Chapter Text
Hyde walked in through the familiar sliding glass door. It had been a few years since he’d lived here but it always felt like home.
Kitty rushed in from the living room, “You’re here,” she enveloped him in her arms. He would never admit it to anyone, not that it mattered because everyone felt the same way, but he loved Kitty’s bone-crushing hugs. She was a tiny woman but she was strong after being a nurse for so many years.
She finally released him. “Let me look at you, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”
“Kitty,” Red gently scolded as he followed her in, “the boy was here last month.”
“Well, a lot can happen in a month,” she snapped. Always protective of her babies who were closer to their 30’s than actual children.
“I missed you too Mrs. Forman.”
The smile that beamed from her made any inconvenience of getting here this weekend.
“I was worried when you were late,” she pushed.
And there it was. “Sorry, there was an issue in the office that apparently no one else was dumb enough to get caught to fix. By the time I left I got caught in traffic.”
Kitty hummed sympathetically, “I know what will make your day better. Cookies.” She laughed and grabbed a container off the stove and started back for the dining room.
”Are we not eating in here?” Hyde asked. They rarely didn’t eat in the kitchen.
Kitty shifted, “Well, Mister, you aren’t our only company today.” She handed him the container, “these are for you.”
He pried it open. Peanut butter-chocolate cookies. They were his favorite, but they were always tinged with an old memory.
Jackie handed him the plate. Jackie who hated cooking and getting her hands dirty had made him his favorite cookies. Or attempted to. Then they threw the hockey pucks masquerading as cookies at Kelso and Fez.
“You bring those and hurry up,” Kitty broke him out of his memories so he followed her and Red out.
He was hoping for a calm lunch, now he had to deal with whatever church lady was going to be there judging him. Maybe he could just eat and then offer to do some kind of chores to escape.
“We’re back,” Kitty announced full of smiles.
“Look what the cat dragged in.”
Hyde nearly dropped what he was carrying.
“Jackie,” he sputtered out.
“Long time no see,” she smiled.
They’d made amends years ago, but moved on. Jackie had gone off to New York for a job opportunity five years ago. He’d seen her a handful of times. Mainly in pictures from Kitty. He knew she’d gotten married and had a kid. She was doing all the things she’d wanted to and dreamed about, just without him.
“Hey, I’m not the one who moved to New York and was too busy for us little people,” He teased her gently.
“Oh, please, I’ve come back plenty of times you just always seem to be too busy working to visit the same weekends.”
He shrugged. He couldn’t confess to avoiding her.
“You two start eating,” Kitty demanded.
“So how’s life?” Hyde asked.
Kitty’s eyes went wide and she shook her head.
Hyde looked over to her she covered her mouth and tried to whisper something but he couldn’t see or hear it.
“It’s alright Mrs. Forman,” Jackie said calmly. “I think Steven’s a big enough boy he’s heard the word before.”
She turned to face him, “I’m getting a divorce.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she assured him.
He left it alone, it wasn’t any of his business.
“I need a beer, Red said and got up partially as a distraction, partially because he wanted a beer.
“Jackie,” Kitty pressed now that Red was gone, “ why don’t you stay here tonight?
“I couldn’t I don’t want to be a bother.”
“It’s no bother, I love having you two here. Please.”
It was impossible to say no to her, and the truth was Jackie didn’t want to stay in a hotel.
“Okay, you win.”
Kitty beamed triumphantly.
“So where are you staying?” Jackie asked Steven.
“I’m staying in my old room. Forman’s dolls staring at me all night freaks me out.”
“He still has them?”
“Do you really think he’d get rid of Luke?”
“Oh my God, do you remember how bad he was after you guys saw the first one?”
“I’ve tried to block it out.”
Red came back in with his beer, “Look who I found wandering around.”
Hyde looked up and saw the prettiest girl he’d ever seen.
Jackie held out her arms, “Heather baby come here.”
The little girl ran smiling into her mother’s arms, Jackie lifted her onto her lap easily. “Did you have a nice nap?”
It wasn’t hard to tell even just from that small moment that Jackie was an excellent mother and her daughter adored her. He knew she had a kid but he’d never paid attention to the pictures of her. He tried to avoid them.
“Who’s that?”
Heather also obviously had some of her mother’s blunt personality. Or maybe that was what being a baby was like.
“Heather this is mommy’s friend Steven, remember Betsy talks about her uncle Hyde?”
She nodded.
“That’s him.”
The little girl’s eyes widened.
“Did you get Bets the Barbie dream car?”
Hyde felt his face warming up, “Yeah, I gave it to her for her birthday.”
“It’s so cool, it has a radio.”
“I take it you like Barbie?”
She nodded her head furiously, “But Mommy said I have to wait for my birthday before I can get another one.”
“Your Mommy’s probably right.”
“Mommy, can I go play?”
“Why don’t I take her with me to the garage?” Red asked.
“PLEASE.”
Hyde saw the look. It was the one that had destroyed him being used on her mother, the pouty lip, the big pleading eyes. She was what? 4? The kid was dangerous already.
“Yes, you may go but listen to grandpa Red.”
“Thank you, Mommy.” Heather got up and reached out for Red.
Hyde watched the little doll in front of him. She was precisely a miniature version of Jackie. Small and delicate with big hazel eyes and soft brown curls.
Red was obviously charmed by her as he picked her up and they went off to the garage.
Jackie was looking after them wistfully.
Finally, she looked away.
Hyde felt almost shell-shocked by seeing Jackie’s daughter for the first time.
“Jackie-” He was lost for words.
“I know,” Jackie said, “she’s perfect. I don’t even think that’s me being her mom, she’s just perfect.”
“She really is,” Kitty agreed.
“So?” Jackie turned to Hyde, “Barbie isn’t some corporate dictatorship exploiting the working man?”
“Probably, but it’s the only thing Betsy wanted that Kelso wouldn’t get her.”
Jackie’s saccharine smile was something he’d miss, he’d missed all of it. “And Uncle Hyde had to show him up?”
He nodded, “You get it.”
Red came in half an hour later with a messy little girl, both smiling their cheeks off.
Hyde wondered how Jackie would react. He knew her mother freaked out the first time Jackie came home with grease on her face after working on cars with Red.
“Mommy, I got to play under the car again.”
“I can see that sweetie,” Jackie didn’t seem bothered in the least.
Red gave her an approving smile, “Few more years and she’ll be helping me rebuild the corroborator.”
“I think you might need to wait on that just a little, at least until she can tie her shoes.”
“Well, she’s got a lot of grease on her and I don’t want to have to fight with her.”
Jackie’s eyes sparkled with amusement, “I see, you get to have fun while she gets dirty and Mommy’s the bad guy who has to get her cleaned up.”
“That’s right.”
Her smile slipped back into place. “Fine, if that’s how it is, come on my little grease monkey.” Jackie took her hand and they disappeared.
They all watched her go.
“You messed up when you let that one go,” Red told Hyde not unkindly, just a statement.
“I know Red, I know.”