Chapter 38

A week had passed and it was almost Jackie's birthday, she hadn't told Steven of her thoughts of going to see her mom, and Steven hadn't told her of his little conversation he had with Jake Bradley. He was warned not to come near Jackie. Jake apologized he said Pam had lied to him about Jackie, he didn't know she was married and the fact that she was pregnant, he didn't want the money that bad. Steven and Jackie also hadn't talked about the trust fund, or what they would do with the money. He had left Jackie with Brook and Betsey and was shopping for her birthday, like Valentines, she did not feel like going out, Kitty had decided to have a birthday dinner for her at their house with everyone.

Brook and Jackie was sitting on the couch at Brook and Michael's while Betsey played on the floor.

"So have you adjusted back to Point Place now?" Jackie asked

"Yea, just this living with Michael and taking care of Betsey and working is a lot to adjust to. Luckily I get to bring her with me to the library, so I don't have to leave her during the day much. Mrs. Foreman said she can watch her some, and there is you guys, and Michael's parents."

"Steven is already got the office at Grooves set up with another crib and added a rocking chair."

"That is so sweet, and you know we will return babysitting when you need it."

"Of course you will" She gave her a teasing smile, but quickly dropped it, "Has Michael said anything to you about my mom this week?"

"No not really why?"

"Well I know she has been asking for me, I am not about to bail her out, but I have thought about going and seeing her."

"Ok, one you need to tell Steven and two are you sure you want to see her?"

"One last time, just to tell her she wasn't there for me when my father got arrested why should I be there for her? It was a mess trying to figure things out, all the help quit, I was trying to figure out how to pay for the utilities and such, that is a lot for a 16 year old. And God when Steven found out, that was a huge fight, he wanted to keep me safe and take care of me."

"He is a sweet guy, even if he has tried to cover it up for years. I know he had a lot to do with Michael stepping up when I found out I was pregnant"

"Oh yea, Michael was so happy to be off the hook till Steven and I talked to him, and then Donna gave him encouragement"

"Hey if it wasn't for you and Steven talking to me about him after that date, I don't know what I would have done. Yea Michael has been pretty immature, but he has grown up quickly and he is great with Betsey. And he did do a great job picking out godparents."

"We love Betsey and are glad things are working out with you guys now."

"Well you can't blame me for being so skeptical of Michael, I mean up until a few months ago when they replaced the welcome to Point Place sign it had 'Don't Date a Kelso' on it."

"Ooops"

"You did that?"

"Actually me and Donna did that, it was after they came back from California one night she was staying at my house after it had came out about me and Steven. She talked about how Casey acted and how Michael was the trip to California, and we came up with the rule and painted the sign. Everyone thinks it was Steven and he was too drunk at the time to remember."

"You mean no one knows it was you?"

"No, Steven asked once if I did it, I was able to play it off that vandalism is something he would do not me, and that all those brothers have probably ticked off most of Point Place."

"Well Michael has grown up a lot since then. He tried, buying things, sometimes the inappropriate things it hasn't been easy. I think it was a real snap to him was when he realized you were gone and that it looked like your mom had left you again. That night he showed up late at my apartment just wanting to hold Betsey, asking how any parent could just abandon their child.

"I guess that is why I want to see my mom, I want to ask her. Maybe I just want to know what she did so I can keep from doing the same thing."

"Well don't try to keep it a secret if you go see her, if Michael finds out you know he is going to tell Steven."

"I know I think that is why haven't gone there yet. I guess I need to talk to Steven about it."

"I think that if you do go you need Steven with you. You need to watch and not get too upset or anything, and if you do then he needs to be there to get you out of there and calm you down"

"You are probably right, I guess I'll talk to Steven tonight"

"Hey if he starts to get upset about it break the ice with the sign story"

"As long as you never tell Michael who painted the sign, it shouldn't matter now because well he is with you and the sign has been replaced."

They hadn't heard Steven come in, "Hey what sign?"

Both girls gave each other a look, Jackie knew it was time to come clean, "Steven I lied to you about the sign"

"What sign? You lied to me" then a light bulb went off "You did do it!"

"I wasn't alone, it was right after everyone found out about us, Donna and I had a sleepover that ended up being a bitch session about the Kelso brothers, that led to us getting some paint in the middle of the night and painting the sign."

"I figured it was you, the next night you still had paint in your hair, but I couldn't say anything to you and give away I knew"

"You're not mad I lied to you?"

"No you was just protecting your rep back then."

"True, actually can you sit down, this might be better to talk to you about something with Brook here to help me"

Steven took a seat in a chair by the couch, "What is up?"

"I want to see my mother one last time" she blurted out before she lost her nerve.

Brook looked at her friend and hoped she could help, "Steven I think there is just some things Jackie needs to get off her chest and say to her mom, and I told her you need to go with her, support her and if it gets too much for her you get her the hell out of there"

Steven looked at Brook, he understood, there was so many things to say to Bud and Edna that he was only able to yell at an empty house, to be able to yell them at them personally would have been better but not possible, he grabbed Jackie's hand, "you got it doll, just tell me when and I'll be there"

"Next week?"

"How about before your doctor's appointment Tuesday? I already know from Michael that the visiting hours are usually in the morning. Just in case I decided to see her myself"

"Well we need to go, Brook you are going to be there tomorrow at the Foreman's for my birthday dinner right?"

"What are you talking about?"

Steven couldn't help but shake his head

"Please Kitty sucks at throwing surprise parties, she has tried for Eric and Steven and has never been able to keep it from them, do you think she would keep it from me if they could figure it out?"

"Hey that sounds like you're saying something about me in that comment"

Brook went over and picked up Betsey off the floor, "Betsey tell Uncle Steven and Aunt Jackie bye"

She went to Steven first and he gave her a kiss on her cheek, and she slobbered on his, "Bye Bets, be good" he leaned her towards Jackie so she could get her slobber kiss.

"Bye Betsey, maybe we will dance tomorrow"

In the car on the ride home, "Are you really OK with going to see Pam"

"Jacks I understand, I didn't get to say the things I should have said to Bud and Edna, hell I should have told Bud off when he showed back up that last time, not moved in with him. So I get it, I just hate that you are in a delicate condition, one we was going to keep Pam from knowing about, but she'll know. I don't want you to get upset and put you and Reggie in any risk, that is why I figured before your doctor's appointment, that way they can check your blood pressure, you've already been through enough I don't want anything to happen to you or Reggie"

"I know that is why it was Brook's idea that you go with me, I was talking to her about it, I didn't know how to bring it up to you. Brook is more of an outsider with this so made it easier to talk to her."

"I understand that, there have been times at work I find myself talking to Randy or Todd, about things that seem easier to talk to them about than Michael or Fez, maybe since Eric is gone and talking to him doesn't happen as much."

"That is like with me and Angie, it's easier to talk to someone that didn't have front row to stupid mistakes and such."

The next night they pulled up to the Foreman's, the kitchen was empty so Steven led her into the living room where everyone was "SURPRISE"

Jackie did her best to looked surprised, "Thanks everyone" She looked around, of course the Foreman's were there, along with WB, Angie, Michael, Brook with Betsey, Fez and even Todd, Randy and Leo. She was not expecting so many to be there, she figured it would just be the Foremans, and the gang. Jackie was relishing in the attention as Red let her sit in his chair, since she had trouble getting off the couch.

When the phone rang Kitty answered it, and then everyone one heard her "Eric!" after a few moments Kitty handed the phone to Jackie "He wanted to talk to you"

"Hey Eric"

"Hey Devil, had to call and wish you a happy birthday, I guessed mom would try to throw you a surprise party, I guess I am right?"

"Yea you know your mom"

"Look I don't have much time to talk, but happy birthday, I sent you something that I hope made it there, mom should have it. I'll be home next month so if I miss the arrival of Reginald I'll be home shortly after."

"I haven't gotten to my presents yet, but thank you, I hope you make it in time, but right now I'll be glad to have him on the outside"

"Tell everyone I said Hi and see you all soon"

Kitty was the first to speak, "Did he say when he was coming home?"

"He didn't give a date but he might make it back before the baby is born if not right after."

"Yea all my babies are going to be back in Point"

Later that night Donna had also called to wish Jackie a happy birthday, and let everyone know she had got into Berkeley and already started classes in journalism.

That night when Jackie and Steven got home and got ready for bed, Steven walked over to her as she sat down to take brush her hair at her vanity. "Doll I don't want you to think I didn't get you anything, actually I was afraid that Michael was going to bring it up"

"I knew that you wouldn't give me my gift in front of everyone"

"You know me well, happy birthday" and he slid a slender box in front of her, she opened it up to reveal a gold heart shape locket on a gold chain. "I figured once Reggie gets here you could put a picture of him in it.

"I love it thank you" she gave him a passionate kiss, "Too bad the t-shirt doesn't fit me right now."

During the night Steven had gotten up and was double checking the locks, and getting something to drink when he heard Jackie screaming upstairs. Taking the stairs two at a time he ran up to their room, she was alone in the bed tossing in her sleep screaming.

"Jacks, babe wake up" he went over to the bed and pulled her into his arms, "Your safe I got you, please wake up." Finally Jackie's body began to relax in his arms, "Jackie are you OK?"

Jackie opened her eyes and stared blankly at first before blinking and start to wake up. "Steven?"

"Yea babe, you were having a nightmare, you want to talk about it?"

"Mom had left me, everyone had left me and I was alone in that house, then I lost the baby" at this she began to cry harder than Steven had ever seen her cry before.

"Jacks I am here you are never going to be alone again, and the baby will be here with us next month."

"I was so alone"

"It was only a dream, I am here"

"No back then, I was so alone, mom had left all you could say was I don't know when I asked about our future, and then the baby was gone."

Her voice was so low Steven wasn't sure now if she was talking about her dream or back when they broke up last year the first time.

"Jacks I thought you said you thought you were pregnant when you asked me about the future last year, but you wasn't"

Jackie pushed out of Steven's arms, no I was just not far along the day before the Green Bay Packer Game I had lost it. He felt like he had been punched in the stomach, he remembered her trying to hold it together that day, trying to make him notice her, he remembered her crying by the pillar and sending Donna to her. He should have been there for her. He couldn't help but shed tears, "I am so sorry you went through that alone, I wish you would have told me"

She still wouldn't face him, "You didn't see a future with me, and the possible reason for there to be a future was gone. I was going through so many different emotions, I was excited about the baby, but then mom had left, and you were so distant to me. I couldn't bring myself to tell you."

"So that is what your dream was about?"

"Yea I guess so, I had it several times when I came back to Point Place, I was pregnant again but this time you were married to someone else, I didn't have any when I slept at the Foreman's, but when you came back. I was scared of losing this baby, I feared if I did I wouldn't have a reason to live anymore. It stopped after Angie came, and I moved to Milwaukee. I don't know why it came back tonight."

"Can you look at me?" Jackie rolled over to see Steven she was shocked by the tears in his eyes, "I love you, I am so sorry you went through that alone, did Kitty know?" Jackie just shook her head no. He knew she never told Donna why she was crying that day. "Maybe the thought of seeing your mom? I am not leaving you, I love you." He held her while she fell back asleep, he couldn't sleep, he had too much to think about, he just hoped that seeing Pam in a few days would go smoothly.