Chapter Text
Jackie brushed off her powers of evil for the first time in a while.
It started with a call to the lawyer.
Mr. Kreppel was more than happy to send someone to collect the Lincoln. Pamela had caused him hours of extra work and expense trying to hunt her down.
Her next appointment was the one she was most looking forward to.
She had dressed her best for this one.
A receptionist lead her to a nicely decorated office. Classical look, nothing flashy or trendy. There were awards nailed up on the wall, but the desk was decorated with family photographs. A lovely wedding photo and a collage frame with candid photos of the woman she was meeting and her children.
Not the stuffy posed ones she’d been forced to sit through as a child.
As Jackie admired the office, someone walked in. “Hello, I’m Rebecca Hurst, sorry to keep you waiting my last listing ran over.”
“It’s not a problem, I was looking at your pictures.”
Mrs. Hurst smiled, “That’s my favorite one,” she pointed to one with two children smeared with ice cream and beaming smiles. “They were a mess to clean up but look at those messy little faces.”
She collected herself, “Anyway back to business, are you looking to buy Miss… I’m sorry I don’t have your name listed.”
“Burkhart, Jacqueline Burkhart.”
Rebecca’s face fell for a fraction of a second, but Jackie caught it.
Perfect.
“What can I help you with Miss Burkhart?”
“Please be honest with me, when my mother worked here, you two didn’t get along did you?”
“That’s not relevant I assure you. I don’t mix business with personal.”
But that was exactly what Jackie was looking for.
“I assure you it is, I need to know before going further with this.”
She paused a moment before being honest, “No, we really didn’t.”
“My mother poached a lot of your clients didn’t she?”
“She tried to, not always successfully I might add,” despite trying to remain professional, the bitterness seeped in. This was exactly the right person for the job.
Jackie smiled broadly, “Mrs. Hurst, how would you like to sell Pamela Burkhart’s house and get the commission.”
Mrs. Hurst’s smile sharpened. “I think I’m going to need some more information.”
In the end, Rebecca was delighted with the offer.
They’d spent an hour looking over comps in the area, discussing costs and rates, and came to a final decision.
It didn’t matter if Pam left her keys on Sunday, on Monday Rebecca would have a locksmith to the house and replace the locks. A cleaning crew would be out in the next week and give the place a once over.
They discussed renting the property instead of outright selling it to maximize her earnings and that would give Jackie a bit of money to start saving once she got tenants. It wasn’t a great time to sell but renting would give Jackie some extra time to figure out her final steps.
Perhaps when the hurt had lessened she would move in, but she doubted it.
This was the house she spent countless hours alone in. Where she’d had to shove doors under the locks at night to try and feel safe.
It was her parent’s dream status symbol. It wasn’t Jackie’s.
She didn’t know what her new dream was, but she liked keeping the option open.
Jackie insisted on a sign advertising the house was for rent but with as large of a sign as possible listing Rebecca’s information.
It was one final dig at her mother.
Everyone who knew Pam, knew she was a real estate agent. And now her house was being rented out instead of sold outright, and not by her.
There would be talk.
Jackie was counting on it.
She left Rebecca’s office feeling lighter than she had in months.
Hyde offered to help Jackie move things when she met with the relator.
They pulled up to Mr. Kreppel waiting for them.
“Mr. Kreppel, what are you doing here?” Jackie asked panicked, “Did I forget we had a meeting?”
“No, but you mentioned your plans to me, I was driving by and the workers said you’d be here shortly. I wanted to give you this,” he handed her a set of car keys. “Your,” and he emphasized the word, “car is sitting in the storage lot behind of my offices safe and sound. After all the runaround I didn’t want to take a chance on your mother having a spare set.”
“You got my car back,” Jackie was elated.
“We did,” he smiled at her. A lawyer didn’t always have a glamorous or happy job but once in a while it was a good day. “Here’s the access code to the gates. You can pick it up any time but I suggest before five in case you need help with the gate.”
“Thank you, I appreciate everything you’ve done.”
“Not at all, have a good day. Call if you need anything or she gives you any trouble.”
He left and Jackie waited for Rebecca.
Hyde smiled watching Jackie bounced on her feet.
“Hate my driving that much huh?”
“Oh stop it,” she gently scolded him. “I hate taking the bus so much, and I don’t like asking for rides. Do you know how much more time I’m going to have not having to ask and hope people aren’t busy or leave so early to make the bus on time?”
He did actually.
“Congratulations of your new- sort of- car.”
“Thank you.”
Just then Rebecca pulled up.
Jackie introduced Steven and Rebecca and they went in on the tour. “Before I forget, I have a copy of the keys for me, one for the tenants, and I made two for you.”
“Great, let me show you around,” Jackie took the keys and tucked them in her purse, while Rebecca pulled out a pad of paper from hers.
“I’ll make some notes of the furniture we might want to keep for the renters, and what should definitely go.”
As they toured Rebecca kept making faces. “Forgive me but it’s extremely sterile.”
“Yes, it is,” Jackie agreed. “They can paint it whatever color they want.”
“You’re the easiest landlord I’ve ever worked with.”
“I hope someone can enjoy this house, it deserves it.”
They finished up coming back to the living room.
“There’s not much furniture left, I would suggest leaving the kitchen and dining room as is, and removing the large desk.”
Jack’s desk.
“What do you want to do with it?”
“I didn’t think about that, all my Mom’s things can go, but that was my Dad’s, but I also don’t need it.”
“We’ll get you a storage locker,” Hyde spoke up for the first time, “heck WB might have one already I’m sure he’d love to let you use.”
“You think I should?”
There was something about the desk she couldn’t let go of.
“You can always decide to sell it later, but keep it for now. You can’t get it back if you change your mind.”
Rebecca soothed her worries for the moment. “We’ll put a pin in that. Is there any kind of tenant you would prefer? Families? Certain incomes? No pets?”
Jackie saw exactly who she wanted in her house, “A family with kids, maybe a dog, Pam would never let me have a dog.”
“You got to have a pony but not a dog?” Hyde asked, he’d never had a pet either but the logic of that was flawed.
Jackie shrugged, “It didn’t live in the house. Anyway if not a family a couple or a group of friends would work.”
“I think that would work out just fine, I may even have some possible tenants. One last thing, I have to suggest that painting-”
“Is hideous?” Jackie finished for her.
“Well, yes,” there was no point in denying it.
It was a modern abstract piece, it wasn’t so much the random smears of paint, it was the unattractive colors smeared with other ugly colors.
“Toss it.”
“Wait, can I have it?” Steven asked.
“Why would you want that?” Jackie asked confused.
“Just go with it, I have a great idea.”
“If you want it have at it.”
A gleeful smile crossed his face as he took it down.
Rebecca took a quick final glance around, “I think that should be everything. Let me know when you get the desk removed and I’ll have our cleaning crew come out and take care of everything.”
“Thank you,” they shook hands.
Jackie locked up, and Hyde was waiting for her, “Ready to go get your wheels?”
“I am so ready.”
Hyde loaded up his prize into the back and then they were off to the storage lot.
“Why on Earth do you want that ugly thing?”
He was still smiling. “I can’t tell you, but when you see it I need you to act like it’s sentimental and important.”
“Whatever, I’m too tired to figure you out today.”
Jackie found out a few days later why Steven wanted the painting. She was summoned to the basem*nt with the Eric, Donna, Steven, and Fez. There covering a huge part of the wall was Pam’s ugly painting. She fought the urge to sneer at it.
Instead she remembered agreeing to act like she loved it.
“Steven, you hung it up here, that is so sweet of you.”
Eric’s face blanched.
Now she got the joke.
“You like the painting Jackie?” Donna asked.
“It reminds me of home, as a reminder of my family,” she laid it on thick. It wasn’t technically a lie. “Thank you for hanging it up here Eric, I love it.”
She hugged him.
He returned the hug with an awkward pat and tried to back peddle.
“Are you sure you don’t want it for your apartment?”
She shook her head, “I can’t put up nails in the wall, it’s so sweet of you to keep this here for me.”
Eric said nothing but suffered in silence. There was no way he could get rid of the painting without hurting Jackie.
So it stayed.
