Title: 12 songs by Willie Nelson / Song 2

Disclaimer: I own little -and nothing of large monetary value like T70show.

Summary: Jackie's summer alone turns into a summer on the phone with the man that she just can't seem to leave behind.

Credit: My muse is sleepy -so I decided to do a little writing exercise to wake it. I'm challenging myself to write a chapter a day using the titles of the 12 songs off Willie Nelson's album The Great Divide. This is an exercise. I hope it turns out entertaining as well. So...moving right along...

Song Cred: The second song is Mendocino County Line.

Words make you think a thought.  Music makes you feel a feeling.  A song makes you feel a thought.

                                                                                    -E.Y. Haibug

Are you still listening to country music?

                                                                                    -Kelso NBFBM

___________________________________________________________________________

We counted the stars on the fourth of July

Wishin' we were rockets burstin' in the sky

Talkin' about redemption…leaving things behind

As the sun sank west of the Mendocino county line

As fierce as Monday morning feeling washed away

I orchestrated paradise but couldn't make you stay

You dance with horses, through the sands of time

As the sun sinks west of the Mendocino County line

I have these pictures

I keep these photographs

To remind me of a time

These pictures

These photographs

Let me know I'm doing fine

I used to make you happy

Once upon a time

But the sun sank west of the Mendocino county line

The two of us together felt nothing but right

Feelin near immortal every Friday night

Lost in our convictions, lips stained with wine

As the sun sank west of the Mendocino County line

The summer continued slowly, without much activity and June was soon over.  Steven Hyde had gone from being impatient for August –to hesitant.  Jackie had continued calling him and they were having such a good time on the phone he was afraid that real contact would erase all the progress they had made.  He found it easy to trust and open up over the phone.  He found it easy not to be old guarded Hyde.  Maybe it was because she was the only one to witness it.  He thought surely.  So he was afraid that if she came back he would revert to his old ways and lose her again.  He always felt like this when he wasn't on the phone.  It was like a self-doubt that manifested when she wasn't there to remind him of why he couldn't lose her.  Why he wouldn't let that happen.  But it seemed that if she wasn't going on about the beach or the humidity's affect on her hair he couldn't believe it was real.  He would decide he had only imagined the whole conversation.  So he would wander around doubting his senses until the next call.  Which wouldn't be any time soon.  Because it was the Fourth of July.  A day of Independence for the rest of the world and a day of agony for Hyde.

 Holiday's were always special at the Foreman house.   They were just that kind of family.  And Hyde was glad to be a part of it –if not overly enthused about his life situation.  Donna and Eric, Fez and Laurie and Bob and Joanne were over helping set up for the 4th of July grill out.  Hyde was trying to enjoy the festivities but he could hardly get in the mood.  He missed Jackie.  Last year –she would have been here.  They would have been kissing or fighting or making fun of Laurie.  And any of those three would be preferable to being here alone.  At least Kelso was busy with his own family celebration and wouldn't be showing up.  They were still friends but his presence reminded him more often than not of his transgressions.  He didn't blame the boy for wanting Jackie.  He didn't blame Jackie anymore for her friendship with him.  But he still blamed himself for screwing things up. 

"Steven honey?  Could you bring me the chicken breasts?"  Kitty called in her high pitch mom voice.

"Oh god Kitty do I have to eat that crap?" Red groaned.

"Yes, you are not getting anywhere near that red meat.  You are on a diet."

"Damn it"

"Have you forgotten that you almost died?" Kitty asked hands on hips as if talking to a wayward child.

"Yes Daddy – you have to take care of yourself," Laurie piped in.  Patting him on the shoulder and looking lovingly up at him. 

Red was not having it though.  "And whose fault is that?"

Hyde laughed.  It was funny.  He was now the favorite child.  What with Laurie and Eric's life decisions conflicting with Red's idea of responsible life choices.  It wasn't funny if you thought about the course of events that led to it (i.e. the heart attack).  But it was funny that Red now considered him the good son –when he wasn't even born into the family.  The man also knew how much he missed Jackie and had been going easy on him all summer because of it.

"So Hyde, talked to Jackie lately?" Eric asked seemingly genuinely interested.

"Yeah, I talked to her last night." He offered.  No use in denying his feelings when he kept his stereo tuned to Country 9 times out of 10. 

"How is she doing?  What did she have planned for today?" Donna asked.

"She was going to some pig roast or something with her mother and her boyfriend."

"Jackie has a new boyfriend?"  Fez asked shocked.

Hyde blanched at the very idea.  "NO Fez, it is her mother's boyfriend."

"Now now boys –help me set the table.  Laurie go inside and get the chips."  Kitty interrupted.  She was always so good at helping him out. 

The day was nice he supposed.  They had good food and it was nice that most of the gang was back together hanging out.  Fez was sharing way too much information about his marital bed and Donna and Foreman wouldn't shut up about the upcoming college year.  They migrated to the basement some time after Kitty's homemade ice cream.  He was sitting in his chair trying not to think about Jackie and wondering if anyone would notice if he retired to his room and his radio.  He had bought a record by this guy Willie Nelson and he wanted to listen to it before trying to get some sleep.  He was half way out of the room before someone noticed. 

"Hyde where you going?" Eric called

"No where.  I was just going to get a Popsicle from the deep freeze.  You want one?"  Damn it –busted.  Now he would have to hang out here all night.  Talking to the lovebirds.  Listening to all the happy people who found it easy to trust their mates and not make stupid mistakes.  Great. Then the phone rang – he sprinted for the stairs before realizing how un-Hyde that was and turned around.  He heard Kitty answer and start talking, a few minutes later she called down.

"Steven- telephone"

He took the stairs two at a time and didn't even bother hiding it. 

"Hello?" Hyde said out of breath.

"Steven are you okay?  Why are you panting?" Jackie was all concern.  He smiled.

"Oh I was just… uh working out".

"On the 4th of July?"

"Yeah well what better way to celebrate freedom than good ole fashioned physical exertion."

"I guess." She wasn't buying it though. 

"So I didn't think you were going to call today?"

"Well the Luau fell through."  She seemed sad at that.

"What happened?"

"My mom got in a fight with Brian so he didn't come over and she decided to go to the Tiki Bar instead." 

Her mom sucking was nothing new –but he felt bad anyway.  Jackie deserved better.  And if he weren't afraid of her coming back he would have told her to get on the next plane.  She should be with people that actually cared about her feelings.  But he didn't suggest it and she changed the subject.  Forcing a perky tone that was only fake for about a minute.

"And anyway –that just means I got to stay inside away from the heat and call you."

"Lucky me." And he meant it. 

"So how was the Foreman extravaganza?"

"Normal.  Foreman and Donna bugged us all about college all day.  Fez and Laurie made out –which let me tell you isn't anything I needed to see.  And Red kept trying to steal my ribs when Kitty wasn't looking."

She laughed.  It was good to know that some things would never change.  "Did you get your present?"

"What present?" Hyde asked shocked.  The Fourth of July was not a present event.  He didn't know much about sanctioned government holidays –but he knew that.  And why would Jackie have gotten him something even if it were. 

"Don't freak out." She knew him too well.  Something that used to scare him, but now he liked. "It isn't anything.  I just…well holidays are always special for us.  And I know we aren't together right now but I wanted to get you something anyway.  So I got Mrs. Foreman to put something in your room.  You'll see later that it isn't dramatic.  I just didn't know if you had one –and I do – and I thought you might want one too."

Well now he was intrigued.  Why did phones have to have cords?  He suddenly had the overwhelming urge to study that in college and create ones you could carry everywhere.  "Okay". 

"Okay –now you are too interested in knowing what it is to be any good to me.  I'll let you go.  I'll call you tomorrow.  You working?"

"Yeah.  I'll be home by 5 though.  Happy 4th Jacks.  I love you."  It was getting easier and easier to say.  Probably because it was becoming more and more true.  It was worth all the stress when he heard the effect of the statement.  He could hear her smile. 

"Goodnight Steven."

"Goodnight Jackie. "

A resounding click and he was back down the stairs in record time.  Ignoring the looks of the other 4 young people occupying the basement.  In his room on his bed there was an envelope.  In it was a picture of him and Jackie at some other holiday function.  She looked beautiful and he looked happy.  And she was right he didn't have anything like this.  It was perfect.  He perched it on the table beside his bed and opened his new record.  Time for his nightly dose of brooding over the girl who got away.  And now he had visuals to help. 

A/N:  Damn it –the muse is still fighting me.  I think I was planning angst and now I don't feel angsty and that is conflicting with the goodness of this story.  Anyway – forgive me if it isn't great.  If it doesn't get easier I'll shorten the project and wrap it up and not try to force it anymore.