New Years Eve: 1979

In the finale of That 70's show, the kids go upstairs to celebrate a new decade. This is was I imagined happened, from the perspective of Kitty Forman.

New Year’s Eve, 1979, 11:51 pm, Mr. and Mrs. Foreman's house.

Kitty was standing at the top of the stairs, her eyes shut. Dick Clarke’s voice boomed into the kitchen from the living room, were she knew she should be. She should be handing out champagne glasses to guests and she’s almost positive the pigs in blankets are burning in the oven.

But as she opens her eyes and leans forward into the dingy basement, she knows she could spare a few minutes to get her kids upstairs in time for the ball drop.

Her kids.

It was a term she held close to her heart, because even though only one was biologically her son, the rest never batted an eye when she said it. It was accepted by everyone that they were loved by Mrs. Foreman (also known as an angel). She made sure that her kids knew in every way possible, from treating them to ice cream to giving advice.

This new year shouldn’t bother her, but Kitty can’t help but feel scared. Those aren’t kids down there anymore, those are adults, with greats minds and hearts copped up in her basement. She knows they belong somewhere else. They had so much potential and so much to learn outside of her drive way.

1980 would be their chance. 1980 would change everything.

She only snapped out of her daze when Red was calling her name, warning her the countdown started.

Quickly, she goes halfway down the stairs. “Kids, there’s ten seconds until midnight!” Immediately, six pairs of feet are rushing up the stairs, swarming past her in a blur.

They make it just on time to see the ball drop in Time’s Square. Kitty’s friends are hugging and throwing confetti and drinking champagne. Red plants a kiss on her cheek, his arm around her shoulders. One thing she could always count on being the same was the way Red held her.

The kids stand out from the others easily. A bit separated from the other adults, they’re lifting each other off the ground, a special light forming around them. Then, altogether, they charge forward through the crowd, around the coffee table, and suddenly they have their arms wrapped around her and Red. The force off all those arms makes her stagger, but she stays upright as the gang gathers closer together.

Kitty dares to look up at Red’s reaction, but all he’s doing is gazing at his son, and stoking the hair of a boy he never bothered to learn the name of. And she could feel the tears going down her face, and closes her eyes because she can’t let her kids go. So she hides in the chest of one of her kids, and stays there.

God, she wishes she could stay there.

Author's Note

Hope you enjoyed :)