wanted - Eddie Munson

a shirt and a mixtape

September 14th, 1985

It's almost been a month and not a single phone call, letter, or even postcard has been sent from Eddie. I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt seeing as school started back two weeks ago. I know he's probably just busy with school, Hellfire, and Corroded Coffin. That doesn't stop the ache in my heart every time the phone rings and it isn't him.

I'm pretty sure my aunt and cousin think I made him up at this point. If it weren't for the few pictures I have of us, they'd definitely think Eddie was made up.

Never mind him basically ignoring me for a month, today's his birthday and I'll be damned if I don't even get to wish him a happy birthday. I'd gotten him a gift, but for obvious reasons, I'm not able to give it to him in person, so I shipped it out to him. Making sure to put a return address in case he'd forgotten it or lost the note I gave him that had my new address and phone number.

It's nothing major, just the new Megadeth t-shirt and a mixtape. The shirt was just a gift, nothing more to it. The mixtape however might've been a bit over the top. I'd gathered all the songs I'd listened to recently, including one particular song by Billy Squier, and put them all into a tape. I even took the time to decorate a cover for it.

So, it's a lot over the top. I know I may seem desperate but it's his twentieth birthday and I wanted to give him something special.

I quickly left the room that my aunt had given me to stay in while I was living with her, fully dressed and ready for work. I'd started working at a local coffee shop that doubled as a bakery about two weeks ago. Honestly, I have my cousin to thank for getting the job. She'd been working there since she was sixteen and put in a good word about me with the owner.

"Morning," I announced myself as I walked into the kitchen. My aunt, Mary, was cooking breakfast while my cousin, Kimberly, was leaning over her cup of coffee with a hand holding her head up. For someone who works in a coffee shop, where most of our customers come in the early morning, Kimberly was not a morning person.

Her light brown hair was frizzy and sticking up, looking like she'd just rolled out of bed. She peeked one eye open to look at me before closing it again, grumbling a 'morning' in return.

"Don't mind her, dear. You know how she is in the mornings." My aunt looked over at me with a sweet smile, her features almost identical to my mother's. The same dark ginger hair and deep blue eyes. The only difference was that Mary had a better understanding of common sense, and she was emotionally stronger.

Mary had taken Kim and left after her ex-husband and Kim's father got mean and cruel. My mother, however, seemed to like being in toxic and abusive relationships. I can't remember much about my dad, but I know he was an ass.

I know I should think about my mother like that, she's made sure Max and I had everything we needed. Just not a stable home.

I smiled back at my aunt before speaking. "Mind if I use the phone? Gotta make a quick call back home."

She quickly nodded, "Of course! I'm going to try to wake this one up from her morning nap." She glared playfully as she pointed the spatula in her daughter's direction.

I let out a light-hearted laugh before walking off to Mary's office. She worked as a children's therapist and had three filing cabinets in her office, all full of information on different kids. I picked up the phone and quickly dialed the number.

It rang a few times before the line was picked up.

"Hello?" Wayne's voice echoed through the speaker.

"Hi, Mr. Munson, it's Beth. Is Eddie there?" I asked.

"Oh, hey, kid. What have I told you about calling me that?" He chuckled and I smiled before he continued. "I'll go see if he's in his room."