Author Note:...the story continues...thanks for coming back!
Chapter 22 – New Beginnings
T7S
The tea was sweeter this time and the cracker tasted better. Jackie could feel the peanut butter melting on her tongue as the mushroom paste was absorbed by her saliva. Second by second she could feel her muscles relaxing and that irritating Zamfir flute was sounding pretty damn good.
She looked around as the faces of her friends emanated a warm glow that left a shimmery haze when she moved her eyes. The tea was freaking delicious! Tatiana should bottle this stuff and sell it to Pam Burkhart! She'd make a million! Still, Jackie felt like she was floating on a satin cloud surrounded by posters of Leif Garrett as ABBA was singing to her. This was heaven.
Hyde closed his eyes and savored the peanut wafer and the smooth tea that coated his raspy throat. He wanted to hate the Zamfir flute but when he opened his eyes he could actually see red and purple musical notes floating in front of his face. He reached for the purple note and felt the soft spongy texture and was amazed to find that it tasted like grape!. This was the best high he had ever experienced. This was his paradise.
Fez was smiling like a goon. The interior of Tatiana's Airstream was magically covered in boobs. Big bosoms and saggy tits. Old lady boobs and Miss America breasts. It was glorious. His lips smacked in anticipation. His greedy fingers reached for the soft flesh but it remained just out of reach. That was okay – his eyes could feast and this was his bliss.
Kelso was rocking out to some unheard Stevie Wonder song. His head bobbed back and forth and sideways and his hands were playing an invisible piano. In his minds eye he could see al the pretty groupie's in short mini skirts ripping off their bras and throwing them on the stage. Undaunted, Kelso sang aloud. "Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful? Isn't she precious? Less than one minute old…." The piano faded away and he could see Betsy sleeping in her crib with her tiny lips pursed as she nursed on her tiny thumb. He could smell the baby powder and this was his happy place.
Eric was standing on the top of the water tower. He could feel the wind blowing against his cheeks and the town below was praising him for coming back from Africa and saving the lives of the mayor and his wife. (The mayor? Who the hell was the mayor?) Yet, the confidence he felt as a hero was unmeasured. The peanut butter cracker made him feel invincible. If he had a damn cape, he could probably fly…but it was probably safer to use the ladder to get down. Praise and adoration….this was Eric's paradise.
Tatiana used a bell to bring her happy campers back to the present.
Jackie waved goodbye to Agnetha and Bjorn as she blew a kiss to Benny. Hyde reached for a green Clef note and smiled as it tasted like lime. Fez tried to honk a boob but was unsuccessful. Kelso kissed Betsy good night while Eric safely slid down the water tower ladder.
Tatiana watched with glowing eyes as Leo was smiling from his happy place. She would let him ride that trip for as long as he wanted. She turned her attention to the Arcane.
"I just wanted to leave you with this thought. While no one can go back and make a brand new start, any one of you can start from now and make a brand new ending. When you depart, you probably won't remember your time with me in this little trailer, but I'm confident you will approach life just a little differently and maybe the outcome will be better. It's just amazing the guilt we can carry with us, even after many years. And it's equally amazing how just a talk with a stranger can cure it all. My Arcane children….I'd like to think that I'm that stranger."
Tatiana started to clear her little table while everyone looked at her expectantly. She smiled. "I'm going to say goodbye now and you can close your eyes and go back to your happy places." With a tear in her eye, she added. "Please be your kindest to Kitty Forman and for sharing this short time in your life, I shall miss you."
-o-
Before snuffing the candles on the table, Tatiana smiled gently and began the chant that started this journey.
Hail fair Moon risen high
You heard my wishes heard my sigh
The King has come and brought us light,
The winter dies and all is bright,
Those restless hearts please cast in good stead
A relaxing sleep they wake in their bed
Craft this spell and weave it higher
Weave it now into my fire
Blessed be
As the fortune teller's chant ended, the candles at each corner of the table flamed so bright it was still visible beyond the sapphire curtains at her window. She quietly murmured, "I will miss all of you so." She looked away and wiped her eyes in goodbye.
T7S
Brrrip! Brrrip! Brrrip! Eric slapped the snooze button on his alarm clock. Was it morning already? He rolled out of bed and could hear the sounds of his mother fussing about Jackie helping her get dressed. Eric glanced at the clock and knew if he showered quickly, there would still be some fresh coffee left before Red drank it all.
-o-
Jackie gently nudged Kitty's shoulder and whispered, "Time to wake up Mrs. Forman. I need to help you get dressed so I can go down and make breakfast."
Kitty's eyes fluttered open and she was startled so see the young girl standing expectantly beside her bed. "Honey, what are you doing here?"
"I'm going to help you get ready." Jackie replied. "Let me get the cane."
Kitty sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "But sweetie, I don't need a cane. I can walk perfectly fine." With that said Kitty stood up and stretched feeling only a tiny twinge in her back. Jackie's eyes nearly bugged out of her head.
"How….when…Mrs. Forman…what happened?"
Kitty smiled and grabbed the young girl's hands and twirled her into a waltz. "I can dance and climb the stairs….it's like I never tripped over you in the bathroom last week. Isn't it amazing?"
-o-
Eric was wearing his khaki uniform and ready to go scoop up carcasses. What he wasn't ready for, was the sight of his mother nearly dancing her way through the swinging door and into the kitchen. He choked on his coffee while Red only smiled.
"Mom?" his said with disbelief in his voice.
Kitty sauntered over and patted her son's cheek. "Good morning Eric, don't you have to be leaving for work? Do a good job and maybe you'll get a promotion!" Kitty sat on a kitchen table next to Red while Jackie came flying in through the door.
"Eric! Your mom is cured! I can't explain it but she danced with me! I mean she did that old time boogie thing called the Charleston and she was good!" Jackie's cheeks were flushed with excitement.
Eric frowned. A tickle of a memory hovered at the edge of his brain. 'There was a wrong I had to make right. Temperance, you will thank me later." What was that about? "Gee mom….that's great but shouldn't you get checked by the doctor?"
Kitty smiled, "Your father is already taking care of that for me. Now I need you and Jackie to get busy with your day. Jackie has already promised to take me grocery shopping so we can get some decent food in the house."
Red laughed behind his newspaper. "I'd say it was about time, but I was sort of getting used to crappy dinners. No offense Eric… and Jackie."
Eric grinned, "So you're really better? I mean no more shots in the back and pain?"
His mother smiled, "Just the pains of being an old…older woman honey. Now hurry and eat your oatmeal."
Anything further she was going to say was interrupted by a knock at the sliding glass door. Red looked up, "Who is bothering us this early on a Monday?"
Jackie leaned over the sink to see a tall vase of red roses being handed through the doorway. Someone got flowers? Let it be me! Red was reading the florist's card and only said, "Huh."
He handed the roses to his wife and she smiled broadly, "Ahahaha….oh Red, you shouldn't have!"
"I didn't." he said sort of shocked. "Read the card."
Kitty pulled the card from the bunch of flowers and read the inscription and gasped and Eric could see tears in her eyes. He frowned. Who was making his mother cry now? He grabbed the card and held it in front of his eyes.
Mrs. Forman, you will always be the best mom in the whole world.
From your adopted sons Michael & Fez
Eric sat back in his chair and pondered the last time those two dumbasses ever did anything nice for someone besides themselves.
Jackie walked over to breathe in the scent of the velvety flowers and see if she could read the card while doing so. Eric just handed it to her and she read it with wide eyes and yelped. "No way!"
Kitty laughed, "Aren't those boys just special?"
"Special Ed maybe." Eric spat. "They want something from you."
Kitty only smiled. "Maybe, but I'll bake some Snicker doodles and have Michael bring little Betsy around. Now hurry or you'll be late for work!"
T7S
Jackie was getting ready for her job and Red had taken Kitty back to the doctor for an exam. She sat on the end of the bed and looked at herself in the reflection of the dresser mirror. Something was different. Well, she was still pretty and not homeless, but why did she feel like she was missing time?
Standing up, she walked to the closet and pulled out a sweater and paused. Her boots on the closet floor had been wet and were now caked with straw and dirt. When did she wear those? Where did she wear them? The last thing she really remembered was being bundled up in the Vista Cruiser and she didn't get to ride shot gun! Where did they go? "I'll have to ask Eric later." She murmured to herself.
-o-
Eric parked his Animal Control truck outside of Grooves and walked inside. Hyde stopped him at the door. "Dude, if you smell like anything dead, you are not coming in here."
Eric grinned, "No animals on my shift so far. Hey, I wanted to give you some good news."
Hyde sat down on his stool and took off his glasses. "Good news? Cuz I have news that's not so good."
Eric leaned against the countertop and fiddled with some half price cassettes in the sad little wicker basket. "Well then, I'll go first."
With lifted brown, Hyde gestured for Eric to continue. He cleared his throat and replied, "Mom can walk. I mean it's like she never even had the accident."
"Hey…that is great news! So no more babysitting for you and Jackie...right?"
Eric didn't seem to mind looking after his mom all that much so Hyde's comment didn't bother him. He shrugged, "Small price to pay for free rent. What's your news?"
Hyde pulled a tattered envelope from his vest pocket. "When I opened the store this morning there was a letter for me."
"…and?"
Hyde looked a little bereft. "Leo's gone. Again."
"Again?"
"Again." Hyde confirmed. "And it's the strangest letter I've ever read."
Eric put the cassette back into the basket, "Well, I think it's strange that Leo can even write a letter!"
Hyde laughed. "Oh yeah, that's right...you were playing bonding games with Red and Mitch the last time Leo took off."
"Oh." Eric didn't want to be reminded about that little adventure…but wait. Didn't they already talk about Mitch and the Pioneer Day Jamboree recently? "Déjà Vu."
Hyde tossed the letter on the counter. "Whatever man…you read it."
T7S
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