Author's Note: This chapter isn't going to be full of any drama or angst at all. I decided to take a break from that for now.
Marissa laid in her bed fast asleep, when her mother and father arrived at her grandmother's house. Jackie walked into her room and kissed her on the top of the head. Hyde followed close behind her but when he went over to check on Marissa, Jackie pulled him aside.
"What do you think you are doing?" He asked her.
"She's sleeping right now you can see her later." She said.
"No way, I didn't drive all the way out here for you to tell me that I can't see her." He said.
"First of all you didn't drive that far and second of all, I drove because you insisted on going in the same car." She said.
"Well, I guess I'll have to stay then." He said.
"No here you go." She said.
"What's this for?" He asked.
"It's cab money; it should get you back to Eric's." She said.
"I don't need your money." He said and then handed it back to her.
"Obviously you haven't gotten the hint; I want you to leave so that I can grieve with my daughter." Jackie said.
"You know what no; I'm not going to go away." He said.
"Yes you are." She said.
"No I'm not."
"Are."
"Aren't."
"Yes you are."
"Excuse me, what do you two think you are you doing? Marissa is trying to sleep and all you two can do is argue in her room." Dianna said.
"Yeah but..."
"No buts; Robert just died and all you two can manage to do is argue back and forth in your daughter's room while she sleeps." Dianna said.
"You know what you're right; I should be acting better than that. I shouldn't be acting like an ass like Steven here." She said.
"Jackie I need to talk to you about Marissa." Dianna said.
"Yeah alright okay. Steven could you please leave and I'll call you when Marissa awakes from her nap." Jackie said.
"Um Jackie, I think that Steven should wait in the living room." Dianna said.
"Why?" She asked.
"I'll tell you in a minute; Steven please go on ahead to the living room." Dianna said.
"Sure no problem." Hyde said and then smiled victoriously at Jackie.
"Why did you do that?" Jackie asked.
"Jackie, I think that Steven should take Marissa for the week. She's really upset about loosing her sister and stepfather. I think that it would be too upsetting for her to go to the wake and the funeral and I also think that, as much as I hate Steven, it would be too uncomfortable for her to stay with a babysitter." Dianna said.
"I could call her nanny up in Madison." Jackie said.
"No, I don't think that will be a good idea. I think that if you keep pushing Marissa away from Steven, the more she'll want to be with him. Did you know that when Marissa first arrived here today the first thing she asked was if she could go see her daddy? When I told her no not right now, she began to get very angry with me. Jackie listen to me; if Steven thinks that you are keeping Marissa away from him and that she wants to be with him, he'll start a custody battle." Dianna said.
"I don't think he'll go that far." Jackie said.
"Jackie you underestimate him way too much. I don't like Steven because he's way too sneaky. If you don't be careful you could loose Marissa forever. He'll strike when you least expect it. I know from experience Jackie." Dianna said.
"I don't know if I want Marissa hanging out with him all week. I don't want any of his influences rubbing off of her." Jackie said.
"I know what you mean Jackie but I think it's a good idea." Dianna said.
"I guess so; I'll go tell him that he can have Marissa for the week." Jackie said.
"So what took you so long?" Hyde asked her.
"Steven, Dianna and I have decided that you should take Marissa for the rest of the week." She said.
"So you both decided or was it Dianna that decided and forced the choice of having your only daughter spend time with her father." Hyde said.
"Do you want to take Marissa for the week or not?" She asked.
"Yes, I want her for the rest of the week." Hyde said.
"Great she's yours then. Oh by the way, there are a few rules that you have to follow." Jackie said.
"Like what?" He asked.
"Well for starters, Marissa can't have any fast food at all. In fact, she's not aloud to have any junk food at all. For breakfast, she's to have grapefruit, and for lunch a soup and a salad. Oh and at dinner we always have something like vegetable lasagna or a vegetable stew." Jackie said.
"So basically you want me to starve the child." Hyde said.
"No I want you to feed her properly that's all." Jackie said.
"Vegetable stew isn't really a proper meal for a six-year-old girl." Hyde said.
"Oh you know this because you have spent so much time with Marissa to know what is proper and what is not proper." Jackie said.
"I didn't mean that Jackie but come one vegetable stew; what six-year-old eats vegetable stew?" He asked her.
"Marissa does that's who." She replied.
"Yeah fine if you want to raise her as a freak that's fine by me then." He said.
"Wait, so you're not going to object to anything at all?" She asked.
"Nope." He replied.
"Not even a little bit?" She asked again.
"Not even a little bit." He replied back.
"Fine then; I'll go see if Marissa is up then." She said.
"You go ahead and do that." He said.
Jackie walked away astonished at the fact that she finally didn't have to argue with him. Hyde sat in the living room watching her leave; as soon as he saw her climb the stairs he smiled. He didn't feel like arguing with her anymore so he just agreed; but the truth was he did object and he was going to disobey her whatever she had said. The only difference would be that he would disobey her behind her back. Jackie came down the stairs holding Marissa's hand.
He hadn't seen her in such a long time that he was surprised that she had recognized him at all. She had long dark brown hair and blue eyes. When she saw him her face lit up and she quickly let go of Jackie's hand and ran over to see her father. Hyde picked the girl up and hugged her for the longest time. This was the first time that they had been in the same room together in a long time. It didn't last for long because as soon as Hyde, Jackie, and Marissa sat down on the couch, Dianna was coming down the stairs.
"Now Marissa you be good for your incompetent father." Dianna said.
"Okay granny; daddy, what does incompetent mean?" Marissa asked.
"It means great." He said.
"No it doesn't Marissa; it means..."
"It means great sweetie." Jackie said.
Dianna looked at Jackie in surprise. No one had ever dared to interrupt before. Dianna pulled Marissa away from Hyde and Jackie and brought her into the kitchen.
"Okay let's see what we have in here for you." Dianna said.
"Can I have a cheeseburger?" Marissa asked.
"Marissa how do you know what a cheeseburger is?" Jackie asked in surprise.
"I saw it on a commercial." Marissa said.
"What commercial?" She asked again.
"A McDonald's commercial." Marissa said.
"Well that's it; you're not allowed to watch TV anymore." Jackie said.
"Uh Jackie, I think you are just really upset with Robert's passing that you are getting worked up over nothing." Hyde said.
"No I'm not." Jackie said.
"Jackie darling, I think that Steven might be right. Marissa why don't you go and gather your stuff; you can eat at your father's place." Dianna said.
"Okay granny." Marissa said.
They were finally on their way. After having to listen to Jackie tell him all of the rules, he was glad to finally be leaving. They had taken a cab back to Eric's apartment. Eric gave Marissa a hug and then went into the fridge and pulled out a soda. He handed it to her and she took it from him. She looked at it for a moment before turning to her father for approval.
"Hey Marissa why don't you go inside with your soda." He said.
"I'm not aloud to have soda." She said.
"Marissa your mother has taught many things right?" He asked her.
"Yes, why?" She asked him.
"Well, I want you to do me a favor." He said.
"What daddy?" She asked him.
"I want you to forget everything she's taught you for the rest of the week." He said.
"Okay; can I have a cheeseburger?" She asked.
"Yeah sure whatever." He replied.
Marissa smiled and went into the living room with her soda. While the two friends sat down at the table in the kitchen.
"So don't you think that Jackie is going to get mad at you for giving Marissa that soda?" He asked him.
"Do you care?" He asked.
"No not really." He said back.
"Neither do I." Hyde replied.
"So what are you going to do now?" Eric said.
"I don't know I'm feeling kind of hungry; how about some McDonalds." He said.
Eric smiled and lifted his jacket off of the coat rack. Hyde grabbed Marissa and the three of them proceeded to McDonalds for some greasy cheeseburgers!