6 weeks later
Kitty Forman was doing her weekly grocery shopping at the Piggly Wiggly except this week her cart looked like she was feeding all of Wisconsin. Eric's birthday wasn't until next week but they were having an early celebration this coming weekend at the Forman house.
Kitty had invited all of Eric's close friends and family and of course Bob. Kitty stood waiting in line at the bakery ordering Eric's cake when she noticed Edna Hyde pushing a shopping cart down the aisle. Kitty thought maybe I shouldn't meddle, but if I don't Steven will never get anything resolved.
"Edna!" Kitty yelled down the aisle. Edna turned around and instantly recognized Mrs. Forman as her son's best friend's mother. Edna reluctantly turned her cart around and walked towards Kitty.
"Hello Mrs. Forman" Edna shyly greeted, somewhat embarrassed as she was face to face with one of the few people in the world who knew how badly she had made a mess of her life.
"Hi Edna, How are things going?"
"Oh fine." There was an awkward silence for a few moments until Edna sheepishly asked "How's Steven doing? I left a few messages with his wife, but he hasn't called back."
Kitty could hear the hurt in Edna's voice. "Edna, don't take it too personal. Steven's a good boy. He just doesn't know what to say, plus he's been so busy working and taking care of Katie and Jackie. He told me that he ran in to you at the mall a few weeks ago when he was picking Jackie up from work and gave you a ride home because of the terrible weather."
Edna nodded "Yes he did. It was really nice of him to do that, considering."
"Edna, I don't mean to get nosy, let me know if I go too far. Steven's really stubborn and keeps everything bottled in side. You know how men think it's manly not to show emotions or to talk about problems, ha ha ha." laughed Kitty nervously. "Jackie and I have been talking about how to get him to talk to you. We kind of wondered if you'd like to come to Eric's birthday party this weekend. Steven, Jackie, and Katie will be there. Although Jackie would like her name kept out of whatever happens because she said she's the one who has to live with him. Ha ha ha." Kitty was thinking now I've done it. I've opened Pandora's Box and the shit is probably going to hit the fan.
Edna was nervous about the invitation and asked "Mrs. Forman, Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"It's a good as a chance as you're likely to get anytime soon. At the worst he just won't talk to you and storm off but I really don't think he'll do that. Jackie has tried to get him to go see you at the diner but he just changes the subject or they get in an argument." Kitty advised.
"How long have they been married?" asked Edna curiously?
"It'll be two years in July. Kaitlyn was born the following November." answered Kitty.
"So she was pregnant when they got married?"
"Yes, but they had already been together for about 2 years when they got married. They've had their ups and downs like any other young married couple but they love each other very much." explained Kitty.
"She looked awfully familiar, but I couldn't place her. What's her maiden name?" inquired Edna.
"Burkhardt" answered Kitty.
Edna was dumbstruck. "Oh my God! That's the little Burkhardt girl he always claimed to hate but then took to prom??!!!"
Kitty shook her head to affirm what Edna had just figured out. "Well you know how closely linked love and hate are."
Edna nodded in agreement. "She said she was due in June?"
"Yes, she's about 5-1/2 months pregnant now and getting really big. Of course someone as tiny as she is swells up like a balloon. She's had a really hard time with this pregnancy. Poor Steven has been beside himself with worry. He loves her so much. They still get into it from time to time though. A few days ago he got pretty upset with her." said Kitty.
"What for?" asked Edna inquisitively.
"Well, Jackie's blood pressure was a little high at her last appointment but her Dr. told her it was probably nothing and not to worry about it. But she was a little worried so she asked me about it since I'm a nurse. I told her that she should maybe see a different Obgyn because high blood pressure can be very dangerous because of Toxemia. So I told Steven he'd better keep a close eye on Jackie and told him what Jackie had told me, not knowing that she hadn't told him. She hadn't told him because she didn't want to worry him if it wasn't anything. He looked up Toxemia and high blood pressure up in her pregnancy books and hit the roof when she came home from work that night. She told him that she didn't want to add to what he already had on his plate and he got really upset and said "What the hell do you think is more important to me than you and our baby's health?!" She didn't have an answer for that and started to cry. He of course felt terrible for getting her all upset and took a day off work to take her to the new Dr. I recommended to them." Explained Kitty animatedly, not realizing that she probably shouldn't be telling this to Edna who didn't really have the right to know Hyde and Jackie's private business.
"What did this new Dr. say?" asked Edna, somewhat concerned.
"Just that she shouldn't keep working because she's on her feet the whole time and that she'll have to be checked out more frequently for the rest of her pregnancy and keep her feet up whenever possible. Its really nothing to worry about. They caught the problem before it turned into anything bad." explained Kitty.
Kitty, realizing how long she had been talking with Edna, knew she had to home with all the party food. "Hey Edna, I've got to home with all this meat & ice cream. So can you come Saturday around 6pm?"
"Sure, what do I have to lose?" said Edna sadly.
Jackie was in the kitchen doing dishes while Katie was taking her nap in the living room when Hyde came home for lunch. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and said "Hi honey, I heated you up some left over spaghetti!"
"Thanks babe. Shouldn't you be resting with your feet up?" reminded Hyde.
"No, I have to much to do. I still have 3 loads of laundry to do."
"Jackie" Hyde said warningly.
"Steven don't start. I feel fine. Its bad enough I can't go to work. If we're ever going to get out of this shoebox we need every dime we can get our hands on." said Jackie.
"Don't you worry about that. I'm working on it. It'll probably have to wait until the baby is born, but I think we have just enough for a down payment for a house. Red's going to give us the money in the account that he put all my rent money in. So with that and what we've got saved it should be just enough."
"Oh Steven, Really?!" excitedly asked Jackie.
"Yes, so don't worry about the money. Everything is fine."
They embraced each other tightly. "I love you." Jackie whispered.
"I love you too Jackie."
Hyde possessively spread his hands on Jackie's burgeoning stomach. "So how's our little guy doing today?" "Kicking like crazy." answered Jackie.
"Really?"
She moved his had a little lower. "Feel that?"
"Oh my God he's strong!" said Hyde, smiling proudly.
"Now Steven, We don't know for sure if it's a boy yet. The ultrasound wasn't completely clear. The Dr. said there was a 60% chance that it was boy but couldn't be completely sure because of the way the baby was turned."
"I just have a feeling it's a boy." said Hyde knowingly.
"Steven, you thought for sure Kate was a boy." reminded Jackie.
"Oh Steven, before I forget, Mrs. Forman called and said Eric's party is Saturday at 5:30. Donna's coming here Friday so we can go shopping together while Mrs. Forman watches Kate." said Jackie happily.
"That'll be nice. Jackie, why don't you go take a nap while Katie's sleeping. I've got to head back to work now."
Jackie, knowing it was futile to argue with her husband, shook her head in agreement, and kissed him and gave a quick hug goodbye.
"See you tonight babe, Call me if you need anything." said Hyde as he headed out the door.
Kitty Forman was doing her weekly grocery shopping at the Piggly Wiggly except this week her cart looked like she was feeding all of Wisconsin. Eric's birthday wasn't until next week but they were having an early celebration this coming weekend at the Forman house.
Kitty had invited all of Eric's close friends and family and of course Bob. Kitty stood waiting in line at the bakery ordering Eric's cake when she noticed Edna Hyde pushing a shopping cart down the aisle. Kitty thought maybe I shouldn't meddle, but if I don't Steven will never get anything resolved.
"Edna!" Kitty yelled down the aisle. Edna turned around and instantly recognized Mrs. Forman as her son's best friend's mother. Edna reluctantly turned her cart around and walked towards Kitty.
"Hello Mrs. Forman" Edna shyly greeted, somewhat embarrassed as she was face to face with one of the few people in the world who knew how badly she had made a mess of her life.
"Hi Edna, How are things going?"
"Oh fine." There was an awkward silence for a few moments until Edna sheepishly asked "How's Steven doing? I left a few messages with his wife, but he hasn't called back."
Kitty could hear the hurt in Edna's voice. "Edna, don't take it too personal. Steven's a good boy. He just doesn't know what to say, plus he's been so busy working and taking care of Katie and Jackie. He told me that he ran in to you at the mall a few weeks ago when he was picking Jackie up from work and gave you a ride home because of the terrible weather."
Edna nodded "Yes he did. It was really nice of him to do that, considering."
"Edna, I don't mean to get nosy, let me know if I go too far. Steven's really stubborn and keeps everything bottled in side. You know how men think it's manly not to show emotions or to talk about problems, ha ha ha." laughed Kitty nervously. "Jackie and I have been talking about how to get him to talk to you. We kind of wondered if you'd like to come to Eric's birthday party this weekend. Steven, Jackie, and Katie will be there. Although Jackie would like her name kept out of whatever happens because she said she's the one who has to live with him. Ha ha ha." Kitty was thinking now I've done it. I've opened Pandora's Box and the shit is probably going to hit the fan.
Edna was nervous about the invitation and asked "Mrs. Forman, Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"It's a good as a chance as you're likely to get anytime soon. At the worst he just won't talk to you and storm off but I really don't think he'll do that. Jackie has tried to get him to go see you at the diner but he just changes the subject or they get in an argument." Kitty advised.
"How long have they been married?" asked Edna curiously?
"It'll be two years in July. Kaitlyn was born the following November." answered Kitty.
"So she was pregnant when they got married?"
"Yes, but they had already been together for about 2 years when they got married. They've had their ups and downs like any other young married couple but they love each other very much." explained Kitty.
"She looked awfully familiar, but I couldn't place her. What's her maiden name?" inquired Edna.
"Burkhardt" answered Kitty.
Edna was dumbstruck. "Oh my God! That's the little Burkhardt girl he always claimed to hate but then took to prom??!!!"
Kitty shook her head to affirm what Edna had just figured out. "Well you know how closely linked love and hate are."
Edna nodded in agreement. "She said she was due in June?"
"Yes, she's about 5-1/2 months pregnant now and getting really big. Of course someone as tiny as she is swells up like a balloon. She's had a really hard time with this pregnancy. Poor Steven has been beside himself with worry. He loves her so much. They still get into it from time to time though. A few days ago he got pretty upset with her." said Kitty.
"What for?" asked Edna inquisitively.
"Well, Jackie's blood pressure was a little high at her last appointment but her Dr. told her it was probably nothing and not to worry about it. But she was a little worried so she asked me about it since I'm a nurse. I told her that she should maybe see a different Obgyn because high blood pressure can be very dangerous because of Toxemia. So I told Steven he'd better keep a close eye on Jackie and told him what Jackie had told me, not knowing that she hadn't told him. She hadn't told him because she didn't want to worry him if it wasn't anything. He looked up Toxemia and high blood pressure up in her pregnancy books and hit the roof when she came home from work that night. She told him that she didn't want to add to what he already had on his plate and he got really upset and said "What the hell do you think is more important to me than you and our baby's health?!" She didn't have an answer for that and started to cry. He of course felt terrible for getting her all upset and took a day off work to take her to the new Dr. I recommended to them." Explained Kitty animatedly, not realizing that she probably shouldn't be telling this to Edna who didn't really have the right to know Hyde and Jackie's private business.
"What did this new Dr. say?" asked Edna, somewhat concerned.
"Just that she shouldn't keep working because she's on her feet the whole time and that she'll have to be checked out more frequently for the rest of her pregnancy and keep her feet up whenever possible. Its really nothing to worry about. They caught the problem before it turned into anything bad." explained Kitty.
Kitty, realizing how long she had been talking with Edna, knew she had to home with all the party food. "Hey Edna, I've got to home with all this meat & ice cream. So can you come Saturday around 6pm?"
"Sure, what do I have to lose?" said Edna sadly.
Jackie was in the kitchen doing dishes while Katie was taking her nap in the living room when Hyde came home for lunch. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and said "Hi honey, I heated you up some left over spaghetti!"
"Thanks babe. Shouldn't you be resting with your feet up?" reminded Hyde.
"No, I have to much to do. I still have 3 loads of laundry to do."
"Jackie" Hyde said warningly.
"Steven don't start. I feel fine. Its bad enough I can't go to work. If we're ever going to get out of this shoebox we need every dime we can get our hands on." said Jackie.
"Don't you worry about that. I'm working on it. It'll probably have to wait until the baby is born, but I think we have just enough for a down payment for a house. Red's going to give us the money in the account that he put all my rent money in. So with that and what we've got saved it should be just enough."
"Oh Steven, Really?!" excitedly asked Jackie.
"Yes, so don't worry about the money. Everything is fine."
They embraced each other tightly. "I love you." Jackie whispered.
"I love you too Jackie."
Hyde possessively spread his hands on Jackie's burgeoning stomach. "So how's our little guy doing today?" "Kicking like crazy." answered Jackie.
"Really?"
She moved his had a little lower. "Feel that?"
"Oh my God he's strong!" said Hyde, smiling proudly.
"Now Steven, We don't know for sure if it's a boy yet. The ultrasound wasn't completely clear. The Dr. said there was a 60% chance that it was boy but couldn't be completely sure because of the way the baby was turned."
"I just have a feeling it's a boy." said Hyde knowingly.
"Steven, you thought for sure Kate was a boy." reminded Jackie.
"Oh Steven, before I forget, Mrs. Forman called and said Eric's party is Saturday at 5:30. Donna's coming here Friday so we can go shopping together while Mrs. Forman watches Kate." said Jackie happily.
"That'll be nice. Jackie, why don't you go take a nap while Katie's sleeping. I've got to head back to work now."
Jackie, knowing it was futile to argue with her husband, shook her head in agreement, and kissed him and gave a quick hug goodbye.
"See you tonight babe, Call me if you need anything." said Hyde as he headed out the door.