Whole of The Moon - s.h - book 2

four.

I spoke. They know I'm here. "Did you hear that?" Hyde asks. "It sounded like Erin."

Kelso laughs. "You miss her that much you can hear her in your head." He makes ghost sounds imitating me. "I'm Erin. Hyde you're in big trouble--"

"No it was me you dillholes." I say as I begin to walk down the basement steps. "I came back."

Kelso and Eric hug me with excitement while Hyde just sits there. I smile towards him and he smiles back.

---

The basement. Eric, Fez, Hyde, and Kelso and I are sitting around getting high.

Eric smiles holding up his newly obtained promise ring. "Ah, the ring of love. Just holding it makes me feel mellow, and content. Actually, that might not be the ring."

"Why is everybody but Fez in love? If I don't get some romance soon I'm
going to give myself a blister. Well...another blister."

I cringe at Fez's words while I sit next to Kelso.

"Tell you what, Fez. I'm gonna take you cruising for chicks in the El Camino." Hyde nods to Fez. "And, I'm gonna let you buy the gas. And, buy my dinner. And, if we meet a chick... I'm gonna let you walk home."

"Guys, what if Jackie doesn't want a ring from a guy like me? I mean,
sure, I'm good looking, but, I can't be trusted!" Kelso thinks in shock of what could happen.

"Yeah, you've cheated on her with Pam Macy. Laurie. You tried to kiss me on several occasions." I nod to him.

"No. You guys are the perfect couple. You do the bad stuff, and she tries
to catch you. She's...Smokey to your bandit. God, it's like that movie applies to everything!" Eric laughs at the movie while Kelso continues to think.

"I just...I wish there was a way I could give Jackie a thing. That wasn't
actually the ring. You know?" Kelso sighs. "Like a, a test gift just to see what she would say, and then if it went bad I could just walk away. Hey, am I talking in rhyme? I wish I could do that all the time." Realization of what he's just said sinks in. "Oh! Oh man!"

---

Donna, Jackie and I talk and eat a table near the back of the Hub. Donna is playing with her ring, which she has put on her left index finger. She holds it in front of her, looks at it, then twists it a little and looks at it again.

"Can you believe it? Isn't it pretty?" Donna smiles.

"Yeah. I really need to introduce you to my good friend nail polish." Donna rolls her eyes playfully at Jackie. "And, a promise ring is sacred, Donna. Why aren't you wearing it on your left ring finger?"

"I don't know. 'Cause I like it on this finger. What's the difference?" Donna shrugs and admires it again.

"Donna. If you don't wear your promise ring on your left ring finger it totally cancels out the promise that you'll be together forever." Jackie looks at her in shocks while I eat the fries I have missed for four months.

"Wait, that's what I promised?"

I watch as Fez walks into The Hub and walks up to us.

"Hey, ladies. Oh, nice ring, Donna. Jackie, lemme see yours." He smiles but doesn't realize Jackie hasn't got given hers yet.

Jackie confused. "I don't have one."

"Oh, no, of course not. Because Kelso has not given you one yet." Jackie's
face lights up when Fez realizes he's saying more than he should be. "I mean, ever, I mean...look away..." He's quick to run out of the Hub.

"Donna, Erin, did you hear that? Michael's giving me a promise ring."

"Yeah, that's great."

"I wonder how he's gonna give it to me. I hope he hides it in food. I told him if he ever gives me something nice, he should put it in food. It's classy."

Donna shakes her head and focuses her attention to me. "I can't believe you came back to Point Place. We've missed you so much. What brought you back?"

Hyde.

"I just got tired to never having a home, you know." And Hyde.

"So where are you living now?" Donna asks.

"Yeah since you're homeless." Jackie states the obvious.

"Kitty has let me have Laurie's room since she finally moved out. They kept all my clothes and everything." I smile and the kindness of the Forman's. "I guess Hyde is still in the basement."

We watch as Kelso walks in and brings Jackie a sundae.

"Hey, sweetie!" Kelso smiles and puts the plate down in front of Jackie. Donna and I quickly back away waiting for the 'incident'. "I got you something. It's a gift. A token of my love. Do you accept it?"

"A sundae?" Jackie gasps, obviously thinking this is the place where he's hidden her ring. Here comes the incident. "Oh..." She digs into it, shoveling the ice cream into her face. It's really quite disgusting. She keeps eating the sundae.

"Uh...you could...uh...uh...you could close your mouth if you, if you want..." Kelso looks at us scared while Donna and I just laugh.

She stops forcing the food in her mouth  and begins to hunt around with the spoon. She smooshes and smashes, but she can't find the ring. Her words are inaudible and she continues to look for the ring but unable to find it.

Kelso leans over to wipe some ice cream off of her mouth. "No, it's stupid ice cream of love."

---

The Forman's drive way. Hyde is shooting baskets, but Kelso has his arm up the hoop and blocks every shot. Fez, Jackie and I are standing by watching. Eric is waiting for Donna. She walks up.

"Oh, there you are. The movie's about to start. Come on." Eric takes her arm
and looks down at it. "Where...where's your ring?"

"Oh! I put it on a chain so I could wear it around my neck." She walks around to the car. Eric stands somewhat uneasy about this.

"BURN! Oh, super burn, the wedding's off!" Kelso cheers.

"Kelso, shut up."

"Yeah, Michael, you don't know anything about anything!" Jackie hits him.

Slowly and deliberatly, emphasizing each word Kelso replies. "I...do...too!"

"Now I don't know which fight's the funniest!" Hyde laughs to Fez and I.

"Wait, fight? We're...ok, I'll be right back." He walks to where Donna is
standing. But we all follow right behind him. "Donna, why aren't you wearing the ring on your hand?"

"I don't know, I didn't really think it was a big deal." Donna shrugs it off.

"That is not true. I told you! I told her it was a big deal." Jackie protests.

"Look, Eric, why don't we talk about this later?"

"Well, I, you know, there's not really anything to talk about. Unless...you
don't wanna wear thie ring." Eric growls.

"Ouch!" Kelso yells. Everybody turns to look at him. "Sorry, I'm sorry." He gestures at Eric and Donna to continue.

She looks trapped for a moment, then she laughs and takes the necklace
off and puts it on her finger. "It's great. The ring is great. See? It's great!"

"So...we're good?"

"Yeah! Fine."

"Ok! Good!"

They are about to get in the car when Kitty runs out with the camera. Eric has a huge smile on his face, while Donna seems less than thrilled as Kitty snaps a picture.

"It's my god given right as a mother!" She then runs back in the house.