Author Note: …. Renewing relationships….

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Chapter 07 – Old Friends

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"…..It's nice to have you as a friend."

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Eric walked to his bedroom and couldn't ever remember any of his other friends thanking him for his friendship. How odd and even more strange was that Jackie's comment touched him. Go figure!

Eric got ready for bed and debated calling Donna. It would be nice if she could come down to visit Jackie while Fez and Kelso were here – if not….perhaps just make one simple phone call.

He had been asleep for maybe a couple of hours when he heard a tapping at his door. The doorknob opened and the nightlight from the hallway illuminated a shadowy figure. "Eric? Are you asleep?"

Eric scooted to a sitting position. "Jackie? What are you doing? Are you okay?" He saw the door close and heard the tap of her cane as she made her way into his bedroom. Thankfully there was nothing on the floor for her to trip over. She sat on the edge of his mattress.

"Can we talk for a minute?" she asked softly. Eric scooted over, "Sure, get under the covers, it's freezing in here."

She dropped her cane and slid beneath the blankets. "Your blankets are scratchy!" she exclaimed. She drew her knees up under her chin. "I'm scared about tomorrow."

Eric closed his eyes – seeing the same darkness Jackie saw now – yeah, it was scary. "Why does tomorrow scare you?"

"Don't mock me when I say this but I used to be pretty. Me and Michael were the pretty people and now Michael's only going to see these bandages over my eyes and the peeling skin."

Eric wrapped a friendly arm around her thin shoulders, "Don't you think he'll just see his friend named Jackie? Do you think he's that shallow?"

"Steven was." She said with a tight voice.

Crap. Bob must have told her about the letter. Eric quickly said, "Kelso may be a tool sometimes, but he's matured, he's a dad and he's your friend. Fez will probably just want to wash your hair."

Jackie started to laugh, "Stop it. Fez isn't going to wash my hair." She reached for Eric's hand in the dark. It was strong and made her feel safe. "I just wish Donna would have called. Do you think tomorrow you can dial her number for me? I thought we were best friends and sometimes a girl can… use a friend." Her voice ended on a high note and Eric knew she was going to cry.

He pulled her in close and gave her a hug. "This is rough. Not knowing if the blindness is temporary or permanent. You need your friends."

She nodded against his shoulder, her little body quaking silently. "It hurts to cry." Eric poked her in the ribs. "Hey, I'm going to pick up some Ray Charles glasses for you tomorrow."

"What?" her voice was muffled against his pajamas. Eric laughed, "I'm getting you a pair of those dark glasses like Stevie Wonder wears. Then when you look at the guys, they won't see the bandages, just the cool glasses."

"Can you get them in any color than black? I'm really getting tired of seeing black all the time. Red would be nice or purple….or a nice tortoise color…"

"Hey, don't get crazy. I'll get whatever good color I can find okay?"

Jackie squeezed his fingers. "That works. Thanks Eric." She still didn't move from his bed. "Was there something else?"

"I don't know what to do with myself. I can't go back to my hostess job because well, I can't see. You're dad can't use me in the shop, it's too dangerous. How am I supposed to support myself for like the next 70 years?"

"That's a good question. Well…you have a nice voice. Maybe you could be some kind of a motivational speaker?"

Jackie laughed, "Who would be motivated by me Eric? I can't even tell you what time it is let alone tell others what to do."

Eric slid under the covers, "Well, you're wrong there. You are always telling people what to do and most of the time you have good ideas." He could feel Jackie straighten her legs under the blanket. He continued, "If you hadn't reminded me that I could draw and I was good at math…I never would have applied at that construction job."

"You don't have to be nice. You would have got the job because you were qualified." She muttered.

"Hey, I would never have thought to look in that field for a job if it wasn't for you. Is that good enough for your ego Missy?"

Jackie chuckled. "Okay, I have a good voice and I'm bossy. Oh, maybe I can be a long distance telephone operator!"

"There you go! Now you're thinking." Eric said encouragingly. "I'm sure there are plenty of other careers out there with your ….special talent."

Eric felt a kiss on his temple. "Thanks Eric. I'll let you go back to sleep." Deftly, she reached down for her cane and quietly navigated herself to the door. "You are a good friend."

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Brooke rushed in and gave Jackie a gigantic hug. "Oh honey, we saw the news on the day you had the accident. I'm sorry we couldn't get here sooner." Jackie heard Kitty demand to hold the baby and then she was scooped up in a Kelso size hug.

"Damn girl, did you lose weight? Hey, where's Jackie?" Kelso joked. "I see Stevie but where's my friend?"

Jackie touched the large sunglass frames Eric had given her earlier and smiled. "Michael, you're such a goof. Where's Fez?"

A slimmer frame grabbed her in a hug. "Fez, don't even think about touching my butt." Fez laughed and set her away so he could look at her. "You need let me wash your hair."

Jackie laughed at his words and turned her head to the place where she remembered Eric was standing. Eric was shocked that she was looking right at him! He laughed also as he remembered their conversation from the night before. Red coughed, "This is a kitchen, not Grand Central Station. Take your keisters into the living room before I help you."

Kelso wrapped an arm around Jackie's shoulder and Brooke took her hand leading her towards the swinging door. Her walking cane lay somewhere on the kitchen floor. Eric spied it beside the stove and picked it up.

"Son, just make sure they don't start tossing her around like a football okay?"

Eric looked at his dad. "Sure. Make sure mom brings the baby back before Brooke freaks out."

"Deal. Get us a beer and this conversation never happened."

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"….so I'm sitting in the backseat with this guy their transporting to another jail and he says unlock these cuffs, I gotta use the john. I tell him I can't do that, well cuz I don't have my own handcuff key yet so you know what happened?"

Jackie could only imagine. "What happened, Michael?" Kelso was bouncing on the sofa. "He got a cramp! He couldn't do it so he held it in for 20 minutes and cramped out!"

Eric looked at his friend. "How is that funny?"

Kelso was laughing. "The cramp was is in his funny bone!" Fez started laughing and Brooke rolled her eyes. Eric saw her expression and chuckled. He leaned down to Jackie and described what Brooke did and Jackie laughed.

"Fez, how are things at the salon?"

Fez sighed happily. "Not that I don't love you Jackie, cuz I do, but my Wednesday shampoo/conditioner customer, Meredith….she's moving into your old room. Merry is very….appreciative of these talented fingers" Fez wiggled his hands and tickled Jackie in the ribs."

Kitty came back with the baby. "Jackie honey, you want to hold Betsy? Where did you get those glasses? You look like Roy Orbison!"

Eric and Brooke started laughing. Jackie pushed the sunglasses further up her nose and held out her arms for the baby. The heavy weight of the infant felt good in her arms. Warm satin skin and the smell of baby powder and milk surrounded Jackie's senses. A little hand reached up and grabbed a fistful of brown hair and started to suck on it. Jackie laughed, "Brooke, she's getting so big. What is she wearing right now?"

Brooke described the little colored tights and pink corduroy dress with the light green ribbons. "God, I wish I could see you." Jackie said softly, unaware that all of her friends had heard and were staring at each other. They didn't know what to say or do!

Kelso moved off the back of the sofa and sat on the cushion next to Jackie. "Hey, what can you see under there?" He tried to lift the lens of her glasses and she swatted at his hands.

"It's dark. I don't see anything yet."

Brooke added, "I was reading a medical reference book and it could take a couple of weeks for the eyes to repair themselves. Jackie should be seeing grays or lighter colors as she gets better."

Kelso looked at his old girlfriend. "What if the eyes don't repair themselves? Can't she get an eyeball transplant?"

Fez spoke up, "Oh! I saw a scary movie where that happened and the girl got the eyeballs from a killer and only saw his victims!"

Eric frowned, "Hey, I remember that movie. It was in black and white."

Brooke continued, "No, they don't have the ability to change out her eyeballs. Yes, it's a possibility her eyes don't get better right away but we are all praying that's not the case." Brooke leaned forward and touched Jackie's knee. "Honey, you just keep doing what the doctor says and I'll keep my fingers crossed."

"Thank you Brooke." She smiled in Brooke's direction and set the wiggling baby on her lap. Fez looked around, "Hey, where's Hyde? I thought he would be visiting too."

Eric didn't want to ruin the mood but answered Fez's question. "He moved out."

Kelso looked up, "Why, was he afraid?"

Eric shrugged, "Something like that." Fez frowned, "I thought he was a better friend than that."

Jackie pretended to ignore the conversation. Steven didn't want to be around her plain and simple. That was fine. She had other friends that made her feel special.

Kitty whizzed back into the living room. "I have sandwiches and cake in the kitchen for everyone." Kelso jumped over the back of the couch and Fez raced him for the door. Brooke stood up and started walking towards the door. Eric looked back and found that everyone left Jackie sitting on the couch with the baby. He grabbed Brooke's arm and pointed towards the sofa.

"Oh Jackie, I'm so sorry. Here, let me get her." Brooke felt embarrassed. She assumed that Jackie would just follow behind like the rest of the group. Jackie reached for her cane but couldn't find it.

A low voice said, "Its eight steps to the door. I'll get your cane for you." She didn't know where he was standing because his voice was moving. "Thanks for remembering me Eric."

He looked at the lost expression on her face and smiled. "No problem Jackie. No problem at all."

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Red looked at Kelso, Fez and Brooke. "I see two dumbasses but Brooke; you left her in there with the baby? Don't you know she's still learning to walk with that blasted cane and the three of you expect her to carry a baby too?"

Eric opened the door and Jackie put on a brave face. "It's okay Mr. Forman. The guys must have really missed Mrs. Forman's cooking. They wouldn't leave me in there on purpose." Jackie walked over to stand by Michael and kicked him in the shin with her booted foot.

"Damn Jackie, it was an accident! Are you sure you can't see under those bandages?" Kelso groaned.

Eric bit back a laugh as Fez shouted, "Aiiyyy, keep those shoes away from my shins!" The group was properly chastised and now Red was happy. Kitty set down a plate of sandwiches and took Betsy to the dining room.

Kelso groaned with pleasure. "Oh Mrs. Forman makes the best sandwiches." He looked at Brooke. "We need to come back more often….to visit Jackie! Oh and get sandwiches."

Brooke touched Jackie's hand. "I'm sorry honey. It really was an accident." Jackie looked in Brooke's direction. "I seem to be having a lot of those lately."

"What's that Jackie?" Brooke asked confused.

"Accidents." She said simply.

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