I walk past Asher's bedroom and crack the door open a little bit to peek in. He's still asleep.
He's my only son, and I hardly even talk to him, because he just doesn't seem interested. Smiling, I walk in quietly and sit by his bed, stroking his hair.
Asher stirs, sits up, and yawns. "Mom, what are you doing in here?"
"I just walked past your room and thought I'd see if you were up," I say.
Asher just shrugs. "Are you working today?"
"No. I woke up late, too," I tell him.
"Oh." Asher looks down. "Is Dad home?"
"No, I think he's working," I say. Then, I think back to a few nights ago. "So, did you ever end up hitting it off with Laurie's daughter Lizzie? I forgot to ask."
Asher shook his head. "Nah. I have a girlfriend and she has a boyfriend. We're cool, though."
"You're 'cool'? What's that mean?" I ask.
"We're friends. We get along," he explains as he gets out of bed. "I'll be downstairs in a minute. Are you gonna make breakfast?"
"I guess I can," I tell him. "I'm gonna go see if Spence is up."
"Okay," Asher says as I shut the door.
I go to Spencer's room and she's not in it.
"Spence!" I call.
"I'm downstairs!" she yells back.
I go downstairs and take the pans out, noticing Spencer at the table.
"I'm making breakfast," I tell her. "Eggs. So, you know the drill."
Spencer rolls her eyes at me and get up, taking the carton of eggs out of the refridgerator, and cracking them, putting them in a bowl. "I can't believe you don't touch eggs. That's so weird."
"What can I say." I shrug. "It's gross."
Asher comes downstairs in a clean shirt and jeans. "This summer sucks," he says as he takes a seat at the table.
"And why do you say that?" I ask as pour the eggs in the pan.
"Because there's nothing to do. Can we go on a vacation this summer or something?" he asks.
"Yeah," Spencer agrees. "There really is nothing to do."
I sigh, thinking of the Italy trip. Not sure exactly how to tell them I'm going.
I'd need consent from Paul in order for them to go. And I know there's no way in hell he'd do anything to make /me/ happy.
"I'll think of something, 'kay?" I say to them.
"Alright." Spencer frowns. "How come you've been with Molly so much lately? You never used to see her... now you're at her place all the time."
"Yeah, she's right," Asher says. "You are /always/ there."
Is this really bothering them? Wow... I feel bad.
"I never really thought I was there that much, I guess," I comment.
"Yeah. We've had to be with Dad a lot," Spencer says.
"That's not my decision, honey," I say. "He gets mad when I take you guys places."
"But you're our mom," Asher says.
"But he's your dad," I remind him. "He thinks he has more control than I do."
Spencer frowns again. "I wish you guys weren't getting a divorce."
I feel so bad. She looks sad, but I'm not sure what to say. "Honey, sometimes, things... just don't work out. You deserve the best, and when you aren't happy, it's not right. So you do something about it."
Spencer just shrugs, along with Asher.
"You know I love you two no matter what," I say to them as I set three plates down. As I say this, I realize that Paul shouldn't be a factor in this. I shouldn't be afraid, and I should invite them to go to Italy.
"And... I think we all should go to Italy this summer," I say after taking a breath.
I see Asher and Spencer both get a shocked look on their faces. "What?"
"See, Molly really wanted to go to Italy because her boyfriend has to go home... there. And she wanted me to go. And if I go, you guys have to go, too," I tell them.
"Oh my God, that'd be so cool!" Spencer says excitedly.
"Yeah, that'd be pretty awesome," Asher admits.
I smile at them, sitting down with our food and placing it in front of them. "Yeah. It would."
It's nice, the three of us sitting down as a family. And I'm really hoping that we all can go to Italy, too.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Steven and I make plans to get together today, so I go to his house.
Gage opens the door for me, and I smile at him, surprised to see him. I assumed he would be at his mom's.
"Dad!" Gage calls, and Steven appears.
"Jacks, hey," he greets me.
"Hi." I smile big at him. I take a look around at his place. It's not big. It's not fancy. It's totally Steven.
So Steven and I sit and talk a little bit, until his phone rings. He answers it. The conversation doesn't seem good, because he hangs up, saying "Damn it."
"What's up?" I ask him suspiciously.
"I have to run into work for about a half hour," he says. "I'm so sorry, Jacks. You wanna hang here until I get back?"
"Uh, sure." I nod.
"Yeah, Gage's here, so... just hang with him, I guess. I'll be right back." He leaves, and Gage comes into the living room.
"Hey," I say, waving to him.
"Hi." He nods to me.
"So, you're Steven's son. That's so weird." I laugh at the idea.
Gage nods, smiling. "Yeah, I guess..."
It's quiet for a moment. "So, what's your mom like?" I ask randomly.
"Eh, she's nice, I guess. Pays a lot of attention to Ian... my half brother." He shrugs. "It's whatever, though."
It's whatever? Not trying to sound old, but what the hell do these things mean?
"Oh, alright." I nod. "Does your dad get along with your mom?"
"Hell no," Gage says, giving a fake laugh.
"Doesn't that bother you?" I ask him, raising my eyebrows.
Gage shrugs. "I mean, it'd be nice if they were, like... /civil/. Or at least ignored each other. But I'm not gonna tell them that."
"Why not?" I ask him.
"Because I don't want to... I don't know... like get in a fight about it," Gage says.
"Huh." I lean back. "I thought your dad was being pretty rude the other night when your mom called."
"Yeah, I guess," he agrees. Then he changes the subject. "So how long did you and my dad go out for?"
"A little over two years," I say.
Gage looks surprised. "Wow. For high school? That's long. Especially for my dad."
I laugh, agreeing.
"I mean, that's probably his longest relationship," Gage says again.
I shrug. "He hasn't had anything really serious?"
"Not really," Gage says. "He and my mom were together for less than a year. Before I was even born."
"You haven't had the greatest life, have you?" I ask him, softly.
Gage shrugs. "Can't complain."
I roll my eyes. "You seem just like your father. Keeping things in."
"It's all I've ever known," Gage jokes.
"I bet your father has broken down once or twice," I say, trying to think of Steven being emotional. I can't come up with any memories of him being that way.
Gage shrugs. "I doubt it." Then he smiles at me. "I bet my dad misses you."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"You know," Gage says. "Just, since you guys met up, he seems happier already. So, I mean he misses you. Like, /misses/ you."
I blush slightly. "I don't know about that. Steven doesn't seem like he cares."
"Nah, he does," Gage says. "You're not married, are you?"
"Getting divorced," I tell him.
"Yeah, my dad is gonna go after you again, I can tell. He usually hates being in relationships, but he's been hanging with you, and he's been happy," Gage says, shrugging. "He'd kill me if he heard me right now."
"Oh. Wow." I try to hide my smile.
"You, like... feel that way, too, right?" he asks me.
Crap. What do I say? "Um... well, I-"
"Yeah, you do," Gage decides, noticing my flustered attempt to answer his question.
I blush. "Shut up, and don't say anything to your father. Okay?"
"Alright," he says in a singsong voice.
I laugh at him. He's so much like Steven, it's crazy.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Once Steven gets back, we go to Donna and Eric's; Gage tagging along with us.
"Remember all those times we spent in your basement?" Donna smiles as she faces her husband.
"Oh yeah. Remember the time I thought Hyde was busted, so I confessed to Red, and he went crazy on us?" Eric says, turning to Steven.
"Hell yeah. He put bells on the doors, I remember. And he installed a smoke alarm," Steven says, laughing.
Gage laughs. "Wait, busted for what? And... a smoke alarm? You guys weren't...?" He trails off.
I take a deep breath in, laughing. "Yes, we were. Mostly your dad over here." I lightly touch Steven on the arm.
"Hey, I'm the one who got /you/ started, too," Steven says to me, eyebrows raised and smiling.
I laugh. "I am /so/ glad my kids aren't here."
Donna laughs along. "I'm glad Jenny and Adam aren't down here."
"Me too," Eric agrees. Then, ironically, their son Adam shows up, coming down the stairs.
"What?" he asks. "I heard my name."
"Nothing," Donna says, waving him over. "You remember Jackie, Hyde, and Gage from the party, right?"
Adam nods. "Yeah." He turns to us. "Hi."
"Hi," we all say.
"So, what are you guys talking about?" he asks.
Eric laughs. "Back when we were kids."
"Oh. Boring," Adam decides.
"No, actually, not boring at all," Donna says, getting up and running to the bookshelf, picking up what looks like a photo album. "Your grandma put this together years ago." She sets it on the coffee table, opening it so we all can see.
The first pictures were all from Donna and Eric's first date. First, a few pictures of the pair together. Then, quick shots of Eric helping Donna in the car, trying to get out of the spotlight, and trying to get in the driver's seat were set up.
"I remember that," Donna says, laughing. "I got drunk at the restaurant."
Adam gives her a weird look. "How old were you?"
"Sixteen," Donna says. "Don't ever /dream/ of doing that."
Jenny comes downstairs after hearing us laugh. "What's going on?"
"Looking at some old pictures," Eric shouts to her. "Come down!"
Jenny comes down and sees the first few pictures. "Wow, so you lived in this house when you were growing up?"
"Of course," Eric says. "And your mom lived next door."
They flip the page. Pictures of Eric's birthday are sprawled out on the page. He's wearing a paper crown, and looks unhappy. In the background, you can see me yelling at Michael.
"That was a sight you saw quite a bit," Steven says, laughing.
After flipping the page again, pictures from the car show that Red, Kitty, Steven, and I went to.
One picture is of Red with the girls in bikinis. It is visibly wrinkled, like somebody crumpled it up. Probably Kitty.
Another picture is of the four of us with Red's Corvette. The main focal point is the Corvette, though, and I think that's what Red intended.
The last picture from that day is of Steven and I kissing. I don't think I have ever seen this picture. Kitty probably saw us kissing, and decided to take a picture without us noticing.
Donna laughs. "You also saw this sight quite a bit."
Steven looks at me and I just awkwardly laugh. It was years ago, but it's still fresh in my mind.
"Yeah, like remember when you guys caught us making out in the basement?" Steven laughs. "You were so freaked out."
Eric's eyes go wide. "Of course! It was so unnatural! I mean, we thought you two hated each other. And then... we saw /it/."
"Yeah," Donna agrees. "Definitely one of the top ten weirdest moments of my life. Then we just got used to it."
I smile and look at Steven. "Remember when we broke up, and Fez got us back together by telling us how 'forbidden' our relationship was?"
"Yeah. I remember what happened after we got back together, too." He raises his eyebrows as he looks at me. I just laugh, unsure of what to do.
Gage gives us a grossed out look. I'm pretty sure he knows what his father means.
"Allllright, and onto the next page," Eric says, flipping the page.
The next thing we see is a picture of Laurie and Marissa, the baby that she babysat for. Next is a picture of Red and Pastor Dave sitting on the Forman's couch, probably watching a Packers game. They aren't looking at the camera, so I'm guessing it was a candid shot that Kitty wanted to get of Red and his new 'friend'.
"Good old Pastor Dave," Eric says, shaking his head.
"Yep, I remember him," I say. "Remember the Christmas pageant you directed? We tied him up with the Christmas lights."
Everybody laughs. "Yeah, I remember."
A few pictures pass, then we come along one of our prom night. I was only a sophomore, and Michael had just dumped me for Pam Macy, so Steven took me.
There are quite a few pictures of Eric and Donna, smiling next to the Vista Cruiser. Then there's one or two of me and Steven, standing a safe distance apart. I was just happy he took me.
"You know that meant a lot to me, right?" I turn to Steven.
"Really? 'Cause I remember you getting back together with Kelso that night." Steven raises his eyebrows and smiles.
"Still." I shrug. "I mean, I couldn't go to prom without a date."
A half hour later, we're done looking at the pictures.
Adam, Jenny, and Gage are all sitting on the couch, talking a little.
Eric and Donna decide to show Steven and I the basement. Apparently they redid it years ago.
We go downstairs, and Steven and I are shocked.
There's carpeting, and painted walls. It doesn't smell anymore. The plumbing isn't visible. And it's totally not where we used to spend our days watching TV and toking, that's for sure.
"It's so different!" I exclaim. "I mean... wow! It looks nice!"
"Thanks, Jackie." Donna smiles.
"I can't believe this is the basement we basically spent our youth in," Steven comments. "Looks too different. Nice, though."
Donna grins. "I put a lot of hard work into it. Because /somebody/ complained that carrying the furniture was hurting him too much." She gives Eric a look.
I laugh. "I wonder who," I say sarcastically.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
About an hour later, it's time to go.
We say goodbye to Eric, Donna, Jenny, and Adam. Steven and Gage are walking to their car. I'm walking to mine.
Gage gets into the car, but Steven stands outside of his, waiting for me to pass by so he can say goodbye.
"This was fun," I say, smiling as I stand in front of him. "Just like old times."
"Not quite," Steven says, grinning.
"Yeah, I guess not. No circles. I blame you for that." I smile quickly at him. "But, uh, I have to go, so I'll see you-"
"Soon?" Steven nods. "Yeah, I hope so."
"Alright. Well, um," I start. We awkwardly hug, in a friendly manner. Pulling away, I raise my eyebrows. We both know how pathetic that was.
Then he leans in, and I lean in. And I'm seventeen again.