Hyde sat with his pounding head in his hands at the Forman's kitchen table. He wasn't sure which was worse-the blinding pain behind his eyes or Red's loud and stern voice in his ears.
"You're going to this wedding whether you like it or not," and for good measure Red pounded his fist on the table. Hyde barely suppressed the groan rising in his throat.
"Red, honey, don't you think it might be best if Steven stayed home instead?" Kitty's sympathetic voice came from the stove, where she was making breakfast. Eggs and bacon-usually one of his favorites but today the smell was close to making him sick. He swallowed-hard.
"No, I don't, Kitty-and here's why. Dumbass here blew his shot with the Burkhardt girl and he needs to face facts. Going to this wedding will be like going to a funeral…"
Kitty shook her head, confused but Hyde silently agreed. Seeing Jackie marry that asshole would most likely be the death of him.
"You have to see the body in order to accept that someone has kicked the bucket," Red elaborated.
"This way, when Steven sees that girl marry someone else, he'll know its over-and it's time to move on".
Hyde's shoulders slumped more than they already were- a fact not lost on Red, who patted him on the shoulder. It was as kind of a gesture as Red Forman allowed himself.
"It's not going to be easy but you need to do this, Son," his voice was quieter and for Red, almost gentle.
Hyde raised bleary eyes to his adoptive father then looked over to Kitty, her hands clenched at her waist.
"Mr . Formans' right, Steven. I'm sorry, honey". She leant down and hugged him. "I know how much this hurts. I wish we could do something…".
"No, its' ok, Mrs. Forman," Hyde returned her embrace. "You and Mr. Forman have a point. I messed up and the sooner I accept it, the better". He stood , face impassive now whereas only an hour ago he had been slumped over the steering wheel of the El Camino, fighting back the nausea caused by a night of hard and desperate drinking. He would deny it until his dying day but the anguish of losing Jackie for good had been what sent him out on a bender in the first place.
He really didn't think it was a good idea for him to go to the wedding but the Forman's didn't ask much of him. Hell, he was still living in their basement. It was the least he could do and besides, he could always duck out of a side door if it got to be too much.
He kissed Kittys' cheek when she handed him a bottle of aspirin then headed downstairs. On the ratty
old couch Fez sat, crying like a baby. Not something Hyde felt up to dealing with right now so he ignored him and went to his room, in the back corner of the basement. Before he had a chance to close the door, Fez was there, wringing his hands.
"Hyde" he blubbered.
"Not now, man" Hyde growled at him.
"But Hyde-I am so sad," the foreigner said.
"Fez, I said not now" and Hyde tried shutting the door but Fez pushed back. Sighing, Hyde relinquished his hold on the door." What is it, man?" he asked, turning his back.
"Today I am loosing my goddess. The beautiful Jacqueline will be forever out of my reach-married to another man who is not Fez".
"Yeah", Hyde hung his head. "Yeah, I know. But it's not like you had a chance with her, man".
Fez stared at him with dark, wounded eyes. "But you did, you son of a bitch. Didn't you?"
Hyde's head shot up and he glared at his friend. "Watch it, Fez. You don't want to go to that wedding with a black eye".
"But Hyde-you can't let Jackie marry that bastard," Fez whined.
"Listen, man-she can marry whoever she wants. I got no say in it it-and neither do you," he shook a warning finger.
Fez stared at him for a minute, until Hyde turned away, rubbing his tired eyes behind his glasses. When he turned back around, Fez was gone.
It was a beautiful late September day. The sun was shining and the sky was that particular shade of blue
you only get during warm fall days in Wisconsin. He had missed this in Africa. The leaves were in full glory-gold, orange and red-reminding Eric of Donnas' hair, which she had recently changed back to its natural vibrant hue. Donna-his best friend-the love of his life-and the most beautiful bridesmaid he'd ever seen. She was crossing the church parking lot towards him, smiling. Before she reached him she did a girly little twirl-the skirt of her dress flaring out to reveal her long, slim legs. It was so unlike her, he had to laugh.
"Hey, Eric. Where are your parents? Jackie and her Mom are going at it and I was hoping Kitty could
help out. Maybe slip Pam a margarita or something, you know".
"They should be here soon. They were waiting for Hyde to get ready. By the way, may I tell you how lovely you look, m'lady?" he kissed her hand-but she didn't seem to notice.
"Hyde is coming? What the hell, Eric!"
"What? Well, yeah. Wait, Donna!' he followed her as she stalked angrily back towards the church.
"I have to tell Jackie. She's going to freak!"
Eric grabbed her arm. "Do we really want the devil freaking out? In a church? Its' blasphemy that she's even in there, let alone…"
"Eric, seriously, I have to tell her. It's not like she won't see him. It's not that big of a church."
Just then the Forman's orange Toyota pulled into the parking lot, a scowling Hyde in the back seat.
"Donna, just wait a minute. Don't talk to Jackie yet, ok ? "
"Ok, Eric, but we've got to do something. This could be a real mess-and I don't want to have to deal with Jackie if her wedding day goes down the toilet".
"Ok-ok-just hold on" Eric hurried over to the Toyota and opened the door for his mother. She kissed
him.
"Oh, honey, don't you look all handsome in your suit. And Donna, what a beautiful color on you!" she laughed, a little nervously as she fussed with her skirt.
"Thanks, Mrs. Forman. I like it. I wasn't sure black was appropriate for a bridesmaid but Jackie said it's very "fashion forward". Whatever that means!" she laughed, mostly to cover Hyde's sarcastic snort as he exited the Toyota. Eric nodded towards Hyde and she took the hint.
"Uh-Mrs. Forman, would you help me with something?" she took the older ladies arm and led her toward the church. Red came around the car. He nudged Eric, "Keep an eye on this one today. I don't want any problems. No drama, got it?" and he followed after the women.
"Yes, sir," Eric nodded-although why his father would decide to show some trust in him today of all days, was beyond him. He glanced at Hyde, who looked paler than usual, and pissed off, as usual.
"Don't worry, Forman. I have no intention of causing any problems. Hell, I have no intention of
staying to see this farce take place. The old man wouldn't let me drive so give me the keys to the Cruiser and I'm outta here".
"What? No way, man. You can't leave. Red would kick my ass!"
"Fine, don't get all twitchy, man. I'll just hoof it. See you," and he started to walk away but Eric grabbed his arm.
"Hyde, don't. Do you really want Red to kick my ass? He's actually been pretty decent to me lately.
Especially now that I'm in school and I'd like to keep it that way".
Hyde smirked " Yeah, it's been pretty quiet since you and Donna left for Madison." He shrugged. "Listen, man. It might be hard to believe but I don't want your Dad pissed at you. Or me either, for that matter. I got my ass chewed once already today. It's just…" he sighed, looking away.
Eric gripped Hyde's shoulder, trying to see past the tinted aviators his best friend-hell, his brother really-
still insisted on wearing.
"Listen, I know this isn't easy but it's not like we didn't know it was coming. Jackie's had her wedding planned since she was ten years old. There was no way she wasn't going to get married someday. It's
all she's ever really wanted, you know." He hesitated for a second, knowing that what he was going to say next was either going to piss Hyde off or hurt him. Neither of which he wanted to do but it needed
to be said. "It's just not going to be you, man". Seeing the pain pass over Hyde's face, Eric tried to make a joke of it-something he did whenever a situation was really uncomfortable. "At least it isn't Kelso she's marrying".
Hyde grimaced, "It might be easier if it were Kelso. That I could accept, I guess. I mean-he was her first and I always kinda thought they'd end up together".
"What? Why would you think that?" Eric demanded, leaning against the trunk of the Toyota. "They were over years ago. No-no-you know they were," he waved off whatever Hyde was going to say.
"What you thought happened in Chicago never did-and you know it. As much as I think Jackie is the
devil in Jordache jeans, she wouldn't have cheated on you.".
"I know, Forman. I know," Hyde shook his head, his curly hair-longer than it had been in awhile, brushed against his collar. He ran a hand thru it. He hadn't put much effort into his appearance lately. Kitty had insisted he shave his porn 'stache off this morning which was ok, since he knew it wasn't a good look on him. It's just that it had irritated the hell out of Jackie-and he liked that. Better she be ragging at him about his facial hair than not talking to him at all. He shook his head-had he really just thought that? Since when was a quiet Jackie not a good thing? Eric was staring at him-waiting for him to say something.
"Listen, Forman-it's just-who is this guy she's marrying? I mean-what do we know about him?"
"Are you kidding, Hyde? We've known him since middle school. It's Jake Bradley, man!" Eric squeaked.
"Settle down, Erica. I know its' Jake Bradley. But what is he like? Does he treat her good?"
Eric's hands started flapping, making him look like some weird kind of featherless bird. "He's Jake Bradley! Who cares how he treats her! You and Kelso treated her like crap-he can't be any worse! Besides he's Jake Bradley! He's the only quarterback Point Place ever had that won state. He was Snow King two years in a row!"
Hyde only shook his head in disgust, even though Eric's comment about how he had treated Jackie stung. "God, Forman-does Donna know? Maybe you should be marrying him. Either way, I'm not staying."
"Come on, you gotta admit it's kind of fitting. Like a cheesy high school romance" Eric went on. "The rich, spoiled cheerleader falls in love with the star QB, who has loved her from afar." Eric sighed.
Hyde felt like throwing up.
"God, Forman. Gush much? And what are you talking about? Jackie barely knew Bradley in school. Other than pep rallies and football games, she probably never talked to him".
"That doesn't mean he didn't like her. He used to ask Donna about her all the time".
"What? When? And how come no one told me? You're saying that jockstrap had the hots for my girl?"
Hyde's fists clenched at his sides, which did not go unnoticed by Eric. Interesting.
"Well, it doesn't matter now. He never hit on her back then-as far as I know. You aren't jealous, are you? I mean, you were it for her-until you came back from Vegas with a wife. I mean, you've moved on, right? Why shouldn't she?"
And there it was- a flash of something –before Hyde lowered his head and Eric couldn't see his face anymore.
"I know. I guess I just didn't think she'd move on so fast. It's weird, you know. Even after everything
that happened-Chicago, Sam, Fez…" Hyde shuddered.
Eric laughed, "Yeah, man. What was that all about? They kissed for the first time on New Years and before the ball dropped, they were over. Guess it was a good thing-what with Fez deciding he swings both ways. Like we couldn't see that coming!"
Hyde actually laughed, "Yeah, the freak. Our first clue was the sex dream he had about Kelso. Spicy food, my ass." His laughter stopped when he remembered that sex dream was what had led him to cheat on Jackie with a nurse. Although, if he had trusted her in the first place, it wouldn't have happened at all. Trust had never been his strong suit.
Silence fell-the two men leaning against the Toyota, warm September sun shining down. Eric really
did'nt care that Jackie was getting married although it was kind of cool that she was marrying Jake Bradley. Maybe they could become buddies. Then again, Hyde probably wouldn't appreciate that. It would be awkward as hell. Still, Jackie and Donna had patched things up and were tighter than ever.
No doubt they would be getting together as couples occasionally.
"Well, it's getting late. I gotta go, man. See you later," Hyde said, putting his hands in his pockets, he
turned away.
"Hyde, wait! The wedding…" Eric called after him. Shoulders slumped, Hyde glanced back. Eric could
barely hear him mutter.
"I can't, man. Just-just tell her I'm sorry for everything-and I hope she's happy".
"Ok-ok-take it easy, man and I'll catch you later," Eric waved but under his breath he murmured, "Like
Hell you want her to be happy with someone else".
