Chapter 02– Catching a Breather
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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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Eric dropped his duffel and ran to his father who was struggling to get off the floor. His mother was gasping, "Eric! What are you doing here? Oh dear!"
Red looked old. Older. The last five years had not been kind to the elder Forman. Eric easily pulled his father up with an arm under Red's shoulder and one around his waist. Kitty slid the cane into Red's free hand. Red smiled in a shell-shocked kind of way. "When did my son get muscles?" he joked feebly.
Kitty was shocked as well, but the astonishment gave way to excitement when she realized her flesh and blood offspring was standing in the kitchen. As soon as Eric got his dad into the kitchen chair, Kitty launched herself at her son hugging him in a Forman death grip. "Oh honey! We missed you so much!"
After a hug, Eric gently pried his mom's arms from around his neck. "I missed you too. Can I get a cup of coffee?"
Red gestured to an empty chair. Proudly, he grinned, "Well look at you. We send off a boy and get back a man. When did you grow up?"
Eric looked at the cane that rested against his dad's thigh. "When did you need help walking?"
Kitty carried over two cups of hot coffee and sat down. "Oh, your father slipped last year and broke his hip. We hadn't heard from you….we didn't know how to let you know and by the time your father got out of the hospital…."
"They discharged me." Red corrected.
"…they got tired of his bad-tempered attitude…." Kitty smiled, "Well, they sent him home to recuperate and you know your father – he would never let anyone think he was hurt."
Eric mused – that must run in the family. To his dad, Eric commented, "Well, I'm sure that when your hip fully heals, you'll be kicking ass again."
Red grinned. "Just what I was thinking."
Kitty pressed her palm on Eric's hand. "Oh! Honey, we have to call your friends and let them know you're back! I need to start baking!"
"Mom!" Eric squeezed her fingers. "Please. No. Not yet. I don't want to see anyone for a while okay?"
Kitty frowned, "But Eric, they are your friends."
Red sensed something else was going on so he cautioned, "Kitty. He's been flying for god knows how long…let's give Eric time….time to settle in."
She wasn't happy about this but went along, "Okay, but I'm going to put fresh sheets on the guest bed and make you a nice homemade meal. Have you had breakfast? Do you eat real food or that granola stuff these days?"
Eric smiled, "It's been a while since I had some bacon."
Red grinned, "That goes double."
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Jackie stood in the doorway of Steven's apartment freezing as she finished off her cigarette. Hyde yelled, "Would you put that damn thing out so we can start the movie?"
She looked back into the dark of the living room where Fez sat with bowls of microwave popcorn. "Give me a second." She took a quick puff from her Virginia Slim and dropped the butt on the ground where she crushed it under the heel of her boot. "What's the movie?"
Fez looked at the box the VHS tape came from, "It's Raiders of the Lost Ark, you know what? This guy looks like Han Solo."
Hyde snatched the box from Fez's greasy fingers, "It's the same actor you idiot. How many times have I told you to be careful with the boxes?"
Jackie walked into the kitchen and brought back a cold diet cola and a paper towel. She handed the wipe to Steven and took a seat on the sofa. "Can I tell you guys something weird?"
Hyde looked up, "Everything you tell us is weird. What is it this time?"
She frowned and ignored the barb. "I got the strangest feeling that something has happened to Eric."
"Forman? Shit, we haven't heard from him in over a year." Hyde replied. Fez nodded his head in agreement, "I hope what happened to Brooke didn't happen to Eric."
Soberly, Jackie replied, "I know. Her funeral was so beautiful yesterday…..Michael is all torn up though. We should be over at the Kelso's you guys. Betsy might need us Steven. I mean you and I are her Godparents."
Fez munched a handful of popcorn, "Am I her God-Uncle?"
Hyde rolled his eyes, "Okay, yes….you are the uncle and no, we don't need to go over there. Kelso has his parents and they'll help him with Betsy. Give him some time."
Jackie frowned, "But Michael's mother already takes care of Casey's kids. What's going to happen when Michael has to go back to work?"
Hyde shrugged, "Let Kelso deal with it. We'll help him as much as we can, but can we just watch the freaking movie?"
Fez was about to say something but Jackie held up her hand, "We'll talk about this later."
Hyde grumbled, "You girls will talk about it later. I'm watching the film."
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Eric looked around the guest room that used to belong to him as a teen. It was nicely redecorated in colors of green and gray and smelled fresh. His battered duffel back sat on the clean carpet like an errant child. It didn't belong in such a nice room.
He sat on the edge of the twin bed and pulled off his shoes while thinking about the day. Just the sight of his dad having to use a cane to walk around threw him for a loop. But, of course, accidents would happen (sorry Connor) and life goes on. Having home cooked dinners was great and as his stomach rumbled, Eric realized that he probably ate too much.
He laid back on the bed and it felt like jet lag just hit him full force. He was more tired than when he tried to avoid whatever was going on in the living room last night – he was completely exhausted. Maybe after a good night's sleep, he'd feel like getting out of the house.
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"I'm worried about him Red." Kitty complained.
Red closed his Popular Mechanics magazine and turned to his wife who was punching her pillow into submission. "He's fine dear."
"No, he's not fine. Eric has changed." Kitty disagreed.
"He's a grown man. He has muscles for crying out loud. I told you we didn't raise no dumbass." Her husband replied. Kitty turned down the covers and climbed into bed. "Of course he's a grown man, but a mother knows when something bothering her children. It's an instinct."
Red set his magazine on the side table and turned out the lamp. "Stop worrying. He'll be fine. When Eric is ready, you'll have a house full of his friends again and there goes my peace and quiet. Are you happy now?"
Kitty leaned over and kissed Red's cheek. "Now I'm happy."
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Eric woke up fighting against a sweaty tangle of bed sheets. He was breathing hard and his eyelids were slammed open wide. The guest bedroom felt smaller than his tent on the Serengeti. He stumbled out of bed and slapped at the switch to turn on the lights hoping to dispel some of his claustrophobia. It was hot in this room.
In the wee hours of the morning, his old bedroom had suddenly seemed smaller. The twin size bed barely contained the frame of an adult male. This wasn't going to work out. Eric grabbed a blanket, the pillow and carefully crept out of the room and down the stairs. At least, the sofa gave him room to stretch out and the living room wasn't as suffocating as the room upstairs.
Eric reached for the remote control and turned on the television. Anna Cantana's lovely face revisited him again as a replay of the daily news was aired for early morning viewers. Eric fell asleep with the drone of her voice in the background.
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Kitty and Red stood over their sleeping son who was snoring on the sofa. "Red, this is the fifth morning in a row I've found him like this."
Red frowned. "Well….let's have a talk with the boy and find out why he can't sleep in a bed."
Kitty gasped, "Do you think it's the new mattress? Maybe I should stuff it with straw or something that reminds him of Africa."
Red shook his head, "No honey, I really don't think our son slept on a straw bed. It's probably something else. Have you changed the fabric softener or something?"
Kitty shook her head, "No, it's the same brand I always use. Let's get coffee and let him sleep."
"But my program!" Red groaned.
Grabbing his arm, Kitty tugged her husband into the kitchen. "You can watch it when it comes on again. Really Red Forman, we have bigger problems than you missing a fishing show."
Grumbling, Red followed Kitty and replied, "If I'm missing my show, there better be bacon with my oatmeal."
"Of course dear. I'll even get out the new marmalade for your toast."
Red smiled, "Well….why didn't you say something earlier? I wouldn't have put up a fight."
Kitty hugged him, "That's why I adore you honey. You and I don't fight."
Red lifted a brow, "We don't?"
"We. Don't. Fight. Don't make me repeat myself." She instructed.
Red sat down at the table, "I stand corrected." Kitty smiled and whirled away to make breakfast.
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Eric looked around the old basement and smiled. There were some good times to be had in this old room. A never-ending supply of popsicles would be stocked in the old freezer. The wooden spool the guys had used as a coffee table was gone, but the lawn chair and love seat remained. He ventured into Hyde's old room and it smelled a bit musty. In days of old, it had the scent of Hyde's aftershave lingering in the air. Of course that was on the days he actually shaved.
Eric wondered if Hyde moved voluntarily or if Red gave him a boost out the door like he always threatened to do. The basement was enormous when empty and as Eric tapped his chin, a grand idea filled his head. The basement could be his bedroom – until he got his own place. Eric looked around and knew it had all the requirements; a bathroom, telephone, a door to the outside….easy access to the kitchen and most of all…privacy.
It was decided at that moment, when his steamer trunk was delivered from Cape Town, Eric was setting up his room downstairs. He could have his dad change the backdoor lock and there was more than enough money to purchase a proper bed.
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Eric sipped his coffee as Red thought over their conversation. "Well, I don't suppose there's anything wrong with it…..I'll need your help moving the washer and dryer out….can you tell me why?"
Red stirred his coffee with a spoon as he waited for his son to explain. Eric closed his eyes and sighed. "Dad. You've been to war."
"Yeah…a couple of times." Red confirmed.
"You've been in foxholes and tight quarters….have you ever felt like you just...couldn't breathe?"
Red didn't like thinking back on the physical elements of war and it's discomforts but replied, "I have."
Eric was fooling with the handle on his mug and when he began again, it was difficult to look at his dad's face and confess. "I've lost some people in tragic accidents."
Red was somber – his son never expressed regret in such a subdued manner before. "Accidents?"
Eric looked up with a tortured expression. "Bad. One in particular….well, it could have been me. When I'm in that guest bedroom, it feels like I'm back in the tent reliving it all over again. I can't stand to be cloistered – claustrophobia is a better term I guess. The basement….well, it's big and private and I need some time to adjust."
Red understood more than his wife would, "Sure. We'll do what we can today and tomorrow I'll take you into town and you can open a bank account….maybe get your driver's license and do your shopping."
Eric frowned, "Dad…..I didn't see the Vista Cruiser. Where is it?"
Sheepishly, Red replied, "Er….we didn't know when or if you were coming back so your mother and I sold it. I put the money in a savings account so you could get a new car later."
"Thanks dad. I knew it would be better if I explained my situation to you….mom would never understand.
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"She said what?" Fez asked frantically.
Jackie was folding towels and placing them in the laundry basket. "Mrs. Forman said she wouldn't be making the weekend dinner this time."
Fez had been longing for a delicious Forman chocolate cake for two weeks. "But we always go!"
Jackie shrugged her shoulders, "They have some kind of family thing they're doing. I didn't ask because it's none of my business….just like it's none of yours."
Fez pouted. "Hyde never cooks."
Jackie grinned, "You don't stop eating. I swear, you need to learn to cook and stop eating everything from the microwave."
Fez was disinfecting the combs and tidying the individual cutting stations. "Jackie….when are we getting a new hairdresser?"
She paused and looked around her salon. The diploma from the Chicago Vidal Sassoon Academy of hair was hanging above the cash register. Her license to work in the city of Point Place was framed and nailed to the wall. This was Jackie's shop and it was gaining a customer base, so much so that she needed to hire an employee so she could take time off to attend classes and go to hair conventions. Looking at Fez she smiled, "I have a stylist coming in on Tuesday for an interview and guess what else?"
Fez shrugged, "What."
Smiling proudly, Jackie replied, "I hired a girl to do nails."
Fez lifted a brow. "Are we going to do waxing too?" His eyes were lit up.
"I know where your filthy mind is going and we may wax brows but NO bikini lines." Jackie reprimanded. "Besides, until you get your license, you aren't going to be cutting any hair. What are you doing about that?"
"Aiiyyyyaaa! Nag nag nag. Why don't you go smoke another cigarette?" Fez complained.
She scowled. "I'm trying to stop. Don't make me think about it or I'll want one." Now Jackie was thinking about nicotine again. Damn Fez! "Just finish cleaning the combs and we'll close up."
Fez grumbled. "You're no fun anymore."
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Eric's steamer trunk arrived the same day as his new bedroom set. Kitty was not happy at losing her laundry room but she was thrilled that this meant Eric might not move away too soon. She loved having her family back under one roof. Her washer and dryer were moved to the garage but at least Eric was gracious enough to allow his mom to offer decorating tips.
"….and we can paint the stairs to brighten it up down here….I'll have your dad put a bolt on that door and oh honey, it's so good to have you home."
Eric smiled and hugged his mother. "It's good to be back mom. After I get unpacked, I need you or dad to take me to a car lot. I need to buy something to get around in."
Kitty perched on the edge of a box. "Are you going to get a job?" She asked hopefully.
"Of course. I just need to see which schools are hiring. Hopefully, I'll have work by the end of next week."
"Good. Then I can invite your friends over for the weekend dinner! I postponed it because…..well, because you just got home but Eric, I know they'll want to see you."
Eric knew it was inevitable. The last time he saw his teenage friends they were just that….teenagers. What kind of adults had they grown into? What had he grown into?
Loner.
Hermit.
Coward.
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