Chapter 42

Jackie had been on bed rest for a week, Kitty would come by everyday bring food, check her blood pressure and just spend time with Jackie, she had even started teaching her how to crochet and had brought her yarn and crochet hooks, Jackie didn't think she would like it at first but once she got started on a blanket and the thought of her son being wrapped up in something she made herself gave her the encouragement to continue. Fez and Laurie would stop by, Fez would help her with her hair and the three would gossip about what ever Fez had overheard at the salon. Angie would hang out and bring movies or sneak records over that Steven would try to hide from her. Steven would take care of the laundry, dishes and just keeping up the house, most of everyone's time was being spent in their bedroom. He had went and bought a few chairs with Jackie's approval to add to their room. He had decided that they day he came home to find Jackie, Fez and Laurie in his bed. Brook had come by a few times with Betsey and Betsey would have a tea party with her mommy and godmother. At times Jackie felt like she had a constant stream of visitors, when she would love just time alone, they would be shocked if she admitted it. Steven knew she hated all the time she was alone but now she just wants to be left alone, people to stop looking at her like she is going to pop at any minute, and she is hating the feeling that she could pop at any minute.

Dr. Stevens was satisfied with her recent appointment, looking at two more weeks before they felt it would be best for her to go into labor. She had finally gotten some time alone, Steven had set up a dark room in their basement to develop pictures for Eric, Angie was in her room, Jackie had convinced her she could work in her room and she would call out for her if she needed her for anything. She had taken to writing Eric and giving him an update, she knew that it would probably be the last letter, he might be on his way home before another letter would be able to reach him. She had even wrote a letter to Donna, they started writing each other regularly now. Donna was telling her about her classes and how she was starting to enjoy living in California, but she missed everyone back in Point Place. She hoped she would be able to come visit over the summer. Jackie was looking forward to it, she was slowly building a new friendship with Donna. For the first time Jackie had other females around her that she could be close to, something that didn't happen in the cheerleading circle she grew up in.

The closer to the due date the more worried, sure spending time with Betsey had helped some. But he wondered what kind of father he would be. He spent more time away from Jackie. He didn't want her to see his worry. He also wondered how having a baby would change his relationship with Jackie. He was down in the basement of his house where Leo had helped him set up a dark room to develop pictures, he had developed a roll of film Leo had to make sure he remembered what he was doing the day before. He surprised himself what he remembered from his days working at the Photo Hut.

He was enjoying the solitude of the basement, he was able to work without anyone bothering him, no customers or employees, Jackie wasn't able to be down there, but he couldn't help but wonder if that was a good thing because he was alone with nothing but his thoughts. Worry wasn't something new to him, but this was a different type of worry. He didn't want to let Jackie down and he didn't want to let his son down either. Did he have what it took to be a dad or was he too damaged with his own childhood to know what to do? He heard a knock on the door and went upstairs to see who it was being careful too keep the light out. He went to the door to find Michael and Brook with Betsey at the door, "Hey guys come in."

"Betsey wanted to come over and tea party with Auntie Jackie again." Brook said as they came in the door.

"Michael are you here for a tea party too?" Steven looked at Michael, he hadn't really came over, it was just Brook and Betsey or just Brook.

"No I figured we could hang out while the girls had a tea party. We hadn't talked much"

"Sure I have some film I am developing that Eric left if you promise not to touch anything. Jackie is where she always is, I think she was watching a movie"

The girls went upstairs while the guys went to the basement.

"Wow this is a different setup for your basement than I would have thought you would have had a year ago"

"Yea, now when I am talking about film I am actually talking about film. The first set of Eric's pictures are almost done. It's been pretty quiet down here."

"Man that is not good for you"

"What are you talking about?"

"Down here alone with your thoughts, you're going to be a father soon, that is asking for trouble"

"What are you getting at?"

"Steven, I know you and on top of that I have been where you are, it is pretty scary to think about. I had been to the classes, I babysat more than you guys know. Heck I was better at putting on diapers than Brook in the first class we took. But still the closer it got the more I worried if I could do it. Not to mention I had to worry about the fact that we were in two different states. You and Jackie gave me the encouragement to step up, but still it's not easy is it when you sit down and think about it"

"No it's not, so what helped you?"

"I had promised I would never tell anyone, but in risking a foot up my ass, Red. He talked to me after Betsey was born, he told me to be there for her any chance I got and know that she was the most important thing now. I know I screwed up at first, dating Angie and acting like I did, or even that stunt I pulled in Chicago. Brook sat me aside and asked if I would want Betsey dating a guy like me when she was older. Brook told me I had to be an example of the guys I wanted in her life. Steven you are a great guy, you didn't have the greatest childhood or parents like most of us did, but are a caring guy, you always have been. You cared for Jackie back when I was supposed to be the one to care for her, in a way I am not sorry I wasn't there like I should have been, you two need each other in ways no other two people need each other. You try to hide your caring side, but it has always been there, I know that with Jackie you two are going to be amazing parents and will give your son all the real things he needs that you both lacked growing up. Jackie and him are your most important things, you work to provide for them, to show your son an example of a good work ethic. Red has shown us all that when we were growing up, even when he was cut back to part time at the plant he still worked, he worked with Bob, and we know Red enough to know that couldn't have been easy for him."

"Man when I first moved in it never hit me that they were struggling, Eric even tried to go back to work and they wouldn't let him, but I knew all I ever was going to do was graduate high school so if I could just get by and work to help out where I could."

"Remember when you moved in you moved into favorite, even Laurie told me that back then."

"Have you seen or talked to Laurie since she's been back?"

"Actually no, I have talked to Fez, but usually when Laurie is working that is still a little too weird for me right now. I don't know how to talk to her, it was such a twisted relationship."

"Sad part is I should already be a dad"

"What?"

"Jackie never told anyone this, in fact I just found out a few weeks ago, remember last year when we broke up?" Michael shook his head, "Yea she had found out at Christmas she was pregnant, thus pushing for me to see a future with her and when I didn't she didn't tell me about the baby, figured that would be the only reason I would stay with her, you know like I told Eric the only reason to get married was when the girl was knocked up"

"What happened?"

"She lost the baby, the day before the Packers game we went to, we were broken up, her mom left, she turned 18 and she lost the baby" By this time Steven had sunk down and was sitting on the floor, Michael sat down beside him with their backs on the wall. "I was so pissed how she was acting at the game that day, later I found her when I was ready to tell her off for how she had been acting when I found her crying, for the first time I turned away from her tears I went and found Donna."

"Hey you can't change the past, we can't live in regret we can only learn from it and move on."

"I can't help if I had told her I didn't see a future without her back then, if I had kept her here and not let her go to Chicago, this baby has been what has kept her going when I came back with that stripper. I can't believe she took me back so easily"

"Jackie loves more than anyone I know, I told Pam something along those lines after you left, we've been lucky, you more than me because let's face it, she loves you more than she ever did me."

"Yea you are right on that. So is this parenting thing easy?"

"It's scary at times, I remember watching Betsey for the first time, you guys were gone with Red and Kitty somewhere I thought she hated me, she wouldn't stop crying, later I lost her"

"You lost her"

"Leo had her over at Bob's, anyway when I got her back, and she stopped crying for me was once of the best moments of my life, she had wanted her daddy, and she still gets like that at times, she only wants me."

"I never thought I would ever be getting any kind of advice from you"

"Yea, but I guess I owe you, if it wasn't for you telling me to do the right thing, I wouldn't be able to give you this advice. Just be there for Jackie, I haven't seen her but I am guessing from experiencing with Brook, it's very uncomfortable for her right now."

"Yea, hey you want to see the pictures Eric took in Africa?"

"Topless women?"

"None so far."

They stood up and went over to where the pictures were, "Wow these are pretty good, where did all the stuff come from to develop them?"

"Leo still had everything from the Photo Hut, he let me have it since he wasn't using it anymore and helped me set it up"

"I forgot about the Photo Hut, now you are going to be developing all our pictures"

"No when Eric gets back if he wants to keep with the photography I am going to let him have this, he can keep it here as long as he needs, I'll just show him how it works."

"Seriously these look like something out of a magazine or something"

"Eric may want to look into photography instead of teaching, less kids to beat up on him this way."

"True, maybe he shouldn't have tried that documentary thing and just went on the road taking pictures."

"It wasn't that he was filming stuff that it didn't work out, but the fact he couldn't change a tire even if he had a spare"

"Oh right, but we found Leo that night when we looked for Eric."

"Yea that is been a good and bad thing, I just wish he would clean up. You remember he had a wife and kids?"

"That is right he talked about them when he gave you the El Camino. Man I would not know what to do with my life without Betsey"

"I understand, I mean the night I found out about the baby, was the night that WB told me that Bud and Edna were killed in a car accident, DUI. It made me think of them and Leo and how I didn't want to be like any of them, Leo has stuck around for the most part, but still he doesn't know his own son. And the thought of back when Jackie left town, just not knowing where she was ate me alive, I couldn't do that again."

"I know we spent most of our teen years high and drunk, but yea I don't want to see myself or you ending up like Leo down the road. As much as we love that crazy stoner."

"Why don't we leave these and check on our girls?"

Later that night Steven is getting ready for bed, Jackie just watches, "Are you enjoying the show?"

Jackie smiles, "Of course, but then you put your sweats on"

"Well not like there is a reason to sleep naked right now"

"Are you OK with this now? You know after Reggie is born it will be 6 weeks before I can"

"I am fine with that, I am not just with you for the sex, though it is the best, but I love you for you"

"I didn't know, you have been getting a little distant with me this past week, I wasn't sure what was going on"

"I was getting scared about becoming a father and wasn't wanting you to worry about me."

"You are good now?"

"Actually a talk with Michael helped believe it or not"

"Well I guess he is a father so he's been where you are somewhat"

"Yea, I am sorry just trying to make sure I don't screw this up"

"Oh we both probably will, but we are in this together, and together we can do anything"

"Come here, I can still hold you and kiss you right?"

"Never stop doing either of those things, I love you I hope you know that"

"I love you too doll."

They both fell asleep, dreaming of their son.