Chapter 11
"I wish to have words with you," said a voice in a thick Russian accent. Steven Hyde looked up from the counter with an arched eyebrow. The other customers in Grooves looked at the tall Russian with curious trepidation but gave him a wide berth. The Russian didn't seem to mind. "Where do you have private conversations at?" Ivan demanded looking down at Steven Hyde.
"I got an office in the back," Hyde said gesturing with his thumb. "What's up?" he asked trying his best not to let on how intimidated he was by this man. Yeah, Megan would have to set Jackie up with a giant, Hyde thought briefly wondering if Ivan was planning on killing him. Call it paranoia or the way the Russian's eyes appeared to narrow as he regarded Hyde with a critical eye. He didn't speak until they were in Hyde's office with the door shut. "What is it?" Hyde asked with a gesture.
"I heard you talking to Jackie," Ivan said flatly. "No snide come backs?" he asked Hyde with a snicker.
"No man, you freaking terrify me," Hyde admitted swallowing a lump forming in his throat. Was this how he was going to meet his end? Trapped in his office with a jealous Russian giant.
"Good, then you will listen to me," I van said clamping his hand on Hyde's shoulder. "Jackie loves you, I love Jackie and so do you. So I tell you what we are going to do," Ivan said with a frown. "I will help you buy a house, I will give you twenty-thousand dollars to invest. I will help you set up your life as a man," he declared.
"Whoa man," Hyde objected in surprise.
"You will not speak until I am done!" Ivan thundered shoving Hyde down in his office chair. "As I was saying I will help you set up your life as a man. You will shave your porn mustache, you will buy family car, you will get goals a grown man has or I will give them to you. I am going to fix you up for Jackie and you will not complain," Ivan said leaning over Hyde menacingly. " If I am to be giving up my woman, I expect it to be to a man who will appreciate her. Do we have an understanding?" Ivan said extending his hand to Hyde.
"If you love her, why are you doing this?" Hyde had to ask.
"Because I love her," Ivan replied evenly. "Do we understand one another?" Ivan added looking at Hyde in open appraisal.
"I guess we do," Hyde answered wincing slightly as Ivan gave him an all too firm handshake.
"Jackie, you have certainly out done yourself," William Barnett said walking around the wedding chapel with approval and mild amusement written on his face. "I think that this will do just nicely," he added after looking at Megan with a grin.
"Oh my god," was all Megan could say before laughing and giving Jackie a big hug. "I can't believe that you got all of this done for only a couple hundred bucks," she said in disbelief and admiration. "Tomorrow's going to be incredible," Megan whispered.
"Well, being on TV helps get discounts. Never underestimate the power of advertising," Jackie teased. " I just wanted to give you guys something special," she added softly.
"You have," Megan assured her. "I still don't understand how you did it but you definitely have;" Megan told her with a laugh.
"Mommy, it looks like springtime in here," Stephanie observed sniffing some of the flowers draped over the pews. "Are these fake?" she asked cocking her head to the side.
"Those ones are honey. I made a deal with both the bride in the wedding ahead of us and with the wedding chapel management. High quality fake flowers, complete with scent for one low price," Jackie said with a chuckle. "The bride ahead of us saves money on her budget, so do you, and the church said that they could use the decorations for other events like Easter services too. Everybody wins," Jackie said making a little curtsy. "This is why I insisted on Point Place instead of Chicago. We're more likely to find people to work with us in a small town like this," she added.
"I must admit to being impressed. I don't remember you having this kind of good business sense," Mr. Barnett observed in a wry tone putting his arm around Megan.
"Hey, I'm a single mother. Trust me when I say this; we know how to stretch a dollar and if we don't we learn how. I think Congress should get a group of us together and we'd have a healthier economy," Jackie said with a laugh.
"I get your point," Mr. Barnett said with amusement. "I guess we'll see you tomorrow. I'm going to spend a couple of hours with my bride before it becomes taboo," he said with a grin.
"No problem, I got a ton of things to do. See you there! " Jackie said grabbing a hold of Stephanie's hand .
"Oh my goodness!" Mrs Foreman cried out when she saw Hyde and his new look. "Come here, Red and bring the camera. Steven looks so handsome," she added jumping up and down in excitement. Hyde shifted uncomfortably as he stood in the Foreman living room waiting for Jackie and Stephanie to show up. His facial hair was gone, his hair was trimmed and Ivan had confiscated his trademark sunglasses for the remainder of the day. In essence, he felt completely exposed. Not to mention a little silly, dressed up in a tux. He'd only worn a tux twice and both times it was somehow Jackie's doing, he mused to himself.
"Good. Someone got all that crap off of your face," Mr. Foreman said handing his wife the family camera. "Let me guess, it was the commie?" he added earning a swat on the arm and an annoyed look from his wife.
"Yes sir," Hyde grumbled embarrassed. He would have argued with Ivan more especially since he didn't really like the guy but he realized that picking a fight with a guy who outweighs you by at least a hundred pounds of pure muscle wasn't a good idea,.
"At least he's good for something," Red muttered earning another swat and rubbing his arm. "I mean you look nice there Steven," he amended as Hyde was blinded by the flash from the camera.
"Awww!" chorused two voices entering the living room from the kitchen. "Doesn't he look handsome?" Donna cooed at Hyde with a laugh. Eric's lips twitched but he had the good sense to keep quiet.
"Hey big red. Anyone ever tell you to shut your pie hole?" Hyde snarled feeling embarrassed.
"As a matter of fact, Jackie did right before Eric and I caught you two sucking face," Donna said amused.
"Well, now I am. Shut your Pie hole!" Hyde said grumpily.
"You look great, Steven," Jackie said softly coming in the front door. Hyde slowly turned around and stared at her in admiration. "You clean up nice. What's the occasion?" she teased him before walking past him to give the Foreman's a hug and a kiss. Her hair was down but had curled it just enough to give it bounce. She was wearing a pale blue dress that was tight enough to be attractive but not tight enough to be slutty. Hyde wasn't even aware he'd been staring until he heard Mr. Foreman clear his throat loudly. Looking up, he caught the warning glance Mr. Foreman was broadcasting to him and he saw both Eric and Donna practically keeling over from silent laughter. "What's so funny?" Jackie asked looking around the group.
"Don't mind them, they're being dumb-asses. You look great," Mr Foreman said uncomfortable. "Now if you kids don't mind, why don't you go to this wedding already?" he said nearly shouting in exasperation.
"Where's Ivan?" Hyde said sitting down next to Jackie at the reception. He was nervous and he hoped that she wouldn't notice.
"He had to work," Jackie said with a slight grimace. "He gave Micheal the day off though," she said gesturing to where Kelso and Brooke were dancing together and laughing. "How are you doing? I know that this isn't exactly your scene," Jackie said trying to change the subject.
"I'm okay. Its weird but I'm okay. Dad's certainly happy," he said watching as his father dipped his laughing bride. "Angie's gonna bail soon I think. She's only putting in an appearance for Dad's sake," Hyde said still after all these years getting used to referring to William Barnett as his father.
"At least she came," Jackie offered trying to fill the somewhat awkward silence that had sprung up between them. "I know she's busy with her store and everything," Jackie added with a sigh. "So where's your date?" Jackie asked curiously.
"I didn't bring one," Hyde said clearing his throat and giving a half shrug. "Its just a wedding," he said uncomfortably.
"Yeah, at least this way you are free to try and get with one of the drunk bridesmaids," Jackie said trying to sound optimistic. "Megan's cousin Heather, is tipsy and kinda whorish," Jackie said pointing out a busty blonde out on the dance floor. "I'd say two more glasses of wine and she'll sleep with Fez," she added with a slight laugh.
"I've done that kinda girl," Hyde said dismissively. "Not really interested in a repeat of Heather does a wedding party," he added enjoying Jackie's snide giggle. "No telling what she's got anyhow," he added with a grin. Jackie's snide little giggle erupted into a full-blown laugh. "I could always call up the free clinic, I'm sure her file is posted by the phone. Right next to Laurie's," he said giving Jackie a wink.
"Oh Steven, please stop!" Jackie said grabbing her stomach gasping. "Stop making me laugh," she begged wiping the moisture from her eyes. "My make-up's going to be ruined," she added calming herself.
"Not as ruined as that girl's reputation...." he began in a low undertone. Jackie gave his shoulder a hard smack and shot him a warning look. "What?" he said opening his eyes wide in innocence. "Did I say something wrong?" he questioned in mock confusion.
"I said stop making me laugh. What's with you anyhow, I thought you loved a good whore as much as the next guy. What gives?" Jackie said sipping on her glass of champagne.
"Naw. I'm done with that kind of girl. I kinda dig single moms myself," Hyde said with a grin. "Especially, petite brunettes with mismatched eyes, who sound like a chipmunk when they get real excited......." he said playfully.
"Ha ha. Very funny, Steven," Jackie said rolling her eyes. "Really, what gives? Is the great Steven Hyde ready for the horrible, the dreadful....., the hellish beast called commitment?" she asked in a low mocking tone.
"Yeah, I guess. Though you should definitely not be in charge of the advertising with a sales pitch like that. Marriage and family might not be that bad with the right person," Hyde said with a shrug pretending to examine the couples on the dance floor while he spoke.
"Too bad you didn't feel that way about six years ago," Jackie muttered. "It would have saved me a lot of heartache," she muttered mostly to herself.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I guess it was a faze I was going through," he said in a bored tone.
"Oh you mean being a hateful jerk isn't your natural state?" Jackie quipped. At his stern look she said,"Sorry, I guess you're right old habits die hard."
"Do all old habits die hard?" Hyde retorted with a slight leer on his face as he turned towards her. "You know I brought the El Camino here...." he said raising his eyebrows meaningfully.
"No thanks. Sam probably put her stripper grease all over it," Jackie said with a sneer. "What?" she questioned as Hyde shook his head.
"Sam and I never did it in the El Camino, or any of the others. It was only.....us," Hyde confessed in a confidential tone.
"Really?" Jackie asked skeptically."Are you sure? Cuz you were all the craze there for a while. Maybe you are forgetting a few," she quipped leaning back in her chair with a sigh.
"No I'm not," he said in a low soft tone that took Jackie off guard. "It was our spot," Hyde said with a shrug.
"In an odd way that's sweet, Steven," Jackie said in a surprised tone. "What's up?" she teased in mock suspicion.
"Just telling it like it is. So are you game?" Hyde said wiggling his eyebrows meaningfully at Jackie.
"I'm with someone, Steven. What about Ivan?" Jackie said with a laugh and a playful swat on Hyde's broad shoulder.
"Not into threesomes. At least not with a guy," Hyde said shaking his head in mock contemplation. "Sorry he's not invited. We'll just have to do this alone," he said sighing in false regret.
"You're teasing me," Jackie accused with a smile. "How about a dance instead?" she offered getting up from her seat.
"I guess it'll have to do," Hyde said leading her to the dance floor.