Pictures of You

Life Goes On

1987, After Aileens Arrival in California

After their tender reunion, Eddie brought Aileen inside while the agents who had come with her began to bring her stuff into his-their-trailer. As she entered, she looked around, slightly amused that the trailer was actually looking in decent shape. Eddie's room back in Hawkins had been kind of a mess, and she had half expected his place to be the same. Observing how she walked around and looked at everything, Eddie said, "Don't worry, I made sure to clean up before you got here." "I didn't..." "Yeah, but you were thinking it." Lightly swatting at his chest, Aileen gave him another breath taking smile. "So, are you going to give me a tour?" Holding his hand out, Aileen took it in hers and Eddie guided her through the trailer. From the living area, he pointed out the kitchen and the small dining area just off to the side. Leading her toward the back, he showed her the bathroom, the spare bedroom, and finally...their bedroom. Entering the space, Aileen looked around. It was different from what she had imagined it would be.  She expected it to be decked out like it had been in Hawkins, with metal posters plastered over the walls, but for the most part they were bare. "This is your room?" "Our room. Yeah." Beginning to feel nervous, Eddie released her hand, walking over to the dresser that sat in the corner of the room. Pulling the top drawer on the right side open, he said, "So, these drawers are for you. But if you prefer the other side, we can switch. And um..." Looking around, he held up his hand and went over to the bed. Knowing Aileen usually preferred to sleep on the left side of the bed, he mentioned toward the night stand on that side. "I made sure to get you a lamp so you can read at night. I don't have a book case yet but we can get one as soon as possible. And if you don't like the bedding or the curtains we can..." "Eddie." Aileen interrupted him, looking more than amused. "What are you doing? You're rambling. Are you okay?"

No, he wasn't. He so desperately wanted her to enjoy her life here. After all she had sacrificed to be with him, he didn't want her to regret her decision. She had to move away from her home, had given up going to college and was trading her life in a big house for a life in a small trailer. All he wanted was to make her happy. And since her decision to come here, he had worried everyday that she might someday come to regret it. "I-I just want you to be happy here. I know this isn't much, and its not what you're used to but..." Coming up to him, taking his face in her hands, Aileen smiled up at him. "Eddie, my love, I love it. All of it. I'm just a little shocked that you have nothing on the walls." Feeling a little sheepish, Eddie shrugged, looking around. The walls were bare but he had been so focused on making sure that she could have the freedom to do whatever she wanted with the space. Voicing those thoughts to her, Aileen looked around. Unable to stop smiling, loving him so much more knowing that he wanted her to love this place more than she already did, she held her hand up to him, telling him to stay here. She hadn't brought much as far as decorations with her, finding them to be unnecessary and wanting to fill the space with things that were suited to the both of them. But there was one thing that had hung from his walls back home that she did bring with her. One thing she had known he would have loved to see again.

Thanking the agents who had brought all her stuff into the living area, she grabbed two items. One was wrapped in a towel to protect it during the move, the other a camera. Calling out to him from the hallway, Aileen told Eddie to sit on the bed and to close his eyes. When she heard the faint squeak of the mattress, she peeked into the room. He sat with his eyes closed, his brows drawn low in confusion. Walking up to him, she told him to keep his eyes closed and to hold out his hands.  When he did so, she lay the towel in his hands, unwrapping it to where the object was revealed, before taking a step back, holding up the camera. "Okay, you can open your eyes."  When he did, he looked down at his hands, his eyes going wide. At that look, Aileen took a picture, the flash bringing his eyes to hers. Smiling at him as the Polaroid printed, Aileen said, "Now, we'll have to get a wall mount for it like you had back in Hawkins but I think this would be a good start to how our place should look..."