THE TOWER ━ stranger things

24.

chapter twenty-four – who's crying now?

January 1st, 1986

"I didn't know your brother had this much stuff." Sofia scrunched her face as she taped up another box and scribbled her son's name onto it.

"He liked to collect things..." Her daughter trailed as she sifted through his crate of cassette tapes and stack of vinyls. Mateo did have a knack for giving everything he owned sentimental value. Even if it was a 'cool' rock he found whilst walking from school or a newspaper clipping he thought was interesting – he kept it all and had a backstory for many items in his possession. There were many of Irene's gifted paintings that he still kept, after all the years, hidden away from the world in dark corners. Finding them felt like a blow to the chest; stealing away any air of confidence she thought she had when first walking into the room. 

After a lengthy discussion over cold coffee and cake, the two decided it was finally time to clean out his room.

What a better way to spend his birthday than going through his things and recollecting better times?

They both needed it after the rather melancholic Christmas they endured. The Munson's showed and so did some of the kids to drop off Irene something special and bring the two some warmth, but it just wasn't the same without him. Nothing would be the same without their third member; without a son...a brother. The winter was kicking the Vasquez womens asses and neither of them wanted to admit it, but they were both falling into a rapid sinkhole of seasonal depression and the grief that momentarily alluded them.

They were going to try though; they owed it to Mateo. Both of them knew he wouldn't have wanted them to be sad, despite his begrudging attitude during the latter half of his young adult life. He loved his mother and sister and even though he hadn't said it in a while, he wanted them to be happy. Of course, he grew selfish and let unforeseen circumstances turn him sour but deep down in the chest of his heart there burned an adoration and need to protect the two. Before things changed he used to be an extremely colorful child, so full of wonder and a zest for life that was unmatched. They wanted so desperately to mimic those days.

His favorite music played throughout the home as the blinds were drawn back to let the spring light shine against the cream walls. The two got to work shortly after, separating the things they wanted to keep or donate. It was really hard, especially when deeply sentimental objects were found like lunch notes his mother wrote him during elementary school or ticket stubs from the few baseball games his father took him to – simple things that showcased who Mateo was at his core. 

Then her mother found something that tore at her daughter's chest, sending goosebumps all the way down her arms. An immense wave of melancholy bloomed inside of Irene. "Oh my gosh! Look at what I found, I can't believe he kept these..." Sofia beamed as she pulled out two notebooks from his small bookshelf and handed them to Irene. One was a bright yellow and littered with CareBear and sparkly stickers and the other was a dark green with a drawing of a lone sword and a dragon done in black ink – childlike but impressive nonetheless.

They were campaign journals from when the two would play Dungeons and Dragons with their cousins. Mateo practically begged his sister to join their party and it took a lot of convincing for her to even think about the plea. Not only was she eight and had no clue how to play the game, but she was also the odd one out with her cousins; the only girl and the youngest among the group. Her brother made sure she was always included in their endeavors but she always felt like the outlier; the baby of the group.

When the trio first found out about DnD - thanks to the oldest, Benjamin, who heard about it from other teens in his class - they tried to put together a small party of their own to play. Quickly the boys realized they had very few friends and the ones they did have couldn't play the game because of its 'association with the devil.' So like the smart kid he was, Mateo figured if he taught Irene she could join them and it'd be a fun experience.