AN:This story is working its way to an end, I feel only a few chapters left. I have another idea for another fanfiction that I may start soon, but really want to get this one finished first.
Chapter 43
Jackie finally was off of bed rest but was told to stay home and off her feet as much as possible. She was relived, she had spent 2 weeks in bed and wanted to enjoy the rest of their house. She had gotten a little sick of their bedroom, and was ready to redecorate if she knew Steven would let her. But she couldn't overdo it and she knew better than even mention it. She had had teas with Betsey, knitting lessons with Kitty, talks and watching movies with Brook and Angie, even worked on her hair and makeup with Laurie. She first went to the nursery, she wanted to make sure everything was put up and ready, clothes put away, diapers ready, everything was in place just waiting for Reggie. She was sitting in the rocker looking around when Steven found her.
"Hey you came upstairs I thought you was going back to bed"
"Not going in that room till I need to go to bed tonight, I have had enough of that room."
"I guess you have gotten sick of that room. Probably already wanting to change it"
"You know me well. I love how this room has turned out." The nursery was decorated in a pale blue with baseballs, footballs and basketballs on the border, no doubt a little boy's room.
"I guess I am lucky we are having a boy, if it was a girl I am sure there would be pink and purple walls bordered with unicorns."
"Yea well who knows, maybe if we do this again?"
"Right now let's focus on this one before we talk about another one" He was worried enough about how good he was going to be at being a father and the issues Jackie had he knew he wasn't ready for this again anytime soon. He went and knelt down in front of her, they hadn't had much time alone for the most part someone else was always there so they only had nights when they were going to sleep. "I've called everyone and gave them an update, and asked that no one comes over today, I'd like a day just you and me, we won't have that much longer"
"I've missed you, it's like we have barely talked much only appointments and who had or was coming over."
"Yea, I've been keeping myself busy, probably too busy, at the store or working on the film that Eric left me to develop"
"You haven't shown me and of the pictures, did they turn out?"
"Actually they are really good, a few I am thinking of having blown up and framed, we don't have many pictures on the walls."
"Any pictures of wildlife? That would look cute in here?"
"How about we go down stairs and you sit on the couch or the recliner and I'll bring up the pictures and you can see what you like and we can go from there"
They made their way down to the living room and Jackie couldn't help but look at the bare walls, they had gotten the furniture and such, but hadn't looked to put anything on the walls. Growing up her house was covered in paintings and prints most pretty expensive. Kitty and Red's house had a combination of Home Interior and family photos on the walls. Bob's house was covered by just strange pictures, velvet pictures and well she never understood the decorating, but then he did come home with a stuffed cat or whatever right before the wedding that never was, when Red bought a canoe. Looking at the bare walls now she thought back to the one time she was in Steven's old house, there was nothing on the walls then and no signs that anything had ever been on the walls. She definitely didn't want to live like that, they needed something, but it would have to be a mix of both their tastes, finishing decorating their house could prove to be interesting.
Steven came up and saw Jackie looking lost in thought, "Here is everything so far, I think there is another roll left to develop, I should have it done before he gets home, or may just wait and show him how to do it"
Steven sat next to her on the couch and handed the pictures to Jackie and she started to look through them. "Wow either Eric is good with the camera or you are just good at developing pictures"
"I thought you knew by now I am good at everything" giving her a wink, "but in this case Eric is really got an eye for taking some good pictures, there wasn't really anything that the lighting was off or anything blurry."
Jackie started going through the pictures, commenting on several of them taking some and setting aside. After going through the stack she picked up the ones she separated and started to look at them again, setting some of them in different stacks.
"Ok, I like these for Reggie's room, and theses I'd like for the living room, but I also want to get some pictures of us and such put up, maybe blow up one of the pictures from our wedding, and I want pictures of Reggie in here too. These for our bedroom, but also family pictures in there as well."
Steven looked at the pictures she had picked, and they were the ones he had liked the most when he was developing them. "You got it, just let me know what sizes you'd like and I'll see what I can do."
"When I was sitting here waiting I looked at our walls so bare, I hadn't had time to notice really even our bedroom I hadn't thought about it, I was thinking they remind me too much of your old house with Edna, nothing was on the walls. I don't want that, but I don't want like what I grew up with if we have any paintings hanging it should be ones from either Betsey or Reggie down the road. I want to be reminded of happy times and more personal than some expensive painting or print."
Setting with a note book Steven took note of each picture and size and where it would go. He knew he would probably have to see if WB could take care of this for them, because what they were wanting would be easier to find in Milwaukee than Point Place. WB would be in for the weekend and they could talk to him about it then. He also found the pictures that had been taken at the wedding that Kitty had given them in a photo album and took the ones out they wanted copies of to have around as well.
"Would you trust WB to get these framed? I think I might see if he could find someone in Milwaukee to get these blown up and framed, more choices than here."
"Yes I like his tastes, just would like wood frames and maybe gold for the wedding pictures. I'd like to put different candid pictures and such on the wall where the steps are, maybe the picture from prom and even pictures of the gang. Maybe we could get a picture of two of Betsey as well."
"I like that idea, I know Kitty has pictures over the years we can check with her and see what pictures she has of us over the years. Maybe we can go over tomorrow and visit and see her pictures"
"I am all for going over there, I love this house, but would like to visit over there. How about I fix dinner? I won't do anything too much but I have missed cooking. I bet you never would have thought I would have said that one?"
"Nope, but how about I help you?"
"That sounds perfect"
The next night the couple joined Fez and Laurie for dinner at Red and Kitty's.
Kitty had finished getting everything on the table and sat down, "So Jackie how are you doing now?"
"I am just glad to be able to move around and out of the house. Even yesterday sitting in the living room and fixing dinner was a treat."
"I couldn't imagine laying in bed that long, I guess it could get pretty boring." Kitty responded
Dinner went on with small talk preparations for Reggie, how the store was doing, how Fez was doing. Kitty had talked to Bob recently and relayed his greetings, he was enjoying Florida, but missed everyone. Jackie had gotten a letter from Donna and was telling her about her classes at Berkley she is seems to be finding herself and making new friends, she said she still missed everyone in Point Place and still wants to visit over the summer.
They had made their way to the living room, it was odd Red wasn't drinking a beer and Kitty hadn't had a glass of wine the entire night, but Jackie looked around and noticed that the bar was now empty, but then with Laurie and Steven no longer drinking it seemed Kitty and Red had stopped as well. Jackie was then drawn to the walls all the pictures they had around the room. She remembered the remark her mother made about Kitty's home reminding her of a flea market, but in truth it was all Kitty, sweet and homey.
Steven broke her thoughts, "Jackie and I are working on decorating the walls of the house, right now they are completely bare"
"Yea they are almost remind me of Steven's old house, and I don't want that"
Steven looked at her, he hadn't even thought about it, but she had a point, he had grown up with bare walls, no pictures on the walls, he didn't even know if Edna even owned a camera. But Kitty was always taking pictures when he was over, every event in Eric's life she had her camera out. His mom didn't take pictures of him when he was dressed to take Jackie to prom, didn't come out to take pictures of them together, but he also knew that Jackie's parents were the same way, the only prom pictures they had was the ones that were taken at prom. Jackie's house had no photo albums, no candid shots, all the pictures Jackie had were the ones done in a studio or by a professional photographer. He knew even when they first started dating that summer that she treasured the candid shots, copies of pictures that Kitty had given her over any other pictures in her room.
Kitty got excited, "Oh you need to have a Home Interior Party! I could host it here after Reggie is born, or we could have it at your house, Laurie could probably use some decorating too"
"Actually we have pictures that we are getting WB to get enlarged and framed for the house, we actually wanted to see if you had some photos that we could get copies of?"
"Photos?"
"Yea from the pictures you have taken over the years. We want just regular pictures to get enlarged and framed and hang on the wall by the stairs"
"Well that is just the sweetest, let me get the albums" Kitty went to the den to get the albums.
Red looked up from his chair, Laurie and Fez were across sitting on the organ bench together, "Kitten how are you doing?"
"I am doing good, I am loving working at Grooves, the music and the customers it is nice, plus the boss seems pretty cool"
Even Red laughed at that last comment.
"I have been going to meetings every day like I am supposed to, that has been a big help. I have a sponsor here now, it was a little odd at first but she has been a big help to me"
Kitty came back in and had her arms loaded with photo albums. "the top one is from when you guys were little and started hanging out here, then the bottom two are the more recent ones."
Jackie remembered hanging out around the house when she was little, but didn't remember too much. She sat between Kitty and Steven and opened the top one first. Steven groaned when she got to the picture after he and Eric first met, she had taken a picture of the two of them in the bath together. Jackie was doubled over in laughter. Fez and Laurie jumped up and leaned behind them to see what they were looking at.
"Oh my God, mom you took a picture of Eric and Steven in the bath together?"
"Ai, I didn't think I would want to see pictures I wasn't in, but Yes, yes I do"
"Can we burn this picture now Mrs. Foreman?" Steven hunched over with his face in his hands.
"You can but this picture is still burned in our brains mi amigo"
"I remember Eric talking about this on picture day, I never thought there was photographic evidence. We need a copy of this one!"
"No we don't, I think it is time to turn the page and try and forget that picture" Steven forced the page to turn. There was a picture of Laurie and Jackie, Jackie was playing with a doll and Laurie was playing with Jackie's hair.
"Wow I forgot you used to come over and we would play together, I had my own real life doll to play with" Laurie looked at the picture.
"Oh yes, Jackie would come over with her grandparents back then, at least when they were around I could tolerate Bernice a little more" Red shot Kitty a look "Red you know it was better when the Burkharts were here."
"Yes it was"
Jackie looked at the couple, "I don't even remember what they looked like, do you have any pictures of them?"
Red got up, "I think I have a photo album that was my parents, let me see there should be pictures in there" he walked upstairs.
A few pages later there was a pictures of what looked like one of Red's Veteran's day barbecues. "Oh look there is a picture of you and your grandparents"
Jackie looked as the young girl sat on the lap of an older man, looked somewhat like her father, he was wearing an Army hat looked like marked WWII. "Grandpa was in the army?"
"Yes he served in the beginning of WWII with Red's father, that was how they met in boot camp, and then their wives met and they were best friends since." Kitty explained. "After the war they all settled in Point Place."
Steven looked at the picture, "Can we take this one and have a copy made?"
"you two can take whatever pictures you want to make copies"
The next page was something that surprised everyone but Kitty, it was still from the same party but little Steven was sitting looking annoyed while a little Jackie was giving him a kiss on the cheek. Jackie couldn't get over the sweetness of the picture, "Look Steven our first kiss, and it was on Veteran's day!" She reached over as much as she could and kissed his cheek.
"Oh I remember that, Laurie was busy with the older Kelso boys, and Donna was being her usual bully picking on Jackie and Eric. Steven stood up to her and Bob made her go home" Steven lifted the film and took the picture out to set it with the other one.
Jackie looked through the photo album, and they had several other photos they pulled out, pictures of Steven and Eric, even a picture of all them when they were little. They had a small stack of pictures when they were done with the first album.
They then moved on to the next album, Jackie and Steven both tensed up, knowing that there would be pictures of her with Michael. Fez was more interested in these since he knew he would be in these pictures more than his high school yearbook. There was pictures of Eric's 17th birthday, a picture of Donna with her parents dressed as the flag, and even a picture of all the guys in trench coats. Steven was biting the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing, Jackie was just shaking her head. It was Kitty that broke the silence, "Look all the boys dressed as Columbo"
Red looked up, he didn't have to see the picture to know what she was talking about, did she really not know that was Eric that streaked when he was standing there to address the president? Even Laurie that had heard about what happened was laughing over Kitty's statement. Jackie finally caught her breath, "At least there isn't a picture of Eric later"
"Yea no one wanted to see that" Steven said trying to regain composure.
"See what?" Kitty said and then she thought back to that day, there was a streaker, "that was Eric?"
"Kitty I knew it was Eric under that Nixon mask as soon as he ran by yelling, later I told him he should have left the black socks at home, he looked like a dumbass"
"Mom I am sure Eric would be glad to know that at this age you didn't recognize him naked"
"I can't believe Eric would do something like that, where would he get an idea like that?"
Jackie and Fez both looked at Steven, then Laurie followed suit, "Yea who would be such a bad influence on sweet Eric back then" Laurie couldn't help but taunt.
Steven was trying to turn the page, but Kitty held it to that page, "All of you guys are wearing trench coats, I hadn't noticed before but you all have bare legs, Steven you never wear shorts, were you all going to streak?"
Knowing there was no way out of this, "Um yea, but then we all backed out, and then when Red was stumbling over his question to the president, Eric decided to go through with it. OK, enough with that, next page"
He sort of was glad to get over that until he saw the next pages were from the night they went to the disco. That meant reminders of Jackie and Kelso, and his stupid infatuation with Donna back then. He looked at Jackie, how did he miss how hot she was back then? Jackie pulled the picture of all the guys together and then the one of her and Donna, but left the one with the whole gang where she was in Michael's arms.
Pictures from the when they went to the wrestling show only reminded him that it was right after Michael and Jackie's first time. Jackie kept turning the pages, till it came to a few pictures from career day, there was several of Eric at the hospital, but the ones that was surprising was the ones of Jackie and Red working on the Vista Cruiser. Red had his arm around Jackie in front of the cruiser with Jackie holding a part from the car, covered in grease with the googles above her eyes. Steven couldn't help but remember his talk with Red and then seeing Jackie of all people rolling out from under the car. Jackie took the picture of her and Red and put it with the others.
"Daddy I don't know I have ever seen you pose like that for any picture before," Red looked at the picture of him and Jackie.
"Hey that was a good day, Jackie was the only one aside from Steven that I could teach about the car. She could hold a flash light and find a U joint."
"Oh you should have seen the look on Eric's face when he found Red and Jackie working in the garage when we came home from the hospital. I should have taken a picture of that face."
They went through the rest of the albums Kitty had, taking pictures here and there. She had even gotten a picture of Steven grabbing Jackie's hand to go on that first date. Pictures over the years of the two of them before they were a couple to before everyone knew they were a couple and after everyone found out. The pictures from graduation were the hardest, it was right before Red's heart attack, but also Steven and Jackie were broken up, while anyone else would see the picture as a happy graduation picture, to those in it, it was anything but happy. Even the newly married couple in the picture didn't want to think back to that day.
Finally Jackie moved on to the album Red had gotten out of a trunk in the attic. She looked at the pictures of her grandfather and Red's father together, of the 2 couples together. She remembered Eric's grandmother's funeral and looked up at Red, "Why didn't my grandparents come to the funeral for your mom?"
"They wanted to, but your grandmother had just had a stroke herself and your grandfather didn't want to leave her. I talked to him on the phone, he hated not being there especially since it would give and excuse to be able to see you. But they had moved to Madison several years before to a retirement community."
"You know I don't even know what their names were" Jackie felt ashamed, she didn't know anything really about her own grandparents, the same grandparents that had left her a small fortune.
"Jackson and Beulah" Red said
"I was named for her, I never knew. I hated my middle name and my parents would never answer me when I asked why on earth they gave me the middle name Beulah"
Steven put his arm around Jackie, "you don't have to tell me you hated that name, I think I still have a dent in my leg from where you kicked me that Halloween"
They took several pictures of her grandparents together and had a nice stack, along with the pictures they had at home they decided it was time to head home.
In their bedroom that night as they were getting ready for bed, Jackie looked at Steven, "That was a nice night, to look back at how far we have come"
"Yea it was, now if after you have this baby you want to work on the El Camino and get all greasy…" Steven gave her a smirk "I would have no problem with that"
"I can't believe you saw me like that and still took me to prom"
"What can I say, you looked hot and you cleaned up pretty good for prom" He leaned in to kiss her, just as she felt the first contraction.
AN: I hope no one takes offence to the Home Interior, I remember mom hosting parties and such when I was little, had a great aunt that sold it. It seemed back then most homes were decorated from Home Interior books, I would think Kitty would be like that. But Jackie would still want something more unique than what everyone else had.