THE GOOD SON
Point Place, Wisconsin
Saturday Morning
9:12 a.m.
Location: Forman's Kitchen
★
Upbeat music was playing in the background and Kitty was dancing away making breakfast for her family. As Marion walked in, her and Kitty started to sway their hips together, just having fun, before Marion sat down across from Hyde at the kitchen table. Marion piled on eggs and bacon onto her plate like everyone else at the table and waited for Kitty to be finished making waffles.
"Wow. Thanks, Mrs Forman." Hyde smiled. "You know, we never had waffles at my house. My mom always said a waffle iron was a luxury. Like, um, pillow cases or not getting hit." Hyde explained. Everyone just looked at him concerned, except for Marion.
"Ah, I know where you're coming from." She laughed before eating her bacon.
"Man, this is so cool!" Hyde shouted, before digging into his breakfast.
"Well, you are welcome, Steven." Kitty replied, while plating Red's plate. "See, Eric, I told you I was cool."
"Eric, did you tell your mother that she's not cool?" Red questioned.
"What? Well, I mean-"
"Stop telling your mother she's not cool." Red demanded.
"Fine. Mom, you're super fly." Eric quickly said.
"Thanks, honey." Kitty thanked. She then bent down to Hyde's level. "Steven, would you like maple syrup or blueberry syrup?" She asked. Hyde then looked up at her.
"You have syrup?" He asked. Kitty just laughed and went off the fetch the syrup. "Man, I love it here." Hyde smiled.
"And we love having you here, man." Marion spoke. Hyde looked up at her with food in his mouth and she just winked at him when no one was watching.
"Yeah, you're like the brother I never had." Eric added. "I mean, I have a sister, but I hate her. So, this is great." He also added.
"Eric, after breakfast I want you to rake the yard." Red ordered.
"Rake? But, Dad, I was gonna-" Eric started to complain before Hyde interrupted.
"I'll do it." He offered. Marion looked up at her boyfriend surprised.
"Okay, Steven." Red smiled for a brief second.
"Oh, my God. I love my new brother!" Eric shouted. 'Ha! I love him too!' Marion thought.
★
Marion was sitting at the kitchen counter with her textbook open and her notebook out working on her Biology homework. She wasn't like Kelso or Hyde who didn't do their homework, or like Eric and Donna who waited to the last minute to do theirs. She did hers every day as dorky as that sounds.
Hyde walked into the kitchen from the patio and wrapped his arm around Marion's waist.
"Homework?" He questioned. "Ew." Marion laughed then scoffed.
"You know what?" Marion was about to tell him off, but realized she had no actual excuse. "Nevermind..."
"Yea." Hyde laughed. "Hey, what did you get on the test today?" Hyde asked, curious.
"I got an A. Why? What did you get?" Marion questioned.
"I failed." Hyde answered. Just then, Kitty walked into the kitchen and heard what Hyde said.
"Aw, Steven, you failed. I thought you would do better." Kitty said disappointed.
"I'm sorry, Mrs Forman. I'll try harder." Hyde apologized in all sincerity. Marion was surprised. Usually something like this just doesn't matter for Steven.
"Hey, Marion, why don't you help Steven with his homework?" Kitty asked her niece. Marion nodded and collected all her homework and took Steven's arm.
"Let's go downstairs and get started." Marion spoke. Hyde nodded and grabbed his books from the table and the two made their way to the basement where they were greeted with Donna and Eric making out on the couch. Hyde and Marion both looked at each other and sighed.
"Hey, take it outside. I got to do my homework here, Frenchie." Hyde announced. Marion followed and took a spot beside Donna as Hyde sat in his chair.
"Good one." Eric laughed. He then fell silent, leaving the room in an awkward tension. "Now, get out." Eric broke the silence.
"No, I'm serious, man. Your mom found out I failed a test." Hyde explained.
"Did she yell at you?" Donna asked, suddenly interested.
"No. But she said she was really disappointed. And then, before I knew what I was doing, I told her I'd try harder." Hyde explained some more.
"No." Donna refused. This wasn't the Hyde everyone knew. Hyde was a badass.
"No, this actually happened. I'm a witness." Marion added. Donna looked at the two surprised. Just then, Kitty came skipping down the stairs with two plates,, both with sandwiches.
"Now, here. I brought you two a sandwich to help you study." Kitty said as she placed down the sandwiches on the table in front of the teens.
"Thanks Mrs Forman." Hyde thanked, along with Marion's thanks. Kitty then looked at her son.
"Eric, Marion is going to help Steven study. Don't bother them." Kitty spoke.
"Oh, there won't be much studying here, Mom." Eric said quickly. As soon as he finished, Marion looked at her cousin wide eyed, and if Kitty wasn't in the room, she'd jump on top of him.
"Anyways, why don't you and Donna go up to your room?" Kitty then suggested, shaking off what Eric said. Quickly, Eric and Donna jumped to the chance and started making their way to the stairs, when Kitty realized what she had just said. "I mean, no, no. Bad idea. Just go outside to a, a well-lit supervised area and talk politely like decent young adults." Kitty changed.
"Gee, whizz, that sounds super, mom." Eric said sarcastically and he and Donna were being pushed out the back door. Once Eric and Donna left, Kitty turned around to the two. Hyde who had a sandwich in his mouth, and Marion who was flipping through his notes.
"You two, study hard." Kitty laughed, before racing up the stairs. As Marion was flipping through Hyde's notes, all she saw was little cartoon drawings.
"Steven, you have nothing in here." Marion spoke up.
"What do you mean I have nothing in there?" Hyde questioned, before taking another bite of the sandwich.
"I mean, you have no notes from the class. All you have are little cartoon sketches of teachers in horrible situations." Marion laughed.
"Yea, and that's something." Hyde laughed. Marion sighed, before placing the most unreliable notebook down, before grabbing her sandwich and taking a bite out of it.
"So, I guess after eating, we'll look through the textbook and you can write some actual notes down. Maybe that will help." Marion instructed, before taking another bite.
"Do we really have to study?" Hyde questioned.
"Yes, if you want to pass another test and make Kitty the happiest person in the world." Marion answered. Hyde then placed down his plate and looked at Marion mischievously. Marion, not knowing.
"You know what else we could do?" Hyde questioned before getting up and scooting beside Marion on the couch. He then took her plate and placed it down on the table. "We could do what Eric and Donna were just doing?" Hyde smirked. Marion blushed and swallowed the rest of her sandwich.
"I thought you were going to 'try harder'?" Marion asked, slowly as Steven started leaning in.
"Well, I could always do that later." Hyde whispered. Marion just looked at him in the eyes.
"Oh, the things I do for you." She whispered, before wrapping her arms around Hyde's neck and connecting her lips with his.
★
"Okay, you're done cleaning the garage. Let's play some ball!" Kelso shouted from the patio, as Hyde was throwing a bottle into the garbage can.
"Hang on, man. I gotta take out the trash." Hyde responded, taking the trash out of the garage.
"You know, hyde, seeing you work hard and take pride in what you do... I lost a lot of respect for you, man." Kelso said as and Fez walked up to Hyde.
"C'mon, Kelso. Seriously?" Marion questioned. Hyde just shrugged.
"You used to be my hero. My lazy, American hero." Fez added on to what Kelso said.
"Don't listen to them, Hyde. I think it's great you're doing all my chores." Eric smirked.
"Yea, well I think it's great to, because it shows he can be mature at times." Marion roasted Eric, Kelso and Fez, smirking.
"Woah, Eric, great job on the garage." Red smiled, looking around the now clean garage.
"Thanks." Eric smiled. Marion then smacked Eric's stomach, making him bend over and wheeze. "Hyde did it." He said out of breath. Marion crossed her arms and smiled at her work.
"Yeah, well, I should have known. It's actually clean." Red said unimpressed. He took out his wallet and took out some money. He then handed it to Hyde. "Nice going." he complimented.
"Thanks, Red." Hyde thanked, grabbing the money, all while Eric stuck out his hand.
"What did you do?" Red asked.
"I... love you." Eric stuttered. Marion just shook her head.
"Well, I love you, too." Red responded shaking Eric's hand. He then reached in his wallet and grabbed some more money. "Kitty tells me you helped Steven with his studying. Here you go, Sweetie." Red handed the money to Marion and gave her a kiss on the forehead before walking away.
"Oh c'mon, they didn't study!" Eric complained, but Red was already in the house.
"For your information, we did. After making out." Marion smiled before she skipped into the house.
★
The kids, Red and Kitty were at the table eating dinner when Kitty sparked up a conversation.
"So, honey, how did you do on your history paper?" Kitty asked, as she placed salad on everyone's plates.
"Oh, well, history not being-" Eric exhaled before being interrupted by Kitty.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I was talking to Steven." Kitty smiled.
"Well, I must say, all that studying really paid off." Hyde spoke. Marion smiled once again, proud of her work.
"Oh yeah? What did you get? A 'D'?" Laurie questioned.
"No." Hyde disagreed. "A 'C' minus." Hyde smiled. Kitty started to clap and Red gave him a slight push, proud of the kid he would always yell at as a kid.
"I got a 'B'." Eric said, changing the subject to him. Everyone fell silent.
"You couldn't get an 'A'?" Red questioned.
"Oh, honey, don't listen to your father. You did super." Kitty made better. "And, Steven you did super-duper." Kitty chuckled.
"Why does he get a duper?" Eric asked, sadness in his tone.
"Because, we expect more from you." Red answered.
"Look, give me a break, Forman. I don't have a mommy." Hyde pouted. Marion just looked at him and reached her hand across the table, placing it on his as sympathy.
"Don't sweat it, Eric. You can only be as smart as God made you... or didn't." Laurie fired. Marion just glanced at the girl.
"Was that really necessary?" Marion questioned.
"Alright, Laurie, didn't you just flunk out of college?" Eric fired back.
"Get bent, twerp." Laurie shouted.
"Wear a bra." Eric shouted back.
"Stop." Marion shouted at both of them.
"Shut up, twerp." Both shouted.
"Okay, you know what..." Marion started before Hyde spoke up.
"Can we please not fight?" He questioned. Eric just looked at his friend surprised and Laurie just started at him mockingly.
"'Can we please not fight?'" Laurie mocked.
"Can you please not suck?" Eric added.
"Can you please stop mocking my b-Hyde." Marion covered, almost revealing to Kitty and Red that she and Hyde were dating.
"Alright, everybody shut up." Red ended the fight. "Now, we're gonna have a nice dinner. Eric, you try to be more like Steven."
★
As much as she loved hanging out with the boys, Marion always needed so girl time with Donna, and now Jackie. It was the same with all them. This is the time they could talk about anything that the boys wouldn't care about.
"So, my parents are, like, fighting all the time and they want me to choose sides." Donna complained. The three were all in the basement partially watching tv and partially talking. "But I can't because they're both idiots."
"So, what then?" Marion asked Donna.
"I don't know. I mean, I really think they're gonna get a divorce." Donna sighed.
"Oh, my god, Donna. I am so sorry." Jackie sympathized. "But you know what? That very thing happened to a good friend of mine... and now she has twice as much stuff and twice as much clothes. And, her parents even fought over who got to buy her a car." Jackie smiled, trying to make Donna's potential situation, better. But clearly that wasn't working.
"I mean, you're right, Jackie." Marion agreed sarcastically.
"Yea, I mean, this whole divorce thing could actually work to my advantage." Donna played along.
"Exactly!" Jackie agreed.
"Yeah, I just have to make it very clear that my love is contingent on how much they buy me." Donna added.
"Why am I even talking to you about this?" Jackie questioned, thinking she was right. "You have a great handle on it." Donna just stayed frozen in her spot as Jackie went back to watching tv.
"Hey, Jackie, when exactly did you lose your soul?" Marion questioned. Jackie sat up, thinking hard.
"Um, cheerleading camp." Jackie answered.
"That explains so much." Marion said to herself and Donna agreed. Everyone then turned back to the tv, but Donna, who just decided to suck the life out of Marion and Jackie.
"And they're arguing and arguing and arguing." Donna continued until Marion groaned and Jackie stopped Donna.
"Oh, no offense, Donna, but all this talk about your mom and dad fighting, well, it's boring me." Jackie said harshly.
"Really? Well, talking about your hair was fascinating." Donna shot back sarcastically.
"Donna, I get that you need to vent out all your frustrations, and I say do so, but please don't drag it out." Marion advised. Just then the girls heard Fez shouting from upstairs, and it wasn't you'd expect.
"Hold it by the thumbhole!"
"Okay, what are those idiots doing?" Jackie laughed.
"Something idiotic." Donna answered. The girls then tried going back to the tv, but the yelling increased.
"Let's go find out." Marion said, hopping out of her seat and racing up the stairs and into the kitchen, where she seen Kelso holding a bowling ball and Fez, Hyde and Eric behind the couch.
"Don't be such a baby. We just want to see how high it'll bounce." Kelso nagged, while Eric jumped on the brick ledge behind the couch. "Nothing bad can happen." He reassured.
"Okay. Forman, man, think. You are listening to Kelso. Don't do it." Hyde pleaded.
"Wait, wait, wait. Now you're telling me what to do?" Eric questioned, anger towards Hyde.
"Enough talk. Do it!" Fez shouted. At that moment. Eric held the bowling ball high into the air, before dropping it on the couch and watching it fall and bounce back up and finding it's place inside the tv. Everyone's mouths gaped open as they heard the glass shatter.
"See, I never even thought of that." Kelso spoke, breaking the silence. Just then, he, Fez, Donna and Jackie all left leaving Hyde, Eric and Marion in the room with the broken tv.
"Ah, maybe they won't notice." Hyde joked. Marion then walked up to the two.
"Red is going to kill you." She muttered before breaking out in a hysterical laughter. Hyde grabbed her waist and threw her over his shoulder while she was still laughing, and walked up the stairs to her bedroom.
Not an hour later, Kitty and Red got home and when Red sat down in his pea green chair and saw his smashed tv, he went ballistic. Eric, Hyde and Marion ran into the room after Red shouted for them and they all stood in front of the tv. Red demanded that Eric tell him what happened and so Eric did.
"Well, it took a really weird hop" Eric explained.
"Why would you drop a bowling ball on the couch?" Red questioned. "What good could come from it?"
"Well, ok. Hindsight being..."
"Eric" Red interrupted. "I don't want to hear anymore of your dumbass excuses. This is the most irresponsible, idiotic thing you have ever done." As Red was yelling at Eric, Eric's posture fell, knowing he was right.
"Actually, Red, I did it." Hyde lied.
"You?" Red questioned.
"Hyde, don't." Marion grabbed his arm, but Hyde just shook her hand away.
"No, no, no. Dad, Hyde's just covering for me. I did it." Eric spoke truthfully.
"Hey, Forman, stop. Red, it was me." Hyde argued.
"No, it was me." Eric argued back.
"It was me." Hyde gritted through his teeth.
"No, it was me." Marion spoke up.
"Oh, honey, I don't believe that." Kitty chuckled. Marion threw her hands in the air.
"I'm telling you, it was me." Eric said.
"Well, guess what? I don't care!" Red shouted.
"You're both idiots." Red shouted at Eric and Hyde. "And if you have to get a job digging ditches, you are gonna buy me a new tv. Now get out of my sight." Eric and Marion quickly agreed, making their way up the stairs, but Hyde stayed put before addressing Red properly and running up the stairs. Eric ran off into his room, but Hyde walked into Marion's.
"So now you know what it's like in a day of me." Marion joked. "Or Eric. Same thing, really."
★★★
publish date: july 4 2017
9k. wow. that's mind blowing. especially since in the past, my stories would never reach that kind of number.
thank you for all understanding that i needed to study for my diplomas last month. i hope the studying really paid off. i checked everyday here on wattpad and see all your votes and you adding this to your reading lists. i really appreciate it. so much.
also sorry for the delay on writing this chapter. i intended on writing this and publishing it on june 29 after my last and final exam, but i fell into a depression.
i started thinking about what would happen if i failed those diplomas and would i be able to get into my dream university or would i be able to find a job. also, i'm not in school no more and it's all i've ever known.
i'm still feeling very depressed, but i want to focus on something and writing is it. this is what i love to do.
thank you.
||hanna stark||
ps. please note that i am not at all in the slightest asking for attention. i just need to get it off my system and for me, that helps.