Chapter 2
Hyde and Go Seek
"Good morning, Donna." Eric kissed her on the lips. Last night was so wonderful and perfect that he didn't want to think it was a goodbye f*** , hopefully it meant that they were going to be saving their marriage. She felt so warm against him that he forgot he was back in his old bedroom of his old house in Point Place.
She smiled at Eric as she looked at her watch, "Oh, it's almost eight!" she broke from his arms and grabbed her clothes off the floor.
"I was hoping we could sleep in." The emphasis was not on the word 'sleep'.
"I promised Dad I would make him breakfast. I hope he doesn't go on and on about Midge leaving. It's been over twenty years." Eric watched as Donna threw on her clothes in less than five minutes.
Eric put on his shorts before getting out of bed; all he needed was for his Mother to barge in. Even though they were married it still would have been embarrassing. He could smell the aroma of coffee and bacon from downstairs. Donna was about to exit the same way she entered through the window.
"Hey, we're married now, I think you can leave through the front door," Eric laughed
"I'll see you later, Eric." Donna kissed him on the nose. He watched her leave hoping that they could solve their problems. He never wanted them to be the all too typical fighting married couple.
At the moment Eric thought she did come all the way home to see her Father not to be with her husband. He just happened to be there. He wanted to be optimistic after all they did make love and it was at her urging. It was beautiful like it always was. Still though she was in an awful hurry to leave this his side when she woke up. He understood her Dad never got over her Mother leaving especially after he broke up with Joanne. But did a man slowly going into his seventies need his thirty-nine year old daughter to make him breakfast? Eric put his robe on and bumped into Hyde.
"Hey, what are you still doing here?" Eric asked. Then he wondered did Hyde overhear everything that went on last night between him and Donna? Then he thought he hoped his parents especially didn't. He wanted the moment to be private.
"And a good morning to you, too, Forman." Hyde replied as he buttoned up his shirt. He missed the scent of Mrs. Forman's cooking.
A fax from the desk of Jackie sent to Eric's office in Kenosha.
Eric, Hello. Sorry I couldn't make it yesterday. My flight was delayed and my daughter broke her leg (She's fine). So I had to go home. I found your parents number in my old phone directory. Will call you later today.
Jackie
"That's great, Dad." Donna put the last of the breakfast dishes in the automatic dishwasher as Bob told her he wanted to go to the local senior center for a few hours, which meant to Donna her Father needed female companionship.
"Are you sure you don't mind driving me, Donna?"
"It's no problem. I wanted to take some pictures while I was in town." Some of her readers wanted to see Point Place and Donna had the idea of showing some then and now pictures of the places that meant the most to her. She also wanted to leave before Eric came over because she knew he was going to come over after last night and he was going to want to talk about their status as a couple and she didn't want to fight with him. Talking about it just seemed so unnecessary. Their actions should have been enough she thought.
After breakfast Eric and Hyde went downstairs to the much different but still the Forman basement. Kitty was taking Red for his annual physical. Hyde thought it was funny that Eric had to call the office and "cash-in" some of his vacation days.
"You really turned into the corporate weasel." Hyde replied throwing a clear plastic bag at Eric
"Um, no thanks, Hyde, I don't do...."
"Eric you are middle-management, you already have the job. They aren't going random drug test you when you get back. Your dad was right, you are a dumbass!"
"Okay, maybe just one..."
"That's the spirit, Forman."
"It seems weird without Kelso and Fez here." Eric said, not wanting to admit this, but he actually felt calmer.
"I got a Christmas card from Fez." Hyde replied. The less said about Kelso to him the better. It all tied in with Jackie. A topic he never wanted to discuss with anyone whatsoever.
"Where is he?" Eric asked, craving chips, pretzels, popcorn, or cheese curls, anything crunchy and munchy.
"Spain, man. (note: Fez' origins are a mystery. I just wrote that his aunt lived there) He said he got a bundle from one his aunts who died and he's going to open up a candy factory." The thought almost made him giggle. and Steven Hyde never much giggled.
"No one from the group sends me Christmas cards," Eric sighed, "Even you, Hyde."
"You know I don't go for that commercialization of Christmas, bullshit."
"Still a card to your best friend would be nice," Eric's mood went from calm to melancholy, "How come you haven't asked me about Donna, man?"
The mention of her name almost made Hyde feel a wash of guilt.
"I don't know. Maybe, because your marriage isn't my business." He was certain Donna didn't tell Eric anything because he would have lost his cool as soon as he arrived.
"Well at the rate things are going there might not be much of a marriage left." Eric got up, and almost bumped into the wall.
"Is this the moment where we're all supposed to get sappy and reflective?
If so, you can count me out, Forman. I need some air." Hyde put the bag back in his pocket, he didn't want Mrs. Forman to see it.
Eric sprayed the room with air freshener and nearly coughed up his lungs. When the phone rang. It was Jackie asking him if he got her fax.
"Yeah, I did when I called the office earlier." He focused standing up straight.
"Guess where I am?"
Eric really wasn't in the mood to play guessing games. "Where?"
"On the way to Point Place. My ex is letting me borrow the private jet. My daughter didn't want me fussing over her. And I wanted to donate some money to the school so they can rename the library after me."
Great. Eric thought.
"I'll see you at the Hub."
"You can't." He replied deadpan
"Why not?"
"Because it's not the Hub anymore, It's a Starbucks."
"Oh, how trendy! Well then I'll meet you at Starbucks. How does one o'clock sound?"
"Fine. And Jackie, I hope this is worth my time."
"It is Eric," Jackie bit her lip, "at least I think it will be." She hung up, and Eric sank his body into the old sofa. He could swear he smelled Donna's old perfume on the pillows.
Donna sat on the stairs of the old high school for how much time had gone by this place remained the same. She thought of all the times she had been roaming down the never hallowed halls. How Eric was always there. Sometimes it was good. Sometimes it was bad. But Eric Forman was always there. The same could be said for junior high and elementary school when she was the new girl and how he'd tag along behind her and Kitty thought it was so cute that he had "a little girl friend". Midge didn't walk her to the bus stop like Kitty walked Eric. Kitty would always give them bus snacks like cookies and brownies (just chocolate was enough for them back then). Never far from Jackie, Kelso, Hyde, and later on Fez. They became what a lot of people in the world envy. Some people go their whole lives wishing they were part of a school gang. Not a clique. Donna hated cliques. Not gang in the violent urban meaning of today, but when the word meant a group of friends. She didn't know what was going to become of her life. She certainly felt she was a bad wife to Eric. She didn't want the label of being "wife", Eric wanted a more modern version of the Kitty and Red relationship. Donna wanted more. Class was in session so no one was outside to bother her. She saw a few random class cutters and thought of Hyde. She couldn't blame Jackie for bringing that to the surface. It was always there. But their argument cemented what Donna knew for a long time. She did love Hyde. She figured if their lives weren't in the way and Donna would've had the baby and she never would have married Eric. She wondered if keeping it a secret all those years was one of the reasons why their marriage stalemated so quickly? She also loved Eric. Men go through these dilemmas' all the time. She was never much of a crier so she stood up and picked up her camera and took one more picture of the school. She strapped her camera cross body (it was a professional one that her Father got for her birthday when she was a sophomore in college.) and wished she was back in that building when life was a hell of a lot more simpler then. But she knew that statement was false. Life was not simpler then and kid's today had it even harder with all of society's pressures and soccer Moms and weekend Dads. When did it get this way?
"Pinciotti?" A familiar voice, called out to her. She was almost afraid to turn around.
"Hyde?" She felt her knees buckle as they walked up to each other all the way thinking should we shake hands or hug? She figured a kiss on the cheek would be okay.
"What are you doing here?"
"I can ask you the same question."
"I was in Centreville last night to check out a local band."
"Were they good?"
To Hyde real good music stopped around the time he felt his youth go away.
He produced some great bands, but they just didn't have the magic that he felt the bands he remembered from he was young did. As a producer he didn't have to go on this trip but a part of him did want to see Point Place again. And if there was a chance that a band close to home could make it, he wanted to see it with his own jaded eyes. The bigwigs trusted his judgment and that was that. Seeing Donna after all these years was icing on the cake. She wasn't wearing her wedding band like Forman was.
"Ah, not really, but good enough. Want some lunch?"
"Sure," She hoped her eyes weren't shining too much, "I suppose you saw Eric?"
"Yeah. I'm staying at his old house."
"You could call it your old house, too." She reminded gently.
He hadn't changed a bit from the last time she saw him.
"Yeah," even with Donna it was hard for Hyde to open up, "Is that your car?"
It was a green 1985 VW Jetta. "Yep. Ignore the bumper sticker. It's Eric's."
The sticker said: Clinton/Gore 1992.
Eric took off his wedding band and spun it around the kitchen table. He tried to figure out just when did it exactly go bad with Donna? Did it just happen over the course of one long day or was it something that gradually built up over time like a cancer? Was it when she announced that she was taking the opportunity of a lifetime in Chicago "and if you don't like it Eric Forman well tough"? Or was it when at his companies Christmas dinner and he accidentally introduced her as "the wife" and not "this is my wife, Donna"? Was it when he forgot the milk at the grocery store even though she was home all day? Typing. "Eric don't you have a concept of what work at home actually means?" Was it seeing his Mother do everything, her Mother leaving? Did they peak in college when they were voted the All American Couple during their senior year semi-formal? Was it when he suggested they go back to Point Place? He could've gotten a managerial job at Pricemart. She lorded it over his head when they closed down soon after. Was it when she didn't want to go home to visit his (their?) family during a few holidays here and there? How come he wasn't enough? He loved her. She knew that. She had to know that. If she didn't know that then maybe they never should have gotten married. And she wasn't pregnant. It wasn't a shotgun wedding that should have made her feel secure. If she was pregnant he could see if she had gotten paranoid down the line. Even if she were, Eric's love for her wouldn't have changed. He also couldn't count how many times she kept putting of the decision of "having a family". That hurt him a little bit more than the rest of the situation regarding their troubled marriage. Didn't she want to have their baby? Wasn't family important to Donna? He'd have reassured her that she was no Midge and everything would have been okay as long as they raised their baby with love. He wouldn't be calling his son a "dumbass" all the time and make the kid feel insecure and resentful. He loved her more than any other person in this whole world. Okay, he wasn't in the most fun job, but jobs aren't supposed to be fun. He thought that last bit sounded like his Father! But they aren't. They're just jobs, things you do to pay the bills. Not everyone can have their dream career doing what they love. Eric took a job that went with his business major. Yeah, it was boring, but it paid the bills. It allowed them to live pretty damn good he thought. Then she moved to Chicago to be editor-in-chief for a magazine! She had her own apartment and the calls to him were sporadic at best. The visits worse. One time he drove all that way during a torrential rainfall only to find out she was extremely busy with something very important and he could stay if he wanted, but she had to work. "Still not understanding the concept of working at home, Eric." He fell asleep on her sofa before leaving at three AM to go back to Kenosha. This was all Donna's doing. Eric didn't want to be separated, he certainly didn't want to be divorced. So now Jackie (a person he hasn't seen in twenty years) apparently wants to talk about Donna and of course he was interested in what she had to say. But what could Jackie say that Donna herself couldn't? And she was the one who came through the window and they made love only for her to leave too early in the morning with some excuse about making breakfast for her Dad. Donna had the opportunity to talk to him and had said nothing. What could Jackie possibly have to say to him that Donna, his wife and best girl friend since childhood could not?
Donna was embarrassed by her and Eric's high school graduation cap tassels hanging from the rear view mirror. Eric had their college graduation cap tassels hanging from his rear view mirror. It was at that moment that Donna realized that she missed the Vista Cruiser. When did they all become grown up? When Donna was seventeen she often couldn't wait to be all grown and independent and here she was at 39, her marriage to Eric a shambles, worried about her Dad's well being, and having feelings for Hyde that she thought she had tucked away all those years ago. She only had gone to Hyde after an argument with Eric, she didn't expect to get pregnant and didn't know why she went off the pill. She knew Hyde was hurting from Jackie and she didn't think that he loved her in the romantic way. And Hyde never would do something like that to Eric his best friend, It just wasn't part of his character. Yet it seemed that it was Donna and Hyde that should be together with their similar careers and Zen like attitude. She wondered why he didn't get married? Was it because of Jackie? Donna would never ask Hyde about that. Hyde was never a touchy-feely Alan Alda type talker, even with her. It was easier when they were kids in the circle hanging out listening to music and doing other recreational activities. They were the last great generation of young people who didn't need forced Soccer Mommed activities. Where you didn't need to dress to impress, didn't need a beeper (what kids needs a beeper unless they are selling Cocaine), a cell phone, and a designer coffee habit.
"Hey, Donna are you okay, you don't look so good?"
"I think I'm going to be sick. Can we have lunch another time?"
Donna had to stop her car at the light. Hyde helped her out and over to the passenger side to take over the driving. Some ignorant people beeped their horns. All Hyde could do was curse back.
"I'll take you home."
"I'm so sorry about this, Hyde." Donna clutched at her stomach and sank down in the passenger side.
"Don't worry about it." He was sure she'd be okay and Mrs. Forman would check up on her with chicken soup and Jell-O.
"Eric?" Jackie asked when she saw Eric walk in. He looked even skinnier than she had remembered. She would love to make him over!
"Hi, Jackie."
"I ordered you a coffee.You look as though you could use some."
She never saw him look so drained before. Even when Donna ran away to California. He looked much older than he actually was. Did Donna finally tell him about Hyde? She doubted that, he wouldn't have agreed to their meeting like this if he knew.
Eric took off his jacket and placed it over the chair before sitting down.
"So, what's this about Donna?" Eric wasted no time. He he had absolutely no interest in the weather, the hottest new movie, or even Jackie herself.
Jackie put her hands around the warm cup. "I saw Donna recently, but now I'm not so sure if I have the right to.."
"No, Jackie, if you have something to say.I don't think you came all this way just to say you don't have the right to say it. Come on." Eric tried not to raise his voice.
"Okay, Eric, but and I know this is going to sound like a sixteen year old girl still in high school, but you can't tell anyone I told you. I think Donna would have my head on a silver platter." Jackie could picture Donna's big lumberjack hands around her dainty neck strangling her.
"You don't have to worry about that." Eric replied taking a sip of the coffee.
Jackie sighed as she pulled the chair closer to the table hoping she was doing the right thing. She only had the best intentions, but sometimes even the best intentions could be misconstrued.
Hyde took Donna back to her house and helped her upstairs to her old bedroom.
"Thanks for taking me home, Hyde." Donna didn't know whether she should sink in the covers or if she should run to the bathroom and throw up her guts. "I'm sorry we couldn't have lunch."
"Don't worry about it."
Donna wanted to ask him if he thought about the past? What would it have been like if she gave birth to their baby? If she didn't marry Eric? Why did she have sex with him before? He was only going to think she wanted to get back together. When she didn't know what she wanted. She wanted to know if Hyde felt something for her. But now didn't seem the right moment to ask.
"Shit!" She groaned.
"What is it?"
"I'm supposed to pick up my Dad at the Senior Center later." Her head was suddenly pounding.
"I'll do it."
"I can't ask you to."
"You didn't ask, Donna, I offered." Hyde was supposed to go back to London tomorrow. But something inside of him told him not to. Besides he did his work and reported to label if this job allowed him anything it was free time and not really having to answer to a "higher authority".
"Touché.Thank..." Donna yawned and fell asleep. Hyde watched her sleep for a minute or two before leaving. When did they all become grown ups?
This must be how mid life crisis' start. And Hyde was not about to have a lame mid life crisis!
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Jackie would have felt better drinking a gin and tonic instead of a coffee. She hoped she did the right thing. It was like in college when she did want to be second runner up in The Miss Collegiate Beauty Contest, everyone took it the wrong way and thought Jackie was too selfish to do that. But they didn't know her. Jackie found out the other girl had cancer and she wanted her to win the beauty contest. It was a huge mess. No one knew that Jackie knew of the girls condition. So she forfeited the honor so the girl would be the Miss Collegiate Beauty Contest winner and she didn't get to be the second runner up. That is what this felt like as Jackie looked for any kind of emotion on Eric's face.
"Are you going to be okay? Say something Eric."
"You want me to say something? I think I'm going to kill Steven Hyde. Thanks for the coffee, Jackie." He replied deadpan. She watched him calmly put on his jacket and leave the coffee shop.
The lump in her throat was immense. She only had the best reason's in the world for telling Eric what Donna had told her. Hopefully Donna will realize that. She was also glad that Steven was in England she seriously doubted Eric would hop on a plane just to beat the crap out of him. Jackie almost lost her composure when she saw Hyde out the window! Not five minutes after Eric left! It couldn't be! What in the hell was he doing in Point Place? She waited for him to leave the block before leaving herself. She had to find Donna!
"Good morning, Donna." Eric kissed her on the lips. Last night was so wonderful and perfect that he didn't want to think it was a goodbye f*** , hopefully it meant that they were going to be saving their marriage. She felt so warm against him that he forgot he was back in his old bedroom of his old house in Point Place.
She smiled at Eric as she looked at her watch, "Oh, it's almost eight!" she broke from his arms and grabbed her clothes off the floor.
"I was hoping we could sleep in." The emphasis was not on the word 'sleep'.
"I promised Dad I would make him breakfast. I hope he doesn't go on and on about Midge leaving. It's been over twenty years." Eric watched as Donna threw on her clothes in less than five minutes.
Eric put on his shorts before getting out of bed; all he needed was for his Mother to barge in. Even though they were married it still would have been embarrassing. He could smell the aroma of coffee and bacon from downstairs. Donna was about to exit the same way she entered through the window.
"Hey, we're married now, I think you can leave through the front door," Eric laughed
"I'll see you later, Eric." Donna kissed him on the nose. He watched her leave hoping that they could solve their problems. He never wanted them to be the all too typical fighting married couple.
At the moment Eric thought she did come all the way home to see her Father not to be with her husband. He just happened to be there. He wanted to be optimistic after all they did make love and it was at her urging. It was beautiful like it always was. Still though she was in an awful hurry to leave this his side when she woke up. He understood her Dad never got over her Mother leaving especially after he broke up with Joanne. But did a man slowly going into his seventies need his thirty-nine year old daughter to make him breakfast? Eric put his robe on and bumped into Hyde.
"Hey, what are you still doing here?" Eric asked. Then he wondered did Hyde overhear everything that went on last night between him and Donna? Then he thought he hoped his parents especially didn't. He wanted the moment to be private.
"And a good morning to you, too, Forman." Hyde replied as he buttoned up his shirt. He missed the scent of Mrs. Forman's cooking.
A fax from the desk of Jackie sent to Eric's office in Kenosha.
Eric, Hello. Sorry I couldn't make it yesterday. My flight was delayed and my daughter broke her leg (She's fine). So I had to go home. I found your parents number in my old phone directory. Will call you later today.
Jackie
"That's great, Dad." Donna put the last of the breakfast dishes in the automatic dishwasher as Bob told her he wanted to go to the local senior center for a few hours, which meant to Donna her Father needed female companionship.
"Are you sure you don't mind driving me, Donna?"
"It's no problem. I wanted to take some pictures while I was in town." Some of her readers wanted to see Point Place and Donna had the idea of showing some then and now pictures of the places that meant the most to her. She also wanted to leave before Eric came over because she knew he was going to come over after last night and he was going to want to talk about their status as a couple and she didn't want to fight with him. Talking about it just seemed so unnecessary. Their actions should have been enough she thought.
After breakfast Eric and Hyde went downstairs to the much different but still the Forman basement. Kitty was taking Red for his annual physical. Hyde thought it was funny that Eric had to call the office and "cash-in" some of his vacation days.
"You really turned into the corporate weasel." Hyde replied throwing a clear plastic bag at Eric
"Um, no thanks, Hyde, I don't do...."
"Eric you are middle-management, you already have the job. They aren't going random drug test you when you get back. Your dad was right, you are a dumbass!"
"Okay, maybe just one..."
"That's the spirit, Forman."
"It seems weird without Kelso and Fez here." Eric said, not wanting to admit this, but he actually felt calmer.
"I got a Christmas card from Fez." Hyde replied. The less said about Kelso to him the better. It all tied in with Jackie. A topic he never wanted to discuss with anyone whatsoever.
"Where is he?" Eric asked, craving chips, pretzels, popcorn, or cheese curls, anything crunchy and munchy.
"Spain, man. (note: Fez' origins are a mystery. I just wrote that his aunt lived there) He said he got a bundle from one his aunts who died and he's going to open up a candy factory." The thought almost made him giggle. and Steven Hyde never much giggled.
"No one from the group sends me Christmas cards," Eric sighed, "Even you, Hyde."
"You know I don't go for that commercialization of Christmas, bullshit."
"Still a card to your best friend would be nice," Eric's mood went from calm to melancholy, "How come you haven't asked me about Donna, man?"
The mention of her name almost made Hyde feel a wash of guilt.
"I don't know. Maybe, because your marriage isn't my business." He was certain Donna didn't tell Eric anything because he would have lost his cool as soon as he arrived.
"Well at the rate things are going there might not be much of a marriage left." Eric got up, and almost bumped into the wall.
"Is this the moment where we're all supposed to get sappy and reflective?
If so, you can count me out, Forman. I need some air." Hyde put the bag back in his pocket, he didn't want Mrs. Forman to see it.
Eric sprayed the room with air freshener and nearly coughed up his lungs. When the phone rang. It was Jackie asking him if he got her fax.
"Yeah, I did when I called the office earlier." He focused standing up straight.
"Guess where I am?"
Eric really wasn't in the mood to play guessing games. "Where?"
"On the way to Point Place. My ex is letting me borrow the private jet. My daughter didn't want me fussing over her. And I wanted to donate some money to the school so they can rename the library after me."
Great. Eric thought.
"I'll see you at the Hub."
"You can't." He replied deadpan
"Why not?"
"Because it's not the Hub anymore, It's a Starbucks."
"Oh, how trendy! Well then I'll meet you at Starbucks. How does one o'clock sound?"
"Fine. And Jackie, I hope this is worth my time."
"It is Eric," Jackie bit her lip, "at least I think it will be." She hung up, and Eric sank his body into the old sofa. He could swear he smelled Donna's old perfume on the pillows.
Donna sat on the stairs of the old high school for how much time had gone by this place remained the same. She thought of all the times she had been roaming down the never hallowed halls. How Eric was always there. Sometimes it was good. Sometimes it was bad. But Eric Forman was always there. The same could be said for junior high and elementary school when she was the new girl and how he'd tag along behind her and Kitty thought it was so cute that he had "a little girl friend". Midge didn't walk her to the bus stop like Kitty walked Eric. Kitty would always give them bus snacks like cookies and brownies (just chocolate was enough for them back then). Never far from Jackie, Kelso, Hyde, and later on Fez. They became what a lot of people in the world envy. Some people go their whole lives wishing they were part of a school gang. Not a clique. Donna hated cliques. Not gang in the violent urban meaning of today, but when the word meant a group of friends. She didn't know what was going to become of her life. She certainly felt she was a bad wife to Eric. She didn't want the label of being "wife", Eric wanted a more modern version of the Kitty and Red relationship. Donna wanted more. Class was in session so no one was outside to bother her. She saw a few random class cutters and thought of Hyde. She couldn't blame Jackie for bringing that to the surface. It was always there. But their argument cemented what Donna knew for a long time. She did love Hyde. She figured if their lives weren't in the way and Donna would've had the baby and she never would have married Eric. She wondered if keeping it a secret all those years was one of the reasons why their marriage stalemated so quickly? She also loved Eric. Men go through these dilemmas' all the time. She was never much of a crier so she stood up and picked up her camera and took one more picture of the school. She strapped her camera cross body (it was a professional one that her Father got for her birthday when she was a sophomore in college.) and wished she was back in that building when life was a hell of a lot more simpler then. But she knew that statement was false. Life was not simpler then and kid's today had it even harder with all of society's pressures and soccer Moms and weekend Dads. When did it get this way?
"Pinciotti?" A familiar voice, called out to her. She was almost afraid to turn around.
"Hyde?" She felt her knees buckle as they walked up to each other all the way thinking should we shake hands or hug? She figured a kiss on the cheek would be okay.
"What are you doing here?"
"I can ask you the same question."
"I was in Centreville last night to check out a local band."
"Were they good?"
To Hyde real good music stopped around the time he felt his youth go away.
He produced some great bands, but they just didn't have the magic that he felt the bands he remembered from he was young did. As a producer he didn't have to go on this trip but a part of him did want to see Point Place again. And if there was a chance that a band close to home could make it, he wanted to see it with his own jaded eyes. The bigwigs trusted his judgment and that was that. Seeing Donna after all these years was icing on the cake. She wasn't wearing her wedding band like Forman was.
"Ah, not really, but good enough. Want some lunch?"
"Sure," She hoped her eyes weren't shining too much, "I suppose you saw Eric?"
"Yeah. I'm staying at his old house."
"You could call it your old house, too." She reminded gently.
He hadn't changed a bit from the last time she saw him.
"Yeah," even with Donna it was hard for Hyde to open up, "Is that your car?"
It was a green 1985 VW Jetta. "Yep. Ignore the bumper sticker. It's Eric's."
The sticker said: Clinton/Gore 1992.
Eric took off his wedding band and spun it around the kitchen table. He tried to figure out just when did it exactly go bad with Donna? Did it just happen over the course of one long day or was it something that gradually built up over time like a cancer? Was it when she announced that she was taking the opportunity of a lifetime in Chicago "and if you don't like it Eric Forman well tough"? Or was it when at his companies Christmas dinner and he accidentally introduced her as "the wife" and not "this is my wife, Donna"? Was it when he forgot the milk at the grocery store even though she was home all day? Typing. "Eric don't you have a concept of what work at home actually means?" Was it seeing his Mother do everything, her Mother leaving? Did they peak in college when they were voted the All American Couple during their senior year semi-formal? Was it when he suggested they go back to Point Place? He could've gotten a managerial job at Pricemart. She lorded it over his head when they closed down soon after. Was it when she didn't want to go home to visit his (their?) family during a few holidays here and there? How come he wasn't enough? He loved her. She knew that. She had to know that. If she didn't know that then maybe they never should have gotten married. And she wasn't pregnant. It wasn't a shotgun wedding that should have made her feel secure. If she was pregnant he could see if she had gotten paranoid down the line. Even if she were, Eric's love for her wouldn't have changed. He also couldn't count how many times she kept putting of the decision of "having a family". That hurt him a little bit more than the rest of the situation regarding their troubled marriage. Didn't she want to have their baby? Wasn't family important to Donna? He'd have reassured her that she was no Midge and everything would have been okay as long as they raised their baby with love. He wouldn't be calling his son a "dumbass" all the time and make the kid feel insecure and resentful. He loved her more than any other person in this whole world. Okay, he wasn't in the most fun job, but jobs aren't supposed to be fun. He thought that last bit sounded like his Father! But they aren't. They're just jobs, things you do to pay the bills. Not everyone can have their dream career doing what they love. Eric took a job that went with his business major. Yeah, it was boring, but it paid the bills. It allowed them to live pretty damn good he thought. Then she moved to Chicago to be editor-in-chief for a magazine! She had her own apartment and the calls to him were sporadic at best. The visits worse. One time he drove all that way during a torrential rainfall only to find out she was extremely busy with something very important and he could stay if he wanted, but she had to work. "Still not understanding the concept of working at home, Eric." He fell asleep on her sofa before leaving at three AM to go back to Kenosha. This was all Donna's doing. Eric didn't want to be separated, he certainly didn't want to be divorced. So now Jackie (a person he hasn't seen in twenty years) apparently wants to talk about Donna and of course he was interested in what she had to say. But what could Jackie say that Donna herself couldn't? And she was the one who came through the window and they made love only for her to leave too early in the morning with some excuse about making breakfast for her Dad. Donna had the opportunity to talk to him and had said nothing. What could Jackie possibly have to say to him that Donna, his wife and best girl friend since childhood could not?
Donna was embarrassed by her and Eric's high school graduation cap tassels hanging from the rear view mirror. Eric had their college graduation cap tassels hanging from his rear view mirror. It was at that moment that Donna realized that she missed the Vista Cruiser. When did they all become grown up? When Donna was seventeen she often couldn't wait to be all grown and independent and here she was at 39, her marriage to Eric a shambles, worried about her Dad's well being, and having feelings for Hyde that she thought she had tucked away all those years ago. She only had gone to Hyde after an argument with Eric, she didn't expect to get pregnant and didn't know why she went off the pill. She knew Hyde was hurting from Jackie and she didn't think that he loved her in the romantic way. And Hyde never would do something like that to Eric his best friend, It just wasn't part of his character. Yet it seemed that it was Donna and Hyde that should be together with their similar careers and Zen like attitude. She wondered why he didn't get married? Was it because of Jackie? Donna would never ask Hyde about that. Hyde was never a touchy-feely Alan Alda type talker, even with her. It was easier when they were kids in the circle hanging out listening to music and doing other recreational activities. They were the last great generation of young people who didn't need forced Soccer Mommed activities. Where you didn't need to dress to impress, didn't need a beeper (what kids needs a beeper unless they are selling Cocaine), a cell phone, and a designer coffee habit.
"Hey, Donna are you okay, you don't look so good?"
"I think I'm going to be sick. Can we have lunch another time?"
Donna had to stop her car at the light. Hyde helped her out and over to the passenger side to take over the driving. Some ignorant people beeped their horns. All Hyde could do was curse back.
"I'll take you home."
"I'm so sorry about this, Hyde." Donna clutched at her stomach and sank down in the passenger side.
"Don't worry about it." He was sure she'd be okay and Mrs. Forman would check up on her with chicken soup and Jell-O.
"Eric?" Jackie asked when she saw Eric walk in. He looked even skinnier than she had remembered. She would love to make him over!
"Hi, Jackie."
"I ordered you a coffee.You look as though you could use some."
She never saw him look so drained before. Even when Donna ran away to California. He looked much older than he actually was. Did Donna finally tell him about Hyde? She doubted that, he wouldn't have agreed to their meeting like this if he knew.
Eric took off his jacket and placed it over the chair before sitting down.
"So, what's this about Donna?" Eric wasted no time. He he had absolutely no interest in the weather, the hottest new movie, or even Jackie herself.
Jackie put her hands around the warm cup. "I saw Donna recently, but now I'm not so sure if I have the right to.."
"No, Jackie, if you have something to say.I don't think you came all this way just to say you don't have the right to say it. Come on." Eric tried not to raise his voice.
"Okay, Eric, but and I know this is going to sound like a sixteen year old girl still in high school, but you can't tell anyone I told you. I think Donna would have my head on a silver platter." Jackie could picture Donna's big lumberjack hands around her dainty neck strangling her.
"You don't have to worry about that." Eric replied taking a sip of the coffee.
Jackie sighed as she pulled the chair closer to the table hoping she was doing the right thing. She only had the best intentions, but sometimes even the best intentions could be misconstrued.
Hyde took Donna back to her house and helped her upstairs to her old bedroom.
"Thanks for taking me home, Hyde." Donna didn't know whether she should sink in the covers or if she should run to the bathroom and throw up her guts. "I'm sorry we couldn't have lunch."
"Don't worry about it."
Donna wanted to ask him if he thought about the past? What would it have been like if she gave birth to their baby? If she didn't marry Eric? Why did she have sex with him before? He was only going to think she wanted to get back together. When she didn't know what she wanted. She wanted to know if Hyde felt something for her. But now didn't seem the right moment to ask.
"Shit!" She groaned.
"What is it?"
"I'm supposed to pick up my Dad at the Senior Center later." Her head was suddenly pounding.
"I'll do it."
"I can't ask you to."
"You didn't ask, Donna, I offered." Hyde was supposed to go back to London tomorrow. But something inside of him told him not to. Besides he did his work and reported to label if this job allowed him anything it was free time and not really having to answer to a "higher authority".
"Touché.Thank..." Donna yawned and fell asleep. Hyde watched her sleep for a minute or two before leaving. When did they all become grown ups?
This must be how mid life crisis' start. And Hyde was not about to have a lame mid life crisis!
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Jackie would have felt better drinking a gin and tonic instead of a coffee. She hoped she did the right thing. It was like in college when she did want to be second runner up in The Miss Collegiate Beauty Contest, everyone took it the wrong way and thought Jackie was too selfish to do that. But they didn't know her. Jackie found out the other girl had cancer and she wanted her to win the beauty contest. It was a huge mess. No one knew that Jackie knew of the girls condition. So she forfeited the honor so the girl would be the Miss Collegiate Beauty Contest winner and she didn't get to be the second runner up. That is what this felt like as Jackie looked for any kind of emotion on Eric's face.
"Are you going to be okay? Say something Eric."
"You want me to say something? I think I'm going to kill Steven Hyde. Thanks for the coffee, Jackie." He replied deadpan. She watched him calmly put on his jacket and leave the coffee shop.
The lump in her throat was immense. She only had the best reason's in the world for telling Eric what Donna had told her. Hopefully Donna will realize that. She was also glad that Steven was in England she seriously doubted Eric would hop on a plane just to beat the crap out of him. Jackie almost lost her composure when she saw Hyde out the window! Not five minutes after Eric left! It couldn't be! What in the hell was he doing in Point Place? She waited for him to leave the block before leaving herself. She had to find Donna!