Chapter 3
September 1979
The first of the month settled over Point Place, bringing them into Monday. The first thing she did that morning was schedule a doctor's appointment. That part was easy.
The hard part? Well, she entered the sliding glass door that had become so familiar, and looked at Kitty, who was baking cookies.
The woman cried with her, holding her tight.
"Sweetheart, I can't begin to tell you how disappointed in Steven I am. I'll give you the number that he gave me." She told her. "I want you to know I'm with you through it all." She had told her. Laurie, who was living at home again, had surprisingly stood in solidarity with the girl, and offering her help in whatever way she could.
When she got home afterward, she called the number that Kitty had given her. A few rings, and he picked up. "Hello?"
"Steven, it's Jackie." She swallowed her pride. He laughed. "Fuck off." The line went dead.
She understood, so she called back, and got his voicemail. "Listen, I know you don't want to talk to me. You're mad, and I understand. Michael and I didn't sleep together, he's working things out with Brooke for Betsy. I have something kind of important to tell you. Anyways, it's not really about me. Well, it is, but not really. I know you know my phone number, but..." She trailed off, voice shaking. "Anyway, have fun on your trip."
She dialed the next phone number, asking for him by name, and he picked up almost immediately.
"Hello?" He was groggy, it was the middle of the day for her, which meant it was the middle of the night for him. She was in hysterics, telling him how she didn't know what to do. He woke up, telling her about how Hyde was an asshole, and explaining to her that his program finished early because he did so well, and he would be home next month to start college.
She smiled, calming down slightly, before he said something that hadn't yet occurred to her. "You should tell Donna." She heard him moving around in bed.
She apologized for the call, and he told her not to worry, he was there for her, but to call her best friend because she deserved to know.
She did one better. She showed up in Madison. The drive was only an hour, and she knocked on the door frantically. The door opened, and a blonde answered the door. Jackie coughed awkwardly, remembering that she probably looked distraught. She was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, and her hair was in a messy ponytail.
"Is Donna home?" She asked, swallowing thickly. The redhead eventually would wind up at the door, raising an eyebrow at the girl's disheveled appearance.
"Jackie?" The girl was shocked. She sniffled, and gave a weak smile. "Donna, your roots are showing." She motioned to the red poking out over the blonde.
"You look awful." She gave her weakly, coughing as her roommate watched them. "Why don't we go into my room."
Donna's apartment was cute. It wasn't huge, it had a living room and a kitchen combined. The walls were white, but they were decorated. She scoffed at the girl who watched them. "Who's the freak?" She asked, once they were behind closed doors.
The bedroom was a pale blue, rock and roll posters flooded the walls, pictures of them littered the room along with pictures of the gang.
"My roommate. She's annoying." Donna huffed, sitting on her chair, fiddling with her rubix cube. "So, why are you..." She gestured broadly at her appearance.
Jackie looked at her.
"I'm pregnant."
November 1984
The week had passed by in a flash, and by Wednesday night, Betsy and Tyler decided they wanted a sleepover at Mimi and Grampy's house. So Jackie packed a bag, and dropped the girl off with Donna in her El Dorado. Holding Ty on one hip, and her bag in the other, she entered through the sliding glass door. Donna followed, laughing at the girl, who practically bounced out of her arms.
"Mimi! Mimi!" Tyler bounded into the living room. She froze. "Who that?" Jackie rushed into the living room, getting dizzy. Her eyes fell on Hyde, who shifted uncomfortably. "I'm Hyde." He looked at the young girl, who wore a pink skirt, and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt. Her hair was in a side ponytail with a matching pink bow. Jackie handed her bag to Donna, scooping Tyler up in her arms.
"Kitty?" She called nervously.
"Jackie! I tried to call you, I-" She caught Steven's tight lipped expression. "Steven's here." She reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Hi 'Teven." Tyler waved. "I'm Tyler. And that's Aunt Donna." She pointed at the redhead, who nodded at the girl. She gripped Jackie's face in her hand, her cast getting in the way. "And this is Mama."
He was wearing sunglasses. But his breath hitched.
"Mama." He repeated. "Uh-huh. Mimi, where's Betsy?"
"Betsy is upstairs in your Uncle Eric's old room. Why don't you go find her, and I'll go put your stuff away." She suggested, laughing nervously. Jackie bent down. "Give Mama a kiss goodnight." She told her, and Tyler gave her one, wrapping her tiny arms around her neck. "Good night, Mama." She mumbled. "Give Unca Eric kiss too." She told Donna, kissing her cheek. "Good night Auntie."
Jackie watched her daughter trot up the stairs, before grinning at Donna. "That's gonna be your baby soon."
"Donna has a kid?" Steven asked incredulously. "You have a kid?" He asked again.
Jackie shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, Hyde, I do have a kid." She told him. "And, I'm pregnant. No baby yet." Donna told him. Her voice held malice, but somehow, Jackie's was even and calm. "You would have known, had you been here five years ago." Donna fired back at him. Hyde cleared his throat. "Right."
Jackie shifted uncomfortably, when Kitty came back in through the door, an apology written on her face, and the girls walked into the kitchen.
"I didn't expect him until tomorrow, I expected him to stay at the Sheraton." Kitty frantically apologized. Jackie shook her head. "It was inevitable that we were going to see him one day." She spoke. "Better to get it over with now."
"Okay, well, you ladies go get some rest. You're bringing peanut butter cookies for Tyler, right? I'm making her the pies." Jackie nodded. She felt as if her throat was closing up on her. She hugged the matriarch tightly.
"I just don't wanna rock the boat." She whispered.
"I know, you don't baby, but it's his own fault for bailing every time you tried to tell him." Kitty told her, voice watery. "Anyways, she's with Grampy, Mimi, Aunt Laurie, and Uncle Fez. She's okay." She reassured. Jackie took a deep breath.
Kitty was right. Steven didn't know, and Tyler was occupied with Betsy.
The two said their goodbyes, and made it into the El Dorado safely. She looked over at her friend.
"I need a circle. And a beer." She finally spoke. "Kelso and Brooke are coming by later, right?" She asked. It was only around five, still early. She had plenty of time to get a little buzz. She looked at Donna. "I hate that he has this effect on me still." She told her. Donna nodded.
"Fez and Laur, I want them too. Fuck Steven." She demanded, wringing her hands in her lap. Donna laughed. "The whole gang."
Except Steven.
"Yeah, all of us. We're gonna get by as a team."
They wound up at Jackies, as they often did when they were kid free, slumber-party style. Jackie's living room had turned into a safe haven like the Foreman basement used to be. A hang out.
Like her batcave. The walls were a warm turquoise- blue, and all the furniture was dark and modern. She had a television set, with a runner atop it. On it sat Tyler's baby shoes, a picture of the gang (minus Steven), and a beautiful glass piggy bank. There was no money in it, it was just colorful and quirky, which was sort of what Jackie had become. There were lots of house plants, and the fireplace had fall decor around it. Pictures and mirrors hung on the wall, and the softest rug you'd ever felt was over beautiful hardwood floors. On the couch, sat Donna, Brooke, and Kelso. Eric sat on one of the bean bags like herself, and Fez and Laurie on the love seat. Sam and Shelby snuggled between Jackie and Eric's bean bags. Everyone had a drink in their hand, save for Brooke and Donna, who sported cups of water or juice.
"I can't believe Hyde is back." Eric shrugged. "I can't believe my Dad is even letting him go tomorrow." Eric picked lint off his plain gray pajama pants, before digging his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. Fez, of course, wore matching pajamas with Laurie, black shirt, with fall leaves-printed flanner pants, and mocassin slippers. They both sported glasses of wine, Eric, Jackie, and Kelso opting for good 'ol reliable.
Budweiser beer, in bottles. Just like they used to steal from Red and Bob. Jackie smiled, relieved that she was surrounded by friends. Soon after, her cross fade lulled into a gentle buzz, as her and the rest of them giggled at Kelso, when he told the story about how the criminal out-dumbassed him.
"There's a new king. And, it ain't me, Donna." Brooke patted his back encouragingly, and playfully wincing. "That's right baby, you did so good!" She laughed at him, kissing his cheek. She ran her hand over Shelby's face, who's head was tilted back in content. Sam's head rested on Shelby's back.
"We're all so proud." Fez said, faux touched, pretending to blink away tears, and fanning himself dramatically. Eric and Donna threw their heads back laughing.
For a moment, time felt stopped, frozen. She listened to her friends laugh, and mentally, she knew tomorrow would be okay. Of course it would be. This whole group of people were here with her. They would be able to lean on each other.
They all filed into their beds. Michael and Brooke in Tyler's full size bed, Eric, Sam and Donna in the guest room, and Fez and Laurie on the pull-out couch. She shuffled into her room, Shelby trotting along, and hopping up on her bed.
Shelby lay beside her on a pillow, and as she begins to drift off to sleep, all she can think about is how lucky she is to have all this love.