Hyde drove the entire way home in silence. Jackie would look at him, but he wouldn't catch her eye, so she wisely chose not to speak. But, when they stepped into the Foreman kitchen, she threw her arms around his neck, giving him a hot, passionate kiss. He seemed startled for a moment, but very quickly melted into the kiss, his hands clutching tightly to her hips, pressing her against his ever growing need. Jackie pulled back finally with a wide smile.
"I love you, you know that?"
Hyde's mouth quirked. "I love you, too, so let's go downstairs?"
Jackie shook her head. "Why don't I fix you a snack first? Go wait in the den..."
Hyde looked surprised. "Wait... seriously?"
Jackie shrugged. "I can fix sandwiches or scoop ice-cream into a bowl. Besides, if I'm hungry, you must be starving, and we won't enjoy it as much. I'll even sneak you a beer into a cup or something, cause I hear Mr. and Mrs. Foreman watching television in there."
Hyde pulled her into a kiss that made her entirely forget where she was, and then just as suddenly pulled back, walking into the den. When he walked in, Kitty and Red were watching "Three's Company".
"I don't think it's just Jack that's gay." Red said, shaking his head. "Larry and Mr. Furlie are pretty flitty, too. And, to think he was Barney Fife..."
"None of them are gay, Red! I keep telling you- Jack's only pretending so he can live with the girls; it's part of the joke!"
"No, Kitty, the punchline's gonna be when Janet catches them in the closet with each-other." Red said flatly, and Hyde chuckled.
Suddenly, everyone jumped when the sound of breaking ceramic came from the kitchen.
"I'm okay!" came out in Jackie's voice.
Kitty looked at Hyde wide-eyed. "What is she doing?"
"Uh, making me a sandwich?"
"I'd better go help her..." Kitty said, hopping up quickly.
"Kitty, the girl is seventeen years old; she should be able to put together a sandwich." Red said.
"It's Jackie." Kitty said.
"Yes, well, you coddling her isn't going to make her more capable."
Suddenly, from the kitchen, "Mrs. Foreman? Where's your extinguisher?"
"Go." Red said, jerking his thumb towards the kitchen, and Kitty raced in.
Hyde grinned from his chair.
"Hey, I wouldn't be that happy about it- you marry her she's not gonna be able to cook for you without poisoning you, and you're not living here with a wife so that Mrs. Foreman can feed you."
Hyde grinned. "I can cook, that's okay. But she's actually trying, and I think that's cute."
"You didn't flinch when I mentioned marrying her." Red observed.
Hyde shrugged. "It's gonna happen one day, I just don't want to be pressured on it." Hyde said. "That's the only reason I get squicky about it when she's doing the mentioning. Thinking about the future is too... far out."
"True, but you either want to or you don't, and you're out of high-school now, have a steady job, not in college... women don't want to wait forever on a maybe. Trust me. I know."
Hyde smiled softly.
"Besides, not having to sneak around- and not being naked with that poor girl in my house- would be a plus."
Hyde nodded. This, was true...
"You don't have to do it tomorrow, you just have to find a way to let her know that she's not waiting forever on something that might not come."
"Right... Hey, Mr. Foreman? Can I ask you something?"
"Depends on what it is." Red said noncommittally, eying him warily.
"Well, this guy... he was hitting on Jackie big-time at the record store, and I thought the best route was to throw him out, but W.B. got mad and asked me to go home. Do you think he's gonna fire me?"
"Now, see, that's where you made your first mistake; in that situation you punch the son of a bitch. If selling one record is more important than some asshat infringing on your territory, then no wonder W.B. isn't with Edna or Angie's mother anymore..."
Hyde grinned, and Kitty came in with Jackie, looking harried. "Jackie, just because you can make grilled cheese in the toaster oven, doesn't mean you put the skillet in there."
"Right, sorry." Jackie nodded.
"Now, go fix me a kaluah, sweetie."
Jackie bounced over to the wet bar and Kitty handed Hyde a grilled cheese. "I made it." she whispered, kissing his cheek.
Hyde grinned, and crunched on one of his onion chips...
Angie knocked on Kenny's door. After hearing some shuffling, the door finally opened, and there he was, naked as anything, looking sleepily at her. Angie just brushed past him. "Put some pants on!" she said, throwing some off of the floor at him.
Kenny shrugged, pulling them on.
"Look, I know we had somewhat of a deal-"
"No returns, babydoll. I already used that scratch up."
"Think of it as silence money. Just... whatever you're planning to do, stop."
"I don't know..." Kenny mused. "That girl's hot."
Angie pulled a face. "I think I made a mistake..."
"Then, I think I'm in a position to bargain, because I think I could really fall for this girl..."
"I'm not paying you more money!"
"Then, deal with the consequences of your actions." Kenny shrugged, flopping onto his couch.
Angie got a look of tried patience, but Kenny just kept changing channels with the remote control.
"Sweet, 'Miss Bananna Republic Hawaii' is on!"
Angie rubbed her forehead, something akin to a whine springing forth from her lips...
Hyde, meanwhile, was sitting behind the counter, waiting for Angie to show up. She was late. The aggravation quickly faded as a smirk paraded itself across Hyde's face.
"Little Miss Perfect and Punctual is late... Heh, heh, heh..."
And, then W.B. came into the building.
"Good morning, Steven." he said cheerfully. "How's business going?"
Hyde shrugged. "Sold a few albums." he said noncommittally.
"Good, good... Is Angie here?"
"Nope, she hasn't shown up yet."
"Huh, that's not like her..." W.B. mused. "Oh, well; better that way anyway. I needed to talk to you a moment alone..."
Hyde's entire frame seized up. "Okay..." he answered finally, in a slightly belligerent tone.
W.B. frowned at him. "Now, Steven... don't be like that about it. I just wanted to apologize about last night."
Hyde looked at him in surprise- no, mild shock. "Wait... seriously?"
"Well, it's not good for everyone to associate opening night with some big brawl, and that's what would have happened in that packed madhouse if you would have started swinging at that young man- who, by the way, is about a foot taller than you and built like a brick house."
"Yes, Fez seemed duly impressed." Hyde smirked. "But, douchebag had it comin'."
"And, anyone within three feet could see you about to give it to him." W.B. sighed. "And, while I understand the impulse... Steven... you can't... you can't let your temper get the better of you all the time. I'm trying to help you out here. I know I wasn't there for you before-"
"No, man, no one was there for me except the Foremans." he said with a growl.
"Yes, but I didn't know about you, did I?"
"Pfft, the first time you met me you thought I was after your cash."
W.B. smirked. "Yeah, if you hadn't dramatically stomped out of the room you wouldn't have missed the lecture on manners from Jackie."
Hyde's mouth twitched. "Yeah?"
"Oh, yes- she called me rude, wrong, and told me she couldn't be friends with me."
Hyde grinned. "She never told me any of that."
"Well, I don't think she said it to win brownie points. I think it was honestly she was defending you."
"Which is what I was trying to do last night, man. Mine." he said with a growl.
W.B. grinned. "Yes, well... she's a lucky girl." he said, patting him on the shoulder.
"I'm gonna ask her to marry m e." Hyde said quietly. "I just gotta save up enough to get her a nice ring, and she's gonna expect me to do more than just open a box and shove it on her finger." he said a bit petulantly.
"Ah. well... Steven, I've been trying to be a father to you now, and I know giving you a job at my chain can't make up for 18 years of not being there... but, I've had four ex-wives."
Hyde arched an eyebrow at him.
"Not all of them took all of their jewelry with them. Angie's Momma- lord, that woman took everything but the nails in the wall."
Hyde chuckled.
"But, there was this one... Cherry... or was it Lorianne? Eh, doesn't matter... either way, one of them threw a two and a half carat diamond ring at me, which I still have in my safe at the office. You wanna go get it?"
"W.B., I think you and I are making huge strides, man..." Hyde teased.
W.B. shook his head, walking Hyde out of the store...