THE GARAGE SALE
•••
Everyone sat around the basement in their usual spots with the exception of Baby on Hyde's lap.
"Michael, I want you to take me to the movies." Jackie said as more of an instruction then wishful thinking.
"I'm way ahead of you. Two o'clock, Smokey and the Bandit!" Kelso said looking over the funnies in the newspaper.
"No, I already told you I don't want to see that again. I don't like the south." Jackie said slowly trying to get it through to him.
"Want to go see The Goodbye Girl?" Donna suggested.
"Well I would but it has two major flaws, no Smokey and no bandit." Eric grinned highfiving Kelso.
"Yeah plus isn't The Goodbye Girl a chick-flick?" Kelso asked.
"You moron," Hyde scoffed.
"Girls like to make out during chick-flicks." Bethany clarified.
"Well then I'm in!" Kelso cheered.
"Me too, I'll come and watch." Fez grinned.
Everyone looked at him concerned and creeped out.
Kitty and Red came in through the basement door,
"T-minus one hour until the garage sale! Oh I feel like an astronaut! Oh, Red remember how badly the twins wanted these roller skates. Oh the yo-yo and the potato gun."
"Yeah until Eric scrapped his knee and got too scared to use them." Baby teased.
"And when you shot me with the potato gun!" Eric recalled.
"Not my fault I'm such a good shot," Baby grinned.
"Yeah you two wasted a lot of my money," Red said disinterested.
"Damn us and our childhood." Eric said sarcastically.
"You know, Mrs. Forman I feel real bad. I mean you let me stay here and everything but I wish I had something to contribute to the garage sale." Hyde said.
"Oh, Steven your loving smile is contribution enough." Kitty said pinching his cheek, Baby pinching the other with a giggle.
"No it's not. You can start by keeping your hands off my daughter!" Red scolded. Baby jumped up from Hyde's lap immediately quickly sitting on the armrest on the other side of the couch.
"Then, run this upstairs." Red said throwing a box of stuff on Hyde's lap.
"You heard him, Kelso. Move it!" Hyde said tossing the box to him.
"Hey, dad, Donna and I were going to see The Goodbye Girl," he told their father.
"Yeah well I'm sure it's a great movie, Eric. But you're going to be helping with the garage sale. It's important." Red said.
"Oh right we're having a garage sale because you lost your jo— I mean because of all the clutter." Eric corrected himself after Bethany gave him a death glare.
"The gravy train has made its last stop." Red informed his son.
"Hold on, there was a gravy train?" Eric asked stupidly.
"Yep, and you missed it." Red smiled.
"Oh, Steven, I have a great idea! You could sell lemonade!" Kitty offered.
Hyde cringed, "Mrs. Forman, I've thrown rocks at kids with lemonade stands, and lord knows I hate a hypocrite."
"You could have a bake sale! Beth could help you bake something." Kitty suggested.
"That's a great idea, mom! Do you still have your brownie recipe? I think that could be a real hit." Bethany smiled innocently looking at Hyde hoping he got the message.
"Ah yes! We could make brownies, because people love brownies." Hyde stood up placing a hand on Baby's shoulder.
"No they don't," Eric said catching onto their plan.
"Oh, they love our brownies." Baby grinned looking up at Steven.
✽ ✾ ✽
"Oh Steven you're such a joy to have around the house. I can't believe your mother abandoned you." Kitty beamed as Steven took a tray of brownies from the oven as Baby mixed a bowl.
"Too soon, mama." Baby shook her head.
"Sorry," Kitty laughed nervously as she went into the living room.
"Boy I sure do love brownies," Kelso said. "Who has two thumbs and love brownies? This guy!" Kelso grinned pointing his thumbs towards himself.
"You were dropped as an infant weren't you?" Baby questioned looking at her stupid friend.
"Hyde! Baby!" Eric yelled coming into the kitchen, "I'm asking you not to make these brownies. I mean mom and dad are — way too fat!" Eric said as his mother walked into the room.
"Nice cover," Hyde nodded.
"You know what, Eric just leave them alone. This is how they are contributing to the garage sale, and I happen to know they put a secret ingredient in these brownies!" Kitty smiled.
"I told them not to!" Eric defended.
"Special ingredient?" Hyde asked nervously.
"Love!" Bethany laughed slightly looking towards the boys as if it were an obvious answer.
"Yes, love!" Kitty nodded.
"Mom, crazy Helen from across the street is switching price tags and Dad says he's gonna kick her in the keister." Laurie said with her hands on her hips as she walked in through the sliding door.
"Oh, no he'll do it too." Kitty rushed out to calm down her husband.
"Hi, Kelso," Laurie smiled walking over, she dipped her finger in the batter, "Oh look! Chocolate batter."
"Hey!" Bethany reached out to grab the bowl but Hyde stopped her.
"I wish I could finish all this chocolate off my finger." Laurie waved it in front of Kelso's face before sucking it off, "Oops! Guess I can." She smiled evilly before waving her fingers, "Bye!" She walked away leaving Kelso a drooling mess.
"Man I was so close!" Kelso yelled.
"God you can't make special brownies in our family kitchen!" Eric smacked his twin and Hyde on the arm.
"Why not? They aren't going to find out. Plus I feel like a badass," Baby grinned.
"You sure are, doll." Hyde smiled taking the bowl from her.
"Come on I'm serious." Eric whined.
"Look, Forman relax okay? We made special brownies and we also made regular brownies for the straight folk." Hyde said.
"Or losers," Bethany added.
"Yeah, one day I'm going to own a restaurant and everything's going to be special. And then when people ask me what's the special? I'm gonna say everything!" Michael said excitedly.
"You go, Michael!" Baby smiled dipping her finger into the batter as well.
✽ ✾ ✽
The brownie business was booming for Baby and Hyde. Steven was busy handing out brownies while Bethany helped keep things in order at the table and setting aside the last special tray of brownies in the kitchen.
"Daddy, can I go see The Goodbye Girl with Donna and Jackie?" She asked her father.
"Fine, but you're going to have to pay for your own ticket." Red said.
Bethany walked over to the brownie table, "Do you have three dollars you could spare?" She asked batting her eyelashes.
"Mhm," Hyde smiled not moving to give her any.
"May I please have the money? It was my idea and I did most of the baking." She reminded.
"Fine," He rolled his eyes handing her over the cash.
"Thank you," she kissed his cheek and took the cash from him walking over to meet the girls.
"We should get going." Bethany said.
"How come you get to go?" Eric complained.
"Cause I'm the favourite." Bethany grinned slinging her arm around Fez, "Come on, Fezzie let's hit it."
✽ ✾ ✽
At the movies, Bethany sat in between Donna and Fez holding the large popcorn in her lap that they were all sharing.
Fez leaned into her, Bethany turned assuming he was going to whisper something to her but their lips instantly connected.
At first she was surprised but then the shock slowly settled into blind confusing as she kissed him back.
It took her almost too long to realize what was actually going on.
"Oh my god!" Donna gasped.
She quickly pulled away and pushed Fez back, with wide eyes she said, "What the hell, Fez?!"
She quickly got up and ran out of the theatre.
✽ ✾ ✽
Baby pulled the door shut behind her as she stepped foot into the basement, still very much in a haze and her face bright red with embarrassment.
"Was the movie that bad?" Eric questioned.
"Huh?" Baby asked taking a seat in the folding lawn chair.
"How was the movie?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Fine." Bethany nodded staring at the ground in front of her.
"Well we're out of brownies but I think we're down another tray." Hyde said holding a wad of cash in his hands.
"Oh, here's your change." Bethany said snapping out of her trance. She pulled her change out of her pocket and handed it to Hyde.
"Wait you said you lost a tray of brownies?" Bethany asked with wide eyes.
"What kind of brownies?" Eric asked worriedly.
"Special." Hyde said biting his lip.
"Oh god," Beth said.
"Where did you leave them?" Eric and Hyde asked in horror.
"On the counter to cool down." Bethany said chewing her lip nervously.
"On our mother's counter?" Eric asked stupidly.
"No on the Duke of France's counter. Yes our mother's counter!" She said growing hostile.
The three bolted upstairs to check the kitchen for the lost tray of brownies.
"See kids, your brownies were a big hit!" Kitty giggled pointing at the half empty tray of special brownies.
Beth froze looking at the Pinciotti's and her parents gathered around the kitchen table.
✽ ✾ ✽
The girls sat in the basement talking about what happened at the movie theatre.
"I don't know why he'd kiss me! I thought we were just friends, plus he told me he had a thing for Jackie." Beth yelled in a whisper.
"Maybe he thought you were a little more than friends?" Donna suggested.
"Also, I'm totally out of his league." Jackie shrugged.
"I just can't believe he kissed you!" Donna exclaimed.
"Was it terrible?" Jackie asked.
"Uh...no it wasn't terrible. It was actually one of the best kisses of my life." Bethany admitted with a blush.
"Who was the best?" Donna pressed with a smile.
"Was it Danny?" Jackie asked.
Beth shook her head, "No, he was just okay. What a jerk." She rolled her eyes at the thought of him.
"What makes Fez so great then?" Jackie questioned.
"Well...you know how sometimes Fez rolls his Rs when he speaks? That's what he does when he kisses." Beth nodded.
"That sounds kind of cool!" Donna grinned.
"Wait, didn't you say you kissed Hyde?" Jackie recalled.
"Uh, I don't think I said I did." Baby bit her lip.
"But you've kissed him right?" Donna questioned.
Just before Baby could answer the boys walked down the steps into the basement.
"What are you guys talking about?" Hyde asked.
"Nothing —" Baby was cut off.
"We're talking about how Fez kissed Bethany." Jackie spoke up.
"Fez kissed you?" Eric and Hyde asked, flabbergasted.
"Jackie I hate you." Bethany groaned leaning her head back against the couch.
"Okay, we've got bigger problems then that. Dad sold the cruiser because he's all hopped up on your special brownies!" Eric yelled.
"Wait a minute, brownies? Your mom and dad are —" Jackie began laughing.
"Eric, can you roll your Rs?" Donna asked suddenly.
"What?" Eric asked getting sidetracked, "That's not the point. The point is, you dance with Mary Jane, you get your toes stepped on! Consequences my friend and my dear twin sister."
"Eric, what the hell is happening with Red?" Bethany asked again to clarify.
"The car's gone and he's as high as a kite." Eric sighed.
"Red's high as a kite?" Donna began to laugh.
"Hey, Ms. Smartmouth? Shut up, okay. Be quiet." Eric said.
Red came down the stairs, smiling ear to ear, "I remember who I sold the car to!"
"Who?" Beth asked nervously.
"I don't know but I remembered!"
"Come on, dad please think." Eric begged.
"Wait, maybe his name is on the cheque he gave me!" Red thought aloud.
"Yeah maybe it is!" Hyde nodded, Eric and him following Red upstairs.
Donna doubled over in a fit of laughter.
"Donna, your parents ate the brownies too." Bethany said breaking the news. Donna darted up the stairs, knocking over a chair.
"So did you kiss Hyde?" Jackie pressed.
"Ugh, Jackie I don't want to be telling you this. It's none of your business." Beth blushes running a hang through her hair.
"Beth, everything's my business." She shook her head as if Bethany was foolish to think otherwise, "Now, tell me."
Baby sighed, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked at the brunette with hopeful eyes and gave in, "Yeah we've kissed."
"Oh my god!" Jackie screeched, "When?"
"Uh the other night when he was going to leave for New York." Baby chewed on her lip.
"Wait, but at the pool party I thought you guys had kissed by then. Have you kissed more than once?" Jackie leaned forward.
"Yeah, the first time was the night of my birthday." Blush grew on Baby's face.
Jackie squealed,
"Jackie you can't tell anybody, okay?"
"I won't, I won't, I promise!" Jackie swore.
"Not a single word." She narrowed her eyes at her.
Jackie nodded, "So was he your best kiss?"
"Jackie!" Baby huffed.
"He totally was!"
"Not another word." Baby warned.
"But—"
"No!" The blonde sighed pulling a pillow over her red face in embarrassment.
✽ ✾ ✽
Bethany laid in her bedroom, entranced by her lava lamp that seemed much more interesting after eating a brownie.
Hyde and Eric took Red to get the car back and came back with ice cream, but of course not enough to share. She had put her mother to bed in hopes she'd sleep it off.
There was a quiet knock on her door and Baby sighed as she rolled off her bed to open it, "Mom, please just go to bed — oh, hey." She stopped when she opened the door to reveal a curly headed boy.
"We got the car back," Hyde told her.
"Hallelujah," Baby said leaning against her doorframe.
"So..." Hyde said rocking on his heels, "You kissed Fez?"
"More like he kissed me," Baby corrected.
"But he wasn't your best kiss?" Hyde questioned.
She shook her head, "No but he's up there."
"Who's your best?" Hyde asked leaning against her doorframe as well.
Baby shrugged, "I don't know, I can't remember." She teased.
"Was it that disco douchebag?"
Baby shook her head, "He was like kissing a trout."
"Hmm, so if it wasn't him and it wasn't Fez, who could it possibly be?" He smirked.
"I told you, I can't remember." She smiled sweetly.
"Allow me to refresh your memory." Hyde smirked leaning down.
Bethany raised her hand stopping him short, "What makes you so sure it's you?" She smirked.
Hyde rolled his eyes pulling her inside her room, closing the door and leaning her back against, "Come on, doll stop messing around."
She rolled her eyes and pulled him down to kiss her. They kissed for a few moments before Baby decided to try and roll her Rs.
Hyde pulled away with an astonished look on his face, definitely impressed, "Woah, what was that?"
"Just some new moves I learned," Baby smirked.
Hyde let out a breath, "Damn."
He leaned down and kissed the small blonde again.