that's life » s. hyde

[57] join together

"Okay, okay!" Kitty said, watching as Fez left the room. "Naptime! Oh, and Eric, Isabelle, your father has a checkup next week. I need you two to take him."

Eric groaned. "Why do I have to go?"

"For morale!"

Izzy paused. "Wait, next week? Mama, Eric and I have to register for college. H- He's gonna be moved into his apartment by then..."

Kitty's smile dropped. "So... you two are still going?"

Eric looked appalled. "Wh- Yes, we're still going, it's college!"

"Fine."

"Mama," Izzy breathed, "come on."

"Oh, Kitty!" Red said. "Let them go. Odds are, Eric won't amount to anything and Isabelle will be homesick within a week, and I don't want them blaming me!"

Eric gestured wildly. "See?! That is exactly the kind of thing I have to get away from!"

"Fine." Kitty huffed.

Izzy shrugged. "Good."

"Great." Eric said.

There was an awkward silence, then Red reached up and clutched his chest. "Ohh," he moaned. "My heart! It-"

"Dad!" Eric said, as the three others rushed to him.

He paused for a moment, then dropped his hands. "Just thought I'd ease the tension! That's gonna come in handy."

Kitty sighed and began to march Red up the stairs. "Okay, no more fake heart attacks! The next time you clutch your chest, you'd better see a bright light and some dead relatives!"

-

"Oh, my god. Izzy." Eric said, sitting on the couch. They were each reading lists of courses at their school and periodically telling the other about an interesting one. "Madison has a course called The Social Significance of Jedi Culture!"

Izzy's eyes widened as she leaned forward in Hyde's chair. "No way!"

"Way!"

The twins looked over when they heard footsteps down the basement stairs. Kitty came rushing down, wearing her nurse's uniform and holding a laundry basket tightly.

Eric knit his brow. "Mom, why're you doing laundry?"

"Yeah, it's almost midnight." Izzy said.

Kitty sighed and set the basket atop the washer, hurriedly loading the clothes from the dryer into the basket. "Well, with your dad not working, I had to pick up a double shift at the hospital. This is the only time I have to do it."

Eric paused. He bit his lip, thinking hard, and stood up. "Here. Let me help."

"Mama," Izzy said quietly. "Don't do that, please."

"Do what?" Kitty asked.

"Come down here, in the middle of the night, doing laundry and looking exhausted... You're trying to make us feel guilty for going away to college. We can help you out right now, b- but it's not gonna work, we're still going."

She paused, waiting for Kitty to respond, but there was nothing.

"Look," Izzy continued. "I know you don't think I can be an artist, a- and maybe what happened with college and everything just reflects that, but I- I... I know I can. I deserve a real chance at this, Mom!"

Kitty stopped, but Eric kept loading the laundry, desperate to avoid the conflict.

"Okay, okay," She said. "I understand that you two have to leave. I have bigger things to worry about than making you feel guilty!" She took the basket and headed back upstairs.