Author Note: Oh Donna...
Chapter 11 – How Dare You!
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Hyde merely crossed his arms across his chest and said, "Hmmph."
Eric rolled his eyes and answered, "I don't believe it."
Kelso was grinning. "Yep. I went to the library and the stats say over 11 percent of people in Wisconsin are overweight. So….if I lose weight, then the percentage will go down to….at least 10%."
Eric wanted to correct his friends terrible math but Hyde placed a hand on his shoulder and responded, "Yeah….that one percent is really….you go Kelso. Lose that weight – make Wisconsin not one of the fattest states in America."
Kelso looked proud, "And I'm gonna do it through a club. It's called Weight Watchers."
Hyde bit his lip and added, "So…..you watch your weight?"
The obese man nodded his head, "Yeah and we get to eat these floaters!" he added excitedly.
Eric turned his head, "Dude, I don't even want to know what a floater is."
Kelso looked at Eric in disbelief, "Me too! But they explained it was a snack I could have three times a day in case I get hungry…oh and I have to start exercising."
Hyde replied, "Well that goes without saying man. Are you going to join a gym?"
Kelso shrugged, "If it doesn't cost too much."
Hyde got up, walked to the cash register, opened the till and pulled out a business card. He handed the card to Kelso and replied, "This is a repeat customer of mine. Tell him to give you the Steven Hyde discount."
Kelso flipped the card over and the face of the card read, Mick's Boxing & Tae Kwon Do. He looked at Hyde, "This is a gym?"
"Well sure, they have a boxing ring and all the exercise equipment and then if you want to sharpen your martial arts, there's a room for the Tae Kwon Do and NO, it's not something that you eat."
Eric laughed, "Yeah, I'd like to order a number 3 with a side of Tae Kwon Do and can you deliver?"
Hyde looked serious, "Dammit man, now I want some barbecue ribs and fried rice. Kelso? Get the hell out of here and start exercising before you make me fat too!"
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The train pulled out of Bucharest and was on the last leg for the Istanbul destination. The last two days on the Turkish train made Donna weary. When she tried to take notes, the vibration of the rails scrawled her handwriting. The noise of the other passengers was worrisome and then she accidentally stepped on someone's chicken only to find a small framed woman threatening her with a knife. Anna joked, "That's her livelihood. Don't mess with the local poultry."
Donna longed for a hot shower and a soft bed. Anna could only offer her lap in place of a pillow. The dust of the trip had clogged Donna's sinuses and she felt stuffed up. Becoming an investigative reporter had its drawbacks. But at least by Monday, they would be on a plane back to civilization.
Anna talked fondly about her maternal cousins from Eastern Europe. The foods and customs were distinctly different and made this journey all the more compelling. Donna wasn't going to back out just because it was uncomfortable.
Just like she wasn't going to back out of the divorce request because it was uncomfortable – she had to move forward with her life. Uncomfortable was just a condition that helped one grow as a person.
She earned that right.
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It was the tiniest bikini she had ever worn. Well, if you could call two triangles and a strap….. a bathing suit – okay – it was microscopic and it was 19 degrees on this "hot" Munich morning outside the BMW headquarters. The leather seats of the motorcycles were freezing her nether parts and still Jackie Burkhart smiled that movie star smile that earned her millions.
The one day shoot was over when it started snowing too hard to photograph. Jackie bundled up and a driver took her back to her room at Hotel Koenighof. She liked knowing that she was in the City Center and was within a ten minute walk of all the great sites. That it was a 5 star hotel didn't bother her one bit!
Jackie took a long steamy shower and wrapped herself in the thick luxurious robe and settled into a chair by the window. She dried her hair watching the television news spoken in German. She didn't understand a word, but got the gist of what was said. It seemed like the same headlines but just in a different language. On the stand beside the chair was a brochure of local attractions and Jackie decided that on her last night in Munich Germany, she would do some sightseeing and perhaps pick up a keepsake or two. Fez would certainly love some imported chocolate
There was a tour of the city. Eh….there was the Hofbräuhaus; one of the oldest breweries in the world. That was interesting and it was only a little over a mile away from her hotel. Well, now she had a destination and a reward of fresh brewed beer. She could add this to her travel destination scrap book.
Now all she had to do was find the right outfit.
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The hostel Meininger was located just outside of the Munich City Center. It was clean and the dorm rooms would sleep 12 for hundreds less than the cost of a basic hotel room. There was a locked cabinet to keep Anna's camera and notes and their two duffel bags. At the very least, the hostel had an indoor toilet and a shower.
Donna sighed and removed the rubber band from her pony tail so she could brush the snarls from her hair. The ride back on the train was worse than going. Who in the Hell, brings a donkey on a train? Seriously!
Anna came back from her call to the station where she had to exchange some of her British pounds into Deutschmarks. Her face was flushed with excitement. "My boss is thrilled with what we have so far. I can't wait until we get to Baku. We're flying to Azerbaijan in the morning."
Donna reached out a pale hand, "Can we just go somewhere private tonight? Just get a drink and unwind? I feel like we've been running a marathon and I don't know where the finish line is or where we are in the race."
Anna stroked her fingers through Donna's tangled hair, "Sure. There are a few taverns a couple blocks from here. Let's get something to eat and drink."
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Eric was balancing his checkbook and sat back with a sigh of relief. Jackie's check had cleared and his bank account had a healthy sum that gave him some breathing room. All the utilities had been paid and there was even a little left over to have some fun.
If he wanted it.
Closing the checkbook, Eric tucked it into the kitchen drawer and made his way over to the sofa. Fez was partially right about the leather, it was more comfortable and the new smell was favorable to his old Barcalounger. He kicked his feet onto the coffee table and closed his eyes.
Second week into the New Year and he was doing pretty well. All the Dick Clark excitement had died down and he could do his job and strangely enough, he was getting more business than usual. Maybe it was time to ask for that raise.
Fez had left earlier after filling the pillow orders and now the garage was just full of broken down boxes ready for the trash. Eric had wandered through the assortment of Jackie Burkhart memorabilia and felt an odd loneliness. Yeah, he kissed her and she returned the kiss (did she really?) or did he want to think she did. That needed some analyzing.
Forget the analyzing. He had a celebrity crush. Eric wasn't going to be writing a freaking letter to the fan club…mainly because the fan club was in his garage! Still, it would be nice to converse with Jackie as a friend and not need a crisis to call her. If he asked, would she give him her address? He could send postcards and maybe she could do the same.
Maybe she was just too busy? He recalled an earlier conversation, "….I'm trying to learn how to sew. Don't even laugh because it's hard." she warned with a smile. "If you're not good, I'll make you a Hawaiian shirt or something horrible and insist you wear it in public every time I visit." Hell, right now he'd be wearing a horrible Hawaiian shirt if Jackie sent him one! He'd just like to talk with her – with none of those paparazzi she complains about – just a conversation over coffee.
He was lonely.
He wasn't broke anymore.
Just lonely.
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Jackie met up with a waiter that spoke relatively decent English and he offered to show her around the Hofbrauhaus. He was obviously very proud of the brew house and didn't seem bothered by giving the pretty American a tour.
"People love the Hofbrauhaus….Did you know that Mozart would visit here nightly to taste a different brew?"
"Really!" Jackie replied feeling a bit sarcastic. "Isn't Mozart dead?"
The waiter laughed over-zealously, "Of course, but the Hofbrauhaus had already been established for over 200 years before he died. This is a special brewery."
"Well it's certainly well maintained." She wanted to sit down and just relax. People were starting to recognize her. "Could I get a table please?"
The waiter started to go into an oration about King Gustavous Adolphus' War of 1632 when Jackie hailed a waitress, "Kellnerin!" she remembered the little bit of German Mel tried to teach her. "Table?"
A waitress hurriedly rushed over, taking Jackie's arm away from the fanatical "Kellner" that spouted history lessons. "Sit with more Americans?" She suggested. Jackie nodded in the affirmative. She was quickly escorted to a more secluded table where she could see out the windows but some well-placed lamps and pictures gave her much needed privacy.
Just what she needed.
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Donna leaned her head against the high backed seat and closed her eyes. It smelled like yeast, cabbage and sausage but pleasant nonetheless. Anna chatted nonstop about how the story was coming together but there was still more ground to cover, more interviews to prepare for.
"Anna, could we just pretend like we are tourists? Just for an hour? I'm exhausted." Donna confessed.
Anna smiled and nodded her head. "I'll order and we'll just rest okay?"
Donna patted her hand, "Thanks so much. After that train ride, my ears are still buzzing and well, let's say WPPR radio doesn't have a tenth of the excitement that donkey had."
Anna laughed, "You entertain me. If only you could see what I see in you."
Turning her head, Donna looked at Anna Cantana's pretty face, "What is it that you think you see in me?"
Cupping Donna's chin in her hand, Anna leaned forward and pressed a kiss on her soft lips. "I see a winner." She threaded her fingers through Donna's hair and the younger woman leaned closer. "Donna…..we are so good together."
Donna's heart was racing. Her blood was singing. Her brain was fogged but in a good way. Her relationship with Anna was illicit, probably illegal and definitely frowned upon in all of 1990's Wisconsin and she didn't care. No one ever made her feel this way. Made her feel precious. Made her feel treasured. Made her feel like a woman in the way that Anna did. Not even Eric, God love him he tried, but it was nothing compared to this.
As she was returning the kiss with an equal amount of passion and pleasure she heard a loud gasp and a "How dare you!"
Donna looked up at a wild eye brunette who had kissed her husband and all she could say was, "How dare you!"
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AN:...ummm...yeah...I went there.