Legendary | s. harrington (18+)

chapter eight

THE following night, Evelyn stood by the green and white wallpaper lining the kitchen in her home, following the swirls with her nail as she hummed along with the dialing tone.

"Maybe they're having dinner or something, love." Evelyn sighed into the phone, leaning her face into the plastic until defeated, she hung it back on the wall.

"It's nearly midnight, they'll be asleep." Eve was saying, leaning her back on the wallpaper and wiping her face with her hand.

"Then why are you calling?" Evelyn chewed the skin on her lip. "It's sweet you worry so much, but he'll be fine."

"Linda's right, Evie. They could have a power cut or anything, it's the other side of town. I bet there's no reason to worry at all." But Evelyn's eyes just searched her kitchen floor, unconvinced. She hadn't spoken to Jonathan Byers since before the Halloween party; she'd called the Byers home twice in the last few days with no answer; and with no one was at the A.V club on three occasions despite none of the Hawkins members having missed a session yet, Evelyn was worried.

"What about Hopper?" Eve said. He usually came on a Wednesday; even if just for a beer but he'd been missing for months. He no longer turned up for events or a chat, he no longer randomly picked Evelyn up from school. Halloween had been the most pleasant surprise.

"He's a busy man, Evelyn." Henry was chuckling as Evelyn rolled her lips together.

"But...but I haven't seen Jonathan since the start of Halloween and Joyce hasn't called me about weekly movie night - the kids didn't turn up to A.V club at lunch or after school -"

"Didn't Jonathan tell you he was busy when he brought you home, that night?" Her uncle was saying, looking over his newspaper at his wife who made and excited noise and looked at Evelyn, but Eve was barely in the room with them - her head dizzy with anxiety.

"That wasn't Jonathan." Eve said, as she tucked her hair behind her ear and pulled a chair out at their table.

"That wasn't..?" Henry looked to Linda, but Evelyn was already moving on. "That wasn't Jonathan?"

"No it was Steve." Eve said mindlessly.

"Harrington." Linda was musing, and her Uncle placed down his newspaper, pointing out the window.

"Living up near the station?" Linda was nodding but Evelyn just shook her head.

"The kids never miss A.V and Joyce always answers. What if Will's having an episode? Or they've taken him the hospital-"

"Then he'll be in the right hands," Aunt Linda was saying, standing up to grab the kettle from the stove but Evelyn barely heard the clanking of China as her Aunt pulled Eve's favourite mug from the cupboard.

"Your children are all probably at their actual parent's houses, with their mother's who aren't Evie." Evelyn sighed, burrowing into her hands and with a groan, she exhaled her anxieties and took the steaming cup her Aunt was placing on the table. "I don't know how you ended up adopting all five of them."

"There's four."

"Well, I bet it'll be five soon. They seem to stick to you like glue."

"That's because she's lovely." Her aunt was saying, but Evelyn hadn't been listening.

"Yeah," she looked at her aunt, "Thank you Auntie Linda." She waved her thanks away and sank back into her seat, sipping the drink she'd placed down for her.

Despite their talk the night before, Evelyn had struggled to sleep with the unmovable feeling in her gut. She wore it heavy on her shoulders as she made her way from Hawkins High School towards the parking lot. She was jingling her keys, rolling them round her finger. She was supposed to be Babysitting Will today, but hadn't seen him. Again. And with Jonathan bailing their usual meet ups and in none of her classes, she presumed she was still needed. She was thinking about this when she saw Mike Wheeler run in front of her.