In a king sized bed in a motel room downtown from Point Place, two supremely contented people snuggled against each other in a semi-awake condition. As Jackie floated to the surface she became aware of Steven's arm cradling her against his body, his hand resting on her backside. She began to nibble at his shoulder, a manoeuvre that had had agreeable consequences at various intervals during the night.
Hyde, awakened from a pleasant dream to an even pleasanter reality, rolled on top of his lover and, being a gentleman at heart, proceeded to wish her a good morning between slow, heat generating kisses.
"Mmmm, Steven. I can't believe you're really here." Jackie said dreamily.
"I know what you mean – I had so many dreams of waking up with you in my arms again – and then the sun is in my eyes and I find myself humping a pillow."
Jackie giggled. "Careful – I might start thinking you missed me."
"Well, if last night's efforts failed to teach you that lesson maybe you need a refresher course." Jackie indulged herself in 5 minutes of slow kisses and then regretfully drew away.
"I'm afraid I have to start getting ready, Steven. I'm seeing my father today and visiting hours start in an hour."
"An hour? You don't need the whole hour. C'mon baby, we still have a whole half hour to explore your 'dirty urges'."
Jackie laughed and resisted his wandering hands. "Cut it out, Steven. You know how long it takes me to do my hair and make up. One hour will be cutting it close enough as it is."
Hyde was not beaten yet. "Well, you'll definitely need a shower before you go. Can't have daddy smelling the Hyde loving all over his little girl. Although he will know you've been up to no good as soon as he sees your blissed-out expression." Hyde and Jackie looked at each other for 2 seconds and then made a simultaneous sprint for the shower.
One hour later Hyde and Jackie set off for the prison, making a quick stop at Jackie's old house so she could grab some clothes. In spite of damp hair (Hyde would keep pushing her under the shower head) and no time for more make-up than a dash of lip stick, Hyde could not remember his girl friend looking more beautiful.
"I can't believe you bugged Donna's bedroom," Jackie said. She wanted to sound cross with him – after all it was a serious offence – but she just could not manage it.
"Teach you to try and avoid me when you finally come home," Steven said smugly.
Jackie felt her happiness fade a little at the phrase "come home". "Coming home" was one of her favourite expressions, insinuating a safe place full of welcoming loved ones, something she had never really had in her lonely childhood. She had desperately grabbed at this concept in both of her relationships with Michael and Steven, trying to anchor her boyfriends with life time vows which would secure for her the warm home life she had missed out on. But she knew she had not really come home. And Steven's use of such permanent sounding words suddenly brought her down to earth.
"Steven… you know I have to leave tonight?" As he had been listening in on her last night, he must know all her reasons for returning to New York.
Hyde remembered the time when he was ten and he had walked onto the local pond, confident the ice was frozen solid, only to go crashing through at an unexpected weak point. He felt the same icy shock at Jackie's words.
"You're what? Jackie, you're not still going back!" Hyde asserted, end of discussion.
Jackie pushed the discussion back open. "Steven! I know you heard everything I said last night. I have to go back."
"Why? Because your grandma bought you? You've never had a problem with returning gifts before."
Jackie rolled her eyes. She should have known Steven was going to be difficult about this. "Look, I've already agreed to her deal. It's only for 8 months. Then I'll come back as a multi-millionaire and we can do and buy whatever we want! Think of it, Steven – never worrying about money again!"
"Jacks, I can't say I ever really did worry that much about money. That was more your department."
"Well, that's because you grew up poor and I grew up rich," Jackie snapped back. "It's easy not to miss what you don't have but I was raised a certain way to expect certain things. In a nutshell, life is way better when you're rich." Hyde remained silent at this comment. Jackie looked side-long at his stony face and bit her lip nervously. "You once said you weren't like Eric and would have no problem mooching off me when we were on our own."
"What, you're gonna believe every smartass remark I ever made? Besides, there's a big difference between occasionally bumming a few bucks off you and spending the rest of my life as your kept man!" Hyde ran a hand through his hair and let out a frustrated sigh. "Besides, who are we kidding. You go back to New York, you won't be coming back here."
"Steven! Of course I'm coming back! How can you doubt that after last night?"
"I believe you mean it right now. But you go back to New York and start living in your fancy mansion and chumming around with your fancy friends at fancy parties and suddenly Point Place is not going to be the drawcard you think it is now."
"Rubbish!"
"It's true. Plus it sounds like your black widow spider of a grandmother is sewing you up into her way of life so neatly you don't even know what's happening. You think she offered you 5 mill for the pleasure of your company? I mean, I wouldn't go higher than $500 and I love you!"
"Wait – you love me?"
"Don't change the subject. Plus there's your rich playboy fiance waiting to jump you at the next opportunity. And your grandmother's company – Jackie, what are you doing with my handbrake?"
"Stop the car this second or I'll pull it up and strip your thingamajig."
Cursing fluently, Hyde pulled over and screeched to a stop, whereupon Jackie launched herself into his lap and proceeded to kiss whatever portion of his face she could reach.
"You said you loved me," she gasped between kisses.
"Of course I love you," Hyde growled, giving into the warm bundle of beautiful girl in his lap.
"Wow, that's two times you said it – now I can start counting on my other hand," chortled Jackie triumphantly. After a few more minutes of making out, Jackie exclaimed "I've got it! The perfect solution!"
"What solution?" Hyde said suspiciously.
"You can come with me!"
"To New York?" Hyde said incredulously.
"Of course! You always used to say you wanted to go there some day. You almost did when that punk girl came through town. You can come and live in New York with me and then come February we will return to Point Place ready to start our lives together." Hyde wondered if he could be blinded by the stars in Jackie's eyes.
"Jackie, that's crazy. I've got a job here. I can't just walk out on it. And where would I live in New York? I can't see your grandmother inviting me to stay with you. And what would I do there? I won't be able to go to the same places you do. It could never work."
"Steven, you're just shooting my idea down without even considering it. So we'll have to work some stuff out – isn't the important thing that we'll be together?"
"Forever the cock-eyed romantic, aren't you?" Hyde gently pushed Jackie back into the passenger seat. "Come on, we'd better get you to your Dad before visiting hours finish."
Jackie sat back in her seat, her hopeful mood dashed by Steven's dismissal, and concentrated on breathing through the weight of sadness on her chest.
