Chapter 7
Coke Is It?
Signs
Hurricane Eric sprung open the door to his parents house on the following weekend. Hyde was here. Jackie had take her daughter for a dreadful visit to her paternal Grandparents in Connecticut. He was sitting on the sofa the dots starting to connect.
"Hello, Mom!" Eric smiled and gently spun her around. "I'm so sorry that I forgot all about the Pricemart reunion dinner. I bought you presents!"
"Thank you, dear. But you really should be saying this to your Father. He's quite upset."
"I was just very busy with work," lying, "I'm sorry I didn't call you back." to which Eric looked at Hyde with sarcastic "Thank you" eyes. Dilated eyes.
Kitty tried not to be upset that Eric didn't call or visit for one week. She was happy that he came for a surprise visit and bearing gifts was also good.
"Don't worry about it, son. Why don't you see your Dad, he's in the garage."
"Sure, Mom. I hope you like the perfume, you said the other one was too sweet, I think this one is just right. I have a nose for these things." Eric laughed tapping it.
"You're just too good to us, sometimes. I'll put on the coffee and who here wants cake?"
Hyde waited for Mrs. Forman to be in the kitchen and busy before he stopped Eric from going out the front door.
"Wait a minute, Forman." Hyde thought maybe just maybe he was wrong about matters such as these. Mrs. Forman was a retired nurse after all.
"What is it, Hyde?" He took it upon himself to quickly scan Eric's face. Besides the dilated eyes, his neck was a pale blush color it reminded him of Jackie's cheeks.
"Uh, nothing." Maybe, not. Then Eric bumped into the door. Maybe, so.
"Forman are you high, man?"
"Can't a person accidentally f***ing bump themselves into the f***ing door without the third degree from Mr. F***ing Conspiracy Theory?"
"Go see your, Dad.but if you.." Hyde wanted to tell him if he hurted his folks especially Mrs. Forman he would absolutely have no qualms of putting him in the hospital again.
"If I what?" He hated coming down it was one of the worst feelings in the world and it made him feel like the scum of the Earth.
Hyde swallowed trying to think of something quick. The bastard was high. "but if you are going to bump into doors maybe you should get your eyes checked." He knew that reply was lame, but he didn't want to say or do anything rash with Kitty in the kitchen.
"Whatever." Eric left out the front door.
This had to be what was bothering Jackie. She and Donna were no doubt talking about this on the phone, Jackie probably wanted to tell him all about it and Donna knowing her said "No."
Hyde turned off the TV and went to see how Mrs. Forman was doing.
"There you are, Steven. Would you get me that bag of flour off the top shelf? Red has discovered the joys of buying in bulk!"
"That explains all the toothpaste in the bathroom." Hyde tried to laugh.
"Thank you, dear. You know I didn't want to say anything while Eric was in living room, but he doesn't look right." She put a measuring scoop in the flour bag. A part of Hyde did not want Mrs. Forman to figure it out for herself. If she broke down and cried in her homemade cake mix Hyde was going to have to go out there and even Red couldn't stop him from punching him in the mouth. He'd be that angry.
"You think so?"
"There were quite a few people in the hospital, a lot of young people, but some older people too. And my son is one of them. I know you can tell Steven. You have street smarts-so tell me that I'm dreaming that my son is totally whacked out on Cocaine?" Kitty threw the flour scoop in the bowl. She didn't cry. She knew if she got upset Hyde would have lost his cool and she didn't want a repeat performance of what happened in the garage not too long ago.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Forman, but I think so too."
She went to Hyde and hugged him tight. "Be his friend, Steven. But for God Sake if Red doesn't figure it out, we can't tell him. He'll disown Eric and I don't want that to happen."
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
"Thank you, Steven. You and Eric have always been good friends with each other.."
"But one thing Mrs. Forman, it may not be my place to say it, but Donna's not a bad person-we made a mistake." Hyde was referring to the affair not the pregnancy. "Don't hate her for it."
"I'm going to finish baking this cake." Kitty said changing the subject. Now even if he wanted to he couldn't go out there and "kill" Forman.
"Dad, you aren't much of a talker?" Eric said out loud. Red barely accepted his apology he just wanted to fix this one little thing on the carburetor.
"Eric, I accept your apology but if you aren't going to help me with the car you might as well leave."
"Of course." Eric left as Hyde was coming in
"Where are you going?" Hyde asked
"To bed." Actually he wanted to go down two blocks, around the corner, and under the bridge where he could buy some snow. But he couldn't bring it in his parents house not only was it too risky but that was a line he did not want to cross.
"It's only one o'clock." Hyde looked at his watch.
"I'm tired and who are you my babysitter?" Coming down was definitely a bitch. All he dwelled on was his failed marriage and the fact that Donna never loved him, he was sure of that. All he wanted was to take a few beers upstairs and collapse on the pillows.
"Steven since my son wants naptime will you hold the flashlight?"
"Sure." Hyde watched as Eric walked in the house with the weight of the world seemingly on his shoulders.
1AM
Eric slept through dinner and beyond when he opened up his eyes. They more like snapped themselves open. He quietly got out of the bed and got his cell phone that was on his desk and quickly dialed the number that replaced his parents as the number one speed dial selection.
"Hey. It's me. I need some. Point Place. I'm staying with my parents for the weekend. Fine. I know where that is." Eric hung up the phone and went through his wallet. Empty. His trouser pockets. Empty. His shirt pockets. Empty. All he had were his credit cards.
"F***." He muttered to himself. Eric who looked like the unkempt people that he saw in the movies as he fumbled putting his shoes on. Money that's all he wanted. He tried to remain quiet as he ran down the stairs. He remembered that his Mother left her purse on the kitchen table. He didn't turn on the light and went by the glow of the nightlight and the moon coming in from the window.
Eric had the money in his hand as the light switched on making him almost jump out of his skin.
"Stealing from your Mother, you son of a b-" Hyde couldn't finish because Mrs. Forman wasn't one. And just like last time Eric got in a lucky punch as he sailed passed Hyde.
When Hyde gathered himself he stood up.Damn it, you think he'd be used to Eric's "lucky punch" move by now. He took out his own wallet and put the money back in Mrs. Forman's purse.
There was nowhere to go but to the guest room and hope that the police didn't call for anyone to identify anything.
Blow
"Do you have it, Forman?" asked the man, a big large linebacker type.
"Yes, now give it to me." Eric threw the money at him.
"Relax, you're a paying customer and we like those," He laughed at his other large friend who was in their brand new SUV. "One of our other customers gave us the money but left their bag behind you can have it. Consider it a 'gift'. Because we love suburbanites like you. Life gets too tough and you all get habits. How do you think we got this fine automobile?"
Eric watched as they laughed into the night. Happy with his 2 for 1. Eric tucked the bag into his pocket as he went to the nearest bar. Odessa was the sleaziest bar in all of Point Place even Hyde's deadbeat Father never went inside there. Eric went in the rest room, there was no separate ones for men and women, just one with a flimsy lock and the horrible smell of lives that went off the track. He did two huge lines before going back out to the bar and ordering a beer. The highs lasting too short and the lows lasting far too long.
8AM
"Steven, you've been avoiding me all morning." Kitty said as Hyde had his nose in the paper. Red was still asleep. It was his treat, now that the kids were out of the house.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Forman. I was talking to Jackie on the phone."
"How is she?"
"Fine. She said she wants to come by for a visit someday."
"That's nice, nice. Um, Steven, do you want to explain why I have fifty dollars MORE in my purse?" She removed the paper to see his face and was taken aback by his swollen jaw.
"Mrs. For.."
"Eric stole money out my purse to buy Cocaine? And you tried to stop him and he punched you? You put your own money in here thinking I wouldn't notice. He didn't come home and has been out all night."
Kitty sat on the chair and cried. Not her beautiful baby.
"Steven.what am I going to do?"
He got up from the chair and put his arm around her.
"I don't know--don't you think Red ought to know?"
"No! He'll disown him. Maybe you can talk to him. He listens to you. You can try to get him to go to one of those places."
"I'll try. For you, Mrs. Forman."
She kissed his hand. "Thank you, Steven. Now, I have to fix myself before Red comes downstairs and sees me like this. He likes to wake up to the smell of bacon."
Hyde didn't want to talk to Eric and make him go to rehab when what he wanted to was to punch him so hard in the mouth, or better yet the nose. Tough love my ass he thought Eric needed more tough and less love.
Kitty made Red take her out on Sunday after breakfast, which Red hated to do because sports were on. But she put up a fuss for needing some new kitchen supplies that were on sale for Sunday only that he had no choice but to take his wife to the mall. Hyde missed Eric come in because he fell asleep on the sofa. He could hear the shower running so Hyde went to the kitchen sink and turned on the cold water full blast. He left the water run despite the swear words coming from upstairs until Eric appeared dripping wet and freezing with only his robe on.
"Hyde, what is your f***ing problem?"
"You are a bastard, Forman. You know that. I could walk right out of here now and not give one iota about you anymore. But I love your Mother and I'm doing this for her, because she asked me to. She knows you are addicted to Cocaine. If you have any feelings at all."
"You are the Forman favorite child," Eric pushed Hyde, "They felt sorry for you because everyone abandoned you. So don't you even dare think of coming into MY house, that's right MY house and think of telling me what to do.Because you don't run my life, Hyde. And I don't have to take f***ing orders form you."
Hyde grabbed Eric by the arms, "Push me again.and I'll break them both." Hyde let go.
"So what is it that my Mother wants you to tell me? To go to rehab?
Well that idea is not going to fly. Again, it's people telling me how to live my life and those days are gone. I'm out of here." Eric went out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
"So did you snort all of your midnight stash?" Hyde followed him.
"Go away!" Eric went to his room, he tried to lock it but wasn't quick enough to stop Hyde from entering.
"Where do you keep it?" Hyde started going through Eric's things.
"Get off my stuff!" Eric slammed Hyde into the wall as Hyde took a bag out of Eric's pocket. The other bag he finished before he came home.
"This is what its come down to, Forman--One little white bag of Coke. I bet you would die if I just opened this and flung it everywhere."
"You wouldn't?!" Hyde pushed forward as the sealed bag fell out of his hands and landed on Eric's bed.
Eric tried to jump on Hyde to stop him but instead fell on the floor.
"Your reflexes suck." Hyde grabbed the bag.
"Hyde, you have no right to interfere with my life!"
"Shut up." He put it in his back pocket as Eric stood up.
"You are not leaving this room, Hyde until you give me what is mine."
Trophy. One of his useless school trophies shined like a lighthouse beacon.
"That's unlikely."
"This is what its come down to, Hyde. One little school trophy upside your f**ing head."
"Red, I have something to tell you and I don't know how to say it."
Kitty said as they parked in the garage.
"Kitty, we've been married for a long time there's nothing you can't say to me."
"I took you out of the house this morning under false pretenses. Steven agrees that Eric is showing all the signs of someone who is dependant on Cocaine.."
"I'll kill..."
"No. None of that. He stole money out of my purse last night and punched Steven in the mouth. I made up that story about the store having a sale so Steven could talk to him while we were gone."
Red was silent for a moment than spoke "I thought he was just on the OTHER cigarettes again." And maybe a little liquor but Cocaine?
"We have to be there for him, Red. No anger. No judging. We have to love him. It's the divorce. Its hurt him so deeply that he's turned to hard drugs. Promise me, Red, no anger. Not now. Not while he's at his worst."
He held his wife's hand and kissed it. "I promise."
Estate in Connecticut
"Yes, Mother Worthington," Ugh Jackie thought as she stirred her tea. "I'll check out the boarding schools you recommended for Tiffany."
She could not stand her ex-Mother-In-Law and took her tea in the large sitting room. This house was bigger than hers. It all seemed so unnecessary. She picked up cell phone to call Steven.
"What are you doing that I keep getting your voice mail? This woman is so dreadful. She wants me to send Tiffany to one of those large faceless and incredibly snooty boarding schools. I love you. Please call me back soon. I can't wait to see you again. And did I tell you I love you?"
Donna felt a sharp mental pain in her stomach. Similar to that of twins. When one twin is in danger, the other knows about it.
"What's wrong, Donna?" asked Bob as they were finishing a jigsaw puzzle.
"It's Eric. I can feel it.Something is wrong with Eric." Donna got up and picked up the phone. She dialed his apartment in Kenosha, just the answering machine, she dialed his work number she got the closed on Sunday message and would she like to leave a voice mail? She took a deep breath and called the Forman house. It rang twenty times and no one picked up not even the machine.
"Dad, something is wrong if Mrs. Forman is not answering her phone. I have to go to Point Place. It's not that long of a drive."
"I don't want you going alone like this, Donna, I'll go with you."
"Thanks, Dad." She'd have to explain it to her Dad in the car what was going on.
The Forman kitchen was eerily quiet like a burglar had been in and left while they were still gone.
"Where are they?" Red asked
"Red, I don't like this one bit." Kitty said as they went into the living room. She looked out the front window. Hyde's car was still here.
"Eric," Red started the walk upstairs trying to remain calm, "Steven.." Kitty followed behind.
Red was a little surprised when the door to Eric's room was locked.
"Oh my god! Why is the door locked, Red?" Kitty started to hyperventilate.
"Kitty, take a deep breath. It'll be okay. I'll just get the spare key."
Kitty knocked on the door, "Eric, Steven, are you boys in there? Hurry up with the keys, Red. I don't hear anyone breathing!"
**************************************************************************** *************
Donna took out her laptop while her Dad was driving.
The Drug Solution By Donna Pinciotti
I never saw my ex-husband do a line. I only heard it as hearsay from a mutal friend, but now me and my Dad are speeding along the highway because I can feel that he's in trouble. I kept chickening out to go see him, see if he was really high, but I couldn't do it. We were teenagers of the '70s when the only drug we touched was pot. and even though I don't do it on a regular basis anymore, I could tell you compared to cocaine it was nothing. What if I never see Eric alive again? Donna erased the name Eric and then closed her laptop without saving her words.
Jackie was extremely worried when Hyde was still not answering his phone.
"Steven.are you okay? After I take my daughter back home to New York, I'm coming to see you. I love you.and I know you are not ignoring me. Please call me, baby."
Kitty collapsed in her husbands arms as the both of them cried. The hard drugs entered the Forman home with a vengeance. As one young man lie on the floor covered in blood, barely breathing.
Signs
Hurricane Eric sprung open the door to his parents house on the following weekend. Hyde was here. Jackie had take her daughter for a dreadful visit to her paternal Grandparents in Connecticut. He was sitting on the sofa the dots starting to connect.
"Hello, Mom!" Eric smiled and gently spun her around. "I'm so sorry that I forgot all about the Pricemart reunion dinner. I bought you presents!"
"Thank you, dear. But you really should be saying this to your Father. He's quite upset."
"I was just very busy with work," lying, "I'm sorry I didn't call you back." to which Eric looked at Hyde with sarcastic "Thank you" eyes. Dilated eyes.
Kitty tried not to be upset that Eric didn't call or visit for one week. She was happy that he came for a surprise visit and bearing gifts was also good.
"Don't worry about it, son. Why don't you see your Dad, he's in the garage."
"Sure, Mom. I hope you like the perfume, you said the other one was too sweet, I think this one is just right. I have a nose for these things." Eric laughed tapping it.
"You're just too good to us, sometimes. I'll put on the coffee and who here wants cake?"
Hyde waited for Mrs. Forman to be in the kitchen and busy before he stopped Eric from going out the front door.
"Wait a minute, Forman." Hyde thought maybe just maybe he was wrong about matters such as these. Mrs. Forman was a retired nurse after all.
"What is it, Hyde?" He took it upon himself to quickly scan Eric's face. Besides the dilated eyes, his neck was a pale blush color it reminded him of Jackie's cheeks.
"Uh, nothing." Maybe, not. Then Eric bumped into the door. Maybe, so.
"Forman are you high, man?"
"Can't a person accidentally f***ing bump themselves into the f***ing door without the third degree from Mr. F***ing Conspiracy Theory?"
"Go see your, Dad.but if you.." Hyde wanted to tell him if he hurted his folks especially Mrs. Forman he would absolutely have no qualms of putting him in the hospital again.
"If I what?" He hated coming down it was one of the worst feelings in the world and it made him feel like the scum of the Earth.
Hyde swallowed trying to think of something quick. The bastard was high. "but if you are going to bump into doors maybe you should get your eyes checked." He knew that reply was lame, but he didn't want to say or do anything rash with Kitty in the kitchen.
"Whatever." Eric left out the front door.
This had to be what was bothering Jackie. She and Donna were no doubt talking about this on the phone, Jackie probably wanted to tell him all about it and Donna knowing her said "No."
Hyde turned off the TV and went to see how Mrs. Forman was doing.
"There you are, Steven. Would you get me that bag of flour off the top shelf? Red has discovered the joys of buying in bulk!"
"That explains all the toothpaste in the bathroom." Hyde tried to laugh.
"Thank you, dear. You know I didn't want to say anything while Eric was in living room, but he doesn't look right." She put a measuring scoop in the flour bag. A part of Hyde did not want Mrs. Forman to figure it out for herself. If she broke down and cried in her homemade cake mix Hyde was going to have to go out there and even Red couldn't stop him from punching him in the mouth. He'd be that angry.
"You think so?"
"There were quite a few people in the hospital, a lot of young people, but some older people too. And my son is one of them. I know you can tell Steven. You have street smarts-so tell me that I'm dreaming that my son is totally whacked out on Cocaine?" Kitty threw the flour scoop in the bowl. She didn't cry. She knew if she got upset Hyde would have lost his cool and she didn't want a repeat performance of what happened in the garage not too long ago.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Forman, but I think so too."
She went to Hyde and hugged him tight. "Be his friend, Steven. But for God Sake if Red doesn't figure it out, we can't tell him. He'll disown Eric and I don't want that to happen."
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
"Thank you, Steven. You and Eric have always been good friends with each other.."
"But one thing Mrs. Forman, it may not be my place to say it, but Donna's not a bad person-we made a mistake." Hyde was referring to the affair not the pregnancy. "Don't hate her for it."
"I'm going to finish baking this cake." Kitty said changing the subject. Now even if he wanted to he couldn't go out there and "kill" Forman.
"Dad, you aren't much of a talker?" Eric said out loud. Red barely accepted his apology he just wanted to fix this one little thing on the carburetor.
"Eric, I accept your apology but if you aren't going to help me with the car you might as well leave."
"Of course." Eric left as Hyde was coming in
"Where are you going?" Hyde asked
"To bed." Actually he wanted to go down two blocks, around the corner, and under the bridge where he could buy some snow. But he couldn't bring it in his parents house not only was it too risky but that was a line he did not want to cross.
"It's only one o'clock." Hyde looked at his watch.
"I'm tired and who are you my babysitter?" Coming down was definitely a bitch. All he dwelled on was his failed marriage and the fact that Donna never loved him, he was sure of that. All he wanted was to take a few beers upstairs and collapse on the pillows.
"Steven since my son wants naptime will you hold the flashlight?"
"Sure." Hyde watched as Eric walked in the house with the weight of the world seemingly on his shoulders.
1AM
Eric slept through dinner and beyond when he opened up his eyes. They more like snapped themselves open. He quietly got out of the bed and got his cell phone that was on his desk and quickly dialed the number that replaced his parents as the number one speed dial selection.
"Hey. It's me. I need some. Point Place. I'm staying with my parents for the weekend. Fine. I know where that is." Eric hung up the phone and went through his wallet. Empty. His trouser pockets. Empty. His shirt pockets. Empty. All he had were his credit cards.
"F***." He muttered to himself. Eric who looked like the unkempt people that he saw in the movies as he fumbled putting his shoes on. Money that's all he wanted. He tried to remain quiet as he ran down the stairs. He remembered that his Mother left her purse on the kitchen table. He didn't turn on the light and went by the glow of the nightlight and the moon coming in from the window.
Eric had the money in his hand as the light switched on making him almost jump out of his skin.
"Stealing from your Mother, you son of a b-" Hyde couldn't finish because Mrs. Forman wasn't one. And just like last time Eric got in a lucky punch as he sailed passed Hyde.
When Hyde gathered himself he stood up.Damn it, you think he'd be used to Eric's "lucky punch" move by now. He took out his own wallet and put the money back in Mrs. Forman's purse.
There was nowhere to go but to the guest room and hope that the police didn't call for anyone to identify anything.
Blow
"Do you have it, Forman?" asked the man, a big large linebacker type.
"Yes, now give it to me." Eric threw the money at him.
"Relax, you're a paying customer and we like those," He laughed at his other large friend who was in their brand new SUV. "One of our other customers gave us the money but left their bag behind you can have it. Consider it a 'gift'. Because we love suburbanites like you. Life gets too tough and you all get habits. How do you think we got this fine automobile?"
Eric watched as they laughed into the night. Happy with his 2 for 1. Eric tucked the bag into his pocket as he went to the nearest bar. Odessa was the sleaziest bar in all of Point Place even Hyde's deadbeat Father never went inside there. Eric went in the rest room, there was no separate ones for men and women, just one with a flimsy lock and the horrible smell of lives that went off the track. He did two huge lines before going back out to the bar and ordering a beer. The highs lasting too short and the lows lasting far too long.
8AM
"Steven, you've been avoiding me all morning." Kitty said as Hyde had his nose in the paper. Red was still asleep. It was his treat, now that the kids were out of the house.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Forman. I was talking to Jackie on the phone."
"How is she?"
"Fine. She said she wants to come by for a visit someday."
"That's nice, nice. Um, Steven, do you want to explain why I have fifty dollars MORE in my purse?" She removed the paper to see his face and was taken aback by his swollen jaw.
"Mrs. For.."
"Eric stole money out my purse to buy Cocaine? And you tried to stop him and he punched you? You put your own money in here thinking I wouldn't notice. He didn't come home and has been out all night."
Kitty sat on the chair and cried. Not her beautiful baby.
"Steven.what am I going to do?"
He got up from the chair and put his arm around her.
"I don't know--don't you think Red ought to know?"
"No! He'll disown him. Maybe you can talk to him. He listens to you. You can try to get him to go to one of those places."
"I'll try. For you, Mrs. Forman."
She kissed his hand. "Thank you, Steven. Now, I have to fix myself before Red comes downstairs and sees me like this. He likes to wake up to the smell of bacon."
Hyde didn't want to talk to Eric and make him go to rehab when what he wanted to was to punch him so hard in the mouth, or better yet the nose. Tough love my ass he thought Eric needed more tough and less love.
Kitty made Red take her out on Sunday after breakfast, which Red hated to do because sports were on. But she put up a fuss for needing some new kitchen supplies that were on sale for Sunday only that he had no choice but to take his wife to the mall. Hyde missed Eric come in because he fell asleep on the sofa. He could hear the shower running so Hyde went to the kitchen sink and turned on the cold water full blast. He left the water run despite the swear words coming from upstairs until Eric appeared dripping wet and freezing with only his robe on.
"Hyde, what is your f***ing problem?"
"You are a bastard, Forman. You know that. I could walk right out of here now and not give one iota about you anymore. But I love your Mother and I'm doing this for her, because she asked me to. She knows you are addicted to Cocaine. If you have any feelings at all."
"You are the Forman favorite child," Eric pushed Hyde, "They felt sorry for you because everyone abandoned you. So don't you even dare think of coming into MY house, that's right MY house and think of telling me what to do.Because you don't run my life, Hyde. And I don't have to take f***ing orders form you."
Hyde grabbed Eric by the arms, "Push me again.and I'll break them both." Hyde let go.
"So what is it that my Mother wants you to tell me? To go to rehab?
Well that idea is not going to fly. Again, it's people telling me how to live my life and those days are gone. I'm out of here." Eric went out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
"So did you snort all of your midnight stash?" Hyde followed him.
"Go away!" Eric went to his room, he tried to lock it but wasn't quick enough to stop Hyde from entering.
"Where do you keep it?" Hyde started going through Eric's things.
"Get off my stuff!" Eric slammed Hyde into the wall as Hyde took a bag out of Eric's pocket. The other bag he finished before he came home.
"This is what its come down to, Forman--One little white bag of Coke. I bet you would die if I just opened this and flung it everywhere."
"You wouldn't?!" Hyde pushed forward as the sealed bag fell out of his hands and landed on Eric's bed.
Eric tried to jump on Hyde to stop him but instead fell on the floor.
"Your reflexes suck." Hyde grabbed the bag.
"Hyde, you have no right to interfere with my life!"
"Shut up." He put it in his back pocket as Eric stood up.
"You are not leaving this room, Hyde until you give me what is mine."
Trophy. One of his useless school trophies shined like a lighthouse beacon.
"That's unlikely."
"This is what its come down to, Hyde. One little school trophy upside your f**ing head."
"Red, I have something to tell you and I don't know how to say it."
Kitty said as they parked in the garage.
"Kitty, we've been married for a long time there's nothing you can't say to me."
"I took you out of the house this morning under false pretenses. Steven agrees that Eric is showing all the signs of someone who is dependant on Cocaine.."
"I'll kill..."
"No. None of that. He stole money out of my purse last night and punched Steven in the mouth. I made up that story about the store having a sale so Steven could talk to him while we were gone."
Red was silent for a moment than spoke "I thought he was just on the OTHER cigarettes again." And maybe a little liquor but Cocaine?
"We have to be there for him, Red. No anger. No judging. We have to love him. It's the divorce. Its hurt him so deeply that he's turned to hard drugs. Promise me, Red, no anger. Not now. Not while he's at his worst."
He held his wife's hand and kissed it. "I promise."
Estate in Connecticut
"Yes, Mother Worthington," Ugh Jackie thought as she stirred her tea. "I'll check out the boarding schools you recommended for Tiffany."
She could not stand her ex-Mother-In-Law and took her tea in the large sitting room. This house was bigger than hers. It all seemed so unnecessary. She picked up cell phone to call Steven.
"What are you doing that I keep getting your voice mail? This woman is so dreadful. She wants me to send Tiffany to one of those large faceless and incredibly snooty boarding schools. I love you. Please call me back soon. I can't wait to see you again. And did I tell you I love you?"
Donna felt a sharp mental pain in her stomach. Similar to that of twins. When one twin is in danger, the other knows about it.
"What's wrong, Donna?" asked Bob as they were finishing a jigsaw puzzle.
"It's Eric. I can feel it.Something is wrong with Eric." Donna got up and picked up the phone. She dialed his apartment in Kenosha, just the answering machine, she dialed his work number she got the closed on Sunday message and would she like to leave a voice mail? She took a deep breath and called the Forman house. It rang twenty times and no one picked up not even the machine.
"Dad, something is wrong if Mrs. Forman is not answering her phone. I have to go to Point Place. It's not that long of a drive."
"I don't want you going alone like this, Donna, I'll go with you."
"Thanks, Dad." She'd have to explain it to her Dad in the car what was going on.
The Forman kitchen was eerily quiet like a burglar had been in and left while they were still gone.
"Where are they?" Red asked
"Red, I don't like this one bit." Kitty said as they went into the living room. She looked out the front window. Hyde's car was still here.
"Eric," Red started the walk upstairs trying to remain calm, "Steven.." Kitty followed behind.
Red was a little surprised when the door to Eric's room was locked.
"Oh my god! Why is the door locked, Red?" Kitty started to hyperventilate.
"Kitty, take a deep breath. It'll be okay. I'll just get the spare key."
Kitty knocked on the door, "Eric, Steven, are you boys in there? Hurry up with the keys, Red. I don't hear anyone breathing!"
**************************************************************************** *************
Donna took out her laptop while her Dad was driving.
The Drug Solution By Donna Pinciotti
I never saw my ex-husband do a line. I only heard it as hearsay from a mutal friend, but now me and my Dad are speeding along the highway because I can feel that he's in trouble. I kept chickening out to go see him, see if he was really high, but I couldn't do it. We were teenagers of the '70s when the only drug we touched was pot. and even though I don't do it on a regular basis anymore, I could tell you compared to cocaine it was nothing. What if I never see Eric alive again? Donna erased the name Eric and then closed her laptop without saving her words.
Jackie was extremely worried when Hyde was still not answering his phone.
"Steven.are you okay? After I take my daughter back home to New York, I'm coming to see you. I love you.and I know you are not ignoring me. Please call me, baby."
Kitty collapsed in her husbands arms as the both of them cried. The hard drugs entered the Forman home with a vengeance. As one young man lie on the floor covered in blood, barely breathing.