Author Note: A happy Kitty is a happy everybody!

Chapter 36 – Traditions

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August 1988

Eric was sitting alone in the Margarita Shack. The normality of the day was disturbing – this was the official last week of summer vacation and he didn't care. All he could think about was his family and how it just seemed like yesterday, but it was really two years ago that his mom had the accident.

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It was an ordinary day. Kitty was getting ready for her part time stint at the hospital and Red was going to play cards at the VFW hall. She was dressed in her pink nurse's uniform and white cap and those thick rubber soled shoes. Red kissed her cheek goodbye as she wiggled her fingers and he promised to take them both out to dinner when her shift was through. "I'll hold you to that Red Forman." She smiled.

That was the last time Eric could recall his mom really smiling. It was to be his last favorite memory of her. When he remembered the old woman who had been sitting in the wheelchair wrapped in a robe, it was unconceivable that it was his mother. His mom had vitality and sweetness and a big heart. That woman was crippled and a mere shadow of the Kitty Forman he used to know.

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He swallowed the remainder of his drink and motioned for the bartender to bring him his tab. A gentle tap on his shoulder broke his sad reverie. A soft form scooted up onto the barstool beside him and chided tenderly. "Why are you drinking alone?"

Eric looked over to see a bleary Jackie. She looked so pretty in his rose colored glasses. "Memories," he replied scrubbing his face. "Mom had her accident two years ago on this date. I guess I was remembering how awful it was."

Jackie signaled for the bartender. "Hi. A cup of coffee for my inebriated friend and a diet Coke for me please." She turned and took one of Eric's big hands into her small one and with the other tipped his chin. "Don't think about your mom like she was. Think of how much she's improved."

Eric nodded. "Well, thanks mostly to you and your father."

Jackie shrugged. "Well, it had to start in the emergency room. I understand it was pretty awful for you and your dad in the beginning. I mean, I didn't butt in until last September….hey, it's almost been a year since I backed into your car."

Eric chuckled softly, "I remember and then we practiced avoiding each other for months."

She smiled, "I wanted to put out a restraining order on you."

"Then you found my sister and Kelso."

Jackie shook her head sadly, "What a nightmare that turned out to be."

The bartender set the hot coffee in front of Eric and slid Jackie's beverage on a napkin. "On the house." the barkeep smiled.

Eric picked up his cracked ceramic cup, "Hey….free drinks." Jackie sipped her diet drink and looked at her boyfriend who seemed a little frayed around the edges. "Say….what do you think about coming to my place and I'll make you some dinner?"

Eric blinked. "You cook? I mean in all this time we've known each other, I've never seen you in the kitchen."

She laughed, "Maybe it's the first time I have invited you over for Hungry Man dinners."

"This may be the only time I ever say yes to a Hungry Man dinner." Eric smiled as he replied. Since his mom started cooking again, he had become spoiled by frozen leftovers. He loved that she was getting better, but a part of him, some nugget of despair, kept him from truly enjoying her recovery. Eric felt like this was just a glimpse of his future. It seemed like his mom was here for today only and then would be snatched back to that shrunken old lady that lay in a nursing home.

Wiping watery eyes, he turned to Jackie. "I think I'm feeling sorry for myself. Can you drive?"

She leaned over and hugged him, "Yes, my lonely drunken friend. Let's get you something to eat."

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Dinner and Friday night television was painstakingly sobering. Yet, Eric thoroughly enjoyed sitting with his girlfriend on her futon as they watched another episode of "Mr. Belvedere". The commercials were spent sitting close, fingers touching hair and soft unplanned kisses. The show ended and the nightly news came on. Eric yawned theatrically and Jackie smiled. "I know you aren't tired."

He took his time standing up while tucking in his shirt, "Well you know it's been a long day of drinking my misery and making out with my girlfriend."

Jackie reached out and grabbed a handful of cotton shirt. "Well, it's has been a long day of working and rescuing my boyfriend from a drunken revelry."

His arms were warm as they wrapped around her small waist. He pulled her close. "Have I told you how adorable you are?"

Jackie felt shy (again) and those damn butterflies were dancing (did they ever quit?) and she whispered, "Thank you."

He smiled, "I actually thought you were going to say something snarky."

She looked up at him through those thick dark lashes and answered, "Nothing came to mind. Kiss me now so you can go home."

He smirked, "I'll kiss you all night long Missy…but, you have to drive me home. I – no – have – car…."

Jackie's brows furrowed until she remembered she was the designated driver. "Ah hell, why don't you just spend the night and I'll take you home tomorrow."

Eric laughed loudly and vivaciously. "I like the way you think!"

She pushed at his shoulder, "Don't go getting any ideas." It was a warning. Wasn't it?

He held up his palms and warned innocently, "If you jump my bones in the middle of the night….I promise…not to stop you."

Jackie laughed, "Pig."

He smiled and replied, "Pig-let."

She tenderly touched his cheek and smiled. "We are so damned good together. Eric pulled her to him, wrapping his arm around her waist and burying his face in her curly brown hair. "You are like premium ba-con to me."

She giggled and kissed his lips. "Oink."

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September 1988

School was back in session and his students still didn't know what to do after graduation and Cindy Betz was still going braless at work. Daphne Dubois put in a request to transfer to Milwaukee and Eric didn't care one whit. He only had one person on his mind and was planning the next steps to his life which included taking Greenspan's job away from the tiresome Principal.

When he said the words aloud, Principal Forman just had a nice ring to it. Oh, and a Principal had a nice pay raise as well!

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Print Masters was busy with fall wedding announcements. Lydia was bemoaning her pregnant condition and Nadine was lamenting the fact that Doug was not interested in children. She pouted, "Can you believe he said that babies were a sexual turn off?"

Lydia smiled, "Well, maybe he's just not a fatherly type. Are you seriously in love with him or just desperate to not be alone this year?"

Nadine sipped on her soda and pondered the question. "You think I should take out an advertisement for a guy that wants kids? I would so love to be a mom."

Jackie came out of her office and heard the last part of the conversation. "Nadine…seriously, if you want kids so bad, why don't you just adopt? You can be a single mom – you have a job….no place to live, but I'm sure you can remedy that….why do you need Doug?"

Nadine looked at the floor, "I want to experience being pregnant….like Lydia."

Sensibly, Jackie responded, "Why don't you be someone's surrogate? You get to be pregnant and then give the baby to the natural parents."

Nadine's eyes lit up, "Yeah! It's all the fun of having a baby but none of the responsibility."

Lydia promptly threw up in the nearest trash bin. "Yeah…..right." She commiserated sarcastically, "All the fun my ass."

Jackie smiled and remembered her Boise phone call with Eric. "Some day is when we live together – married or not. Some day is when we have a daughter that looks just like you. Some day is when we can ask my mom to babysit and she can rock her grandchild in her arms with no pain. That is my some day." That child was bound to have dark hair and probably green eyes and of course would be freaking adorable! Now Lydia's predicament was getting Jackie's baby genes going into overdrive!

"Okay ladies, back to work. We still have three weddings and a birthday to print for!" She clapped her hands and walked back to her office. Meanwhile, Lydia looked at Nadine who smirked, "I bet she gets pregnant by next September."

Lydia grinned, "It's a bet girlfriend.!"

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October 1988

Jackie looked at all the boxes of summer clothes folded neatly into colored shaded piles. Beautiful hues of reds and azures and in the back of the closet were the warm colors of autumn/winter. No more tank tops and shorts – her tan legs would now be covered up in warm stockings and fleece type materials. Too bad, she had a really great summer this year.

All her musings about heat related activities were interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. She tossed her bikini into a box with others and reached for the phone. "Hello? This better be good because I was trying on swimwear."

There was a pause. A gulp. Finally a voice, "Hey…eh….hi."

She bit her lip and smiled, "What do you want Eric?"

"Er….I….hey, what are you doing tomorrow night?"

Jackie pursed her lips. What was she doing? "Nothing I can think of….why?"

The warm tones of his voice vibrated over the phone, "Would you like to be a chaperone at a crummy high school dance with me?"

This time she laughed, "You mean I'm finally old enough to chaperone some high school kids?"

He chuckled and replied, "Well, it's a two-fer thing. If the right people see I have this attractive woman as my date, it might bode well for the promotion I'm trying for."

"Really?" she answered a hint of amusement in her voice. "What promotion are you trying for?"

With confidence in his voice, Eric replied, "I've set my sights on taking Greenspan's position." He paused for effect and added, "It pays way more than a counsellor does."

"Well, I do like a confident man…." Jackie let the sentence run on. "So….what do you have planned for all that big money you anticipate earning?"

She was rewarded with a special sincere reply, "I plan on spending it all on my girlfriend."

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November 1988

Eric had just wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin when his mother asked, "What's the hurry Eric?" Red and Hyde looked up from the Thanksgiving dinner table. He looked a bit contrite as he admitted, "I promised Jackie I would go with her to visit her dad."

Red's brow lifted, "The dignified jailbird?"

Eric replied self-assuredly. "I mean it's not like we don't already have one in our family dad."

Hyde smirked, "Good burn Eric." He looked at Red, "Say….how is Laurie doing these days?"

Kitty could feel some tension and let out her familiar laugh, "Ahahaha….she's doing fine Steven…just knitting blankets and taking care of stray dogs."

Eric couldn't help it….he looked at Hyde and replied, "Speaking of strays….."

Red threw his napkin onto his plate. "Would you two stop? All this bickering….asinine….nonsense…." Then Red Forman sat back and realized what it really was.

In a softer tone he commented, "Doesn't this sound like….old times?"

Hyde smiled. "Yeah…it does. Mom cooking a big meal – me and Eric burning each other about Laurie….yeah, this feels good."

Kitty clapped her hands, "Oh boys….get me my camera. I need to start taking new pictures!"

Red rolled his eyes, "I didn't mean the really old times!"

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The prison dining room was cold. The metal picnic tables on concrete floor just added to the gray gloominess Eric was feeling. Earlier in the afternoon he had a wonderful dinner with his family and now he was sitting across from Mr. Jack Burkhart who was cross examining him like a lawyer.

"…..my intentions for your daughter…sir?" Eric gulped.

Jack gestured towards Jackie, "Yes boy. My daugh-ter. Why, of all the men in the world, should she be with you?"

Jackie lifted a brow as she waited for Eric's answer. He certainly looked nervous enough and she almost told her father to ease up on the questioning but still, it was a good question.

"Yeah Eric, I'd like to hear the answer too." She replied with sparkling eyes.

Eric's mouth was dry and his heart was pounding. This had to be the hardest question he ever answered. He closed his eyes and spoke as truthfully and as carefully has he could. "Sir. At some point this year….I'm going to ask your daughter to become a part of my family. Since I haven't actually asked her yet….I would ask you first for your blessing. Mr. Burkhart, I'm not a rich man and I'm certainly not a rocket scientist but…"

Jack Burkhart held up a beefy hand and laughed, "Son….I don't care what you aren't….but if my daughter loves you and you treat her right…..you'll get my blessing."

Jackie was clapping her hands and nearly jumped across the picnic table to hug her father. "Thank you daddy!" she said excitedly. "….and he treats me like a princess."

Jack smiled at his daughter and the nervous young man sitting beside her. Yes, he could forgive the teenaged Forman and his little nude "streaking" adventure and a host of all other adolescent escapades because the father could see this boy was in love with his little girl.

Jackie's eyes were beaming and he couldn't remember seeing her that happy since….well maybe at lease since that time she had the pony at her birthday party. The latter years of her life, Jack Burkhart had been a terrible father. With love and patience, Eric Forman could keep that beautiful smile on her face.

The plus side would be that Jack Burkhart could possibly get a grandson out of this!

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December 1988

Laurie blew a tuft of hair from her face, "No mom, it's not that." She tried to explain. Kitty looked down at the cage of colorful barking dogs and smiled, "Okay honey….what is it then?"

The elder Forman daughter reached into the cage and pulled out a fluffy ball of black, gray, white and tan with mysteriously blue eyes. She petted the door on the head and commanded the dog to sit. "Mom…I'd like you to meet Skipper. Your new companion dog."

Red clapped a palm to his face and muttered, "Not another animal."

Kitty delighted in the ball of fur that was furiously lapping at her hand. "How adorable." She exclaimed. "What does he do?"

Laurie looked proud as she commanded Skipper to sit, roll over and fetch. "He's been trained to pick up things you drop, bark if he smells smoke and is a great watch dog. Laurie decided to demonstrate. "Mom, grab that spoon on the table and push it off onto the floor."

The steel spoon fell and clattered noisily while Skipper looked at the item curiously, his head swiveling from master to object. Kitty said, "…oops!" Skipper tread over on stealthy paws and picked up the spoon between his teeth and handed it back to the older woman.

Kitty smiled, "Isn't he just so clever?"

Red groaned, "Sure, but you won't be picking up the yard dear."

Laurie laughed, "He is trained to only go in one area and he sleeps in a crate at night."

Kitty couldn't believe that Laurie was giving her a puppy….much less a Christmas present! The dog was so precious and adorable that Kitty kept dropping things just to watch Skipper pick it back up. Red grunted, "Not my keys again! There is only so much dog spit a man can take!"

She laughed a happy laugh and came around the table to hug her daughter, "Laurie, honey…this is the nicest thing you have ever done for me."

Laurie smiled sheepishly before exclaiming, "Oh! I have something for daddy too!"

Red's head did a 360 at hearing he had a Christmas present also. "I hope it's not an animal or something living."

Laurie smiled and slid a brown paper wrapped gift across the table. "I made it."

The father untied the twine that bound the gift his daughter made for him. Surprisingly, it was a beautiful colored wool scarf that matched his winter coat. The tiny knitted stitches were all even and it looked like it had come from some weavers loom. He cleared his throat, "Well thank you Laurie, I will always wear it."

The visit was nice. There was a new calm about Laurie Forman. A fresh maturity. Red didn't want to admit that maybe jail was a good thing for his daughter but this was… refreshing! Laurie didn't whine or cry when visiting hours were over, instead she said, "Come back in two weeks and I get to show you around!"

They hugged and wished "Merry Christmas" and a leashed Skipper walked alongside his new master as they left the jailhouse.

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Eric handed Jackie a mug of hot cocoa and was rewarded with a soft hand pulling his head down for a kiss. He smiled against her lips, "So…you like Christmas, eh?"

She laughed softly, "I love Christmas." She really did and the Forman's house was the stereotypical interpretation of a Christmas done up well by Norman Rockwell. The oven issued smells of a large turkey slowly baking for the midday dinner to come. Mistletoe hung over every threshold and garland decorated every banister and bookcase available.

A drunken Bob Pinciotti was still snoring on the couch, hungover from last night's revelries. Kitty whipped up a wicked batch of eggnog and it just splayed Bob out before the Christmas Eve gifts were distributed. His wig askew and one hairy arm was hanging over the cushion still holding his empty mug while Skipper was licking the face of this rotund stranger. "Ohhhh…. Joanne….Bob loooves the way you kiss." He uttered in his drunken slumber.

Jackie held a hand over her mouth as she squelched back giggle, "He was so wasted last night."

Eric nodded his head in agreement. "I think Bob spends too much time alone….that juggling act last night wasn't pretty."

She smiled again. "So…what did you get me for Christmas?"

Eric wagged his finger. "Uh uh uh…." He sing-songed, "Not until after dinner. You just have to wait. It's a tradition in this house."

Jackie nodded knowingly, "Yeah…just like the mistletoe story your mom told last night."

Eric grinned. "All true. In fact, last year she sent me to the attic to find that piece of mistletoe."

(✿◠‿◠)

Giggling, Kitty tugged the top of the shoe box to reveal pair of silk slippers with floral embroidery and a brilliant white fur trim sitting in a nest of yellow tissue paper. The slippers were exquisite and obviously cost Red Forman a pretty penny, but what really caught Kitty's eye was the little spray of mistletoe neatly wrapped in a red ribbon. Bright plastic holly berries were glued to the spray and a little slip of paper read, "Merry Christmas Kitty"

She smiled a secret smile. It seemed that even if Red Forman was thousands of miles away from her – at this moment, this very moment he was here. In her heart and in her house and her fingers were touching something that only his hands had held before.

This sprig of mistletoe was a kiss – a promise and when they got married and they would get married – the holly berries would be the first ornament on their first Christmas tree.

(✿◠‿◠)

Jackie smiled, "Very romantic story. So when you get my holly berries….they better not be dead." She winked and Eric laughed. "You know, I think it's time to help out in the kitchen."

Jackie struggled to her feet, "Lydia better get her big prego belly over here if she wants to eat good before baby Parsons arrives."

"Taylor is a nervous wreck." Eric exclaimed as they walked into the kitchen. "He can't fathom the whole breast feeding thing."

Red looked up, "Please don't talk about food and boobs in the same room. I'm getting ready to feast."

Laughing, Jackie bestowed a kiss on the elder Forman's forehead. "I adore you sir but we need to serve lunch so I can find out what Eric got me for Christmas!"

Red smiled. This was his first real Christmas dinner in years. Kitty went all out and Midge helped with the heavy lifting. It was fine that Bob was passed out on the couch because when no one was looking, Red Forman had tasted a little bit of everything. So much sampling, in fact, he had to loosen the button on his pants. Of course he wasn't going to tell his wife!

Skipper's nose appeared through the swinging door as the Aussie Shepard was looking for his mistress. He caught her scent and bounded away on puppy legs and a friendly bark towards Midge. "Oh Kitty!" she exclaimed, "I didn't know you got another doggie."

"He was a gift from Laurie. Ahahaha…..a gift…..miracles do happen." Kitty laughed. Midge didn't know why, but she was laughing too.

Eric's wry smile started Jackie giggling and even Red joined in the laughter.

It was a wonderful Christmas day in the Forman house for a change.

It was also going to get much better!

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A/N: Wow….this was extraordinarily long wasn't it?