Point Place, WI

12:50AM

Eric didn't give the letter about the reunion a second thought. He checked on

Jacen earlier in the evening to make sure he was actually doing his homework and

not daydreaming about neighborhood girls. He was actually studying. Which was

more than Eric could say about himself when he was that age. How could he?

When he was twelve it was all about him, Hyde, and Kelso. The three best friends.

Hyde who always made them do something stupid and Kelso the resident low watt

bulb who made Eric feel smarter in his own skin. Maybe, Jacen did spend too much

time thinking about Mindy but at least he applied himself in school better than his

father did. He was able to take a shower, put on a Green Bay Packers t-shirt and

gray jogging pants with every intention of lying on the sofa and do nothing but watch

TV. Somewhere between Petticoat Junction and a collection of CD oldies from the

'70s he fell asleep and did not wake up until almost one in the morning when the

sound of a carnival barker selling collectible knives was shouting at the top of his

lungs.

"Look at all you get for our bargain price!"

"Screw you, dumbass." And Eric turned the TV off and put his head back on the

pillow.

we don't. We didn't have a fucking clue.

Eric stretched on the sofa and tried to stifle a yawn. He didn't feel like checking his

email or visiting his forums.

He missed when Jacen was a baby and he could cradle him to sleep in his arms. It

was the happiest time of his life. He sat on the sofa not wanting to go into his

bedroom.

Eric hated sleeping in his room in a double bed meant for two. A room that in many

aspects looked like it belonged to a teenage boy even if he did pay 'good money' for

a framed The Empire Strikes Back portrait that hung above his bed.

He couldn't get on Jacen's case too much because he always made a wrinkled bed

himself. Who was going to care if his bed was wrinkled? No one. Just as no one

would care that he still read comic books not just Star Wars but Batman and

Superman also. He still made models, hopefully without any defects. Only this time

when he finished he put them in a box and donated them to children's ward of the

hospital. At least there would be a purpose to making them and not admit to himself

that he was over forty and in the romantic sense very lonely. There's only so much

you can do with your batting arm. Eric did make Jacen a normal model airplane

when he was ten years old and his son kept it on his bookshelf.

Eric sat on the edge of his bed but he did not want to lie down. He was interrupted

by a quiet knock on his door.

"Dad—"

"Jacen," he didn't have time to munch on his insecurities if son was up at one in the

morning, "Come in."

"Were you sleeping?"

"No. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah. You don't have to reach for the thermometer."

"What's on your mind?"

"Can I have twenty dollars?"

"What for?"

If his son was not asleep and thinking of twenty dollars Eric knew exactly who this

had to be concerning, you just don't come into your father's room in the middle of the

night asking for money.

"I want to buy something."

Eric sighed, "What do you want to buy?"

"A silver chain."

"For Mindy?"

"Yeah."

"Why do you want to buy her a silver chain?"

"So, she'll wear my ring again."

He's going to hate me, but I have to. Oh, Jacen, please don't hate me forever.

Because I have showed you more love in five minutes then Red did my whole life.

"Jacen, I think you need to slow down a little bit."

"You're NOT going to give me the money?"

"Don't raise your voice. I'm sorry but no."

"Fine."

With that little Laurie twinge which was odd considering Jacen never met Laurie who

was only god knows where with whatever number husband. Eric wondered what she

looked like now? She was probably a botoxed, chemically treated, nip and tucked

former version of herself.

"Don't slam the door."

Too late. He slammed the door. If Eric slammed the door on Red his face would be

slammed shut. Eric would have fell backwards into his bed into a heap but not with

his son. He had to try and make it right.

Eric opened the door to Jacen's room to find him sulking on his bed the glow of the

night-light casting a shadow.

"Jacen, I told you not to slam the door."

"I'm sorry, okay." He turned over in his bed as to not face his father

Eric walked around to the other side stepping on all the clothes his son had around

his bed. He wasn't about to pick them up.

I'm not your maid, Jacen.

"It's not okay. Jacen, you know I'd give you the money if I felt it was the right thing to

do. But I don't think it's right."

"You don't like Mindy."

"Son, please. I don't make it a point to hate children. I think you are too young to

worry about rings. I never should have let you buy her that ring, but you were nine

and it was a friendship ring. Albeit an overpriced friendship ring."

"So why did you?"

"Because things were very difficult for our family at the time and how could I refuse

you?"

"You're doing a good job of doing that now, Dad."

"I'm sorry that you feel that way, Jacen. You're my son. I love you very much and

would never hurt you."

"Yeah."

Eric tried to kiss his son on the cheek but he flinched his body away.

It made all of the other hurts in his life seem so unimportant. Who could sleep?

Email #3

Eric…are you okay? If you don't answer this one I am going to call you today. You

can count on that.

May 1, 1991

Point Place General Hospital

8:00AM

The nurse gave Eric his son to hold for the first time. He was so tiny. He was five

pounds even. His wife had complications and was in surgery. But his son was in

perfect health.

"Look at you," Eric thought he was the most perfect human being. "Your eyes are so

big and blue. You're the best baby ever. And you're going to need a name…I've

been thinking about this. Jacen—that's J-a-c-e-n. You'll understand later. Jacen Eric

Forman. I promise that I will always love, protect, and take care of you. And teach

you everything about Star Wars."

Eric softly kissed him on his forehead and placed him back in his incubator so the

nurse could wheel him back to the infant ward.

Jacen Eric Forman

Eric needed a cup of coffee at five in the morning. He was operating on a few

hours sleep. He still packed a lunch for Jacen. A chunky peanut butter and

strawberry jam sandwich. He noted that he always left the crusts on, a jell-o or fruit

cup, fruit and cereal bar, and a juice box. Today was going to be a cereal day. He

fell asleep with his head on the kitchen table. Only to be awoken by the music

coming out of his son's room an hour later.

He doesn't even have a 'teen' after his age and already he's acting like

one.

Eric poured himself a bowl of corn flakes as his son finally stumbled into the kitchen.

"Morning son."

Oh, we're not going to talk

Jacen grabbed the yellow bowl out of the dish rack that used to be Eric's

"I said good morning son."

"I heard you, I just don't want to talk to you today." Jacen changed his mind on the

cereal and went to see what was in the refrigerator. He took out a bottle of juice and

banged it on the counter.

"Jacen, don't bang things on the counter. Fine. You don't have to talk to me. That's

your choice. Your lunch is on the counter."

"I was thinking of buying my lunch today."

"I thought you didn't want to talk to me today? And no, you are bringing the lunch I

packed, you don't have to eat it, but you do have to take it with you. Do you think I

don't know that you won't be saving up the lunch money to buy Mindy's necklace?

No, if you want money for that then you will get a job mowing lawns in the

neighborhood because you are not getting any more money from me for that

purpose."

"YOU ARE IMPOSSIBLE!"

"Good."

Jacen grabbed his jacket, schoolbooks, and reluctantly the brown paper bag lunch

that Eric made. He was ready to get out of this terrible house.

"Dad, I'd rather wait outside for Tony's mom to pick me up than to be in this kitchen

with you one minute longer!"

"Jacen, if you slam that door you'll be grounded for a week."

He didn't slam the door, but it didn't matter. He did everything the opposite of Red

and his son still hated him. His heart was already broken. His journey to the dark

side was now complete.