Author Note: …it was inevitable and only took ten chapters to get here….

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Chapter 10– Thinking about Somebody

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Eric was hanging out at Fez and Kelso's apartment since Casey was working out of town. There were bags of chips stuffed between cushions and old pizza boxes lying under the coffee table. It was messier than Eric liked, but this was his friend's apartment and not his. He found the least messy chair and plopped down. Kelso brought out a bottle of beer for each of them and Fez flipped on the TV. Charlie Angel reruns – perfect Saturday fodder for three single guys.

Eric started thinking about his every other day lunch conversations with Brooke and decided to test the waters. "Kelso, hey man….when's the next time you get Betsy? I mean, you're gonna want to clean this place up."

Fez looked offended. "This is our den of love and all things snack-worthy. I have Jujube's somewhere in that chair."

Kelso sat on the back of the sofa, "Well, usually Casey hires this chick to come pick up the place so I'm not worried about it."

Fez giggled, "Oh yes, one time she came dressed as a maid and wore sexy black stockings….aii yi yi!" Kelso grinned, "It was AWESOME! She had a feather duster and EVERYTHING!"

"Oh…the duster." Fez reminisced, "I loved the duster." Eric laughed, "You guys are crazy but really, what if you got to see Betsy every weekend."

Kelso smiled, "That would be awesome but it would cut into my getting-it-on-with-the-ladies time. I love my girl, but I gotta be me."

"So…you're not going to try and get back with Brooke?" Eric had to get Kelso's mind out of the proverbial gutter. Brooke was the best thing that ever happened to his friend. Kelso had started taking his life seriously and had a great career but lost it.

"Nah…Brooke is too good for me. She's high class and I'm just….I'm a doofus. But I'm an AWESOME dad. Betsy loves me."

Eric leaned forward with his arms on his knees. "Seriously Kelso, what if Brooke came up to this apartment and wanted to go on a date, what would you do?"

Kelso grinned, "I'd check my top dresser drawer for inventory and take her to a movie and then we'd come back here and kick out Fez and do it in the bedroom."

Fez stood up, "You sonofabitch! I never kick you out of our room when I have a girl!"

Kelso stood up and got nose-to nose with his brown friend. "Well, that's because it's Brooke and she's SPECIAL."

"So is my girl!" Fez argued. Kelso stood on the sofa so he towered over Fez, "Did your girlfriend have YOUR baby? NO? Do I need to say MORE? WHY AM I TALKING SO LOUD!"

Eric chuckled softly thinking maybe if Kelso remembered Brooke's importance in his life, he just might turn this mess around.

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Jackie unhooked the sling and watched as Red walked over to the Chevy Van which was towed into his garage backwards. "It's not your usual repair, but the muffler was dragging and sparking." She led Red to the rear of the van and knelt down to shine her Mag Lite on the damaged metal. "They tried to use a wire coat hanger to fix it but it looks destroyed."

Red agreed and pulled on the wire when the whole muffler just fell clanging to the garage floor. "Idiots." He muttered disgustedly. "What do they want done?"

Jackie was winding up the winch, "They said to call when it was done and the price didn't matter so I'm charging double for the tow. This was heavier than my usual job."

Red smiled, "I'll add that to the bill and pay you on Friday - is that okay?" Jackie shrugged. "Sure that works." The garage phone rang, "Jackie, hang on I have to get that."

"Okay, I have to check back in with Gloria."

Eric put his last quarter in the payphone, and dialed his mom. "Mom, can you come pick me up from work? I locked my keys in the Vista Cruiser. I think there's a spare hanging by the door."

"I'm sorry sweetie but you have the spare. You lost the original when you and the boys were fooling around by the water tower, remember? And I can't come get you because I'm watching Betsy, Brooke had a special meeting. Why don't you call one of your friends?"

"Mom, you are my last quarter. Can you call dad? Maybe he can unlock it for me? It's a long walk home."

"Oh honey, tell you what. I'll call your father and see if he can pick you up on his way home from work. Make sure you have a copy made as soon as possible. Oh…Betsy, not the pudding…Oh honey… Eric I gotta go. Bye!"

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Eric sat on the hood of his car watching the setting sun. His dad got off work a half hour ago and still hadn't shown up. He was beginning to think Red Forman was trying to teach him a lesson.

A pair of extremely bright lights blinded him as a huge black tow truck pulled to a stop in front of his car. He shielded his eyes against the glare. The yellow hazard lights on top of the wrecker started swirling casting a hypnotic effect in the empty parking lot.

Jackie looked at Jessie. "I should not have let Mr. Forman guilt me into doing this. Eric and I were never that really good of friends." Jessie whined a little, a typical response to the tone of her voice.

"He didn't like that his dad liked me more than the rest of his friends. That's right, Mr. Grumpy liked me." Jessie put a paw on her leg. "Thanks boy but I'm not going to let him off easy." Jessie chuffed softly and stood up on the passenger seat.

Eric saw the door of the tow truck open and swallowed. What if this was one of those big meaty overall wearing trucker guys that kept your car after they dumped you at the side of the road? Eric wished he had his bat or a good rock.

"Hey," the voice shouted. "You locked your keys in your car?" A body was standing in the door of the tow truck.

With the bright lights shining in his face, he couldn't see who he was talking to. He slid off the hood. "Yeah, it was an accident."

"I don't care how or why you did it; I just want to confirm what I'm here for." The idling truck rumbled and he could feel the vibrations under his shoes. He wished the driver would get out of the truck so he could talk without shouting.

Jackie swung out of the cab and Jessie followed behind her. She turned on the Mag Lite and aimed it at Eric's face. It was just like she remembered; maybe a little more filled out – his eyes looked sad. She moved the flashlight up and down his body noticing that he had filled out in the three years since she had seen him. Nice Eric.

"Um…Mister….Tow Truck…Man…how much is it going to cost to unlock my car? I mean I didn't call for a tow truck, I called my dad. Red Forman, do you know him?"

Jackie was enjoying this too much. She motioned for Jessie to stand by the car. The dog was a stealth wizard and padded around the back side of the Vista Cruiser coming up behind Eric were he barked loudly. Eric jumped, turned and scrambled on the hood of the car. Jackie started laughing, and lowered the flashlight. "Eric, get your ass off the car. Your dad sent me."

Eric recognized the voice or at least thought he did as he slid off the hood for a second time. The dog went to sit by the tow truck driver. "Do I know you?" he asked.

She simply replied, "Not anymore."

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