Thursday May 26th 1980
Hyde had taken off work to go shopping with Fez.
Earlier that week, Fez and Buddy had taken Jackie out to get her all loose and goosed to have her spill about what kind of ring she wanted and how she wanted to be proposed to. Jackie wanted a single solitaire cut diamond placed on a gold ban. But that diamond better be at least 2 carats. Jackie had been so burnt in the past that even when she was all juiced up on Saturday she refused to tell Fez and Buddy how she would like Hyde to propose to her. Nothing got her to tell them.
Hyde arrived at Fez' place around 1. Jackie was at work at least until 6 pm.
"Well hello future groom!" Fez practically screamed out.
"Fez shut it!" Hyde said as the two of them walked out to Hyde's car.
"What I just love a happy ending." Fez said his eyes practically watering.
"Just get in the car man." Hyde said as they both jumped into the Camino.
They arrived at the jewelry store, the one far away from Jackie. Fenton was there.
"Hello Fenton." Fez said begrudgingly.
"I think you should call me land lord. Lord of the land." Fenton replied.
"Ahhh yes but we are not at the apartment!" Fez said crossing his arms across his chest.
"Yes but- "Fenton began but Hyde cut him off. "You two quit it! I'm here to buy a ring."
"Okay and what kind of ring do you want, mister big strong don't take crap from no one man?" Fenton asked somewhat flirting with Hyde.
"An engagement ring." Hyde said.
"Okay those are over here." Fenton said as they walked over.
"And what are you thinking?" Fenton said to Hyde, Hyde looked at Fez.
"A single 2 carat solitaire cut diamond on a gold band." Fez replied.
"Is this for a short pretty brunette?" Fenton said kind of joking. Then he looked over from Hyde to Fez. "Oh my gosh is this ring for Jackie? Jackie Burkhart?" Fenton practically yelled out.
"Shhh keep it down!" Hyde said looking around. "Do you know how many people know her in this town? I don't need her finding out."
"Well I have just what you are looking for." Fenton said disappearing to the back.
"Where did he go? Where is he going?" Hyde said looking at Fez confused. Fez just shrugged his shoulders.
Fenton returned with a small box in his hand.
"Jackie came here one day and just couldn't stop eyeing it and being the best friend that I am…" Fenton said looking at Fez. "I set aside for when the guy came looking."
Fenton opened the box up.
"That's it!" Fez said all excited.
Hyde looked at it and kind of went pale.
"Hyde you alright?" Fez asked.
Hyde coughed. "What, yea?! It just became very real that I'm doing this."
"Wrap it up Fenton before Hyde here faints."
Fenton wrapped up the box and the three of them walked over to the register.
"You never asked how much." Fenton said.
"How much?" Hyde asked.
"$3,000." Fenton replied eyeing Hyde.
Luckily Hyde was fine with the price, he actually let out a sigh. "To be honest I thought it would be more that I actually planned for another $2,000."
Hyde pulled out a wad of cash and started handing over $3,000 to Fenton.
"Whoa look at you mister big spender. Jackie is a lucky lady." Fenton replied.
Hyde just rolled his eyes under his sunglasses.
"Fez did you find out how she wants to be proposed to?" Hyde asked.
"No! We tried so hard to get her to spill but she just wouldn't do it. I guess she's been burned too many times in the past that she didn't want to give it up. Even after all the alcohol we feed her." Fez said with a shrug.
"Well, I know how Jackie wants to be proposed to." Fenton said wiggling his eyebrows.
"You do?! How?" Fez said upset that Fenton knew and he didn't.
"She told me that one time we were shopping. You know after you flooded the apartment."
"That was not me that was Jackie!"
Fenton just rolled his eyes.
"Fez shut it. So Fenton can you tell me?" Hyde asked raising his eyebrows above his sunglasses.
"Well she wants to go to fancy restaurant and at desert she wants to have it written out on the plate the words 'Will you marry me?' next to the ring. Champagne on nice and when she says yes all her friends and family in a private room waiting to celebrate with her and her fiance." Fenton replied with a smug look at Fez.
"I don't know any fancy restaurants." Hyde said looking at Fez and Fenton.
"There's L'Etoile in Madison. That's only like a half an hour drive." Fenton said.
"Yes! That will work and I will gather the friends and family and book the private room." Fez said.
"What if she says no? Then what all those people there to celebrate we didn't get engaged. I dunno man this may not be a good idea after all." Hyde said and started to hyperventilate. "Man, I can't breathe!"
"Hyde! Calm down I will arrange everything all you have to do is take her. You don't even have to say the words cause the words will be spelt out on the plate! Don't worry okay! Calm down."
But Hyde couldn't stop hyperventilating. Fez slapped him. "Get ahold of yourself man!"
"Okay, after I calm down a bit more, I'm going to kick your ass for doing that." Hyde said as they begin to walk out the store.
"No you won't because I am going to make sure everything is great for your proposal."
"Fine! But if you do that again even if I am having a break down, I'll kick your ass."
"Ayi! Fine!" Fez replied as they got back into the car.
Friday June 17th 1980
It had been three weeks since Hyde had bought the ring. Fez was keeping it at his place so that Jackie wouldn't find it. Although Jackie had already given up on Hyde ever proposing. He didn't want to get married but their life together was good. She would just have to be with the one she loved just not married. She could live with that right?
Hyde was down at the store working. Donna and Jackie were hanging upstairs in her and Hyde's apartment. Jackie seemed so sad but happy. Donna was straight up confused by Jackie's demeanor.
Donna sitting on the island stool and leaning on her elbows. Jackie standing in the kitchen, not saying a word just chewing on her lip.
"Alright Jackie, what's going on with you? You look so, so… well I don't know really."
"Nothing."
"Jackie?" Donna said giving her a look.
"It's just… Steven and I have been really good together these last few months. We are living together and it's well… easy. He's responsible, working down stairs and he's even working on the paperwork to franchise Grooves. And I'm good, work is great and well everything is… great." Jackie said but still looked downtrodden.
"Then I'm confused, what's the problem?" Donna asked concerned.
"Well I love Steven and we have everything… everything except…"
"Except a marriage?"
"Yea." Jackie said looking sad.
"I love him. Really I do. It's just that I want a wedding and a marriage and a life with Steven."
"But you do have a life with Hyde. Look at where you live. You love each other. What else could you ask for? Is it just because you want a wedding?" Donna asked.
"I would be lying if I said that wasn't part of it. But no it's not just to have a wedding, I want an official life with Steven, one that says we are going to be together forever." Jackie said.
"How do you know you won't be, even without getting married?"
"How do you know I will?" Jackie asked.
"Okay, good point. How do you know he won't propose?" Donna asked.
"It's Steven!" Jackie said kind of chuckling. "That train left a long time ago."
"Well, have you ever asked him about marriage?"
"Oh no no no… if there is anything I learned about Steven is I can't push him. I just need to get used to this." Jackie said with a half-smile.