What I Wrote to You
AN: I just went there. I just posted three consecutive chapters. Thank you, thank you. Hold the applause please. You may all pay tribute after this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own That 70's Show
Chapter 9: The Devil's Kitchen
Interestingly enough when Eric had awoken there was already a pot of coffee brewing and a plate of breakfast on the table for him. While he didn't wake up at the crack of dawn he did tend to wake up earlier than most people. So it was a surprise to see that old Greta was already up and about. She was already dressed and ready for the day while he had yet to even brush his teeth.
"Good morning," he greeted trying to stifle a yawn. "You're up pretty early. I thought I was the only one that woke up this early."
"Boy us working people wake up this early every day."
"Is that so?" He poured himself a cup of joe and inhaled the rich fragrance. Ah, only the quick little pick me up the brown liquid provided allowed him to wake up so early every day. "I don't have much of a chance to see what a normal morning is like for people. I wake up early but I don't usually leave my hotel until noon and by then most people's day are half way done."
"Well I won't have you being a bum in my house. You can wash the dishes when you finish you're breakfast and someone needs to take out the trash."
"I'll have you know that I do not bum around." He said with and exaggerated look. "I just like to let the day come to me."
"Well how about you let the day come to you by doing chores."
He grabbed the plate of food on the table and paused as he looked up at her. "Wait did you let me room in your guest room just so you'll have someone to do your house chores?"
The woman smirked at him, "Well of course. Did you think you'd be staying here for free?"
Eric chuckled at her blunt response. She didn't even try to hide it! "Fine, fine I'll do your chores but I have to drop by the store later. I'm running out of paper and I have to start writing or else my publisher will think I died or something. The only downside of having a pen name, if you don't respond weekly they start to think you've gone and disappeared on them."
"I've been wondering," she said at the mention of his hidden writing career. "Does your publisher know your real name?"
He stabbed at his scrambled eggs and finished chewing before answering. "Only the editor and my agent know who I am. Everyone else in the company knows that Emir Franco is just a pen name but they never really tried to find out my real name. I think they like the mystery. Plus I have made them a lot of money so I'm probably being given a bit of a double standard with the hidden writer thing."
She finished drinking her own cup of coffee and set it in the sink, contemplating his words. "You know most people would love to be acknowledged for their work. Why all the secrecy?"
He smiled at the question. He had been asked the same thing by his agent at one point. "It's not that I don't want the praise. It was just at the time it would have been a hassle to have people recognize me and my name while I was on the road. I would have never had the freedom I had if I used my name. I didn't plan on writing some great novel." He shrugged casually as if it was just something he stumbled upon. "I just needed the money."
"Pretty cocky aren't we," she said a twinkle of teasing in her eyes. "Mister big shot thinking that he'd become famous after one book."
He couldn't help but snort at her words, "Well when your representative is practically begging to get it out on print as soon as possible I figured it was pretty good." He smirked at her with a hint of smugness coloring his expression, "The fact that the book has sold over 2.5 million copies with the hard cover edition and 3.25 million with the paper back speaks for itself. Let alone it's been on the best sellers list for over two years. So it might be an understatement to say that the book would have made me famous.
He smirked at the gob smacked look on her face, "I had read your book before—it was good I agree— but I didn't think it was that popular."
"You must live under a rock. There have been a few news specials on the TV about it in the past couple of years. I had to sign a few contracts for them, made a nice little sum with it."
"I don't have a TV," she said almost in a daze as she gesturing around her.
He took a look around and only just noticed that she was telling the truth. "Granny you're way behind with the time. This is 1984, everyone has a TV!"
She just glared at him seemingly snapping out of her snap admiration for him and turned to leave. "Well if you're so rich, why don't you just buy me a TV then!"
He just chuckled at her words. Maybe he will!
Jackie parked her mustang in the Forman's drive way and pulled down her car mirror to check her make up. A quick touch up of her glossy lips caused a smile to spread at how good she looked. Feeling all of a sudden very giddy she took her keys out of the ignition and walked up to the back sliding door.
She had called her assistant manager in the morning to let her know that she wouldn't be coming in until later. She had great news and this was news that just couldn't wait! A few hours of missed work wouldn't end up with her restaurant in flames. The Forman's had to know!
She rapped her knuckles against the glass door and peered inside. Mr. Forman glance up from his newspaper and she could have sword she saw a glimmer of a smile form on his lips before that perpetual frown set in. She waved cheerfully and slid open the door. Jackie was quickly engulfed in a motherly hug by Mrs. Forman.
"Jackie! This is a surprise ahahahahah. What are you doing here so early?"
She smiled at the woman's exuberance and hugged back. She loved the Forman's almost like they were her own family. If it wasn't for Mrs. Forman's cooking lessons she wouldn't have known the first thing about the kitchen. She was the reason that her restaurant idea had actually gone anywhere and all the help Mr. Forman had provided with the construction information had saved her a lot of money. She owed the two parent figures for just being there for her and loved visiting.
"Mrs. Forman I got a letter from Eric last night!"
Red set down his paper and looked interested for once, "What has my dumbass son gotten into now. Don't tell me he sent back money again."
She grinned knowing that Mr. Forman's pride made it hard to accepting money from his son. Especially since he didn't send small change he sent back big checks, checks that had allowed Kitty to finally get that new fridge that she wanted and a bigger TV for Red. Eric's vague answers on how exactly he came upon the money weren't really a big concern since he assured them it was all clean. Plus who could ever think that goody, goody Eric would even commit a crime. That's just asking for a swift boot in the ass from his father.
"Even better," she said in suspense.
"Well out with it girl. I don't have all day."
Jackie just winked teasingly and engulfed Mrs. Forman in another hug and whispered her surprise just so Mr. Forman couldn't hear. "Eric's coming home!"
Mrs. Forman squealed happily and tightly returned the embrace. Mr. Forman winced at his wife's shrill and glared at the younger girl full of blame. Jackie just smiled prettily as if innocent to it all.
"Oh Red my baby's coming home!"
For the second time that day Jackie swore that she had almost seen a smile on Red's lips but was back to glaring at her before she could fully comprehend if it had happened. Was she just imagining these things?
"It's about damn time." He stood up from his chair and leaned down and gave both of the smiling women a kiss on the top of their heads before turning to the living room to watch TV. "My foot's been shaking for the past few years."
Jackie just giggled at his words knowing that he had missed Eric just as much as his wife had. He may not show it but she knew that Red Forman cared a lot about his son and Eric leaving had been as much a blow to him as it was to Kitty.
"Mr. Forman, don't scare him off already, he's only just returning!"
A menacing chuckle was the only response she got s Mr. Forman disappeared to the other room.
"Oh dear do you know when he'll be back?" Kitty asked smiled brightly at the girl thinking of all the things she needed to do before her baby came back. "I need to start making some brownies! I bet he hasn't had a decent brownie in forever ahahahaha. Oh that poor boy."
"He didn't say specifically but his letter did mention that there was a good chance that by the time I read it that he could already be back."
Kitty squealed happily once again and started to rummage through her cabinets to get started on baking. "Oh my baby boy is coming home! Jackie I'm so happy!"
"Me too Mrs. Forman, it's been so long. I was really starting to miss him."
"Come help me bake some brownies for him," Kitty said with a knowing smile on her lips. "I'm sure Eric would love some brownies made by you."
"Sure Mrs. Forman," Jackie said turning to open a cabinet to gather the ingredients needed. "I bet his jaws will drop when he finds out that I can cook!"
"I bet he'll be even more surprised that you own a restaurant! Speaking of that how has business been lately?"
"It's been great," she said with a smile. "We're finally starting to make profit every day and we're starting be become well known!"
"That's great honey! I still think you should have come up with a different name for the restaurant but I'm happy things are going well for you."
"I like the name," she said giggling. "I think the Devil's Kitchen is very catchy."
"I know you do dear but did you have to choose such a self-deprecating name. You know we don't think of you like that. Red and I adore you!"
"Aw I love both as well," Jackie said clutching her chest. They were so sweet! "I know the gang use to call me that but it's not like they were far off. I was a snooty little teenager. I'm not the devil I was back then but I kind of like the nickname now."
"Well as long as you're fine with it. Pass me the eggs dear."
"Also you know I wasn't the only one with a nickname." She grinned as she started mixing some of the ingredients together. "Eric was nerd boy and I was the devil."
Kitty looked at the girl beside her and couldn't help but smile. Jackie wasn't aware of it but the girl brought up her son in conversation more than she noticed. And those little smiles that would form on her lips whenever he was brought up were sending motherly signals in her mind.
"I didn't notice it earlier but you're looking very pretty today."
Jackie smiled brightly at the compliment, "Aw thanks Mrs. Forman. I guess I just felt like dressing up a little more today."
Kitty just chuckled with a knowing look on her face. Oh only a mother would know!
He felt slightly guilty for not staying but after finding out from the staff that Jackie didn't work at the old diner anymore made him lose the desire to eat there. So he just paid for the coke he ordered and left.
He had stopped by Greta's Stationary earlier to pick up all the supplies he needed and started to feel hungry. He figured that if she still worked at the diner he would be able to satisfy his hunger and see an old friend. Two birds one stone. Unfortunately she didn't work there anymore and haven't for some time.
He was surprised to learn that Jackie now owned a restaurant by the name of Devil's Kitchen. He chuckled when he heard the name and asked for directions on where to find it. The restaurant was easy enough to locate and was actually situated where many people go by.
It was a small place but he found he actually liked the size as it had an exclusiveness feel to it. The interior design was stylish and very modern, which he expected from a fashionista like Jackie. It seemed he wasn't the only one who thought the same thing as he realized by the waiting line that Jackie's restaurant was very popular.
He told the hostess in the pretty little black dress his name and was told that the wait would be for 20 minutes. Not a long wait but considering that it was lunch time really emphasized how successful a business Devil's Kitchen was.
Who would have ever thought that Jackie would own her own restaurant and not something like a mall? Now her working in that diner made sense. She was probably just trying to get the experience to learn the know how's of the food industry. She always was meticulous like that.
"Eric," the hostess called. "You're table is ready."
He was led to an empty table that usually sat two and found the atmosphere inside to be very pleasant. The ambiance had a fancy feel to it but not enough that it was stuffy. Just a perfect mixture that made you feel like you were getting only the best.
"Hello my name is Katy and I'll be your server this evening." A pretty red head said with a bright welcoming smile on her face as she placed a glass of ice water in front of him. "Today our special is the baked haddock with a lemon garlic crust and a mixed vegetable side and rice pilaf."
Eric could feel his mouth watering at the description. He didn't feel all that hungry but his acquired love for seafood made his stomach rumble to be fed. "Wow that sounds really good; I think I'll have that then."
"Great choice sir," she said with a wink. "Between you and me I think the seafood dishes here are one of the best. The owner really knows her way around the kitchen and created everything in the menu."
He couldn't help but grin at the thought of Jackie being homely and cooking. "Then I guess I made the right choice."
The waitress gave him a bright smile before scurrying out to place his order. The staff was so friendly and from the way everyone seemed to be enjoying their food then it must be tasty as well. He couldn't wait to try his haddock!
Who would have ever thought that he'd be sitting in a restaurant owned by Jackie? The name was obviously a play on her old nickname which only made the whole experience even more amusing. He was eating at the devils restaurant. Things sure have changed since his high school days. For some reason he felt a swell of pride at what the bossy cheerleader had managed to accomplish.
Seated at his friends restaurant made him wondered how Kelso and Fez were doing and made a note to himself to ask Jackie, or his mom, how he could get a hold of the two. He also wanted to see Hyde but didn't want to bring that up with Jackie. He'd probably show up eventually if he was still managing the groove's store. Maybe he'll stop by and see how the guy was doing.
As for Donna, well he didn't really want to rush into that. He was supposed to get breakfast with her the following morning before he left and have that talk with her but he never showed up. He disappeared and essentially hasn't heard from her since. He wasn't going to actively look for her but he figured if she was in town then he would need to eventually reach out to her before they accidentally collide with each other. Point Place isn't a small town by any means but it wasn't exactly that big either.
His thoughts were broken when the redhead waitress brought his food. "Let me know what you think. The owner really likes to get the customers opinion on the food."
He smiled and got a whiff of the haddock. It smelled so good! He just wanted to dig in and devour the whole thing. "Speaking of the owner do you know if she's around?"
The girl cocked an eyebrow at his question but responded like it wasn't the first time someone had asked about Jackie. "She's usually here around this time but I think she called and said she wouldn't be here until later."
Eric's face fell at the news. "Oh that's too bad."
"Do you know her?"
"Yeah I'm an old friend of Jackie. I just came back to town and was hoping to see her."
"Well I'll be sure to let her know you stopped by!" The waitress said with a bright smile. "Could I get your name to give to her?"
"It's Eric, Eric Forman. Could you let her know that I'm back in town and that I was hoping to catch up, so I'll see her soon?"
"Certainly Eric," the girl said tucking a hair behind her ear and smiling prettily at him. "I'll be sure to pass along the message."
The waitress left him alone after that and Eric finally got a chance to taste the fish. It was absolutely delicious! Not only the haddock but the vegetables and rice as well. He had a feeling that he had just found a new favorite restaurant to frequent. Maybe he could ask Jackie if he could get a friends discount!
Jackie spent all afternoon with Mrs. Forman baking all sorts of treats. They might have gone a little overboard with the pastries but there was just so much talk and gossip she needed to share with the woman and ended up staying longer than she anticipated.
She didn't need to go back to the restaurant, the owner could afford to miss a day here and there when she wanted to, but it didn't feel right not checking on how things were. Her day just didn't feel complete unless she knew how things were in the Devil's Kitchen. The restaurant was like her baby and she worried constantly whenever she missed a day.
Jackie parked her car in her reserved spot. Another perk to being the owner was that she would never have to look for a parking space because she had the best one reserved just for her. She greeted her hostess with a friendly smile and walked to the back where her office was.
She checked the books and couldn't help the wide grin from forming. They had made a great profit today! At the rate they were going she could buy out the empty space next door and expand by the end of the year.
The grin was still plastered on her face when a knock on her door caused her to look up from the books. She beckoned Katy in. She liked the cheery redhead, she was one of the first people Jackie had hired and had been with them since the beginning. Not only was she a hard worker but she had a pretty face that had a lot of people returning just so they could be seated in her section. The girl knew it too and always had a nice sum of tips at the end of the day.
"Hey Jackie," the waitress greeted her. "Where were you today?"
"I had news to tell Mrs. Forman and somehow got roped into baking brownies and cookies all day." She giggled thinking of the amount they had made. The Forman household will be set for at least a month with the amount they had baked! "I was only going to visit for an hour at most but I ended up talking with Mrs. Forman all day."
Katy clapped her hand with her mouth open and her eyes wide. "I can't believe it didn't hit me earlier!" Jackie gave her employee a funny look not knowing what the girl was talking about. "You'll never believe who came by today?"
She rolled her eyes knowing that when her friend had that look in her eyes she would actually have to start guessing or the girl would withhold the information until you played along. "I don't know Katy, it could be anyone."
"Just guess!" Her eyes were sparkling with mischief.
"Um was it Brooke?"
"Nope!" She said almost too fast. "How are they anyways? I haven't seen little Betsy in such a long time!"
"Focus Katy," Jackie said bringing the redhead back to topic. "Now who was here?"
"I'll give you a hint! He was tall, handsome, and those eyes. What I would do to have him all to myself if I could."
The girl actually sighed causing Jackie to laugh. "Katy I told you Michael and Brooke are engaged! You can't try to steal him away. Brooke will be very mad at you and I won't be able to protect you from her. Don't let that innocent face fool you, she can be scary when she wants to!"
"Oh Jackie he was even better than Michael Kelso!"
Now Jackie was really intrigued. She knew the crush the redhead had for Michael and for her to think that someone was more handsome than the pretty-man must mean something.
"Okay now you really have to tell me."
"Fine," the girl said with a saucy smile. "But you have to give me his number!"
"Katy!" Jackie said laughing. "I don't even know who this person is!"
"Fine, fine I can't believe you've been hiding this slab of meat from me all this time." Jackie rolled her eyes. "He said that he had just gotten back in town and he was hoping to catch up with you."
Jackie could feel her heart beat thump with that bit of information. "Stop with the suspense, just tell me who it is already."
The girl grinned knowing she had teased her boss enough. "He said that his name was Eric Forman."
"Eric," she whispered to herself almost in disbelief. He was back! He was back and he visited her restaurant. Wait. He visited her restaurant and she wasn't there! "Did he leave you with an address on where he's staying? A phone number or something?"
"Nope all he said was that he'll see you soon."
She had just missed him! She would have been able to see him if she had just gone to work. Oh man she was never going to miss work again.
He enjoyed the walk more now because he was actually dressed properly and didn't have to worry about turning into an ice pop. The walk from the town to the suburban neighborhood he grew up in wasn't that long of a walk and the surprising mild weather made it even more enjoyable.
A smile formed on Eric's face when he laid eyes on the house. It was just as he remembered. The old basketball hoop was still there and everything was just as he envisioned. He walked down the driveway and could see the lights from the kitchen through the glass sliding door.
His mom was in the middle of cutting up lemons to make lemonade. He had to hold himself from running right in and scooping her up in a hug. Not a good idea with that huge knife in her hands. Instead he walked towards the sliding door and knocked to get her attention.
Kitty Forman looked up from her cutting and almost instantly dropped the knife she was holding. Thankfully it landed on the table and didn't injure her in any way when her hands lost the handle and flew up to cover her mouth in surprise.
"My baby!" She shrilled in a mixture of tears and elation. His mom covered the distance between them quicker than he had ever seen her move and engulfed him in a warm wet hug. "Oh Eric you're finally home!"
His arms wrapped around her shoulders and embraced her tightly. He had to hold back tears because of how emotional his mom was getting. He had missed her too but damn he did not want to have tears in his eyes when Red came to check what all the noise was about.
"Kitty what are you yelling about." Almost as if on cue his dad's voice called from the living room to check on his wife.
"Red, Eric's here! Eric's home ahahahahah."
He heard his dad grumbling before he appeared through the door from the living room. "Well, well, well look who decided to return."
"I'm back sir," he said still in his mother's embrace.
Red looked like he had a lot more to say but seeing his son wrapped up in his mother's arms he couldn't say all the things he wanted to say. "Are you back for good?"
"Yes sir."
His dad stared at him for a second before turning around and returned to the living room. "Good, make your mother cry again and they'll never recognize you after my foot finishes with your ass."
Eric couldn't help but grin at his dad's gruff words. He could have sworn he saw a crack of a smile form on his lips but it had happened too quickly so it could have just been his imagination.
"Oh honey it's good to have you back. I made brownies and cookies with Jackie today and now you've returned. Ahahahaha this is such a happy day!"
"Wait Jackie was here," he asked his mom who had finally relinquished her hold on him. "I was just coming from her restaurant. They said she wasn't in at the time."
"You just missed her! If you had come just a little earlier you might have been able to catch her before she left."
"What was she doing here?"
"Jackie comes by every now and then just to catch up." His mom said with a smile as she fussed over him. "She's such a sweet girl. I taught her everything she knows about the kitchen you know? And now she can cook a roast better than me, but don't you dare tell her that ahahahaha."
He frowned at the missed opportunity. If he hadn't had that extra slice of pie after his meal he might have been able to see her. It was just so delicious he couldn't help himself. Yet they had managed to miss each other once again because of it. Oh man he was never having dessert again!
AN: BUT WAIT THERE'S... wait no that's it, I'm all out. I ran out of chapters to post... Well this is the revised and edited version which is slightly longer and much better detailed than the original... Which actually makes this the longest chapter yet...
