Chapter 6
Winter Wonderland
December 24, 2000 St Louis, MO
It was snowing quite heavy in Missouri as Donna turned off the TV as the local weatherman in a bad toupee told everyone to stay indoors and don't go anywhere unless it was an extreme emergency because they were going to get another eight to ten inches before Christmas day. She watched Eric throw the tinsel on the tree; he could be so cute at times.
"Were your parents disappointed that we cannot visit because of the weather?" Donna asked, already knowing the answer
"Mom? Yes. Dad? I think he enjoys being left alone. How does it look, Donna?"
Eric stood back to admire his tinsel throwing work.
"It looks nice." They put most of the ornaments on the day before.
There were their University of Wisconsin ornaments that they both surprised each other with, Eric's Star Wars ones, the vintage ones that belonged to her Grandmother, the big "D" that Eric found in a gift shop when they went on one of their vacations, golden bows from Kitty, and all whole bunch of eclectic ornaments that they gave as gifts to each other or were from other people. It made the tree look funky with all of the different looks on it. Donna preferred that to a more uniform tree.
Eric put his arm around her, "One thing is missing though."
"What's that? I think the tree looks nice."
"No, not the tree. The spray snow for the windows." Eric smiled
"Do you mind if I turn the phone off?" Donna asked
"No, why?"
"I want this to be our Christmas Eve." She kissed him lightly on the lips.
"Then it shall be, my lady." He replied with dreamy eyes, the spray snow could wait.
"Eric," Donna kissed him debating on the words she wanted to say, "to the bedroom."
She wanted to tell him more but she didn't want to spoil the moment. Their lovemaking always made her feel special.
PA
Jackie and Tiffany were surprised early this morning by Santa Hyde who rented a minivan to take them to their country cottage in Pennsylvania for Christmas. He also hired an interior decorator to fix the place up proper as it was rather sparse the day Jackie arrived here to surprise him in what felt like ages ago.
"Are we there yet? I have to go." Tiffany said
"Almost," Jackie remembered, "And your Mother has to go, too." She replied finishing a candy bar
Hyde laughed, "I told you both to go before we left the apartment."
"We didn't have to go then." They both replied
"Jackie?"
"Something on your mind, Steven?" She tried to refold the map to how it looked before she unfolded it, but the map was winning.
"I just wanted to say you look beautiful today."
God help him he despised all things corporate but she looked stunning in her overpriced white cashmere sweater.
"Thank you."
Hyde looked in the review mirror, "and so do you, Tiffany."
"You look nice, too, Daddy."
It melted his heart every time she called him that.
Jackie turned on the radio, "I suppose you'll be too cool to sing with us, Steven. 'You know, Dasher and Dancer'---"
"and Prancer and Vixen." Hyde stuck out his tongue that was the spoken part.
"Does Santa know where I'm sleeping tonight?" Tiffany asked
"Of course, I left a note for him before we left." Hyde replied with a straight face.
Jackie put her hand on his knee as they drove to their cottage.
MO
"Donna, I was thinking," Eric grabbed his old Packers t-shirt off the floor, "Why don't we open up our special gifts tonight like we used to do when we were in school?"
Her eyes lit up she was silently dreading this holiday but absolutely loved Eric's idea.
"Come here," She pulled him back on the bed, "I love that idea, Eric."
"I wish you were like this when you were seventeen." Most couples had waning sex lives the longer they were together, but they seemed to be doing it more as they got older.
"I'm sure," She forced herself to stop kissing him, "Get the spray snow, let's do all the windows."
"Now?"
"Yeah, Eric, come on it'll be fun." Donna jumped out of bed, straightening her blouse.
"Not as fun as having sex." He playfully whined under his breath.
"I heard that."
Eric put his head back on the pillows and remembered a Christmas past.
~Eric's flashback~ 1971
Eric ran up to his room and quietly locked the door. Hyde and Kelso finally went home and Laurie had to have something at Halverson's and of course Red wouldn't say no to his "little girl" and although Kitty didn't like leaving eleven year old Eric home by himself she went to the store too to get handkerchiefs for Aunt Pearl. He took the box out from under his bed. It was a cheaply made gold plated turn your skin green chain with a heart charm. He tore a sheet from the happy snowmen wrapping paper that Kitty bought and wrapped the box. He ripped a piece of paper to tape to the box and wrote in black marker To: Donna He looked out the window to make sure his family was gone before unlocking the door so he could run to the Pinciotti's house to drop his gift for Donna in the mailbox. It cost ten dollars, which was all he had from his Candy Land box. ~End flashback~
PA
Hyde picked up Tiffany so she could put the star on top of the tree. Jackie almost cried, she hated pregnancy she was always hungry and emotional. It was beautiful to see Steven and Tiffany together. It made her think of a Christmas that wasn't so beautiful.
~Jackie's flashback~
She sat alone at the set dining room table. She hated when he did this. Yet she was convinced that she could make him settle down. The candles were burning in their Lenox lead crystal holders. If she had actually cooked this meal she would be even more upset. How could he not be home on Christmas Eve? She went to the place that made her happy, the nursery. When her daughter smiled at her, it made her feel wonderful.
"Hi, baby," Jackie picked her up, "It's your first Christmas. I'm sorry your Father's not here."
Brad said on the phone yesterday he would be coming home from Switzerland today. She knew he slept around and although she made a promise to herself long ago that she would never put up with a cheater ever again, here she was in a loveless marriage with a six month old daughter to raise. She supposed that was the difference. She had to think of Tiffany. If it was just herself she'd leave him but the girl needed a Father. Not that he ever held her much, not that even so much looked at her or mentioned her by name. His presents arrived this morning the blue boxes from Tiffany's, the black boxes from Chanel, and the orange boxes from Hermes. It was then that Jackie wished that she were poor.
The phone rang and Jackie put Tiffany back in her crib before she went to answer it.
"Hello?"
"It's me."
"Are you calling from the airport, Brad?" She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"No, I won't be able to come home until the twenty seventh." He said from his five star hotel bedroom in Zurich, as he watched the tart in the room strip for him.
Jackie wanted to cry, "Merry Christmas to you too, Brad." She hung up. Livid that he did not ask about his baby daughter.
~End flashback~
MO
Eric tried to write 'Eric heart Donna' with the spray snow but it was coming out too thick.
"Hey, Donna do you remember when we were eleven and I bought you that necklace?"
Donna couldn't help but to laugh as she put the greeting cards around the door like a paper arch.
"Yeah, it turned my neck green."
"Sorry about that but it seemed like a deal at the time."
"You were always so sweet to me, Eric, except for when you were letting Hyde and Kelso influence you. I just feel bad," Donna got the grocery store eggnog out of the refrigerator and two glasses.
"What do you feel bad about?"
"Wanting Hyde---"
"Donna, we don't have to rehash this on Christmas Eve."
"Eric, I said some terrible things about you not only to your face but behind your back. I just can't believe I wanted Hyde in that way."
"It's okay," Eric put his glass down on the table, "Look we're together now. We're happy now."
She kissed him, "I know, but we got the short end of the stick."
'Oh no, not the baby thing'. "Donna, let's adopt a baby. Let's stop talking about it and just do it. I know I can get people to vouch for me being sober. After the holidays let's get it started." He waited on baited breath.
"But something doesn't seem right about adopting." Donna wanted to spike her eggnog with rum but wouldn't do that in front of Eric.
She wanted a child desperately, but something was pulling at her to not go through with it as if another child was on the horizon waiting for them.
PA
"But if I leave cookies for Santa here how will he know to go to New York?" Tiffany asked taking a cookie for herself.
"Because Santa will go to New York to read the note I left him and then he will fly here and leave all your presents." Hyde didn't bat an eyelash, his stomach feeling warm from the brandy.
"Okay. Does Santa like regular or chocolate milk?"
"Both. But I think there's only regular in the fridge." Jackie added
"I'll get it." Tiffany ran off
"What's that?" Hyde asked Jackie as she quickly dropped a present in Tiffany's stocking. It was so small that you couldn't tell there was something put in it.
"Oh, it's from HIM."
"What is it?"
"What it is every year, a small ornament."
Jackie knew that spree with Brad was just Brad showing off and a sad attempt to make up for standing up his daughter the night before for their dinner dance date. This ornament was something he did every year but Jackie had a feeling the secretary's purchased them because they were just too thought out to have actually come from him, he just paid the bill.
"Mommy, I got the milk." Jackie had news for Steven she was going to drink the milk and eat the cookies.
"I'll pour it, sweetie. Then we're going to tuck you in and read you a bedtime story-then you have to go to sleep so Santa can come."
"What if I have to go to the bathroom?"
"The bathroom is not even near the Christmas tree." Jackie laughed
"Daddy, what is Santa going to bring you?"
"He's already given me my gift." Steven smiled. Happy to have this wonderful family.
MO
Donna and Eric sat on their sofa with only the lights on from the Christmas tree and scented holiday candles. She looked at the professional wrapping paper and the engraved pen that adorned it. Eric's come a long way from fake gold tone jewelry that turned her green.
"This is so pretty, I don't want to open it."
"Well, Donna, if I knew that, I just would have purchased the roll of wrapping paper." Eric replied
"Okay, Eric," Donna opened up her present, "Oh, Eric! I love it, it's awesome."
Eric printed out a copy of Donna's biography for the UofW's who's who journalism directory and had a hard cover of it made, he even wrote a ten- page introduction for her biography.
She hugged and kissed him, "You wrote an introduction?"
"Yes, that's what I was doing on the computer when you thought I was wasting time on my Star Wars forums-and it wasn't easy to get all the words out from my brain to the blank page but I meant every word." Eric replied
"I love it," Donna handed him his box, "Now it's time to open yours."
"Oh my the wrapping paper is too pretty, maybe I shouldn't open it until Easter!"
Donna playfully punched Eric in the arm, "Very cute, Eric."
Eric opened his present; it was an authentic pocket watch from 1876.
"This is cool, thank you, Donna," He kissed her, "Oh, I notice you had it engraved."
"Actually the EF stands for Ebenezer Fitzgerald, you're not the only one who buys off Ebay, but when I saw it I thought of you. Now when you think of taking days 'one at a time' you can refer to this."
"It means a lot to me, thank you." He admitted candidly.
PA
"She's crafty." Jackie put her head on Hyde's shoulder as they snuggled by the fireplace after they finished playing Santa.
"Is Tiffany asleep now?"
"Yeah, that last peek tired her out."
"Jackie, did you take more cookies?"
"Steven, I'm hungry. I can't help it. I wonder how Donna and Eric are? I tried calling but all I got was their voice mail."
"I'm sure they're fine." He nibbled on her neck.
"Steven, can we talk?"
He sighed, "Sure. What do you want to talk about?"
"I have something to ask you, I know you are going to say 'no', so I don't want your answer right now, but I just want you to think about it."
"Just tell me Jackie."
Jackie told Hyde the first part of her news that made him extremely happy he kissed and embraced her tight.
"Now here's the part where you are---"
"Oh, I get it now. You are right I am going to say 'no' and I won't change my mind later, I won't."
"I knew you'd have this reaction. Is it because you think Eric might relapse in the future-you've seen him, you two are friends again---"
"It's not about Forman."
"Is it about Donna?"
"No."
"Steven, we have the opportunity to make them happy. I'm not going to cry or storm out of the room, I just want you to think about it, honey." She went back to the cuddling position hoping he'd change his mind. She could always go to her back up plan and call Mrs. Forman.
MO
It was almost midnight when Donna and Eric went downstairs in their sleeping clothes and coats to look at the falling snow from the glass windows of the front entrance.
"This reminds me of the end of the Empire Strikes Back."
"I'm going to regret asking this, I know. Why?"
"Instead of looking out into space, we're looking out into snow, unaware of the future."
She held his hand.
"Do you want to know what the future holds?" Donna asked him
"No. I'd rather just concentrate on now." He took his pocket watch out of his coat pocket; he wanted to carry it around for luck.
"Me too."
What was 2001 going to bring? Donna wasn't getting the thrill out of writing that she used to and Eric bless him was stuck in a boring job, they weren't childless by choice. Jackie's baby was going to be due in May and Donna was really happy for her, still a small bit jealous, but she was happy for her and Hyde. Eric was right in the logical sense about starting the adoption process but she still had that unexplainable pulling feeling regarding it.
"Donna, are you okay? What were you just thinking about?" Eric asked
"Just the New Year. Do you think 2001 will be good?"
"It'll probably be like any other year." He replied.
Eric would never forget where he was or what he was doing when he made that remark.
"Are we going to start contacting adoption agencies?" Eric asked
"Yes," Donna said in the moment as the church bells rang for Midnight Mass, "Merry Christmas, Eric."
She pulled her close to him and kissed him passionately.
"Merry Christmas, Donna," Eric pulled out another gift out of his pocket, "For you."
It was one of those clear plastic candy canes filled with chocolate kisses.
"Thank you." Donna looked at the snowfall one last time before they went back up to their apartment and the flakes did look like the stars. She wished upon a snowflake that 2001 would be their best year.
December 24, 2000 St Louis, MO
It was snowing quite heavy in Missouri as Donna turned off the TV as the local weatherman in a bad toupee told everyone to stay indoors and don't go anywhere unless it was an extreme emergency because they were going to get another eight to ten inches before Christmas day. She watched Eric throw the tinsel on the tree; he could be so cute at times.
"Were your parents disappointed that we cannot visit because of the weather?" Donna asked, already knowing the answer
"Mom? Yes. Dad? I think he enjoys being left alone. How does it look, Donna?"
Eric stood back to admire his tinsel throwing work.
"It looks nice." They put most of the ornaments on the day before.
There were their University of Wisconsin ornaments that they both surprised each other with, Eric's Star Wars ones, the vintage ones that belonged to her Grandmother, the big "D" that Eric found in a gift shop when they went on one of their vacations, golden bows from Kitty, and all whole bunch of eclectic ornaments that they gave as gifts to each other or were from other people. It made the tree look funky with all of the different looks on it. Donna preferred that to a more uniform tree.
Eric put his arm around her, "One thing is missing though."
"What's that? I think the tree looks nice."
"No, not the tree. The spray snow for the windows." Eric smiled
"Do you mind if I turn the phone off?" Donna asked
"No, why?"
"I want this to be our Christmas Eve." She kissed him lightly on the lips.
"Then it shall be, my lady." He replied with dreamy eyes, the spray snow could wait.
"Eric," Donna kissed him debating on the words she wanted to say, "to the bedroom."
She wanted to tell him more but she didn't want to spoil the moment. Their lovemaking always made her feel special.
PA
Jackie and Tiffany were surprised early this morning by Santa Hyde who rented a minivan to take them to their country cottage in Pennsylvania for Christmas. He also hired an interior decorator to fix the place up proper as it was rather sparse the day Jackie arrived here to surprise him in what felt like ages ago.
"Are we there yet? I have to go." Tiffany said
"Almost," Jackie remembered, "And your Mother has to go, too." She replied finishing a candy bar
Hyde laughed, "I told you both to go before we left the apartment."
"We didn't have to go then." They both replied
"Jackie?"
"Something on your mind, Steven?" She tried to refold the map to how it looked before she unfolded it, but the map was winning.
"I just wanted to say you look beautiful today."
God help him he despised all things corporate but she looked stunning in her overpriced white cashmere sweater.
"Thank you."
Hyde looked in the review mirror, "and so do you, Tiffany."
"You look nice, too, Daddy."
It melted his heart every time she called him that.
Jackie turned on the radio, "I suppose you'll be too cool to sing with us, Steven. 'You know, Dasher and Dancer'---"
"and Prancer and Vixen." Hyde stuck out his tongue that was the spoken part.
"Does Santa know where I'm sleeping tonight?" Tiffany asked
"Of course, I left a note for him before we left." Hyde replied with a straight face.
Jackie put her hand on his knee as they drove to their cottage.
MO
"Donna, I was thinking," Eric grabbed his old Packers t-shirt off the floor, "Why don't we open up our special gifts tonight like we used to do when we were in school?"
Her eyes lit up she was silently dreading this holiday but absolutely loved Eric's idea.
"Come here," She pulled him back on the bed, "I love that idea, Eric."
"I wish you were like this when you were seventeen." Most couples had waning sex lives the longer they were together, but they seemed to be doing it more as they got older.
"I'm sure," She forced herself to stop kissing him, "Get the spray snow, let's do all the windows."
"Now?"
"Yeah, Eric, come on it'll be fun." Donna jumped out of bed, straightening her blouse.
"Not as fun as having sex." He playfully whined under his breath.
"I heard that."
Eric put his head back on the pillows and remembered a Christmas past.
~Eric's flashback~ 1971
Eric ran up to his room and quietly locked the door. Hyde and Kelso finally went home and Laurie had to have something at Halverson's and of course Red wouldn't say no to his "little girl" and although Kitty didn't like leaving eleven year old Eric home by himself she went to the store too to get handkerchiefs for Aunt Pearl. He took the box out from under his bed. It was a cheaply made gold plated turn your skin green chain with a heart charm. He tore a sheet from the happy snowmen wrapping paper that Kitty bought and wrapped the box. He ripped a piece of paper to tape to the box and wrote in black marker To: Donna He looked out the window to make sure his family was gone before unlocking the door so he could run to the Pinciotti's house to drop his gift for Donna in the mailbox. It cost ten dollars, which was all he had from his Candy Land box. ~End flashback~
PA
Hyde picked up Tiffany so she could put the star on top of the tree. Jackie almost cried, she hated pregnancy she was always hungry and emotional. It was beautiful to see Steven and Tiffany together. It made her think of a Christmas that wasn't so beautiful.
~Jackie's flashback~
She sat alone at the set dining room table. She hated when he did this. Yet she was convinced that she could make him settle down. The candles were burning in their Lenox lead crystal holders. If she had actually cooked this meal she would be even more upset. How could he not be home on Christmas Eve? She went to the place that made her happy, the nursery. When her daughter smiled at her, it made her feel wonderful.
"Hi, baby," Jackie picked her up, "It's your first Christmas. I'm sorry your Father's not here."
Brad said on the phone yesterday he would be coming home from Switzerland today. She knew he slept around and although she made a promise to herself long ago that she would never put up with a cheater ever again, here she was in a loveless marriage with a six month old daughter to raise. She supposed that was the difference. She had to think of Tiffany. If it was just herself she'd leave him but the girl needed a Father. Not that he ever held her much, not that even so much looked at her or mentioned her by name. His presents arrived this morning the blue boxes from Tiffany's, the black boxes from Chanel, and the orange boxes from Hermes. It was then that Jackie wished that she were poor.
The phone rang and Jackie put Tiffany back in her crib before she went to answer it.
"Hello?"
"It's me."
"Are you calling from the airport, Brad?" She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"No, I won't be able to come home until the twenty seventh." He said from his five star hotel bedroom in Zurich, as he watched the tart in the room strip for him.
Jackie wanted to cry, "Merry Christmas to you too, Brad." She hung up. Livid that he did not ask about his baby daughter.
~End flashback~
MO
Eric tried to write 'Eric heart Donna' with the spray snow but it was coming out too thick.
"Hey, Donna do you remember when we were eleven and I bought you that necklace?"
Donna couldn't help but to laugh as she put the greeting cards around the door like a paper arch.
"Yeah, it turned my neck green."
"Sorry about that but it seemed like a deal at the time."
"You were always so sweet to me, Eric, except for when you were letting Hyde and Kelso influence you. I just feel bad," Donna got the grocery store eggnog out of the refrigerator and two glasses.
"What do you feel bad about?"
"Wanting Hyde---"
"Donna, we don't have to rehash this on Christmas Eve."
"Eric, I said some terrible things about you not only to your face but behind your back. I just can't believe I wanted Hyde in that way."
"It's okay," Eric put his glass down on the table, "Look we're together now. We're happy now."
She kissed him, "I know, but we got the short end of the stick."
'Oh no, not the baby thing'. "Donna, let's adopt a baby. Let's stop talking about it and just do it. I know I can get people to vouch for me being sober. After the holidays let's get it started." He waited on baited breath.
"But something doesn't seem right about adopting." Donna wanted to spike her eggnog with rum but wouldn't do that in front of Eric.
She wanted a child desperately, but something was pulling at her to not go through with it as if another child was on the horizon waiting for them.
PA
"But if I leave cookies for Santa here how will he know to go to New York?" Tiffany asked taking a cookie for herself.
"Because Santa will go to New York to read the note I left him and then he will fly here and leave all your presents." Hyde didn't bat an eyelash, his stomach feeling warm from the brandy.
"Okay. Does Santa like regular or chocolate milk?"
"Both. But I think there's only regular in the fridge." Jackie added
"I'll get it." Tiffany ran off
"What's that?" Hyde asked Jackie as she quickly dropped a present in Tiffany's stocking. It was so small that you couldn't tell there was something put in it.
"Oh, it's from HIM."
"What is it?"
"What it is every year, a small ornament."
Jackie knew that spree with Brad was just Brad showing off and a sad attempt to make up for standing up his daughter the night before for their dinner dance date. This ornament was something he did every year but Jackie had a feeling the secretary's purchased them because they were just too thought out to have actually come from him, he just paid the bill.
"Mommy, I got the milk." Jackie had news for Steven she was going to drink the milk and eat the cookies.
"I'll pour it, sweetie. Then we're going to tuck you in and read you a bedtime story-then you have to go to sleep so Santa can come."
"What if I have to go to the bathroom?"
"The bathroom is not even near the Christmas tree." Jackie laughed
"Daddy, what is Santa going to bring you?"
"He's already given me my gift." Steven smiled. Happy to have this wonderful family.
MO
Donna and Eric sat on their sofa with only the lights on from the Christmas tree and scented holiday candles. She looked at the professional wrapping paper and the engraved pen that adorned it. Eric's come a long way from fake gold tone jewelry that turned her green.
"This is so pretty, I don't want to open it."
"Well, Donna, if I knew that, I just would have purchased the roll of wrapping paper." Eric replied
"Okay, Eric," Donna opened up her present, "Oh, Eric! I love it, it's awesome."
Eric printed out a copy of Donna's biography for the UofW's who's who journalism directory and had a hard cover of it made, he even wrote a ten- page introduction for her biography.
She hugged and kissed him, "You wrote an introduction?"
"Yes, that's what I was doing on the computer when you thought I was wasting time on my Star Wars forums-and it wasn't easy to get all the words out from my brain to the blank page but I meant every word." Eric replied
"I love it," Donna handed him his box, "Now it's time to open yours."
"Oh my the wrapping paper is too pretty, maybe I shouldn't open it until Easter!"
Donna playfully punched Eric in the arm, "Very cute, Eric."
Eric opened his present; it was an authentic pocket watch from 1876.
"This is cool, thank you, Donna," He kissed her, "Oh, I notice you had it engraved."
"Actually the EF stands for Ebenezer Fitzgerald, you're not the only one who buys off Ebay, but when I saw it I thought of you. Now when you think of taking days 'one at a time' you can refer to this."
"It means a lot to me, thank you." He admitted candidly.
PA
"She's crafty." Jackie put her head on Hyde's shoulder as they snuggled by the fireplace after they finished playing Santa.
"Is Tiffany asleep now?"
"Yeah, that last peek tired her out."
"Jackie, did you take more cookies?"
"Steven, I'm hungry. I can't help it. I wonder how Donna and Eric are? I tried calling but all I got was their voice mail."
"I'm sure they're fine." He nibbled on her neck.
"Steven, can we talk?"
He sighed, "Sure. What do you want to talk about?"
"I have something to ask you, I know you are going to say 'no', so I don't want your answer right now, but I just want you to think about it."
"Just tell me Jackie."
Jackie told Hyde the first part of her news that made him extremely happy he kissed and embraced her tight.
"Now here's the part where you are---"
"Oh, I get it now. You are right I am going to say 'no' and I won't change my mind later, I won't."
"I knew you'd have this reaction. Is it because you think Eric might relapse in the future-you've seen him, you two are friends again---"
"It's not about Forman."
"Is it about Donna?"
"No."
"Steven, we have the opportunity to make them happy. I'm not going to cry or storm out of the room, I just want you to think about it, honey." She went back to the cuddling position hoping he'd change his mind. She could always go to her back up plan and call Mrs. Forman.
MO
It was almost midnight when Donna and Eric went downstairs in their sleeping clothes and coats to look at the falling snow from the glass windows of the front entrance.
"This reminds me of the end of the Empire Strikes Back."
"I'm going to regret asking this, I know. Why?"
"Instead of looking out into space, we're looking out into snow, unaware of the future."
She held his hand.
"Do you want to know what the future holds?" Donna asked him
"No. I'd rather just concentrate on now." He took his pocket watch out of his coat pocket; he wanted to carry it around for luck.
"Me too."
What was 2001 going to bring? Donna wasn't getting the thrill out of writing that she used to and Eric bless him was stuck in a boring job, they weren't childless by choice. Jackie's baby was going to be due in May and Donna was really happy for her, still a small bit jealous, but she was happy for her and Hyde. Eric was right in the logical sense about starting the adoption process but she still had that unexplainable pulling feeling regarding it.
"Donna, are you okay? What were you just thinking about?" Eric asked
"Just the New Year. Do you think 2001 will be good?"
"It'll probably be like any other year." He replied.
Eric would never forget where he was or what he was doing when he made that remark.
"Are we going to start contacting adoption agencies?" Eric asked
"Yes," Donna said in the moment as the church bells rang for Midnight Mass, "Merry Christmas, Eric."
She pulled her close to him and kissed him passionately.
"Merry Christmas, Donna," Eric pulled out another gift out of his pocket, "For you."
It was one of those clear plastic candy canes filled with chocolate kisses.
"Thank you." Donna looked at the snowfall one last time before they went back up to their apartment and the flakes did look like the stars. She wished upon a snowflake that 2001 would be their best year.
