𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 [st/it]

₃ . big news

May 25th, 1985

The party had all gathered in Mike's basement. They sat around in a circle, using the sofa and all the chairs they could find in the corner of the room.

"So why is everyone freaking out and why are we having this meeting?," asked Dustin, "Is this about El's brother?"

"Okay well I have big news," said Lucas, while Will, Mike, and Max all started saying something similar at the same time.

"Guys just say it," said El.

"I have a twin brother who I just found out about," said Mike. "I just found out I have a sister," said Max. "I have a twin brother that my mom doesn't know about," said Will. "My Dad has a secret son," said Lucas. All at the same time.

"Wait, what?" Mike asked, his mind racing. Everyone was really confused.

"This is a joke, right?" Said Dustin.

"There are two mikes?" asked El.

"Okay what fuck is going on?" asked Max.

Will's face was a pale shade of white, and he felt like he was about to throw up.

"Guys you're just pranking me I'm not stupid," said El, confident in her self.

"El, my mom told me yesterday before you got the call," said Max.

"But my mom told me because she heard about you," said Mike.

"Me too. Well, my dad told me."

Silence followed Lucas' comment, everybody thinking individually.

"You guys should probably explain a little more," said Dustin. They all looked at each other to try and figure out who should go. Mike gestured towards Max and she nodded.

"So, if you guys don't know, my parents are divorced and I live with my mom and stepdad that just got married last year. They only dated for like 10 months or something. And that means Billy's my stepbrother. So my mom just said she needed to talk to me and she told me this because she "thought I was ready". She said that she had a daughter in Maine with this guy named Al, but she left and went to California when the baby was like 2 weeks old. Then she started dating my dad and I was born like less than a year later. The girl's name is Beverly, apparently."

"Did you say that this was in-," started El.

"Maine?" asked Lucas.

"Yeah, why?" said Max.

Lucas sighed. "Well, I told my dad about El's brother. He told me that a few months before him and my mom had me that he had a one night stand with a woman in Maine, and she got pregnant. But the woman was married so she told my dad to go away, so my dad just left. He's never going to tell my mom and I don't think he wants to find this kid. I do, though. So when we go this summer I want to try and figure it out.

"I'm confused, why is all of this happening in Maine?" said Dustin, who was the only calm one.

Max shrugged. "Coincidence? But I want to hear your stories," she said, pointing to Will and mike. They all turned to Mike and Will, waiting for their stories. Will still looked petrified. It was a lot for him to take in.

"Okay I'll go then," said Mike. "My mom heard about your brother, so she got all emotional. She told me that apparently Ted isn't actually my dad and my real father is living in Maine with my identical twin named Richie, which also means that Nancy and Holly are from a different father than me."

"Oh shit," said Dustin.

"Does he look like you?," asked El, curiously.

"I guess, but I really know nothing about him other than that he's my identical twin brother and his name's Richie. My real dad was married too so I guess he has a fake mom."

"This is so fucking weird, I swear if you guys are just messing with me then I'm gonna kill y-," started Dustin.

"WE WOULDN'T JUST MAKE THIS UP DUSTIN!," yelled Lucas.

"Will should go," said Max.

"Uhh. So my mom doesn't know, but when she had me she actually had twins. My dad, Lonnie, put the other one up for adoption. Jonathan told me, and he says he's willing to help me find out brother."

There was a silence. "Do you know anything else about it?" said Mike.

"Jonathan was four, so all he remembers is that the family adopting him was Jewish."

"There are two wills?" asked El. She really got caught up by the whole twin idea.

"I- I don't know," said Will.

"How does your mom not know?" asked Lucas.

"Well I was born from a c-section, and I guess she was asleep. Lonnie's a real asshole, and he's really good at getting away with this kind of shit. He came to my funeral a couple of years ago just for insurance money."

"Will, I'm sorry," said Mike. It was all anyone could say. He leaned over and hugged will, who was now dripping with tears. Everyone else joined the hug, and they remained there for a couple of minutes.

"You guys are really good group huggers," said Dustin, making a giggle escape from Max.

"So, I guess we gotta get to Maine," said Mike.

"And now I have to go figure out if I have any secret siblings," said Dustin.