Author Note: ….why keep my favorite reviewers in such suspense…you earned an early chapter!
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Chapter 03 – Magic Penny
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"Hi Eric…Did you miss me?"
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Eric stepped back from the hug and nearly didn't recognize his old basement friend. It was almost like time had stopped for Jackie Burkhart. She was just as beautiful as ever, maybe more because the last ten years had been kind to her. She filled out in all the right places and she looked excited and tranquil at the same time. It was quite appealing. "You look so handsome!" she exclaimed in that voice he remembered.
Eric was momentarily speechless as she hugged him again. "You're mom told me what happened. I'm sorry you lost your store." She was expressing sympathy but all he could feel was soft bosoms pushing against his chest. Jeez Eric, get a grip! It's just Jackie!
He carefully stepped back and laughed haltingly. "Uh, Jackie…yeah, thanks for that. I'm sad that I lost it, but I hope to open a new store again real soon. Damn, you look good." Did I just say that out loud?
"Well thank you Eric. You're looking pretty damn good yourself." There was an awkward pause because they had never actually been close friends – just friends of friends and this was getting uncomfortable. "Hey, why don't I just let you get your things and I'll be back in the kitchen." Jackie suggested.
Eric sidled his way around the door to the closet being very careful not to touch one of those soft curves or angles that looked so tempting. Jackie was looking at the mirror over the dresser while she pulled her hair into a neat ponytail. "Hey, what's this?"
Eric pulled a tee-shirt off the hanger and looked back. "What's what?"
She held a piece of something between her thumb and forefinger. Jackie grinned and said, "It says $100,000 Eggs-Travaganza. Is this a lottery ticket from last year?" She turned the ticket around and gasped. "Oh my gosh, you only have six days until this thing expires. Don't tell me you haven't scratched it yet."
Eric snatched the ticket from her fingers. "It was a souvenir from a convention I went to in Indianapolis. I was using it for a bookmark."
Jackie reached in her tight jeans pocket and pulled out a shiny copper penny. "Well, in that case, you wouldn't mind letting me scratch it."
Eric smirked, "My ticket - my scratcher."
Jackie teased, "My penny – my Jackie magic." Eric rolled his eyes and grabbed her penny. "I'll let you watch. No one ever wins these things anyways. A prize of $100,000? That's so far out of my reach." He muttered as he started scratching off the pictures. He had uncovered two Easter baskets, an egg and two rabbits. Jackie grabbed his arm and whispered, "Eric, if you get a basket or a rabbit you win!"
Eric looked at her huge mismatched colored eyes and a glimmer of hope burned in his belly….maybe….he carefully scratched off the last icon and found a pair of ears and a little fat belly. He WON! Jackie squealed with delight! Impulsively, Eric hugged her and suddenly felt faint. He managed to fall on the mattress when the enormity of what happened just hit him. "I won. Oh my god, Eric Forman is not a winner. I never win anything."
Jackie was smiling. "So….how much did you win?"
A bead of sweat rolled off his forehead and into his eyes. "I can't see, you tell me." He pushed the lottery scratcher into Jackie's hands. Jackie scratched off the remaining image and grinned, "Eric Forman, you have just won $75,000!" Eric Forman fainted.
Eric felt arms gently shaking him awake. "Eric!" a soft voice whispered urgently. "Wake up!" Eric opened his eyes and it was that brunette angel. He didn't want to wake from this dream. "Did I really win?"
She only smiled and he smiled back. The images in his head were indescribable. "Tell me again." He asked. Jackie was kneeling beside the daybed. "Match three like amounts and win that amount and you Mr. Forman have just won $75,000!"
Eric sat up. "Wow…this is big. I can get my own place! I can buy my store back! I can help my folks."
Jackie touched his face. "If you don't sign the back and go to the lottery office before the end of this month….it's not going to happen."
Eric closed his eyes. Shit. There's no way his old Civic could make that six hour drive to Indianapolis and back before he started his new job. Maybe he could borrow his dad's Toyota – yeah it was older but it was mostly in good condition. He looked at Jackie. Did he win because of her lucky penny or was it really meant to happen? Who cares! He won!
Jackie slapped his leg and sat down on the bed next to him. "Eric, you can't tell anyone."
That shocked him. "What? Why not?"
Jackie stated matter-of-factly, "You need to know who your real friends are. With that kind of money, you're going to suddenly be the most popular guy in Point Place. Money attracts a grungy freeloading crowd. This is yours and you should be able to keep it…the wrong person or people will be trying to take it from you. Safeguard it. I wouldn't even tell your folks until you have the check in your hand."
Eric could imagine every fair-weather friend he knew trying to mooch off him. He even imagined Laurie flying back first class expecting him to pay for her ticket! He looked at Jackie. "You won't tell?"
She shook her head. "Nope. That's your secret. All you have to do is go cash it in." She stood up and shook his hand. "Welcome Eric. You have a great future ahead of you."
Eric watched her leave, his mouth flapping like a fish out of water. How was he supposed to cash this ticket with only six days left? Now was the time to get a bus or train schedule. He couldn't let this opportunity pass – he'd even hitchhike if he had to!
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Jackie was folding the last of her clean clothes. She loved doing her laundry at the Forman's. Kitty made her own batch of fabric softener and it was the best. Of course, on the road, she had her favorite laundry mats but in Point Place, there was only one place to go. She smiled and inhaled the scent from her pile of towels.
One night in the guest room and tomorrow she was on her way to Cincinnati, Ohio to be an extra in a new Jodie Foster movie called Little Man Tate. Her agent, Linda Maxwell, told her to go approach the assistant director and she had a good chance at being cast as a school employee for the movie. Jackie crossed her fingers; all she needed was the right director to see her in the right movie!
With her laundry done, she'd have to beg a ride to the grocery store. Taking the RV was difficult to park unless she found a place way out in the boondocks and then it was a mile to the store. Kitty had all the good coupons and double coupons and loved shopping. The few times the Forman's had borrowed the RV, Mrs. Forman adored the little kitchen and food storage cupboards that had that little ledge preventing the canned goods from flying out. She always made sure Jackie was stocked up and well prepared for the road. Jackie loved her thoughtfulness.
Eric came downstairs to find his Dad and Jackie pouring over a map of the United States. There were circles all over the northern states and a few east of Wisconsin. "What are you looking for?" he asked curiously.
Red looked up, "Campgrounds. Why aren't you helping your mother unload the car?"
"Um….maybe because I didn't know?" Eric knew that was a smart ass remark and quickly ran out the patio doors. "Hey, mom….let me help you." Kitty looked up from the trunk. "Oh honey, you don't have to. This is my treat for Jackie."
Eric wasn't sure he heard that correctly. His mother was shopping for Jackie? "Eric, get the door for me please."
Eric opened the patio doors but was confounded when his mom was tapping her foot by the huge motor home. "Sorry." He reached up and opened the latch and the metal door swung open. Kitty giggled, "Sorry, I love this RV." She carefully climbed the three aluminum covered steps and entered into the belly of the beast.
"Mom? Are you okay in there?" He couldn't see her but could hear her delighted giggle. "Eric, bring me the rest of the bags in the trunk, would you?"
Kitty opened all the little cupboards and started unloading her shopping bag. Jackie always kept her little home on wheels so nice and tidy that it was a joy to be in it. She flipped on the radio and sang along with Little Richard's Tutti Frutti. Eric stood at the door, four grocery bags in his hands. "Well, honey, get in here, those aren't going to unload themselves!"
Eric cautiously stepped into the RV and felt like he was in I Dream of Jeannie's bottle. Just to his right shoulder was a soft cushiony occasional chair in soft colors of lavender and teal. A plastic runner covered the lush carpet and directly in front of him was a large pillowy sofa in the same colors. He looked towards the cab of the RV and found a color TV/VCR combo was installed near the ceiling. Cool. His mom was just to the left at the top of the steps.
She exclaimed, "This is a 1990 Coachman RV, the Basement Model, which makes it special. You have to get Jackie tell you the story of how she got it. But honey, come look at the adorable little kitchen!" Eric set the bags on a laminated countertop. There was a stainless steel sink, a four burner stove, a tiny oven, an overhead mounted microwave and a slim refrigerator. Opposite the kitchen was a small dining area for four people. "It turns into a bed." His mom whispered.
"Does this thing have a bathroom?" Eric asked. He was incredibly impressed at how much like a house it was on the inside. There was an air conditioner mounted on the ceiling and a hatch that could be opened for fresh air or to climb on the roof. Kitty pointed down the narrow hall. "The bathroom is on the left and Jackie's bedroom is at the end.
Eric smiled and opened the bathroom door, surprised to find it had a toilet, sink and a little shower with glass doors. Very cute and miniature and of course, a hair dryer plugged into the outlet. He dared to look down the hall and loved the bedroom with the huge bed and soft pillows. Horizontal blinds filtered the evening sunlight and blackout drapes were pulled to the side. There was another television bolted to the top of the dresser and accordion doors revealed a nice sized closet full of Jackie's clothes. If he was honest with himself, there was more room and amenities in this RV than his old store apartment!
Eric and Kitty quickly loaded the refrigerator and cupboards with the remaining groceries. Kitty hugged herself and then smiled at her son, "One day, your father and I will have something like this. Until that day, we borrow Jackie's and she house-sits for us."
"Mom, if you needed a house sitter, why didn't you call me?" Kitty patted her son on the head, "Because you don't have a motor home silly. Come on, let's make dinner. Jackie has to hit the road early tomorrow."
"Why? Where's she going?"
Kitty smiled, "She's going to be in a film that's in Ohio."
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"Mrs. Forman, this was the best chicken I've had in weeks." Jackie confessed. Kitty smiled, "I know dear, I had to make it because it's your favorite. So can you tell us a little about this new movie you're going to audition for?"
Eric shook his head like he just woke up. "Wait a minute. You're an actress?"
Jackie laughed, "Of course. What did you think I do for a living?"
Red looked at Eric like he better not say something stupid. "Sorry, I hadn't really thought about it. I guess I figured you had a regular job."
Jackie laughed, "That's okay. I'm a movie actress slash movie extra. To answer your mom's question, Jodie Foster is directing a new movie about a woman who has this super smart little boy – actually he's a seven year old genius. I'm trying for the role of a school employee. I won't get my name in the credits but I get paid pretty well."
Eric was still confounded, "And you make a good living at this?" Jackie looked at Eric, "I do what I have to do. If you were in my situation you would also." Jackie put her napkin on the table. "I'm sorry Mrs. Forman, I'm not hungry anymore. I'll see you guys before I leave in the morning."
Red watched Jackie leave and turned to his son. "You dumbass!. Do you not recall yesterday when Pam Burkhart was here looking for her daughter? Maybe she doesn't have the most traditional job in the world but she works and she's good at it. You better put that tail between your legs and apologize. Your mother and I want her to feel welcome here at all times."
Eric realized what his dad was talking about and then his stupid "And you make a good living at this?" gaffe. Open mouth, insert foot – he deserved it! Kitty tsked and sighed, "Eric, we see more of Jackie than we do you. Don't deprive me of a female to pamper. We adore the girl. Do like your father said and apologize or there will be no dessert for you."
Bribing me with dessert? The Forman's had resorted to an all time low and he was going along with it. What's next? Kelso was the golden child?
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