Author Note: …. Surgery is over and everything looks fluffy so far…..

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Chapter 20 – Blinded by Love

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Jackie woke up to the wonderful smell of different kinds of flowers. Her eyes were taped closed but in her groggy state, she was feeling no pain. She licked her dry lips and instantly there was spoon of chipped ice for her to suck on. Kitty's soothing voice asked her how she felt.

"Really good drugs." She smiled lazily. Kitty's laugh seemed to come from far way. Jackie reached for her hand. "How long was I in surgery?"

"A couple of hours honey. Dr. Bobbie told us everything went well and all that's left is for you to recover. In a few days we'll know if the surgery was a success."

Jackie heard Red's gruff voice. "Well it's about damn time you woke up. All you patients do is sleep around here." Jackie heard the teasing and smiled. "Hey Mr. Forman, I'm glad you came. Is Eric here?"

"No, he gets off work in an hour. Do you need us to hang around? I hate hospitals." Red grumbled.

"Red!" Kitty scolded. "She just had surgery and she needs friendly voices, not you complaining about the hospital. Let's go to the cafeteria and get you some lunch. Jackie, you just rest and we'll be back."

Jackie smiled and let the rest of the anesthesia pull her back into a warm comfortable dreamlike state.

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Eric didn't even change his boots. The minute four o'clock rolled around, he hit the ground running. His mom told him she would call if there were any complications, but Eric wanted to be at the hospital. Hell, he'd sleep there if they let him! He found his dad talking softly to his mom when he entered the wide doorway of the private room.

"She's good?" he asked anxiously.

Kitty smiled. "Honey, she's doing as good as she can be. She'll probably do a lot of sleeping. That's how the body repairs itself."

Red stood up, "Well, since you're here, I can go home and get some dinner." He looked at his sons' dusty work boots and raised an eyebrow. "Getting some field work eh?"

Eric smiled. "Yeah, I was measuring some closets that the contractors miscalculated." Eric felt proud that his dad noticed he was doing something worthy of respect. Red clapped a hand on Eric's shoulder. "We'll save you some dinner. Don't stay too late." Eric hugged his mom and took vigil in the warm seat she vacated.

He leaned his head against the fabric curtain and sighed. Those gauze bandages were back. Jackie hated those. Eric remembered the sight of red and swollen eyes from the first time. What was under the bandages now and did the surgery work?

"Mouth breather." Jackie said in a scratchy voice. Eric grinned and sat up, "Faker. You were awake."

She laughed softly, "Of course, who could sleep with your dad talking about cleaning the gutters and trapping the Anderson's dog?" Jackie reached out for Eric's hand. Eric scooted the chair closer and covered her cold hand with his warm one. "How do you feel?"

"Like I'm floating in a pool of warm water. Speaking of water, could you give me a spoon of those ice chips?"

Eric scooped some ice onto the little plastic spoon and slipped it between her lips. "That's better." She sighed. "I won't know if it worked for two to four weeks. Do you know how aggravating that is?"

Eric smiled, "If you get some of your sight back, I'm sure it will be worth the wait."

"When I do, I hope it's your face I see first." She said softly. Eric leaned over the bed and kissed her. "Me too, because I plan on being here as much as I can."

"I was hoping you'd say that." Jackie smiled. "You don't mind if I take a nap now do you?"

"Nope, I'll just watch some hospital TV and we can pretend we're sitting on the sofa."

"I'd like that." She replied with a yawn.

"I'll be here when you wake up."

"I love you Eric."

"I love you too Jackie."

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Kelso and Brooke were carrying the largest purple unicorn ever into Jackie's room. Brooke held Michael at the door while she knocked softly. Jackie looked towards the door. "Michael?"

"Damn! How did you know?"

"Old Spice. Gives you away every time." Jackie laughed. "…and I smell Fez's special shampoo and I know it's not Mrs. Forman so that must be Brooke breathing through her nose."

"You are good!" Brooke said giving Jackie a small hug. "We brought you a present." Kelso set the hug unicorn on the hospital bed and Jackie's hands went out to "see" it. She smiled when her fingers found the horn. The soft plush material was soft and she loved it. "What color is it?"

Brooke was now sitting to the right of her bed. "It's different shades of purple with a silver horn."

"How's Betsy?" Jackie asked excitedly.

Kelso found the remote control that raised and lowered the foot of the bed. "Cool, they don't have these kinds of beds in Point Place."

"Michael stop playing. Betsy is excited to have her Aunt Jackie come over and see her new rompers. Michael's grandmother started sewing some little outfits and they are just adorable."

Kelso was looking at all the flowers and balloons. "How much longer do you have to stay in here?"

"Until my eyes quit draining."

Kelso nearly gagged. "Gross. Does that mean your eyeballs are going to shrivel up like raisins?"

"Yes Michael, just like raisins. Every time you eat one, think of my eyeballs." Jackie turned her head towards Brooke, "I'm kidding actually. That steroid medicine I was taking was causing a build up of fluid in my eyes and it was putting pressure on my retina, my optic nerve and everything."

"It's a good thing you found this new doctor or it could have been a lot worse."

"I know. He's a great guy, he checks me in the morning and then at the end of the day. He says I have to take something called Beta-blockers for the rest of my life to reduce the amount of fluid my eyes make but if I can see again, I don't care."

Kelso fumed, "That doesn't tell me how much longer you have to stay in here."

Jackie smiled, "I'm being released Friday." Kelso picked up a book at the end of the bed. "Hey, what's this?"

Brooke grabbed the book from his hands. "Jackie…your learning Braille?"

Jackie blushed. "Kind of. The book is silly. See Bob. See Bob run. Run Bob run. Why couldn't they have done a Dr. Seuss? Much more entertaining."

Kelso was amazed. "So you can read Morse code?" Brooke laughed, "No honey, it's Braille. Jackie reads the raised bumps. Each little cell is a letter."

"Where's the ink?" he asked.

"There is none. It's just a series of bumps that make up words." Brooke explained. Jackie replied, "I'm still learning. I just hope that they start making a Cosmo in Braille so I can keep up with fashion."

Brooke was impressed. "This is almost as good as learning French. There's a big career out there for blind interpreters. A customer at the library has a sister-in-law that speaks three languages and they are always flying her to exotic locations to interpret for court cases or buy homes. It's a great language to learn. I'm proud of you."

Jackie beamed. "I still have a ways to go before I can read Gone With the Wind but I'll stick with the Kindergarten stuff for now."

Kelso looked at the book. "You know what the problem is? There's NO pictures! God, how boring!"

Brooke and Jackie giggled and he tossed the book back on the bed. "Jackie, we'll come back and visit you when you're back with the Forman's. Casey's watching Betsy and we have to pick her up, but you take care sweetie. Michael, say goodbye."

"Good bye." He said petulantly

"Michael, where's my hug." Jackie asked the pouting young man. He huffed, "FINE." But came around and gave her a big hug anyways. "Don't let those nurses push you around!"

"I love you too Michael!" Jackie said happily.

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Reminiscent of a time from last year, Jackie sat in a wheelchair while the Forman's were checking her out of the hospital. Dr. Bobbie was giving last minute instructions. "….basically make sure she avoids heaving lifting, straining, and bending for the first couple weeks. I need to see her next Thursday to monitor her progress. You have the prescriptions and make sure she wears dark glasses outside or any place she may be exposed to extreme brightness."

Dr. Bobbie bent down to Jackie's chair. "No sticking your fingers or trying put on mascara. Nothing near your eyes except for the shower – are we clear?"

"Yes doctor. Can I get out of here now?"

Dr. Bobbie smiled at the Forman's and Eric started pushing the wheelchair towards the exit. Red looked at the huge unicorn on the floor. "Son, this thing isn't going to walk itself out the door and I'm sure as hell not carrying it. Get that chair back here."

Jackie laughed as Eric wheeled her back around. Kitty was holding the nicest plants and the majority where sent to the hospital chapel. More roses from Steven, a Bonsai tree from Bob, a bouquet of carnations from Fez and wildflowers sent from Donna.

Eric leaned down, "I have a present for you but it's at the house." Jackie clapped her hands, "I love presents!"

"I know and I think you'll like this one the best."

Jackie fell asleep in the car. Red liked driving the Mustang and Kitty thought the car was too fast for a girl but she loved having the scenery speeding past as they drove home. Eric held Jackie's hand and wondered when he should tell his folks that they were more than friends. Would he be banished to the basement with Hyde? Better rethink that Eric!

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Jackie was so glad to eat a home cooked meal. She missed having real food and conversation. Bob invited himself and Hyde came up making for a wonderful meal. Kitty was happy that everyone was getting along and her young lady was safe at home.

Hyde announced that he was going to start looking for an apartment, "I can't live in a basement for the rest of my life. Staying at the store was actually a good experience. I found out that I really smell without a shower for three days!" he joked.

Kitty tsked. "Well, wherever you move, you can always come home for a good meal. I'm just proud that you grew up and matured Steven."

Red lifted an eyebrow. "Not much fun washing clothes on a Friday night eh?"

Hyde smirked, "You know it."

Bob wanted to be a part of the conversation. "I'm thinking of buying a vacation home in Florida. The winters here just seem to be getting colder every year. Plus, I'll still have the house for Donna when she graduates."

Red looked at Bob. "Florida? What's in Florida that's not in Wisconsin?"

Bob smiled. "Beaches. Women in bikinis all year round." Hyde held up his hand, "I want an apartment in Florida!"

Jackie chuckled and pushed away from the table. "Mrs. Forman?"

"Oh honey, is it time?" Kitty said getting up from the table. Being courteous, all four guys stood up as the two women got out of their chairs. Red explained, "Pressure headache. The doctor told us she'd get them in a few hours. Nothing to worry about – it's part of the recovery."

Kitty steered Jackie to the sofa where she laid down and gripped the cushion. "I think my eyes are going to pop!"

Kitty peeled the bandages back and found the eyelids were swollen and an angry red mixed with green and purple bruising. She wasn't too alarmed because the eyes were a delicate area. She added a couple drops of artificial tears and replaced the old bandages with new ones.

Kitty poured a couple of antibiotic pills in her hand and some painkillers. She held Jackie's head up while she swallowed the medication with a drink of water. "You should start feeling the pressure go away soon sweetie." Kitty looked up to see Eric standing at the door.

"Eric, honey, get me a pillow and a bag of frozen peas." Jackie grabbed Kitty's arm, "Peas?"

The older woman chuckled, "The cold will help the swelling and make you feel better. Kitty brushed Jackie's hair from her forehead, "Remember, it's worth the pain."

"You're right." Jackie agreed. "A little pain, a lot to gain."

The medicine kicked in just as Eric arrived with a pillow and the frozen veggies. Kitty put the bag of peas over the top of Jackie's face and plumped the pillow behind her head. "Just lay still for a little while and you'll feel better. I need to go back to the kitchen now."

Eric sat on the sofa and asked if there was anything he could do. Jackie smiled and replied, "You're already doing it. Just sit with me for a few minutes."

Eric smacked his head, "Oh, your gift! Do you want it now or later?"

Jackie grinned, "What do you think?" Eric laughed, "I'll be right back." Jackie heard Eric's feet running up the stairs and running back down seconds later.

He put the gift wrapped box in her hands. "The wrapping is pink and red with a white bow." Jackie felt the long, rectangular box. It was too heavy to be a necklace or bracelet and didn't feel like a book. Jackie had no clue what it was.

She tore off the wrapping and pulled of the lid of the box. Eric ginned, "I had this made especially for you." Jackie dumped the sanded piece of two by four into her hand. "You gave me a piece of wood?"

Eric turned the piece of sanded lumber over in her hand and took her fingers and set them on top. Jackie ran her fingertips over " : :..:| ..:| |..-.. .::":.., :.:"; and smiled.

She read it again and said, "This is the nicest present anyone has ever given me. I love you too Eric."

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A/N: : :..:| ..:| |..-.. .::":.., :.:"; is a Braille sentence.