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“So where to today?” Dustin asked, a smile wider than ever as he stared at Steve behind the wheel.
“Well, I thought maybe first, the obvious, dinner with your ma, then watching that movie… uh… ‘Highlander’ would be a good idea. And then tomorrow we could…”
He went on and on, talking about the plans he’d made for their usual once-a-week hangout.
He always made sure to make time for Henderson. He treated him like a little brother, so it was obvious that a drive from Hawkins to Indianapolis was nothing to him.
This weekend was starting better than ever. Dustin talked nonstop about the things he was learning, the people around him, and how much he adored this new chapter of his life.
It couldn’t be more perfect.
Steve listened intently, making mental notes of every little thing.
As they drove back toward Hawkins, Dustin tried to fish a cassette out of his bag.
“Oh god, no. Not that metal thing again… Henderson, I beg you—”
Before he could finish protesting, ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ rang out through the car’s speakers.
“That’s not metal.”
Dustin rolled his eyes, sighing with a smile as he stared out the window.
“Hard rock… maybe punk. But not metal.”
“Same thing.”
Steve waved a hand, dismissing the argument, eyes back on the road.
“Shit. I forgot to refuel. We gotta stop soon.”
“Really? I thought all you thought about was your car.”
The boy poked him teasingly and chuckled.
“Suddenly it’s not that important? Maybe it’s ’cause of that girl you keep saying is ‘the one’…? She already took up all your brain space?”
“…Oh—uh… her? Yeah, no. I—I mean, that’s in the past.”
He scratched the back of his neck, glancing to the side for a moment.
Dustin’s jaw dropped.
“…How the hell do you go through—”
He counted silently.
“…five girls in the span of, like, twenty months?”
“Oh, don’t torture me with numbers.”
Steve took a left toward the nearest gas station.
“That gives us… one girl every four months.”
He kept calculating, completely ignoring Steve’s protests.
“…Have you ever thought about, I don’t know… not dating?”
“Can you give me a break? It wasn’t my fault. She… wanted to leave Hawkins.”
Steve shrugged, biting the inside of his cheek. His fingers went pale as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
“…It would do you good.”
Dustin took a breath and shook his head.
“I have a job here. I can’t just leave the kids to fend for themselves.”
Steve’s tone grew more irritated, his hands starting to gesture more as he pulled into the gas station.
He stopped by one of the fuel dispensers.
After filling up the tank, he tapped on Dustin’s window and pointed toward the building.
“I’ll go pay. Stay put.”
After receiving a tired nod, he hurried inside.
The lights flickered slightly as he entered the shop. He slowly approached the cashier, a young girl, a really pretty one. Dark curls, dark eyes.
Could’ve been a model.
“Uh… station four. Should be about forty-six, right?”
He pulled out his wallet and handed over a fifty.
“Yeah.”
She looked about Dustin’s age, visibly done with the job, and Steve didn’t blame her. Working with shitty customers all day had to be wearing.
“Ed! Go clean up the snack aisle!”
She yelled after spotting a kid tearing through the store, their parent probably outside pumping gas.
The kid knocked over everything in reach, creating more work for the already exhausted staff.
A guy stepped out of the back room, nodding as he sighed loudly.
“Why am I a babysitter? They don’t pay me enough for this.”
“They don’t pay any of us enough!”
The cashier laughed, shouting back.
Steve’s brows furrowed. He looked over his shoulder, eyes searching for the staff room.
That voice was way too familiar.
“Oh—here you go.”
She slid the change and receipt across the counter.
“Have a decent day.”
Steve didn’t even look at the money.
“…What…”
He just stared. Like a man possessed. Eyes wide, frantic, trying to understand what he was seeing.
“…Eddie.”
The name slipped out, barely audible. His throat tightened painfully.
“Sir? Are you okay?”
She leaned closer, confused, but her words barely registered.
All he could see was Eddie.
Working at some stupid gas station. Hair pulled into a bun, dyed a lighter brown. Scars visible along his neck.
“Zoey, can you help me over here—”
Eddie walked up to the register.
His eyes met Steve’s.
Silence fell over all three of them.
“…Harrington.”
Eddie choked it out, barely audible, eyes narrowing.
“…I—”
Steve stood frozen, heart pounding wildly.
“…Fucking hell…”
He smiled, eyes burning.
“…Munson?”
He said it like a question, like he needed to be sure Eddie was real.
“No, that’s Ed Miller—”
Zoey tried again, but she was ignored as Eddie chuckled and shook his head.
“…Wow. What a unique last name. I’m impressed.”
Steve let out a breathless laugh, pressing his lips into a thin line.
“…Could I, uh… leave early?”
Eddie looked at his coworker with pleading eyes.
“…I—what?! Ed! The boss will kill you!”
She yelled as Eddie laughed again, already shaking his head.