Ch 1- Coming Home

Jackie rolled over onto her back and looked at her ring. They had been married for almost seven years now but she felt like she barely got to see him. She totally supported his decision to be a musician...but at times like these, she felt so alone. She touched the cold spot next to her and imagined her husband touching her, brushing her hair off her shoulders and face, wiping her tears away and then kissing her to make the world seem better. Wake up Jackie. Those days are dead she thought bitterly to herself. When he did come home he just sat in his little office, went out with guys or went to clubs. So often was it that he came home and just kissed his wife hello and then went back out. Well no more. He was supposed to be coming home in the next two weeks, and when he did, he was hers. With that thought in her mind, she rolled back over to her side of the bed and closed her eyes, content smile on her face.

"Hey Joey, it's Jackie, is your mom there?" she asked on the phone the next day. If she was going to have her husband as her "prisoner", she was in desperate need of ideas.

"Hey Jackie. What's going on?" Donna asked breathlessly as she finally got on the line.

"What did you do run to the phone?"

"No..." she trailed off and Jackie heard her boyfriend, Jason in the background.

"Ok, ew!! That's enough of that. Can you talk right now?"

"Is it important?"

"Well...I had question to do with Steven..."

"Ok so it can. I'll have to call you back Jackie," she said as she hung up. Jackie just dropped the phone back into the cradle. Her best friend was even getting more sex than she was and she wasn't even married!! Something was wrong here, very wrong. She put her head in her arms on the countertop bar that they had and closed her eyes to think.

"Hey gorgeous," a deep voice suddenly said.

"What the fuck!?" she yelled, surprised. Then when she turned around she squealed in delight. "Steven!! I didn't think you were coming home this early!!"

"Surprised?"

All her got back in response was her pressing her lips against his intensely.

"I take it that's a yes..."

She just giggled as she hung on to him, not caring if she was acting like she was back in high school. She hadn't seen her husband in two months damn it!! She was ready for him to be home!!

"So what are you doing here anyways?" she asked him confused.

"Well, we got done early and I just couldn't stay away any longer."

"You missed the sex."

"Yup."

She grinned at him, never being one to beat around the bush herself.

"So what are we waiting for?" she asked coyly as she started pulling the lapel on his jacket as she walked towards the bedroom.

"Actually babe, right now...I'm exhausted. I think I just wanna go to bed."

"Oh. Okay..." she said quietly.

"Thanks. Wake me up around six?"

She just nodded her head and he kissed her quickly as he walked towards their bedroom. Jackie just sighed and sank down on the sofa. Here we go again she thought almost bitterly. With that thought in her head, she headed to the phone again but this time she called an old friend. Someone that Steven never would have guessed....

"Jackie, he just got home!! Let him sleep!"

"Eric! You don't get it! I never see him anymore. When he does come home, he's you guys or at clubs or something."

"Hyde goes to clubs? I wanna go to clubs..." he trailed off wistfully.

"Eric!!" she cried snapping her fingers in front of his face to bring him back to reality.

"Right, right! Umm...well...I dunno Jack. Just let it ride. The next time he wants to go out, go with him. It's not that hard."

"He never asks me," she pouted.

"Jackie, it's not like you guys are dating anymore. You're married...you have been for damn near ten years!! Get over it! Invite yourself...ask what he's doing."

"Yeah...I guess you're right. God you're just so much better at this than Donna!"

"Great...let's compare me to...Donna. What I've always wanted."

"Oh shut up, you know what I meant."

"Yeah. Well listen Jackie, I gotta go. Umm...same time on Thursday night?" he asked as he got up.

"Yeah," she replied absently. He bent down, kissed the top of her head and picked up his jacket and left.

God how weird is it that her and Eric had gotten to be such good friends. In high school he hated her and she hated him. She was Satan or Hitler, it depended upon the day, and he was Tiny Wrist Boy that ate Pee-toes one day. When they found out that they went to the same college, they just sort of stuck together. He was older and knew what to do. She was younger and more popular...together, they just seemed to balance each other out. After college, they had managed to keep in contact and every Thursday night now, was their night. Their one night a week to catch up and do what every they wanted. Last week they wound up at a bar because Eric's boss demoted him. This week...God knew what. Besides Donna, she felt that Eric was the only one that knew her best. She knew that she could always count on him to come over when she's having a rough time and vice-versa.

"Who was that?" Hyde asked coming out of the bedroom in a t-shirt and jeans.

"What?" Jackie asked as she was shaken from her trance.

"Who was just here?"

"Oh!! Don't worry, it was just Eric."

"Oh yeah? What'd he want?" he asked as he rummaged through the fridge for something to eat.

"Ummm...just to talk."

"With you?"

"Yes with me Steven. Obviously not with you! He's my friend too you know," she retorted and turned on her heel and marched towards the bedroom. Hyde was left just standing there in front of the refrigerator, holding a Tupperware container of steak and corn, looking bewildered after her.