[Hyde POV]
Jody came back with me. However, as we got to her house, her dad was standing in front of the door and caught us.
"It's really fortunate for me to catch you here," her dad said meekly. "Come with me. Your aunt fell in the bathroom and is in intensive care."
Jody grimaced and said, "She's not dead?"
As she noticed I was staring at her, she flinched and tried to hide her embarrassment by pulling her head away.
"No. Fortunately, she survived." Her dad sighed, not catching onto her tone, and turned to me. "Mr. Hyde. Sorry to disturb your study session with Jody. You're here to study with her for the final exams, right?"
"Yes, sir. She's tutoring me," I replied.
Jody widened her eyes and gestured for me to cut it out by slicing her throat with her hand.
"She's tutoring you? She's barely able to get a passing grade. I thought you were here to tutor her," her dad said suspiciously.
I smiled casually. "Yup. That's what I said."
"Really?" Her dad looked confused and turned to Jody.
Jody agreed with me and told her dad, "Dad. That's really what he said. Did you take your cholesterol meds today? You know they mess up your ears."
Her dad's eyes widened, and he laughed nervously. "Oh. I was just kidding. Of course I heard that."
Jody stayed behind as her dad went to pack. "We're going to Minocqua for a few days. Hopefully, she will die soon."
"You seem to hate her a lot." I laughed slightly.
"She's a mean bitch. She called me a human semen guzzler last Thanksgiving, just because I was wearing a shirt that showed a bit of belly skin. I was a virgin at that time."
I snorted and said, "Well. If she died, even if you failed the finals, you can still retake it if you tell the teacher you're depressed from her death."
Jody's eyes widened. "That's really smart!" She kissed me on the cheek and said firmly, "Don't call Tara or Kat. This is my turn!"
"I'm going to Chicago for two days anyway." I told her.
"Great." She grinned. "Although, don't fall for some Chicago skanks while you're over there."
"JODY! Go pack your clothes! Quick."
Jody mouthed, 'Sorry,' as she went inside. I shrugged and went back to the car.
"Well, at least I'll have time to go back to Megan's house…" Then, I cursed under my breath, "Fuck."
I went to Megan's house for a few hours. I kept searching for things that needed to be done and tracked everything in my laptop.
The main problem was that the house had an outhouse, not an indoor toilet. They had a septic tank, but it was installed in the 1920s.
I walked around the property slowly, typing notes into my laptop as I inspected everything.
The more I looked, the worse it got.
"The plumbing lines are corroded galvanized steel. Some sections are probably older than World War II."
"The electrical wiring looks like it's still running on knob-and-tube circuits. That's ancient, even in this era."
The floor near the kitchen sagged slightly when I stepped on it. Rotten joists, most likely. The attic had almost no insulation. The roof almost caved in.
The windows were single-pane and leaked air like sieves. The roof shingles were curling and brittle, with no proper underlayment beneath them.
I kept adding to the list:
{Foundation shifting.
Rotting sill plates.
Lead paint on interior walls.
Possible mold behind the bathroom wallpaper.
Clogged gutters.
Bad attic ventilation.
Outdated septic tank.
Wiring.}
Thirty problems quickly became forty as time passed, and I hadn't even finished checking the whole house.
I rubbed my forehead in frustration.
"She seems fine when Megan's living here. Why does the house suddenly show its flaws now?"
I had to dig to install a new septic tank, change all of the plumbing, and do a massive structural fix on the house.
"It'll take me all summer. Maybe even more."
For the septic system layout, I requested modern tank blueprints from contractors who used systems similar to those recommended by United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.
"It's so convenient that I could contact anyone in the future through the internet."
For the electrical upgrades, I referenced wiring diagrams and breaker panel layouts used by companies like Leviton to make sure the new circuits would be properly grounded.
For insulation and attic ventilation, I pulled installation specifications from Owens Corning so I wouldn't accidentally trap moisture inside the roof structure.
Even the roof redesign wasn't something I wanted to improvise. I ordered proper flashing layouts and ridge vent spacing guidelines based on modern roofing standards used by manufacturers like GAF.
"It's all available to buy. They even designed it for the house," I smiled in satisfaction.
Finally, I hired an online architect designer to convert the measurements I took into a full 3D model of the farmhouse so every pipe, beam, and wire route could be mapped before I touched anything.
The bill alone was five thousand dollars. It was a thousand bucks for me, but even that felt quite expensive.
Once I was done, I stopped by the front lawn as I thought of something.
"What if I plant something here? By the time the renovation's done, the crops will be ready to harvest."
Megan has a giant plot of land. However, I wasn't talking about commercial farming—just a small farm in front of her house.
I'd have to design that properly too. Megan didn't care about resale value or anything else since she wasn't intending on selling the house.
She just told me to make it comfortable for her to live in.
"First, the roof. Wait. The joist?... The sills?"
I needed to fix the foundation, moving my way up to ensure the new roof wouldn't have any structural issues.
So I bought new sill plates for her house. Online.
"I need that pressure-treated lumber," I muttered as I squatted on the ground, looking at the rotting wood laid on top of the foundation stones.
"I could buy wood from 1977 for the other part, but for the foundation, the pressure-treated wood will ensure it won't rot or have termites."
"I could buy it from Rona, since I was still in the Canadian location setting. The roof too—I could buy a steel roof from the Rudan brothers."
A YouTube channel I have subscribed to has a group of brothers going around fixing people's roofs for free. They have their own suppliers, and they are located in Canada, so my price wasn't a tariff-imposed price.
"$12,000 for the steel roof? Just for the materials?" I inhaled sharply. Megan has around 2,500 square feet of roof. Her house was pretty big, after all.
Even with the multiplier, I'd have to pay $2,400 for the roof. If I used shingles, it would cost me around $1,000.
"This is before the insulation… the breathable waterproof membrane, ice guard—Ah, screw it."
I contacted the company and began the process of buying the materials for the house.
In just a couple of hours, I had spent over $5,000 just to buy the stuff I needed from Canada.
The copper pipes, tools for installing them, new breaker panel, grounding rod, concrete mix, oscillating multi-tools, laser level, Ryobi battery-operated nail gun, electric saw, cordless impact driver, stud finder, and more.
"Drywall, insulation, and waterproof membrane."
I kept buying stuff from Canada, and the price kept piling up.
Before I reached home, it was already at $8,000. All of it would be delivered within a week.
I went to check on my own house as I finished Megan's job. There, Andy and Ron were standing by the front door, waiting for me.
Dustin and Steve were also there, playing tag as I pulled my car over to the front of the house.
It was already sunset, but that didn't deter us.
"I'm going to be working on another project, so you two are going to be responsible for this one," I said casually as we entered the house.
"You want to extend it, right?" Andy asked cheerfully.
After getting some money from the basketball court job, the first thing the two brothers did was buy a truck to deliver materials. It finally made them feel like construction workers again.
"Yeah," I said casually. "I'm going to add a master bedroom with a bathroom and closet."
I told them my vision for the house. "It'll be a three-bedroom after this. I'll add a porch around the back and an outdoor kitchen too."
Taking out a thick stack of documents from my satchel, I handed the blueprints and the designs to the two contractors.
They were pretty astonished when they saw it.
"You're going to need to apply for the extension permit too," I told Ron. "That includes my planning for the house, and also some techniques for the wiring, the foundation, and the insulation."
"Wait." Ron stopped me suddenly. He looked at me with a serious face, his thick moustache slightly rising from his lips, and said, "I know you're serious about this. So I'll give you a suggestion."
"What is it?" I asked curiously.
"It's to create your own construction company," Ron said seriously.
"I'm only planning on doing two houses though." I was taken aback.
Ron exhaled heavily. "It doesn't matter. The tools will be tax-deductible."
"Ah." I finally realized what they were saying.
Ron explained the workings of the construction company. He didn't know this while he was working, but after going to jail, and being very disappointed that his corrupt supervisor could get away scot-free after ripping off all of his workers, Ron began to study the construction path more closely.
"This is a suggestion, and also my selfish request," Ron told me suddenly.
"Why is it selfish?" I was confused again.
Ron said, "It's our dream. But we couldn't do that, since we have a criminal record."
Andy sighed. "Our company wouldn't succeed. Since no one will trust us."
"If you do create the company," Ron paused, "we'll do whatever it takes to make it successful."
I thought of something amusing and said, "Alright. But there's a condition."
"What is it?" Ron asked, hopeful.
"In three years, you two will buy the company from me," I said casually. "At the valuation."
Three years were enough for them to build up their reputation as businessmen. And they could take out loans by then, even if they didn't have much money to buy it themselves.
"Deal!" Ron said, and we shook hands on it.
I laughed in satisfaction. "Great. Now, I'll equip the company with whatever you need—skid steer, excavator, backhoe… even a platform lift."
"That's—" Ron and Andy were really shocked.
I grinned. "What? You didn't expect me to slowly build the company up, did you? Besides, we're going to need all that."
It would make the two projects go by really fast if we had our own machines. If we waited to rent them out, it might postpone our construction by months.
"Don't worry. They're small, compact machines. I'll even find a place to store them."
With the modern tools, and maybe some how-to videos from the future, I wonder how Ron and Andy would turn out in their construction business.
…
"I need to find a place to stash my stuff." I sighed slightly as I drove home. My system storage was almost overflowing. The 25 storage slots were all full.
"But I don't have anywhere to store it… except for my room."
Then, I got an idea. I didn't go home, instead, I went to a hardware store. I went to the autoshop and swapped my car for a truck first.
"I need to buy 2x4s, and plywood. Lots of them."
The hardware guys put everything on the truck, and I went back to the autoshop.
No one was there as it was already 9 p.m.
"System, enter build mode."
Then, I used one minute to create one huge wooden crate, with heights higher than me. I could enter the box, like entering a shed.
It was all a 2x2 meters box, and I tested it out instantly.
First, I put all of my golds inside the box. Then, I put in the auto repair tools. The computers, the cameras, the gun, and the 'toys'. I could use the existing plastic container to separate the categories in there.
Finally, I closed the wooden box, and stored everything inside one slot.
"Nice. It works."
I thought of something, and took the box back out. Then, I took something out from it, and put that in a different slot.
"I think this is better."
Now, I have 23 slots left for me to fill up with cars at the auction. One slot was for the wooden box, and another one… was for the gun.
If I go to Chicago, I need some insurance to ensure my safety.
"Ah, I'm so tired." I stretched my hands up and drove back to the Forman's house.
As I entered the door, I saw Fez holding a twister game mat.
"Hyde. Do you want to play twister with me?" He asked excitedly.
I grimaced and said, "No. I never wanted to play Twister. Ever. With anyone."
"Ay." He exclaimed with disappointment.
…
"So Hyde, what did you do with Jody today?" Kelso asked sleazily as he sat on the right side of the living room, looking at me with expectation.
I sat on my usual spot, my legs on the spool table, reading a magazine. "Nothing. We just humped a bit in the car. That's it. Her aunt is at the hospital, so we had to postpone."
"Damn." Eric was startled. "That's so quick. You know, to get to the humping stage."
"Yeah, even with Jackie, it took me like 5 months to move on to second base." Kelso said disgruntledly.
I smirked and said, "Because both of you were… I mean, one were; one are still dating virgins."
Eric grimaced while Kelso laughed at him.
Fez laid down the mat behind the sofa. He spun the spinner and played the Twister game by himself.
"Okay, here we go. Right hand blue." Fez said excitedly. I peeked behind the couch and saw him bending his body flexibly.
Eric commented with disbelief, " Fez, you can't play Twister by yourself."
Fez replied confidently, "That's where you're wrong, my friend." He paused and spun the spinner again. "Right leg green. Oh, that's gonna be tough."
His leg peeked behind the couch like an ostrich head, before it went back down.
"Hey, Fez, man. The circus called. They said they'd pay you fifty bucks a week if you can kiss your own ass." I mocked him playfully. Everyone laughed at the joke.
Fez paused before saying, "Take a message."
Donna walked into the room excitedly as I went back to the magazine. "I have the greatest news in the world–" She stopped abruptly as she saw Fez. She looked at him quizzically for a while before asking, "How the hell are you doing that?"
Fez replied, " I'm double jointed."
"Super." She exclaimed flatly and sat next to Eric on the couch. Eric went down from the top of the couch to sit by her side.
"My parents are renewing their wedding vows." Donna exclaimed excitedly.
"Wait, so, double dating degenerates and sleazy bar hags just lost its appeal?" Eric said playfully.
I was confused as to why they were speaking in one liners. And then, my questions were answered when I realized this was a recorded scene.
"Oh no." I exclaimed accidentally.
Donna turned to me, with a slight annoyance, asking, "Do you have a problem with my parents renewing their vows?"
I didn't know if the retake could happen, so I just went along with it. "Well, I just found out the name of the bar your mom went to."
Eric and Kelso laughed, but Donna wasn't amused.
Eric caught her gaze, cleared his throat slightly and turned his attention to her again, "So. This is a good thing, right?"
"Yes, finally the insanity's over! And now I'm, I'm really happy about this, Eric, and you should be, too. My parents have been driving me nuts and I've probably been a little moody lately.?"
"No, god, you haven't been moody." Eric comforted her before he turned to me and mouthed secretly, 'So Moody'.
I laughed and said, "That could also be a side effect from your birth control meds."
"Wait. Really?" Donna asked me in surprise.
There was an episode centered around Donna taking birth control in season 1. So everyone here already knew about it.
"Yeah, that thing is wild." I replied casually. "Since you're not even doing it anyway, it's better to not–"
"You shut your mouth." Eric snapped at me. I snickered, and so did Donna.
Kelso suddenly groaned, " Oh, this is great. Jackie's gonna get wedding fever." He sighed and said, " Man, all I'm gonna hear is, 'Michael, at our wedding don't shove cake in my face.'"
He paused and added with frustration, "And, 'You better know how to dance.' And, 'There will not be a trampoline.' A wedding without a trampoline. That's crazy talk."
"Yeah, it'd be like a funeral without a dunk tank." I said sarcastically. Kelso agreed with me as the sarcasm was lost on him.
"She even knows what kind of china pattern she wants. Pink and purple with unicorns. Who wants to see a unicorn when they're eating pie?"
I just stared at him with disbelief.
Fez suddenly chimed in, "Left leg yellow." He popped up from behind the couch, leaning in the middle of Donna and Eric.
"Will someone please help me get my pants off?" Fez asked.
Eric exclaimed with bewilderment, "NO!" He and Donna quickly got away from Fez.
"So Donna. When are they going to do it?" I asked as I need to plan accordingly.
"Don't they already 'do it'?" Kelso asked with a blank expression.
"Not that kind of 'do it'." Eric retorted at him.
"This Sunday." Donna replied to me after laughing at Kelso's idiocy. "My dad might want to ask for your help with taking pictures for the thing."
"He's going to Chicago tonight." Kelso said suddenly. "By the way, Hyde. Can I come?"
"I don't mind, but will your two girlfriends let you?" I asked teasingly.
Eric laughed and said, "Yeah. Shouldn't you be kissing Jackie's ass right now."
"Yeah Kelso." Donna added with a serious face. "If you want to stay with Jackie, you need to stay here and work things through with her."
"Aww." Kelso exclaimed with disappointment. I sighed too and said, "The auction is on Saturday morning, and Sunday afternoon."
"My dad's going to do it– I mean, hold the ceremony in the afternoon." Donna changed her words midway, turned to Kelso and punched him in the arm.
"Ow!" Kelso winced in pain. He turned casual abruptly and said to me, "Hyde. Are you going to make it in time for the party?"
"Hopefully. I might not go to the Sunday auction if I get enough cars on Saturday."
"What's the difference?" Donna asked.
I thought about it and said, "Saturday's the insurance auction. Sunday's the bank repossession auction. So Saturday's car needs a lot of fixing, although they are pretty cheap."
I added, "Repo cars are cheap too, and there's a lot of competitors since everyone's eyeing that."
While we were talking, the TV suddenly aired a rerun for my Mustang documentary. It aired a few hours ago, and now, it has a second airing at 11 pm.
Suddenly, the system chimed in.
[Bonus 2 rating point if Leo Chingwake was invited to the wedding.]
"Oh." I was taken aback by it. Inwardly agreeing with it, I closed the magazine and realized something.
"Hey Forman, this is last week." I said to Eric.
He laughed and said, "Yeah. I know. The new one is in my room. Get it yourself."
I sighed and went upstairs. As I walked to the living room, I noticed something weird. Bob was wearing a Packer's jersey, talking to Red about something.
"Oh, hey Steven. How would you like to be our wedding photographer?" Bob asked.
I rejected him, saying, "I don't want to. But I know someone who'd do it for cheap. And, he also has his own cameras."
"Good."
"How much does it pay?"
"Ten bucks."
"How about twenty and a meatball sub?" I hustled Bob.
Red grimaced and said, "Haven't you had enough of the meatball sub already?"
I threw my hands at him with disbelief.
I called Leo afterward and offered him ten bucks and half of a meatball sub for the job. He accepted it pretty easily.