Author Note: Wow, thank you readers for all the concern and construction criticisms. I knew this was going to be a risky topic but remember it's for the good of the plot…carry on…..
**
Chapter 04 – Er, I Ran Out of Gas?
"Oh, this is so nice and ritzy….Hahahaha!" Kitty loved the new restaurant with the linen napkins. She was on her third glass of champagne when Red signaled to the waiter to stay away from the table.
"So you've been to Jackie's flower shop? Isn't it nice? Oh Red, she's such a nice girl! " Red patted Kitty's hand. "Yes, dear she's a nice girl. This place is costing a fortune; can you eat your food?"
Eric smiled – his mom loved the attention and the fact that Red took her to the "big city" for Mother's Day. Eric was glad he snagged a reservation early so they didn't have to wait. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if Jackie came along. His mom loved that girl!
He remembered the conversation at Kelso's:
"Brooke, be honest with me. Why does Jackie act like that? What's wrong with her?"
Brooke sighed, "Eric do you plan on being her friend?"
Yeah, he could use a friend and Fez wasn't always available. Fez wasn't always welcome at the Forman house but Jackie fit all the above requirements. Maybe he could help her in some small way. Her problems made his seem small and insignificant.
*
Jackie was closing her store after a successful week. High School proms always brimmed over with boutonnieres and corsages. They were simple to make and a big profit in sales. Nick had a special one made for his girlfriend and smiled when Jackie said, "No Charge."
She was locking up the store and ready to turn out the lights when there was a frantic knocking on the glass door. She turned and it was Eric Forman. What was he doing here again? She cautiously walked over and unbolted the lock. "Did you run out of gas again?"
He smirked. "If I said yes would you let me call a taxi?"
"Maybe…How far away is your car?"
He pointed to the Honda parked across the street. "I didn't really need gas, I was wondering if I could hang out with you tonight."
She blinked. Hang out? She hadn't done that in years! She opened the door wide. "You want to hang out with me? I don't even know how to do that anymore!"
Eric smiled. 'It's easy. We'll just watch TV and I brought popcorn."
"But why do you want to hang out with me specifically."
"Well, I could use a friend and Fez always has a date on Friday's. I have no one to watch Knight Rider with."
"Um…let me make a call." She left Eric standing in the door and called Kitty. "He wants to watch TV with me! What do I do?"
Kitty laughed. "Sweetheart, you turn on the set and get comfortable. Oh, maybe he wants to talk! He's been preoccupied with something and I think it's more of the divorce stuff. He has no one to talk to about it and since you knew Donna…"
"I don't know…."
"Jackie – take steps forward. Not backwards."
"You're right. Okay I can do this."
"Good girl. Remember, he's my son. Don't hurt him." Kitty teased over the phone.
Jackie walked back, arms swinging at her sides. "Okay."
"Okay? Do you want me to go pick up dinner?"
"No, I've got something in the crock pot."
Eric smiled. She probably called his mother but that was okay. She locked the deadbolt and indicated he should follow her. Eric waited while she pulled the drawer from the cash register and shut off the store lights.
*
"It's a pork roast with rosemary potatoes. I grow the rosemary myself." She watched as Eric tried the meat then continued to eat more of the meal. She was pleased to see he liked it. "Jackie, this is really good! Are there more potatoes?"
Jackie grabbed her slotted spoon and scooped out some more of the tiny red potatoes. He noticed that she didn't eat much but at least she was eating. She was good company – they had a polite conversation and she didn't ask too many personal questions. Eric helped her clean the table and while she was washing, he looked for the remote.
"I thought about hanging out with you because actually you are on my way home from work and… I didn't have any food."
"And you thought I did?" she asked incredulously. Eric grinned over the back of the sofa. "I was hoping." He heard her chuckle softly. That was good! "Well, I was hoping… because mom gets too excited if I tell her I'm coming over then dad just happens to whip out the boot in the ass comments."
Laughing about Red Forman seemed to be the key to helping her relax and feel comfortable. "Hey, you have cable! Man, my apartment manager refuses to get wired for it. Goodbye Knight Rider, hello MTV!"
Jackie wiped her hands and turned off the kitchen light. It was okay having Eric over. She didn't feel threatened and it was sort of like the old happier days. "I do have to tell you that I never miss Dallas."
Eric grinned. "But I do. We'll have to flip a coin for nine o'clock. Eric Forman might be feeling like a little Diff'rent Strokes. You know, Arnold and Willis?"
Jackie peered at him over her glass of water. "I don't think so." She set the glass on the counter, dimmed the lights and found a spot on the sofa making sure that there was a cushion between them. Eric was really okay with that. So I've got cooties – it's okay.
Eric discovered that he really didn't miss MTV and quickly switched back to Knight Rider. Jackie pulled her feet up on the cushion. She thought David Hasselhoff was handsome. Kitt the car was amazing as usual and quickly solved the mystery of the week. The hour passed quickly as they made small talk during the commercials. Just before Dallas started Jackie asked, "Eric, why did you and Donna divorce?"
Whoa – Eric wasn't ready for a direct question like that! He turned towards her and said simply, "I think we outgrew each other. I was holding her back from her dreams of success so…I think I just had to let her go."
"That was very noble of you." Jackie stated without derision. 'I know you really loved her. I always thought that she didn't care as much. Funny."
"What do you mean funny?" Eric wanted to know.
Jackie turned to face him. "Well, sometimes we want what we can't have…because it's more interesting than what we got. Like Donna promised to wait for you… but after you went to Africa, she hooked up with other guys not just Randy."
"Well, I did send her that break-up letter…."
"She could have written you back and asked for an explanation. It wasn't fair of her."
Eric chewed on that. No, she didn't ask for an explanation and usually she would have exacted one out of him. "You're right. She just accepted it and moved on. When I came back we picked up like nothing had happened."
"Was it a good marriage?" Jackie asked.
"Well, I thought it was but after two years I guess it wasn't enough for her."
"Was it enough for you? Your mom told me you always gave up your job so Donna could succeed. Did her success make you happy?"
"You ask some pointed questions don't you?" Eric remarked.
"No, I'm just trying to understand why you stayed with her when your happiness wasn't as important as hers."
Eric figured this was probably something she was asking of herself too – trying to figure out why she made decisions that ultimately ruined her own happiness. He reached out and touched her hand, surprised when she started to pull it back but left it on the cushion. "Jackie, sometimes the joy on Donna s' face was all that I needed. It sustained me. But maybe I should have asked for more from her because in the end, it wasn't a good marriage."
Jackie nodded her head. "It's hard to always be the supporting person. You make sacrifices and you think that if they're happy then you'll be happy too. But you know what I've learned Eric?"
"What's that Jackie?" He let go of her hand and watched as she pulled it back to her lap.
"If you don't make yourself happy first…you'll always resent the other person." She said it so honestly that Eric believed it was quite possibly true. "So I've surrounded myself with things that make me happy…flowers and beautiful crystal figurines and fountains. If I can't be beautiful on the outside, at least I can be beautiful on the inside."
But she was beautiful on the outside, couldn't she see it? Eric smiled. "I like the way you think." He didn't want to get too philosophical so he pointed at the TV and said, "Hey is that Sue Ellen?"
Jackie saw the attempted diversion and smiled. Eric had some issues too. It was nice to talk to someone like this – someone non judgmental. "Eric, I'm glad you came over. Hanging out is…okay."
*
It was late. The newscaster was predicting more hot weather and a very sunny weekend. Jackie stretched and yawned. Eric blinked – he nearly fell asleep. "I need to go before I fall asleep on your couch, which by the way is very comfortable. If you ever want to trade for a futon…."
Jackie smiled at his attempted humor. "No thank you. I like my couch very much." She stood up and walked to the door. "Thank you for the popcorn."
Eric stretched and looked for his car keys. He liked the quiet of her place – it was just like a little haven. He stepped around the coffee table and walked to the door. "Jackie, you don't mind if we do this again do you?"
Jackie could feel the anxiety start to wash over her but she took a deep calming breath – it's only Eric – it's just Eric. She was about to say maybe but little Kitty and Brooke figments kept chanting, Steps forward – not backwards. She looked up and noticed for the first time that he had really nice green eyes.
"I think it would be fine. Let me get you my phone number so you can call me."
Eric thought this was a step in the right direction!
*
