Royal Pain || Stranger Things

sixteen || hurt feelings

     Yes, Hawkins was a pit of insanity.

     But if she could play it all off on her father's coke addiction and not risk the government trailing into their lives to make everything worse, she would.

     She had no doubt in her mind that if it all went to hell in a hand basket that the first thing the government would do if they knew her family was involved would be to deport Elena just to prove a point.

     Tatum ran a cursory hand through her hair, it more unruly than normal since she fell asleep with it wet. "How long will he be there?"

     "As long as it takes, T," Elena replied. "But he asked that if you were willing, if you would visit him in a few weeks once the probationary period passes. You don't have to make up your mind now, but he would like to apologize to you in person and explain it all. I think he's wanting to start a new novel as well, entirely unrelated to this one, and I imagine he'd like to tell you about it like he used to."

     "Okay," Tatum said softly, staring into her half drank coffee. "I'll think about it."

     "What did you think about the book?" she asked, tapping the manuscript cover.

     "It's a little dark."

     Elena laughed to herself as she took another sip. "As his work usually is."

     It wasn't quite what Tatum meant, but she let it slide.

     "I supposed we should go appliance shopping this week. I'll call our lad at radio shack that sold us our phones."

     One of Tatum's brow quirked, pausing as she picked up her mug. "Who?"

     "Bob." Elena nodded. "Newby, I think. He's lovely. He really knows his stuff."

     Tatum supposed that the news of Bob's death hadn't reached the town yet.

     She supposed that the news of Bob's death might never reach the town, his body buried in a pauper's grave and his family told that he moved away overseas. The usual cover up.

     "What do you say?" Elena asked, snapping Tate from her thoughts. "Finish our coffees and head out to replace the phones and what else?"

     "A lamp and my alarm clock." Tatum cleared her throat, glancing to the clock mounted above the stove. "I might have to rain check on you, though. I actually need to go to the police station." She feigned an innocent smile. "I may or may not have gotten a speeding citation while you were away. I should be able to wiggle my way out of it thought since it's a first offense."

     "Tatum," Elena groaned despite the light smile. "Maybe Chief Hopper will go easy on you."

     Unlikely.

     "How about I go out shopping and get replacements and whenever you get home, we'll clean everything up and have some dinner?"

     "Sounds like a plan," Tatum replied before draining her coffee and walking the mug to the sink. "And burn the manuscript?"

     "And burn the manuscript." Elena sighed, wrapping Tate into a tight hug. She kissed the top of her head, squeezing her shoulders once more before letting her go. "I love you."

     "I love you, too."

     Tatum was quick to retreat upstairs past the havoc she wreaked the night before and got dressed for the day, aiming for even warmer than normal. She couldn't shake a sense of cold since she returned to life from the unsuspecting coma she'd put herself into. Without a trusty leather jacket, she went for her fur lined denim before heading back downstairs and out the front door.