Chapter 15

When You Play In The Snow, You're Going To Slip On The Ice Underneath

(opens during the same time frame as the end of Chapter 14)

      Eric didn't know if he should confront Donna or not.  Maybe, she was doing research for an article and was talking to Bruce's Mom and she recommended the book to Donna.  Yes, this all sounded plausible.  Donna was a writer.  No.  Donna was a great writer and great writers do their research.  Eric just got his marriage back (again) and did not want to screw it up. (again). Although he was convinced that it WASN'T his entire fault. There was no email from Megan, but there was a quick note from Jackie saying that Megan is fine and there were some tense moments at first due to Hunter having to get used to his wheelchair, but other than that it has been going well.  The phone rang and Eric didn't know where Donna was at the moment so he got up and answered it.  The caller ID said "Unavailable".

"Hello?" 

He could hear breathing on the other end but the person wouldn't speak.

"Hello?  Goodbye." 

Eric hung up.  Was this somehow connected to the feeling he had that someone was in their house while they were gone? 

"I have a bad feeling about this."  Eric muttered to himself as he went back to his email.

Next morning

     Megan had to get up early because her Mother called Jackie last night and said that they found a tutor for her.  Donna requested that Megan dress 'smartly' as opposed to what? Megan thought to dress 'dumbly'?  

Jackie knocked on the door. 

"May I come in, Megan?"

"Yeah."  She was done brushing her hair and she set it with the cheap drugstore

gel in the pink tube.

"You look very nice."

"Thanks, Jackie, is Hunter awake yet?"

"Yeah, he's in the bath."

"Did he get in BY HIMSELF?" 

"No, Steven had to help him.  Your tutor's coming by at nine o'clock.  I'm going to run off to drug store to get you some tablets and other supplies."

"That's not necessary, Jackie."  That's what her Mother would have wanted her say.

"Sure it is."  She kissed her on the head.

Megan smiled and that was when they heard a loud crash in the bathroom.

"Hunter!"  Megan and Jackie said at the same time

"My fault," Hyde came swirling by, "No sixteen year old boy wants to see his Mother while he's taking a bath, he's okay—" 

Hyde went to the bathroom to help his son and he found Hunter with his hands over his head and various bottles of shampoo and shower gel in the tub.  He turned off the water.

"I'm so sorry, son, that was my fault, when I lowered the rack for you last night, I didn't screw it properly."   

He took the rack out and placed it on top of the clothes hamper.

One of the few things he couldn't screw properly he thought naughtily for a second.

"I hate sitting down to take a shower."

"I know.  What bottles did you need?"

"The shampoo."

Hyde reached in the water and grabbed the bottle and it handed it to his son.

"Thanks, Dad."

"No problem, Hunter."  He took the other bottles and placed them in the back corners.

"Tell Megan I'm okay, she worries you know."

Hyde smiled, "That's what women do.  I'll fix the rack later on.  And take your time getting out of the tub.  And if you need help DON'T be afraid to holler for me."

He remembered when rack meant something else entirely.  Hunter smiled a little bit as Hyde closed the bathroom door.

"Is he all right?"  Jackie jumped in front of him

"He's fine.  The rack fell into the bathtub he's okay.  Don't worry, Jackie," he kissed her nose. "You neither, Megan."  He kissed her on the forehead.

"Underneath it all Hyde is a softie!"  Megan exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know.  Isn't he wonderful?  Follow me to the kitchen, we'll make some homemade cookies."  Mrs. Forman left her, her recipe cards, because she knew Donna would have no use for them.

"Chocolate chip?"

"Of course and oatmeal raisin."

It was like living with a 21st century June Cleaver, Megan thought remembering that her and Eric used to watch Leave it to Beaver reruns on TVLand when she was a little girl.  She missed those times with her Father.

         Eric didn't know if he should ask Donna about her recent fainting spell or not as she was sitting on the sofa watching TV, taking a break from her writing.  Eric got up and sat next to his Wife he was always a glutton for punishment where this woman was concerned.

"Donna," Eric coughed, "Are you okay?" 

'Just what are you keeping from me?'

"Yeah.  Why are you asking?"

"No reason."

"I was going to make myself a cup of tea, do you want one?"

"No, thanks.  I wish Megan would call." 

'Yeah, change the subject to our daughter, as if that would ever work.  Why do I always torture myself like this?'

"She won't unless Jackie makes her, she's asserting herself." 

'And she's in young love with Hunter' which Donna was slightly envious of, she wished she could be in young love again.  With Eric?  Yes, of course, with Eric.

She thought she was losing her mind.  It couldn't have been---

And what would do to their family if it were true?

           4 Hours Later

     Hyde and Hunter were driving back from his physical therapy appointment.  Megan warned him that he could come back grouchy, that it was harder for the people that have had the ability to walk and lost it (even if only temporary) rather than people like her who only wished they could walk, but never knew exactly what it felt like.

"Do you want to talk?" Hyde asked, he didn't want to bother his son, but he didn't want him to keep everything inside either.

"No, Dad.  It sucks."

"I know.  How did it go today?"

"Okay." 

"Hunter, you know a positive attitude can go a long way."  Hyde hoped he didn't sound hokey and new agey, but it was important for his son to have a good outlook.  

"Yeah, but I don't feel like it."  

It was only Megan's touch that made him feel better.  He wished that she could stay with them until it was time for them to get married and get their own apartment together.  Married. He hoped he'd be out of this wheelchair before then.  Not that he wanted Megan to be in her chair forever, either. 

"I have to stop at the store to get your Mother," he reached into his shirt pocket for a piece of paper, "Sparking water, Steven, not the non sparking water.  Must be sparkling.  Love, Jackie."

"I don't have to go in, do I, Dad? It's too much of a hassle, and I know you hate driving this van—and---"

Hyde tapped his son's knee.  "You don't have to come in the store, Hunter if you don't want to and you are NOT a hassle."

Hunter slightly smiled but still felt terrible on the inside.

Dunk Me

      Megan made Hunter close his eyes after dinner when everyone else left the kitchen.  She could tell that he was feeling down after coming home from physical therapy.

"Megan, can I open my eyes now?"  he asked quietly, he tried so hard not to be angry with HER.

"Sure."  She slid a small white box with a blue bow on it across the table.

He opened up the box after he took the bow off.  They were chocolate chip cookies. 

"Thanks."

"Your Mother let me bake your batch.  Do you want a glass of milk?"

"Uh—I can't ask you to---"

"Hunter, do you want a glass of milk or not?"

"I guess."

"You know if I had the opportunity to come back from physical therapy I'D be happy."

"I know, I'm sorry—"

Megan went to the refrigerator and took out the milk.  Hunter thought he had no right to be upset when Megan went through this every single day of her life and always would.

"You don't have to be sorry.  Maybe, you need to say it sucks."

"What?"  he broke a cookie in half making sure that the crumbs landed on the cloth napkin.

"Maybe, you need to say being in a wheelchair sucks."

"Megan, how can I say that when YOU---"

'I can't say it to YOU.'

"It's got nothing to do with me, Hunter.  I just think that you need to say it."

He dunked the cookie half in the milk and sighed, "Maybe, later."

       Hyde lightly shook her shoulders and woke Jackie up at three in the morning.  Her face was covered in a green facial mask that it almost scared the hell out of him.

"My god, Jackie, what do you have on your face this time?"  Hyde asked in the soft glow of the nightlight.

"My avocado facial plumping mask.  Steven, did you have a reason for waking me up out of a sound sleep?"

"Yeah, Donna's on the phone, and she sounds upset, so you better take it in the bathroom so you don't wake up the kids."

"Okay," she kissed him on the nose getting mask on his face, "Love you."

"Love you. Not the goop that you put on your face."

Jackie sat on the clothes hamper and tried to talk softly.

"Hi, Donna, what's wrong?"

"I—"

"What is it?  It's not Eric is it?"

"N-no.  Eric's f-fine.  Is—Meg—"

"Megan's good.  What is it?"

"I s-saw—"

"What did you see?"

"M-may-be—I- sh-should-n't h-hav-e-ca-ll-ed---"

"Nonsense.  You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything, Donna."

And so Donna told Jackie who almost dropped the phone in the bathtub.  Sh**.  This was going to be a massive family crisis—and the last thing any of them needed was yet another crisis.  Couldn't one whole decade go by without any of the drama that clogged their lives like the collective toilet?

     Does Eric Know?

     Eric couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with Donna, she woke up when she thought he was sleeping and he heard her run downstairs along with the muffed voice a few minutes later.  He figured she was talking to Jackie on the telephone and he was too tired to get up and eavesdrop but something was not right.  It was the next week when Eric was hungry after having a non-eating business meeting with a client at one of the more expensive restaurants in town. So he figured he could grab a burger at the local Friendly's.  He called Donna on his cell and asked her if she wanted to join him but she declined and mentioned something about being tired.  He missed seeing his not-so-little girl anymore and couldn't wait for her to come back home.  She only wanted to talk a little bit on the phone and he was sure it was because she'd rather be kissing her boyfriend than to be talking to her parents on the phone.  But she said she did miss him and he believed her, because he and Megan were very close.  He sipped his coffee and went to open up his briefcase figuring he could read his paper mail while he waited for the waitress to serve him.  All bills. Megan's dentist bill from what the insurance wouldn't cover, mortgage, water, phone, and—the only non-bill in the bunch.  A letter that was put in his mailbox but had no postmark or stamp on it.  He wasn't going to open it at first, but figured it might be important.  It was typewritten from an old IBM Selectric when the letter keys were on what was called a golf ball printer.  The initial "M" was the only thing handwritten on the paper.

Eric,

       I don't know what to say to you.

M

'M'?  Who is 'M' and how do they know me?'  Then Eric thought of how strange Donna has been lately with the fainting spell that he still didn't ask her about and her quiet behavior as of late.  What if she knew who 'M' was but wasn't telling him because she wanted to spare him his feelings?  He threw the letters back in his briefcase and paid twenty dollars for a ten dollar meal and went back home to talk to his Wife.

Let the good times roll all night long.

      Jackie was sworn to secrecy by Donna who told her not tell Hyde about what she knew, especially with Megan there.  But she absolutely dreaded keeping secrets from her Husband. 

"Steven," Jackie hated interrupting his acoustic guitar playing, it set the mood of the tranquil house that she always wanted, "Where are the kids?"

"They went into town while you were in the shower.  What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry to do this to Donna, but you are my Husband and I love you more----"

Jackie told Hyde what she knew, who almost dropped his guitar off his body.

"Holy sh**.  Does Forman know?"

"No."

"Is Donna one hundred per cent sure?"

"Yeah."

"The fun never ends does it, Jackie?"   Hyde went back to his song as Jackie sat on the floor to listen.

     Eric skidded into the driveway and ran into the house. 

"Donna," he said in a loud voice, "Where are you?  We need to talk."

But there was no sign of her downstairs.  He went upstairs trying not lose his cool.

"Donna---are you here?" 

She wasn't in any room.   He ran down the stairs thinking if she bailed their marriage was definitely done.  He was too old for this bull****.  They were almost sixty years old for f***'s sake.   He opened the front door and saw Donna lying there on the front porch.

"Oh my god, Donna!"  he bent down, "Donna," he gently slapped her face. 

She opened up her eyes, "E-ric."

"Can you get up?"  he asked her

"Yeah," she leaned on him, "I'm okay."

"No, you aren't.  You fainted before.  Don't ask how I know, I just do."  He helped her in the house and laid her down on the sofa and covered her with a blanket.

"Eric—I can't."

"You can't what, Donna?"

"I can't tell you."  She coughed.

He went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water.

"Does Jackie know?"  he asked matter of factly.

"Y-es."  She took the glass and drank half of it.

"Then she's going to tell Hyde---and is that fair to me?"

"Eric, I can't tell you---I just can't," She cried, "Just go Sal's gas station--------"

"What?"

Donna finished the glass of water, "Just go, Eric.  There are some things that you have to see with your own eyes.  I'm going upstairs to bed." 

She put the water glass down and took the blanket with her leaving her Husband even more confused.

He stood in the same spot thinking of not going to Sal's gas station.  What was there?  What? Who? Was Casey Kelso back in town?  Last he heard he gained fifty pounds, was bald, had an ex wife, and three screaming brats that he never saw.  'Damn' Eric thought as he walked back towards the kitchen and back to his car to find out exactly what his wife couldn't tell him. 

     Sal's gas station was across the street from Megan's old pediatrician when they moved back to Point Place.  Eric thought this was pointless and wondered if this wasn't just an hysterical symptom of God forbid he even think it-Donna's change of life.  He noticed since he was here, he might as well put some gas in the car.  It was self serve and Eric missed the days when he was out with Red as a young boy, when the jovial old guy used to come out of the little house with the squeegee and wash your windows and check the air in your tires as you waited for your gas tank to be full.  And Mr. Henderson used to give him a mini chocolate bar afterwards.  Gone were the days. 

Eric hated the smell of gasoline as he put the pump back and went inside to pay.

Naturally, no one was present so Eric had to ring the bell that was by the cash register.  Since he didn't get to eat dinner he grabbed a soda and bag of chips and as everyone's reaction including those that didn't even see what he was about to, he nearly dropped them when the young man appeared at the counter. 

Eric blinked.  There was no mistake.  Even though he never saw the man before and didn't even know that he existed until just this very second. He still knew exactly who he had to be. 

"E-r-ic."  The man stumbled with his name.

"You are?"

"Mark McAdam."

"You were in my house?"

Mark backed himself in the small corner.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't take anything."

"And you called me and hung up and wrote me that letter?"

"Yeah."

"Have you spoken to my Wife?"

"No, Sir.  She saw me once when she came in here to pay for gas."

"I see."

Eric could not believe on how calm and robotic his voice was to the whole situation.

Mark took his own money out of his pocket and paid for Eric's gas and food order.  He nervously walked from the counter to face Eric by the door.

"I know this is going to sound corny—but may I hug you—just once?"

Eric had no reply to give the young man as his arms went around him, but he could not return it.

Mark twitched and felt a lump grow in his throat.  "That was all I—ever wanted from you—and you couldn't even give me that.  Don't you worry, I'll be leaving Point Place soon and I'll go back to Indy—Goodbye, Eric."  he didn't care if he was a man in tears as he ran to the back room away from the only person he ever wanted to know.