Chapter 2
To Err Is Human
Hunter was worried as there was no email from Megan and her IM still had her Away message on it. He didn't have to go to school today because he was too tired from spending all night with Megan. So, Jackie said it was okay that he stay home "just this once". As ten minutes turned into fifteen Hunter went from worried to panic. This was not like Megan. He was in a hurry and almost backed his wheelchair into a corner. He stopped and took a deep breath focusing on getting to the telephone. He let it ring ten times hoping that somebody would answer.
"H-hello?" Megan asked, it was obvious she had been crying
"Megan, it's me, Hunter. Are you okay?"
"Hunter, I'm SO sorry that I didn't get to email you yet. I'm upset," Megan felt the sickness rise up," I have to puke again. Being in a wheelchair REALLY sucks, I'm not going to make it to---"
She pressed the HOLD button just in the nick of time as Hunter's heart started to pump in his head. He was consumed with worry. Why was she so upset that she got herself sick? The five minutes seemed like an eternity as he waited for Megan to come back.
"I'm so sorry. It couldn't be helped," She coughed, "I have to put you on hold again. I can't stand the stench—"
"Megan---" Too late. She all ready put him on hold again.
Hunter waited patiently for yet another five minutes as he peeled an address label off an envelope that was on the table next to him.
"Megan, what's wrong?" He asked when she came back to the phone
"I'm okay. I just threw up twice, it's no big deal."
"It is a big deal. But you said you were upset, who got you upset? Did you get into a fight with Donna again?"
"Eric--"
"You got into a fight with your father? Why?"
They were very close, even closer his sister and their father at times. It was hard to believe that Eric and Megan would ever argue with one another.
"No, Daddy and I didn't get into a fight."
"I don't get it." he gently replied.
"I have a brother." Megan said nonchalantly as if she won a free soda at a fast food place for having the winning game ticket.
"WHAT?!"
"His name is Mark and I saw him when Mom and me came home from the airport. He looks just like MY Dad! Except he's got more arm muscle."
"Megan, you are losing me here. Since when does Eric have a son?"
"He told me that he only found out recently. I have to believe that's the truth." She replied nervously, she never once had a reason to doubt her Father.
"You know your Dad would never hurt you."
"I know, Hunter."
"How old is this Mark person?"
"Probably around Tiffany's age."
"What happens now, Megan?"
"I have no clue. Dad said 'that he got rid of the problem and that it's over with' and then Mom smirked at him as she followed him upstairs and then I went in my room and got sick."
"How do you feel about all this?"
"I haven't had a chance to feel anything but sick. I'm tired from my trip and I know I promised that I'd email you. I feel so bad about that---"
"It's okay, Megan. If you need me you know that I'm always here for you."
"That means a lot to me. I love you, Hunter, we'll talk tomorrow, email me, and we'll set up a time."
"I love you, too."
He hated not being able to comfort his fiancée and make her feel all-better. He wondered if this was the reason that Megan had to leave much earlier than planned and that his parents knew about this all along but didn't bother to tell him about it? He briefly thought of confronting his parents, but then he reasoned that Megan didn't need to be caught in the middle of that as well. He did the only thing he could do. Wheel himself back into his room after sending Megan a quick email and an electronic get well card. Then he could crawl back into his safe artists paint box world.
(note-this takes place after Eric and Donna go upstairs/and the Megan and Eric scene is after her phone call with Hunter)
When Eric got to the top of the stairs he turned around to face his Wife. Sometimes he wondered if they really were the perfect high school Soul mates who had a 'Great Love' and were meant to be together forever?
"We're not talking about this, so stop following me. I'll lock myself in the bathroom, Donna." Eric replied like he was eight years old
Donna ignored what he said as she followed him into the master bedroom.
"You'd have to come out sometime. I believe that you'll feel better if you talk about it."
"Read that in a self help book, did you?" Eric sat on the hope chest.
Donna ignored that comment and plowed full steam ahead, "Fine, we don't have to talk about it, but only after you answer a question for me."
"What?" he looked at the carpet rather than in her eyes
"I want to know what you meant by when you said that you got rid of the problem and it's over with?"
Eric stood up, "I thought that was self explanatory."
"You are impossible. The first time I can take some responsibility for. Maybe, I should have told you—and I can understand the shock because I'm sure you figured it out by now, that seeing Mark was the reason why I fainted. But, the second time—how could you REJECT your own son, Eric? This is a side of you I've never seen and it's a side that's very unbecoming to you."
"It's for the best, Donna."
Why was he acting like the old long ago Hyde during the basement era all of a sudden?
Donna tried to get closer to Eric but he backed himself away.
"No. This topic is FOREVER closed."
Eric left the room and sure enough Donna followed right behind him.
"Why are you still following me?" he faced her before going down the stairs.
Donna let out a tired sigh, "Damn you, Eric. You want to be alone, fine. But I can't believe YOU of all people would REJECT their own son."
"And I can't believe YOU of all people would cast judgment on me. Tell Megan I'll be back later." He went down the stairs.
"Tell her yourself." Donna turned around and went back to their bedroom, thanks to her lovely Husband she had a splitting headache and needed to take a migraine OTC tablet for it before lying down.
How could Eric Forman reject his own son? Maybe, Armageddon was near after all?
Eric took his jacket off the hook in the living room by the front door and draped it over his arm. Donna didn't need to tell him to tell Megan anything. He loved his daughter more than anyone else in the world, which cast a shadow of irony over this whole thing. When he got to Megan's room he found her sleeping. He put his jacket on her wheelchair. He took the top sheet that was on the floor and put it over her since she was lying on top of her blankets. There was the familiar lingering stench of vomit coming from the wastebasket. When did Megan get sick? Did he make his precious lollipop so ill at the thought that her Daddy was never really Superman and more like a Super Dill hole? Eric took the wastebasket and smelled the scent of Lysol that Megan tried to cover up the odor with. He put the can in her bathtub and took the shower attachment off the hook and put the hot water on full blast. He grabbed the liquid soap off the sink and squirted a few drops in the wastebasket to get it clean.
"Daddy?" Megan asked groggily, she just fell asleep and felt the need to use the bathroom. She wasn't going to put on her hearing aid at first just her glasses, but she was glad she listened to her inner voice.
"Are you okay, sweetie?" Eric rinsed out her wastebasket as he turned off the shower, put it back on the hook and let the can dry in the tub on top of her shower chair.
"I'm fine. I thought I cleaned the wastebasket?"
"You covered it up with Lysol. Are you sure that you're okay?" Eric gently asked, Donna could be a nag sometimes, but Megan was his lovely daughter, and he NEVER wanted to see her hurt.
"I noticed your jacket on my wheelchair. I put it on my desk—are you going out?"
"I was going to—just for a walk."
"Can we talk before you go?"
Eric smiled at her, he knew the day would come when she'd be married to Hunter and she wouldn't need him for anything anymore.
"Of course, Megan—"
"Um—After—" she coughed
"Oh? Okay, sorry," Eric walked past her, "I'll see you in a few minutes."
There were more important things to Megan than getting the sleep that she thought she wanted. Getting answers to her questions were far more significant.
He Who Is Without Sin
"Why do you tell me these things, Jackie?" Hyde asked his Wife at the kitchen table. "He's being the typical dick."
Hunter had his lunch earlier so they were able to have the time by themselves and all was going smoothly until Jackie brought up the subject of Forman.
"Steven," Jackie put her fork back in her salad
"Jackie, you brought the subject up. And I am not getting involved in this. It's NOT our problem."
Hyde felt bad for the kid. Imagine wanting to know your birth father and have him not once, but twice reject your attempts. Forman could sometimes be the biggest jerk on the planet and Hyde had no qualms on saying that to his face if need be. With Megan he was Dr. Cliff Huxtable with Mark he was being Bud Hyde. But he knew it was kind of their problem already because Megan was going through it, which made Hunter even more quiet and withdrawn because his girlfriend had an ass for a father.
"Don't you think you're being too judgmental with Eric?" Jackie figured it had to be difficult for him to deal with the fact that he just found out that he had a grown son after all these years.
"No. And I don't think we should talk about this anymore." Hyde replied as he broke a potato chip in half.
Because if he and Jackie seriously fought over this Hyde would definitely have to consider boarding a plane just to fly to Wisconsin and kick him in the ass.
"I still think you should cut Eric some slack." Jackie added as she stood up to clear the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher before heading back to work.
"I'll load the dishwasher,"
Hyde got up making sure to wrap his arms around her waist, there could be no
other woman for him, "You keep the bed warm."
He kissed her on the neck.
"Steven—that tickles," She let out a small laugh, "We don't have the house to ourselves."
"I know, Jackie. That makes it all the more fun." He smiled
Besides he doubted very much that Hunter would even come out of his room, he was probably immersed in yet another artistic creation.
"You don't think we're too old for afternoon sex do you?" Jackie teased
"Bite your tongue, woman. —And there are some thing's you are never too old for."
'Screw the dishes. Hannah and/or Hunter could do them later' Hyde thought as he picked Jackie up and carried her to their bedroom.
Eric picked up a random book while Megan was in the bathroom. What in the Hell was she reading? The book was wrapped in a brown paper cover and Eric turned back to the title page—"Enabling Romance—A guide to love, sex, and relationships for the disabled-and the people who love them."
Was she even still a virgin? He DID NOT want to think about his 'baby' having sex! He was certain that Donna did not see this book because everyone in the house would have known about it by now if she had. Eric quickly put the book back where he got it off the small bookshelf and grabbed a magazine off her end table instead. "Teen Quiz Number 10-Are you ready to have sex with your boyfriend?" He couldn't win and put the magazine back catching a glimpse of Hunter and Megan's picture from the dance last year. 'Don't corrupt my daughter, Hunter.' Eric foolishly thought when Megan returned to her room.
"Sorry, I took so long, Dad."
"It's okay, lollipop. What's on your mind?"
She put herself back in her bed even though she wasn't tired anymore. Without a spoken word between them she let her father tuck her in bed like the old days when she was little.
"How come you don't want to see Mark? And why do you consider him a problem that is over with because you got him angry and he left?"
He could avoid that question if anyone else in the world asked it, Donna, Hyde, or even the President of the United States, but his loveable daughter Megan? No way, he loved her too much to not answer any questions she had about any facet of life.
"Megan, sometimes when we're adults we have to do things that we may not want to do, but have to for the greater good. As harsh as it seems Mark is not a part of this family—I cannot afford to do anything that might jeopardize OUR family."
"And how come he can't be a part of our family?"
"It's not a matter of can't and won't. It is about what's for the best. Deep down, he knows that."
'Not my daddy. He looks like my dad, sounds like my dad, but those CAN'T be his words. I believe in me—Hunter and me—that's reality*.'
"Well, I don't want to keep you from your walk and I'm kind of tired." she lied
"Okay, sweetie," Eric kissed her on the forehead, "I love you, Megan. I hope I explained everything well to you. If you have any more questions don't be afraid to ask me."
She nodded. "Love you too, Dad."
Megan waited for Eric to put on his jacket and leave out her back door before letting out the heaviest sigh. He explained things well all right, but none of it made any sense whatsoever. She got out of bed and went back into her wheelchair so she could check her computer to see if she got an email from Hunter. She thought she KNEW her father. After all he adopted her, the drug-addicted baby who came very close to dying numerous times through a program that was designed to help former addicts JUST LIKE her dad. He didn't argue with her. He didn't shun her. But in a way it seemed like he did. This wasn't the same man whom she had cookies and juice with, helped her with her math problems, and was her support system when her Mother was in her Attila the Hun modes. How could he NOT WANT to see his own son? How could doing so jeopardize their family unit? How could he not want to know his own flesh and blood? When it was obvious that Mark had reached out [twice] and had wanted to know him?
The dream is over.*
35 Minutes Later
Eric did not have any specific plans when he went out for his walk. He just liked to go for walk to clear his head whenever there was a problem or some other stress inducing moment. Megan deserved his explanations, but he didn't feel that he should have to expose his inner self to his Wife if he DID NOT want to. How could Donna go behind his back like that? How could she give Mark their address? Well, he already knew where they lived since he 'broke' into their house while they were in Pennsylvania when Hunter was in the hospital. And to think he thought that Donna was respecting his wishes that he wanted the matter dropped. He's had the realization before that he should've chosen Jackie, something he never would say out loud for fear that Hyde would put him in a body bag. When you're in high school you sometimes see people as one dimensional that and coupled with the fact that the person you are at sixteen is usually not the same person you are when you are much older. He hoped it would be actual true love for his daughter and Hunter. He was happy that they lived a few hundred miles away from each other and weren't burning out from each other due to daily interaction. 'I should've chosen Jackie' Eric thought as he found himself at the bus station. Compared to other cities bus stations the size of this one was pretty small. He went to the counter and had to wait in line in front of a woman who didn't know English and who had four screaming kids attached to her. He was in no hurry, but at the same time he felt he was.
"May I help you, Sir?" the harried woman behind the counter asked
Eric didn't know what he was going to say until he opened up his mouth.
"Did the bus leaving for Indianapolis depart yet?"
She typed a few strokes on her keyboard and looked up, "That bus left already, Sir. Were you looking to purchase a ticket for the next one?"
"No, thanks." Eric replied, getting ready for the 'long' walk home.
He thought about hailing a taxi but figured he was in no mood for one of Donna's sermons and he needed to get his composure back before seeing his daughter again.
'You blew it, Forman.'
12:30AM
It wasn't until Eric was in the midst of yet another restless sleep and he turned on the TV in frustration in their bedroom, but kept it on mute
so he wouldn't wake Donna, but saw a commercial for life insurance where the father was playing catch in the yard with his three year old son, it was then as he tried to hold back the tears that Eric Forman realized that he did CARE about Mark after all.
"Eric, you're stealing the covers." Donna said in a tired voice as she pulled on them.
Eric didn't answer her; he just sank deeper in their bed as he turned the TV off, accidentally dropping the remote control on the floor because he missed the end table. He wasn't about to stretch his arm down to the floor to pick it up. He closed his eyes but could not fall asleep.
"Donna," he whispered, "Are you still awake?"
"ba-rely." She stretched her words, "what?" She turned her body to face him.
"I have a son who," he didn't want to cry, "W-what am I g-going t-to d-do?"
Donna held her Husband in her arms as he cried into her shoulder during the bitter pre Spring night.
Breakfast
Megan was not in the mood to go to school but she didn't want to deal with Sgt. Donna's lunatic rantings on the matter, so she took a shower, got dressed, and went in the kitchen. Dinner last night was incredibly awkward with Eric and Donna hardly talking to each other, she basically choked on her food so she could wheel herself as far away from them as possible.
"Good morning, Megan. I poured you your juice already." Donna said, putting the frozen waffles in the toaster
'You mean I don't have to do it myself to prove that I'm independent and could do menial tasks all by myself?'
"Uh, thanks, Mom. Why are you making regular toaster waffles and not your whole wheat organic disgusting ones?" Megan asked
"Because I know you don't like them."
Megan looked around. "Where's Dad?"
He was always up by now so that they could all eat together as a family.
'Mom's going to lie to my face, I can tell, she's going to stand there towering above me and lie to me as she poured my juice and is making me the regular frozen waffles with the Log Cabin syrup. She's going to f***ing lie to me. Hey, Donna, I AM NOT STUPID.'
"He went out of town for a business meeting, he'll be back tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest."
Just as Donna finished talking the toaster popped up four golden brown waffles.
'LIAR!'
Donna took the waffles out of the toaster and put them on the emerald green plate that Megan made when they made her take pottery a few years ago, to get to her to find a hobby and interact with other children outside of school. She presented them to Megan with a smile that her daughter couldn't tell if it were genuine or false. It was too early in the morning to care about such trivialities. Megan was not stupid; she had a pretty good idea on where her father was. She took the top off the butter dish and struck the knife in it hard.
"Here you go, Megan." Donna handed her the bottle of syrup.
"Thanks, Mom," Megan replied with a fake smile of her own, hoping that her father and Mark could work out some kind of good relationship with each other, "The waffles are awesome."