Believe It Or Not (An Eddie Munson Story)

The King

"It really is a nice place, Eddie. I promise I'm not just saying that." 

"You swear? Because if you don't like it I'm seriously fine with us looking for somewhere else to live." 

I shake my head and look up at Eddie warmly. He has been fidgeting nervously with the rings on his hands during the entire walk through, chatting on and on about the different features of the trailer as I silently look around. I know my silence unnerves him, but I really am just taking it all in and doing my best to imagine living here with Eddie and our little bean; our little family. I am lost on multiple occasions to different fantasies. Eddie rocking our curly haired baby in his arms in the spare bedroom. Eddie and I curled up late at night on a beat up old couch in the living room, watching scary movies. Making Eddie and the baby dinner in the kitchen, happily swaying to music pouring from a little stereo on the counter. I can easily see us being happy here. 

Mrs. Caldwell is a pleasant and sweet old woman who has known Eddie almost his entire life and surprisingly remembers me as well, even though I don't remember her. She looks on at us fondly as we survey the small living space and then gives us privacy to talk everything over. I genuinely like her and I think she will be a fair and honest landlord. 

"I swear," I tell Eddie, giving him a level look and he stares at me for a moment more before his face breaks out in a blinding grin. He leaps forward and swoops me in his arm, spinning me around before placing me back on my feet and dipping me back to kiss me square on the mouth. I smile against him, stifling a giggle and I can feel his own chuckle rumbling deep in his chest. 

"Alright, well I say we let Mrs. Caldwell know. I already have the deposit and the first month's rent and the monthly expenses are more then manageable." Eddie beams with excitement, clutching my hand firmly in his. "We've got our own place."

His giddiness is catching and I bounce on the balls of my feet beside him, a huge smile on my own face before he pulls away and walks outside. I can hear him talking animatedly to Mrs. Caldwell as they discuss when we can sign the lease and move in dates. Graduation is a week and a half away and now we have our own place. I finally got my acceptance letter into Hawkins Community College for their sports medicine program and Eddie has been working his butt off with the band. Everything is changing so swiftly. My chest clenches a little and I try to remember to take deep breaths, not wanting to have a panic attack. Everything seemed so real so fast and soon. I sit down on Mrs. Caldwell's couch and my knee bounces nervously. I put my head in between my knees and focus on my breathing until the tension in my chest subsides. 

The panic attacks have been more frequent lately. I am hoping they will go away once school is over, but I'm not sure. I haven't mentioned them to Eddie because I don't want him to worry, but I know it will be more difficult to hide once we live together full time. I don't want him to think that I am unhappy. That couldn't be farther from the truth. There is just so much happening all at once. I'm finding it hard to catch my breath. 

Eddie comes back inside just as I am lifting my head and I plaster a smile onto my face, getting to my feet. 

"Mrs. Caldwell says she can get the lease to us tomorrow for us to review and then sign and notarize. I think it would be a good idea to have Wayne and your mom read it over to." 

I nod at that and Eddie takes my hand in his, leading me out of the house. Mrs. Caldwell smiles sweetly at us as we turn to leave and I offer a pleasant grin in return. Eddie and I walk hand in hand around  the corner to his trailer. Once inside I head to the fridge, on the hunt for something for dinner. Eddie had taken some chicken breasts out to thaw this morning and I pull them out and set them on the counter, chewing on my lip. He's been really good about keeping the kitchen stocked since I've been coming over more frequently. It's a rare occurrence that I have to run to the store to pick something up that I need unless I am having a weird craving and even then, Eddie manages to keep a pretty hefty supply of pickles, mustard, ice cream, chocolate bars, hot sauce, and Doritos in the house to appease the beast.