Author Note: Fixing the roof and air conditioning and new windows – what a commotion! Yet, I found some quiet time for updating this next chapter.
Chapter 28 – Us
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As Eric rounded the corner of the nursing room corridor he saw the hug and heard the laughter and felt his stomach drop. Jackie and Hyde were….back together? Getting along? Shutting Eric Forman out existence?
He stepped into the hallway and barked out a laugh, "Hey…ho…..so what's going on here?"
With a semi-guilty expression on his face, Hyde suggested, "Maybe I'm trying to pick up on your girlfriend?"
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Jackie and Eric's mouths fell open in astonishment. This was the first public acknowledgement that they were in fact, practically dating, without admitting it to each other and the fact that Hyde said it first was sort of well, embarrassing.
Eric's lips flapped and Jackie just blinked. Hyde smirked, "Well, I have to say that seeing the both of you speechless is quite the burn. Just wish Kelso was here to witness this."
Jackie stammered, "Michael's…..he's not….Michael is….."
Hyde smiled and waved his hand, "Don't try to explain….I know where both jailbirds are."
It was Eric's turn to be astonished. "You know?"
Hyde loved this! He nodded his curly head. "You two think I don't know what's going on with my Point Place drifters? Fez is easy to track and while he was having that spicy Latino three-way, I think he's rethinking his career. Kelso? He will follow Laurie to the ends of the earth and back and I have a feeling that he's regretting some of that."
Hyde looked at Eric. "Your sister? She is really twisted. I know she's been *working* under the radar, but getting caught up in the drugs? Tsk tsk." Hyde made a mental note to visit Laurie before he left Kenosha.
Jackie was amazed that Steven seemed to have a better handle on all Point Place and ex-Point Place residents. Did W.B. put little spies around town to keep Steven informed? Still that didn't stop Eric from resorting to dork material a moment ago! They needed to talk about this. Seriously.
"What's going on here?" her dark eyes narrowed as she glared at Eric's green orbs. "I'm in a nursing home talking to an old friend and you have to ask what's going on here?"
Hyde leaned back against the wall, crossed his arms and watched this little spat while biting back a chuckle. Eric swayed on his feet and exhaled. "It looked like…I mean it's you and Hyde and well….I left my keys!"
An eyebrow arched, "Oh really? I thought you trusted me Eric Forman. After all the crap we've been through together you think you see something and automatically assume the worse? You disappoint me."
Frantically, Eric looked at his old friend for some guidance but Hyde only laughed, "Dude….I can't help you here. You are on your own…so….why don't I go and get a cup of coffee or whatever crap that vending machine serves AND don't the two of you wake up Kitty." Hyde looked pointedly at both Jackie and Eric with his last statement.
Jackie watched Steven leave and turned back to Eric. Her finger poised to chastise him when he blurted out, "Why didn't you answer your phone this morning?"
"What?" Was he daft?
"Remember last night… you asked me to call you…today…and when I did, Nadine answered."
"Ugh," she said weakly. "Don't you remember me telling you that on holidays I go visit my dad? You know…the guy in the other prison?"
Eric's shoulders sagged with relief. He exhaled and smiled, "I'm sorry. I did assume the worst and I apologize."
Jackie felt bad for ruining his New Year's Day – she did have a wonderful evening and there wasn't any time to share it with Nadine or Lydia. She really wanted to tell Lydia about the midnight countdown and the glitz.
Eric stepped forward and tugged on a curly lock of hair. He spoke in low voice, "So….I was thinking about…..you…or maybe I should say I was thinking about us."
Jackie asked curious. "There's an us?"
He nodded his brown head and looked at her with those warm brown eyes. "Uh-yeah….don't you want there to be an us?"
Jackie put her hand over the fingers that were fiddling with her hair. She sounded skeptical. "I like the idea of an us but..." she slapped his hand away. "Wait a minute. Are you talking about this because you saw me talking to Steven?"
Near panic, Eric exclaimed, "What? No! I was only thinking about how much I missed talking to you this morning and how I want to talk to you all the time and if there was an us….I wouldn't be looking at other girls to talk to… and you wouldn't be looking….. can I at least try to persuade you?"
Jackie put her warm hand on his forearm and looked at him with a wistful smile, "Maybe….maybe you can try….but I have to be convinced. I'm hot in the single market you know." She teased lightly.
Grinning, Eric relied, "You are and I'm a lucky guy that you would even consider an us….with me."
A light cough interrupted the conversation as Hyde stepped forward and mimicked sticking his finger down his throat. "Gag me already. So can we go somewhere and talk now that Forman no longer has his panties in a twist?"
Eric laughed, "Let me get my keys and we can meet at that diner and get some good coffee before you leave."
Jackie watched as Eric disappeared into his mother's room then she whirled around on her toes. Smiling, she looked up at Steven's face and whispered, "I'm seriously happy and while I don't need your blessing…I'd like to know its okay because well…..Eric is one of your best friends."
Hyde smiled, gave the brunette a light hug and warned casually, "Just don't break his heart okay?"
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Fez's plane landed without incident and he slid into his oversize sunglasses. He had no plans of an entourage bombarding him as he walked across the snowy tarmac to baggage claims. The Buenos Aires aero port was hell! Old senoritas recognized him and called him the Spanish equivalent of a home wrecker for breaking both the hearts or Senor Maldanado and his beautiful mistress Senora Alyssa. That episode was up for some kind of award.
His snakeskin booted feet shuffled through the snow as Fez realized that no one in Kenosha recognized him. Also, how could he forget how freezing cold it was? "Aiiyyy…." He muttered sadly. First order of business was checking into a hotel and getting two days sleep and then a trip to the candy store for all the favorites he missed.
It was kind of good to be home again!
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Eric was intrigued, but he knew his mother better than anyone. He stirred his coffee and exhaled. "She thinks that this is the end. You'll never get her out of there."
Hyde weighed his words carefully, he didn't want to come off as some medical expert because he wasn't, he just had good resources. After swallowing the last bite of his cheeseburger, he said. "I just think it's in everyone's interest to get a second opinion."
Eric shrugged, "Mom doctor has been with her since the accident and I mean he knows everything and she trusts him."
Hyde looked at Jackie. "If you heard something wrong with your car engine, what would you do?"
She laughed, "I'd take it to the shop of course." What was Steven getting at?
Hyde looked at Eric, "What about you?"
Eric shrugged, "I'd have my dad look at it and then take it to Danny's Auto." The old Point Place mechanic was almost an institution in the Forman family of auto care.
Hyde held out a hand, "Both of you….if your shop or mechanic fixed it and you drive off and there is still something wrong…are you going to go back to the same guy that fixed your car? No, you are going to get a second opinion. C'mon Eric, Danny's great but is he current with all the new models and technology? Can he work on your Mazda or does he have to call for advice?"
Jackie had an "aha" moment. "Kitty is like a car – she just needs to be seen by someone with more experience."
Eric was finally getting the gist of what Hyde was trying to say, "You're not replacing Dr. Gilmore, you're just making sure he's not missing something."
Hyde felt like throwing his hands in the air. "Yes! We are just going to get a second opinion. W.B has some medical people that owe him a few favors and honestly, the smell of that nursing home gives me the dry heaves."
Jackie laughed, "My dad was right. It's all about the money. The more old people they can get in there the less quality care the patients get. Eric," she nudged his shoulder, "I tried to tell you that."
Eric felt like he was waking up. He could vividly recall a conversation with his dad from a few months ago when his mom was having a better day.
The elder Forman smiled, "She had a real good day. Lots of memories and I think she made some new ones. I talked to the doctor and he said something about Synapses in her brain reconnecting and it helps her memory. Don't know what a Synapse is or care, but if it helps Kitty, I'll buy a boatload."
"Hyde…if you can help my mom…whatever you need….I'll convince my dad. Let's get her out of that place.
Jackie smiled and put her hand over Eric's, "She's still got a lot of years left if you can get break her out."
Hyde leaned forward, "It's not me that's going to get her out of there…it's us."
Eric Forman's New Year's Day just got a whole lot better as Jackie smiled while she whispered in Eric's ear, her breath giving him goosebumps.
She promised, "And I really want to be an us."
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A/N: This chapter was totally inspired by lyrics from an old 80's song called ''How Bout Us" by Champaign. Just lovely and the lyrics are great. I don't own the song…just like singing it.
