Chapter 8
Why, God, Why?
Donna had to stretch out in the backseat as she opened up her laptop again.
Eric By Donna Pinciotti
Eric is a wonderful man and a lot of people wouldn't expect me as of late to write that. Although, I don't know why. I love him and a lot of people would turn their heads and gasp, "Why Donna, I thought you hated his guts!" Just because our marriage failed and that was more my fault then his does not mean I don't have feelings towards him. I can barely type without shaking so that is why my Dad has to be driving. I still don't know what's going on. I just know that no one is answering their phones. I was writing something before and I erased it, but I'm not going to erase this. I did not see Eric do drugs. I only heard it from a mutal friend who works at the same company as him-so it really is hearsay. We came of age in the '70s and the only thing we touched was pot and some booze. I haven't had a joint in a long time and I don't want to write about the legalization of marijuana. I just want people to know that there is a difference between that and Cocaine. You would all like Eric if you knew him, sweet and kind. I killed his spirit. This was a guy who drew pictures for me when we were in elementary school, who loved his Mother, and worked part time with his Dad while still in school. I think it's easy to canonize people as soon as you hear about their problems. While Eric is a great guy he has his flaws. He could be a tad sexist, but then not as bad as his Father who in turn probably wasn't as bad as his. Eric would be the last guy you would suspect to develop a cocaine habit. Which is probably why it was enticing to him. I don't know what me and my Dad are going to find when we finally get to Point Place. I'm more scared then I've ever been in my whole life. Even when I got my abortion. Please God, if you exist, please make Eric be okay. We'll all make sure he gets the help he needs. I can see him on Jackie's piano with a candlestick as a microphone singing off-key to me. I was so embarrassed back then. Now I'd love to hear him sing any song. I don't know when or if this will be published, I might just keep this is a diary, but I LOVE
ERIC with all of my heart. Our wedding was so beautiful. His Mother who now thinks I'm the Queen Bitch because I had an affair with Hyde, made me my wedding dress. Eric wore.Interrupted Thought (note-Fan Fiction Thought That Was Actual HTML code. Donna was saving her document)
Steven
Jackie was very concerned when no one was answering at the Forman house and Hyde was not answering his cell. She was going to have a slight case of jet lag coming back to New York with her daughter then turn around go back to the airport and fly to Wisconsin. Where could he be? When they chatted earlier in the day he said he'd call back later. In the past he might have lied about something like that, but not now. Jackie told Donna during of their last phone conversations that both couples wasted a lot of time, especially herself and Hyde-but Eric and Donna, too even though the latter were married. Jackie hated being married to her perfect country club card carrying member of a husband and she couldn't count how many times she would be in bed with him and fantasize about Hyde instead. Jackie explained to her daughter that she was worried and had to go and see if Hyde was all right to which her daughter replied, "You love him, Mommy?" and Jackie smiled and said, "Yes." Jackie checked her cell phone as she was in her taxi on the way to the airport, she had no messages. She decided to call Donna.
"Hello?" Donna replied tiredly, damn the stupid luck if they didn't get a flat tire on the way. Her Father was talking to the mechanic as Donna looked for a quiet place.
"Donna, it's me. You didn't happen to hear from Steven did you? I talked to him very early this morning and I haven't been able to get in touch with anyone since."
Damn. If this didn't cement everything that Donna had been feeling for the whole day.
"No. I can't get in touch with Eric, either. I'm on my way."
"So am I!"
"I'd be there by now but we got a stupid flat tire."
"We?" Jackie asked
"My Dad wanted to come along-Jackie, I'm very scared."
Donna didn't want to say that out loud.
"That's nothing to be ashamed of because I feel the same way."
"Donna since you are going to get there first will you please give me a call to tell me what's going on?" Jackie asked.
"Sure."
"I'm at the airport now, I have to go now, Donna, if you don't get me please leave a voice mail." Jackie seemed to plead.
"Don't worry, I will. Take care."
They said their goodbyes and Donna put her phone back in her pocket.
"Dad, do you want something out of the vending machine?"
"I'll take care of that, Donna. I want to make sure you eat something today."
Bob replied he too had a bad feeling but didn't want to make Donna feel worse. Even if Red didn't, Kitty would always answer the phone and if they weren't home She would call you right back when she returned.
"Just a soda." Donna figured she could force that down quite easily.
"That's not a meal."
"But that's all I can stomach."
The mechanic called out and said their tire would would be finished in five minutes. They would arrive in Point Place in fifty minutes and all Donna wanted to see was Eric.
~Donna's flashback~ (note-created by me)
"Eric, you didn't have to." They were sat on the hood of the Vista Cruiser. It was the last days of summer before they were to start college.
"I know, but I wanted to." He smiled.
Donna opened up the box, it was too long to be a ring. "Eric, it's beautiful." It was a silver ID bracelet that he had engraved. The front of the engraving said "Donna" and on the back "Eric Loves You." With the date.
He put it on her wrist. "You look so beautiful tonight." He put his arm around her just as they were about to kiss all Eric heard was Red yelling about taking the garbage out.
"He had to do that now?" Eric asked
"That's what parents do. Imagine the fun we'll have on campus!"
"I don't know, Donna, once all the co-eds see what a hot boyfriend you have, they might want my body!"
She slightly pushed him, "Get real, Eric. You're mine." She kissed him.
"Eric, the garbage, today."
"Yes, Master." Eric called out to Red.
Donna slid off the Vista Cruiser, "Goodnight, Eric. I love you."
"Me too." He tried to let her kiss linger. He hated the goodbyes and goodnights when all he wanted to do was be in bed with her forever.
Donna watched Eric walk towards his house. She couldn't wait for their future together.
"Donna," her Father called out from their doorway, "Don't forget to take out the garbage!"
"I don't think you guys wanted kids you wanted slaves." Donna joked as she could hear Eric get the trash cans out of the garage. She couldn't imagine a future without him.
~End flashback~
Kitty sat with her head on Red's shoulder as they waited patiently in the beige colored room.
"They ought to kill every single son of a bitch who brings drugs into this country."
"Ssh," Kitty replied, in between tears, "Red."
~Kitty's flashback~ (also created by me)
It was Eric's sixth birthday party.
"Hi, Donna! Would you like a cupcake?" Eric held one out for her
"Thank you, Eric."
"Michael, honey, stop putting pretzels down your pants!" Kitty said motioning for Red to take Kelso to the bathroom so he could clean up. Red rolled his eyes thinking Korea was better than this crap!
"Forman loves Pinciotti! Forman loves Pinciotti!" Hyde teased
"I do NOT!" Eric pulled her braid to show that he did not love Donna.
"OW!" Donna kicked Eric in the shin, "I don't want your stupid cupcake!" and mushed it in his face.
"Now, now kids, what's going on?" Kitty bent over to get on their height level.
"Why did you put your cupcake in Eric's face?" asked Midge, still standing
"Because Forman loves Pinciotti!" Hyde teased some more.
"I do NOT!" Eric whined as Kitty wiped his face with a towelette.
"Mom, I want to go home!" Donna said
"Now, no one's going home, we're all going to have fun!" Kitty laughed as she got out another party game.
"Is this the game where we get to pin Eric's butt?" Kelso came running down the stairs.
"No-Ring Toss!"
"I'd rather pin something to Eric's butt!" Kelso complained
Red decided to bring in Eric's presents the sooner he opened them the sooner everyone who wasn't named Forman would be out of this house.
"Where's my..?" Eric started to say
"Do you mean this?" Kitty pointed to the door and nearly had to slightly push Laurie to get her to open the closet and get the big surprise for her brother.
It was a red bike with a fake license plate that said "Eric" on it.
"I got my bike! I got my bike!"
"Red get the camera." Kitty helped Eric get on the bike and showed him the streamers on the handlebars and the horn.
"How do you like the bike, son?"
"I love it, Mommy! This is the best birthday ever!" Eric smiled, then stuck out his tongue at Donna to show the whole room that he did NOT like her.
~End flashback~
Bob had the car barely parked before Donna ran up to the Forman house. The door was locked. She ran around to the garage and Red's car was not there.
"Are you looking for the Forman's?" asked a young person whose parents bought her old house.
"Yes." Donna replied
"They all went to the hospital."
Donna turned around and ran back to the car.
"Dad, they're at the hospital." Donna tried to remain calm and not think too far ahead. Damn it. Eric was just in the hospital for f***s sake! Donna thought about how many times she pushed him away including recently when he surprised her with a new used Vista Cruiser and he proposed that the divorce NOT go through and what does she do? She pushes him away because of his Mother. Now he develops a Cocaine habit which Donna could not call hearsay anymore just because she didn't see him do it. Donna's stomach was up to her neck when they pulled into the hospital parking lot and Donna just wanted to see him, wanted to hold him. Tell him she was so stupid for letting him go. Maybe she had some of her Mother in her after all.
"Can you please tell me what room Eric Forman is in?" Donna crashed into the admissions desk.
"No one has been admitted by that name."
"Well your computer is wrong," Donna snapped, "Because the neighbors told me they were at the hospital and I will search every room in here if you don't tell me where he is."
"Calm down, Donna." Bob touched her shoulder.
"Bob, what are you doing here?" Red asked carrying two coffee cups.
Bob couldn't possibly reply that Donna felt the urge that something was wrong so he said, "To see Eric."
"And this lady says he's not in her stupid computer!" Donna kicked the desk.
"Eric's not here. Steven's in the in ICU, we don't know where Eric is."
"What?" Donna wanted to fall to the ground, but somehow managed to stay standing
"Red, I'm sorry." Bob started to say
"If I knew who sold him the drugs, I'd kill them with my bare hands."
Donna walked in a daze and didn't know where she was going. Eric's missing and Hyde's in the hospital. Donna didn't know what to do when she saw Kitty Forman, she didn't know what Kitty was going to say to her. Everything was strained since she found about the affair with Hyde and then the abortion.
"Oh, Donna," Kitty stood up and hugged her tight, "My baby is missing."
"What in the hell happened?"
"We don't know. Last night Eric stole money from me and went out to.I can't say it," Kitty started to cry again.
"He bought Coke?"
"Yes and I had asked Steven to talk to him while I took Red out this morning.and when we came home. Eric's room door was locked. and Steven was lying on the floor all covered with blood. Eric stabbed him with one of his trophies and now he's hooked up to all these machines."
"F***. Oh, I'm sorry."
"No, don't be sorry, Donna. This is f***ing awful." Donna didn't think she ever heard Kitty say the "F' word before.
"I know we haven't been close lately, and I'm sorry if you think."
"How about another hug? I'm very sorry for blaming you as the reason your and Eric's marriage failed."
"I'm going to go look for Eric, Mrs. Forman. If he was high maybe he just collapsed somewhere. I shouldn't have worded it like that. No Mother wants to hear that. But let me tell you neither does an ex-wife. Will you let my Dad stay with you?"
"Of course.please be careful."
Despite her valiant efforts Donna was not going to find Eric on that night.
Eric used one of his credit cards at one of the ATMS in Point Place and when he was halfway sober realized he could've just done that to get his money not steal it off his Mother. God, that was dumb. He sighed as he rang the doorbell he was tired, hungry, and in need of a shower, but nothing mattered but getting to the next high.
"Eric, what in hell are you doing here?" asked Laurie
"Are you going to let your brother in?"
"Okay, but be quiet, I want Todd to sleep through the night."
Laurie thought he looked terrible, if she didn't know any better she Would think he---nah-not Eric. Not her gawky, stupid baby brother.
She did the polite thing and gave him something to drink. Eric was hoping it be stronger than a Pepsi.
"So, why are you here, Eric? You care about me just as much as I care about you-so you want something don't you?"
"Just a few hundred. I'll pay you back."
"What do you want money for? You're working, you do that internet stock crap."
"I need extra money and I might not have a job much longer."
"Well, you can forget me giving you any money, that I really don't think I will ever see again." Laurie excused herself when she heard her son get up, he always wanted a cup of water at this time of night, never fail.
Laurie was definitely evil. He walked into the living room with his glass of soda. His eyes scanned the happy Forman family pictures, how come he always seemed to look so dorky in the ones she had out? The phone rang but Laurie had it on low volume so she didn't hear it. He listened to his Mother leave a rather frantic message on her machine about him. When Kitty hung up he pressed the "delete" function on the answering machine. He walked into the mini den where Laurie had set up as a dressing room of sorts. 'She shouldn't leave her jewelry out like this' Eric thought. He knew she liked the real stuff. 18 karat gold, diamonds, and precious gems. If she didn't want to give him greenbacks, this could work just as good, maybe even better. It would also teach her a lesson. He pocketed two bracelets and went back into the kitchen waiting for her to return.
"Is Todd fine?" Eric didn't know where that bit of concern came from.
"Yeah, he only wakes up for a glass of water at the same time every night.
Back to you, Eric. How come you want money from me? How come you aren't asking Mom and Dad for it?"
"Because I don't want to burden them in their old age."
"How kind hearted of you. Now you can make yourself something to eat if you are hungry, but I'm kicking you out in an hour. This is not a hotel. and I have a date coming over."
"That's very classy behavior for someone with a little kid upstairs." Eric preached noting the irony.
Donna spent an hour looking in every alley, every bar (almost got groped at Odessa by a zoned out trucker), and every place where a drug addict might hide. She parked in the Point Place Pharmacy parking lot and took out her cell phone. She dreaded making this call, but she promised.
"Oh, Donna thank God it's you!.."
"Jackie, I have terrible news for you and I don't know how to tell you."
"Steven is he..." Jackie couldn't bear to say it and couldn't bear to think it.
"No. -but he's in ICU all hooked up to machines. You know Hyde, Jackie, he has always been a fighter and a survivor. I know he's going to make it."
Donna didn't know if she believed that or if she just wanted to make Jackie feel better.
Jackie started to cry. "Thank you for saying that Donna. I'll see you in a bit when I land."
"Okay," Donna didn't think now was the time to say anything about Eric especially on why Hyde was in the hospital in the first place. "Talk to you later."
Jackie hung up her phone and cried softly into her travel pillow.
"Hold on, Steven," she quietly muttered, "Hold on for me."
Donna had to stretch out in the backseat as she opened up her laptop again.
Eric By Donna Pinciotti
Eric is a wonderful man and a lot of people wouldn't expect me as of late to write that. Although, I don't know why. I love him and a lot of people would turn their heads and gasp, "Why Donna, I thought you hated his guts!" Just because our marriage failed and that was more my fault then his does not mean I don't have feelings towards him. I can barely type without shaking so that is why my Dad has to be driving. I still don't know what's going on. I just know that no one is answering their phones. I was writing something before and I erased it, but I'm not going to erase this. I did not see Eric do drugs. I only heard it from a mutal friend who works at the same company as him-so it really is hearsay. We came of age in the '70s and the only thing we touched was pot and some booze. I haven't had a joint in a long time and I don't want to write about the legalization of marijuana. I just want people to know that there is a difference between that and Cocaine. You would all like Eric if you knew him, sweet and kind. I killed his spirit. This was a guy who drew pictures for me when we were in elementary school, who loved his Mother, and worked part time with his Dad while still in school. I think it's easy to canonize people as soon as you hear about their problems. While Eric is a great guy he has his flaws. He could be a tad sexist, but then not as bad as his Father who in turn probably wasn't as bad as his. Eric would be the last guy you would suspect to develop a cocaine habit. Which is probably why it was enticing to him. I don't know what me and my Dad are going to find when we finally get to Point Place. I'm more scared then I've ever been in my whole life. Even when I got my abortion. Please God, if you exist, please make Eric be okay. We'll all make sure he gets the help he needs. I can see him on Jackie's piano with a candlestick as a microphone singing off-key to me. I was so embarrassed back then. Now I'd love to hear him sing any song. I don't know when or if this will be published, I might just keep this is a diary, but I LOVE
ERIC with all of my heart. Our wedding was so beautiful. His Mother who now thinks I'm the Queen Bitch because I had an affair with Hyde, made me my wedding dress. Eric wore.Interrupted Thought (note-Fan Fiction Thought That Was Actual HTML code. Donna was saving her document)
Steven
Jackie was very concerned when no one was answering at the Forman house and Hyde was not answering his cell. She was going to have a slight case of jet lag coming back to New York with her daughter then turn around go back to the airport and fly to Wisconsin. Where could he be? When they chatted earlier in the day he said he'd call back later. In the past he might have lied about something like that, but not now. Jackie told Donna during of their last phone conversations that both couples wasted a lot of time, especially herself and Hyde-but Eric and Donna, too even though the latter were married. Jackie hated being married to her perfect country club card carrying member of a husband and she couldn't count how many times she would be in bed with him and fantasize about Hyde instead. Jackie explained to her daughter that she was worried and had to go and see if Hyde was all right to which her daughter replied, "You love him, Mommy?" and Jackie smiled and said, "Yes." Jackie checked her cell phone as she was in her taxi on the way to the airport, she had no messages. She decided to call Donna.
"Hello?" Donna replied tiredly, damn the stupid luck if they didn't get a flat tire on the way. Her Father was talking to the mechanic as Donna looked for a quiet place.
"Donna, it's me. You didn't happen to hear from Steven did you? I talked to him very early this morning and I haven't been able to get in touch with anyone since."
Damn. If this didn't cement everything that Donna had been feeling for the whole day.
"No. I can't get in touch with Eric, either. I'm on my way."
"So am I!"
"I'd be there by now but we got a stupid flat tire."
"We?" Jackie asked
"My Dad wanted to come along-Jackie, I'm very scared."
Donna didn't want to say that out loud.
"That's nothing to be ashamed of because I feel the same way."
"Donna since you are going to get there first will you please give me a call to tell me what's going on?" Jackie asked.
"Sure."
"I'm at the airport now, I have to go now, Donna, if you don't get me please leave a voice mail." Jackie seemed to plead.
"Don't worry, I will. Take care."
They said their goodbyes and Donna put her phone back in her pocket.
"Dad, do you want something out of the vending machine?"
"I'll take care of that, Donna. I want to make sure you eat something today."
Bob replied he too had a bad feeling but didn't want to make Donna feel worse. Even if Red didn't, Kitty would always answer the phone and if they weren't home She would call you right back when she returned.
"Just a soda." Donna figured she could force that down quite easily.
"That's not a meal."
"But that's all I can stomach."
The mechanic called out and said their tire would would be finished in five minutes. They would arrive in Point Place in fifty minutes and all Donna wanted to see was Eric.
~Donna's flashback~ (note-created by me)
"Eric, you didn't have to." They were sat on the hood of the Vista Cruiser. It was the last days of summer before they were to start college.
"I know, but I wanted to." He smiled.
Donna opened up the box, it was too long to be a ring. "Eric, it's beautiful." It was a silver ID bracelet that he had engraved. The front of the engraving said "Donna" and on the back "Eric Loves You." With the date.
He put it on her wrist. "You look so beautiful tonight." He put his arm around her just as they were about to kiss all Eric heard was Red yelling about taking the garbage out.
"He had to do that now?" Eric asked
"That's what parents do. Imagine the fun we'll have on campus!"
"I don't know, Donna, once all the co-eds see what a hot boyfriend you have, they might want my body!"
She slightly pushed him, "Get real, Eric. You're mine." She kissed him.
"Eric, the garbage, today."
"Yes, Master." Eric called out to Red.
Donna slid off the Vista Cruiser, "Goodnight, Eric. I love you."
"Me too." He tried to let her kiss linger. He hated the goodbyes and goodnights when all he wanted to do was be in bed with her forever.
Donna watched Eric walk towards his house. She couldn't wait for their future together.
"Donna," her Father called out from their doorway, "Don't forget to take out the garbage!"
"I don't think you guys wanted kids you wanted slaves." Donna joked as she could hear Eric get the trash cans out of the garage. She couldn't imagine a future without him.
~End flashback~
Kitty sat with her head on Red's shoulder as they waited patiently in the beige colored room.
"They ought to kill every single son of a bitch who brings drugs into this country."
"Ssh," Kitty replied, in between tears, "Red."
~Kitty's flashback~ (also created by me)
It was Eric's sixth birthday party.
"Hi, Donna! Would you like a cupcake?" Eric held one out for her
"Thank you, Eric."
"Michael, honey, stop putting pretzels down your pants!" Kitty said motioning for Red to take Kelso to the bathroom so he could clean up. Red rolled his eyes thinking Korea was better than this crap!
"Forman loves Pinciotti! Forman loves Pinciotti!" Hyde teased
"I do NOT!" Eric pulled her braid to show that he did not love Donna.
"OW!" Donna kicked Eric in the shin, "I don't want your stupid cupcake!" and mushed it in his face.
"Now, now kids, what's going on?" Kitty bent over to get on their height level.
"Why did you put your cupcake in Eric's face?" asked Midge, still standing
"Because Forman loves Pinciotti!" Hyde teased some more.
"I do NOT!" Eric whined as Kitty wiped his face with a towelette.
"Mom, I want to go home!" Donna said
"Now, no one's going home, we're all going to have fun!" Kitty laughed as she got out another party game.
"Is this the game where we get to pin Eric's butt?" Kelso came running down the stairs.
"No-Ring Toss!"
"I'd rather pin something to Eric's butt!" Kelso complained
Red decided to bring in Eric's presents the sooner he opened them the sooner everyone who wasn't named Forman would be out of this house.
"Where's my..?" Eric started to say
"Do you mean this?" Kitty pointed to the door and nearly had to slightly push Laurie to get her to open the closet and get the big surprise for her brother.
It was a red bike with a fake license plate that said "Eric" on it.
"I got my bike! I got my bike!"
"Red get the camera." Kitty helped Eric get on the bike and showed him the streamers on the handlebars and the horn.
"How do you like the bike, son?"
"I love it, Mommy! This is the best birthday ever!" Eric smiled, then stuck out his tongue at Donna to show the whole room that he did NOT like her.
~End flashback~
Bob had the car barely parked before Donna ran up to the Forman house. The door was locked. She ran around to the garage and Red's car was not there.
"Are you looking for the Forman's?" asked a young person whose parents bought her old house.
"Yes." Donna replied
"They all went to the hospital."
Donna turned around and ran back to the car.
"Dad, they're at the hospital." Donna tried to remain calm and not think too far ahead. Damn it. Eric was just in the hospital for f***s sake! Donna thought about how many times she pushed him away including recently when he surprised her with a new used Vista Cruiser and he proposed that the divorce NOT go through and what does she do? She pushes him away because of his Mother. Now he develops a Cocaine habit which Donna could not call hearsay anymore just because she didn't see him do it. Donna's stomach was up to her neck when they pulled into the hospital parking lot and Donna just wanted to see him, wanted to hold him. Tell him she was so stupid for letting him go. Maybe she had some of her Mother in her after all.
"Can you please tell me what room Eric Forman is in?" Donna crashed into the admissions desk.
"No one has been admitted by that name."
"Well your computer is wrong," Donna snapped, "Because the neighbors told me they were at the hospital and I will search every room in here if you don't tell me where he is."
"Calm down, Donna." Bob touched her shoulder.
"Bob, what are you doing here?" Red asked carrying two coffee cups.
Bob couldn't possibly reply that Donna felt the urge that something was wrong so he said, "To see Eric."
"And this lady says he's not in her stupid computer!" Donna kicked the desk.
"Eric's not here. Steven's in the in ICU, we don't know where Eric is."
"What?" Donna wanted to fall to the ground, but somehow managed to stay standing
"Red, I'm sorry." Bob started to say
"If I knew who sold him the drugs, I'd kill them with my bare hands."
Donna walked in a daze and didn't know where she was going. Eric's missing and Hyde's in the hospital. Donna didn't know what to do when she saw Kitty Forman, she didn't know what Kitty was going to say to her. Everything was strained since she found about the affair with Hyde and then the abortion.
"Oh, Donna," Kitty stood up and hugged her tight, "My baby is missing."
"What in the hell happened?"
"We don't know. Last night Eric stole money from me and went out to.I can't say it," Kitty started to cry again.
"He bought Coke?"
"Yes and I had asked Steven to talk to him while I took Red out this morning.and when we came home. Eric's room door was locked. and Steven was lying on the floor all covered with blood. Eric stabbed him with one of his trophies and now he's hooked up to all these machines."
"F***. Oh, I'm sorry."
"No, don't be sorry, Donna. This is f***ing awful." Donna didn't think she ever heard Kitty say the "F' word before.
"I know we haven't been close lately, and I'm sorry if you think."
"How about another hug? I'm very sorry for blaming you as the reason your and Eric's marriage failed."
"I'm going to go look for Eric, Mrs. Forman. If he was high maybe he just collapsed somewhere. I shouldn't have worded it like that. No Mother wants to hear that. But let me tell you neither does an ex-wife. Will you let my Dad stay with you?"
"Of course.please be careful."
Despite her valiant efforts Donna was not going to find Eric on that night.
Eric used one of his credit cards at one of the ATMS in Point Place and when he was halfway sober realized he could've just done that to get his money not steal it off his Mother. God, that was dumb. He sighed as he rang the doorbell he was tired, hungry, and in need of a shower, but nothing mattered but getting to the next high.
"Eric, what in hell are you doing here?" asked Laurie
"Are you going to let your brother in?"
"Okay, but be quiet, I want Todd to sleep through the night."
Laurie thought he looked terrible, if she didn't know any better she Would think he---nah-not Eric. Not her gawky, stupid baby brother.
She did the polite thing and gave him something to drink. Eric was hoping it be stronger than a Pepsi.
"So, why are you here, Eric? You care about me just as much as I care about you-so you want something don't you?"
"Just a few hundred. I'll pay you back."
"What do you want money for? You're working, you do that internet stock crap."
"I need extra money and I might not have a job much longer."
"Well, you can forget me giving you any money, that I really don't think I will ever see again." Laurie excused herself when she heard her son get up, he always wanted a cup of water at this time of night, never fail.
Laurie was definitely evil. He walked into the living room with his glass of soda. His eyes scanned the happy Forman family pictures, how come he always seemed to look so dorky in the ones she had out? The phone rang but Laurie had it on low volume so she didn't hear it. He listened to his Mother leave a rather frantic message on her machine about him. When Kitty hung up he pressed the "delete" function on the answering machine. He walked into the mini den where Laurie had set up as a dressing room of sorts. 'She shouldn't leave her jewelry out like this' Eric thought. He knew she liked the real stuff. 18 karat gold, diamonds, and precious gems. If she didn't want to give him greenbacks, this could work just as good, maybe even better. It would also teach her a lesson. He pocketed two bracelets and went back into the kitchen waiting for her to return.
"Is Todd fine?" Eric didn't know where that bit of concern came from.
"Yeah, he only wakes up for a glass of water at the same time every night.
Back to you, Eric. How come you want money from me? How come you aren't asking Mom and Dad for it?"
"Because I don't want to burden them in their old age."
"How kind hearted of you. Now you can make yourself something to eat if you are hungry, but I'm kicking you out in an hour. This is not a hotel. and I have a date coming over."
"That's very classy behavior for someone with a little kid upstairs." Eric preached noting the irony.
Donna spent an hour looking in every alley, every bar (almost got groped at Odessa by a zoned out trucker), and every place where a drug addict might hide. She parked in the Point Place Pharmacy parking lot and took out her cell phone. She dreaded making this call, but she promised.
"Oh, Donna thank God it's you!.."
"Jackie, I have terrible news for you and I don't know how to tell you."
"Steven is he..." Jackie couldn't bear to say it and couldn't bear to think it.
"No. -but he's in ICU all hooked up to machines. You know Hyde, Jackie, he has always been a fighter and a survivor. I know he's going to make it."
Donna didn't know if she believed that or if she just wanted to make Jackie feel better.
Jackie started to cry. "Thank you for saying that Donna. I'll see you in a bit when I land."
"Okay," Donna didn't think now was the time to say anything about Eric especially on why Hyde was in the hospital in the first place. "Talk to you later."
Jackie hung up her phone and cried softly into her travel pillow.
"Hold on, Steven," she quietly muttered, "Hold on for me."