Love Will Always Find A Way | Jopper

3

Joyce's POV

"Horowitz!" Hopper shouts from across the other side of the bar "Your morning shift ends in 3 hours!"
"I got it! Thanks!"

I pour three shots out for a customer. It's not usually this busy at 12pm, but there's a bunch of guys in their fifties obviously here for a reason. These guys are so drunk already and it's not going to be long before- shit. Glass and whiskey, all over me.

"Oi!" Hopper shouts and them, throwing me the towel "Leave our girl the fuck alone!"

They seem to listen to him and it goes quiet for about a minute before the bar is full of screaming drunk men.

"I'm gonna go to the bathrooms and wash this out, can you handle this while I'm gone?"
"Of course" he says

Hoppers POV

Joyce heads to the bathroom while I stand at the bar. The older, tattoo covered bartender, Paul is at the other end and seems to be keeping the guys in order. We really don't need a bar fight at this time of the day. All of a sudden, I can hear the phone ringing out the back, so I go and answer it.

"Hello?" I say
"Hi, is Miss Horowitz there?"
"Not at the moment, but she'll be back soon. Is there a message that I can take for her?"
"Yes, I'm Miss Rowland, the headteacher at Hawkins Elementary, Elliot is having a terrible day and his teacher has informed me that it would be best if he saw his mom"
"What? Uh... ok..."
"Thank you. Good day"
"Uh yeah... bye" I hang up the phone.

I can't process this. Joyce has a son? And he's in elementary school? And she never told me?
A few minutes later Joyce walks out of the restrooms and looks at me happily.

"Hey what's up? You look like you've seen a ghost!" She laughs
"You have a son."
"What?" her face instantly falls "How did you...?"
"His headteacher called. Said you needed to pick him up. Had a bad day"
"Oh my god. Look this is important. I have to go right now. But come round mine at 5pm tonight. I'll tell you everything. Just tell Dave where and why you're going and it'll be fine. Bye"
"Ok"

(At Joyce's House, hours later)

Joyce's POV

I open the door for Hopper and welcome him in.

"You remember Karen right?"
"Yeah sure, hi again"
"Hey" Karen replies before going off to make Elliot some dinner.
"So..." I start "you want to know everything?"
"Everything that I need to know"
"Alright then... I dropped out of school at 16 to have Elliot. Karen came with me and she used her parents money to buy us this place. I didn't tell you why I dropped out, or why I never called you again because I was way too scared of what you would think of me. My parents said I was a disappointment and they never wanted to see me again. I love Elliot so much and no matter how old he gets he'll always be my baby boy. He has Separation Anxiety which is why I had to go and collect him from school today. And like any 5 year old he is obsessed with superheroes"
"Who is his father" Hopper asks
"Ummm... do you know Lonnie Byers....?"
"Of course I do. That son of a bitch. Did he leave you pregnant Joyce?"
"He never knew"
"Good."
"Anyway" I change the subject "Do you want to meet my son?"
"Yeah, is actually like that"
"I'll go and get him, he's probably in his room, colouring"

I stand up, but I don't need to go anywhere because Elliot comes running in and jumps on my lap so he can show me what picture he has just coloured. I don't think he even noticed Hopper.

"Mommy! Look!"
"Wow, that's amazing"
"Look! It's red!"
"It is red, well done"

He finally realises that Hopper is sitting right next to me, so he clasps my hand tightly.

"Elliot, this is mommy's friend, Hopper"
"Hello" Elliot says
"What are you drawing there kiddo?" Hopper asks
Elliot smiles "Its from my colouring book. It's Spider-Man. He's the best, I wish I could have webs"
"It would be cool if we could all have webs wouldn't it"
"It would be amazing"
"What else do have you coloured?"
"I did Hulk the other day at school, do you want to come and see? It's in the kitchen"
"I think I will"

Karen walks in, I'm smiling and she's shocked.

"How is Elliot talking to someone like that?" She asks
"Dunno" I reply "I guess Hopper is a superhero"
"I guess so"