AN: This chapter is a little lighter
Chapter 29
Jackie and Steven spent the day in blissful rest, they knew the next few days would be busy, WB had taken and arranged movers to bring her stuff that was being stored at his house to be brought up, his maid had taken and packed up the rest of her things that was left in the room she had stayed at. And the furniture they had ordered would arrive tomorrow, so most of the next day would be spent pointing the movers to where to put everything, and then unpack their own things, but it didn't seem like much. Most of their belongings seemed to be in one room of the Foreman's house, boxed up would fit in the bed of the Camino in one trip, not what he would have expected years ago if he thought he would move in with Jackie.
"How do you think it is going with the visit with Laurie?" Jackie asked, they were still wearing what they had worn to bed the night before, laying in bed having just woke up from a midmorning nap.
"Who knows, just hoping Red doesn't have another heart attack if he finds out Fez is still his son in law, I would hope they would call if someone ends up in the hospital"
"Are you going to see Laurie next week when you are in Chicago? Fez told me she wanted to see you"
"I don't know, going to a rehab to see Laurie is not on a list of fun things to do in Chicago, and I really just want to get back to you"
"I'll be fine, but I think if Laurie is asking for you maybe you should go, it will help Eric can prepare you for how it is when they get back"
"I guess it will be me facing what could have been, just how did I not get to the point of trying the harder drugs is beyond me, I mean Laurie grew up with both parents and stable home, my back ground screams future druggie. I mean most of the men in my family were dead or in prison by 18, why not me?"
"I am not going to take all the credit here, but you had the Foreman's, and from what you came from before you were grateful to live here even if it was a cot in the basement. You hated who Bud and Edna were, and part of yourself always fought to keep from becoming them."
"Do you know how easy it would have been for me to score that hard stuff in Vegas? I guess I was lucky to only come back with a fake wife."
"Yea I was praying you would come home in one piece, forgot to pray that it was alone"
"I probably will apologize to you for the rest of our lives, but know that that is in the past and we have our future ahead of us. You think it is time to get up and maybe get some lunch and clean up?"
"Yea, there are leftovers from the last night we can snack on, maybe see if the Price is Right is on the TV"
"I just hope we don't have any visitors the rest of the day, I pulled a Red and went and locked the doors"
"Well the way we all walk in and out of this house, it's probably a good thing to lock the doors. If anyone knocked or called I didn't hear it"
"Well Michael was working, not sure what Fez was going to do today."
"Yea he didn't talk much last night"
They made their lunch plates and drinks and went and sat in the living room to watch TV, they figured the less time they spent in the kitchen the less likely someone would see them up through the kitchen sliding door.
"I guess after we get done with dishes we need showers, I don't want the Foreman's to think we spent all day in the same clothes"
"Red would just be grateful I am wearing pants compared to mopey Eric or well he went several times without pants in the house" he looked at her with a grin, "Showers or just one shower, ya know to save water" Jackie was giving him a serious look "What we have the house completely to ourselves, it's not like we haven't before."
"OK, but let's clean up first"
After cleaning up the kitchen and getting a hot shower together Jackie threw on a maternity dress, "I can't believe I am wearing this, it's comfortable but it looks like a moo moo" she pouted
"You know you look great wearing anything, and it's not like you are going out, you just need to be comfortable"
"Yea well you are all dressed up" looking at him in his regular jeans and t-shirt with a long sleeve shirt underneath.
"Yea well my comfortable is what I normally wear, unless it's sweats to sleep in."
They had made their way back downstairs to the living room, and sat comfortably with each other on the couch, "just think this time next week it will be like this in our own house"
"Yea and we will be paying water bills, so maybe more showers like that one"
The phone ringing broke the two up, "Might be Angie, she said she might call if she found someone." Steven said as he reached for the phone, "Foreman residence"
"Hey Steven I thought I would call, there is nothing to do and wondered if I could come over" Fez said
"Let me ask Jackie" He turned to look at her "Fez is wanting to come over and hang out seems lonely"
"Wow I can't believe he called first, but yea I guess so, if anything he can fix my hair"
Steven turned back to the phone, "sure buddy come over we are just hanging out here, I am not sure when the Foreman's are going to be home"
"Ok, I'll be there shorty, I have to get away from the apartment, Michael is sleeping and Fenton keeps walking by"
After hanging up the phone he turned to Jackie, "Apparently Fenton is freaking him out and Michael is asleep."
"That guy is annoying as a store clerk, I couldn't imagine as a land lord."
"When were you in the jewelry store?"
"It wasn't the jewelry store, when I was shopping with Eric for the wedding registry"
"Oh the wedding that wasn't, I guess we need to figure out our wedding plans eventually?"
"I don't know really anymore what I want, other than just being your wife, somewhere along the way the wedding doesn't seem as important, maybe since I don't have parents to throw my perfect wedding I wanted when I was little"
"What if we got married tomorrow, before Eric leaves, see if Brook and Betsey can come up, Bob doesn't leave for another week or so, everyone that we care about are here, we get up and get the license first thing in the morning, maybe see if Kitty can get Pastor Dave, and we get married in our house before we start moving in" He knew it was a long shot, but he wanted her to be his wife, they were moving in a house and he didn't want his child to ever feel like bastard. He didn't ask her because she was pregnant, but he would feel better if they were married when their son was born, that they would all have the same name. "Jackie, I want to get married before he's born, I want you to have the same last name as our son, I don't know how to explain it, I know that we are going to be together forever, but after everything I have went through with WB and Edna especially this last couple of weeks, I don't want any thought of our son to think he was ever a bastard. I want our first night in our home tomorrow to be as husband and wife"
Jackie looked at Steven and saw the honesty in his eyes, she had to admit it seemed wrong the other day at the doctor she was Ms. Burkhart and he was Mr. Barnett it would make more sense if they were Mr. and Mrs Barnett, and she liked the idea of their first night in their new house being their first night as husband and wife, "I want that too"
The knock on coming from the kitchen door startled them, and they realized Fez was there and the door was locked. Steven got up to let their friend in.
"Sorry man, Donna was here earlier and well we just didn't want to have anyone walking in when we went upstairs to take a nap after we finally got rid of her"
The both walked through the kitchen and into the living room "I talked to Laurie this morning and she said she would call here when they left so we would know when to expect them and if I needed to not be here."
"Well I hope everything is good, because it would suck tomorrow if Red was still trying to kill you."
"Why would it matter tomorrow?"
"Jackie and I decided that before everyone left we want to get married, we will go get the license first thing in the morning and see if Kitty can get a hold of Pastor Dave. And before we get started getting everything moved in we will get married. Everyone that matters is here now and this won't happen again before this little guy gets here."
Fez was shocked, the girl that seemed to have her wedding planned out for years getting a rushed wedding, "Jackie you really want this?"
"Yea, I just want to be Steven's wife, and I don't want to wait, and I would rather do it with everyone here. You can do my hair, and Angie can be my maid of honor, Betsey can be my flower girl, and Eric is the best man, I don't care that we don't have a huge wedding, there isn't anyone else I really want now. Most of those plans were for my parent's benefit back then, what I figured they wanted, well now I really don't care. Though I might make sure to get a copies of a photo with Steven, WB, Angie and I to send to both of them, I am sure they both would love that"
"Now you are making it sound like you are marrying me to tick your parents off" Steven looked at her, he knew better and he was up for the burn on her parents, even before it was discovered that his father was black he didn't like them and how they treated Jackie, and he knew they didn't approve of him, but then he never figured any one would approve of him marrying their daughter.
"You know that's not it, just want to let them know I don't care what they think since they never cared about me. And that I don't need them. After that I won't let them know anything after that"
"Nope no need to let them know, you have your family now"
"So do I get to be Uncle Fez?" Leave it to Fez to lighten the mood in the room.
"Yes, you can be Uncle Fez" Jackie answered
"So have you two thought of names yet?"
"Actually no we haven't, I have no clue either."
"You hadn't said anything but I thought for sure you would have had a name picked out" Steven looked at her.
"Let's get married and moved in and after next weekend we can start thinking about names."
The phone rang again, Steven reached over, "Foreman residence"
"Hey Steven is my husband there?" He was take back by Laurie on the phone
"Yea he's here, everything go well today?" He didn't want to wait to hear from Fez
"Yea, there was some shocking news I dropped on them, being still married to Fez seemed to go over well"
"Well I guess we can all breathe a sigh of relief that Fez won't have to go into hiding, here I'll let you talk to him." He handed the phone to Fez, who asked if he could just go in the kitchen for privacy.
Once Fez was on the phone in the other room, Steven hung up the phone in the living room. "Well they know about the still ongoing marriage and it seems it has went over well, so we don't have to worry about Red killing Fez."
"That is a relief I didn't even think about it till he got here and I remembered he is still married and how Red would react."
They sat in silence and watched TV, Fez came back in to join them, "So Laurie was able to tell them everything, she said they took the news of me well and was just glad someone they knew was taking care of her. They should be back in about 3 hours"
Jackie checked her watch, well that would be just in time for dinner, maybe we should go see what we can fix, we may also want to make phone calls to everyone to meet us at our house tomorrow"
"I'll make the calls, I talk less than you and you start dinner, let Fez help you, I'll see if I can get a hold of Pastor Dave, and hope he doesn't hold it against us for tying him up in Christmas lights years ago"
Jackie and Fez went to the kitchen, and Steven came in, "One question, Donna?"
Jackie looked up, after everything that everyone knew did they want Donna there, she had been their best friend for years and also hadn't, "Yea I mean it would be rude to invite Bob and not her"
Steven had made all the phone calls, had went over and talked to Bob and Donna, that went sort of like he expected, Bob cried and Donna just smiled. He was helping Jackie and Fez finish up dinner when the Toyota pulled into the drive. "Steven you want to get the bowls down looks like perfect timing" Fez had suggested a stew, he knew that it would be easier with something of a comfort food, if they could stomach eating at all. "Welcome back, you guys are just in time for dinner" Jackie greeted the new comers, they looked worn out from the trip.
Kitty saw Fez and went up to him and pulled him into a hug, "thank you for everything you have done for Laurie"
Red was there and patting him on the back, "you are OK"
As they all sat there eating Steven looked around, no one was saying much, "Um guys in the morning Jackie and I are going to get our marriage license, Pastor Dave is going to meet us at the house, we decided that before we get moved into our house we want to get married especially while everyone is in town"
Jackie knew what was coming next, "I really could care less about a big wedding anymore, I just want to be Steven's wife and have a future with him, and I want to get married and the main thing is that our friends and family are all there."
Kitty smiled, "well what about rings?"
"Actually when I bought Jackie's engagement ring it came as a full bridal set, I have the rings put in a hiding spot. Foreman can I trust you to hold them till tomorrow and stand by me?"
"Of course, as long as I am not buying and giving a ring I should be good"
"What about food and cake and flowers" everyone could tell Kitty was getting into the wedding spirit, "What about the dress?"
"Mrs. Foreman, I can see if Angie can pick up some flowers. I have a dress that I haven't worn that will work, not like I should wear white. Maybe we can pick up a small cake somewhere."
"You let Angie take care of the flowers and I will fix a cake and some food, we still have leftovers from last night don't we? I could just do sandwiches or something"
The rest of the night was taking care of the minor details of the wedding and moving tomorrow. They would have the wedding at the new house but come back here for the reception, it would also be a farewell lunch for Eric who would be leaving that evening.
As everyone started heading to bed, Eric stopped Steven "Hey can we talk in the basement?"
"Sure" and he followed Eric to what was now the basement, at one time this was their home their hangout.
"I just wanted to talk to you, Laurie really wants to talk to you next week."
"She called here after you guys left, we talked a little then she talked to Fez"
"I think she wants to talk to you in person, she is not the same and well we found out today what triggered her change back when she was starting high school" Steven said nothing but looked at his friend. Laurie before high school was nice to them, helped them with their homework. Looked out for them, then a change. "This is hard to say, but Laurie was sexually abused by Uncle Marty when he lived here, she kept it quiet. Trust me right now if Red is going to kill anyone it's his brother and not Fez. She didn't tell me but she seems like there is something more than that she wants to talk to you about. Just promise me you will go see her next week, she is actually living in a large house, it wasn't what I expected. She wasn't what I expected, she's thinner than I have ever seen her, and you know how Fez said she looks better than she did, I don't want to think about what she looked like then."
"I'll go see her, you take care of yourself"
"Just be a brother to her, which is what I think she wants. So tomorrow you become a married man, are you ready?"
"Yes I am, I wasn't sure if Jackie would go along with this plan, but she jumped on board, who knows when everyone will be in town again."
The brothers walked up to the bedrooms, Steven went into what he had thought of now as their room, tomorrow it wouldn't just be their room it would be their own house they would be living at. They would both finally have a home, something they both really didn't have growing up, they had a house but a home was completely different.