I'm just on a roll! This will be done in one or two more chapters. Everyone who is still reading, you're awsome. Everyone who is still reviewing, I love you. It's been so hard to keep writing, but your encouragment is the only thing that made me continue with this. Thank you so much.

Chapter 16

Previously…Donna leaves Eric out in the hallway, Hyde gets a job in Chicago (oh, the irony) and Jackie has a secret.

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"Okay Steven. Do you have enough gas?"

"Yes."

"You have money in case you want to stop for food?"

"Yes."

"You have plenty of water? That black car of yours can get so hot in the sun, I don't want you to get dehydrated."

"Yes, I have water."

"Okay good…am I missing something, Red?"

"Kitty—"

"Oh! You didn't forget any of your t-shirts, did you? I know how much you like them."

"Kitty, for Christ's sake, would you let the boy go? If he doesn't leave soon, he'll be sitting in traffic for six hours before he even gets to Illinois."

Mrs. Forman nodded reluctantly. She knew it was time to let him go, but damnit, why did they all grow up so fast? All of her children were leaving her. She felt her eyes begin to sting and grabbed her last baby by the shoulders for one more hug. He hugged her back gently.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Forman," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "Chicago isn't that far, and I'll visit every weekend."

"You better. My meals are the only substantial food you'll ever get. Oh, Red, he's going to starve!" she cried, burying her head in her husbands shoulder. He sighed, but wrapped an arm around her waist and held her until she calmed down.

"He wont starve, sweetie."

"Yes he will, he doesn't know how to cook!"

"Kitty, he worked in a restaurant for a year! I think he'll manage."

"That was hotel food, Red. There's a big difference." She turned around and looked at Hyde hopefully. "Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?"

"Stop smothering the boy. He's nearly twenty one, it's about time he moved out," Red said, irritated. Kitty looked at him, appalled. "Not that we didn't love having you here," he added grudgingly. Hyde smirked.

"I'm gonna be fine," he said with more confidence than he felt. Red nodded.

"Of course you will. You're a good boy, Steven. And whether you're willing to admit it or not, you'll do good out in Chicago. Now," he pointed towards the sliding door that led to the driveway. "Get going."

Hyde looked around the kitchen one more time. Kitty watched the boy she had come to think of as her son and felt a stinging in the back of her throat. She reached up to wipe her misty eyes, hating how emotional she got at goodbyes. Luckily, her nervous breakdown was halted by the sound of the phone ringing. She spun around and answered it hastily before hugging Steven once more, wanting to stall his departure for as long as possible.

"Hello?" she said perkily.

"Hey, Mom, it's Eric."

Kitty's jaw dropped. "Eric!" Red and Hyde both jerked their heads around at the familiar name. "Oh my goodness! How are you, sweetie? Are those horrible bugs in Africa still giving you a hard time?" she asked with her usual motherly concern.

"Um…I'm not in Africa anymore. I came home yesterday. Didn't you get my letter?"

"What!? You're back?" she turned to her husband gleefully, covering the mouthpiece of the phone. "He's back Red! My baby boy is back! And just when Steven is leaving! I won't be all alone with you and your grumpiness!" Red rolled his eyes. She spoke into the phone again, trying and failing to be stern. "Eric, how could you not tell us you were coming home? I have no time to get the house ready! The streamers are still in their packages in the basement and—"

"Mom, calm down. I don't need streamers. I just—"

"Are you calling from the airport? We can come pick you up in a jiffy."

"No, I'm not at the airport. I'm in Madison, trying to talk to Donna."

Kitty hesitated for a moment, confused. "How did you know Donna moved away?" she asked suspiciously.

"She wrote to me."

"Uh-huh…how do you know where she lives?" Her son waited a while before answering.

"I asked Bob…last night."

Kitty was almost speechless. But not quite. "I don't believe you, Eric! You come back home without bothering to tell me, you're in town for a day and you don't even say hello to your own parents? Even though you were within twenty feet of their house?? That is not the way I raised you! What were you thinking? What on earth convinced you to—?"

"Kitty, that's enough," Red said firmly, taking the phone from her hand. He held it up to his ear. Kitty shuffled over to Hyde, who hugged her reassuringly. "Hey, dumbass. How was Africa?" Red paused for a few seconds. "Okay, okay, that's enough. Oh, I'm sure it was lovely. Now if you don't get your ass down to Point Place and see your mother in the next five hours, you'll be wearing it for a hat. Got it?" He paused again. "Yes, I'm sure you haven't changed one bit either. Let me ask you something: were the spiders in Africa as scary as the brillowpads here in Wisconsin? Yeah, I didn't think so." With that, Red slammed the phone back onto the wall, shaking his head. Hyde clapped. Kitty glared at both of them, horrified.

"Oh, you two are awful. Just awful. Steven, come here and give me one more hug and get out before I have a panic attack!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed tightly before letting him back away. Red gave him a firm handshake and a brief hug. Hesitantly, Hyde walked out the sliding door and to his waiting car. He gave his family one last wave goodbye before getting in. The older couple watched him back out of the driveway and start his life. Red smiled victoriously.

"Well, we got one dumbass out of the house and it'll be at least four hours before the next one comes back. What do you want to do?" Kitty let out a muffled sob, grabbed a bottle of wine from a cupboard and stalked into the living room. Red sighed.

"Yep, that's what I thought."

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"Donna, would you please just talk to me?" Eric pressed his ear against the door, trying desperately to hear some kind of activity from the other side. He pounded on the hard wood with his fist yet again, hoping she would at least get annoyed enough by it to let him in. "Please, Donna. I need to see you. Just let me explain." This time when he listened through the door, he heard what sounded like AC/DC bursting loudly from extremely powerful speakers. With a groan, Eric slid to the floor, his back against the door. He let the back of his head hit the wood and closed his eyes. She couldn't stay in there forever. Sooner or later, she would come and talk to him…right?

Donna turned the volume knob until the music drowned out the incessant pounding. She had to admit, Eric was a lot more persistent than he had been a year ago. She sat down at her small kitchen counter and flipped open the Cosmo Jackie had slipped into her bag. She frowned slightly when he didn't go away. He'd left a few minutes ago to call his parents. Donna had listened to their conversation through the door. The payphone was just outside of her room. But the moment the little chat ended, he came right back, unwilling to leave her alone. She got up and put two pieces of bread in the toaster. He would be waiting for a long time.

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"So, everything is set?...Okay, great…Yeah that's perfect…Thank you so much…I'm sure I will…Bye." Jackie hung up the phone and squealed happily, doing a little dance around her dorm room. Everything was working out perfectly. A year ago, her life had been in a shambles. No job, no boyfriend, no prospects for the future. Now, everything was falling into place. She sighed blissfully and collapsed onto her bed.

"It won't be long now," Jackie murmured to herself, staring at the cracked ceiling. "Not long at all."

Ah! I'm so close to being done, I can hardly take it. Please review!!