Author Note: …the nerves…the excitement ..the wonder… is it all worth it?
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Chapter 11– He's Back
Jackie was bouncing between elation and despair. Steven was going to be here and after all the hours they spent talking and all the emails….what if he wasn't interested in her? What if he was married and just never mentioned it? Why she was even concerned about it mystified her. Jackie Burkhart had only one thing to do today and that was make sure Mr. Forman had one kick ass party.
The table linens were beautiful. Fez's full size poster was sitting on a chair and she placed a complimentary bowl of mints in front of him. She missed her accented friend but was glad he was happy and living a great life.
The chair where Donna should have sat was empty. Ben and Eric confirmed that she was a no show, but Delilah was coming with Eric. Jackie smiled at the picture that cute little twosome made. Dee didn't have Brooke's openness – but then, she was shy and yet very well spoken. Not to mention drop dead gorgeous!
Next to Delilah's chair was the two for Benjamin and his date. Jackie could swear that boy had a different girlfriend every week! There were so many times she consoled his broken heart and convinced him not all girls were evil. Just some of them!
The head of the table was reserved for Red Forman. The chair had festive balloons tied with colorful ribbons that Jackie knew he was just going to hate! She smiled and leaned the fishing pole she bought against the chair. The seat next to Red was reserved for Mrs. Forman. Jackie knew the older woman was going to wear a brand new cashmere sweater with jeweled buttons. That was a gift from Jackie and Eric for Mother's Day. Kitty loved that it felt "soft like a kitten" and kept her thin skin warm.
The next seat was reserved for non-existent Laurie. A life size poster of Farrah Fawcett was sitting in the chair looking across the table at the picture of Fez. It just seemed fitting since the pair had once been wed. Two chairs were going to be empty until Michael and Brooke returned from the Kelso family home which left the remaining seats were for Steven and finally one for herself.
All she had to do now was sit and wait for the guest of honor.
Oh, and Steven!
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Laurie had taken a nice hot bubble bath – her first luxurious one in years. Mr. Steven Hyde turned out to be a decent adult and was still pretty laid back. She didn't want to ruin the trust he was putting into her because the alternative future was a bleak one – and she really did want to see her parents.
Casey was looking forward to seeing his dad again. Michael was going to be there later and he hadn't seen Brooke except for pictures she was in with Betsy. He had to thank Hyde for forcing them to come home. It was about time. He really needed to make a life with Laurie. They had been on the road together and only had each other to confide in.
She was his best friend. It was by chance that they were both running the same con in the same hotel that they hooked up and started their journey. It was fun and exciting and illegal and they were perfectly matched: she was vain and daring and he was handsome and fearless. They used their vanity every chance they could…but now, the tiredness set in and Casey was lucky if he could get a waiters job. Hyde was giving him a maintenance position and he would excel at that. He was finally home.
There was a knock on the guest bedroom door and Steven hollered through the wood. "We're leaving in 20 – Casey, I'm dropping you off on the way. Hurry your asses up." At least that's what he wanted Casey to think!
Steven looked in the mirror. He had chosen to wear black pants, a grey button shirt and a black vest. His curly hair was cut short to his head and an even color of gray. The little goatee might have been a bit much, but it was his hair and he was determined to keep it as long as he could grow it!
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Eric's GMC Yukon pulled up in front of Philly's Cheesesteak House - Red Forman's old favorite haunt. Red was sitting in the passenger seat while Kitty was behind them next to Delilah. Ben and Brittany were making out in the third row seating. Ben thought his dad couldn't see him. Eric grinned and jumped out to help his dad out of the tall SUV.
-o-
Jackie was conferring with the waitresses assigned to the Garden Room. "Low sodium and I'd appreciate it if you could keep the music soft in the background." She looked out the window and saw the Man of the Hour getting out of Eric's big car and slapping at his son's arms. Typical Red Forman didn't need that kind of help!
Delilah went around and assisted Kitty while the two teens scampered out the back window. Jackie waved through the window and Kitty waved back. Everything was going along as planned.
"I just want my damn fishing pole. We didn't need to go to lunch to get it." Red groused. Eric grinned, "Dad, how long has it been since you've been out of the house and NOT going to the doctors? Maybe mom will let you have cold beer."
He grunted and then smiled. "A chilled glass and a bottleneck? I guess that would be fine but it better not be served by some pansy ass waiter with a ring in his nose!"
Eric laughed, "I think we have waitress's dad."
Red lifted a brow, "I think I meant the same thing about the nose ring son." He turned around at the sound of a slight cough.
"Happy Father's Day, Mr. Forman." Jackie greeted him with a hug. Red gave her the special smile that he reserved for the girl he loved like his own blood. "Thanks Jackie and I hope you got me the good fishing pole."
She grinned, "You know it. You'll have to teach Ben all about fly fishing."
Ben pushed his hair from his face, "I'm not fishing for flies. Gross. I want to go Noodling."
Red frowned, "What's that?" Ben laughed, "I was watching cable and these guys go underwater and barehanded, stick their hands in the fish's mouth and catch 'em like that."
Red rolled his eyes, "Son that is the most cockamamie thing I've ever heard." Ben threw an arm over Red's shoulders, "Grandpa, just think about eating the biggest catfish in the world…."
Red Forman looked at Eric, "See? Now this is the way a son is supposed to act! You're a good egg Ben, now where's my seat? Ah jeez…..who put all the balloons on the chair?"
Kitty smiled at her husband's incessant fussing. He didn't really hate it. He was having a really good day. There was no ten minute search for missing dentures and matching shoes were in their proper place. He knew who everyone was this morning. She only hoped it stayed that way for the rest of the day!
-o-
Michael Kelso and Brooke arrived shortly after Red and his party were seated. Kitty was delighted to see Brooke again and wanted to see all the pictures of Betsy. "I saw her speech on C-SPAN, you should be so proud."
Kelso and Eric gave each other an appropriate one-armed hug for 50+ year old men and then giggled and gave a real squeeze just for old times sake. "Dude, what's with the hair?"
Eric pulled his hat down lower, "Uh….an unfortunate laundry….accident…bleach…hey, you remember Delilah!" Kelso laughed, "Of course I know my sister-in-law. I heard Hyde was coming too. Isn't it awesome?"
Eric hadn't seen Kelso in the flesh in many years and it was just amazing that those baby face good looks of his carried over into his adult life. He was still just a big good kid. (With an amazing sister-in-law!)
Red looked around the room at faces he knew and some he thought he knew. That tall girl with the dark hair looked like Sabrina or Kelly and there was a picture of Laurie sitting on the chair. Was that...what that the foreign dumb ass across from her? Red got up and went to Fez's picture and whacked it off the seat.
"Oh dear," Said Kitty. "I was so hoping he wouldn't remember that!"
Jackie ran over and picked up Fez's cardboard photo. "What's wrong Mr. Forman?"
Red pointed towards Fez, "He was staring at Laurie." Jackie spoke softly, "How about I sit him at the end of the table so "they" can't look at each other."
Red looked at Fez suspiciously but nodded his head. "All right but I don't want no hanky-panky at my table!"
Kitty felt like they dodged a bullet. Everyone was seated and the only seat left empty was the one for Steven. Kitty hadn't told Red that their adopted son was coming but Red didn't seem to notice; he was squinting at the menu.
"Sushi? You want me to eat raw fish? I had all the raw fish I wanted in the war! I want some red meat cooked with fire. Kitty! Go tell the chef that I don't want no meat that isn't stamped USDA Choice and I want it mooing!" Red demanded.
Jackie smiled – Red was in good form. She walked to the big window that overlooked traffic and was temporarily blinded by a long silver stretch Hummer that parking outside the restaurant.
Ben got up and stood beside his aunt. "Wow! I've only seen one of those in the movies."
Jackie got a big smile on her face. "I can only think of one person it belongs to." Her heart sang, "He's back. He's back, he's back – Steven was back home!"
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