The Previous Night
Jim Hopper
"The kids are all asleep... Jonathan is with the Wheelers..." Joyce yawns as she brings me a mug of hot chocolate. I take a sip as she sits beside me on the sofa, and I sigh.
"The Wheelers..."
"What?" She asks.
"That Wheeler kid- Mike."
"Yeah, what about him? You're just randomly bringing him up-"
"There's something about him that I don't like." I narrow my eyes, taking another sip. "Can you guess?"
"Hmmm... he's dating our daughter?-
"Yes! Precisely."
"Well- what's wrong?"
"Their relationship is just so..." I pause before restarting the sentence. "It's not like they have this cute teenage-couple relationship- no! They are constantly together."
"Well that is what cute teenage couples do, isn't it? I mean as long as they don't like..."
"I'm sure they don't." I exhale sharply. "But it's just- every time I look at them, they're either kissing or giggling. It's weird..."
"Hm... well! If you don't like it, maybe you should talk to them and create some boundaries!" She smiles, sitting up and placing her mug on the coffee table.
I arch my brows and sit up as well.
"Can- can you?"
"I think it's better if they hear it from y—"
"Yes- yes, you can! You're her mom too so why not??"
"No, no, no— you're going to talk to them soon. Okay?" Joyce tills her head and I furrow my brows in confusion.
"What?"
"I could help you find the right words, though."
. . .
As I read through the script, I cringe at some words, mumbling them quietly.
"To create an environment where... we are all... comfortable."
Oh my god- screw scripting.
I think to myself, scrunching up the paper and tossing it in the trash.
We're gonna talk, Mikey-boy.
I grab my jacket and head out, getting in my car and starting to drive to the Wheelers.
I find myself knocking on the door, and Karen answers.
"Hi, may I talk to your son, Michael?"
"Oh my god- is he in trouble? What did he do?"
"No, no, I just want to talk." I flash her a small reassuring smile and she nods.
"Okay... MICHAEL!!"
"COMING!!!" I hear him yell, presumably from his basement. He soon arrives to the front door and scrunches his nose in confusion to my presence.
"Is everything... okay?" He asks.
"No. No, I don't think so. It's Will. I'm taking you to the hospital."
His eyes widen as he grabs his coat and rushes out the door before I lead him to my car.
"What's wrong?! Did he hurt himself? Is he gonna be fine? What's wrong with Will?"
I slam the door shut and groan in annoyance, rubbing my temples aggressively.
"Nothing! NOTHING is wrong with Will!"
"What?!"
"But there is something very wrong with this thing between you and El."
Mike stays silent for a few seconds before retaliating.
"Oh you lying piece of shit!" He turns and tries to repeatedly unlock the car door, and I carelessly keep locking it so he can't get out.
"You're crazy!" He snaps his head my direction.
"Crazy... do you want to see real crazy? You disrespect me again..." I threaten, widening my eyes at him. He goes silent and just stares at me as I stare back.
"Right, so here's what's going to happen..." I rest my chin against the steering wheel. "I'm going to drive around town and talk, and you're going to listen. And maybe- maybe by the end of this, maybe if you're lucky, maybe I will continue to allow you to date my daughter." I instruct, and Mike still looks in shock when I turn to him.
"Nod if you understand!" I raise my voice and he quickly nods, looking down at his lap.
Dumb kid.
Tue. 24th December 1985 | 11:16am
Jane Hopper
A cold gust of wind brushes over my body, shuddering me awake. I rub my eyes and pull my sheets to my chin, staring at the ceiling for a few seconds.
Ugh, I have to get up...
I remind myself before forcing my blanket off me. A shiver goes down my whole body, it feeling as if a sheet of ice was rubbed against my skin. I quickly go to the bathroom to brush my teeth and slip on a pair of blue jeans and a red sweater. I brush through my shoulder-length hair and put on my winter set before rushing down the stairs with my walkie and a bouquet of wildflowers.
I walk into the kitchen, surprised when Jonathan is standing by the stove, making pancakes.
"Jonathan?..." I slowly walk in, taking a seat in the dining table.
"Oh- hey, El!"
"Shouldn't you be at work?" I ask.
"I decided to take the day off. Y'know, so I could stay with you at the asylum."
"Hospital." I correct him, even though he's right.
"Hospital." He repeats regardless with a smile.
I hate the word 'asylum'. When someone mentions an asylum, people immediately assume that all the patients there are crazy.
Some people are just sick. Mentally ill.
"Eat up." He instructs, sliding two pancakes from the pan to my plate. I nod obediently and pour some syrup atop the food before taking a bite.
"Did Will already leave?"
"Yeah. Around an hour ago." He says and I shake my head upwards in understanding.
. . .
"Jane Eleanor Hopper is my foster name but my real name is Jane Ives. Daughter of Teresa Ives." I smile at the receptionist, taken aback when she doesn't return it. "May I visit her, please?" I ask, holding the bouquet firmly in my hand.
She shrugs and hands me a visitors pass.
"Room 110."
"I know." I take the pass and turn to Jonathan, who puts his hands in his pockets.
"I'll stay over here." He smiles and I nod, starting to walk down the halls.
The silence that these paper white corridors hold is unbearably deafening, the only thing I can hear is the echoes of my black leather boots clacking against the ground.
I reach number 110 and open the door, slowly coming in. Mama is sitting on a rocking chair, staring aimlessly while muttering words out of her mouth.
"Merry Christmas Eve, mama..." I gently beam, laying the flowers on the bedside table.
I'm used to her not responding when I talk considering the vegetative state she's in, but it still hurts knowing that I'll never be able to communicate with her.
When I notice a tear rolling down my cheek, I inhale and sigh shakily, getting up and approaching my mom. I plant a soft kiss on her forehead, not expecting her dilated eyes to meet mine. My heart skips a bit when she just stares for a bit.
"Sunflower..."
I fight a frown from coming to my face, smile at her and make my way to the exit, stopping at the doorway.
"Merry Christmas."
I leave and rush back to the reception, brushing my hair behind my ears. I think Jonathan can sense how I'm feeling when he hold his arms out. I waste no time to wrap myself around him, starting to quietly sob in his chest.
"Shhh..." He coos.
To Be Continued...
a.n. I promise more byler soon x