Chapter 6: Going Home
Cooper decided exactly one week from Tuesday that he did, in fact, want to meet Steven Hyde, properly.
"But that doesn't mean I like him or anything," he warned W.B and Jackie when he told them the news.
The two had picked him up from school to take him out for a light meal.
"Of course it doesn't, sweetie," Jackie agreed.
"You'll like Steven," W.B said comfortingly.
Cooper swirled a finger through his ketchup and frowned. "What do I call him anyway? Dad? Father? Steven? Mr. Hyde?"
Jackie stifled a giggle at the last suggestion. When she calmed down she simply said, "Whatever you want to call him."
It was strange, but in his mind Steven Hyde had been two things. When he thought of him as a person it was always Steven Hyde, when he thought about him in a vague term it was usually father or dad. But now he actually needed to know what to call him and he was stumped.
"How about you ask him?" W.B suggested when Cooper didn't come up with a reply.
"Yea, Ok."
Jackie beamed happily. "I have a perfect idea! How about we surprise everyone in Point Place with a surprise visit on Friday afternoon? We could like stay the whole weekend and you can meet everyone!"
Cooper agreed enthusiastically to the plan and Jackie made details with W.B before they left.
Cooper was anxious about the up coming visit. He wondered what meeting Steven Hyde would be like this time, the time in which he actually knew that Cooper is his son. He sounded pretty determined to meet Cooper, although it could be just out of spite. He hated to think that way but his mind kept drifting towards that conclusion.
On Friday he was packed and ready, waiting in Jackie's mustang. Jackie was saying goodbye to Pete, who had been around more often then Cooper liked. W.B was meeting them down there on Saturday and Jackie planned for them to crash at Eric's, even though he had no idea of their coming.
They hit the highway and rolled down the windows, allowing the wind to rush through. They turned up the volume and sang along loudly and off tune, beating out the rhythm on the dashboard/steering wheel.
They pulled up for dinner just out of town and finally reached the Forman's house by six. From all the stories that Jackie had shared with Cooper, he'd kind of being expecting something more extravagant then the simple two story building in front of them. There was a Toyota and a Vista Cruiser in the open garage and a basketball left by the hoop, meaning there was more then Mr. and Mrs. Forman there.
"Ready, Coop?" Jackie asked as they got out of the car and headed for the sliding doors.
He only nodded and walked behind her, taking time to inspect the simple drive way and the stairs that led down to the legendary basement. Jackie steeled herself on the porch then knocked, which was strange, since she had never before.
The door flew open and a short woman with straight blonde hair and a kindly mother look stood before them. She took one look at Jackie, burst into tears and threw herself at the younger woman. Cooper jumped back and took her to be Kitty Forman.
"Oh Jackie! Where have you been? You were gone for so long!"
Jackie hugged her back, holding tightly to the mother figure of her teenage year.
"Kitty, is everything all right?" A bald, gruff looking man appeared at her shoulder and he too saw Jackie. "Jackie? What are you doing back?"
"Surprise!" Jackie cried. When Mrs. Forman finally let her go she threw her arms around Mr. Forman.
When she finally pried herself from him she offered her hand to Cooper who took it, almost shyly. Mrs. and Mr. Forman looked stunned by the small boy who looked like Hyde.
"This is Cooper," Jackie introduced. "My son. These are Mr. and Mrs. Forman."
Red looked from Cooper to Jackie and back again before saying. "Oh hell and I thought it was going to be quiet!"
Kitty had swept Cooper into a hug. "Oh look at him! He looks just like you!"
Red sighed and looked at Jackie, who stared right back, looking for approval. With the slightest nod of his head Jackie beamed and turned back to Mrs. Forman.
"Are the others here?"
She nodded, releasing Cooper. "They're in the basement, sweetie, did you want to go say hi?"
Jackie looked down at Cooper. "Maybe a little later."
Kitty nodded and showed them in, setting down a plate of brownies and some coffee and juice for Cooper. Jackie gave them details about her life after leaving, telling them about Africa, Milwaukee and her job, even Red seemed interested about what had happened to his favorite. Kitty was catching Jackie up on seven years of town gossip when the people Jackie had been most worried about, made their entrance.
Donna, Eric, Fez and Kelso walked in, all talking loudly at once. The four at the table went silent until Cooper said abruptly, "Hey Uncle Eric!"
Eric looked over, saw Cooper and Jackie and stopped, stunned. Kelso and Fez bowled into his back and the three went tumbling fully into the kitchen.
"Coop! Jackie!" Eric said in surprise, going over to hug his godson and friend.
The others took longer to recover. There was an explosion of, "Oh my God!"s "Jackie!?" "What the hell!?" before they all ran at her at once, enveloping her in bone crushing hugs.
"Move aside!" Fez yelled, "I wonna hug her!"
Once Jackie had been passed around like a rag doll she straightened and turned to Eric who had picked up Cooper, saving him from being trampled. "Everyone, I want you to meet my son, Cooper. Cooper these are, Donna, Michael and Fez."
Cooper regarded them cautiously as they stared back at him, inspecting him like he was some zoo animal. "I know Mr. Kelso and Mr. Fez," he said aloud, "Mr. Kelso drank someone's soda."
"Oh Michael," Mrs. Forman scolded him.
"It was just sitting there! Nobody claimed it!" He argued.
"I knew he looked familiar," Fez beamed. "A miniature Hyde and Jackie!"
This caused a whole new wave of awkwardness. Eric coughed loudly and said, "So, Jackie, what're you two doing down here?"
Jackie reached out and took Cooper from him, setting him down on her chair before she turned calmly back to Eric, and threw a bruising kick at his shin. "You told!" She snapped. "You told and Steven came and yelled at me!"
Eric gave a yelp of pain and tripped over a chair, sending him sprawled out on his ass. "Sorry! Sorry! But he saw your picture in the magazine!"
"What magazine?"
"The new Grooves one," Fez replied, confused about what was going on.
"Yea, you looked somkin' hot!" Kelso grinned.
Anger bubbled in Cooper and he jumped down from his seat and aimed a strong punch at Kelso's stomach, winding him. "Don't talk about my mom like that!"
"Cooper Eric Burkhart!" Jackie gasped. "That was one good hit." She quickly changed her attitude. "I mean, don't hit Michael."
Cooper shrugged and walked back over to her. The others took some time to recover and Fez mumbled, "Little Hyde."
Jackie sat back down and Cooper sat in her lap, almost protectively, watching Kelso carefully. "Anyway," Jackie said brightly. "I missed you all, and I figured you missed me, and I also came to see Steven, so I'm here! Oh, by the way Eric, we're staying at your house."
"Fine," Eric muttered, climbing to his feet. "Just no more kicking!"
Jackie reluctantly agreed, "But you better not make any Star Wars references or try and get Cooper into comic books. My son will not be a geek."
"Hey, he enjoyed the light saber I gave him for his third birthday!"
"He used it to beat up the neighbors' cat, and the neighbor."
Cooper grinned and the others exchanged looks, "Hyde," they mumbled.
Eric shook his head. "Man, you'd think being raised by you would make him like Fez, except with out the perverted part."
"Do you mean sexily manly?" Fez asked.
"No, I meant weirdly feminine."
"Well I always feared having you as his Godfather would make him a skinny loser," Jackie said.
"Such a shame he isn't."
The others watched the banter and were amazed that two former enemies could be so comfortable and close with one and another. Cooper was oblivious to the strange behavior, to him it was usual. He watched the display with amusement.
Jackie suddenly crinkled her brow and asked, "Wait, what picture in the Grooves magazine?"
"This one," Fez pulled out a folded sheet and handed it to her.
Jackie unfolded the picture and kept it out of view of Cooper. "Oh God," she groaned, "not this one!"
Cooper grabbed the sheet before she could snatch it away and jumped down, studying it. "Mom, why are you wearing the shirt?" He looked up. "I thought you said you'd never wear it."
Jackie sighed. "I promised W.B I would do a spread for him, only because of all the help and well, they wanted me to wear this ridiculous outfit so I said, 'hey, I have a concert tee, I'll just wear that!' and well, I did and I didn't think he'd use it…"
Kitty had taken a look and she went red. "Oh, Jackie!" she looked closer. "Isn't that Steven's shirt?"
Jackie took the sheet back and stuffed it into her pocket, much to Fez and Kelso's protests.
"Oh well, I have copies!" Fez squealed gleefully.
"Copies of what, man?"
The whole room turned as a whole to face Hyde, who'd just walked into the kitchen from the basement. He took a moment to look around, his eyes staying to linger on Jackie and Cooper, who were frozen in place.
"Oh…maybe we should leave you three," Kitty suggested.
"No, no," Kelso argued, "I wonna watch."
"Michael," Jackie snapped.
"Ok, fine! I'm going!"
They all walked silently into the living room, Eric lingering to give Jackie a reassuring look before slipping out. Alone the three were silent.
"This is Cooper," Jackie finally said. "Cooper this is…" She trailed off, unsure how to introduce Hyde.
Cooper nodded to Hyde wearily. "We've met."
Jackie gave a shaky laugh, "And here I thought this was going to be awkward."
"Why'd you come?" Hyde asked softly. Behind his words was the message 'I thought you didn't want me in his life'.
Jackie recoiled. "Um…Cooper wanted to meet you, properly. We're only here for the weekend," she added as a sort of apology.
(and that's where I stopped. If you wonna continue it, go ahead)