Chapter 4

Donna Was a Failure (Some Kind of Monster)

Point Place, WI

Donna Pinciotti-Forman thought that she was a colossal failure.

Did Jackie (with her son in tow) really feel the need to come to her house on a whim? But, yet there she was

sitting across from her in the kitchen, and pardon Donna if she didn't break out the General Foods

International Coffees, but this was not a moment of her life worthy of a celebration. Then the girl with all of

the promise to be a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist or Hell, even the writer of the Great American Novel

thought friends do visit friends?

Yet, why did she just want to be alone?

What was it?

"How are you, Donna? We haven't talked in a long time," It had to be at least four months. She and Hyde

were always in contact with Eric and Megan. "Is there something that you need to talk about? I'm here for

you." Jackie tried to hold Donna's hand, but she resisted.

Donna didn't even know what that something was, but she knew the real reason behind Jackie's visit.

"I know why you are here."

And she hoped that she really didn't sound bitchy, it wasn't her intent, but that's how she always came across.

"Why am I here?"

"You think I'm going to be a crazy lady and do something to interrupt their wedding."

"They have names."

"Megan and Hunter."

"Jesus Christ! Donna, this should be a wonderful time for both of our families. I know you and Megan have -"

"Please don't. Please don't come into MY house and act like you know everything that there is to know."

She didn't even know.

How could Jackie possibly fucking know?

"Megan and Hunter are great people. I think it is sad that you are willing to throw your own daughter

away, and over what?" Jackie stood up and poured herself a cup of coffee. "I just don't understand.

Whatever it is, whatever you feel that you cannot share with another soul, I just don't want it to affect our

children."

"There it is." Donna sighed

"What?" Jackie really wanted to understand.

It was easy to shout at the top of your lungs and demand answers, but best friends were supposed to be

there for each other.

No matter what the circumstances.

It was part of the Girl Code.

"I'm Eric's wife. I'm Megan's mother, or in her case, I'm just some kind of monster, I'm friends with you and

Hyde, when do I get to be Just Donna?"

"That's insane."

What she really wanted to say was how incredibly selfish she was. No one was denying Donna the chance

to be anything she wanted to be except for herself.

"Thank you for that, Jackie. I know that I can't legally stop your son from being with his fiancée, but I can tell

you to go home, or go to Eric's office and coddle him – I can, however, tell you to leave me the Hell alone."

Donna sighed and walked out of the kitchen to go upstairs for some much needed privacy. The walls started

to close in on her and she had to get out that suffocating room.

"What in God's name was that?" Jackie said to the empty air, deciding if she should visit Eric or not. She was

certain that Hunter and Megan were doing what people in love do and she didn't want to disturb them.

She really wanted those kids to make it.

No drama, no angst concerning their love for each other.

Jackie poured the rest of the coffee from the chipped on the handle University of Wisconsin mug down the

drain and placed it in the sink and proceeded to take out her pink limited edition Hello Kitty cell phone.

("Jackie, you are over 50 for crying out loud!"

"But Steven, it's pretty and sparkly, like ME!")

"I'm sorry," Eric put his wedding (the 2nd wedding, the one that was the promise of starting over together)

picture face down, "I don't know what Donna's problem is."

But Eric wasn't blind, and he could see cracks in the foundation even before they adopted Megan.

They never were Red and Kitty. His father might have been gruff, but he loved his mother very much, and

she was never afraid to stand-up to him if need be. If a father and son forget whose birthday it was and

bought cheap-o crap from the gas station, she was going to let you know all about it!

Eric missed his parents a great deal. He wondered what Red would have thought about the kind of man he

grew up to be? Eric was ashamed that his parents saw him as a drug addict. It always played on his mind.

Sure, they saw him in recovery, saw he and Hyde become friends again, and their little Grandbaby, but it

wasn't the same. He felt like he let Red and Kitty down. But, Eric, knew that despite his flaws that he was a

good father to Megan. Never mind the whole Mark situation where Eric thought that he was the worst father

in mankind.

"It's not your fault. If Donna needs her space, then I think we should give it to her. Let her drama be her

own internal drama. The kids don't need that."

And quite frankly, I don't, either. Jackie thought.

"Are you going back home? The least I can do is buy Megan, you, and my future

son-in-law dinner tonight."

It would be nice to actually go out at night, for a change. Instead of a stale dinner, if there even was one,

and a more stale attempt at conversation, if there was even that.

He never knew anymore.

"I appreciate it, Eric. But, I think I'm going to go home and be with Steven. If Hunter and Megan don't come

back upstairs – I don't want to interrupt them, even if they are just talking. I'll leave him a note and his

return plane ticket on your desk. Megan is still supposed to come to Pennsylvania for our shopping trip on

Saturday. I'm not much up for wedding planning today. I'll get back to you about the invitations and other

details. Bye, Eric."

"Bye, Jackie, thanks for calling."

Eric Forman felt like he could cry the proverbial river for the both of them.

How in the world would he know what was going on with Donna?

He was only her beleaguered husband.