Chapter 10
Once I Held You In My Arms
Jackie was nervous. She was nervously debating whether or not she should frost the yellow cake or make a thick chocolate butter cream icing? She watched what her Husband ate constantly since he had his heart attack years ago. But she figured he could do with a little treat and she needed to keep busy instead of looking out the windows waiting for her Husband and son to come home from their trip to Wisconsin so that Hunter could surprise Megan that he was no longer in a wheelchair. But Steven's choice of words on his cell phone at the airport was the reason for her sipping a Galway crystal champagne flute of cooking sherry while baking. Someone was going to be making an announcement when they got home and to have everyone present. Well, Tiffany was in her New York apartment and Hannah was at a friend's house. And Jackie would rather hear this announcement in relative privacy. As soon as she heard the front door open, Jackie who could easily pass for 45 without having any work done, ran to greet her Husband and son.
"Hunter! You're not using your cane!" He knew the big swirling hug was coming.
Hyde smiled, that was the power of true love.
"Love you, baby," Jackie kissed her son on the cheek, "Steven! I missed you so much!"
Hunter watched his parents embrace and kiss each other, so warm and sweet, certain that they'd be saving and he really didn't need to think about this, their naughtiness for behind the closed bedroom door later on. He hoped he and Megan could be happy and fulfilled like his parents. He didn't sense much fulfillment from Eric and Donna's end.
"Now, what's this about an announcement?" Jackie asked
"Let's all go into the living room, Jackie." Hyde said as he gave his son a supportive look.
"Hannah is at a friend's house and Tiffany is in New York, so it's just us three. "
Jackie sat on the footrest just in case she needed to quickly stand up.
"Hunter has something that he'd like to tell you."
Hunter looked at his father with his sensitive can't-kill-a-deer-in-the-wild-I'm-an-artist-eyes before he cast his young eyes on his mother. Jackie was either going to smother him with lots of hugs and kisses or start screaming and breaking things as there was no middle ground with her.
"What is it, son?"
Hunter walked backwards and almost bumped into one of the solid wood end tables.
"M-Megan and I—are—eng-aged."
Jackie stood up and looked at her son, the youngest twin who waited five whole minutes before coming out of her womb and then she looked at her Husband.
"What?" She whispered
"T-there's more." Hunter replied with a dry throat.
He had to tell his mother of how the Christmas earrings that he bought for Megan were really a mere disguise to conceal their engagement and worst of all he had to tell his mother about the lunatic ravings of Sgt. Donna and how she caught them in bed and the severe fight Megan and Donna had. He knew not to tell her about the present Hyde came him and Megan earlier, he'd be sleeping on the sofa for an eternity if he mentioned that.
"I-I love her, Mom." Hunter added before she could respond.
Jackie walked up to her beautiful boy and put her hands on his face. They almost lost him in a car accident because of some careless cell phone user and with all the emotions swimming around in her brain right now one thing was for certain; she LOVED her son very much. She kissed his forehead.
"I know you do. Now, I'm sure you promised Megan that you'd call her---"
"Message her on the computer to be exact." He replied, grateful that he got his breathing back.
"Okay, you do that, son. I love you."
'I love you?' thought Hyde, that was all fine and nice and they both loved their children immensely, but that was exactly what Forman said to Megan! And although he wasn't against the engagement he wasn't exactly doing cartwheels over it, either.
When Hunter went back in the entryway to get his suitcase and go to his room. Jackie closed the door for some privacy.
"Jackie, I know what you're going to say—but before you do I want to say that our son is a good kid, and you KNOW how much he and Megan love each other. Am I the only parent that is actually happy for them?"
He followed his Wife into the kitchen.
"You don't know what I'm going to say, Steven. Do you mind if I finish frosting the cake?"
'Cake?' "No."
"I have every mind to call Donna up and give her a piece of my mind. Granted, I don't need to hear about my sweet baby boy having sex, but he's doing it with the woman he wants to marry and be with forever and I think that's wonderful. I'm not too thrilled with Hunter keeping this a secret for so long. And there were times, I didn't think Megan was the right girl for him, NOT because of her handicaps but because of their age—but I realize now that they are Soul mates and remind me of another couple I know,"
Jackie finished frosting the cake and went over to put her arms around her Husband.
"And I don't want them to wait for as long as we had to—to finally reunite and then get to a happy place. I want them to have that from the get-go."
She kissed his nose.
"Me too."
He pushed her body gently against his and kissed the side of her neck, that even now, after all this time, could still make her weak in the knees.
"Steven---" Jackie purred in his shoulder.
"What?"
She let out a small laugh, "Hunter's here!"
"So? You know he's not going to show his face until supper time."
Hyde was amazed on how gentle of a soul his son was. He would have savagely made fun of, and beat up if male, a kid like that when he was in school, young, aggressive, who hid under the Great Wall of Zen. But Hunter was HIS SON and he was very proud of the kind of young man he was. Maybe, he was severely shy ('damn you, Forman') but he was a very good kid. Who had the gentle artist's soul rather than the aggressive true art comes from a painful childhood ethos that epitomized most artists. Steven Hyde was not a man to play favorites with his children, but there was something about Hunter that was unique and special. That his soft spot was not reserved for Hannah or for Tiffany, but for his son. He wondered how him and Ethan James would have gotten along? Would they have been close or would they have hated each other's guts? It was stupid to think about this and Jackie must have sensed it because she softly pulled away from her Husband.
"Are you all right, Steven?" Jackie asked
"I'm fine, I was just caught up in thinking about Hunter."
"Me too," She put her hands on his broad shoulder's, "You don't mind if we put ourselves on hold for a few hours?"
He smiled, he knew what she wanted to do and he only wished that his late drunken and slutty mother ever showed an ounce of compassion to her son.
"Go ahead, Jackie, while he's still under our roof. And while you're having your mother-son talk, I think I'll cut a piece of that cake?" He made it a question.
That was supposed to be for dessert and he wasn't even supposed to have a piece, but what the Hell?
"Okay, but just a sliver."
"Yes, dear." Hyde replied with a smile thanking his lucky stars that he got the chance to be married to Jackie and a father to their children.
Sometimes if you suffer long enough, your dreams will come true.
Once I Held You In My Arms
Hunter and Megan's chat was short and sweet because her modem was acting up and she wanted to call her ISP's tech support so they could talk later on tonight. So, he did what he always did, reach for sketchpad, but he was in the colored pencil mood and had his plastic blue box case on the bed with him, as he was working on an outside scene, the crisp beautiful countryside with mountains, trees, and lakes. He didn't know if he should put people in the drawing or not. He worked his pencils as if he were painting with a brush in strokes. He took out a silver pencil to give the lake a shimmery glow. He was lost in his work, only snapping out of his concentration to think about Megan. There was never another woman for him. She always would be his inspiration.
Jackie opened up Hunter's door slightly and allowed herself to knock before entering.
Hunter tilted his head, "Come in, Mom."
"You got off the computer early." Jackie said
"Megan's computer is acting weird." He replied, putting his pencil back in the box.
"Oh, I see," Jackie went to Hunter's desk and pulled out his chair, "Mind if I sit down for a bit?"
"It's okay. Do you want to talk?" Are you mad?" Hunter asked, biting his lip on the last sentence.
"No, honey, I'm NOT mad. I just wanted to talk to you for a bit."
"Are you going to tell me that Megan and I are too young to be engaged?"
Jackie got up and pushed his desk chair back to its original position.
"No, son, I'm not, may I?" She directed her hand to a spot on the bed, perfect for a mother and son conversation.
"Sure." Hunter wasn't a very talkative person and the ONLY one to bring him out of his shell was Megan, but he still loved his mother.
"While I don't want to discuss about what Donna walked in on, I will say," She watched his cheeks go pink, "She had no right to yell at you kids like that."
"Her and Megan really had a big fight, Mom. They disowned each other."
'How sad.'
"How sad," Jackie replied, "Do you want to talk about it?" She put her hand on his knee.
"Not really, I only wish Megan would talk to Donna, maybe that's all they need is a good talk."
Which it seemed like funny advice coming from him he thought.
"I just want you to know that I support your engagement, Hunter. I don't want you to think I don't. I just hope you don't rush into things, but follow your heart, too that's important."
"Thanks, Mom." He replied with his head down.
Jackie was careful not to cross an embarrassing smothering line and gently pushed his chin up with her soft hand.
"You are so beautiful," Jackie's eyes started to glaze over with tears, "I know you don't want to hear it, but you are."
"Mother—"
"It was almost seventeen years ago that you and Hannah were born—and YOU waited five minutes before showing your face to the world. I know you aren't one for touchy-feely conversations son, but I'm not going to have many opportunities left and I love you."
Now of course came the warm embrace, but Hunter allowed himself not to back away from the woman that made his LIFE possible.
"I love you, too." She smelled like cinnamon and spice. He didn't know if it was from the kitchen or a woodsy, musky perfume. His mother always smelled nice and comforting.
She kissed his cheek, stubble? When did her baby boy need to start shaving? Two years ago to be exact.
"I want you to know, Hunter, I promise to be there for you and Megan, she's a great young woman."
"No five hundred people!"
"What?"
"I know how you get, Mom, so promise me there won't be five hundred people at our wedding? Promise me you won't go OVERBOARD?"
She looked at his sweet face, the perfect mixture of her and Steven. The gentle soul of the family, the artist, the residential quiet one.
"I promise. One more hug?"
He sighed happily, "Okay."
She softly 'pinched' his cheek, "You are the cutest boy ever."
He wasn't a boy anymore he was a young man. Hunter would be a great husband, sweet, caring, and attentive to Megan and in the scheme of things it was all that mattered.
"Mom—"
"I know, but isn't it better to have a mother that gushes than a mother who spits out anger?"
Hunter realized the obvious jab on Donna, he wasn't sure if that was entirely fair or not, but she was saying it for his benefit to make him feel good, so he couldn't fault his mother for that.
"Yeah."
"I'll let you get back to your drawings. Supper will be ready in an hour or so, whenever Hannah gets home. Can I just say one more thing?"
"Can I stop you?" He smiled, his cute little half smile.
"No, you can't. Once I held you in my arms and you were my beautiful baby boy.
And look at you now, engaged to be married—going to the Harper art institute after you graduate from high school—but you are STILL my beautiful bo—young man."
She put her hand on his cheek, it was warm and pink and she could picture him coming home from school, getting his cookies and milk and bringing them into his room so he could draw for hours getting lost in a Binney-Smith world.
"Mom," Hunter started to say when Jackie had her hand on the doorknob.
"Yes, sweetie?"
"Thanks."
"Anytime, dear."
When Jackie left the room Hunter went back to his outdoor drawing. The picture was lacking something, people. He grabbed a standard number two pencil for shading and he quickly put that down as he figured he could get back to that part of the picture later. He grabbed the bright red to make a checkered picnic blanket. His creative flow going in all different directions that he had to make a rope swing. He drew what he referred to in his mind as 'general young boy' getting a push on the swing. The boy with the dark (straight) hair and different colored eyes, a simple childhood euphoria over getting pushed on the swing by
a woman dressed in a color coordinated and smart summer outing outfit.
The woman with dark bouncy hair and loving eyes, who loved pushing the little boy on the swing. This deserved to be done proper, tonight when everyone was asleep Hunter was going to have to set up the canvas and spend the next two weeks on it. It would be his gift to her.
He let one tear fall down his face before going back to his draft drawing.
The picture saying what his mouth couldn't. (or wouldn't) he wasn't sure. To one of the most wonderful women he would ever have the pleasure to know.
Steven had to leave to pick up Hannah, as she didn't have her own car yet. Jackie couldn't help but set an elegant table even if it was just an ordinary supper on an ordinary day. It's not like she used their best China and she didn't put out the crystal but still she did take out the napkin rings which Steven felt were unnecessary. How many more meals were they going to have as a family? They all started to scatter once Tiffany moved back to New York City. Hannah had her extra curricular activities and part time job and Hunter would be working again now that he was recovered from his accident. Her baby boy engaged! She sat in the kitchen not being able to focus on the salon industry newsletter as dinner baked in the oven. She had to stop thinking of him in infantile terms. But then again sometimes she would call Tiffany 'baby' as sweet loving term such as when Steven would call her 'honey' or 'doll'. But she was no Donna (she was going to have to yell at her for screaming at her son and Megan.) she would let him spread his wings and fly. She just wished it wasn't happening so fast.
~Jackie's flashback~
~Eric and Donna's House~
It was the combined fifth birthday party for Hannah and Hunter and Megan. They had it at Eric and Donna's house because it was easier for Megan's sake. She didn't like her wheelchair and would tip herself out of it she liked sitting on the rug or on the sofa, but she hated her wheelchair something fierce. Jackie couldn't blame her. She sat on the sofa with her as she watched Steven chase Hannah and pointed to Eric to take a picture of it.
"Happy Birthday, sweetie," Jackie handed Megan a small box.
"T-t-hank y-you, J-Jack-ie." Megan said, she was coming along in with her speech therapy and getting better everyday.
"You're welcome, open it."
Jackie helped Megan with the wrapping paper and open the box. It was a silver toy top with her initial on it.
"That's pretty, did you say thank you, Megan?" Donna sat on the other side of her.
"Y-es, M-m-omm-y."
"I caught her!" Hyde came back, holding his five-year-old daughter with the frizzy hair that was kept in place by a powder blue headband that matched her dress and shoes.
Hannah laughed as Hyde tickled her. "Daddy!"
"Look who I found!" Eric held Hunter who rested his head on Eric's shoulder holding onto a coloring book and two chunky crayons.
"There's my sweet baby boy!" Jackie held out her arms. "I know! Let's take a picture of the kids on the sofa!"
Hannah put her arm around Megan as Jackie put Hunter next to her. They were all so small that she wished there was a magic spell to put on them to keep them that way for eternity.
"Tiffany, do you want to be in the picture?" Jackie asked as Tiffany sat on the footstool wishing this day were over.
"No."
"Hi, lollipop!" Eric waved so that Megan would look up to face the camera.
"D-a-d-dy!"
Jackie clicked the camera and preserved the moment in time.
"Megan, do you want to play?"
Megan held on to her silver top tight. "Ok-ay!"
"I'll go get Candy Land!" She ran to where Eric and Donna kept the games in Megan's room.
"H-un-t-er, p-play?" Megan asked
"Okay," he replied. He didn't seem so shy around her.
Jackie smiled; they were so cute she could eat them up. Hannah came up with the Candy Land box.
"You're playing, Hunter?" Hannah asked
"Yeah."
"Aren't they the cutest?" Jackie whispered to Donna
"Yeah, they are. Megan keeps holding your top!"
Jackie smiled as Hyde helped them set up the game. "I know, she's got good taste, Donna."
"Mom, this is SO BORING can I go watch TV in Eric and Donna's room?" Tiffany asked.
Donna nodded 'yes'.
"Okay, but don't touch anything!" Jackie warned
"I know, Mom." Tiffany replied as she ran off.
Eric made a home movie of all the kids playing Candy Land on their fifth birthday. Jackie let out a sigh as she put her head on her Husband's shoulder. They would never be that innocent again.
~End flashback~
"My son is going to get married." Jackie said aloud to the empty room with the tears beading up in her eyes as she went to get supper out of the oven.