Chapter 2 But Then Again To Few To Mention

Mid-May

Jackie put a fresh vase of roses on the centerpiece on the living room coffee table the fragrant aroma filling the whole living room.

"Mommy, are they here yet?" asked Jackie's daughter, Tiffany who looked just like a mini-Jackie even though she liked to do un-Jackie like things like play in the mud and climb trees even after she broke her leg.

"Not yet, honey," Jackie looked at her watch, "They should be coming soon."

Hyde was in Los Angeles producing some goth/angst band that she never heard of. Which gave Jackie the perfect opportunity to invite Donna and Eric for the weekend. Eric never would have set foot in her spacious apartment otherwise. Donna must have asked her a thousand times in a rather un-Donna like fashion "are you sure Hyde isn't going to come home early?" They were both worried about Eric and Hyde being in the same room together.

The intercom rang.

"Ms. Burkhart, there's a Donna Pinciotti and Eric Forman here to see you."

"Send them up, James. They're my guests for the weekend."

Jackie told her daughter not to run as she opened the door to wait for the elevators to open.

"Welcome to the Burkhart residence!" Tiffany said as the doors opened.

"This is my daughter, Tiffany."

"Hi." Eric said, shaking her little hand

"You're cute!"

Donna laughed watching Eric blush. "Hello." Donna said wishing she had the natural rapport that Eric had with kids.

"Where's all your suitcases?" Tiffany asked, "When Mommy travels she brings ten!"

Jackie kissed her daughter's head. "Where does she come up with this stuff?"

"This is a beautiful apartment, Jackie." Donna said noting the size of the foyer was as a big as her and Eric's bedroom in St. Louis!

Eric put their suitcases down. One for himself and one for Donna not bad.

"Don't you think it's too big?" Eric asked

"That's because you want the little house you grew up in." Donna replied

"And where did you grow up? The Biltmore Estate?" Eric quipped back.

"Oh-the Biltmore Estate that's so beautiful! I could've easily lived there." Jackie hated how people seemingly gave up living in these enormous mansions and the surviving family or the State turned them into tourist attractions for the lower and middle classes. If she had a true mansion she'd have lived in it and never have sold it!

"Mommy, where's the Biltmore Estate?" asked Tiffany

"Asheville, North Carolina." Jackie replied a little too quickly that Donna wanted to ask her who was the 30th President of the United States?

"It'd be awesome to live in Graceland." Donna said as Jackie showed Eric and Donna to their guest room.

"Graceland? Donna, did you see the jungle room? Elvis had very gaudy taste." Eric replied thinking 'god, this place is way too big to get comfortable and cozy in'.

"Mommy, who's Elvis?"

"A singer from the '50s."

"Was that your time?"

"No, dear! I'm not that old! I was a teenager in the '70s."

Eric and Donna laughed, it was cute seeing Jackie as a parent.

"This is the guest room?" Donna asked

"You should see MY room it's fabulous. I could never give up this apartment."

"I still think it's too big." Eric sighed, opening up his suitcase.

"Okay! We'll let you two get settled. I hope you are hungry. I made two o'clock reservations at the restaurant at the hotel across the street."

"Aww! Mommy does that mean I have to wear a dress and Mary Jane's?"

"Yes, it does. Don't you like being a little girl, Tiffany?"

"Not if I have to dress like one!" Donna liked the little girls independent mind

"Okay. Why don't you say goodbye to Donna and Eric."

"Bye Donna! Bye ERIC!" She waved.

"Isn't that so cute? Tiffany has a crush on you!" Donna was going to collapse with laughter at any minute

"This is surprising to you? A lot of women young and old are captivated by my beauty."

"Oh, Eric, shut up!" She threw a pillow at him.

"I say a pillow fights in order." Eric grabbed a pillow from the massive bed he really hated to see the master bedroom.

"That's very mature, Eric. How old are you now? Four? No wonder Tiffany likes you!"

"Come on, Donna are you chicken?"

"I'll show you who's chicken." And within one minute they were having an all-out pillow fight. Luckily, Jackie bought expensive pillows that wouldn't collapse open with feathers flying all over the place. They fell on each other laughing and out of breath as they kissed each other deeply.

"I love you," he said breathlessly.

"I love you, too, Eric. I've missed your smile." Donna replied as they continued to make out on the floor on the soft, supple purple carpet.
Was It My Fault?

Donna and Jackie both thought it was "so adorable!" that Tiffany wanted to hold hands with Eric on the way to the five star restaurant. Jackie knew Eric had a suit but she was so afraid to see what Donna was going to be wearing and her clothes were too petite for her to borrow. They don't make cute clothes for lumberjacks. Jackie wasn't shallow she just like to go out to fancy places every so often and Steven didn't like to go to five star hotels and restaurants. This was her only chance apart from any business lunches to go to establishments such as this. She occasionally took Tiffany out for an overpriced dessert, but she wanted those to be their special occasions. She couldn't believe it wasn't that long ago that she hated Eric (thankfully with him being in rehab and on that one day in the hospital where he confronted Steven and she stepped out for coffee she wasn't there, they didn't have any words) but now she trusted him with her daughter. The restaurant was decorated just as lavishly as Jackie's apartment-Donna thought it was beautiful, Eric thought it while it was nicely decorated it was still unnecessary, Jackie loved the serenity, and Tiffany liked the colors and the chandeliers. Donna smiled when Tiffany requested that Eric help her with her chair like he did with Donna's.

"Now this is my treat so order anything on the menu." Jackie said

"I want a hamburger, Mommy!"

"You know they don't serve fast food here, Tiffany. They have the shrimp you like."

"Okay!"

'Thirty two fifty for a steak?' Eric thought 'Do you know how much Coke that could buy?' He wasn't overly concerned when he had thoughts like that his Dr and counselors said it was perfectly normal and thinking about it and doing it were two entirely different things.

Jackie's cell phone rang, the caller ID flashed-Hyde, Steven

"I'll take this in the ladies room." Jackie got up, smiling at her daughter.

"It's Steven. He always calls." Tiffany sighed

"Do you like Hyde?" Donna asked, Jackie never mentioned a problem between Tiffany and Hyde and she wouldn't marry anyone who didn't love her daughter.

"Yeah. Steven's cool. But Eric's cuter!"

"Thank you, Tiffany. You're very pretty, too." Eric said, at the risk of thinking like Red everything on the menu was overpriced and even though Jackie was paying he didn't know what he was going to order.

"I don't like dressing up! I want to play outside and get dirty! Mommy hates that." She drank from her water goblet with both hands on the glass.

Jackie came back within five minutes. Hyde only called to check up on things. When Jackie reminded that Donna and Eric were in for a visit he replied only what he could, "Tell Donna I said hi."

"How's Steven, Mommy?"

"He's good, sweetie. Did we all decide on what we wanted to order?" Jackie didn't want to talk about Steven with Eric sitting there and create an uncomfortable situation.

After lunch Jackie dragged Donna to the bathroom she trusted Eric with Tiffany.

"How's Hyde?" Donna asked

"He's okay. He said 'hi'-to you." Jackie opened up her purse and took out her mascara.

"How long can this go on?" Donna sighed frustrated and noticed the attendant, so much for a private conversation.

"Oh.Here Miss Lola," Jackie gave her five dollars which meant 'Go away for a few minutes I want to have a private conversation'.

"Money talks, people walk." Donna said, it must be nice to throw money away like that.

"True. At least when Eric and Hyde saw each other a few weeks ago you told me nothing happened." Jackie said retouching her blush. She believed Steven when he told her nothing happened, but sometimes a woman needs another woman's opinion.

"That's because we were all there and we left very quickly soon after."

"I feel bad for Mrs. Forman she had a great idea on getting them back together."

"Me too. Maybe it's up to us?" Donna asked
Kitty was trying to have a civil telephone conversation with her daughter Laurie but it wasn't working.

"You had no right to return Eric's check."

"Mother! It does not replace the bracelets that Coke head stole."

"Your brother is not a 'coke head'. He's making great progress- and you are coming to the wedding. I don't want another word out of you. I don't know what date they will decide on, but I don't care you are attending the wedding and supporting your brother!"

Kitty hung up the phone. Not guilty that she hung up on her daughter.
"Oh my God! What happened?" Jackie and Donna came back to find Tiffany crying in Eric's arms.

"She almost choked on a piece of bread, but she's fine now, right Tiffany bear?" He kissed her head, and Donna felt liked she cheated Eric on something he should have had in his life.

"Eric saved me, Mommy!"

"Thank you, Eric," Jackie took her daughter of Eric's arms, "You just gave your Mother quite a scare." Jackie hugged her tight.

Eric was glad he didn't skip the day in health class where they taught CPR and the Heimlich maneuver to go behind the school with Hyde, Kelso, and Fez to smoke pot. His reason hardly philanthropic he wanted to do "CPR" with Donna in the back of the Vista Cruiser.
Which if he remembered correctly was meant with a poke in the ribs and being called a "pig" for his urges.
"Eric, when the dates over Mommy says the girls get kissed!" Tiffany said loudly after they got off the elevator.

Jackie watched Donna's mood seemingly change from upbeat to regret when Eric lightly kissed Tiffany on the cheek.

"Tiffany, why don't you show Eric your room while I talk to Donna?"

"You don't mind do you?" Eric asked, as Tiffany held his hand.

"No, Eric, it's okay." He was great with kids. Donna thought he shouldn't be on a computer doing spreadsheets he should be a kindergarten teacher.

Jackie waited for them to be gone before she spoke.

"What's wrong, Donna? If you are worried about Steven, I can assure you he isn't coming home until later next week."

"Nothing's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong? I'm surprised Eric didn't pick up on it. Want a cup of tea?"

"No, thanks," Donna sat on the sofa. "There's something I have to tell Eric. I'd like to tell you Jackie, but I really should tell Eric first."

"I know what it is." Jackie replied sitting next to Donna almost afraid to touch her hand. "You don't have to talk Donna, just listen okay?"
30 Minutes Later

Tiffany took it upon herself to show Eric her doll collection. She hated playing with dolls, but loved it when her Mother put a new one in the huge curio cabinet. The ones on the very top shelf she wasn't allowed to touch because they were "for show" still in their boxes. The ones on the bottom she could play with and she liked taking their heads off and twisting their bodies.

There was a soft knock on the door. "Can I come in?" Donna asked quietly

"Yeah!" Tiffany said, "I'm showing Eric my dolls!"

"Come on, Donna, sit on the floor and play Barbie's." Eric replied with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Here you can play with the bride," Tiffany handed Donna the bride doll that had red hair.

"And Eric can play with the groom. Mommy says they live happily ever after."

"Okay, sweetie," Jackie came in the room and got the outfit she was wearing before off the bed, "Let Donna and Eric talk, okay?"

"Okay. BYE!"

"Bye," Eric replied as Jackie closed the door, "She's a real cute kid."

"Eric," Donna nervously stroked the bride dolls hair, "We need to talk."

"What? You don't want to get married now do you?" He whispered

"No, nothing like that Eric, there's something I have to tell you and I don't know how. I didn't tell Jackie, it wouldn't be right to tell her without telling you first but she figured it out by herself." Donna put the dolls back in the cabinet and sat with her back to bed.

"What-Do you still have feelings for Hyde?"

"No. This is hard enough. Seeing you with Tiffany and you are so sweet with her. Made me realize just what I had denied you all these years."

"Donna, it's all right," Eric held her hands, "Some couples are not meant to have children."

"You don't understand. I can't have children."

"Wh-"

"Serves me right for having an affair with Hyde and aborting the baby. Well, I'll spare you what my OB-GYN said and just tell you the abortion wasn't done correctly and as a result, I can't have any children," Donna started to cry as she melted into Eric's shoulder. "It's all my fault. Why I pushed you away and focused on my career, why I invented a scenario that Hyde loved me and would take me away from "boring" you. How I led you on and ran away after it looked like we were going to get back together-Getting my Dad to sell the house. When I hurt you so deeply you turned to f***ing Cocaine---It's all my fault Eric. It's all my fault."

"Ssh," Eric whispered, "It's not your fault that I did drugs. Donna, I love you-you mean everything to me. Don't hurt yourself over the past, we can't change it. We both said and did horrible things. I love you it's all I can say." He wiped away the tears with his hand.

"I love you, too. Do you think Jackie would mind much if we just stayed in here for awhile?" Donna asked quietly.

"Do you want to go out on the balcony?" and in that instant Eric realized the freedom you can get in a place this large. Your own private Oasis to tune out the rest of the world.

"Yeah. I thought you were going to throw a fit over what I told you?"

"Donna, you should know me by now. We're not meant to have children. I can accept that. I hope you can. It's not good to dwell."

"Is that what they taught you in rehab?" Donna tried to joke, it still pulled at her soul and it always would that she couldn't make a family with Eric.

"Ha ha."

"You're too sweet, Eric." She kissed him on the nose.

"You say that now, but in about a few hours or so you'll be begging me to be naughty."

"Hmm, begging you? That's a new one." It was hard to get back into good natured ribbing but she loved him for being so accepting.

The sun was shining over Manhattan as they looked below at all the plastic people without a care* carrying their shopping bags and hailing taxis. It seemed like a surreal existence.

"A picnic table?" Eric questioned

"That's Jackie the decorator." Donna replied, she could picture Jackie and Tiffany out here having milk and cookies before bedtime telling stories over the moonlight. It was hard picturing Hyde being the picture of domestic bliss, Lord knows he deserved it though. She and Jackie were going out tomorrow and to try to find a way to get the two men they each loved very much to become friends again. It was going on for far too long, now they were just being petty about it.

"What are you thinking about?" Eric asked, holding her hand

"Do they live happily ever after?"

Eric didn't know if she was talking about him and Donna or Jackie and the dill hole

"I hope so," Eric brought her hands up to his lips and kissed them. "I hope so."