Love Will Always Find A Way | Jopper

1

A/N I set this in the 90's and Joyce, Hopper and Karen are 21.

Joyce's POV

I'm rushing around the house trying to get everything ready. I started my new job as a bartender a few weeks ago just because it pays well. No one really comes into the bar until 9pm but the manager likes us to be there at 8:30am just in case. My roommate Karen has been really good helping me out, taking my son to school when we are all running a bit late in the mornings. Oh shit, that reminds me, he's not even awake yet. I run into his room and find him still curled up in his bed.

"Elliot, mommy needs you to get up" I say, stroking his head
"I don't want to"
"I need to go to work and you need to go to school"
"No, I don't like school. I want to be with you" he grabs my hand tightly. I can't be angry at him though, it's not his fault. His has Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) that he was diagnosed with last year. He stresses if he's away from me or Karen to long and getting him to go to school is a challenge in the morning. In his first week of kindergarten I told the teachers and now he has his own teaching assistant called Miss Waters to help him. He seems to like her helping him so when he's really bad I call the school and she doesn't take him to class, instead takes him to the playground or to his own special room. By the way he's making nail marks in the skin of my hand, I'm guessing today will be one of those days.
"Karen!" I call
"Yup" she comes in
"Can you call the school"
"Sure, do you still want me to take him?"
"Yes please I'm running late"
Karen walks back out of the room and I turn to Elliot.

"Look, mommy needs to get to work so Karen is gonna take you to school. If you promise to be good then I'll get you a candy bar for when you get home"
"Ok.."
"Love you sweetie"
"Love you to mommy"

I kiss him on the head and make my way out of the door. I hate seeing him like this and it's even worse when I have to leave him.

(At the bar)

"I'm sorry I'm late" I say to the manager, Dave.
"It's fine, your son having a bad day?"
"Yeah" I look at the marks on my hand. Dave is the only one here who knows about Elliot and I plan to keep it that way. It's hard to be private in a town like Hawkins but I've managed it.
"Joyce" Dave calls me as I put my coat up
"Yes" I answer
"There's someone new starting today and I was wondering if you could show him the ropes. He's around your age and seems like a nice guy, worried I'll scare him away if I have Paul showing him what to do"
"Sure thing" I laugh "When is he starting?"
"He's coming in around an hour"
"Cool, until then what you want me to do"
"Nothing my love, you can have a chilled time"

(One hour later)

I can hear Dave welcoming the new guy in so I stand up in the back room and try to look as presentable as possible.

"So kid" I hear him say "Our lovely girl is gonna show you what to do, and by tomorrow you should be able to serve a few drinks on your own" he walks in and the guy behind him is not who I was expecting and by his face, he wasn't expecting me either. Dave says "Joyce, this is Jim Hopper, Jim this is Joyce"