Return To Point Place

I Remember You

November 12th, 1985... 8:00 am
Today, the kids were supposed to see Red. Kitty arranged it so they all visited the hospital at different times of the day. She thought seeing too many kids at once could give Red a literal heart attack. Eric would go first, then Donna, then Kelso, Fez, Jackie, and Hyde. She thought he'd enjoy it if he saw his favorites first and last. Start on a high note and end on a high note. Eric, his son; Donna, his daughter in-law; Kelso, his son in spirit; Fez, his former son in-law; Jackie, his favorite friend of Eric's; and Hyde, his adopted son. Eric would see him at 10:00 am. Donna would see him at 12:00 pm. At 2:00 pm Kelso would go in, then Fez at 4:00. Next Jackie would see him at 6:00, and lastly Hyde at 8:00.

Kitty gathered them all in the living room and had just finished explaining her plan. "While you all wait your turns to see Red, you can spend the rest of the day finding a hotel... or catching up... I don't know! Do whatever you kids did together five years ago."

They all looked at one another guiltily.

"You sure you want us to be doin' that Mrs. Forman?" Hyde replied.

She raised an eyebrow "Wha- nevermind I don't want to know!" She made a gesture as to say 'no thanks' and swiftly walked into the kitchen.

Eric looked weary. For the entirety of the previous night, he held Donna in his arms like a teddy bear. He was tense, stressed, anxious. So very desperate to rip off this band aid. He got up out of his seat and headed to the kitchen for water.

When Kitty saw Eric walk in, she grabbed a hold of him immediately. "Eric," she pushed him to the kitchen table and sat him down. Now seeing her so up close, he realized how worn out she really appeared. "Look, I know you're an adult, and you make your own decisions and what not," she took a hard sip of the drink her cup, which from Eric's view was most definitely liquor. "But, it would really mean a lot to me if you and Donna stayed here while you're in Point Place..." Eric opened his mouth to respond but she cut him off, "And before you object! I'll make you breakfast, I'll clean your clothes, I'll wash the dish-" Eric hugged his mother tightly.

"Of course, mom."
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His hair was a curly mess and there were dark crescent moons below his eyes. He was almost embarrassed to look so worn out in front of Jackie. He opened his heavy eyelids for a moment and found himself looking at her. She was wearing a frilly, silk, pink nightgown with a darker pink robe wrapped around it. Her short hair dangled in ringlets next to her beautiful face. Crap. He needed to go back to New York. He looked to Kelso and Fez. They were looking at her too. Of course. This was normal then. He shouldn't be too worried. Jackie was an actress after all. She's paid by corporate pigs who swim in pools of gold to look like a doll. She's just a part of the system. He looked back at her, she was dozing off with her head in her hands. Exploiting humanity's proclivity for beautiful things to make herself rich. She caught herself falling asleep and fluttered her eyes open. The boys looked away.
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It was 9:45. Eric was driving to the hospital. Donna kissed him goodbye when he left, and told him to be brave. What did I ever do to deserve her? He envisioned his hot blonde then, sitting next to him in the car. His Donna. His old neighbor, his high school girlfriend, his wife. The woman he'd love forever. Donna Pinciotti-Forman. She wanted to keep her own last name, but he wanted her to have his, so they compromised. Now he wanted her next to him. He wanted her to hold his hand and tell him it would all be fine.
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Mrs. Forman had served everyone pancakes and bacon. She really enjoyed being able to cook for so many hungry mouths again. Fez was the first to pack up his things after breakfast. He got a taxi and was off to find a good motel in town. Kelso packed up next and was going to see if his parents would let him crash at home. After him, Jackie had all her things packed, which took longer than usual considering there was no one to do it for her, and was going to try and find a five star hotel in this little Wisconsin town. Hyde would've left first, but Mrs. Forman pulled him aside after breakfast.

"Steven," she tugged at his sleeve right as he was about to walk down the basement steps. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" She smiled sweetly at him.

"Uh... yeah sure Mrs. Forman."

"Ok, thank you, Steven." She pulled his sleeve and took him into Red's old reading room. "So, about where you're going to stay-"

"I was just thinking of getting a motel near here or the hospital-"

"Well don't."

"Alright."

"What I mean is... stay with us, Eric, Donna, and myself. You can take Eric's room or the basement if you'd like. It would just really mean a lot if you stayed here."

"Well, yeah, sure Mrs. Forman, I can do that." Kitty's desperate, weak voice had awakened and startled Hyde a little bit.

"Oh! Thank you Steven!" She hugged him tight while his arms were to his side. After a few seconds he hugged her back.
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Eric walked into the hospital and made a beeline to the receptionist's desk. "Ma'am, I'm here to see a patient, Red Forman. I'm his son, Eric Forman." He tapped his fingers on the linoleum table top.

"Alright, sir." She smiled brightly at him. Her fingers were as fast as bullets on the keyboard connected to the white, chunky computer. "He's in patient room 213 on the fifth floor." As she said the last word 'floor', the gum in her mouth became apparent, and not just one of Eric's delusions. "Here's a visitor's pass."

Eric nodded his head with his mouth pursed "Thank you." He said calmly as he grabbed the pass. He walked a few steps away from the desk, wriggled his arms, and then walked to the elevator. Eric was still skinny. To others passing him by, his body looked stiff. His chest felt heavy. He was nervous to say the very least. He pressed the elevator button and leaned back on the railing behind him. The elevator went up. God it seems early in the morning he thought to himself. Although Eric regularly woke up before 7:00 to teach, it felt different now. It was almost like he was transported into the period of his life where he slept until noon. Red had a heart attack then. He didn't go to college. He stayed home because he knew his mom couldn't do everything all by herself. Now he was back, and it wasn't to spend leisure time at his old home. Red had another heart attack, he was here to support his family once more.

Ding! The elevator door opened.

Eric stepped out and read the numbers of hospital rooms he passed by.

210... 211... 212... "213" he shifted a bit and then knocked on the door. The door was gently swung open, and behind it was a young, cute nurse. "Hi, I'm here to see dad- I mean Red Forman." He cleared his throat.

"Ok." She smiled and they walked to his bed together. "Red, you have a visitor."

Red opened his eyes slowly. "Hey, Eric. How are you?"

"Oh err-good"

"That's nice. How's Donna?"

"She's... well she's a dream."

"Yeah, well you're real lucky to have a girl like her."

"... I know" Eric sighed. His dad never thought he was good enough for Donna. No one ever thought he was good enough for Donna. The only people who said otherwise were Donna and Kitty.

"Thank you."

"What?" Eric replied, a bit caught off guard.

"Thank you for coming back... I just..." Red sat up in his hospital bed and smiled solemnly. "I appreciate it."