Chapter 10

They Should Really Tell You That

"Well mind you I'm going to order a blood test to confirm, but it appears Miss Burkhardt that you are about two months along in your pregnancy." Dr Carpenter says to a shocked room.

Mrs Forman squeals in delight.

At the same time Hyde and Jackie are looking at the doctor dumbfounded. Both speaking simultaneously, "Wait, What?"

"Well Miss Burkhardt the doctor that prescribed you the antibiotics should have told you that while you were taking that medication the birth control pill is no longer effective and that you needed to use an alternative type of birth control."

Again Jackie and Hyde answer simultaneously, "We did." Both have a slightly embarrassed look talking about their sex life in front of their mother like this. The whole while Mrs Forman is just sitting there with that ridiculously huge smile on her face.

"Well it would appear that both forms of birth control failed."

Jackie lets go of Hyde's hand, and scoots off the table. She feels kinda like she is in some type of dream. It's like everything is happening in slow motion. I mean, could I really be pregnant? What am I going to do? I have no job, nowhere to live, and no husband. Oh my God Steven is going to think I did this on purpose to trap him."I gotta get out of here, I can't breathe." Feeling slightly lightheaded, everything begins to swirl and my legs begin to give out.

"Jackie baby you are you all right?" Hyde yelps as he catches Jackie and helps her to sit in the chair next to Mrs Forman, who still seems to be in some sort of shock. Hyde appears to have regained some Zen and is apparently handling things better than the two women in his life.

Dr Carpenter opens the door and calls for the nurse to bring Jackie some water and to withdraw the blood for the pregnancy test. The nurse appears almost immediately with the water. She comes back within a matter of minutes with the supplies she will need for the blood test.

The nurse has Jackie get back up on the table so she can start. Retrieving the sample takes just a couple of minutes.

"Ok Miss Burkhardt you are all set. At this point the blood test is just a mere formality. I have written you a prescription for PreNatal vitamins. Try eating some saltine crackers and drinking some ginger ale first thing in the morning. I noticed that you are underweight Miss Burkhardt. I don't know if that is a result of the morning sickness, the stress, or a combination of both. You really need to keep the stress to a minimum, and try some foods that agree with you, so that you can gain some of your weight back." Dr Carpenter says sweetly to Jackie, while giving Hyde a sharp look.

"Now I could recommend a fellow doctor for your follow up care Miss Burkhardt, but I'm sure Grandma Kitty knows the doctors just as well as I do, Isn't that right Grandma Kitty." Dr Carpenter says to Kitty with a smile that matches hers.

Just as the doctor makes his way to the door to give them some privacy, he sees Kitty jump up and run over to the table where Jackie is sitting rather quietly. Jackie looks even paler than when she arrived for her appointment. Mrs Forman takes Jackie's hands in hers, and pulls Jackie into a tight hug. "Oh Jackie you are going to make me a Grandma, I thought this was never going to happen. I had all but given up hope, especially with Donna being a feminist, Laurie being a tramp, and well Steven has been such a dumbass lately." She says with her trademark laugh.

Jackie looks at Mrs Forman, "You mean you're not disappointed in me? I mean we are not married, I don't have a job, or anywhere to live. Don't you think that I'm just like Laurie. Just a tramp trying to trap Steven." Jackie asks sincerely with tears rolling her cheeks,trying hard to not look at Steven.

"Oh dear, I could never think that of you. Sweet, sweet girl. I know how much you Love my Steven. You would never do such a thing. God's blessings come at just the right time, and if you ask me a baby is the greatest blessing."Steven, I'm going to go speak to the doctor, you need to help Jackie here get dressed so we can get her home."

"I can get myself dressed" Jackie answers quickly, not really wanting to be alone with Steven yet. He's either going to be mad thinking she did this on purpose to trap him into marriage, or his Zen will be back in full force. She's not sure she can handle either right now.

"Of Course you can dear, it would make me feel better knowing that you're not alone while I go speak to Doctor Carpenter." Kitty has a few questions for the doctor, and she would rather ask them in private.

"Here Jackie, Let me help you." Hyde offers.

Jackie and Hyde are finally alone in the Room

"Steven, go ahead and yell at me. Tell me how I have ruined everything. Well, say something Steven. You haven't said anything to me since the doctor gave us the news.

"Jackie I have no idea what I'm thinking or feeling right now. This is crazy. I do know that I'm not going to yell at you, and you haven't ruined anything. I'm pretty sure that if I remember biology class right, I had just as much to do with this as you did." Hyde helps her down and hands her her clothes so she can get dressed.

"Steven, this is not how I planned my barely got back together, and now I found out that I'm pregnant. You don't think that I did this on purpose do you, because I would never do that to you and I would especially never bring a baby into the world who wasn't wanted." Jackie feels like she's going to crumble.

Hyde tilts Jackie's head with a finger under her chin up so that they are eye to eye, "Grasshopper I would never, ever accuse you of doing something like that. I don't know what we are going to do, but I do know that we are going to figure it out together. I promise."

Hyde finishes helping Jackie get dressed. Mrs Forman knocks on the door. She asks if they are ready to go home. They leave and head for home. Jackie and Hyde still seem to be shocked. Mrs Forman is still smiling. When they get home Mrs Forman insists that Jackie take a nap and rest. She tells the kids that she will make her famous chicken noodle soup for dinner. Hyde goes to the pharmacy to get Jackie's vitamins, to pick her up some ginger ale, and crackers.

A Little While Later

Hyde is parked outside of his old house. He just sits there staring. He hates this part of his life for so many reasons. A part of him still feels like that dirty kid that nobody wanted around. Man why did life have to be so cruel to him. When he was little he always wished his dad would come back. His Ma resented him. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't make her happy. At first he would always try to do good in school, help around the house and to stay out of trouble. As time went on his Ma grew more and more disinterested in him. First his grades slipped, and when that didn't work his behaviour changed. She still didn't notice or care. She would mock him and tell him he was a good for nothing just like his father. He grew to hate Bud even more. It was like every bad thing about him he got from his deadbeat father.

Then his Ma up and left him too. What kind of Mother does that. Lord knows he didn't ask for much from the woman. He didn't expect warm meals or affection from her. All he wanted was for her to keep a roof over his head and to keep the utilities on, and yet that was too much to ask from someone who was supposed to love him unconditionally and always be there for him.

Hyde slammed his fist on the steering wheel. He really truly hated his mother. She had lied to him for most of his life. Edna Hyde had let him believe that his dad didn't give a shit about him. The whole time he had a real dad and she kept him from him. His dad was not only cool, but also loved Hyde.

In so many ways he feels cheated out of the life he could have had with William Barnett. One thing is for sure his life is better because she left. He is truly grateful for the Formans. His Ma left him, but in return he got a family. He got a real mother and father. Not the kind that gives up on you either. They expect you to actually try and make something of yourself. Hyde wasn't perfect, he made mistakes, lots of them. The Formans were still in his corner even after his numerous fuck ups.

Now he was going to be a dad. He knew that he didn't want his kid to grow up the way he did. He wanted his kid to have the life he had with the Formans. He was going to be there for his kid, no matter what. More than that though he was going to be there for Jackie too. He knows what he needs to do, now he just has to find the courage.

First, before he can do what he needs to do he needs to man up and admit that he has no idea what he's doing. He is going to ask the one person that can help him. If he was ever grateful to have a dad, now was that time.