Just something that's been rattling in my mind! Let me know what you think. :3

POINT PLACE, WISCONSIN.

OCTOBER 31rst, 1981.

8:47 p.m.

LOCATION: The Forman's Kitchen

"Hi Sweetie, this is your mother calling to wish you a spooky Halloween! Although, it doesn't sound as nice over the phone!" Kitty Forman says with all the passive aggression she can muster. "Maybe if you came to visit every once in a while- yes, I know you and Donna have been busy with work." The small woman rolls her eyes and drums her fingers on the counter in irritation. It wasn't fair, that redhead harlot got to spend every waking moment with her little boy while his own mother had to beg for some quality time! Wasn't it enough that he moved away as soon as he came home from Africa?

Unfortunately, any time she mentioned making time in his schedule for some bonding time a small tiff would ensue. She could practically hear him twitching over the line. Better change the subject. "Anyways, how have things been at school?"

It only takes five minutes of Eric's bragging about his new job as a substitute teacher for her to lose interest. Normally she would want to hear all about his successful career, but it got old after the twentieth time. "Oh, that's nice dear. Did I mention that I made your favorite pumpkin pancakes with little jack-o-lantern faces this morning? Your father absolutely adored them! What did Donna make you?" she interjects. Perhaps by reminding him of all the delicious food that he was missing out on, it will provide some incentive to visit more often.

Her plan quickly backfires. Suddenly, her face scrunches up into a scowl. Count Chocula? For goodness sakes- no, she must resist! "That... sounds yummy." Like hell it was! Sugary, chocolate cereal was hardly a suitable breakfast for a hardworking, young man. Her poor baby was going to starve to death if that masculine feminist didn't learn how to cook a proper meal!

"So, how about next weekend you two come down here for Veterans Day? We'll be having Johnny Gibson play his guitar at the barbecue- you remember, Janet's boy from down the street? It'll be so fun!" The teenager was a handsome young man, and such a great singer too! The neighbours would flock to the Forman's party this year, that's for sure. Even her grumpy husband enjoyed when the boy sang 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee' at the 4th of July shindig Bob hosted.

Much to her great dismay, her son begins to pull together an excuse that will guarantee his absence. "Well, I just hope you're going to be here for Thanksgiving. Otherwise, your father won't be the only one threatening to put a foot up your a-s-s!" She laughs a little maniacally. She really wants to yell at him for being an ungrateful, little liar but she knows it would only do more harm than good.

"Love you, honey. Bye!" After slamming the phone back onto the hook, Kitty stomps into the living room. Red looks up from the television and tries not to wince when he notices the distraught face his wife has on.

"So... how's the Dumbass?" the bald man smiles hesitantly. He knows what's coming and it isn't pretty.

She marches straight to their minibar and pulls out a bottle of white wine. "Wonderful!" said Kitty angrily.

Just as he opens his mouth to at least try to console her, the doorbell rings. "Hold that thought." Red stands and walks over the door, upon opening it, he finds a group of children dressed up in costumes. Great, just what he needed.

"Trick or treat!" They all sing while holding out their bags and buckets.

"Beat it, we ran out of candy an hour ago."

The kids all give each other conflicted looks. No candy? A boy dressed as a pirate, probably their leader, steps up to the older man. "Mr. Forman, it's Halloween. You know the rules; either you give us a treat or we get to play a trick on you," he states firmly. His entourage immediately voices their agreement, but a few stand silent and look warily at the grown-up. Anyone who had known Mr. Forman long enough knew that he did not respond well to threats, no matter what age they were.

Red grins menacingly at this. Boy, this twerp didn't have a clue who he was messing with. "Oh yeah? How's about this for a trick?" He reaches over and pulls a rope cleverly disguised as a decorative noose. Without warning, a grim reaper falls from the roof and hangs in front of the porch. The children scream, absolutely terrified, and run away at a pace that would put any Olympic sprinter to shame.

"Happy Halloween!" Red laughs wickedly and waves to the kids. After walking back inside, he finds his wife with an unimpressed demeanour. "Oh come on, that was funny!"

Shaking her head at her husband, Kitty goes to flop herself onto the couch. "Oh Red, it feels so lonely here without the kids around." Eric and Donna were in Madison, both still in college. Eric was working on his credentials to become a teacher and Donna had gotten a position at the local radio station. Then, after Steven and Jackie got back together, they left for a fresh start in Milwaukee. There, W.B. had given his son a new job and Jackie was now a co-host on a popular talk show called, "What's New Wisconsin?". And last year, Fez had moved to Chicago to study theatre, living in the same apartment complex as Kelso and his family.

As for Laurie... well, about 5 months ago, she had sent them a postcard from Los Angeles.

"What's wrong with living in Point Place? We have great neighborhoods, nice people, the mall and as of yesterday, a Taco Bell! A freakin' Taco Bell, Red!" she wails and waves her hands in the air, upset. The town was much more cultured now!

Red sighs and sits next to the blonde. He brings her into his arms and gives her a big squeeze, thus relaxing her. "Kitty, calm down. This is what happens when you're a parent; the baby birds hatch from their eggs, grow up and fly out of the nest." He pauses for a minute. "Granted, only one out of the six eggs belonged to us, but they're gone now. Out in the world and living their own lives, as adults should." Although he always pretended to be relieved by the lack of kids hanging around his basement, he did sympathize with Kitty. Sometimes the house felt too quiet, almost to the point where it was pretty lonely. He missed bantering with Eric during breakfast, having car talk with Steven, and catching Kelso playing a prank. He missed Jackie's loud ranting and Donna's sarcasm. Hell, he even missed making foreigner jokes (threats) at Fez.

He loved them like family, but they also needed to learn how to be on their own. Rather than all of them staying in Point Place, stuck and unfulfilled, he wanted them to branch out. They were young, there was so much for them to see and experience.

Leaning into his embrace, Kitty contemplates her husband's words. He's not wrong, in fact, she agrees with him wholeheartedly. She was very well aware of the big dreams each one of them cultivated since they were tiny. And none of that could be achieved in a low-income suburb of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Still, it would be sweet if her babies could fly back to the nest one day.

Without warning, a dozen of small impacts hit the door and windows. The splatting noises caused them to jump from their seats. What in the hell just happened? Realization sets in and Kitty can't help but let out a soft chuckle. "Speaking of eggs."

Furious, the former Navy soldier darts after the scoundrels. "Hey! You damn kids, wait till I get my hands on you!" Is all that can be heard, along with several shrieks, from the open doorway.

Kitty laughs nervously and pours more liquor into her glass. Hopefully, the neighbours don't see her husband chasing around their children. That would really make for an awkward conversation next weekend.

Looking around the house in a somewhat bored manner, she frowns. What now?

"Oh, I know! I'll call Steven!" With that idea, she hurries off back into the kitchen.