Author Note: A rather lengthy chapter, lots of action, a couple of knuckleheads and a special nod to Nannygirl – thanks for the orange hat!

*

Chapter 14 – Purple Shoelaces

Jackie got back to the RV and breathed a sigh of relief. This little tin box was the only place she could collect herself and feel safe. Well, here and in the garage working on a car.

She hated the drama that came with a relationship. The courtship was nice; the sex was great but then came the possessiveness, the arguments and all the "can'ts". You can't do this, you can't dance on the bar, you can't drive the oval track, and you can't own your own business.

She had three years of men telling her what she could do and what she couldn't. She had to prove herself every time someone told her it couldn't be done. She got mugged in New York, the policeman telling her to go home and be a good little girl…hell; she took a self-defense court and moved on. Frankie's Pit Boss telling her just to look pretty for the camera; but when car number 6 came sliding in for the 13 second pit she refueled quicker than the rest of the guys.

When she could name every part of the engine and what it did, they finally allowed her to drive the oval – even though her time rivaled Frankie's best start, she had to stay in the pits. She used the opportunity to learn all the tricks that the NASCAR crews knew to get the cars in and out with minimal fuss.

When that season ended and Frankie's car lost its sponsor, Jackie sold more beer in Nashville than the kegs could hold. Her tips went into the bank. She was slowly building the money she needed to start a business where no guy could tell her what she couldn't do anymore.

Then there was Eric…he was such a traditional guy – how much would he freak if he knew the kind of money she made working on engines? Would a female owned business intimidate him? Most likely – and if he found out that Jackie was Jack Ford, he would probably throw his hands in the air and walk away.

She didn't need that kind of distraction because she was so close to having the money to buying the land. Right now, she needed a friend.

*

Saturday night and Eric was dying for some of his mom's homemade cooking. "Mom, you're at work all day and you know I can't cook." Kitty took pity on her son and husband. She liked working at her café and she was bringing in her own substantial income. She threw a roast in the oven with baby red potatoes and some carrots. Eric helped clean vegetable for a salad.

"Honey, how are things going with you and this girl you don't talk about?" Eric turned off the faucet. "Well, I had hoped to bring her home after the movies today but she wasn't ready."

"Well, does she have a name?" Kitty prodded further.

Eric grinned, "Actually it's Princess Bee from the library."

Kitty laughed, "The princess that Fez loves so much?"

Eric nodded. "We had a rocky start but we talked on the phone and we've had a couple of dates. I really like her but she's so secretive about what she does that it makes me crazy sometimes."

"Well honey, if you want to bring her over for dinner, that's fine. Oh, schools out in a couple of weeks…bring her down for a sandwich!"

Eric thought about a day date again, "You know mom that might be a great idea!"

*

"Want to go to Wally World with me?"

Eric smiled into the phone. "Anytime you're ready. I had a great time.'

"Me too! I think my next car is going to be a Ferrari."

"Sounds sexy."

"Eric…" she had a warning tone in her voice.

"Sorry. Was I overwhelming you again?"

"Yeah, a little – I need some time to get used to being back."

"Hey, you'll never guess who came to visit my folks."

"You're right, I'll never guess. So tell me already."

"These guys want dad and mom to join the Chamber or Commerce to help bring back small businesses back to Point Place. Mom is excited because she'll get to be in the Labor Day parade."

Jackie had to chuckle, "Is she practicing her royal hand wave? I bet she'll have fun."

"Yeah, she's pretty excited about that. I wanted to ask you….school lets out in a couple of weeks – summer vacation and all…maybe you want to do something during the day…again."

"Well, I work during the day and sometimes into the night. But the weekends would be fine. I think. I have something in the works so I can't give you a definite answer. Sheesh, I just confused myself. Eric, I'll have to let you know okay?"

"That's fine." He answered - just as long as she went out with him!

"I'll call you again. Good night Eric."

"Good night Jackie."

*

"So leave Betsy with her uncle and we can have lunch at Kitty's café."

"That sounds like fun. Michael is working a second shift so I'm all alone during the day…I'll meet you tomorrow."

"Brooke, I'll be dressed as Jack because I only get a half hour lunch, so don't say anything okay?"

"God, don't you trust me already? I knew that, you're working yeah-yeah- yeah. I'll see you tomorrow. Be good!"

Brooke hung up the phone as Michael came around the corner. He heard a part of the conversation but didn't know who she was talking to. "Hey babe, you wanna take Betsy to get some ice cream?"

"That would be nice. Let me get my purse."

"Who was that on the phone?"

Brooke paused, "Um that was an old friend of mine. We're meeting for lunch tomorrow at Kitty's Café. You know, just to talk and catch up on old times. You'll be asleep anyways so…."

"That's cool…" It wasn't really but Kelso didn't want to tell Brooke. "Let's get that ice cream!"

*

Eric was surprised when he got a Sunday phone call too. "Hey princess, two calls in one weekend? I must have been a great date!"

"Yeah, whatever – wait…you went on a date? Forman had a date and didn't tell his best bud? What kind of friend are you?"

Eric gulped. "Hey, Kelso – I was just messing around man. Why are you calling so late?"

"Hey, I gotta talk to you about something."

"What's up man?"

"Brooke's meeting someone for lunch tomorrow and won't tell me who it is. She says it's just an old friend. What if it's an old boyfriend? I don't want some dude messing around just when I got her and Betsy moved in!"

"Well, go meet her for lunch then."

"That's when I'm sleeping. What should I do? Can your mom check him out for me?"

"Dude, that's mom's busiest part of the day, you know she can't do that. You may as well give Fez a camera and hide in a bush." Eric joked.

"AWESOME idea! Then I can take the pictures to one of those one-hour places. Eric, you are Adolph Einstein."

"You mean Albert."

"Fat Albert? Hey hey hey!"

"Forget it. Just put some faith in Brooke – let her visit her friend, I'm sure it's nothing."

*

Brooke was waiting outside of Kitty's Café when an orange knit hat clad in a jumpsuit ran across the street. The two girls hugged each other and squealed. Brooke put Jackie at arms length, "Oh my god, you look like a boy but a dorky one!"

Jackie smirked, "Well, at least I washed my hands for you."

Brooke looked at the "Jack" patch that Kitty had so perfectly sewed on the pocket. "Let's go inside, it's killer hot out here."

Jackie went up the counter and Kitty looked up and cried, "Its Brooke! Oh my girls! How's the baby? Show me pictures!"

Jackie snagged a couple of sodas from the cooler while Kitty "oohed" and "awed" over little Betsy Kelso. Kitty looked at Jackie, "I like your baseball cap so much better sweetie."

"I know, but the bill keeps getting caught underneath the cars. I think orange makes a fashion statement don't you?" Jackie winked. Kitty smiled, "Sit and I'll bring you some sandwiches."

They chatted and enjoyed lunch while Kitty kept bringing cold drinks. Jackie waited until Kitty was behind the counter. "Brooke, I did a bad thing." She said in a low voice.

Brooke smiled, "Give me the goods."

"I went on a couple of dates with Eric."

Brooke looked up at Kitty furtively and leaned closer to whisper, "Forman? Eric Forman? What happened to hiding your identity – are you crazy?"

"He thinks I'm Princess Bee. But Brooke, I'm smitten – he wants to bring me over to meet his folks, but he doesn't know I work for Red. What do I do?"

"Well, you could ask Red and Kitty to fake that they haven't see you in a while….but he would know if his parents were being insincere."

"I know, I don't want to put the Forman's in a compromising position."

"Can you wait until you buy your business and don't work for Red anymore?"

"I don't know. I want to sleep with him. Is that bad?"

Brooke giggled. "Sweetie, if you want casual sex, just go pick up someone."

Jackie rolled her eyes which looked odd under the orange hat. "I want it with him. Ever since he's kissed me - that's all I can think about... unless I'm under a car and then I want to do it with him under the car!"

Brooke swirled the ice in her cup. "Sounds like you got it bad. Does he feel the same?"

Jackie reddened slightly, "Oh yeah…but I was so mean to him at first. I just want something a little more than casual…."

"Jackie, you've got to make up your mind. Now, take me to see this RV you've been living in."

"You're gonna love it. It's a box, but it's perfect for now." They waved goodbyes to Kitty and Jackie grabbed her hand as they ran across the street to the garage, mindless of the camera snapping photos every second.

*

Kelso and Fez were waiting for Eric as soon as he pulled up in his driveway. Kelso was poking the inside of his cheek with his tongue and Fez had his arms crossed. They both looked very disturbed.

"What are the two of you doing here? Kelso, I thought you had the late shift."

"God, Eric we were waiting for you to get here so we could look at the pictures you told Fez to take."

"Wait. I didn't tell Fez to take any pictures." Eric opened the patio door and the guys followed him in.

"Yeah, you did. You said give Fez a camera and hide in a bush and he did."

Fez pulled up his sleeve to reveal some serious looking scratches. "And look what it did to me you sonofabitch! The bush was only two feet tall! How can I hide in something that little! I should have stayed in the car, I could have seen better."

Eric rolled his eyes and grabbed a soda from the fridge. "So you guys waited until I got off work to look at your photos? Why didn't you do that already?"

"Well, because we're friends. Right Fez?"

"Right. And if Kelso's girlfriend is cheating on him, then we should all know."

Eric tried to suppress a smile. "Kelso, I also told you to have a little faith in Brooke. Give me the photos."

Fez delighted in dealing out each picture with a narrative. "This first one is Brooke standing outside Miss Kitty's café. She's wearing a pretty skirt and red blouse."

Kelso smiled. "Yeah, she looks hot."

"This next one is THE GUY – see the guy with the orange hat? He's hugging Brooke!" Fez exclaimed.

Kelso took the picture out of Fez's hand. "Does this dude work for the circus? Cuz man he is short! Look how tall Brooke is."

Eric took the picture, "He's wearing a uniform so I don't think he works for the circus."

Kelso argued, "Well, the guys that clean up after the elephants where uniforms so they don't get "ele-poo" on their clothes."

Fez and Kelso pondered circus wonders and then went to the third photo. "I had to wait until someone opened the door. There was a glare on the glass window. "Look, I got the back of his head but he's leaning real close to Brooke's face."

"Are they kissing?" Kelso needed to know. Eric grabbed the photo. "No, you can see Brooke is talking. She looks happy."

Fez pulled off two fuzzy pictures and the next was the two girls holding hands while they crossed the street. Kelso pointed to the interlaced fingers. "Look right there! That's the smoking gun! They're holding hands like ex-lovers do. Fez, you have one more right?"

"Well, yeah but it didn't come out good because I was trying to dodge a bee. I got a great picture of Brooke's high heels." Eric looked and saw a pair of nice lady heels and work boots with purple laces.

Eric blinked and said, "Crap, that's Jack - the guy that works at my dad's garage!"

There was a moment of silence as each man thought about what that meant.

For Eric it meant that his dad would lose business if Kelso went down there and started some kind of shit.

For Fez it meant he was a great photographer and salon worker and his friends were proud of his investigative skills.

For Kelso it meant that Jack and Brooke were ex-lovers and he needed to confront of one them and it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Fez, after they crossed the street, where did they go?" Eric asked. Fez looked around the room trying to avoid the question. "Fez?" Kelso asked.

"All right! I dropped my candy and didn't see where they went. Are you done with the questioning or do I need a lawyer!" Fez scooped up all the pictures and slid them back in the envelope.

Kelso dropped into a chair. "Why would Brooke want to see this Jack dude? I mean, I'm the most handsome guy in the Kenosha area and this dude works for the circus! What does he have that I don't?"

Fez added, "Yes, while Kelso is man-pretty this other guy made Brooke move all the way up from Chicago just so they could have lunch together."

Eric held up his hand. "Wait a minute. You guys are totally out of control. Brooke moved to Kenosha so Kelso could have Betsy with him. Kelso, you need to marry Brooke – that's just a suggestion. Fez, just because the guy is short and wears an orange hat and uniform doesn't mean he's a circus guy. I've seen him work in my dad's garage and he's a good employee."

"He's a girlfriend stealer."

"Yeah!" Fez agreed. "Eric you have to do something." Kelso said.

"Me? Why me! Brooke isn't my girlfriend plus the pictures aren't incriminating. They are just pictures and Fez doesn't even know where they went."

"Red's your dad and Jack is his employee. That makes it your responsibility." Kelso said simply.

"You guys are giving me a headache. Kelso, just go home and talk to Brooke. Show her the pictures."

"What?!" Kelso's voice got very shrill - "And have her think I was spying on her?"

Fez looked at his tall friend. "Well, you were. I was there."

"Guys. Look – just go before Red gets home. You know how he is when he gets off work. Well, not lately, he's been pretty happy actually – but I don't want you to jinx it!"

"Fine!"

"Fine! I say good day!"

The two men left through the patio doors and Eric's head fell on the kitchen table with a "thud".

*

Red and Kitty came home just narrowly missing the other boys. Red noticed Eric sitting at the table with a cheerless expression on his face. Kitty noticed as well and laid her hand across his forehead. "Well he doesn't have a fever."

"Eric, what is wrong with you. Usually you're upstairs playing with your…dolls…."

"Action figures – collectible action figures."

"Whatever. Why are you down here when there is no food?"

"I need to talk to you guys." He said solemnly.

Kitty looked up from the stove. "Eric? Is everything okay?" She glided over and sat in a vacant chair next to Red but opposite Eric. "What is it honey?"

"Mom, Kelso knows that Brooke had lunch with a friend at your café today." Kitty didn't know how Eric knew that. "Well, yes she did honey. Why are you concerned about it?"

Eric pushed the forgotten pictures towards his dad. "Fez was taking photos for Kelso and Dad; we know Brooke was seeing Jack."

Red pulled out the picture of the two girls hugging on the sidewalk. His face turned dark, "What'd he do? I swear I'll kick his ass."

"Who, Jack?"

"No dumbass; Kelso! If he thinks about coming down to shop and harassing my employee…"

"No dad, he wants me to talk to Jack. Kelso thinks Brooke and Jack are ex-lovers."

Kitty started choking on her drink and Red started laughing. They looked at each other and said, "Jack!" and started laughing louder. Kitty pointed at Eric, "Jack?" She was falling on the floor laughing hysterically.

Red wiped a tear from his eye. "If it makes you feel better, I'll talk to Jack and …. I'll say…I'll say something." That made Kitty laugh all the harder, "Ex-lovers? Ahahahahaha!"

Eric thought his folks were strange but this wasn't a funny subject. Yeah, he'd let his dad deal with Jack. Kelso would have to take care of Brooke on his own.

This was too much drama for a Monday!

*