Chapter 5: Confrontation

Cooper loved Tuesday nights. He spent them at home instead of at his Grandfather's and he and his mom would eat whatever he wanted and watch movies and relax. Now his mom had brought the neighbor into their night and he had no idea what to think or feel about it.

Pete was Ok. He was like all the men who threw themselves at his mom. He wanted to gag when he made mushy gestures or said something love stupid. He was tempted to call his Uncle Eric and tell him about what was happening because he couldn't act like a brat since he'd promised Jackie and he really wanted to.

He was half asleep watching Greece when the phone rang. As a rule Tuesday nights were no phone call nights. Jackie ignored the ringing but Pete glanced towards the source.

"Aren't you going to answer?"

"No phone calls on Tuesday night," Jackie told him. "More pasta?"

The phone rang out and less then a minute later it started up again. This happened three times before they all started to get sus.

"Maybe its Uncle Eric," Cooper suggested, knowing that Eric would know about Tuesdays and would only ring if it were an emergency.

Jackie shrugged. "We'll deal with it tomorrow."

They settled back and tried to drown out the ringing as John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John sang their way through the grand finale. Then there was a thumping, determined knock at the door and Jackie jumped in surprise.

"Huh," she muttered. "Coop, stay here," she told him, getting up and heading towards the door. When she threw it open she instantly regretted it.

**

All of his anger drained away when Hyde's eyes fell onto Jackie. She was dressed in sweat pants—very unlike her—and a tank top with her hair pulled back. She had a look of dread on her face when she saw who it was.

"Steven?" She breathed. Then her voice changed to a hard, angry tone. "What are you doing here?"

Hyde was momentarily too stunned for an answer before he said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Jackie sighed. "Eric told you, huh? Or was it W.B?"

"I saw your picture in the Grooves magazine, and then Forman filled me in." His voice was harsh and with a hint of cruelness, his best defense. "Mind filling in a few missing blanks?"

Jackie glanced briefly over her shoulder then stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her. "What Steven? I think it's pretty simple. Girl's asshole boyfriend breaks her heart and marries a stripper. Girl runs away to boy's best friend. Girl has boy's baby and goes to boy's father. Boy keeps his head up his jerk-off ass!"

He hated her anger. Her anger was justified. "So what? You forgot how to write? How to pick up a phone? Couldn't tell me that, I don't know, that I have a son!"

Jackie scoffed. "Really, Steven, you're angry? I've given you a free card to never have to do anything for me." She haltered him from saying anything back and went on. "Fine, so I never told you and I probably should, but I did it because I didn't want Cooper to get hurt."

"I would never hurt him," Hyde argued. "I wouldn't."

Jackie shook her head as though he were an ignorant child. "I know, Steven. You would have wanted to stick around, do what you could so you wouldn't be like Bud. But what would you have done when I told you? The girl you now despise? You would have gone and lit up or hit a bar. Am I right?" She took his silence as a 'yes'. "You would have tried damn hard to be the father you wanted. You would have tried, but you're too immature to be able to handle it. In the end you would have hurt him, even if you didn't want to. I love Cooper more then anything else in this world and I'll be damned if I let anyone break him like you did me."

Hyde wanted more then anything for her words to be untrue, but he couldn't fool himself. "You should have told me," he repeated weakly.

"Yea," Jackie agreed, "I should have. But I was more concerned with your happiness. I wouldn't want you and your perfect wife's life to get complicated over a son from an ex." Her sarcasm was biting and ice cold.

"Sam and I are over," he said.

"Congratulations, Steven, you've matured to the age of a four year-old."

He glared down at her. "I'm not going to back out, Jackie. I want to be part of his life."

"You actually want to fight for something? My God, you possibly can't be Steven." But to his surprise she dropped the sarcasm and fixed him with a look. "Just leave, Steven. Cooper knows you, he's not missing anything. Just go."

He caught her elbow before she could turn and leave. "I'm not giving up," he said seriously.

Jackie shook him off and sighed. "I love you, God knows why, but I do." She looked him in the eye and he saw her pain and he recoiled. "But I can't let you."

He let her go, not really understanding why, and he drove silently to W.B's and he felt empty.

**

Jackie closed the door and felt surprisingly empty. Seven years of pent up emotion had just spilled out in less than twenty minutes. Wow. Pete and Cooper were watching her from the sitting room, looking curious and waiting for an explanation.

"It's late…" Jackie said, looking at Pete.

"Oh, right." He hugged and kissed Jackie's cheek. "I'll see you later."

When he was gone Jackie and Cooper silently went to the tent. They were snuggled together, the music playing softly, and she quietly explained. When she was done Cooper gave her a hug.

"You still love him?"

She nodded and sighed. "He's a dill hole."

Cooper laughed, even though the situation and his current mood hardly called for it. Soon though Jackie was laughing too and they were laughing so hard their ribs hurt and tears slid down their cheeks and they felt light headed and a million times better.

"You don't have to have anything to do with him if you don't want," Jackie offered.

"If you don't want me to meet him, I won't."

"This is about you," Jackie told him firmly. "What you want. Don't let me influence your decision."

Cooper nodded. "Can I think about it?"

"Of course, sweetie." She kissed his head and they lay together under their faulty sky with their comfort around them.

-TBC-