Chapter Text
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The car radio was on full blast, one of David Bowie’s songs filling the whole car as two teenage boys sang their hearts out. She wouldn’t admit it, but she was humming to the tune along them, focusing on not going over the speed limit. The driver’s window was opened just a slit, letting the still hot and humid air in to mix it with the sweaty odor the two boys provided. The summer was nearing to an end, meaning some serious work for the older kid, sitting in the front with his mom. It was Jonathan’s senior year in high school, no funny business anymore. Will was going to start high school, which made him more nervous than it should. But he had his friends, the four of them were inseparable ever since she could remember.
But the boys started hanging out with girls more. It was nothing big, Will mentioned it once or twice, making it completely normal that he had no intention to start dating. He hung out a lot with Mike’s girlfriend though, making it all a little too suspicious for her, but she was not going to confront it just yet. El was a sweet girl, her dad dropped her off by their house every morning, making her either bring breakfast or dinner when she came around in the evening every other day. The Wheeler boy took a summer job, he was working at an ice cream parlor in the newly opened mall, and El needed to be with someone to stay sane. It was good for Will too. She wouldn’t worry about him, he was more than capable of staying home alone, but she would just always worry.
The boys sang out the last words of the song, breathing deeply from the lack of oxygen in the small car and clapping for each other after hitting almost every note. Jonathan rolled his window open, turning the volume down when Joyce scrunched up her nose at the next song playing.
“Mom?” Will called for her attention as she took the last turn before driving up to their house. She looked at him in the rearview mirror smiling softly. “Is it okay if El stays the night today? She can take my room and I’ll sleep on the couch.” He tried reasoning with her as she put the car in park and got out to lean the seat forward and let him squeeze through.
“Does Hopper know about it?” She asked, knowing she would have to say yes if he agreed.
“He said it was fine, he’s on patrol tonight.” The boys moved to the back of the car, taking out the groceries their mom bought after her shift, and helping her unpack it.
“Then yes, she can sleep here.” She made the short walk to the front porch and leaned on the railing, taking a pack of Camels out of her jean’s pocket.
“Nancy is coming for dinner!” Jonathan threw over his shoulder as the two of them walked into the house with full arms. She smiled softly as she brought her lighter to the tip of a cigarette hanging between her lips.
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They were all seated in the living room now, watching a movie El brought over since she’s never seen it before. Jonathan and Nancy were sitting side by side on the couch, the girl's head resting against his shoulder as he held her hand in his. El was sitting at the other end of the couch, her back rested against the armrest and her knees curled up to her chin as she watched the movie, probably the most interested in it from everyone that was present. Joyce had chosen to sit in the armchair. She had her feet curled under herself and a blanket was secured on her lap despite the warm summer night. Will was sitting on the floor at the feet of her armchair. He leaned his head back, letting it rest against Joyce’s calves. The feeling of calmness was overwhelming, it all fell right into place.
“Mrs Byers, do you know who you’re taking as your wedding date?” Nancy asked from her spot on the couch, lifting her head from Jonathan’s shoulder and making all the heads look turn from the movie to the armchair.
“I’m going alone.” She said and took Will’s head into her hands, turning it back to the movie and finishing the conversation. Or so she thought.
“I think you should ask my dad.” El said and Jonathan huffed under his breath as he got up and walked into the kitchen. Will’s head was turned again, nodding enthusiastically as he looked at El and Nancy, who were now both smiling.
“I’m going alone, it’s a whole weekend away. No one will drop their work for a whole weekend just to go to a wedding with me.” Joyce said calmly. She did think of asking Hopper to go with her, but it would be weird. They were nothing more than friends, his daughter was going as Will’s plus one and Joyce will have to keep an eye on the kids the whole stay either way.
“I’m sure dad would agree. I talked to him about it.” El said unbothered as Jonathan entered the room again, bringing a refilled bowl of popcorn with two cans of soda and a bottle of water. He put it all on the coffee table separating them from the screen and plopped down to where he was seated before.
“You talked to Hop about him going to the wedding with me?” Joyce asked, turning her head around to look at the girl.
“He said it’s better if you ask him. Then we could all go shopping for our dresses.” The teen was excited, it was probably the first wedding she would attend and she was going with her friends. El motioned to Nancy and then to Joyce and herself, meaning no boys were invited to join them.
“Mom, you should ask him. We’re not kids anymore, we know how to behave and you deserve to have some fun. At least for that one wedding.” Jonathan didn’t speak his mind a lot, especially when it came to things he had no control over. But he always wanted what's best for his mom, going out of the way to take some weight off of her shoulders.
“Besides, I told aunt Frances you’d come with your boyfriend.” Will added, shrugging his shoulders as if it was normal.
Nancy had to hold back a shriek of laughter while El’s mouth was now open with a shocked look on her face, and Jonathan sent him a warning glare. Joyce covered her mouth with her flat hand and shook her head looking at him. The kids weren’t blind, they’ve noticed the shared cigarettes, smiles from across the street or talks on the porch while everyone else was inside. They just never did anything about it, except for Eleven. She would haunt Hopper with questions, asking him what love really was and if he loves anyone. He always knew what to say, he’d say he loves her and that’s all that matters. Not everyone has somebody to love the way she loves Mike.
“You did what?” Joyce let her hand fall from her mouth and straight to Will’s hair. He didn’t expect anyone to react the way they did, it was no big deal for him that there was something brewing between the adults.
“I told aunt Frances you’d come with your boyfriend. I thought that it would make the decision easier.” When Joyce turned away from all the faces and buried her own in her hands with a sigh, El gave Will a thumbs up, visibly happy with him.
“You kids are going to kill me..” Joyce sighed and stood up from her seat, leaving the group hushing together and having a full conversation about what just happened once she was out of the door;
With a blanket wrapped tightly around herself, she grabbed her pack of Camels and left the house. She now sees it, the kids want her and Hopper to be together, making things between them even more complicated than they already were. So what was she supposed to do?
She put out her cigarette in the ashtray standing on the window sill. By doing so she got a perfect view into the living room, noticing how excited they all seemed to be about this. With a steady pace in her feet, Joyce walked back inside, having all the eyes turn to watch her go straight into the kitchen, not giving them a glance. She picked up the phone and dialed the number she was trying to reach, hoping she would get a few seconds to actually change her mind about this, but the call was answered right away.
“Hey Flo, is the Chief around?”
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