In the Sky with Diamonds » s. hyde

epilogue

THE NEW YEAR

It was New Year's Eve and just pass 11. The petite girl fidgeted in her taxi cab as it drove through town and passed familiar landmarks of her childhood. Nothing had changed, yet, everything felt so different. She was a bit different—a bit less naive, a bit more experienced but still with obnoxious hopefulness.

To be honest, she wasn't even sure what she was coming home too. Eric was off in Africa; Donna had gone blonde and was with a new guy with a lot of hair; Kelso was in Chicago working security for Playboy, and raising Betsy; Jackie was in Chicago for work, and apparently had met up with George recently; Fez had even found a girl for himself and a job at a salon. Steven had met his real dad and found out he was biracial—which explained a shocking amount, and was even a business owner for a record store.

Her friends from college had all yelled at her when she decided to ditch their plans for New Year's in the city to watch the ball drop for some dingey town in Wisconsin called Pot Place or Pointey Palace or whatever the hell it's called. There was a blizzard last Christmas that ruined her plans. And over the summer she still avoided her old home in exchange to study abroad in London. She had become an RA this year and had to stay in the dorms over the holidays to help the underclassmen. And Point Place was home, it was family, and she had a promise to keep.

Lucy Forman rolled down the window of her taxi cab and placing her arms on the door, resting her chin on them and letting her hair whip around in the chilly night breeze. She took a deep breath as she anticipated what the night, the new year, and the new decade held in store.

❁

Checking the clock and the meter as the taxi came to a screeching stop, Lucy saw it was 11:25 and paid the man. She had her bags in hand as she jumped out of the taxi, kicking it closed with her boot and rushing to the door as her green coat trailed behind her in the wind.

Inside, Donna had rushed out to the driveway to get some air, and Kitty sat on Red's chair, folding her hands and sighing, "Speaking of daughters—" but she was cut off.

Bursting through the door and dropping her bags, throwing her hands up in the air, Lucy cheered, "I'm home!" Mrs. Forman's small frame practically leaped from the couch to smother her daughter in hugs and kisses. "You changed your hair!" Lucy laughed with small tears pricking at her eyes as she hugged her mother.

Jackie stood not far behind and the pair of friends shrieked in greeting—Jackie praised the girl's new hair cut, which was now shorter; and Lucy giggled in excitement about the brunette's relationship with a certain Australian smiling by the staircase.

Red stood by the piano with Bob, wearing a tight smile and trying to repress the relief he felt at seeing his daughter again. Lucy tilted her head with a slight grin, "Hi Dad," she whispered as she pulled him into a hug. The stoic man reciprocating and kissing her head.