Hello 1980!

Part 9 - Now and Forever

March 1, 1980

Eric Forman's Kitchen

7:03AM

Red and Eric sit at the table having their breakfast. Kitty is still sleeping due to her late shift the night before. Jackie wanders in, looking around.

"Has anyone seen Steven?" she asks.

"Why would Steven be here so early in the morning?" Red asks.

"Yeah, Jackie, why would Hyde be so early?" Eric gives Jackie a knowing look. Try as he might, he can't help imagining what went on behind that bedroom door.

Jackie narrows her eyes. Eric knows?

"Have you seen him or not?" Jackie snaps.

"He's not here," Eric says.

A lump forms in Jackie's chest. Steven isn't here. He left. He never left without saying goodbye. Whether she was sneaking back to her place or he was sneaking back to his, he would always wake her up to say goodbye. Maybe this was how it was going to be now. They were a little older now, maybe mature adults didn't say goodbye.

"You okay?" Eric asks when Jackie's face drops.

"Eric, I am young, rich, and beautiful. Am I okay? Ha!" Jackie flips her hair. She is not okay. She has to get out of here. Without speaking, she grabs her coat and leaves. She's been parking two streets over to hide her car, so she cuts through the Forman's garage.

Moments after Jackie is out of sight, Hyde pulls into the driveway. He is surprised when he sees Red and Eric in the kitchen. He thought he'd be back before anyone was up. He is showered, freshly shaved, and has a clean shirt on under his jacket.

"Morning," he says in before crossing through the kitchen and heading upstairs.

"Eric, when did you and your all your slacker friends start getting up so early?" Red asks. Eric doesn't have an answer for that.

Hyde pushes through the kitchen again and runs down to the basement as Eric and Red look on. He is back almost as quickly. "Where's Jackie?" he asks Eric.

"She left," Eric says.

"Where'd she go?" Hyde asks.

"I don't know," Eric says.

"When is she coming back?"

"I don't know."

"Forman, you're useless!" Hyde says.

"You sound surprised. I've been saying that for years," Red says.

Hyde leaves in a huff. He wants to see Jackie now. He will drive all over town if that's what it takes.

"Now where is he going?" Red asks.

"I don't know," Eric says.

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Jackie feels a little better now. Sure, she drove around town for a while hoping to find Steven. She went to the apartment, the record store, the water tower, and the hub before ending up at the mall. Her freshly manicured hands clutch the bags of things she's bought.

So what if Steven didn't say goodbye this morning, the important thing is she has Steven back. Things will have to be different now, she knows that. There are things, dreams, that she will have to give up, but Steven is worth it. However, if he ever leaves without saying goodbye again, she'll give him hell for it. Looking at her watch, it is about that time. Jackie walks to the corridors to the familiar shop.