Gghe old tiny house was almost unrecognizable now.
The original seven-hundred-square-foot structure was still there, but the
extension transformed it completely. The house was wider, cleaner, and
looked far more modern than anything else in the neighborhood.
Red and black aluminum siding wrapped around the exterior with clean white
trims around the windows.
Unlike the older houses around Point Place, the walls looked perfectly flat and
insulated instead of thin and uneven. It also has a brick chimney.
A two-car garage sat attached to the side of the house with a smooth concrete
driveway leading up to it. That's where we parked our cars.
"Hoo." Red was slightly amazed. "You used a diferent roof."
The metal roof immediately stood out too.
Most houses around town still used asphalt shingles, but this one had dark
charcoal steel panels that reflected the morning sunlight slightly. It also has a
skylight and solar panel up there.
"It looks quite European." Eric commented.
The brick path, and the porch floor were also made of brick.
The front porch stretched across the entrance with thick wooden posts and
black iron railings. There was enough room for chairs and a small table
outside.
The landscaping wasn't fancy, but it looked neat. Fresh grass. Stone borders.
A couple bushes near the porch. Red mulch.
"Let's see the inside." I unlocked the front door.
Cool air immediately greeted us as we stepped inside.Ron and Andy were still working near the kitchen, finishing the trim and
installing one of the light fixtures. The kitchen was in a separate room as the
house wasn't an open concept.
"Morning." I greeted them.
"Hyde." Ron nodded grufly. His mustache somehow looked thicker today. "It's
ready now."
I nodded and started walking around the house.
Even without furniture, the place already looked amazing.
Sunlight poured through the larger windows, reflecting softly against the
hardwood floors. The entire house smelled like fresh wood, paint, and
construction dust.
Mrs.. Forman gasped the moment she entered the kitchen.
"Oh my god."
The backsplash behind the counters curved like overlapping scales in glossy
green tile.
"What are these?" she asked while touching them carefully.
"Fish scale tiles." I replied casually.
"It's lovely."
Then she noticed the stove and froze completely.
The thing looked massive compared to normal seventies ovens, with gold
accents, multiple burners, and double ovens finished in dark jade green.
"…Steven." Mrs.. Forman looked genuinely emotional. "This kitchen is nicer
than mine." She laughed excitedly and said, "You have two ovens. We should
host Thanksgiving at your house!"Meanwhile, Red wandered off to inspect the rest of the house with a stoic
face.
Of course the first thing he checked was the bathroom. As men, we were
drawn to that place first.
Warm handmade tiles covered the walls while darker tiles lined the floor. The
bathroom wasn't huge, but everything looked clean, modern, and strangely
expensive.
"Hm." Red grunted approvingly.
That was basically a standing ovation from him.
"Hyde! This place is amazing!" Eric said excitedly. "We can definitely have
parties–"
He froze as Red gave him a solemn look.
"Nevermind." He shrugged it off and rushed to check out the other room.
We eventually made our way into the master bedroom in the new extension.
The room felt huge compared to the old house.
Large windows flooded the bedroom with natural light while the hardwood
floor reflected the morning sun softly.
It had a walk-in closet and a large attached bathroom.
The master bathroom immediately caught everyone's attention.
Double sinks. A giant shower. An enamel bathtub. Hand-made tiles on the
walls and Moroccan tiles on the floor.
Glass blocks near the wall let sunlight pour inside while still keeping privacy.
Laurie stared at the house with jealousy.
"So when are you going to move out?" She snapped at me.I shrugged and said, "I have no idea."
"Laurie!" Mrs. Forman scolded her before turning to me. "Steven, the house is
nice, but there's still a lot of things you need to do… slowly." She whispered at
the end.
"You don't even have a bed yet." She added. "No fridge, no TV– I know how
much you boys love TV."
I nodded and said, "Yeah. We can put in cable." I slapped Forman's arm
lightly.
He beamed up and said, "Yes! We can do that–"
"WE HAVE CABLE AT OUR HOUSE!" Mrs. Forman shouted loudly. Red was
taken aback and asked, "We do?"
"We do Red Forman! I think it's time for us to install cable at our place!" Mrs.
Forman said anxiously. She laughed awkwardly and said, "Why don't we go
back home now and let these good people go to work? I'm sure we're
bothering them."
"Actually, we need to talk to Hyde." Ron interjected.
Mrs. Forman was anxious and said, "What– What for? He can't move in right
now! There's still so much he doesn't know! How can he live alone without
anyone to take care of him?!"
"Kitty." Red hugged her sideways and led her away from me.
Ron finally spoke after she was gone.
"I called Jerry to come take a look at the house."
"You want to get a quote?" I asked with understanding.
He nodded and said, "If he's impressed by it, we can sell the other houses
much easier.""You want to build word of mouth huh?" I nodded slightly. "Alright, let him take
a look at your work. We can sell the Victorian house in Shelton Road in two
weeks, right?"
They nodded and said, "The house is in the best shape compared to the other
ones we bought."
"Good. Sell it, and I can finally stop paying the labor cost out of pocket." I
muttered with a smirk.
"What about the house with the pool?" Andy asked.
"I'm keeping it for now. Since my workers love that place. They want to borrow
it for family and romantic getaways."
I paused and said, "However, since the house was supposed to be sold. I'll
add the hypothetical profit margin into the company account. So let Jerry
appraise that house too."
Andy smiled and said, "On it."
After speaking with the contractors, Red pulled me aside. Mrs. Forman and
Laurie were already in the car. Eric was teasing Laurie about going to her job
from the window.
"Your father stopped by yesterday." Red said grufly.
My mood immediately soured. "What does he want?"
I felt like lighting up a cigarette whenever Red mentioned my dad, but at the
same time, I'd probably get a foot in the ass by him if he caught me smoking.
Red shrugged. "Apartment's kicking him out."
"And?" I raised an eyebrow.
"And I loaned him some money."
I stared at him with disbelief and rubbed my face in frustration. "Why?""Because I felt like it."
"Red, he's never paying you back." Annoyed, I clenched my fist slightly.
"Then I guess I'm out a few bucks." Red shrugged.
"You don't understand. The Hydes are white trash. Every one of them is a
disaster waiting to happen." I said clearly.
Red snorted.
"Kid, I know your family better than you do. I have known them for a decade
before you were even born."
"Then why'd you give him money?" I asked anxiously.
"Actually, he didn't ask." Red said casually.
I paused. "...What?"
"He came to give you this."
Red handed me an envelope. I looked down at my name written on the front
but I didn't take it. He understood it and put it back into his jacket pocket.
"Then why'd you give him money?"
"Because he looked like hell."
I rolled my eyes. "You're getting soft."
"Don't push it." He looked angrily.
We stood there quietly for a moment.
Then Red spoke again. "Your old man said something before he left."
I sighed. "What now?"
Red scratched the back of his neck. "Some nonsense about changing his life.""That's it?"
"Pretty much."
"You're lying."
"Fine." Red rolled his eyes. "He said he was proud of you."
I froze.
Red immediately looked annoyed. He definitely didn't want to talk about this. It
wasn't in his character to speak for someone he hated.
"The idiot saw what you've done with the garage. The businesses. The house.
Apparently that got through his thick skull. Said if you could turn your life
around, maybe he could too."
I went silent for a bit. I really wanted to smoke now.
Red slapped my shoulder. "People screw up, Steven. You did too. A lot of
times. But if he's trying to take responsibility, maybe he's trying."
"I–"
I wanted to say that I didn't receive any help when I was trying to build my
business. But Bob, Red, everyone else had truly helped me at that time.
I grumbled in annoyance while Red scofed.
"Look at that time. Don't you need to go to Kenosha now? Or do you want to
be late on your first day of shooting?" Red said grufly.
I checked my watch and said, "Yeah. I need to go now. Thanks, Red."
"What about the letter–"
"Keep it. I don't think I have it in me not to immediately burn it if I have it now."
I chuckled and left."I don't want to hold on to it too." Red complained.
During my drive to Kenosha, I wanted to smoke, but Ophelia stopped me.
"What are you going to do if the smoke messed with my voice?" She scolded
me.
"Fine." I sighed and put the cigarette back into my pocket. The conversation
with Red lingered in my head during the drive, but it wasn't for long because
Ophelia began shooting a barrage of questions at me."
"What is the character's motivation? She's taking a bribe for the play, but
why?"
I turned to her with disbelief and said, "You don't even have a scene today.
Why are you coming with me?"
…
In Kenosha, filming began immediately after I arrived. The actors had already
learned their lines, and we started shooting the first skit on the basement set.
The skirt skit.
"Just have fun with it." I told the actors as I sat in the director's chair.
The actors were amateurs, so they struggled with their comedic delivery. I
focused entirely on this one skit today, repeating takes until they felt
comfortable with the material.
"Is this okay?" Buddy Morgan asked nervously. "I feel like we keep screwing
up."
I looked at the boys I'd cast for the scene and said, "I think it's because you
guys just met. Maybe we need an icebreaker to build some chemistry."
"Let's have a party!" Kelso shouted immediately.
"No." I rejected the idea instantly. "We just need to play a few games together."I sat them down in a circle in between takes.
"It's a simple ice breaker game." I looked at the nervous boys. Kelso, who
played the role of the wildcard. Buddy Morgan, who's the straight man and
also the main character the story centered around.
Bart, who played the eccentric rich friends.
The silent kid– a new actor who has a rich voice. His name is Danny Dunham.
He has freckles on his face, quite tall, and has a short haircut compared to
everyone else.
Tifany, who played Kelso's sister.
And lastly Ophelia.
"It's called Two truths, one lies. We'll play 3 rounds. Each of us will participate.
The characters in the movie are childhood friends, so you need to understand
each other's character to gain the chemistry a lifelong friend should have." I
explained.
Buddy's eyes lit up and he said, "I know the game. People play it a lot on the
CB radio."
Kelso chuckled and said, "He actually created that to pick up chicks."
"Really?" Everyone was surprised by the revelation.
Ophelia's eyes flickered with intrigue. "To pick up girls huh? So did you get
them?"
"Yup." I replied vaguely. "Now, let's play. I'll go first. 'I have met with the
PlayPen founder and he ofered me a job as a bodyguard at his mansion'.
Second, 'I have lost a tooth from a bike accident'. And lastly, 'My encounter
with an actress in LA is being made into a movie by her'."
Ophelia gasped slightly as she heard the statements.
"That's such a crazy life you're living if– Wait, Playpen founder… Actress…
One of them is the truth. Since there's only… one lie." Tifany also was bafled."Maybe it's the two crazy ones." Ophelia held her chin and thought about it
carefully. "I feel like it could be the two crazy ones."
Kelso said suddenly, "I know the answer, should I say it now?"
"No. Let everyone else guess it." I stopped him.
"The answer is, two … I guess one?" Buddy Morgan answered. "That tooth
story seems ordinary, and I don't think you can influence someone that much
for them to obsessively make a movie about it."
"Wrong!" Kelso shouted before anyone else could guess. "He still has all of his
teeth!"
"Wait. Really?" Ophelia was shocked. "She made a movie?"
"Yeah. It's called Encounter. It will be released soon." I told them with a smirk.
"Now, you see how interest is created here? Then we can learn about each
other. So who wants to go next?" I asked them.
The game went on for an hour. The cast was visibly relaxed after the
ice-breaker session.
We shot more footage after that, repeating and reshooting a scene till the
actors could get the character's voice.
I helped them with every detail of their character. How they should react. What
facial expression they should have. Even the character motivation.
Ophelia smirked and said, "This reminds me of the first project. You gave us a
really specific direction there too."
"That's why I'm the director." I smirked.
To a normal director, five hours of footage would've cost thousands of dollars
in film stock and processing.
But since I was secretly shooting everything digitally, it didn't cost me
anything.So even when the actors messed up repeatedly, it didn't really bother me.
'This is also why I couldn't hire a cinematographer.'
In L.A., union rules usually forced directors to work with a cinematographer.
It made sense. A Hollywood director already had a thousand things to worry
about, so having someone else handle the camera let them focus on the
actors.
My studio operated diferently. Since I wasn't registered with any guilds, I
could direct, shoot, edit, and even handle the efects myself.
If the union guys found out, they'd probably have a stroke. I looked back at the
set.
'Still...'
Five hours of footage. Any normal production would've burned through a small
fortune by now.
The moment I hired a real cinematographer, I'd have to switch back to film.
Then every take would cost money. Every mistake would cost money. Every
joke that didn't land would cost money.
'Maybe I should hire one anyway. I also need a professional writer.'
The thought lingered in my head as I turned to Donna.
She caught my eyes and snapped, "What? Are you going to fire me?"
"I'm thinking about it."
"You little–"
She rolled up the script and almost hit me with it but Eric pulled her back.'For the racing movie, let's hire a professional writer and cinematographer.
That way I can work on two projects at once.'
I contacted Patty during lunch break and told her about the whole thing. The
budget would go a bit higher, but I have some money to burn.
We finished up the shooting for today. 8 hours of shooting, 5 minutes of
footage.
"Although we are taking our time here, the actors could find their own voice in
the skit. So the next shooting will be much faster."
"Hyde. Let's play another game! The werewolf game again!" Kelso said
excitedly as he sat in a circle with the other actors.
"Go pick up Jackie and Fez!" I scolded him. "And everyone else, go home! I'm
closing up shop!"
All of the actors groaned in disappointment.
Patty came to the set after the shooting had finished, bringing a team of
builders with her.
"Steven. Meet Jackson." She introduced me to the African-American man
standing next to her. He's quite burly, and has an afro.
"Are you the builder?" I asked him with intrigue.
He smiled and said, "Yes. I have 10 years of experience building sets in L.A."
"Then why are you here?" I asked abruptly.
Jackson looked away for a moment. Patty answered for him.
"Because he's black."
"That's direct." I retorted with disbelief.
"You asked." Patty shrugged. "Ten years building sets. Half the guys above
him learned from him. Guess who got promoted instead?"Jackson rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He called softly, "Patty."
"What? Am I wrong?" She said tauntingly.
He sighed, "No."
I smiled and said, "Alright. I've heard enough. Nice to meet you Jackson." I put
my hand towards him.
"Nice to meet you boss." He shook my hand firmly. I could sense the callous in
his hand.
"We need a school stage for the next shoot. Tomorrow's shooting will be
mostly outdoor, so you'll have the time you need."
I gave him a few materials and told him what I wanted. And then, I gave him a
key to the place.
Taken aback, he asked, "Are you sure?"
"Why not? You're my employee now, aren't you?" I looked at him with
confusion.
He went silent for a bit before replying, "I'll make sure to repay your trust in
me."
"Don't be so formal. I hate that sort of thing." I cringed.
I smirked and left with the others. In the car, Tifany asked me whisperingly,
"Are you not afraid of him stealing from the studio?"
I shrugged and said, "I trust Patty's eyes. She won't recommend a bad person
to me."
Ophelia smiled softly and her gaze were looking at me with intrigue.
After sending the girls home, I returned to the Forman's house. As I got into
the living room, I saw everyone there, circling the cofee table."What's going on?" I asked casually.
Mrs. Forman turned to me with a pale expression. "Steven Hyde? Do you…
have a daughter?"
I paused for a few seconds. "What?" I asked, confused.
Laurie, Red, Eric, and Donna slowly moved from the cofee table, revealing a
tiny baby inside a car seat.
The baby blinked at me curiously. And then she smiled, waving her arms
around, as if wanting me to pick her up.
"What the hell?"
I walked towards the baby and turned to Mrs. Forman, "How did you get the
baby?"
"She was left in front of our door. With this letter." Mrs. Forman gave me a
card.
[Hyde. I can't take it anymore. I'll leave Jacklyn to you. – Ruby]
"Ruby?" I was confused. "I never slept with a 'Ruby' before?"
The baby grabbed the edge of my shirt slightly and pulled it softly.
I looked down at the lump of flesh and stared at her with confusion.
"What the hell is going on?"
[System: NEW EPISODE START!]Chapter 121: Baby.
[Hyde POV]
Eric, Laurie, Donna and I sat on the living room couch together. Laurie was
watching TV and was annoyed by the sound of the baby's voice.
"Is this entrapment?" Eric asked as he read the note. He furrowed his
eyebrows, "I really don't remember you going out with a Ruby before."
He gave me the card back. The baby was fussy so Mrs. Forman was cradling
her.
"I know right?" I scofed slightly.
I'd need to do a DNA test to figure out if the baby's mine.
"Maybe because people know you're rich now, so they are trying to unload
their children to you." Eric added.
I nodded in agreement with him.
"The only girl that could give me the child is Victoria. And she's not pregnant
last time I saw her." I mumbled.
"Why don't you think back about all the girls you dated before?" Donna asked
disdainfully. She whispered underneath her breath, loud enough for me to
hear, but not enough for the Formans to hear. "Whore."
I threw my hands up in disbelief.
Red cleared his throat and asked me, "So. Steven. Which poor lady have you
knocked up with your bastard child? Did you figure that out yet?"
Eric and Donna were shocked. I snifed slightly and said, "Not sure. She
looked to be around 5-6 months old, right Mrs. Forman?"Mrs. Forman laughed and said, "Yes! She is. Red. I think she's hungry. We're
going to need some milk, and also new diapers, a pacifier, a few clothes– We
have a lot to do! Red, come on! The store will close if we don't go there now!"
"Kitty! We still don't know if that's really his child!" Red said begrudgingly.
"So you want her to sit in her own filth till we figure it all out?" Kitty said firmly.
Red sighed and said, "Fine." He stood up from his chair and warned me, "You
better figure this out soon. I'm not going to take care of another baby!"
"I guess this is a bad time to tell you." Laurie spoke up, holding her stomach
slightly. Red froze immediately, his face paled. "WHAT?!"
Laurie burst into laughter and said, "I'm just messing around."
"That's also going to be how you get pregnant." Eric quipped. Laurie turned to
him and stuck her tongue out mockingly.
Red clutched his heart. Kitty grabbed him and said, "We need to go now, Red
Forman!"
It's a small town. We didn't have a store that opened after 9. It's already 8.30.
"Are you going to leave the baby here?" Eric was startled. "Who's going to
take care of her?"
"Laurie will." Kitty replied.
"ME?" Laurie was taken aback. "But Mommy–"
"No buts. I'm sure you can handle looking after a baby for just half an hour.
Oh, Eric, Donna. Why don't you go in the basement and take out some baby
stuff there? Swaddles, and some pajamas."
"What about Hyde? It's his daughter?!" Laurie complained.
"I have the biggest job of all." I said."What?" Laurie turned to me angrily.
"I need to find her a mom." I smirked.
"Laurie, the baby needs changing." Mrs. Forman ordered her quickly.
"But mom!" Laurie was taken aback.
"I'll give you 20 bucks." I told her.
She paused and said, "Fine. I'll do anything for 20 bucks."
Eric paused and quipped, "That's how you end up with a baby."
Laurie cradled the baby while I browsed through an online store.
'I don't think Mrs. Forman would make it to the store. It's better for me to buy it
myself.'
"I'm going out for a bit." I told Laurie.
"Going to get milk for 18 years?" Laurie teased.
"Maybe." I shrugged slightly.
She scowled at me and said, "Make sure you leave me the money before you
go!"
I sat in the car and pretended to drive off somewhere.
"Baby Formula is definitely the most important thing. I should ask ChatGPT…
What else should I get for the baby?"
ChatGPT gave me a list.
Feeding:
Similac Advance Formula. 8 tubs ~$35 each: $280
Gerber Baby Food Variety Pack (Apples, Pears, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Peas,
Bananas, Oatmeal Cereal, Rice Cereal), 48 jars total: $702 Baby cereal bowls. $10
6 Baby spoons. $10
Diapering:
Pampers Swaddlers ( Size 3) 4 large boxes, 168 diapers each, 672 diapers
total: $220
Pampers Sensitive Wipes, 12 packs: $45
Desitin Rash Cream, 2 tubes: $15
Portable changing pad: $20
Clothing:
10 Carter's Onesies, 10 Carter's Sleepers, 10 Carter's Pants, 10 pair of socks,
10 pairs baby mittens, 4 pairs Light jacket.
Total: ~$150
Sleeping:
Graco Pack-N-Play Portable Crib: $80
Crib Sheets: $30
Baby Blankets: $40
Sleep Sacks: $35
Bathing:
2 bottles Johnson's Baby Shampoo: $12
2 bottles Johnson's Baby Wash: $12
Hooded Towels: $25
Baby Washcloths: $15
Bottles & Accessories:
Philips Avent Bottles: $50
Bottle Brush: $10
Bottle Drying Rack: $15
Formula Dispenser: $10
Comfort:
Philips Avent Pacifiers (4-pack): $12Teething Toys: $20
Teddy Bear: $15
Mobility:
Stroller: $250
Baby Carrier: $140
Adding some medical supplies, such as baby tylenol, digital thermometer, and
baby first aid, the total of the entire expenses ballooned up to $1900.
"Babies are expensive. Even the diapers are just for one month?"
My eyes widened as I saw all of the items in my online store. I still bought it
and paid for an express delivery so I could get it within 20 minutes.
Once the stuff was delivered, I returned home to pick it all up.
…
Mrs. Forman was panicking when I returned home. She held the baby in her
hand, cradling her with concern. Eric and Donna were hovering, looking at the
baby and whispering with each other.
Her eyes lit up as she saw me, "Steven! The store is already closed. But don't
worry. I'm going to call my friend Mary. Her baby's 2 years old now, so I think I
can ask for some help–"
"Don't worry Mrs. Forman. I got some stuff for her." I said casually.
"Really?" She was shocked. "What did you get?"
"Yeah Hyde. What did you get?" Eric asked skeptically.
"Can you go to my car and bring it all out?" I told him.
"Why can't you do it?" He said with disbelief.
"Eric!" Mrs. Forman scolded him."Fine." He gave up and went to my car. "Donna, he's going to need you."
"God, how much stuff did you buy?" Donna said with frustration.
They came back a few minutes later, with both of their hands full.
"Four boxes of diapers? Really?" Eric said sarcastically.
"Forman, if I didn't see that it's a diaper box, I would think that you're a really
strong dude." I teased him.
"Thank you. I managed to do 5 pushups yesterday… Okay fine. 4 and a half."
He played along and arranged all of the stuff on the kitchen table.
Red came to the kitchen and saw everything. "Nope!" He complained
immediately. "We're not raising a baby in this house!"
Mrs. Forman ignored him completely.
"Aww, who's ready for a bath~" She said in a singy-songy voice and picked up
the baby. "Steven, do you have a shampoo–"
"I have a baby bath and baby shampoo." I gave her both of the products. Then
I added, "Baby towel, rubber ducky, head cap–"
"Why did you buy so much stuf?" Eric was flabbergasted. He whispered, "Is
she really your daughter?"
"I don't know. I don't want her to be uncomfortable. I mean, she's a baby." I
shrugged slightly.
Mrs. Forman grinned tearfully and said, "You just knew her for less than an
hour, but you're already stepping up to take care of her."
Donna laughed teasingly and said, "Yeah Hyde. You're so quick to step up, it's
like you already know she's coming here today."
I grimaced and said, "There's no conspiracy afoot here. I don't even think I
have lost my virginity yet when she's being conceived. It's quite impossible for
me to be her dad.""Well, it's not that impossible. Remember your ex? The one who got stolen by
your uncle? What's her name again?" Eric struggled to remember.
"Her name's Jasmine. Not Ruby." I replied. "Wait." I remembered something.
"Jasmine is her stage name. Could it be that… she's Ruby?"
"Stage name? Is she an actor?" Mrs. Forman was curious.
"No." I replied warily.
"A celebrity?" She asked again.
"No?"
"Then why does she have a stage name?" She asked again.
"Um… She's… an exotic dancer." Eric replied on my behalf.
Mrs. Forman paused for a bit and blurted out, "YOU DATED A STRIPPER?!"
"She's not a stripper." I replied with a grin. "She's a belly dancer."
Mrs.. Forman's jaw dropped immediately.
…
"So we need to find her contact number. Or, find your uncle." Eric said as we
went to the basement.
I held the baby in my arm, feeding her a bottle of milk and patting her softly so
she'd go to sleep.
"Shh. Slow down." Donna scolded Eric.
Eric whispered, "Am I the only one who's worried about this? That's… a baby!"
"Yeah. So?" I asked, not getting it.
He threw his hands back and said, "It means, it's illegal. She has no identity,we don't know where she came from. What if that baby is a kidnapped baby?"
"Then we're all going to jail." I muttered.
Donna asked, "Hyde. Do you really not keep contact with anyone from your
family?"
"No." I shook my head slightly. "They are always on the run, or in prison, so… I
don't even have their address."
"What about your grandma?" Eric asked.
"Dead." I replied casually.
"Grandpa?"
"Also dead."
"Damn." Eric cursed defeatedly.
Suddenly, Fez and Kelso came into the basement.
"HYDE! SHOW ME THE BABY!" Kelso shouted, but Donna and Eric
immediately grabbed him and cupped his mouth.
"Mmmph–" Kelso let out a confused mufled voice.
"Shut up, the baby's finally going to sleep!" Donna scolded him.
Fez held a tiny glass jar and said, "Eric. Tell your mom the new snacks are
really good."
"Fez! That's food for the baby!" Eric snatched the jar away from him.
"Oh. So I shouldn't have eaten two of those in the kitchen." Fez said
nervously.
I grimaced and said, "That'll be 3 bucks each."
Fez widened his eyes in shock. "For little food?!""Hey, baby stuff ain't cheap." I quipped. "If I don't charge you, how else am I
going to raise the baby?" I pointed at him with a sly face.
Fez tearfully took out his wallet and gave me the money.
"What's the baby's name?" Kelso asked.
"It's Jackie." Eric grinned.
"Jackie's so adorable." I said, poking at the sleeping baby's fat cheek.
Suddenly, the older Jackie came to the basement. Fully grinning, she said
smugly, "Oh Hyde. I heard that! You finally come to your senses."
I paused and looked at her with disbelief. Then, a good idea came to mind.
"Jackie's also fat."
"What did you say?!" Jackie snapped angrily.
"Chubby cheek, chunky hand. Drooling as she sleeps. Rough hair." I added.
Jackie gasped, fully ofended. "I'm not fat at all! And I don't have chubby
cheeks! My face is angular, and it's also small! And my hair is perfect! It's also
so smooth! Touch it!"
"But your mouth is so big though." Eric added.
Jackie stomped on his feet immediately.
"Ow—"
Donna cupped Eric's mouth before he could scream in pain.
"Jackie, meet Jacklyn. She's the Jackie Hyde is speaking about." Donna
introduced her to the baby.
"Ohhhh." Jackie exclaimed in relief. Then she kicked my shin."Ack– You little–"
She stuck her tongue out at me. "You never call a lady fat, not even a baby
lady!" Jackie said firmly.
Kelso laughed and said, "So Hyde. Tell us the truth. Who did you knock up?"
"I'm not so sure yet." I replied. "Maybe it's Ruby."
"The belly-dancer?" Kelso was shocked. Then he laughed, "Didn't she cheat
on you with your uncle?"
"Yup." I nodded. "I think this is their baby. The timeline didn't add up if it's my
baby."
"Where is the baby going to sleep?" Donna asked suddenly.
"In my room. Since she's my daughter for now." I replied to her.
The older Jackie furrowed her eyebrows. "So are you going to marry someone
soon? I don't think I want to have a baby in High school."
"Even if I'm marrying someone, it's definitely not going to be you." I grimaced.
Forman chuckled and asked seriously, "So. What will your plans be? If you
really have to take care of her?"
"I don't know. Find a live-in nanny. Someone needs to take care of her while
I'm at work." I replied with annoyance. "Go hang somewhere else. You guys
are disturbing the baby."
"No! Steven, if you're going to raise her, we need to have a serious talk about
our future!" Jackie said as she was dragged away by Donna.
Mrs. Forman came to the basement with a spring in her steps. "Oh my, she's
already asleep. Why don't I bring her to my room? I already set up a crib
there."
"It's fine Mrs. Forman. I think she's going to sleep with me. My room also has
a crib." I told her.Mrs. Forman was visibly disappointed. She tried to walk away, but she paused
and turned to me again.
"Are you sure?" She asked."Taking care of a baby is really hard work!"
"If I can't handle it, I'll call for you." I said casually. She still hovered around the
area, reluctant to part ways with the baby. She grabbed the baby's blanket and
kissed the baby on the forehead.
"Alright then. But I'm going to be just a few meters away if you need
something." She grabbed my arm and squeezed it. "Don't forget! Call me as
fast as you can if you need anything!"
"Okay Mrs. Forman." I replied.
She walked away, paused and then gave me a kiss on the top of my head.
"I'm so proud of you, Steven."
And so, a few days passed by as I began taking care of a young infant child.
…
Taking care of a baby turned out to be a nightmare. The first night, she woke
up at two in the morning.
Then four.
Then six.
"Apparently, babies operate on a schedule specifically designed to destroy
sleep." I grimaced.
Mrs. Forman caught me making cofee at six-thirty in the morning.
She looked at the dark circles under my eyes and smiled. "Rough night?"
"I think she's trying to kill me." I yawned. "But I'm honestly quite worried about
her.""What's wrong?" she asked.
"She's adapted really well. So I guess she grew up in an environment where
there were a lot of people around. But she's also, how do I say this, not
attached? Wouldn't she be crying for her mother by now?"
Mrs.. Forman paused for a moment.
"Usually, babies her age do." She looked toward the living room thoughtfully.
"Especially if they've spent most of their time with one person."
I frowned slightly. "But she doesn't seem to care who's holding her."
"That doesn't mean she doesn't care." Mrs.. Forman replied softly.
"Sometimes babies adapt because they have to."
I looked down at my cofee quietly.
"I already took a day off today. So you can take some rest. I'll take over from
now on." She said giddily.
"That'd be a great help." I yawned. "Also, I'm going to need Forman to drive
me to work today."
Eric was still sleeping in his room. He wanted a day of, but his wish couldn't
be granted today.
…
Days passed by in a hurry. It's already Sunday afternoon.
I didn't take a day off today for filming, but I only did it for half a day.
From making milk to giving the baby a shower, I learned a lot of baby stuff
from Mrs. Forman. Red was urgently trying to find my uncle since he didn't
want to be the one to take care of the baby.
The baby still slept with me at night. I didn't even put her in the crib, and she
slept next to me.I knew that Forman had some scenes, and Mrs. Forman also had some TV
scenes, but I was honestly too tired to care right now.
My mind was hazy from all of the babies crying at night. But whenever she
laughed or smiled, it felt like a huge reward.
"I guess this is why people are making babies." I muttered as I brought the
baby with me to play poker with the guys in the basement.
Eric snickered and said, "I thought it's the process of making babies that allure
people in."
"Yeah it's 18 years of responsibility for 18 seconds of pleasure." Kelso added
while he ate a lollipop.
"So you can only last 18 seconds?" I teased.
"No– 18 minutes– NO! EIGHTEEN HOURS!" He said loudly.
Fez looked dissatisfied and said, "Jackie didn't even look at me. She pretends
like she doesn't even know who I am when you're around."
Everyone looked at him and asked, "Which Jackie?"
"Little Jackie." Fez complained. "Also Big Jackie." He turned to me and said,
"By the way. Jackie asked me to tell you that little Jackie should be called
Lynn from now on."
"I don't want to." I scofed.
Little Jackie looked at the cards curiously but since she was swaddled, she
couldn't reach her hands out to grab it.
"Shouldn't you put her to sleep now?" Eric asked.
"Yeah. I think I should." I said as I picked up a children's book next to me.
"Little Jackie. We're going to read Dr Seuss's book today. It's called, Oh! The
Places You'll Go."Fez clapped his hands and said, "Oh goodie-goodie! Storytime!"
Even Kelso was excited by it. "The last book is really good!"
"You just like it because it's about a monkey." Forman insulted him.
"Hey! The monkey's name is George! Show some respect!" Kelso snapped
back.
{"Oh, the Places You'll Go! Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to
Great Places! You're off and away! You have brains in your head."}
I read it out loud, and the baby was more interested in eating the book than
listening to it.
{"You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the who'll
decide where to go."}
I paused slightly and patted the baby slowly. The poem resonated with me
more than I thought it would.
{"You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em with care. About some you'll say, 'I
don't choose to be there'."
"With your head full of brain, and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go
down any not-so-good street."}
I continued reading the story. The adventures of the kid who went places.
{"Everyone is just waiting. Waiting for the fish to bite."}
{"Or waiting for the wind to fly a kite."}
{"Or waiting around for Friday Night."}
{"Or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake."}
{"Or a pot to boil, or a Better Break."}{"Or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants. Or a wig of curls…"} I paused before
saying, {"Or Another Chance."}
The words lingered in my head for a moment. It felt like my entire life had
been built on them.
'Another Chance…'
I looked down at the baby. Little Jackie had already fallen asleep halfway
through the story.
I wanted to stop reading, but Fez said excitedly, "And then? What happened
next!"
"Continue the story!" Kelso shouted whisperingly.
Red came down the stairs before I could do that.
"Steven. I found your uncle." He said cheerfully.
I wrapped my arm around the baby a bit harder subconsciously.
My forehead vein popped up, and I gnashed my teeth. My blood boiled.
"Really? You found him?"