Chapter 36 – BANG BANG BANG

T7S

Eric woke with a start, nearly tumbling off the couch. What just happened? He recovered his balance and perched on the edge of the cushions looking around the living room. Everything was the same as earlier with the exception of the television replaying the 6:00 o'clock news.

He looked at the bird who was staring at him from the cage. "Marco. I feel stupid just talking to you, but what just happened?"

Marco regarded him with a distained expression (for a bird) and then a soft wolf whistle issued from his beak. Eric frowned and then realized what the bird meant. "Jackie's home?"

The parrot shook his head slowly from side to side and uttered, "Dumbass."

Eric grinned and walked to the bird's cage. "Thanks man." He pulled the cover over the cage and whispered, "Goodnight." He quickly swept through the kitchen checking the lock on the glass patio doors and hurried to the basement just as a recheck. Then it was back up to the living room to turn off the lights and head for his bedroom.

Maybe a brief stop at his sister's old room to chat?

Maybe?

xXx

Jackie slathered on the face cream before finger combing her damp hair into a loose braid. Love's Shattered Storm sat on the dresser in front of her with the silky bookmark set at Chapter 4. She had this evening all planned out. Warm bubble bath followed by light exfoliating and a creamy face mask that would prevent wrinkles that wouldn't exist for another 50 years. Clean sheets on the bed, combined with feather soft pillows tucked behind her back – it was the perfect set up while she read the amorous adventures of Cassie and Quinn – that was a good night.

The thunder rumbled through the old farmhouse as small droplets of water splattered haphazardly from the rafters onto the old straw tick mattress. Cassie pulled her faded quilt closer around her as the lightning lit up her bedroom loft. Then she heard it. BANG! A shot rang out. BANG BANG!

Cassie sat up and threw her quilt aside and reached for her dressing gown and her gun. It was that cattle thief again! Those damn thieves had stolen three breeding sheep and ruined her hen house and now she was going to give them hell!

BANG BANG BANG!

Jackie sat up in bed and screamed. That wasn't thunder or a gunshot! Someone was trying to break into her room! Somebody knew Red and Kitty were gone and they killed poor Eric while he was sleeping on the living room sofa. Jackie swallowed a soft sob.

She slid off the bed and quietly turned off the lamp. Creeping towards the closet, Jackie grabbed the heaviest boot she could find. She lay down on the carpet and could see a pair of silhouetted feet just outside the door.

She looked back towards the bedroom window and ruled out that as an escape route. Her best bet was a surprise attack and a full bore run down the stairs and out the front door. The Anderson's across the street were always up late and could easily call the police. Jackie grabbed her heavy boot by the heel and quietly stood up.

Taking a deep breath she grasped the door handle and quickly threw the door open screaming at the top of her lungs, ""AWWWWWWWWWW!"

Meanwhile, her alleged attacker screamed back "EEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The sound of her boot heel making a meaty "thunk" with a cheek bone was very satisfying until the assailant cried out, "MY EYE!"

The midnight mugger fell to the carpet covering his face with his hand while Jackie's face fell and she quietly uttered, "oh…shit."

T7S

"They are called butterfly bandages so you won't need stitches…now quit moving or I'll have to take you to Emergency and you know they'll call your mom on the boat and she'll get all upset and come home early."

Eric held the ice pack tenderly against his cheek glad that his left eye had finally stopped watering. Was it possible that Jackie's huge boot also broke his nose also? A black eye was the last thing he expected when he walked up the stairs for the night.

Jackie sat down in front of Eric's chair and cupped his chin in her hand, moving his face from left to right. The bandages looked secure and the bleeding had stopped. She sighed, "What the hell were you doing banging on my door? I could have killed you!"

Eric froze – her soft hands were awfully close to his throat. He swallowed hard. "I wasn't banging on your door. I was knocking on the door – it just seemed like it because the house was quiet without Red snoring. Do you always attack people with your shoes? I mean I've seen the damage you can do to a shin bone."

Jackie wanted to protest but instead, she burst out laughing. "No. I didn't have a baseball bat handy and I thought that you were dead or something."

Eric was touched that Jackie feared for his life. "Then why did you scream?"

She frowned, "Why did you scream?"

Eric hesitantly pointed to the dried cold cream cracking on her face. "I thought you were a ghost."

She felt her cheeks and gasped. In a stern voice she reprimanded, "You will tell NO ONE you saw me in my beauty mask!" Without hesitation, she turned on her heel and fled the kitchen for the upstairs bathroom.

T7S

"A bear? A….b-e-a-r….Really? You had a fight with a wild bear." Hyde deadpanned. "What did it look like? Did he have any visible bruises or missing patches of fur?" He passed the joint to his friend.

Eric stumbled for words. "I – I poked him...with my stick until he ran away."

Fez reached for the joint. "I do not believe you my friend. You have no scratches. All you have is a black eye."

Hyde leaned forward and pulled on a band-aid. "Yeah, looks like you got in a sissy fight."

"It was not a sissy fight man. It was a bear! A wild bear. Hell, what do you think I do all day, catch kittens and bunnies? I deal with treacherous animals while you…sell music."

Eric locked eyes with Fez, "…and how dangerous is your job? Shampoo in the eyes sting a little bit? You need a man job." A frightened Jackie Burkhart could be considered a wild animal….right?

Fez laughed, "Oh ho ho, Eric. You are so funny. I meet woman. Beautiful women….of all shapes and sizes and colors and they love me touching their hair. Did the bear like it when you touched his hair?" Fez nearly choked on a bubbly laugh.

Hyde looked at Eric, "Damn, I think I need to get a sink in here and offer free shampoos. I could get into a little of that myself." He inhaled on the remainder of the joint until it was cherry red. His voice was tight as he added, "I meant get in on the girlie bit, not dancing with bears."

Eric stood up and grunted. "You guys are such assholes. Don't believe me – I don't freaking care. Anyways, Kelso is coming out next weekend and he wants Fez in the basement – I think he has a couple of things to share with us."

Fez grinned, "Twins? I love twins…especially lady twins…there's two of everything!"

Eric left Grooves with the sound of laughter burning at his back. It was the guys! How could he admit that Jackie nailed him in the face with a shoe? That was just a disgrace. But a bear? Why couldn't he have thought of a less wild animal?

T7S

Jackie pulled into the driveway and was surprised to see the kitchen lights were on. That meant that Eric was still up. Damn. That meant more apologizing before he started adding the attempted murder of his mother to the list. She turned off the ignition and reached for her purse and tote bag. Best to face the music before it turned sour.

Eric set two cups of hot chocolate on the kitchen table. He had a really great day and wanted to celebrate. Mrs. Sullivan, woman of many cats, tipped him a $20 bill for getting her kitten out of the water heater closet. Easy job but when your body is hampered by arthritis – not so easy – she appreciated the easy way Eric had retrieved her much loved kitten…. In fact, the whole day was spent making people happy.

Jackie slid open the glass doors and looked at him with wary eyes. "Do I need to defend myself again?"

Eric chuckled. "Nope. Just sit with me and enjoy a hot cup of cocoa."

Jackie shed her jacket and dropped her bags on the floor. "You made me hot chocolate?" How sweet was that? Eric nodded his head. "Well, yeah, I had a good day and wanted to share the cheer."

"You saved a puppy." She deadpanned.

He smirked, "No. A kitten and I got a big tip soooo….since there's nothing for dinner, I thought maybe….how about….um…"

Jackie held up her hand, "No food in the fridge?"

Eric shrugged his shoulders. "Should be…but I'd like to get out of here."

How sweet was that? Jackie smiled, "Well….where can we go without everyone staring at your black eye?"

Eric sipped at his cocoa, "I think I know a diner that has outdoor seating. I can wear some sunglasses…you know, to look cool….and to hide the swelling. Let me tell you Missy…you can hit hard….for a girl."

Jackie laughed. "Dinner at a diner sounds good. Let me change my clothes and I'll be right back."

That was when Eric learned that Jackie Burkhart's clock ran a half hour slower than the norm. He heard the shower running and his stomach was grumbling. Wait a minute…if she was changing clothes for him…..quick! Eric ran up the stairs to change his clothes too. What if this turned into a date?

Eric's heart started going bang bang bang.

He hadn't had that feeling in a long time.

What if?

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