Today was the day Joyce and Hopper were due to be married. The wedding was postponed but Joyce wanted to mark the day in some way. She organised for the kids to spend the day and night at The Wheelers, she was determined to get their relationship back on track.
After dropping the kids off she went shopping for food and went home to begin cooking.
Hopper came out of the shower whilst Joyce was prepping food.
"You really don't need to go to all this trouble Joyce. It'll just be nice to have a quiet evening".
"Hop, please, let me do this. I was supposed to be your wife today....the least we can do is have a nice meal".
Hopper held up his hands surrendering to her wishes.
When everything was cooking nicely, Joyce decided to take a bath. She wanted to take extra care on her appearance, she wanted to remind him of how in love they were, or at least had been.
She curled her hair, applied some make-up and changed into the little black dress she had worn when they celebrated their engagement. Joyce was desperate for anything that would bring that memory back for him.
Hopper smiled when he saw her "Joyce you look...stunning". Her heart leapt but she kept calm and thanked him.
Joyce served dinner, turned down the lights and lit some candles.
"Joyce, really you shouldn't have done all this" she interrupted him. "Hop, please, I love you let me show you".
"Joyce, stop please. I need to talk to you. I know that today should have been our wedding day and I appreciate you understanding why I wanted to postpone".
"Of course I understand, maybe tonight we could think of a new date?".
Hopper sat her down. He held her hands. "Joyce, I'm sorry but...I...I can't marry you and I can't continue to live here. I appreciate everything you have done for me, for El, I really do but...I still have so many missing memories, questions without answers I..."
Joyce cut him off "Hop, no...this isn't the way...we are meant to be together. It took us this long but...I love you James Hopper. Please don't leave me."
"I love you too Joyce but as a friend, I'm sorry. I think I should leave, I'll collect El from Mike's tomorrow".
He kissed her cheek and then he was gone. Joyce sat at a candle lit table alone surrounded by food that was destined to remain uneaten. She cried, harder than she had in a long time. Looking out of the window she watched him drive away. She looked at her engagement ring, took it off and placed it on the window sill. She then, amongst her tears drank the bottles of wine she had bought. What was she to do now? She had lost him. Again.
