Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Author's Note: Hello everyone, first off all I want to apologize once again for the long wait. Things in real life got a little well like real life and then I tried working on some other fanfics but they didn't turn on so great….but the point is I'm back now and with a new chapter! That has some Eric and Jackie :D Finally, I know I kept them a way from each other for too long huh?Anywoo couple of notes before we get started. First of all please remember I am not a doctor nor am I in school learning to be one. I am still watching House MD and will finally be able to see the latest season next week when I buy it on DVD (Huddy!). Second, I'm sorry about the slight shortness of the chapter, it's actually not super short but it's between the short ones and the long chapters I've posted before, school's coming up and I've been getting ready for that. Third, thank you so much for all of your very generous and kind reviews. Especially in the previous chapter I am so glad that many of you want me to continue and I have decided that as long as people are still interested, still, reading, reviewing, and enjoying the story the story will continue :) So yay! Really hope you all enjoy this chapter and I thank you some much for the wonderful reviews again *hugs* to each of you. Now you've waited long enough, Enjoy!
Still sitting at the kitchen table, but the plate of cookies and glass of milk long gone, Hyde searched his mind for another question to ask the older woman sitting across from him and the camcorder.
"What would you…" he began to ask but before the root of the question could be asked, a miniature brunette came bouncing into the kitchen.
"Mom. Mom. Mom." Jackie called as she neared her way to the table, causing Kitty to turn in her direction, "I need your help."
Behind the camera—though never moving it down or turning it off—Hyde frowned at his ex-girlfriend's actions. How could she have just come in like that, especially since she knew he was still filming.
"Uh Jackie…hello!" he called out hoping she'd look over at him and see the big camera and then make her exit.
Jackie did no such thing; she scrunched her brows together in confusion, "Um hi?"
"Jackie what are you doing up here? I thought you were working on questions for Red's video." Hyde said not really caring if she was still working on the questions or not, he just wanted her out of the shot and out of the room.
"Yeeaahh but then it got boring." She explained, "Besides I need Mom's help on something."
Kitty opened her mouth to respond but was quickly cut off by her adopted son.
"Jackie, I'm still working on Mom's video!"
The former cheerleader just stared back unconcerned, "So?"
Right away Kitty's mothery senses began to tingle as she realized another argument between her adopted children was about to break out. These two were beginning to fight just as much as her biological children. Not wanting to deal with another of the two's quarrels, she decided to stop it before it could begin.
"Ok, ok. That's enough." She said before either one of them could make another remark. She turned to Hyde, "Steven, I know we're still working on the video but I'm sure it can wait for two minutes, right?"
"Right." Hyde muttered, mostly because he didn't want to argue with her.
Triumphantly Jackie stuck her tongue out in Hyde's direction, but then swiftly pulled it back in her mouth with Kitty turned to look at her—not knowing that Kitty had already seen her actions from the corner of her eye.
"Just like it will only take you two minutes to ask for my help, right Jackie?"
"Right." Jackie replied in the same manner as Hyde.
Kitty grinned. "Good. Now, what do you need my help with Jackie?"
Putting her smile back into place Jackie raised her hands, that had before been down at her sides, revealing the items she held in each of her hands to Kitty. They were two small bottles shaped in almost a cone with pink as the focal color and then black at the top portion.
"Which color should I paint my nails?" Jackie questioned.
Hyde groaned in annoyance behind the camera, "You've got to be kidding me…"
"Oohh, they're both so pretty. I can see why you're having a hard time deciding." Kitty said to Jackie and then releasing a small giggle while leaning in to look closer at the nail polish bottles; both women obviously ignoring Hyde's grunting. "But I think…I like this one better."
Jackie brought the nail polish that Kitty had been pointing at up to her own face, "Yeah I liked this one too. But then I remembered those shoes I bought the other day when we went to the mall and this color would match so much better." She said lifting up the other nail polish.
"That's true." Kitty agreed, quickly recalling the shoes Jackie was talking about, she nodded her head, "You should go with that color, dear."
"Right?" Jackie asked with a grin that Kitty returned.
Meanwhile the remaining person in the room was no where near giving out any form of a smile. "They're both the same color. They're both pink."
"No they're not, Steven." Jackie argued with a firm glare and then lifted the bottles for Hyde and the camera to see, "This is 'Posh Pink' and this is 'Powder Puff Pink.' Huge difference, Steven."
Hyde let out a frustrated sigh. They were the same color. He was willing to bet a hundred dollars that if he took off the name stickers from bottles and then asked Jackie to correctly identify them she wouldn't be able to. He opened his mouth as he got ready to put these thoughts into words when Jackie's next actions caught his eye.
"You're not doing that in here." He stated more than questioned after he saw her take a seat and begin to shake the bottle of 'Posh Pink' nail polish.
Never looking up and instead starting to twist the top off, Jackie spoke, "Why not?"
"That stuff stinks up a room as fast and as bad as Fez does after eating a chillie dog." Hyde declared.
Jackie scrunched her nose up to show her clear disgust with the words Hyde had said. Then after a few seconds, unscrunched and gave a mischievous smile as she realized it was time for some payback for the way her ex had been acting towards her. Taking the top and brush out of the small bottle, Jackie raised the open nail polish up towards Hyde's nose.
While holding the camera with one hand, Hyde used his other hand to push Jackie and her nail polish away, "Get that stuff away from me."
"Ok, I think the kids watching this video are probably getting very tried of watching the two of you fighting." Kitty said from the sidelines and her words managed to stop the two in the tracks. "Jackie, you finish painting your nails. And Steven, let's go on with the video. Come on now, you were getting ready to ask a question, remember?"
Doing as they were told, Jackie lowered her hand and leaned back in her seat and Hyde shifted himself and the camera so that it was back to focusing on the star of the video.
"Yeah, sorta." Hyde replied, "Don't know if I remember what the question was though since I was interrupted by someone."
Kitty smiled at the camera while placing her hand on Jackie wrist putting it back down the one or two inches it had risen from the tabletop. "Alright then, why don't you take a few minutes to think back or come up with another question?"
"Yeah, alright." was Hyde's answer before he started to search for the question he'd come up with only minutes ago.
A few seconds later and Hyde's mind was still drawing a blank. He was trying his hardest to recall the question or at least one word from it…heck even a word relating to a word from it would help but there was no such luck. And now his head was killing him and the stench coming from Jackie's nail polish was helping in no way at all. Finally Hyde decided he should just forget that previous question and come up with another one. Of course that was easier said than done.
"What's your favorite color?" he asked the first question that came to his mind.
"Pfft." came the noise from Jackie's lips, "That's your big question? Seriously?"
Again Hyde was ready to retort to her words when Kitty stepped in before things got out of control.
"No, no. I think it's a very interesting question." She said and though it wasn't caught on film Hyde stuck his tongue out in Jackie direction, mocking her actions from earlier, "After all you can tell a lot about a person by just knowing what they're favorite color is. Let's see now…I think my favorite color would have to be…green."
"Eww." Jackie instantly responded
Hyde sent a frown Jackie's way, "I think what Jackie means is 'Why?'"
"No I mean ew." The brunette replied, "But I guess why would be a good question too. I mean no offense Mom, but green nail polish is so tacky."
Kitty let out a small laugh before she started to explain her color choice, "Jackie, honey, green is not my favorite color because of the way it looks on my nails." She stated and then turned to the camcorder again, "It's my favorite color because of the things that it reminds me of when I see it. Like nature and spring time with all the bright green leaves and the fresh green grass. Spring has always been one of my favorite seasons." She added with a smile.
"Green is also the color of a lot of my favorite things." She continued, "This kitchen for one; green is one of the main colors of it. And…oh Scarlet O'Hara's prettiest dresses in 'Gone with the Wind'—my favorite book and movie—are green." Kitty paused and let her smile grow, "But I think one of my bigger reasons for green being my favorite color is because it's the color of Red's eyes."
"Aww, that is so cute!" Jackie gushed and then swung her head to look at Hyde, "Steven, I bet with all the years you've know me, including the ones we dated, you still couldn't tell me the color of my eyes." she accused in a huff.
"Wait, you have colored eyes?"
Jackie glowered at the camera man, "You better sleep with one of your blue eyes open, Steven or you could wake up with 'Powder Puff Pink' nails."
0o0o0o
After a few minutes of some light bantering with his sister, something everyone in the room seemed to be enjoying—it was like old times for Laurie and Eric and Lucy just seemed to find it amusing as she sat on the sidelines of it, Laurie once again told her brother to get out of her and Jackie's room. She had pointed out the group downstairs would wonder where he was and might come look for him. But Eric had a feeling that it was just a cover story and his sister was really giving him a push out of the room to stop him from stalling and go talk to Jackie about the whole Randy deal.
Unfortunately, Eric hadn't realized the hidden message in his sister's words right away; otherwise he would have returned the favor. And by the time he'd figured it out he had already stepped off the last step of the staircase and figured it wouldn't be worth it to travel all the way back up the stairs and try to get convince his sister to do some of her own talking with a certain foreigner—especially since she had inherited their father's gene for stubbornness. So instead he settled for adding the idea to the growing 'To Do List' he had his head.
Making his way through the living room, staying behind the couch that was still made up as the bed Donna had slept in last night, Eric soon found himself in front of the kitchen's swinging door. And instead of simply pushing the door and walking in a carefree manner as he'd done too many times to count when he was younger, he froze.
There was no doubt in his mind that behind that door was Jackie; just sitting or standing, waiting for him. And that thought gave him several mixed feelings.
He could almost feel his heart do a happy little flip and couldn't help the tinge of smile crawl onto his lips when he thought of the bright and welcoming smile Jackie would flash his way the second he walked in. Then at the same time he felt nervous and most of all guilty when he realized that after only a few seconds of talking to her, canceling their date, he would be the one to make that same smile go away.
Still Eric knew this had to be done, he had to tell her, and the sooner the better. At least that's what he was telling himself.
Hoping to gather some form of confidence Eric took in a deep breath as he slowly began to push open the swinging door. And suddenly, to his own surprise, the scene that greeted him into the kitchen was the same scene that had waved him off when he'd left to have breakfast with his family.
Jackie and Brooke were still sitting at the kitchen table talking and Kelso remained fast asleep and drooling up an ocean on the kitchen table. Sure a few things had changed, like the fact that one of the girls' purses was now on the table and both women seemed much closer to Kelso's sleeping form than Eric remembered. But then again, it really didn't matter. He was just relieved to see that Brooke and Kelso were still in the room, it could buy him a little more time even if it was just a few seconds; he just about let out a very audible sigh of relief at the sight.
"Hello ladies." he said as took the first few steps into the kitchen, "What are you doing?"
"Nothing." The two women said simultaneously in a speedy manner and mischievous tone from their seats next to Eric's sleeping friend.
The small giggles that they'd each let out only seconds after their answer made Eric curious and as he waked over to the coffee maker he eyed the pair with a probing raised eyebrow. But before he could ask another question or even come up with one in his head the younger of the twosome popped out of her seat and was standing infront of him with a notepad in hand a smile on her face.
The same smile that Eric had been thinking about when he was outside in the living room seconds before; along with just about any free minute he got to himself that he did spend concentrating on his family, that is. His own smile was quick to appear from the sight of hers alone.
Jackie gave his arm a quick swat with the notebook, "Guess what's written on this notepad." She instructed with a smile as she pulled the pad closer to her chest.
"Um…" Eric pretended to ponder, even though he knew it had to be something relating to the grocery list they had been making out before he'd gone upstairs, "An equation that proves E does not equal mc2?"
"No." came Jackie's reply along with another hit, though her smile remained in its place, "It's forty five items."
Eric's smile fell, "Forty five items?"
"Yeah. Grocery items. Remember?"
"Yeah, yeah. I remember." He assured with a nod.
It was the truth. He did remember and he knew exactly what she was talking about right from the start but the number she'd given him was what had caught him off guard. It sounded so high. That was almost as many states the U.S. had. And they still didn't exactly have the okay from his mother to be cooking in her kitchen. Of course she had given it to Laurie but even then both his father and Hyde, Hyde especially, didn't seem at all thrilled with the idea. Why were they going to buy so much stuff when they might not even be able to use any of it? Plus it seemed like a really high number!
"It's just…" Eric continued and then repeated the number again, "Forty five?"
Jackie nodded, "Yup. Annnd that's after taking off…like ten of the dairy items you gave me earlier. I even came up with twenty of them myself!" she shared happily but Eric remained lost in his thoughts and really didn't seem to notice.
He only managed to get out one word, "Wow."
"Yeah, I was pretty surprised I knew that many grocery items too." Jackie admitted with a shoulder shrug.
"No it's not that." Eric said while shaking his head, "It's well…it's…forty five items?"
Now getting annoyed with the repeated question Jackie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, "Yes, Eric for the forty fifth time forty five." She answered her tone sounding slightly aggravated but then she knitted her brows together as she looked at him, "Are you thinking this is a good number or bad number?"
"I…I don't know." He honestly said, "I mean in Seattle when I go grocery shopping I don't think I've ever come up with a number like that. I've probably only gotten maybe half of that."
"Well that's because you were just buying for yourself, Eric." Brooke spoke up from her seat by her husband, "We're feeding around ten people. Full house equals full kitchen."
Eric gave a small and almost sad smile as he nodded his head. She had a point, which was where the nod came from while the sad smile was brought on for a different reason. Brooke's words had reminded him of similar his mother would say about having a full house. A full house is a house full of love.
That statement was usually followed by his father's take on the thought of having a full house. 'A full house is a house full of dumbasses.'
"And besides you probably never came up with forty five items for yourself because half of your grocery list probably consisted of frozen dinners, beer, and maybe a few bags of chips." Jackie said teasingly, bringing Eric out of his thought once again.
"Hold on a minute there." Eric said raising up his open palms and then putting a puzzled frown on his face, "What do you mean half? That is my whole grocery list."
Once Eric's playful grin broke out from behind the puzzled expression both girl released a few good laughs.
After a few laugh filled seconds passed Eric cleared his throat and began again, "But all kidding aside, you're right Brooke. Forty five is a pretty good number."
"Of course it's a good number." Jackie agreed as she place the pad on the counter and took a few steps closer to Eric, "A bigger number means more stuff to buy which means more things to look for, more time to look for them. More time there, out of the house, alone." She reminded while wrapping her arms around Eric's brawny right one.
Eric grinned at the physical touch and close contact but when he played Jackie's words over again in his head his guilt stepped in and shrunk his smirk.
"Um, Jackie…" he started to say but was cut off by a third party.
"At our grocery store the aisle second to the last is always the emptiest." Brooke informed before she took a sip from the McDonald's coffee cup. This caused the standing couple to eye her inquisitively and it didn't take long for the young mother to feel eyes upon her; she looked up and began to explain, "It's just something I happen to take notice of when I'm at the grocery store. And actually shopping for groceries." She added with appointed glare and a raised index finger.
Letting go of Eric arm and walking towards Brooke, Jackie still didn't look very convinced, "Come on Brooke, you and Michael have never made a little escape to the second to last aisle?"
Jackie had known Michael Kelso for almost her whole life and she'd date him for a good chunk of that, she knew Michael Kelso. And the Michael Kelso she knew never had any objections to doing anything in public; he'd do anything, anywhere, anytime and back then with anyone. Besides this couple had conceived their daughter in a bathroom stall at a Molly Hatchet concert! Them not having a PG rated getaway at the grocery store was pretty unbelievable.
Brooke shifted her eyes up towards the tiny brunette, "Jackie, you dated Michael for a few years, would you take him to a grocery store period?"
"True." Jackie was quick to answer finally seeing the librarian's point as she dropped into the open seat next to her.
A few feet away Eric remained in his spot next to the coffee maker. He figured making some wouldn't hurt, it would probably come in handy for Hyde and his father too—who knew how much sleep, if any, they'd gotten the night before. And it would also save them and anyone else who wanted a cup later in the day, from drinking the cup of mud Jackie kept insisting was coffee.
As Eric was making the coffee half of him was listening to the conversation and the other half was busy thinking of a good way to approach Jackie with the news about the change of the day's plans.
"Although when we first moved to Chicago he did go grocery shopping with me and Betsy a couple of times." Brooke informed as she smiled thinking back to just a few years when she and her little family would go to the market together. "But then there was one time when Michael brought Fez along…"
"Oh no." Eric said knowing the rest of the story was not going to end well.
Jackie knew the same thing and she let out her own, "Uh-o."
"Exactly." Brooke said with a nod and then went on with the full story, "They decided to have a race inside the store. Down the aisles and with the shopping carts. But not just with them and not pushing them either; sitting in them and 'rowing' themselves with a broom." She painted the image that had the other two trying to stifle their laughs, "So now they're not allowed back in there anymore."
Since he now had the coffee on and going, Eric took a few steps away from the percolator and over to the table and joined in on story sharing.
"You know they did something like that over here back when we were teenagers." Eric shared, "Except the one over here was a bit more…advanced if you will. It was just like the race they had at your grocery store only this time they had added in the 'challenge' of who could get the most items into the carts without getting out of the carts and using their 'oars' to knock the things into the baskets." He paused over Brooke's giggles, "Yeah, they're not allowed in our grocery store either."
Laughing at the memory Jackie nodded along, "But that didn't stop them from having a second round in the parking lot."
The trio continued to laugh but no longer tried to keep the volume of their snickering down to any level. The noise of the chuckles caused the great grocery cart racer in the room to pull the arm—that was already hiding his face—closer to him as he grumbled something about wanting to ride the carousel. And this of course made the others laugh even more.
When the laughter started to fade off Brooke decided to change the subject to a more serious one.
"Eric, Hyde came down here awhile ago for your mom's medicine." She said slowly leading up to the question, making sure she worded it right, "Did she get sick again?"
"Yeah, yeah she did." Eric confirmed with a nod and a weak tone of voice.
Jackie placed her hand on his arm, "Was it worse?"
She asked her question hoping that her voice didn't let on to how worried she was really feeling at the moment. She hoped his answer was no. It was bad enough seeing Kitty get as sick as she did already but Jackie knew it would get worse and would never get better. The doctors and Angela had already explained it before. Kitty would only keep getting worse and worse until finally her body became too weak and the disease finally claimed its victory.
"I don't know." He answered; it was an honest answer. He didn't know if this time had been worse than the others because he had left almost as soon as it had started.
"Well was it like the times she had gotten sick with you before?" Jackie asked, wanting an answer, "Or worse? Better?"
"I don't know, Jackie. I left…" Eric was about to tell her of how he'd left his parents' room and followed Laurie and Lucy into the other room when he remembered Brooke was still in the room. Brooke still didn't know Laurie was here and after having that talk with his sister upstairs he wasn't about to do something that would mess up the new trusting and mature relationship he was starting to form with her, "I left."
Jackie didn't look like she believed him and she eyed him suspiciously, "No you didn't."
"Yes, I did."
Looking at each other Brooke and Jackie exchanged glances before turning back to Eric. Brooke face seemed more worried and concerned while Jackie still seemed to be unconvinced.
"Eric, come on. We're done joking around." Jackie said as she looked into Eric's green eyes, "You didn't really leave your mom's room while she was in pain, right?"
"No, I did leave." Eric repeated, telling the truth but leaving out an important detail, "I was there when Mom first started feeling sick but before it got really bad I left the room."
The kitchen suddenly fell into an uncomfortable silence. Luckily after a few silent and tense feeling seconds passed the silence was broken by two voices coming from down in the basement.
"I win!"
"No you didn't! You cheated!"
"Did not!"
"Did to!"
"Did not!"
"Did to!"
"Mommy!" Betsy shouted, "Uncle Fez keeps saying I'm cheating!"
"Because you are!" Fez was heard arguing back, "Cheater, cheater pumpkin eater!"
"Well I'm rubber and you're glue, whatever you say to me bounce off me and sticks to you!" Betsy shot back.
"That doesn't even make sense!" Fez declared loudly, "If it was true then I would be a cheater and would have won just like you did, cheater!"
Normally Brooke would have sighed at the argument taking place but this time she welcomed it, only because it was getting her out of the awkward moment. And hopefully with her gone Eric would open up a little more to Jackie about why he'd left his mother's room.
With a quick and quiet 'excuse me' Brooke stood up from her chair and practically ran down to the basement.
"Okay, she's gone. Now tell me what really happened." Jackie said the second Brooke disappeared to the basement.
"Jackie, that is what happened. I did leave the room…I just left out a few details." Eric explained but by the look on Jackie's face he could see that she wanted to hear more details, the details he'd left out. "I was in there when mom first started feeling sick and I even helped her out a little with the morphine button again. But then she started getting pretty bad and Hyde suggested that I o check on Laurie. Mom had told her and Lucy to leave as soon as she started feeling sick but Laurie still seemed pretty freaked out."
Nodding along as she listened to Eric's story Jackie wore her smile on her lips and it confused Eric some.
"You're smiling." He stated the obvious, "Why are you smiling?"
"Because of you." Jackie shared, still grinning, "I knew you wouldn't leave your mom's room if there wasn't a good reason."
At this statement Eric too started to smile. That's why she kept insisting that he didn't leave, she knew he wouldn't. If he had told any one else that he had left his parents room they probably would have believed him, he wouldn't be surprised if Brooke did, and assumed the worse. Their response would have been something along the lines of 'You did?' or 'You seriously left your parents room while your mom was sick?' He could almost hear Donna's voice in that last one. And when he told them of his actions they probably would have let go of his hand that they had been holding, but Jackie hadn't. She believed in him, she had faith in him.
As a silent thank you Eric held onto Jackie's small hand just a little tighter which made Jackie's grin grow even more.
"So how is Laurie doing?" Jackie questioned.
"She's fine now. We talked a little and…"he drifted off abit to let his smile grow into a large playful grin, "And I am happy to say that I have a sister now!"
Jackie giggled at Eric's enthusiasm, "Eric, you've always had a sister."
"Yes but," Eric said and lifted a pointed index finger, "This sister is not a whore, is actually nice, and Satan's spawn!"
For a while Jackie continued to laugh until a thought entered her mind and her laughter came to a stop, her smile even shrinking a little as she turned to look at the young man sitting next to her.
"Satan's spawn? I thought you said I was the devil…does that make Laurie my daughter?" she asked with confusion and some disgust.
Eric shook his head back and forth, "No, no because I corrected myself last night and said you had now turned into an angel, remember?"
"Oh yeah." She replied her smile springing back onto her face.
"Only thing is that halo isn't enough an sometimes those horns of yours pop up." Eric teased as he reached over and pretended to pat down the imaginary horns on Jackie's head.
Giggling at Eric's actions more than his words Jackie swatted his arms away from her hair and Eric found himself joining in her laughter.
Finally moving his hands back to himself Eric remembered something else he wanted to talk to Jackie about, "Oh and while I was visiting my sister…" he stopped and grinned, "That really has a nice tune to it. I got my present from the Clothing Fairy."
"Really?" Jackie asked, holding back the urge to snicker at Eric's 'Clothing Fairy' name "And what did you get this time?"
"I got, not one sock but a pair of socks!"
Jackie's eyes widened, "Oh shoot I forgot to take out the other sock."
"You mean you didn't mean to give me a pair of socks?" Eric asked with a frown, he was feeling a tad bit hurt.
"No, I was only gonna give you one this time and then the other next time." She confessed while kicking herself for not following her plan with the socks. "You have to give one back."
Eric stared at Jackie's open palm and then down and his feet that were covered by a new pair of socks, "But, but they're both so nice and soft and clean. I want a clean pair of socks, Jackie"
"And you a have a clean pair next time when you get the second sock."
"But the Clothing Fairy isn't a taker backer." Eric protested in a way that almost reminded Jackie of a small child when they were told they needed to give back a toy.
"Like hell she's not, giving me that sock." She argued before she got ready to lunge for him and take off the sock himself.
Seeing Jackie ready to pounce Eric thought quick on his clean sock covered feet and came up with an idea that could actually keep Jackie from taking away one of his socks and in the end could work out for the both of them.
"Wait, wait, wait." He said with his hands up midway in the air, as a barrier between the two, "If you take back one of my socks then I wouldn't get to thank you."
Jackie scowled, "Thank you? Eric…"
But before another word could be said Eric leaned over and covered her soft pink lips with his own. At first Jackie was taken aback a little by the sudden kiss but it didn't take long for her to get into the moment and even move her hand up to cup the side of his face pulling him closer to her and adding more passion to the lip lock.
More than a few seconds had passed by the time the two breathlessly pulled away.
"Maybe the Clothing Fairy should start leaving you two items from now on." Jackie commented, still looking abit light headed.
Eric grinned, "Works for me."
"So um really how's Mom doing?" Jackie asked, remembering a topic from before that she hadn't exactly gotten her answer to.
"I don't know." Eric repeated, "Like I said I was there at first but then went with Laurie. On my way down here I stopped and listened at their door but didn't hear anything." He explained, "I didn't go in though because I didn't know if maybe Mom was sleeping and I didn't wanna wake her up or anything."
Jackie nodded, "Well we can probably go up there together to check on her in a little while, maybe even before we leave to the grocery store."
Eric grinning face and good mood faded at the statement. Jackie still thought they were going grocery shopping. She had every right to after all he still hadn't told her the about anything about the whole Randy deal. They'd talked about nearly everything else except that. Which meant it was time to talk about it now, it couldn't be put off any longer Eric realized with a slight sigh.
"Um yeah, about that Jackie…" he stared to say already starting to loose his courage, "Could we talk about that for a little bit?"
"Sure."
Taking a deep breath Eric looked down at his hand, the hand Jackie had been holding onto earlier and only let go when she started swatting him away from her head.
"I can't go with you." He said but then realized that may not have been the most effective thing to say, it may not have gotten the right point across, "I mean I can go with you to go see Mom upstairs but not anywhere else. Well actually I can go with you anywhere else as long as it's not at one thirty or an hour, maybe two hours after that. But any other time or place I can with you. I can even go with you…you know if you would want to go with me…come to think of it is that expression even used any more I mean…"
"Eric, Eric!" Jackie interrupted before she became even more confused, "You're rambling. Just get to the point."
The teacher took in another deep breath, "I have to cancel our grocery shopping date."
"What? Why?" Jackie asked, not sounding very angry or upset until a sudden thought crossed her mind, "What did Steven say?"
"No, no, no. Hyde didn't say anything." Eric was quick to reply, he didn't need to make things worse between those two, "It was…well really…I think should start from…"
"The beginning?" Jackie suggested getting a little impatient.
Eric nodded, "Yeah, okay. Remember earlier when we were all down here in the kitchen and the phone rang?"
Thinking back Jackie could recall the phone ringing an hour or two ago when everyone was eating breakfast and she and Brooke were making the grocery list out. She could even remember Eric going to answer the phone but couldn't remember if he ever said who had been on the other line.
"Yeah…"
"Well that was Randy calling…"
Jackie sat up straighter in her seat, "Randy? Donna's Randy?"
"Yeah. He's still not sure if he'd keeping the 'Donna's' part but yeah that Randy." Eric informed with a nod, "Randy…wait what's his last name?"
"Pearson?" Jackie asked more then stated.
Eric frowned, "I thought it was Peterson."
Jackie waved her hand, "It's something with a 'P' who cares. What did he say?"
"Well…" he started up again only to be interrupted once more.
"Wait, why didn't you call Donna so she could talk to him?" Jackie was quick to ask.
"I'm getting to that." came Eric's reply before continuing, "Randy didn't wanna talk to Donna because Donna didn't want to talk to him."
Feeling the need to defend her friend, Jackie started to argue, "Of course she does. She just can't…"
"And why can't she?" Eric asked, even though he knew Jackie wouldn't know the correct answer.
"Because she doesn't have a phone number to call him at."
Eric nodded a short nod and pointed his finger in the air, "See that would be a very good excuse if Donna really didn't have his phone number."
A gasp escaped Jackie's mouth as her eyes grew big at the new gossip she was hearing, "No!"
"Yup. She's just waiting for him to call her."
Shaking her head Jackie still wore a surprised expression on her face, "And they say I'm stubborn."
"You are stubborn." Eric reassured which earned him a sideways look from the brunette; he then cleared his throat and went on, "Anyway after he explained all that to me we talked a little more and I realized that I could help this guy. I mean I was with Donna for more than five years and I've known her pretty much our whole lives. I know how she acts and what she'll think of things, I could help Randy maybe even do something was rarely able to do and get Donna to meet on some common ground."
"I told Randy about this and offered to give him some advice and stuff later on in the day but the only time he could make it was at one thirty." He added, "Same time as our grocery date."
The grocery date was the last thing on Jackie's mind at the moment, "Eric…"
"And I'm not doing this because I feel like I have to do this, Jackie. I don't feel like I owe him or Donna anything. I'm doing this because I want to." Eric elaborated some more, remembering their talk from before when they had talked about him talking to Randy, "I want to help Randy out, I can see he loves her and she loves him. I want them to be happy. I want Donna to be happy."
"Then who knows," he said recalling his sister's words, "Maybe me talking to Randy will set off a chain of events that will make the Forman House be at peace again…well as much as peace as The Forman House can be."
Jackie's smile was now back on her face after hearing Eric's previous argument, "Eric, I think that's a really sweet idea." She said truthfully, "And you know what I love most about it?"
"That a handsome man like me came up with it?" he asked smugly which warned him a giggle from Jackie.
"Okay, after that." She said and paused waiting for him to say something but Eric stayed mute and so she continued, "The fact that you want to do this. Because you want to see your ex-girlfriend happy. Not a lot of guys would be so mature and only want to see their exes miserable and alone." She added almost bitterly as she thought of her own ex-boyfriend with the curly hair and constantly shaded eyes.
Eric smiled at what he was assuming was a complement but still took notice of the change in Jackie's tone of voice when he figured she was talking about Hyde.
"And Eric," she said softly, "even though I don't wanna rain on your parade I don't want you to get your hopes up too high. You can't fix everything."
"I know." Eric nodded.
He did know this. His mother's cancer was the perfect example of this. The doctors had tried and tried time and time again but some things you just can't fix no matter how much you want to or try to.
Eric looked back up at Jackie, "Sorry it means I have to cancel our Piggly Wiggly date."
"It's okay, really. I'll get Brooke to go with me." She reassured with a grin, "Besides I think it's for the better. I mean the two of us grocery shopping? Even with a list we would have come back with half the wrong items and the other half expired or rotten."
Releasing a chuckle Eric had to agree, "Yeah."
"But!" Jackie swiftly added, and then jabbed her finger into Eric toned chest playfully, "This just means you're going to have to step up your game for our real second date."
Eric grinned, "I'm already planning it out in my head."
"Really?"
"Yup." He nodded, "And it's gonna be ten times bigger than a trip to the regular Piggly Wiggly."
"Really? Like what?"
With his smile still in place Eric stretched out his arm and proceeded to wrap it around Jackie's shoulders, "I'm thinking, a trip to…The Super Piggly Wiggly Plus!"
After hitting the arm that Eric had lifted in the air when he said the destination of their next date, Jackie couldn't help but laugh out loud at the thought; soon Eric had joined in too. And even though it was only the two of them their laughs became louder and louder and started to wake the sleeping body at the kitchen table.
"I call the ostrich!" Kelso randomly shouted out loud as he sat straight up in his chair with his hand raised in the air.
Immediately his friends burst out in a laughter that was even louder than before. Kelso's outburst was random and he was the only one who would be able to know what it was about which made it funnier for his friends. And added to the hilarity was the sight of the now wide awake Kelso sitting up so excited and eager to do something with the ostrich while overly done make up covered his man pretty face. One half looking nice and neat and the other half seemed from his drool.
The sight remind Eric of a time when they'd put make up on a snoozing Hyde and that memory created even more out loud laughs.
Kelso frowned at Eric and Jackie with confusion, "What are you guys laughing at?"
"Nothing." Jackie lied while biting her lip.
Still not sure if he should believe Jackie, Kelso turned to Eric and Eric began to have an even harder time at holding back the laughs now that his friend was staring right at him. He made his hands into fist and tried to keep a straight face and a steady voice.
"It's nothing man," he tired to assure, "You just…you…you look good Kelso. Really…good."
"Oh." Kelso said before one of his large dopey Kelso grins appeared on his face, "Thanks man. Already knew that, but it's always nice to hear. I'm gonna go watch some cartoons in the basement."
With that said Kelso patted Eric on the shoulder once before making his exit to the lower level of the house. As soon as Kelso was out of sight Jackie and Eric's laughter started up all over again. Not being able to form words as their laughs continued Eric pointed at Jackie and she only nodded to confirm his silent question between chuckles.
0o0o0o
Upstairs in the Forman bedroom all was quiet again. After Kitty had taken the medicine Hyde brought up for her and pressed the morphine button Eric had handed her, the pain and continued for several more minutes seeming to get stronger as the seconds went on. It tore both Hyde and Red up that they couldn't do anything except sit with her and try to give her some form of comfort. Finally the pain died down enough to where Kitty could fall asleep.
Since then the two men in the room had picked up and washed off whatever was need to be and could be done only a few feet away from Kitty's bedside—just incase she woke up and started calling for them again. After that was done they both resigned to the seats they had been previously been sitting in, just sitting silently beside each other. Both of them wanting to be there for the sleeping ill woman even if she didn't know they were in the room with her.
It was a good few minutes later when Red told Hyde to get out of the room and take a break for awhile and since Red, next to Kitty, was the only person who could get him to leave Kitty's side Hyde gave a mere nod and then did as he was told leaving the room and heading to the basement with out saying a word.
Now it was just Red and Kitty in the room. Kitty was still lying on the bed, her eyes closed, and in her deep slumber; while Red sat in his chair feeling tired himself but not giving in to sleep that was trying to take over. He'd pushed his seat closer to the side of the bed, once Hyde was out of the room, and gently grasped his wife's hand, holding it while he watched her sleep.
Even in her sleep Kitty was now starting to look tired and worn out and most of all sick. But in Red's eyes she remained that same radiant, beautiful, lively and giggly woman he had married over twenty five years ago.
Suddenly but slowly Kitty opened her eyes and instantly caught the sight of her husband.
"Hey." He greeted in a soft voice.
Kitty gave a weak smile, "Hi."
The whispering voice she used tugged at Red's heart but he continued, "How you feeling?"
"Tired." She replied in a tone that backed it up as she shifted just slightly in her bed.
Red nodded as he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, "Why don't you go back to sleep? Get some more rest."
"No." Kitty said shaking her head and trying to sit herself up, "The kids…and the pictures, Red. We didn't get to finish looking at them."
"I know, but they understand. You got sick. You can finish looking at them later, you need to rest now." Red argued keeping his voice firm but not rough as he helped Kitty lay back down.
Kitty could feel the ears in her eyes, "Red this is the third time…the third time I've look through that album…and I still haven't been able to finish it…because of the stupid cancer. Please let me finish looking at the album. I feel better now…"
"Kitty," Red began to say already feeling the pain of having to deny her of something she wanted so much, "you can't right now. The medicine your on is making you more tired and drossy. Even if you did start looking at the album you'd fall asleep just a few pages in."
A feeble laugh escaped Kitty's lips and Red wrinkled his brows closer together.
"What?"
"It's cute. Seeing you play the role of Nurse Forman for a change." She explained with a smile.
He rolled his eyes as an attempt to hide his mile, "Just don't expect me to war your old uniform." He grumbled which caused Kitty to give another small laugh.
A small laugh that broke Red's heart. It was still Kitty's laugh sure, and you could even hear traces of her full and louder one but it wasn't the same unique girlish giggle that would always make him smile.
Red looked back at his wife with a serious expression on his face, "So you're gonna rest now right?"
"I guess…I guess a little rest wouldn't hurt." Kitty said in a weak voice, she could already feel herself slipping off to sleep again, "But I'm going to finish looking at that photo album…with my babies…one way or another, Red Forman."
"I'm sure you will, Kitty." Red agreed smiling at the determination in her voice. It was that determination and her strength that had always made him believe that Kitty would pull through and beat the cancer…even now he still had trouble telling himself that she wasn't going to pull through this time and there would be no beating the caner. There was always some part of him that believed and hoped she would still be okay, "I'm sure you will."
Author's Note: There you go! Chapter 40 of "Two Weeks" Hope you liked!
Btw just a quick little note I forgot to add, if any of you have any suggestion or ideas for the types of questions or things for Hyde and Kitty to talk about in the videos, please feel free to share and I'll b sure to give you accredit and shout out if/when I use you idea.
How will Eric and Randy's meeting go? What will Donna do when she finds out? How will Brooke and Jackie's day at the grocery store go? Will Laurie ever tell Fez about Lucy? Will Kitty be able to finish looking at the photo album with her family? And what was Kelso going to do with that ostrich? Confused? You won't be after the next chapter of "Two Weeks"!
Until next time, thanks for reading, hope you liked, please review and lemme know what you think, stay tuned, take care, and have a nice day!