Author Note: A little leftover from Dale's date and stuff…..

Chapter 11 - Call to Mom

Jackie woke up and the moon was high in the sky. She was still wearing her clothes but her shoes were somewhere else. God what a horrible date! The only part she liked was getting dressed up and maybe driving in his car but then he tries to put the moves on and ick!

She backed up to sit against the headboard. She could still feel a buzz from the champagne. How could Eric sleep so soundly while she was furious like this? She picked up her pillow and threw it at him. This was one of her prettiest dresses and it was wasted on a jerk like that! She threw another pillow. "Eric... wake-up."

Eric woke up when the third pillow hit his head. He lifted the pillow with his head. "What are you doing? It's midnight-thirty…" he said peering at the clock. Jackie glared at him. "How can you sleep when I'm fuming?"

Eric rose up on his elbow. "How was I supposed to know you were fuming?"

"You could have asked me." She said impudently. Eric grinned sleepily. "Did Jackie have a bad date?" Oops – another pillow to the face. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Why are you fuming?"

She turned on her side to face him. "Look at me. Am I not pretty enough? Do I repulse you?

"Why would do you have to ask me that? You know you're gorgeous and you don't repulse me."

She scooted a little closer. "We've lived in the same house for two weeks right?"

Jackie was close enough that he could feel the heat coming from her body. "Yeah, we have – yep, two long weeks." He could still feel the pull of the painkiller telling him it was okay to go back to sleep.

She lowered her voice, "So in the whole two weeks you never thought about throwing a pass at me?"

"Jackie…."

"Do you like…girls?"

"Of course I do."

She scooted a little closer. "You just don't think about me. You're like a eunuch."

He blinked his sleepy eyes. "Me? A… eunuch? Are you crazy?" Jackie scooted closer still. "Well, most guys would come unglued if I got this close…" She touched her hand to his chest and heard him inhale sharply. That made her smile. "I still got it. Thanks Eric."

Before she could roll back, Eric grabbed her arm. "What was that about?"

Jackie smiled and looked at his hand holding her arm. He had nice hands, long strong fingers – a man's hand. She looked up at him with her big colored eyes locking onto his green ones. "That was to prove to myself that you were human and I was still irresistible."

Eric could feel his resolve weakening. She did have pretty eyes and she was damn near irresistible. "So were you testing me or just making yourself feel better?"

Jackie reached out and smoothed a wrinkle in his forehead. "A little of both I guess. Maybe I was feeling a little insecure. I had a crummy date and I was expecting a great good night kiss and didn't get either." She looked back at his eyes. "It was sort of a bummer except I got to wear my new dress."

Eric happened to look down and found that this new dress displayed more cleavage than he was ready to look at. "Jackie, I can barely deal with you well on a day by day basis, but when you start making me think you're hotter than…well hot, I'm kind of crippled here. Yeah, any other day, I'd be trying to jump your bones." He looked down at his leg, "When I get this thing off, I'll be chasing you up and down the stairs okay?"

She smiled. For some obscure reason that made her feel better. She still annoyed him but he had stopped hating her. And he definitely was attracted! She scooted a little closer until they were touching and she laid her head on shoulder.

"Jackie, you can't be comfortable like this." He argued feebly. Jackie could feel his heart beating and the steady thumping was comforting and his body was warm and she was sleepy. Eric tried to reason with her again but the booze caught up and she passed out on his chest. He sighed and wrapped his casted arm around her shoulder and surrendered to the painkiller. His last thoughts were, "This isn't so bad."

*

Sunday morning came and the pair overslept. Eric woke first wiping Jackie's hair from his face. She had drooled on his tee shirt and was still sleeping. How much did she drink last night? He carefully tried to free his casted arm without waking her.

As he started to rise on his elbows, she sighed and placed her hand back over his heart. There was something gentle and simplistic in the gesture that touched him. Two lonely souls in an empty house trying to make the best of a bad situation.

It was going to be wonderful and strange when the casts came off. Just the freedom of taking a shower standing up would be great but that was still weeks away from happening.

He lay back down on the pillow, abstractly combing her hair with his fingers. So Jackie created a shampoo. Now she was creating something new in the basement and he couldn't even go down to see what it was. Damn.

But then like Fez had said, he was lucky to be alive. Now he had to make sure his mom didn't find out until his dad was improving. Kitty would fly to Point Place in a heartbeat but Red needed her more. Eric had Jackie and Fez to help him out. How strange it was that he and his dad were in a situation where they had to rely on other people to help them do everything!

Jackie woke up slowly aware that she was still lying on Eric's shoulder. His arm was around her shoulder and for that moment it felt nice. Then she could feel the leftover champagne taste clinging to her teeth and the pretty lace dress wasn't too comfortable. She lifted her head to see Eric looking down at her.

"I didn't do anything embarrassing did I?" she asked.

Eric grinned. "Well, I have to take offense…you did call me a eunuch."

Jackie's face turned red. "Oh god, that was the champagne talking. I'm not a good drunk these days."

Eric smiled down at her pretty face. "No you're not and you drool."

She backed up and looked at the wet spot on his shirt. "Damn, there goes my waking up attractive reputation. I'll wash that for you." Eric pulled his arm back to his chest. Ahh, that feels better! Jackie sat back on her heels. "If you talk to your friend Greg again, tell him he has horrible friends."

Eric laughed. "I don't think Dale will be back. It sounded like you wounded him pretty good."

She smiled. "A swift kick in the shins with my pointy shoes always works." She slid off the mattress. "I'm going to clean up and change. Don't forget to call your mom today."

It was Sunday! She was expecting an update report and she would be waiting for his call. Better to get it over with sooner than later. He dialed the Miami number and heard it ring.

"Hello?"

"Oh hi honey… how are you? I'm glad you called. Did you keep our number?"

"Yeah, it's still under Red Forman but I'll change it later. How's dad?

"Oh Eric, the therapy is working and he's saying more full sentences! He called the doctor a dumbass! I was so happy!" Eric smiled into the phone. Dad was on the mend! "That's great mom. His heart is okay?"

Kitty tittered into the phone. "Oh, his heart is healthier than a horse. The stroke just took him down and now that he's getting some of his ability back it's just the best thing. How's the house?"

"It's good mom. I'm cleaning up and wondered what to do with all the stuff you didn't take. "

"Honey, we don't care. Keep some stuff for your kids or the kids you'll have later, Hahahaha…what ever you don't want, I'm sure Pastor Dave will take donations."

"Mom, would you be offended if I did a little remodeling?"

"Oh honey, no….it's your house now. It's all paid for and you can live it forever, that was always your dad's plan or you can sell it. It's entirely your decision. Although, I always envisioned the Forman family living forever in Point Place. It's yours sweetie. Do what you want."

It was so nice listening to his mom babble on. He missed that and he missed her dashing here and there feeding people and cooking and the smells that waited for him when he walked in the kitchen. He missed the Kitty Forman feel to the house.

"Hey mom, how have you been? I mean I'm glad dad is improving but it must be a little hard on you taking care of him."

"Oh honey, I'm doing just fine. Yes, it can be difficult talking care of Red, but I love him and I know he'd do the same thing for me. He didn't want to have a stroke but can you imagine what he would do if I wasn't around? He'd be lost. Pastor Dave was really the only friend he had that could lend a hand."

And I got Jackie - Small world between Wisconsin and Florida.

"Mom, do you need me to send you any money?"

"No sweetie. Your dad's pension and our savings are just fine. We live in a retirement villa – not village like in Africa, it's like a little Spanish pueblo – very chic. Hahahaha. Aunt Paula stays in one room and once in a while Uncle Marty comes down and takes your dad fishing. We are doing fine."

"Mom, I just want you to know I really miss you."

Kitty sniffed on the other end of the phone. "I miss you too son. Call me again next week and I'll fill you in on the week. I love you sweetheart, bye-bye!"

*

Eric hung up the phone as Jackie was coming down the stairs. "How's your dad?"

Eric looked up and smiled. "He called the doctor a dumbass.'

Jackie grinned. "He's talking?" She pulled her pillows from across the bed and tidied her blankets. Eric swung his leg off the mattress. "A little, but dumbass is easier to say than some words. Figures don't it?"

Jackie chuckled. 'Yeah, that was one of his favorite words. Hey, I'm going to make breakfast, clean up your mess okay?"

*

"So I asked mom what to do with all the leftover stuff and she told me to keep it….wait, she had the audacity to say 'keep some stuff for your kids or the kids you'll have later' but basically I can call Pastor Dave to come get it or whatever."

Jackie flipped the pancake over the grill. 'You could have a yard sale. That could get you some extra cash. Imagine what the property taxes are going to be on this place."

Eric hadn't thought about that. No rent or house payment? Cool. Utilities and taxes on a 3 bedroom 2 bath house – not cool. "That's a good idea. Would you help me?"

Jackie held the spatula in her hand. The idea of getting rid of all this green and orange was appealing…maybe talking down the wallpaper and painting the old walls a nice crisp white….vertical blinds in the living room….horizontal blinds in the bathroom….wait, this isn't your house!

"Sure, I can help. We should let Pastor Dave come look at some of the old furniture – maybe he can give it to the needy and you can use that for a tax deduction."

"See, that's why I need you! You know about stuff like this."

Jackie blushed at the compliment and slid some pancakes on plate and carried them to the table. "When did you want to get started?"

"Well, not right away, my leg is still killing me but I figured I could take a little bit at a time - like I want to get rid of the carpeting."

"Oh thank god! Orange shag is SO not in fashion. I bet there's some nice wood under that ugly rug." Jackie poured maple syrup on her pancake.

Eric grinned. "Mom thought the carpet kept the house warm but Dad thought that's why they had central air…so you think this is a good idea?" Jackie nodded her head. "You should call someone and get an estimate – if it's too expensive, we can do it ourselves."

"Yay… no more vacuuming." He smiled.

"No more dust!" she agreed

"I'll make some calls tomorrow."

Jackie spent the rest of the day in the basement while Eric rested on the bed. He tried to watch the baseball game but the Orioles were playing and that made him think of Greg Wheat and his comments about Jackie.

Eric flipped the channel until he found a "Making of Star Wars" documentary. He had a long day ahead of him.

*

Wednesday morning, Jackie called her friend Teena to confirm their doubles match that evening. The game was in Kenosha against the regular players in the group. Jackie found that the tennis club was preferable to the snooty tennis players at the Country Club. Plus, Jackie Burkhart had a mean serve.

She was really looking forward to the game and hadn't told Eric yet but she was going to spend the night in her own apartment. She and Teena usually went out after the game and Jackie didn't want to drive all the way back to Point Place that late at night.

Eric noticed that she was extraordinarily happy that day. She hummed through breakfast, she sang while vacuuming, she whistled making lunch and smiled as she made an early dinner.

"Eric, all you have to do, it pop this in the microwave for 3 minutes. I won't be here tonight and I think you can handle one night alone just fine."

Eric froze. Alone? "Where will you be?"

"Oh, twice a month I play tennis with my girlfriend and we get done too late for me to drive back. I'll leave you my home number so you can call if you need anything."

"I didn't know you played tennis."

She smiled. "Eric there's a lot you don't know about me. I have a mean serve – I've been clocked at 90 miles an hour. If my opponent isn't paying attention… somebody's gonna get hurt!"

She wrapped his dinner plate in cellophane and put in the trusty brown refrigerator. "All you have to do is heat it, put in on the counter here and you can perch on the stool over there. No carrying anything. Okay?"

Eric was trying to wrap his mind about being alone in the house for the first time. "Dinner, heat and counter- Got it."

Jackie patted him on the cheek. "I've got to go change. Make sure you take your prescriptions at 7:00 o'clock okay?"

Eric tried to follow her through the kitchen doors but she was already headed up the stairs before he got to the bed. He looked down at the telephone to see she had left her phone number on the pad next to his water bottles.

Eric swung himself upon the bed and leaned against the headboard. He wasn't hungry yet so he made the grand plan of dinner to be followed by Wonder Years and then Doogie Howser and if he wasn't completely knocked out then Home Improvement would be on at 9:00 o'clock so the evening wouldn't be a total waste.

Jackie came bounding down the stairs wearing a tiny little tennis dress with white socks and shoes. She put her hair into the cute little pony tail and had a racket in her hand.

She stopped at the foot of the bed tapping her lip. "Oh, let me give you Fez's home number in case you can't reach me."

Eric wanted to play tennis. He wanted out of this damn cast. He loved the tennis dress and the long tan legs that disappeared beneath the hem. He watched as she scratched Fez's phone number onto the pad beside the bed and he sighed. "Have a good time."

She smiled. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow!"

Damn!

*