April 29th, 1983

7:02 pm

Jackie and Hyde's apartment

"I realized something today" commented Jackie, sitting on the couch with a glass of wine.

Steven had had to go to Point Place to check on Groove's. He hadn't been much there in the past months after all of what had happened with him and Jackie, but fortunately the store had been running smoothly. Ryan needs a raise, he thought, pouring himself a glass of wine and snuggling next to Jackie on the couch.

"What is it?" asked him. He was curious, Jackie had a weird smile on her face. Half amused, half something else.

She had spent most of the day with Betsy and Brooke. They had gone shopping after lunch and then had gone to the Forman's for tea. After driving her friend and goddaughter home, she had wondered about town for a little while. It felt like ages since she had been there last. And then she'd driven past her childhood home. She'd stopped there for a moment, looking at tiny details, thinking of a past life.

"Well… I was driving by my old house and I realized that I am not the same person that I was before" she said, pulling herself back from thoughts about her old house.

"Everybody knows that, Doll" replied him. "You've changed a lot from the girl that grew up in that house"

"I don't mean that… it's something even more practical" she said, frowning slightly.

"Like…" asked Steven trying to understand.

"Well… back then I was Jack and Pam Burkhart's daughter, right?" she began; then paused.

"But you haven't been that for a while now… you said so yourself before we moved to Madison" replied him, not really understanding where she was trying to get.

"Yes… but I am not that person anymore either" she replied, frowning again.

"What do you mean?"

"Well… Back then I was Jackie Burkhart, junior TV producer and all of that" Jackie explained. "And then I was… well, just a big mess" she said, with a sad sigh.

"Don't say that…" whispered him, brushing a tear off her cheek. "You were just grieving, we both were". She sighed, deeply.

"I know… and I am ok with that now…" she told him, smiling sweetly. "And we are fine" she added, kissing him lightly on the lips and hugging him, resting her head on his chest.

"Ok… so what does any of this have to do with your childhood home?" asked him after a small silence.

Jackie sat inside the car for a while, looking at the house. It was almost the same as it had always been. The new owners had just painted the window frames and the front door; there were two cars in the driveway, and there was a swing hanging from a branch of the big tree on the left side of the house.

She was about to turn the engine back on when a maid rounded the house from the back to put a bag of trash in the can by the driveway. It was Martina, the same woman that had worked in that house most of her life. Without even thinking, Jackie jumped out of the car and called her name.

They talked for a while. Martina had always been very nice to her. She had been a loving figure when her mother was away with a new boyfriend, and especially whenever her dad was working late. Martina was one of the only good things about that house. Jackie was glad that the new owners had hired her when they bought the house.

"She saw the ring and asked about it" explained Jackie, looking at her left hand "She couldn't believe me when I told her that we'd eloped" she paused for a moment, a wonderous look in her eyes. "And that's when it really hit me: we are married"

"Just now?" asked him, chuckling. "It's been like three months, you know" added him. She punched him softly in the shoulder, chuckling.

"Yeah… but I have been so cooped up since the accident that I hadn't had the opportunity to… I don't know… socialize it… say it out loud"

"And we only told the family a couple of weeks ago" he agreed, seing her point.

"Yes… That, and the fact that we don't have wedding bands" added her.

/-/-/-/

April 30th, 1983

1:24 pm

Groove's

It was a really cold day outside and Jackie was glad to be sitting on the couch with a big warm cup of hot cocoa between her chilled hands. She had just come in after walking from the apartment. At the time, Steven had decided to buy that apartment because it was just a couple of blocks from the store. He had become accustomed to leave the car home and walk to the store every day, and Jackie had gotten used to that too. But today she wished she'd taken the car.

"Just 15 more minutes, Doll" Steven told her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, and going back to the register with Ryan.

"Hey!" called a voice from the back door and Jackie turned around to see Leo's grinning face "Loud girl is here!"

"Hi, Leo" replied Jackie, smiling too.

Despite his look and her original prejudices, truth is, Jackie had always liked him. There was something soothing about him. He was always smiling pleasantly; his voice was soft and relaxed, and his demeanor was always chill. Of course, sometimes he could be unnerving, being so unfocussed and drifty; but Jackie especially liked him because – along with Red and Kitty, he'd been one of Steven's biggest supporters.

They talked for a while and when Steven was ready to go, they left Leo sitting on the couch, looking dreamily into infinity.