Chapter 22 – What If?

(✿◠‿◠) *

She shampooed her hair with the bargain brand shampoo Eric had on the edge of the tub. Jackie's soft fingers could feel the harsh detergents in the viscous liquid as she lathered. "Ew," was all she could utter. She needed to find a salon or get some good shampoo because her lovely locks were in danger of looking dull and drab.

When the water ran tepid, Jackie turned off the shower and reached blindly for the towel bar and the towel that should have been there. Okay, invisible towel….where are you? Jackie parted the shower curtain to find nothing. Just an empty rod. Damn.

Eric almost spilled his coffee when he heard his name shouted from the bathroom door. "Eric!" He set his cup on the table and strode over to the door. "Jackie?"

"Open the damn door so I don't have to yell!" Jackie ordered, "I can't strain my voice….I have some commercial voice-overs next week."

He slowly opened the bathroom door to see a wet brunette head peering out from the plastic curtains. "What's the emergency?"

A wet bare arm pointed to the towel rack, "Don't you keep an extra towel out so people can… you know, dry their hands?"

He smirked, "I usually do unless it's laundry day and since I wasn't expecting company to be using the shower….I'll get you a clean towel."

Jackie rolled her eyes, "I'm dripping wet here…." Did she have to remind him?

Blinking, Eric woke up from a momentary daydream. "Oh…towel…right!" The door shut and was reopened seconds later with a clean but threadbare towel. The poor piece of fabric looked like it had seen better days. She sighed, "Only one? I mean I have wet hair too."

Eric held up his index finger, "Can you use a clean tee shirt?"

Jackie gave the smallest inclination of her head and looked into his eyes to make sure he was serious. "Really? You substitute a tee shirt for a clean towel?"

Eric faked a hurt expression, put his hand over his heart and replied, "Ouch. You wound me with my inexperience at laundry."

Jackie laughed and reached for the sad towel and wrapped it around her body. She stepped through the shower curtains and into a fantasy for Eric. A hot steaming celebrity in his bathroom…..yowza! Her hand was held out waiting for the T-shirt.

"Oh yeah….hang on a second." Eric flew to the bedroom closet and grabbed a plain white shirt and hurried back to the bathroom. "Here's for your hair."

A slim arm reached out and snagged it from his hands and the bathroom door was closed with a naked foot. That was more flesh than Eric had seen in months!

(✿◠‿◠) *

Eric parked at the curb across the street from the For Sale sign. He looked out the window and noticed the inactivity of a Thursday morning. The street was lined with trash cans yet still looked tidy. The two story homes were neat and cookie cutter perfect. Eric looked at Jackie, "I'm not sure about this."

She leaned over his lap and looked out the window at the dove grey condominium with white trim. "Eric, you're not buying this one…it's probably out of your price range….we're just going to look. It's an Open House….we can walk through it and see what you like and don't like."

Eric looked skeptical. "I've heard talk about HOA fees being as high as a house payment."

Jackie frowned, "Who would tell you that home owner association fees were expensive? That's ridiculous. Why would someone buy a home and pay double the money?"

"Uh…this guy I work with….Reggie….he said his association fees were the same as his house payment."

Jackie scoffed, "Well, I would have to say that maybe Mr. Reggie took out a second mortgage and is lying to you."

Eric moved the brunette curtain of hair from his face and looked at the nice house. Yeah, it would be Reg that would be telling tall tales. "Okay. I'm ready."

Jackie grinned and moved back to her seat clapping. "Goodie! This is so much fun. I'll ask all the questions okay?"

Eric shrugged. "What if I have a question?"

Jackie looked at him like he was speaking gibberish. "I've been through walk-throughs before. I know exactly what they are going to show you and what they don't want you to notice. Don't you trust me?"

Eric shrugged again, "Well, still….what if I have a question? I mean, I'm the one that's going to be making a new house payment."

Jackie relented and sat back. "Okay, sure. If you don't trust your new best friend…." she placed her hand on his thigh and drummed her fingers. She could hear the quick inhale and smiled, "Alright, if you have a question for the realtor just ask it. I won't judge you."

Eric's voice went up a couple of octaves, "Thank you and if you are done….can you remove your hand….please?"

Jackie's laugh was carefree and she scooted over to open her door. "See you on the sidewalk."

Eric released his breath. Jackie didn't play nice and now he was going to be thinking about how close her hand was to his…he needed to think about house hunting - not thinking about Jackie Burkhart!

(✿◠‿◠) *

Thelma….Queen of Realtors clad in a pink polyester skirt and matching jacket, opened the door just as the couple approached the first small step. "Oh! Welcome! Come in and see this beautiful home. It's only been on the market for two days! It's a three bedroom, two and one half bath with a community pool." Thelma was already turning circles in the middle of the carpeted living room like Vanna White with the letter "e" on Wheel of Fortune.

Eric stepped in first and was amazed at the fresh smelling paint and the intensely white carpet. Who would have a white carpet? He walked behind Thelma as she gestured towards the small kitchen that opened onto the dining area with a counter-top "breakfast bar". Eric smiled – breakfast bar sounded so cool.

Thelma pulled on the vinyl horizontal blinds which gave a peek at the tiny fenced in backyard. Not enough grass to need mowing and yet a few potted plants to make it seem festive. Eric liked that! Suddenly, Thelma was moving upstairs in her sturdy pink pumps and the pink polyester skirt. Eric was running to keep up as the woman talked non-stop.

()*

Jackie walked into the condo after Eric and instantly her delicate nostrils were assailed by the dump truck load of Estee Lauder perfume the heavily bouffant headed realtor bathed in. The freshly shampooed carpeting had an underlying hint of animal urine. She closed her eyes and tried not to sneeze at the scent of the dusty blinds. How could Eric not see what she was seeing and smelling?

The stylish Corian counter top had scratches and some chips that were ineffectively sanded over. The appliances were at least ten years old and left the kitchen wanting for a new facelift. Jackie was dismayed at the under watered potted plants that sat wilting in the morning sunshine. She really didn't even care to see what lie on the second floor when the first floor was so dismal.

Instead of being a party pooper, Jackie perched on the clean edge of a bar stool and waited for the cacophony voiced realtor to bring Eric downstairs.

()*

Thelma's discordant voice reverberated down the stair case as she embellished the wonders of having a half bath on the first floor. "You certainly wouldn't want to eat something bad and then have to run for the stairs now would you?" She overdramatically winked at Eric like it was a private joke between the realtor and the potential buyer.

Jackie rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. "How was the upstairs….Eric?"

He turned and smiled at his friend. "There are two large bedrooms and the master bedroom has its own bathroom." He said excitedly, "….and the third bedroom is smaller…like for an office!"

"Oh." Jackie replied uninterested. She hated this house and just wanted to run back to Eric's car. "Do you mind if I step outside for a minute?"

Thelma whirled around and her eyes widened and she pointed a finger at Jackie. "I know you!"

Eric stepped in between the realtor and the actress. "You know her? What movie did you see?"

Thelma frowned her overtweezed brows, "Movie? I don't know about any movie. You're the Burkhart girl! Your parents were big donors at my daughter's girl scout jamboree….that is until your dad went to prison."

Eric could see this conversation was going to explode nuclear warfare style if he didn't get the bristling Burkhart away from Thelma immediately. He put a hand around Jackie's slim arm and led her towards the door. "Thanks for the showing Thelma! I may be back later!"

Jackie was still huffing and prickling with anger as she stomped her way to Eric's car. The nerve of that woman bringing up her father's bad judgement! It was uncalled for and something that she forgot which now loomed over her like an dark shadow – people would remember what her father had done. Angry flashing eyes looked at Eric as if this was his fault but he only smiled.

"You look adorable when you're pissed off." He said simply.

Jackie wasn't expecting that statement either. Eric effectively put out the fire with a wet blanket. Jackie chuckled. "I guess I wasn't ready for that kind of notoriety yet."

Eric swung an arm over her shoulders, "Kid….in this town they are going to remember you as the Cheese Maiden and for every indiscretion your parents ever had. For example, your mom and Bob Pinciotti…"

"Stop!" Jackie held up a hand, "I get it. My popularity here is not because of my work."

Eric gave her a gentle hug. "What if…we go sit in a coffee shop and just hang out for a while."

Jackie hugged him back, "What if….I said yes?"

He smiled. "I'd say I'm a pretty lucky guy!"

(✿◠‿◠) *

She gestured with her French fry, "Why would you have white carpeting in Wisconsin? I mean it snows at least five months of the year and who needs that coming into your living room….really!" Jackie bit the end of the fry to punctuate her point.

Eric sipped his drink. "Well, you're right about the carpet. I mean I'd rather have the carpet in the bedrooms. Look at my parents' house. They have linoleum in front of the door and then you step down into the carpet….well, actually everyone comes in through the kitchen but I know what you mean."

"It's not that I didn't like the house Eric, it's just it had a bad smell." Jackie confessed.

Eric frowned, "It stunk?"

Jackie nodded and pinched a pickle from her hamburger. "If you could dodge all that perfume Thelma was wearing then you would notice that they didn't clean the carpet well, there was dust everywhere and it smelled like an animal had peed in the dining room."

He lifted a brow. "You got all that from your 25 second walk in to the room?"

Jackie gestured with an open palm, "What can I tell you? My nose is experienced. I've smelled a lot of things in the last ten years."

Eric had never heard of an experienced nose before – that was new. "So like if I was wearing a different kind of cologne….you'd know what it was?"

She smiled, "Quite possibly, but your changing the subject. I don't think that was the best Open House we could have gone to. Remember, you never buy the first car you drive."

Did that tidbit of wisdom go for marriages also? Eric thought there was something quite astute in that statement. "Okay, since I didn't get to ask any questions to the realtor, I'll ask you."

Jackie sat up straight and wiped her fingers on the paper towel, "Ask away."

"The backyard. I liked that it wouldn't have to be mowed." Eric confessed. "What did you think about it.?"

Jackie shrugged her petite shoulders. "It wasn't very large. I mean don't you want something that you can use for a party? Maybe an umbrella table…some chairs…a hibachi? Some baby palm trees? I mean I couldn't even put a lounge chair out there for a tan!"

"Well, lounge chairs are for the swimming pool area." Eric replied smartly.

Jackie leveled an are-you-kidding-me stare at him. "Yeah? Well I don't always use a bathing suit so I don't think I'd want to be working on my tan out by the community pool. Ew!"

He swallowed hard, and replied, "Of course not!" He'd forgotten that it was a celebrity he was talking too – they did everything better! "Okay, what about the breakfast bar thing?"

She smiled, "That was actually nice. Someone could sit and drink coffee while the other person was in the kitchen making her some pancakes."

Eric took the bait, "But how do you know I make good pancakes?"

Jackie laughed lightly, "How do you know I'd eat them?"

The flirty banter continued between the pair until their lunch was done. Eric didn't really want to leave the small diner, he loved that he could spend time with Jackie just talking about normal things and the consequence of her stardom wasn't bringing any unwanted attention. He had all of Jackie's attention and it was like a breath of fresh air.

(✿◠‿◠) *

"Well Jackie, it is certainly nice seeing you again." Kitty smiled. "How is your manager?"

Jackie sat down at the kitchen table and sighed inwardly. This was what she wanted. The smells of leftover cooking. The feeling of a lived in home. A place that was full of love. "Mel's fine and he won't stop talking about your casserole."

Kitty looked at Red, "See? Someone actually does love casseroles."

Red looked over the top of his sports page and replied, "I didn't say I hated it….I said how come we are eating so many?"

Jackie was charmed by the Forman's light teasing. Kitty winked at Jackie as she replied to her husband, "We would eat less casseroles if I could get some wiggle room in the budget for a roast once in a while. Less beer….more beef."

Eric looked at his mother. "Do you need some money mom?"

Red put down his newspaper. "We don't need your money son. Hell, this isn't even a real conversation. Who talks about food?"

Kitty responded with, "Most normal people Red. Besides, Eric and Jackie aren't here for dinner are they?"

Jackie perked up, "No….I've been helping Eric with house hunting."

Red's brow furrowed. "What's wrong with the house you live in now?"

Eric shrugged, "There's nothing wrong with the house itself Dad. It just isn't where I want to spend the rest of my life. Donna's moved on and the divorce is final in May….I want my own place."

Kitty folded a kitchen towel and set it on the counter top. "You could always move back home…."

"No! God no!" Eric said in shock and then realized he had probably hurt his mother's feelings. "It's not that. I'm moving on Mom. I'm making my own future." He looked over at Jackie and smiled.

She smiled back, "He's got a good start Mrs. Forman. We saw three homes today and they are all still in Point Place."

Red pursed his lips before stating the obvious, "So we'll still be seeing you on a regular basis for dinner I take it."

Kitty smiled. "I hope so. It's not like anybody else comes by regularly…except for Steven and Fez and of course Michael Kelso."

Red lifted a brow, "There you have it Kitty. Get rid of the Kelso kid and we would have more beef."

She shook her head sadly, "Red….sometimes you are impossible!"

(✿◠‿◠) *

Jackie was snuggled on the sofa with a soft blanket covering her legs. Eric was making a couple mugs of Suisse Mocha and talking from the kitchen. "I think I liked the second house the best. Having the master bedroom at the back made it more private. The front bedroom looked right over the street."

Jackie concurred. "Well that could be your office or a nursery…." Eric was in the process of setting the cups on the table while she was talking and "…..or a nursery…" caused him to spill mocha on the coffee table.

"Whoa! Did you burn yourself?" Jackie was up in an instant running to the kitchen to get some paper towels. She handed one to Eric to wipe his hand and she used the other to catch the liquid before it rolled off onto the floor.

"No. It wasn't that hot." He admitted. "I think I was a little startled."

Jackie took the dirty towels and carried them to the trash can. "Startled?" She walked back to the living room and took her perch back on the couch. Eric sat down next to her and rubbed his reddened skin.

"What you said."

Confused, she inquired, "What did I say?"

"About the nursery." Eric responded.

Jackie seemed confused but then she remembered. "Sorry. I forgot. No kids. I always saw you having children."

Ruefully, Eric exhaled, "Me too."

Jackie scooched over. "You still can you know."

Eric looked at Jackie like she was a little bit of crazy. "At my age? By the time I have a kid and he or she is my age…I'll be….well, I'll be old!"

"Well, I plan on having kids one day even if I have to adopt." Jackie confessed. "When I visit my charities and see so many little kids that don't have parents…it makes me feel sad. I spent a lot of time alone growing up but at least I had Maria….these kids have no one. If you could see the little faces light up when someone gives them attention…Eric, you would be a great single parent, I know it!"

Eric put a hand on the excited brunette's arm. "Hold up. I know nothing about kids and I'd like to try and have my own from day one so if the kid gets screwed up…well I know it's because of something I did." Then the reality of the conversation hit him hard. "You know something? Donna and I never even talked this much about a family. It's weird but it is easy to talk to you about it."

"So Donna wasn't really into the whole family idea?" Jackie queried.

He shook his head. "I think she tried for a year…just so I would quit talking about it and then when she found out she couldn't….well that pretty much answered our questions about carrying on the Forman name."

Jackie frowned and gave Eric a little hug. "That is so sad! But think – in May, you can start over! You can have a family and a new house and your new business."

Eric smiled. "How it that you always make me feel good about myself."

Jackie leaned closer and replied in a low tone. "What if I told you it was Jackie Magic?" Her breathy voice coasted over the skin of his cheek as she pressed a kiss on his lips. A little promise that his future was not over and might only just be starting?

Eric swallowed hard and could only think, "What if?"

(✿◠‿◠) *