Chapter 2
August 1979
She paced the floor, silence blanketing the room besides the white noise of Eric on the phone as she waited. That morning, true to her word, she drove to the pharmacy in a neighboring town, bought five tests, and locked herself in the bathroom. The tests took a long time, so she lay them on the edge of the tub, and sat in her bedroom, watching the timer tick.
"Jackie, stop pacing." He scolded through the phone. "How do you know I'm pacing?" She asked, teasingly, but her voice shook.
"Because, you're nervous. And I can hear you. I'm sure everything will be fine." He told her, and she jumped when the timer she placed on her nightstand went off. "Is that it?" He asked. She shut the timer off, swallowing thickly.
"Eric, I'm scared." She admitted weakly, and he yawned into the receiver. "I'm right here with you, you just need to look."
She walked over, peering through the door, gasping.
"What?" Eric asked.
Staring back at her on the edge of her pale pink tub, were five little plus signs. Tears brimmed hot in her eyes, and her nose burned. God she hated that feeling.
"Jackie?" He asked, but was met with a choked out sob.
"Eric, they're positive." She cried. Maybe not with sadness. She was anything but sad about being pregnant. Sure it's not what she planned. She was scared because she was alone, no job. But, she was sad for the child she was about to bring into the world. Eric coughed awkwardly, bringing her back into the present moment.
"Well, looks like you were right, Jacks." He no longer sounded tired. She sniffled. "Please don't hang up." She mumbled. "I can stay up longer." His voice was soft, like it was the other night. "It's gonna be okay."
November 1984
She woke before Tyler this morning.
She lay in bed, looking at the ceiling, before smiling. She remembered Eric leading her upstairs, promising to lock the door for her. She stretched, before getting up.
She started by letting Shelby out, showering, and drinking her morning coffee in solitude. She dressed herself in jeans and a black shirt with a blue corvette on it, with a pair of matching baby blue converse. She dusted on her makeup, and tied a black hoodie around her waist. The gang would be here soon, but Tyler rarely ever slept in, so she was enjoying it. Soon enough, Eric swung through the door, wearing jeans, a sweater, and tennis shoes.
He was bulkier now that we was older and decided that food and the gym were important. He also had a home to look after and actual work to do. But, Africa had started his whole journey. She handed him a cup of coffee, and a doughnut. He thanked her.
Soon enough, Fez, and the Kelso family arrived.
"Aunt Jackie, Uncle Eric!" She squealed. The two greeted their niece. Brooke hugged Jackie, who placed her mug in the sink.
"Behave yourselves!" Brooke called. "Don't burn down my house!" Jackie added.
Jackie climbed in the car, grinning.
"Ah, I needed a grown up day." She smiled at Brooke, who nodded enthusiastically. "You're single, and I have Michael, which is like another kid." She joked, and Jackie laughed, starting her '67 Chevelle, and grinning when it purred to life. That was one thing that was still true. She loved cars, so when the Lincoln shit the bed, she traded it for the Chevelle. She named her Midnight, because it was Midnight Blue, and when Tyler was old enough she planned to start showing her how to do maintenance on it also, just like Red once taught her. Jackie never needed a mechanic.
"So, how are you feeling about Steven coming back? Michael told me yesterday, and he's excited but... He still holds a grudge from Sam, and our wedding." She explained. Jackie swallowed thickly.
"Honestly, I'm not feeling too good, especially because it's a holiday, so he's gonna be meeting Ty, who's basically a tiny version of him. Things are just going so good right now. I don't wanna rock the boat." She confessed. Brooke was a safe zone for her. Brooke had eventually gone back to school to get a Psychology degree after having Betsy, and now she had a great job helping kids in situations like Hyde and her's and even Betsy. So she knew Brooke held not even an ounce of judgement. But, she knew Brooke would be on her side regardless. She was there for her throughout the pregnancy. "How's the baby?" She asked, motioning towards Brooke's small bump. She grinned.
"Oh, it's fantastic!" She rested a hand over her bump. "I haven't had any morning sickness at all, and no pain." She told Jackie, gushing. They finally pulled into the parking lot, backing in, and walking over to the arrivals. Brooke, who was taller, still had the same beautiful brown hair. She wore Jeans and a blue cardigan, and wore an army jacket over her. Her wedding band glinted on her finger, and she smiled up at her friend.
A sight made her catch her breath. Donna was walking through the gate, clearly agitated, and Steven trailed behind her.
"Donna!" He called, and Jackie moved out of sight, but still in ear shot.
"Hyde, I don't know what you want me to say!" She growled. He scoffed. Hyde looked the same, but he had a beard this time around.
"Maybe, hey Hyde, my childhood friend. Nice to see you, let's grab a beer." He pushed. Donna laughed. "You hurt Jackie, you hurt Eric, my fiancé, you haven't spoken to Fez since you were here two years ago, and you blew off Kelso's wedding. So yeah, Hyde, we're all pretty pissed at you. I gotta go, my friends are waiting for me." She told him, before leaving him in the crowd.
Her hair was red again, unlike years ago, and she wore jeans and a simple long-sleeve Zeppelin shirt with a jacket. Donna smiled, when she saw Jackie's Chevelle. "Hey, girls!" She ran over, suitcase in hand, and embraced the smallest one first, and setting her suitcase near the trunk. Jackie opened the trunk, and placed the suitcase inside as her and Brooke embraced.
"Let me tell you, it has been the longest week ever. Mom, where's Aunt Donna? UncleEric, where's Auntie Donna? Why isn't Auntie Donna coming?" Jackie mimicked her daughter, laughing, before climbing into her Chevelle, followed by her two girl friends.
"Well, I got her some cool stuff, so hopefully she'll forgive me for going to Calanorna." Donna joked, as they peeled out of the airport. "So, Mani-Pedis and lunch, and if us elderly aren't too wiped, maybe we can go shopping." Brooke piped up.
"Yes, but, I have some news." Donna wrung her hands, smiling. Brooke looked at her, and Jackie gasped. "I'm pregnant!"
"You're pregnant!" The two squealed, and Jackie pulled into the parking lot of the nail salon. "Nails on me, ladies!" Brooke smiled. "To celebrate our new niece or nephew!"
"And, lunch on me. Same reason!" Jackie declared, before pouting at the colors in front of her. The nail tech came over, and Jackie offered her to pick a color for her. She wound up with bright blue, as the three sat in relaxation for their pedicures.
As a mother, Jackie rarely had time to herself, as well as Brooke. Donna would soon figure that out, but that was for later. Right now, even though Steven was closer than she would like for him to be, she was glad that she had her best friends here, and she was excited for Eric and Donna to move into this new chapter of their lives together.
Lunch was chosen by Donna, and they wound up at a cute diner off the highway, where Jackie ordered a tuna melt, Brooke a BLT, and Donna a bacon burger. They all ordered milkshakes, Jackie opting for a cookies and cream one, Donna a chocolate, and Brooke a strawberry. They sat in the booth, too stuffed to move, and Jackie gave them her credit card.
The studio she worked at paid well. She was in charge of hair and makeup, behind the scenes work, and she was more than happy about it. She had earned an associates degree and her esthetician's license. She also worked in Miluakee, like Eric, for Wake Up Wisconsin. She also had her trust fund, and the money from when she sold her parents house after Pam decided that she no longer wanted Jackie because she had a child out of wedlock.
Making their way back to the car, they drove back to Jackie's, and found Eric playing on the swing-set with Tyler. Donna smiled at the relationship the two had. Eric was hyper sensitive to the fact that his best friend kind of left Jackie in the dust, and worked double at his Godfather duties. Twice a week to the park, gifts, the swing set being one of them. He refused to put up a fence between their backyard. He was with her almost every day. She could only imagine the dedication he would put into being a good dad for his own children.
He was also extra sweet with Jackie, a huge turn around, and a shock to her system when he had finally returned from Africa. She walked down the driveway, and Tyler's eyes lit up. "Mommy, Aunt Donna, Aunt Brooke!" She cried, bounding down the driveway, before landing wrong. It felt as if in slow motion, when she heard the crack as her daughter landed on her arm.
She rushed over, hearing Tyler burst into sobs, as did Shelby and Sam, who sniffed around curiously, licking Tyler's face.
"Let Mommy see." Jackie soothed. The three year old guarded her arm. "No, Mama, it hurts!"
She didn't need to move any more for Jackie to see the mangled mess, but Kelso moved quickly, putting her in his back seat with Jackie, and escorted them to the hospital with his siren. Fez, Eric and Donna showed up soon after, but Kelso and Brooke had to go home.
"Uncle Fez, have you ever broke your arm?" The child asked, looking up at her through curly hair. He shook his head. "No, but one time I had my appendix out. It really hurt." He told her. "Tell me a story?" She asked him, and he nodded. "Very well. Once upon a time, in a land far away, on Planet Purltopia, there lived a little alien princess..."
Jackie stopped listening, instead taking in her daughter's ridiculous outfit of a fluffy blue tutu, black stretch pants, high tops, a Led Zeppelin t-shirt, and a denim jacket. She had a bright yellow bow in her hair, and now had on a neon green cast. She looked at Eric.
"Why would you let her dress like that? She looks like nobody owns her." She giggled, and Donna laughed when Eric explained how Tyler has magic mind control powers and told him how she wanted to be a rock n' roll princess. Jackie had to quickly get over the sadness that Led Zeppelin brought her, because it ended up becoming Tyler's favorite band. She was just like Steven in so many ways.
Kitty walked into the room with Laurie, and Tyler waved, clearly uncomfortable. "Hi Mimi, hi Auntie Laurie."
"Oh, hi sweetheart." She cooed at her niece, kneeling beside her on the floor. Laurie, now twenty six, was engaged to Fez and owned her own beauty salon with him. She pecked Fez on the lips. Her hair was now longer, and permed, but she still looked good with it. She wore a blue pencil skirt, with a flowy top tucked in, like she had been at work, but really she was at a convention, and came over as soon as she found out.
"We're getting discharged soon, but they gave her some medicine because she was really nervous, and in a lot of pain." Jackie explained, voice tired. She leaned against the wall, head back, closing her eyes.
Being a mom was hard. The emotions when your kid gets sick or hurt, we're indescribable. Nobody ever told her or warned her about this part. She briefly wondered if Steven would have-
She shook the thought. She didn't need to think about that. He was gone, she tried, but he wouldn't hear it. She looked down at the product of their relationship, and smiled.
Look at all the good it had brought.