Two of a Kind

Little Packages

"Joyce," Hop nudged her awake. "Joyce, we're here."

Joyce fluttered her eyes open.

"Oh, okay." She yawned and stretched her arms out.

The couple walked off the plane and into the airport, holding hands as they made their way to the taxis to get to their hotel.

In the cab, Hopper asked the driver to stop at a convenience store on the way. He let Joyce go in to the store to buy a pregnancy test while he stayed with the cab. When they were dropped off at the hotel, Joyce became visibly anxious.

"Hey, hey," Hop said, placing their luggage onto the hotel bed. He sat down on the bed and grabbed her hands in his, pulling her close so the two were at eye level. "It's okay, sweetheart. Whatever that test says, we'll figure it out together, okay?"

Joyce nodded, giving a half smile and taking the test to the bathroom. Once the door was closed, Hop laid back on the bed and let out a nervous sigh. Of course, if she was pregnant, he would respect whatever her decision was. But his mind started to consider the possibility of having a child with Joyce. He loved kids, and loved Joyce, but they were also in their forties and this was an unexpected surprise. His mind flashed back to that last day in the hospital with his daughter and his ex-wife. The pain of losing a child had almost killed him. He had been numbing that trauma with work and alcohol since it happened, and he wasn't sure if he had even fully processed that yet. What if it happened again? He didn't want another child to go through that, and he didn't want to lose Joyce because their relationship would be nothing but a reminder of that awful loss. He sighed and pushed his hands through his hair. But then again, he thought, what if it worked out? He could have another chance at the family he had always wanted. Sure, they would have a late start, but he would still be the same devoted dad that he was before. He closed his eyes, shaking his head. He had to calm down. For all he knew it was just a pregnancy scare and he wouldn't have to worry about any of this.

Joyce opened the bathroom door and walked out to Hop on the bed. He quickly sat up, looking to her eyes, searching for the answer to the question that had kept him up the entire plane ride and drive to the hotel.

"Did you take it?" he asked, his voice coming off more shakily than he wanted it to.

"Yeah," she nodded, biting her bottom lip.

She sat on the bed next to him and let out a deep breath from her nose.

"Hop... it's positive."

Hop tried to talk but nothing came out. His shocked expression was undoubtedly showing on his face, and he looked down to Joyce to see what her reaction was to the news. She seemed to be in the same state that he was.

Hopper placed his hand on her thigh and rubbed it. He took a breath in and said, "Okay. Okay. Well at least now we know. How do you feel?"

"I'm just in shock, Hop. We're— pregnant?" She shook her head, blinking in disbelief. "Um, how do you feel?" she asked him, now looking nervously up at him.

"I'm— happy," he let out an uncomfortable laugh. "I mean, of course, it's up to you what we do, but, if you want this baby, then I do too." Hop suddenly remembered the small box he was hiding in his suitcase. He had planned this trip to celebrate her birthday, but he had also planned to propose. It had only been two months, but he knew what he wanted. He had also been married before and didn't want to waste any time now that he was older and had been through so much. Plus, he has been happier than he had ever been in the months since dating Joyce. He started to worry that she would feel like he only would be proposing now because of the baby. He decided to turn around and open his suitcase.

"Joyce, I have something else to tell you. I wanted this to be more romantic, but I want you to know my intentions for this trip now that we have this news." He pulled out the box and walked to the end of the bed in front of Joyce. He kneeled down in front of her, his limbs shaking. He gulped. Joyce saw the little red velvet box in his hands and gasped, her hands clasping to cover her mouth.

"Joyce Laura Byers, I have loved you for many, many years. These past few months of being able to get close to you again and close to your sons have been the happiest of my entire life. I would be honored to spend the rest of my life by your side. Will you marry me?" He opened the box and looked up at her. Her eyes were welling up with tears, but he could see the smile forming at the corner of her lips, and it made his heart skip a beat.

Hopper had just proposed, and was holding a beautiful, gold-banded diamond ring up to her, on his knees. She had never been this shocked before between the news of her being pregnant and now being proposed to, besides maybe when she discovered that Will was missing. She put her hands down on her lap and nodded, fully crying tears of joy now.

"Yes. Yes, absolutely Hopper!"

He was now smiling so hard that his jaw hurt, and a tear fell from his eye as well. He stood up and pulled the ring out of its box, sliding it onto her unsteady finger.

The newly engaged couple stood up and Hop picked her up in his arms, spinning her around as they kissed, laughing uncontrollably together at the mixture of shock and happiness.

"I didn't plan for this to happen this soon, but I did make us dinner reservations for tonight. Are you in the mood to go?" Hop asked, setting her back down.

"Hopper, who knew you were so romantic?" Joyce said in a low, loving tone, still smiling ear to ear. "Let me go get changed. Good thing I brought a dress!"

Hopper changed into a suit that he packed that he had originally planned to propose in. The two got ready and headed out into the beautifully warm night, high on excitement and love.