You Don't Have To Be Sorry For Leaving and Growing Up

You Don't Have To Go Home

It was a month later the first time Eddie met Sandy. He'd practically moved in with Richie without either of them properly talking about it. He'd changed his address to Richie's, managed to get a job at an auto repair shop a few blocks away, and the two were closer than ever. Therapy was starting chip away at Eddie's trauma. The guilt he felt about being gay, feeling like he was disappointing not only his mother, but his father too. His father hadn't seemed homophobic but he didn't know him too well. He'd have to ask Maggie and Went as they had known him very briefly.

Richie and Eddie are practically cuddled up on the couch the evening Eddie meets Sandy. She'd been away on tour for the month and she tended to check in on Richie straight after. They're watching a movie on Netflix and eating pizza. Therapy was also helping Eddie with the realisation that he could eat whatever he wanted because he wasn't actually allergic to any foods. That had been hard to wrap his head around, but he was loving the meat feast pizza Richie had ordered them.

"Wow this apartment actually looks clean, Richard, I'm shocked." They hear as the front door opens and closes. Richie sits up, unwrapping his arm from where it had been around Eddie and pausing the TV. A tall blonde woman walks into the doorway, carrying a grocery bag, dressed in a body tight black dress and heels.

"Hi Sandy." Richie grins happily, going over and hugging her." How was tour?"

"Wonderful as always." She responds, glancing over at Eddie. She kisses Richie's cheek and then asks," who's this, darling?"

"Oh this is Eddie." Richie says as they pull out of the hug. He gestures to where Eddie's sat on the couch, and Eddie waves at her." You remember how I said I'd gotten back into contact with some old friends?" Sandy nods and Richie continues with," well, this is one of them. Eddie Kaspbrak. Spaghetti-

"Don't call me that." Eddie sighs.

"He has a stupid nickname for you too?" Sandy asks with an amused smile.

"Multiple."

"Yeah it seems to be an annoying habit he has." Sandy chuckles." I'm Sanderella."

"He has such bad nicknames for the whole losers club." Eddie explains. Sandy pulls a face and asks,"
Losers club?"

"That's what we call ourselves." Richie responds." Anyway, you want some pizza?"

"I can't stay I just came to drop off some groceries per request of Steve." Sandy responds and Richie nods." Have you met Steve yet, Eddie?"

"Nope not yet. Richie seems to not want me to meet him for some reason." Eddie shrugs in response.

"Hmm." Sandy says and then she turns to Richie and says," Richard. A word. In private."

"Yep." Richie says, following her to the kitchen. She starts packing away the groceries she'd gotten and whilst she's doing that she asks," how long has he been here?"

"A month." Richie responds.

"So has he moved in permanently?"

"I guess so."

"You guess so?"

"We haven't actually talked about it." Richie replies. Sandy rolls her eyes, knowing how bad Richie could be with communication." He was in a really bad place, Sand, I couldn't just...I couldn't let him be alone. He's Eddie I'm always gonna be by his side-

"You haven't been for the last almost three decades." Sandy says, turning to him with her arms crossed." What's changed?"

"I love him, Sandy." Richie admits. Her expression softens with that." I always have. We split off and we forgot about one another but...it's always been him-