In The Beginning
Chapter One: Meeting Michael
If you asked Mr. and Mrs. Burkhart to describe Jacqueline's delivery, they would give you one word.
Pain.
It's still pretty hard to believe that a baby popped out of Pam Burkhart, since she was still tiny as ever; looking as gorgeous as the day she married Mr. Burkhart. The Burkharts were the richest and most sophisticated family in all of Point Place, which is why they lived uptown, in the richer area known as The Pavilion. There were only a dozen or so large upscale houses in the The Pavilion, but they were nothing compared to the Burkhart Mansion. The Burkharts had always been rich, since they first set up to live in Point Place. They were also known to be extremely snobby. Nevertheless, everyone gossiped, but loved, Mr. and Mrs. Burkhart and their new baby, Jacqueline.
All the mothers would run up to baby Jacqueline in her stroller, being pushed by one of the maids, followed closely by Pam, as they took their daily stroll in the park. They would 'ooh' and 'ahh' all over her, since she was quite the attractive baby. But she also had a bit of an attitude problem, and never liked to be fussed over for too long. Pam loved the attention, and found the admiration of her fellow citizens to be the only plus of having a baby.
The Burkhart Mansion overlooked the entire town, up on a hill, surrounded by acres of grassy knolls and flower beds. Pam used to think of it as a castle, and Mr. Burkhart was her king. But that all changed once Jacqueline was born. Jacqueline's cries would echo through the dark, hollow hallways of their house at odd hours of the night, disturbing Mr. Burkhart, instantly placing him in the worst of moods. Not to mention the smelly diapers, constant burping, and overall messiness of having a baby in the house. Pam grew impatient and even envious of the baby's new attention, since she was so used to being the one everyone talked about.
The day she heard Kitty Forman exclaiming how gorgeous the baby was and not a word about her at a town meeting, she decided she had had enough.
Jacqueline was six months old when Pam went on her first extended vacation.
But of course the baby had no idea her mother was missing, since the maids were the ones who watched over her. Her father was still around, but a little more reserved then usual since his wife packed her bags and flew to Mexico for the summer, and then some.
But as Jacqueline blossomed into a young toddler, she thought this was all normal. She thought everyone lived in big houses like hers in private, gated communities like she did. She thought everyone had a daddy they barely saw and she didn't even know what mothers were. After Pam left, the town didn't talk as much about the Burkhart's, besides the good job that Mr. Burkhart had been doing as the new senator of Wisconsin. Everyone forgot about baby Jaqueline, since she rarely came out of The Pavilion these days. But Jaqueline was lonely and yearned to meet other children and see Point Place, for what it really was...
"Daddy?" Jacqueline called as she tiptoed into his office.
The extreme scent of liquor instantly surrounded her, but she had grown immune to it over the years. She felt the carpet tickle her bare toes as she tiptoed further in, closing the door gently behind her. She sat in the chair opposite her father's, her feet barely reaching the ground.
"Yes?" Her father said sternly, continuing to punch some buttons on his typewriter, barely flinching at his daughter's appearance.
"I want to go to school."
Her father sighed heavily, rubbing the temples of his forehead as he took off his bifocals carefully. He rested back in his chair, watching his daughter bite her lip in anticipation.
"Darling, you already go to school."
"It's not the same." Jacqueline protested, twirling a strand of her dark hair between her fingers. "I want to go to school with other kids."
Jacqueline shuddered as she thought back on the hours of 'education' she was receiving right here at home, with Mrs. Brownstone, a horrid ex- schoolteacher who pounded pointless math problems and vocabulary lessons into Jacqueline's head.
"But darling, the only school in Point Place is public..." Her father continued to punch some keys as she spoke, glancing over at his daughter as she twirled her hair, "You deserve a better education than that."
"But Daddy..." Jacqueline whined.
"Jacqueline." Her father said sternly, glancing at the clock on his desk. "It's bedtime now."
Jacqueline frowned, feeling tears of loneliness form in the creases of her eyes. She pushed herself off the chair, crossing her arms across her chest, and went towards the door.
It was horrible. She hated being locked up in this big house with nothing to do and never getting to talk to other kids. She hated her father for never listening to her. She was such a good little girl. She never got her dresses messy and she always brushed her teeth. Why shouldn't she be rewarded? She just wanted to be like all the other kids.
Jacqueline turned around quickly, giving her father a new, cold glare that formed across her tear stained cheeks.
"Daddy." She said quickly, smiling maliciously as his head popped up. She started to cry. Full out bawling, over exaggerated shrieks, everything she could think of doing, she did. She ran to her father, hugging his chest and screaming, "I want to go to public school."
And that's how Jacqueline Burkhart learned how to get what she wants.
The next day, her father enrolled her in Point Place Elementary.
She was extremely excited for her first day of first grade. She was also extremely nervous. What if she didn't make any friends? What if the kids thought she was weird? What if they were jealous of her money, or her looks?
Jaqueline pushed this all into the back of her head as her father pulled her along to the classroom where she would spend the rest of the year learning. They were struggling to keep up with the principal, who was rattling on about school rules as Jacqueline pulled down the slip underneath her new dress. It was pink, with tiny ruffles and bows on the sleeves. It made her look like an exquisite china doll. The maids had put her hair into two tiny braids, fastening them with pink ribbons. Her black Mary Janes were polished and sparkling as she ran along the hallway, trying to keep up with the principal and her father, who now stopped in front of one of the classrooms. Jacqueline's heart skipped a beat as the principal opened the door, instructing Jaqueline to go ahead inside. She looked back at her father, who smiled earnestly, something she rarely saw. If there was one thing that she learned from her father, it's to never let them see that you're nervous. A new wave of confidence washed over her face and she patted down her dress, made sure her braids were in place, and followed the principal inside, leaving her father behind.
"Class, pay attention." The principal said primly, holding Jacqueline by the shoulders. "We have a new student."
She pushed Jacqueline gently towards the teacher, a nice young lady who stood up from her desk. Jacqueline stared at the girls and boys of her new class. Most of them were sitting quietly, except a few stragglers in the back. One particular brown haired boy stared at her as if she were some sort of royalty. She ignored it dismissively; as she was taught to do when people stared, but basked in the attention she was receiving, internally.
The principal left the room curtly and the class all stared at Jacqueline, waiting for her next move.
"I'm Miss Turner," The teacher said, placing a gentle arm on Jackie's shoulder. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the class?"
Jacqueline smiled graciously, placing her hands together as she pursed her lips, clearing her throat. She spoke with confidence and grace, as she was taught to do so, "My name's Jacqueline Burkhart."
A few gasps were heard as she revealed as she said her last name, since even though no one really gossiped about the Burkhart's anymore, all the kids knew they owned the big house in The Pavilion and that Mr. Burkhart was the senator of their state.
"Is your dad the senator?" A slightly taller then the rest, red headed girl seated in the front row asked quickly.
Jacqueline smiled and nodded.
The class 'oohed' and 'ahhed' the usual response that a Burkhart heard whenever one was in the room.
The rest of the day went pretty smoothly. Jacqueline understood all the lessons being taught, and was given a seat directly in the middle, which was perfect for her, because now she really was the center of attention.
By the time recess rolled around, Jacqueline became tense, unsure of who would talk to her, or if she should approach anyone.
"Hi!" A group of blond girls quickly came over to the picnic table Jaqueline had taken a seat upon, watching a group of kids playing in the playground.
"Hi." Jaqueline said in return, as the three girls sat down across from her.
"I'm Pam Macy." One of the girls squeaked out, "And this is Stacy, and Lacey."
The three girls giggled all together and Jacqueline simply smiled in response.
"Are you a first grader?" Stacey asked, playing with her blond curls. "Because our school is so small that some of the second graders are in our class as well."
"I'm in first grade." Jacqueline answered, taking note of this information.
"Oh, good." Lacey squealed. "Me too."
"I'm in second, though." Pam said.
"So, do you like unicorns?" Lacey asked quickly, giggling.
"I guess so..." Jaqueline said, with a far off look in her eyes.
Stacey, Lacey, and Pam Macy all gaped at her for a second.
"What about butterflies? And stuffed animals? And clothes?"
Jacqueline took a hard look at the playground as the three rambled on. There were a bunch of kids but a certain group of four caught her attention. They were all sitting on top of the monkey bars. The brown haired boy who was staring at her before, was staring at her now, watching her with close attention as he hung upside down, his hair falling around his face. The red headed girl who asked Jaqueline if her father was the senator was laughing as she exchanged words with a skinny boy. Lastly, a curly haired boy in scruffy jeans was watching his three friends with an aloof sense that Jacqueline immediately despised.
Her attention bounced back to the three girls, who were complimenting her dress.
"Yeah, I love clothes!" Jacqueline said happily, imitating the giggles of the girls.
"Oh my god!!!" Pam Macy shrieked. "I just knew we were going to be best friends!"
Jacqueline grinned as the three girls hugged her, watching the four friends laugh as the recess bell rang, directing them back towards their classroom.
With Lacey, Stacey, and Pam Macy linked to her arms, Jacqueline beamed past the four, who gave the group of girls an auspicious look, snickering as they walked by.
"Hey Pam..." The brown haired boy said, but stared at Jacqueline all the while. "Who's your new friend?"
Pam stopped, causing the chain of girls to freeze as well, "Jacqueline Burkhart," Pam paused, stepping aside as the red head, skinny boy, and curly haired boy walked on ahead into the building, "Meet Michael Kelso."
Chapter One: Meeting Michael
If you asked Mr. and Mrs. Burkhart to describe Jacqueline's delivery, they would give you one word.
Pain.
It's still pretty hard to believe that a baby popped out of Pam Burkhart, since she was still tiny as ever; looking as gorgeous as the day she married Mr. Burkhart. The Burkharts were the richest and most sophisticated family in all of Point Place, which is why they lived uptown, in the richer area known as The Pavilion. There were only a dozen or so large upscale houses in the The Pavilion, but they were nothing compared to the Burkhart Mansion. The Burkharts had always been rich, since they first set up to live in Point Place. They were also known to be extremely snobby. Nevertheless, everyone gossiped, but loved, Mr. and Mrs. Burkhart and their new baby, Jacqueline.
All the mothers would run up to baby Jacqueline in her stroller, being pushed by one of the maids, followed closely by Pam, as they took their daily stroll in the park. They would 'ooh' and 'ahh' all over her, since she was quite the attractive baby. But she also had a bit of an attitude problem, and never liked to be fussed over for too long. Pam loved the attention, and found the admiration of her fellow citizens to be the only plus of having a baby.
The Burkhart Mansion overlooked the entire town, up on a hill, surrounded by acres of grassy knolls and flower beds. Pam used to think of it as a castle, and Mr. Burkhart was her king. But that all changed once Jacqueline was born. Jacqueline's cries would echo through the dark, hollow hallways of their house at odd hours of the night, disturbing Mr. Burkhart, instantly placing him in the worst of moods. Not to mention the smelly diapers, constant burping, and overall messiness of having a baby in the house. Pam grew impatient and even envious of the baby's new attention, since she was so used to being the one everyone talked about.
The day she heard Kitty Forman exclaiming how gorgeous the baby was and not a word about her at a town meeting, she decided she had had enough.
Jacqueline was six months old when Pam went on her first extended vacation.
But of course the baby had no idea her mother was missing, since the maids were the ones who watched over her. Her father was still around, but a little more reserved then usual since his wife packed her bags and flew to Mexico for the summer, and then some.
But as Jacqueline blossomed into a young toddler, she thought this was all normal. She thought everyone lived in big houses like hers in private, gated communities like she did. She thought everyone had a daddy they barely saw and she didn't even know what mothers were. After Pam left, the town didn't talk as much about the Burkhart's, besides the good job that Mr. Burkhart had been doing as the new senator of Wisconsin. Everyone forgot about baby Jaqueline, since she rarely came out of The Pavilion these days. But Jaqueline was lonely and yearned to meet other children and see Point Place, for what it really was...
"Daddy?" Jacqueline called as she tiptoed into his office.
The extreme scent of liquor instantly surrounded her, but she had grown immune to it over the years. She felt the carpet tickle her bare toes as she tiptoed further in, closing the door gently behind her. She sat in the chair opposite her father's, her feet barely reaching the ground.
"Yes?" Her father said sternly, continuing to punch some buttons on his typewriter, barely flinching at his daughter's appearance.
"I want to go to school."
Her father sighed heavily, rubbing the temples of his forehead as he took off his bifocals carefully. He rested back in his chair, watching his daughter bite her lip in anticipation.
"Darling, you already go to school."
"It's not the same." Jacqueline protested, twirling a strand of her dark hair between her fingers. "I want to go to school with other kids."
Jacqueline shuddered as she thought back on the hours of 'education' she was receiving right here at home, with Mrs. Brownstone, a horrid ex- schoolteacher who pounded pointless math problems and vocabulary lessons into Jacqueline's head.
"But darling, the only school in Point Place is public..." Her father continued to punch some keys as she spoke, glancing over at his daughter as she twirled her hair, "You deserve a better education than that."
"But Daddy..." Jacqueline whined.
"Jacqueline." Her father said sternly, glancing at the clock on his desk. "It's bedtime now."
Jacqueline frowned, feeling tears of loneliness form in the creases of her eyes. She pushed herself off the chair, crossing her arms across her chest, and went towards the door.
It was horrible. She hated being locked up in this big house with nothing to do and never getting to talk to other kids. She hated her father for never listening to her. She was such a good little girl. She never got her dresses messy and she always brushed her teeth. Why shouldn't she be rewarded? She just wanted to be like all the other kids.
Jacqueline turned around quickly, giving her father a new, cold glare that formed across her tear stained cheeks.
"Daddy." She said quickly, smiling maliciously as his head popped up. She started to cry. Full out bawling, over exaggerated shrieks, everything she could think of doing, she did. She ran to her father, hugging his chest and screaming, "I want to go to public school."
And that's how Jacqueline Burkhart learned how to get what she wants.
The next day, her father enrolled her in Point Place Elementary.
She was extremely excited for her first day of first grade. She was also extremely nervous. What if she didn't make any friends? What if the kids thought she was weird? What if they were jealous of her money, or her looks?
Jaqueline pushed this all into the back of her head as her father pulled her along to the classroom where she would spend the rest of the year learning. They were struggling to keep up with the principal, who was rattling on about school rules as Jacqueline pulled down the slip underneath her new dress. It was pink, with tiny ruffles and bows on the sleeves. It made her look like an exquisite china doll. The maids had put her hair into two tiny braids, fastening them with pink ribbons. Her black Mary Janes were polished and sparkling as she ran along the hallway, trying to keep up with the principal and her father, who now stopped in front of one of the classrooms. Jacqueline's heart skipped a beat as the principal opened the door, instructing Jaqueline to go ahead inside. She looked back at her father, who smiled earnestly, something she rarely saw. If there was one thing that she learned from her father, it's to never let them see that you're nervous. A new wave of confidence washed over her face and she patted down her dress, made sure her braids were in place, and followed the principal inside, leaving her father behind.
"Class, pay attention." The principal said primly, holding Jacqueline by the shoulders. "We have a new student."
She pushed Jacqueline gently towards the teacher, a nice young lady who stood up from her desk. Jacqueline stared at the girls and boys of her new class. Most of them were sitting quietly, except a few stragglers in the back. One particular brown haired boy stared at her as if she were some sort of royalty. She ignored it dismissively; as she was taught to do when people stared, but basked in the attention she was receiving, internally.
The principal left the room curtly and the class all stared at Jacqueline, waiting for her next move.
"I'm Miss Turner," The teacher said, placing a gentle arm on Jackie's shoulder. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the class?"
Jacqueline smiled graciously, placing her hands together as she pursed her lips, clearing her throat. She spoke with confidence and grace, as she was taught to do so, "My name's Jacqueline Burkhart."
A few gasps were heard as she revealed as she said her last name, since even though no one really gossiped about the Burkhart's anymore, all the kids knew they owned the big house in The Pavilion and that Mr. Burkhart was the senator of their state.
"Is your dad the senator?" A slightly taller then the rest, red headed girl seated in the front row asked quickly.
Jacqueline smiled and nodded.
The class 'oohed' and 'ahhed' the usual response that a Burkhart heard whenever one was in the room.
The rest of the day went pretty smoothly. Jacqueline understood all the lessons being taught, and was given a seat directly in the middle, which was perfect for her, because now she really was the center of attention.
By the time recess rolled around, Jacqueline became tense, unsure of who would talk to her, or if she should approach anyone.
"Hi!" A group of blond girls quickly came over to the picnic table Jaqueline had taken a seat upon, watching a group of kids playing in the playground.
"Hi." Jaqueline said in return, as the three girls sat down across from her.
"I'm Pam Macy." One of the girls squeaked out, "And this is Stacy, and Lacey."
The three girls giggled all together and Jacqueline simply smiled in response.
"Are you a first grader?" Stacey asked, playing with her blond curls. "Because our school is so small that some of the second graders are in our class as well."
"I'm in first grade." Jacqueline answered, taking note of this information.
"Oh, good." Lacey squealed. "Me too."
"I'm in second, though." Pam said.
"So, do you like unicorns?" Lacey asked quickly, giggling.
"I guess so..." Jaqueline said, with a far off look in her eyes.
Stacey, Lacey, and Pam Macy all gaped at her for a second.
"What about butterflies? And stuffed animals? And clothes?"
Jacqueline took a hard look at the playground as the three rambled on. There were a bunch of kids but a certain group of four caught her attention. They were all sitting on top of the monkey bars. The brown haired boy who was staring at her before, was staring at her now, watching her with close attention as he hung upside down, his hair falling around his face. The red headed girl who asked Jaqueline if her father was the senator was laughing as she exchanged words with a skinny boy. Lastly, a curly haired boy in scruffy jeans was watching his three friends with an aloof sense that Jacqueline immediately despised.
Her attention bounced back to the three girls, who were complimenting her dress.
"Yeah, I love clothes!" Jacqueline said happily, imitating the giggles of the girls.
"Oh my god!!!" Pam Macy shrieked. "I just knew we were going to be best friends!"
Jacqueline grinned as the three girls hugged her, watching the four friends laugh as the recess bell rang, directing them back towards their classroom.
With Lacey, Stacey, and Pam Macy linked to her arms, Jacqueline beamed past the four, who gave the group of girls an auspicious look, snickering as they walked by.
"Hey Pam..." The brown haired boy said, but stared at Jacqueline all the while. "Who's your new friend?"
Pam stopped, causing the chain of girls to freeze as well, "Jacqueline Burkhart," Pam paused, stepping aside as the red head, skinny boy, and curly haired boy walked on ahead into the building, "Meet Michael Kelso."