Author Note:….Eric takes Jackie on a little trip backwards in time…..

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Chapter 25 – What's in the Bag?

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Bert was very happy to drive Eric where ever he wanted to go and the first stop was Eric's old apartment. Jackie followed him up the three flights of rickety stairs and down the smelly carpeted hallway. "I paid a lot of money for rent, but this was the best I could get." The apartment manager had recognized his former tenant and loaned him the keys so Eric could "take a second look."

Jackie stepped into the tiny stark bachelor unit. A sink and stove occupied one corner and a mini fridge was inside the clothes closet. Jackie walked into the bathroom that still had a chemical smell from the darkroom it used to be. "Eric, how could you live in something so small? I can almost touch the walls if I stretch out my arms."

She peered out the window and recognized a neon sign that she had once seen in a magazine. "You took a picture of that."

Eric was pleased that she remembered the photograph. "I tried not to spend too much time here, but I did get some of my best shots around this city. Although after awhile, the noise and the sirens and trains…it gets to be too much and makes Point Place look like a haven."

Jackie tugged on his tee-shirt. "Well, I'm glad you got tired of the pollution. Seriously, this is small!" Eric laughed; Jackie always had a way of getting him to look at life from a different perspective. All along he thought he had a decent sized space but in reality it was just a tiny room in a big city.

Jackie pulled his head down for a kiss and he smiled against her mouth. "You are too special. Let's get out of here and get some dinner. There's a restaurant at the hotel and I'll show you what was in my safe deposit box."

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Jackie never had chicken as tender and moist on a real china plate as she did at the candlelit table. Cosmo magazine never told her how to make small talk in such an elegant restaurant in these conditions. Eric poured a second glass of wine and she was feeling no pain.

"Tell me about this party tomorrow. I like parties but what is a New York party going to be like?"

Eric actually hated the party scene but the schmoozing and kissing up was important to Maxine and with Jackie as his date, it might be a little more tolerable than in the past. He sighed, "There will be Senators, and actresses…some skinny little models, a few famous singers and lots of booze. People will be kissing my ass and trying to get me to take their picture. It's not pleasant."

Jackie smirked, "So you don't like butt kissers? Now you're just trying to make me laugh."

"Glenda, I'm serious. These people sweat money and the stock market goes up. I try to avoid these at all costs. But, for this one night…and one night only, I will go to the party."

Jackie smiled. "Good because I only had one cocktail dress. Now, what are we going to do tomorrow until the party?"

"I was thinking that we could go see the Statue of Liberty and I would take your picture at the top of the Empire State Building and either visit every girls favorite store, Tiffany's or FAO Schwartz. I'll let you decide in the morning."

Jackie was beaming and dreaming of walking through Tiffany's jewelry store. Eric wished he'd brought his camera to dinner. The expression of complete bliss on her face was a photographer's perfect depiction of happiness and the model didn't even know it came naturally. Jackie opened her eyes. "You're studying me again."

He laughed "I just can't help it. You are very photographic."

"You must have had too much wine." Jackie yawned. "Can we go up to the room now? I've never had a bath in a marble bathroom before and the bed is huge! Imagine making that thing everyday. It would be like an aerobic workout!"

That was enough imagery for Eric to say, "Let's get out of here!"

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Jackie jumped and dove into the middle of the huge king sized bed. The blankets were soft and she discovered a bowl of Godiva chocolates next to the lamp. She kicked off her shoes and lay back against the pillows while she unwrapped the decadent chocolate. "Oh Eric, you have to try one. This is the best candy ever. I have to save some for Fez."

Eric climbed up on the bed with her. "Pass one over." He took the delicate gold square and peeled off the wrapper. "Hey, this is better than dessert."

"I know! This would make a great Christmas present!" She sat up and put her hands on his shoulders. "So…are you going to show me what was in the box or do I have to wait until tomorrow?"

Eric grinned. "I was wondering when your curiosity got the better of you. Let me get it." He slid off the bed and went to the wall safe of the hotel room. He came back with the contents of the safe deposit box in a plain brown bag.

"It's not all special." Eric warned cautiously. Jackie didn't care, she loved surprises and whatever was in that box was something that meant a great deal to Eric. She wanted to see it! He reached in the bag and pulled out a picture frame made with colorful ribbons and rocks glued around the edges. In the center of the frame was Eric with his class of little third grade children from the African village where he first started teaching.

Jackie picked up the picture and looked at the ten year younger version of the man that sat beside her. He had such hope in his face and the little boys and girls were smiling like crazy. The landscape behind the group picture was dusty and brown but everyone was happily waving at the camera. It struck an emotional chord inside her. Swallowing the lump in her throat she said, "Did they…did that make this for you?"

Eric took the photograph and smiled at it. "Yeah…the ribbons were from a ceremonial dress and the rocks were just rocks." He laughed. "They had more fun with the glue than anything else."

Eric reached into the bag and pulled out a yellowed brochure with autographs from Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel the year that he videotaped the Central Park performance. Jackie smiled, "You're a groupie! Let me hear you sing Scarborough Fair."

Eric thunked her on the head. "Tone deaf... can't hear a thing except Styx, Aerosmith and Lynyrd Skynyrd." He reached back into bag and pulled out the cover of a book. Jackie snagged it from his hand. "I don't believe it! The Wizard of Oz?" She rose up on her knees, "I knew you were Dorothy all along!"

Eric grabbed the book cover and put it aside. "It's sentimental. It reminded me of home." He wasn't going to tell her it was her Dorothy/Glenda conversations that sometimes kept him grounded. He pulled out a couple of buttons from the 1984 Olympics and a photo he had of himself with little Mary Lou Retton.

"Let me grab something and you tell me what it is." She challenged. Eric held the bag open and her slim arm reached in and pulled out a party favor from New Years Eve 1986 when he was standing in Time's Square listening to Dick Clark on the radio. "Wow, this is cool. I'm holding a little piece of history and I'm in the city where it happened."

Eric reached in a pulled out a photo, smiled and quickly tucked it in his pocket. Jackie caught the quick-hide-the-souvenir trick and said, "Give it up."

Eric feigned ignorance. "I don't know what you're talking about." She rose up on her knees and tried to reach in his shirt pocket and ended up knocking them both on the mattress. "What are you hiding in there that you don't want me to see?" Eric smiled, "Give me a kiss and I'll show you."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "It's always an excuse with you isn't it?" She put her elbows on his chest looked down at his laughing eyes. He reached a hand to the back of her head pulling her forward. She had barely touched his lips when she felt a electrifying shiver pass through her body. Teeth clashed and tongues collided in a kiss Eric thought he would remember forever. This one had heat and passion and aroused sensations he hadn't felt in a long time for a single woman. He rolled Jackie over onto her back and slanted his mouth tasting the wine on her lips and the hint of chocolate candy and he wanted more than this. His fingers had a mind of their own as they fumbled with the tiny buttons of her blouse. Her hands came up and cupped his face, stroking his jaw and when his hand slid over her ribs she gasped but didn't stop kissing him.

Eric groaned and buried his face in her neck where the honeysuckle smelled so sweet and the heat from her body was driving him crazy. He kissed the soft warm skin of her throat and Jackie's stomach was doing flip flops when his teeth grazed her earlobe.

Mentally, Eric groaned – this was not the time!. He rolled on his back and slid the picture out of his pocket. Jackie was still wearing a dreamy sort of grin on her face.

"You win." He said defeated. Jackie opened her eyes to find it was a picture of her wearing the black vest on the Forman's patio. She was smiling at the camera and years younger. Touched, she whispered, "You kept a picture of me in your keepsakes?"

He smiled, "Glenda, I kind of had a crush on you back then. I just didn't do anything about it."

"Oh, you are such a sweetheart." She looked at the photo and couldn't remember being that young. Eric reached into the bag and pulled out another item. "Close your eyes."

She did and he dropped it into her palm. "This was given to me after the 1987 US Open Tennis Tournament. Two were made for Chris Evert, and she gave me one for some photo's I took. I want you to wear it tomorrow night."

Jackie opened her hand to see the most exquisite diamond tennis bracelet she had ever seen. She struggled for breath at the thought of holding all of those diamonds in the palm of her hand. Eric rolled onto his side and propped his head on his elbow. "The diamonds are supposed to be a symmetrical pattern of in-line diamonds that are the best cut of color and clarity. Actually, Chris's coach told me that if you hold it in the right light, it looks like fire."

Eric took the bracelet and clasped it around her thin wrist where it sparkled and shimmered in the dim light of the suite. It looked just like it was made just for her. Jackie smiled a dazzling smile that warmed his heart. "It's so beautiful Eric."

The arm with the bracelet wrapped around his neck as she kissed him so soft and so pure his heart could have wept for joy.

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