Stories From Summer; Stranger Tales From The Summer of '85

13. Bonfire in the Backyard

13. Bonfire in the Backyard

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Mike was visiting El with Will today, and recently Hopper had allowed El to wander around the cabin. Also recently, Hopper had installed a hammock at the side of the cabin.

Mike and El had clambered into it, nearly toppling out of the checkered fabric, and finding the perfect balance, with the light breeze swaying them slightly, El was slowly dozing off. While Will sat on the floor, quietly sketching anything and everything he saw (a little squirrel that scrambled up a tree, a small family of rabbits that El would have cooed over if her eyes were open and focused).

"You know, mom's throwing that 'end of the year, the beginning of summer' bonfire thing, next week," Mike says, grabbing the attention of Will and El (Will who had now stopped sketching, and El who had slowly opened her drowsy eyes and looked at Mike). 

"Is it like the one last year?" Will asks, as he tears out one of the drawings of a rabbit that had hopped past, and handed it over to El. With Joyce and Hopper getting strangely closer and closer by the day, the pair only knew that it was a matter of time before they began dating, and hopefully marriage because Will really liked El (as a friend!), and saw her as a sister.

Mike made a noise of 'yes' and pushed his foot against the side of the hammock, causing it to swing back and forth - releasing the laugh he adores. Mike loved it when El laughed, he rarely heard it during the week Will went missing (also the first week they spent together), and now that Hopper is allowing them to spend time together at the cabin - he had two days (one on his own, and one bringing someone from The Party™), Max had two days to herself (after something was cleared - that Mike is still kept in the dark about) and the girls had some bonding time, which Mike liked - that El could open up to someone other than him.

"Bon-fire?" El asks, tearing her eyes away from the beautifully drawn rabbit Will had given her, as she looked between the boy who rescued her from the rain and took care after her, and the boy sat on the forest floor - who was more like her brother than anything else, and she hoped that one day he would be her brother through marriage ('Is there a word for that?')

"It's this giant pile of wood, that you light, creating a bonfire, but it can either be used for a celebration or get rid of an old Christmas tree," Will explained, drawing out a faint outline of what a bonfire sometimes looks like, and showing the sleepy girl.

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-That weekend-

"Chief! You made it!" Came the voice of Claire, one of the Wheeler's neighbours, who could spread news through the stay-at-home mother like wildfire, and she has also helped Karen put the party together this year. It's also her loud personality that grated up against Hopper the wrong way.

"Claire," he nods, his hat wobbling on his head, with a hand on El's shoulder (who will from here on out is known by Jane to the rest of the world).

She bubbling blonde (that Hopper has always thought to be from a bottle), looks down at the curly haired, little girl stuck to Hopper's side looking around at all the people in the back garden of the large Wheeler home, like she had never seen these many people in one place. "And who would this be?" She asks, crouching down and looking at El.

"This is Jane, my daughter," Hopper simply explains, taking one hand off El's shoulder, and ruffles the curls. "Jane, this is Claire, she's one of the Wheeler's neighbours," he says, as El looks up at the older woman.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss," El says, ever so sweetly, and politely - turning Claire into a puddle of mush at the cuteness. 

"Well, aren't you as cute as a button, and so polite! It's nice to meet you too, Miss Jane," Claire extends a hand to the smaller girl, who gently takes it as they shake hands.

Hopper smiles at El and ruffles her hair again. "Why don't you go find Mike? Do you remember him? The tall one with the black hair?" He says, as if putting the point across that El had forgotten what the middle Wheeler child looks like, even though she saw him two days ago.

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Mike had his back to El, as she approached the group, feeling a giggle bubble up her throat - but forced it down at the idea of making her Mike jump.

Max saw El to the side of Mike's shoulder, and pushed down a smirk and a laugh, as El jumped onto Mike's back.

"Hi, guys!" She smiles, as Mike almost jumps out of his skin, and then hears her soft voice over his shoulder, and twists his head slightly.

"Hello, you," Mike smiles, wrapping his fingers underneath her knees and hoists her further up - making sure that she is comfortably resting against him. When he feels her press a kiss to his cheek, Mike's face flushes a pink colour and the Party™ proceeded to tease him.

But even though they are teasing him for being so "lovey dovey" in public, but after only spending a week together, and then being separated for 353 days, they deserve to be this happy.

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Ted, who before this had been stood by the grill - grilling the hotdogs and burgers with his co-workers, walked over to where Karen had helped place the bonfire with Mike's help and lit it. Then walked back to the grill and kept grilling and talking.

"Wow," El looked at the bonfire in awe, having never seen this in the small amount of time she has spent outside.

Max walked over and rested her arm around El's shoulder. "Welcome to the real world, girlie,"

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Karen first meets El this night, when Mike had gotten El a burger and some fries that Karen had given him from the frier.

Mike and El were sat closely, side by side, and were sharing a drink Mike had gotten from the fridge. "I'm glad you could make it, El," he smiles and takes a french fry from her plate.

El giggled, and this is when Karen walked over and saw her son actual spending time with a girl. "You're Jane? Aren't you, the Chief's girl?" Karen asks as the pair looked up at the picture perfect older woman.

"Yes, Mrs Wheeler, I am," El smiles and Karen smiled back, and then looking between the pair.

"You got something to tell me, Michael?" Karen asks, as Mike wiggles his nose, knowing that he has somehow put off telling his mother about being in a relationship with El.

El looks at Mike, waiting for him to say something, knowing that it isn't her place to say anything. "Yeah, she's my girlfriend," Mike says, causing El to smile, as he takes her hand. "I know that the Chief could easily put me into an early grave if I break her heart - but I'd do it myself if I broke her heart. But she's worth it, I don't want to let her go, ever,"