((Short Author Note: Sorry about the long update… :( I've had a… rather long week. So I'm sorry. I meant to update sooner. But here's chapter five… I wasn't feeling to well when I finished it so if it's confusing… well I was sick… lol. Ok, well hope you enjoy. Hopefully the next chapter, I'll try to make longer and you know clear up w/e was confusing' in the chapter, and I'll try with all my might to get it out by Friday the latest, Wednesday, I say, the earliest. Ok. R&R Hope you enjoy!))
"Eric, man, it's been three days!" Hyde said sternly. Jackie was sitting in the living room with Holly, listening to the conversation between the two men in the kitchen.
"Look, one more day. Donna will… maybe, talk to me then." Eric said, his voice lowering with each word.
"Eric!" Hyde shouted.
Eric stepped back and looked at Hyde.
"You can't keep fighting with her like this man. Over a baby and everything is not good either!"
"You and Jackie fight over the kids!"
"We have them!"
"Boys. Please. Hyde Eric wants kids; Donna's not ready. Eric, give Donna time and talk it over, don't pressure her." Jackie said looking at the two boys. She then left the kitchen.
"Dammit." The two boys said together.
*
Jackie sat in the living room, her round stomach showing through her summer maternity dress.
She groaned as she moved to get more comfortable. Suddenly the doorbell rang. Eric and Hyde took Holly to the park for the rest of the afternoon. So, luckily, Jackie was the one only one available to get the door.
She sighed, got up, and went to the door. Ready to kick whoever was there.
"Donna?" She said, seeing her tall, red headed friend.
"Is Eric here?" Donna said, looking inside.
"He's here, but not right now. He went to the park with Steven and Holly." Jackie said opening the door a little more.
Donna walked in. The two made their way to the kitchen. Jackie put on the teakettle as Donna sat down.
"If he's being a burden…?" Donna stopped.
"Don't worry. He's not. It's only been one night." Jackie assured her friend.
"Jackie," Donna began. Jackie turned and looked at her friend. "I can't… I can't do this anymore."
"Do what?"
"This relationship! Eric is… too much! We both have jobs, we work our ass off, he wants kids, and he wants to get rid of the cat and dog." Donna sat there. "I don't know him anymore, the dumbass."
"Donna, seriously. You and Eric need to sit down and talk about everything. You'll feel so much better."
"No, I'm through with it. Eric is so immature!" Donna said as she grasped the teacup that Jackie placed in front of her.
"Come on…" Jackie tried to reason.
"No!"
"Donna! Please! Talk to him! Then make a decision!" Jackie said.
The front door opened and Hyde walked in with a sleeping Holly, behind him came Eric.
"Damn." Eric said when he saw Donna.
*
"Why do they have to use our house?" Hyde asked his wife as he sat on there bed watching as Jackie played with her hair.
"Because they are our friends. And we have a stable home. And it makes it easier for Eric to stay here."
"That's another thing! Why does he ALWAYS come to us?"
"Let's see, Michael lives out of his girlfriends' apartments. Jesse and Eric don't get along so him asking a favor from Fez would be lethal. Red and Kitty are both full with Laurie's kids for the next week. And we're…"
"Pregnant!" Hyde shouted. Jackie turned and looked at him. "I mean we have a lot going on!"
"Wow, I'm in my fifth month! Big deal. It's not a big thing. He doesn't even bother me." Jackie turned back to the mirror.
"Jackie…" Hyde whined, a side effect of marriage.
"Don't care." Jackie said brushing her hair.
The door to the room opened and Donna walked in.
"Um… can I talk to Jackie?" She said, looking at Hyde.
"Sure! Why not!" Hyde said and stormed out of the room.
"Sorry." Donna said softly. Jackie turned and looked at her. A soft expression on her face.
"Well?"
"Is it ok if he stay with you a night or two more? We talked about…. A lot of things, but I just want some time."
"Ok." Jackie smiled. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"The reason I've been fighting with Eric so much is… it's going to be difficult to have a baby." Donna said slowly.
"Difficult?" Jackie repeated.
"Not impossible, more like improbable. I don't know." Donna said.
"Did you tell Eric?"
"No."
"Donna…"
"I know, I know... I'll get around to it. Thanks Jackie."
"What are friends for?" Jackie hugged Donna.
"I better go. I'll call you tonight?"
"Sure." Jackie misled as Donna left.
Hyde came back in a few minutes. He changed and then went straight into bed.
"Angry?"
There was only a grunt and then silence. Jackie shook her head and went back to the mirror.
*
"Hey you guys." Eric said opening the door a little more for Jackie, Holly, and Hyde.
"You're staying here… right?" Hyde said once the family came in. Jackie took her free hand and slapped his chest.
"Where's Donna?" Jackie said putting down Holly.
"In the kitchen… baking…"
"Oh no!" Jackie said, her eyes widening. She then rushed pasted Eric and into the kitchen.
"What's so bad about baking?" Hyde said, confused.
"Hyde," Eric said putting his hand on Hyde's shoulder and guided him towards the kitchen. "Donna doesn't bake. Unless it's "that time of the month" or… her mother is coming to town."
Midge, Donna's mother had left Bob and Donna about a year or so before High school graduation. Donna visited her the summer before senior year, ever since Midge and Donna have been on rough terms. Midge had become a critical person. And she criticized Donna and Eric quite a bit. Especially after they got married.
"So, Midge is coming." Hyde said. Eric chuckled slightly and opened the kitchen door. Every inch of every counter was covered with cakes, pies, cookies, and brownies. Donna was near the oven looking at her watch and Jackie was sitting at the kitchen table, which was also covered with various desserts, staring at her friend.
Eric looked at Hyde and shut the door.
"It's a little more then Midge… she's bringing her new fiancé. Oh, and Bob is coming over. Donna double booked her time and couldn't cancel either of them." Eric went into the living room where Caterpillar, a medium sized blonde cat, was sitting quietly on the floor as Holly smacked the cat's stomach.
"She's going to die. When is this little night?"
"Tonight!" Eric said smiling. Hyde stared at him blankly.
"Jackie!"
*
Hyde stood in the guest room of Donna and Eric's ranch.
"This is bull!" Hyde said staring at Jackie who had changed.
"I don't care if it's bull! They are our BEST friends! Now me staying here mean the world to Donna. If you want to leave… fine. But I want to stay here. Donna is under a lot of stress. And I should have told you! And I know it's you're day off and you wanted to eat at him. But come on Steven!" Jackie then cringed and put her hand on her stomach.
"Jackie?" Hyde said rushing to Jackie as she sat on the bed.
"I'm fine." Jackie said holding her stomach.
"What happened?" Hyde said as Jackie began to relax.
"I don't know. I have a doctor's appointment in two days, I'll tell the doctor." Jackie got up and walked slowly to the doorway. "Please, change." Jackie said without turning around.
Hyde stayed on the bed staring out into the hall. Holly smiled and walked in with her pretty little summer dress and hair in two braids. Hyde smiled as his daughter tugged on his pants.
"Daddy!" She said as she cuddled her head into his shirt.
"Baby."
*
The night was going as smoothly as possible. Eric had ordered some Italian food, considering the kitchen was filled with baked goods.
Everyone was seated at the long dinning room table. Donna and Eric sat at the heads. Jackie sat with Holly on Donna's right, then Hyde, then Bob. Eric was at the other end, then Joanne, then Midge's date, Bryan, and then Midge on Donna's left. Currently the table was very quiet, other then Holly whispering to her mother.
"So…" Donna said and then looked around the table. "We have lots of desserts."
Eric and Hyde both grunted in response. Jackie looked at them.
"Well me and Bryan wanted to talk to you about the wedding." Midge said taking a bite of her mashed potatoes.
"Um… sure mom." Donna said, her voice slightly higher then before.
"Good, good. After dinner then?" Midge said.
"Sure, anything." Donna said, trying to stop her mother.
After dinner Midge, Bryan, Eric, Hyde and Holly sat in the living room. In the kitchen, Joanne was taking several desserts as Bob said good-bye to Donna.
"We'll—we'll call you. Next week." Bob said hugging his daughter tightly. Jackie smiled but looked away from the affectionate father to daughter action.
"Sure dad…" Bob looked at her. "Daddy."
"Bye Sweetie. Be sure to call us if we don't, ok?" Joanne said kissing Donna on the cheek. "Have fun with your mom."
Donna waved as her father and Joanne snuck out the back door.
"Wasn't that bad." Jackie said rubbing her swollen stomach.
"No, mom and dad didn't fight." Donna said taking a cookie from a tray. "She's getting remarried."
"I know." Jackie said watching as Donna paced.
"She always does this!" Donna snapped. Jackie looked at her, slightly confused.
"Does… what?"
"She comes storming into my life and tries to some how make a huge impression." Donna said, angrily.
"Donna…"
"I don't want to talk about HER wedding. Not when she criticized mine!" Donna then went through the back door.
"Suddenly, I'm totally confused." Jackie said following her friend.
She didn't have to go that far. Donna was on the driveway sitting on top of the car.
"I want a kid. I want to prove I'm a better mother then her. I want to have that same look you get, when you're looking at Holly or rubbing your stomach. That look of everlasting love and protection." Donna said. She laid over the car staring at the stars.
"You said it wasn't impossible." Jackie said leaning against the car.
"No, but it's improbable. Three months, I haven't been taking the pill. I didn't tell Eric. I figured what the hell. I didn't want to give him false hope. I'm still not pregnant." Donna said she just stared at the sky.
"Some things take time." Jackie said.
"Once, you did it once." Donna said bitterly. Jackie looked over at Donna; she was a little taken back, but nodded.
"It'll happen Donna. It's not impossible. Till then though, tell Eric. I think you feel guilty, and your guilt could be stopping you to get pregnant." Jackie said going towards the house.
"Spoken like a true mom." Donna sat up, and smiled. Jackie looked over her shoulder and shot her friend a smile back.
"No, spoken like a true friend.
*
Hyde and Jackie sat in the car as they drove the hour home. Holly was safely in her car seat wearing a jacket with a blanket over her.
"God, she's out cold." Jackie said turning back in her seat. Hyde nodded staring at the road. "You ok?"
"Fine." Hyde said. His face was like stone, it held no emotion.
"Steven, are you still upset about the stomach thing? It was probably gas of something."
"Jackie… you were in pain!" Hyde said in a loud whisper.
"I'm going to the doctor." Jackie said, looking away.
"Till then you're staying in the house, on bed rest."
"Steven!" Jackie said, temperamental.
"I don't care. I called Mrs. Foreman. She's staying with us till your doctor's appointment.
"You have some serious nerve." Jackie said looking at her window, obviously pissed.
"No, I just care about you." Steven said as they continue to drive.