she sighed, buttoning up her jacket and getting ready to brave the snow.
"You drove today, right? You're not walking?" Hyde was still talking. Why was he so interested in how she was getting home?
"Got the keys to Daddy's Lincoln right here!" she shook them and smiled, reaching for the door. She waved goodbye to Eric and Donna and turned to go when Hyde spoke again.
"Sure you can drive in this snow, princess?"
"Aw Hyde, are you worried about Jackie?" Eric snickered, flipping through one of the old magazines they kept down here.
"Hey, can it Forman," Hyde said tersely, still looking to Jackie.
"Steven, this is Wisconsin; if I couldn't drive in a little snow, I would be an embarrassment to my state," she laughed. "I'll be fine."
Hyde still seemed displeased with this answer, but there was nothing more to say. At least that's what Jackie thought, until he piped up again.
"Call me when you get home?"
He had blurted it out quickly, like he was embarrassed or something, and Jackie stifled another giggle.
"Sure Steven, I'll call."
And she did. And Hyde would never admit it, but he was actually glad to hear her voice on the other line.