Getting it together
"Oh, Jackie!" her roommate called sounding smug and self satisfied from the livingroom. "Phone for you!"
"Tori, who is it?" Jackie said rolling her eyes as she came into the room.
"Mr. Right," Tori teased shoving the phone into Jackie's hands with a smirk. Jackie was beginning to get a little more than annoyed at her new roommate's recent obsession with matchmaking. At least she means well, Jackie reminded herself taking a deep breath before speaking.
"Hi, Brad," Jackie said cradling the phone on her shoulder as she bent over to tie her shoes. She had a pretty good idea why he was calling her. Tori had set them up on a date a couple weeks before and while Brad had apparently become enraptured with her, Jackie had been less than taken with him. She couldn't even force the slightest bit of enthusiasm for the average looking law student; despite her best efforts. He was a good guy though and she didn't want to hurt a good man. However, she was quickly running out of ways to let him down gently.
"Hey, there. Did you get the flowers I sent you?" he asked eagerly enough to make Jackie wince slightly.
"Yeah, yeah I did," Jackie said with a sigh. "Look, I meant what I said earlier. It really isn't you; its me. I'm too messed up to be with anyone. You deserve better, I didn't mean to lead you on or anything.." Jackie said rubbing the bridge of her nose anxiously.
"Hey, I just sent roses not a marriage proposal," Brad joked. "I meant what I said earlier too. I'm fine with just being friends. I'd rather be friends than nothing and besides I hope that you don't mind my saying so but you don't seem to have to many of those," he added solemnly. "I'm not going to try anything I promise," he insisted.
"I know you want more," Jackie said raising a suspicious eyebrow. Jackie had heard a similar line from Micheal Kelso more than once before he tried to get into her pants.
"Yeah, but I'll live with it. Maybe having a hot looking babe like you on my arm every so often would help me pick up chicks," he teased.
"It couldn't hurt," Jackie agreed with a smile.
"Four and a half months without Jackie," Fez wheezed rocking back and forth on the basement sofa. " I can not take much more of this," he whimpered breathing heavily into a brown paper bag that Eric had given him.
"You know, the first couple of weeks that Jackie was nowhere to be seen were good but now... I can't believe I'm saying this but I miss the devil," Eric said in dazed confusion. "Am I possessed?" he asked turning to Donna in alarm.
"No, Eric," Donna said with a sigh. "I know what you mean. I think we've just got used to a certain level of vapid noise and now that its gone, we're going through withdrawls," she reasoned. "Some of us are just handling it better than others," she added giving Fez a look out of the corner of her eye.
"I saw that," Fez snapped. "My goddess has left because of all of us. We are all selfish assholes!" he cried out mournfully before burying his face in his hands.
"Its sad the Foreign kid figured that you before the rest of you dumbass kids," Red grumbled coming down the stairs. "I'm spending the evening down here," Red declared ordering Eric to scoot over on the couch. "Your mother's organized some kind of menopausal nightmare upstairs. A bunch of hormonal women discussing dinner plates and grand children. I sometimes wish I was back in Korea," he grumbled leaning back with a sigh.
"So you're gonna be here the whole evening?" Eric said giving his friends an alarmed look. Red merely looked at him and smiled. "Lets go to the Hub, I'm craving some of their food," Eric stammered as the gang made a beeline towards the back door.
"Dumbasses," Red said with a satisfied grin. He got up and whistled a tune as he checked his watch for the time. Kitty should be back any minute from the airport with Jackie, he reasoned. The Loud One said that she hadn't wanted to see those kids first thing when she arrived and Red Foreman couldn't blame her. Mr Foreman thought that he'd given her what she'd needed. Time to gather herself before seeing them again.
" I hope you don't mind staying in Laurie's old room," Kitty said with her trademark laugh. I've gotten it all cleaned up for you. I made sure that she left nothing bad in there," Kitty assured Jackie with a smile.
"Thanks, Mrs. Foreman;" Jackie said giving the older woman the best smile she could manage. "I really appreciate this," Jackie said honestly.
"Oh nonsense," Kitty said helping Jackie upstairs with her bags. "Its summer break now. Of course you shouldn't be on your own. A single girl nowadays has to be careful. I'm just proud that one of my babies is actually going to college. Eric hasn't even applied since he got back from Africa, Steven's never shown any interest, Laurie... well, don't get me started. I mean Donna's made a lot of noise about it but she hasn't actually gone," Mrs Foreman said with a sigh.
"Well, I do appreciate everything. The place to stay, getting me from the airport and helping me get a job at the hospital. It really means a lot to me," Jackie said as they entered Laurie's room. "Wow, You really have washed the whor...room up," Jackie said with a weak smile.
"Oh you can go on and say it. I know my daughter's a tramp, Red's the only one you have to mince words around with. He's still in denial, though I can't see how," Kitty said. "Besides after Steven's stripper left I felt the urge to obliterate all traces of that abomination," she added with a shudder.
"I knew there was something I loved about this room," Jackie joke with mock solemness.
"Wait," Eric said as the gang hopped out of the Vista Cruiser. "There is a disturbance in the force," he said warily. "I urge extreme caution," he added.
"Maybe the old ladies are still here. We'll rush them, don't worry about it Foreman," Hyde said grinning and shaking his head. "Holy hell," Hyde said stopping dead in his tracks in front of the sliding glass doors.
"Oh, god. How bad is it?" Eric asked shooting Donna an alarmed look.
"Bad, very bad," Hyde said in a low voice. "The worst kind of bad," he said .
"For the love of god what is it? What do you see?" Eric cried.
"Jackie's helping your mom cook dinner," Hyde answered in a low voice.
"I can't believe this! So you're in college now?" Donna said grinning. "What courses are you taking?" she asked Jackie eagerly as Jackie passed the basket of rolls over to Mr. Foreman.
"Just my core classes right now," Jackie said simply. "Can I have the mashed potatoes, Eric?" Jackie asked gesturing the bowl by his elbow. Eric jumped when Jackie addressed him and nearly knocked the bowl on the floor.
"Oh for Pete's sake," Red growled in disgust. "Can't the girl even have potatoes without one of you dumb-asses trying to mess it up?" he added angrily grabbing the bowl to hand to Jackie.
"I guess they don't have phones in California," Hyde said with a sneer. "Nobody's heard from you in months," he added when Jackie didn't respond to him. Hell, she didn't even look at him. "Cat got your tounge?" he taunted.
"Steven, shut up and eat your dinner," Mr. Foreman ordered. "The Loud one is our guest. Be nice," he said firmly. "And just for the record she did keep in touch just not with your dumb ass," Mr. Foreman said before taking a sip of his tea.
"When do you start work, Jackie?" Mrs Foreman said trying to change the subject with a grin.
"Tomorrow night," Jackie answered with a relieved smile. "I took the night shift, the pays a lot better. Thanks for putting in that good word for me, Mrs Foreman;" Jackie said ignoring the incredulous looks from Kelso, Eric, Donna, Hyde and even Fez. She was especially trying to ignore the twinge of guilt she felt seeing Mr. Foreman glaring at his son. Jackie wasn't here 24 hours yet and she already had a job and a plan. His son had been here for months and had neither, she could tell it was grating on Red Foreman's nerves. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask you Mr. Foreman if you could take me out car shopping once I have a couple paychecks under my belt. That way you don't have to keep driving me to work or let me borrow the car. I can drive back to California," she said feeling every set of eyes at the table bore into her and determined to ignore it.
"Not a problem. Better to buy a car here where you have help, good thinking; Jackie. I'll keep my eyes peeled," Red Foreman said sounding pleased.
"Okay, I have to ask something," Kelso said in exasperation. "What happened to you? You aren't supposed to be polite and all responsible. You're Jackie," he added almost tearfully.
"I grew up," Jackie said softly completely unaware of Hyde's slightly ashamed countenance.
"What is it?" Jackie said with a sigh, putting her hair brush down on the nightstand by the bed.
"Its, me. I need to talk to you," Hyde said through the closed door. Jackie rolled her eyes and put on her robe before opening the door. Hyde stood there looking at her for a moment, unable to speak. He couldn't believe that he'd forgotten how attractive she was.
"I'm guessing this couldn't wait until tomorrow. Well, you might as well come in before you wake up the rest of the house," Jackie said moving to allow Hyde inside the room. She quietly closed the door behind him before turning around to face him impatiently. "Well, what's so important?" she asked in an annoyed voice.
"You look beautiful," Hyde said without thinking.
"Okay, Out," Jackie said opening the bedroom door. "You're obviously drunk and looking to score," she said attempting to shoo him out. "Point place is in no shortage of sluts, I saw plenty as we pulled in the driveway," she said gently giving him a push.
"No, I really came to talk. I'm sober," Hyde said closing the door again. He was wondering how long he'd stay sober after this conversation, judging by the cold look on Jackie's face not for very long.
"Then spit it out," Jackie said with an eyebrow arched in annoyance.
"Why'd you leave town before any of us could speak to you?" Hyde asked as Jackie sat down on the edge of her bed with a small sigh.
"You ruined my wedding day," Jackie reminded him. "I didn't exactly want to speak to you, in fact I still don't. So can we speed this up?" she added narrowing her mismatched eyes at him.
"Come, on Jacks," Hyde pleaded sitting next to her. "You didn't even love that guy," he added giving her a knowing look.
"That wasn't the point," Jackie said with a small bitter laugh. "The point is that it was my choice. I saw a chance to be happy and I took it. You had no right to interfere, even if you did have good intentions; which I doubt. Its my life," she added firmly.
"Don't you want to marry someone you love? That guy was a total tool," Hyde said with a disgusted shake of his head.
"A bit maybe," Jackie reluctantly agreed. "But he treated me well, and I would have been happy or at least content with him. Again we are getting to the part where it was my decision and not yours," she reminded him. "He would have gotten me out of here," she said with a faraway look on her face.
"We aren't good enough to hang out with anymore? Is that it?" Hyde said suddenly feeling angry. Jackie merely gave him a patient look and waited for him to calm down. Damn it why did he have to teach her zen? He silently grumbled.
"It wasn't a matter of good enough. It was a matter of being around someone who cared about me for a change. I've never had that, Steven. At least, the Foreman's and the gang feel that way about you. I'm just rich, spoiled trash to insult and hate. You're actually surprised that I wanted to get away from that?" Jackie said incredulously.
"I don't hate you," Hyde admitted quietly, forcing himself to calm down. "Really, I know I've gone too far these past couple years and I'm sorry. I don't hate you, Jackie. I love..."
"The atmosphere of the basement, the groove of the gang. I get it," Jackie interrupted desperately. The last thing she wanted was pity especially from Hyde. She couldn't let him say the words that she would have given anything to hear once upon a time; just because he felt bad. Perhaps she'd misjudged him. He might have grown up a little in her absence; she should give credit where credit was due. At least he was admitting that he was deliberately cruel to her, that was a lot especially from a man as proud as Hyde. "Lets call, it a blank slate. We're not friends but we're not enemies either. What do you say? We both owe it to the Foreman's not to turn their house into a war zone," she said with a small smile. "Truce?" she said extending her hand .
"Truce," he agreed shaking it. "This is gonna seem really weird," he said shaking his head with a grin. "No more burns, it could get boring," he said walking to the door.
"Yeah, maybe, maybe not," Jackie said following him with a small chuckle. "Don't worry, Steven you'll hardly notice that I'm even here," she assured him with a smile.
"What do you mean?" Hyde said turning to face her slightly confused.
"Well, I'll be working a lot; Steven and then I'm going back to California. You might see me once or twice in the hallway or something but that'll be about it. I'm sure the Foreman's will be happy to know that in the event that we happen to meet the police won't need to be called," Jackie joked with a small salute.
"What about the basement?" Hyde asked.
"Oh, don't worry," Jackie said. "I know that's your turf. If the Foreman's send me to get something down there I'll be in and out without a word. I promise to behave myself," she assured him.
"You're not going to be hanging out down there?" he asked with a hard swallow. "I told you, I promise not to bother you and your friends. I have a big day tomorrow, so I gotta get some rest. Sleep well, Steven;" she said gently pushing him out and closing the door behind him.
