Milkshake •Eddie Munson

Chapter Twenty Four: Blame

Eddie chewed on his thumb nail while looking at Desiree from the window of her hospital room wondering if she was going to be okay. He wiped the tear from his cheek and sniffled, not once looking away from his girlfriend in bed. He heard loud footsteps and turned around to see everyone running up to him. He met them halfway to fill them in but as soon as they approached him, Neil sucker punched Eddie, "You. You were supposed protect her, not be the fucking reason she's in that goddamn hospital bed." He said through gritted teeth as Steve and Jonathan held him back.

Dawn put her hand on Neil's chest, "Neil, this is not the time nor the place." She warned while looking at him only for his eyes to be glued onto Eddie. A security guard approached them and crossed his arms, "Is there a problem here?" He asked. Eddie looked over at Neil, "I don't know, is there?" He asked. Neil rolled his eyes and shoulder checked Eddie to go into the room. Eddie deeply sighed once Neil passed him and hung his head low up until a hand met his shoulders, "Hey, he's just a little on edge okay? Eddie none of us blame you." Dawn comforts him. He shrugged, "Then why do I feel responsible for it?" He asked before he walked away and left the hospital.

Dawn sighed and turned on her heel to go into the hospital room. Everyone was in tears, Neil held her hand, Max sat at the end of the bed, and Steve had his arm around Dustin. Dawn grabbed Neil's hand and pulled him out of the room and closed the door behind them. Neil crossed his arms, "Why are you crossing your arms like you're disappointed, I'm the one that's disappointed." Dawn told him. He rolled his eyes, "My best friend just got shot!" He whisper shouted.

Dawn stepped up to him, "The love of his life just got shot Neil. He heard her screams, he found her body. For once in your life can you think about someone else besides yourself." She spat before storming off. Neil sighed, "Where are you going?" He shouted as she was already halfway down the hallway. She turned around and quickly walked back over to Neil, "I'm going to look for Eddie because unlike you, I care about him just as much as I care about Desiree for the sole fact that Eddie is everything to her and you just chased him off. Get your priorities straight and man the fuck up for Desiree's sake." She shoved him before walking back to the entrance.

Dawn went to nearly every place in Hawkins to look for him, she felt she had reached a dead end until it hit her, the only place he would be is somewhere Desiree would be, her apartment. As expected, she arrived at the apartment and the door was unlocked. She walked in and the living room was empty but she heard the faint sound of a tv playing in the room. She walked in the room and saw Eddie with his head hung low as quiet sobs came from his lips.

She smacked her teeth and say next to him in Desiree's bed, "Oh Eddie, come here." She said as she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and comforted him. He let out his cries, "Eddie, look at me." Dawn says as she faces him and holds his face in her hands, "We do not blame you. You're just as hurt about it as we are and yes, Neil is upset with you but it's just the shock talking." She reassures. Eddie wiped his tears and shook his head. He reached in his shirt pocket for a tissue since Desiree always puts one in there for him, but he froze when he felt something else.

He pulled folded up paper from his pocket and looked up at Dawn as more tears flooded his eyes, 'Sh-She puts notes in my lunch everyday." His voice broke as he caressed the note with his thumb. Dawn sighed and rubbed his back in a comforting manner, "What did the note say?" She asked. He shrugged, "I didn't read it, I was on the phone with her and didn't need to read it because her voice was enough." He cried.

Dawn grabbed the note from his hand and choked up at sight of Desiree's distinctively unique handwriting, 'I hope you have the best day ever today amor, I hope this note brightens up your day if you aren't in the best of moods. I love you forever. ~Desi♡'

Dawn let the tears pour from her eyes as she read what Desiree had written for him out loud. She looked up and Eddie and his face was blank, almost as of he was numb. He stood up from the bed and walked to the kitchen, immediately went towards the fridge and grabbed a beer. He used his teeth to take the lid off and chugged it, he needed anything to drown himself in other than his sadness.

He heard the sound of keys clattering and the door slamming, "Get the fuck out." A voice hollered. Eddie turned around and saw Neil with the last person that wanted to see Eddie. Dawn jogged out of the room and ran to Neil and Javier, "This is not the time, guys. Desiree wouldn't want this." She tried to reason. Javier rolled his eyes and scoffed, "And you think Desiree wanted to get shot because wannabe Nikki fucking Sixx over here and his fucking drug dealer drama." He shouted.

Dawn flinched at his voice level and closed her eyes with a deep sigh, "Javier, please." She spoke softly. He shook his head and walked out of the apartment. Eddie was smart enough to read the room so he grabbed his things and walked out minutes after Javier.

Dawn looked back at Neil with a disappointed look on her face, "I get that Ree is your best friend but Eddie loves her and it is not fair to him that everyone is giving him the shit end of the stick. You ever stop to think that maybe she's the only family he has?" She spoke while shoving past him. Neil scoffed and grabbed her arm, "Hes got Wayne." He says. Dawn pulled her arm from his grip, "He's got me too, and you just lost your girlfriend." She rolled her eyes and walked out of the apartment, slammed the door behind her.

Neil let out a deep sigh, "Fucking shit, man!" He yelled out as he swung and punched the refrigerator next to him. He winced as he shook his hand and leaned against the counter and dropped his head low, "How the fuck did I become the bad guy?" He mumbled under his breath as he grabbed a cigarette from the pack Eddie left there.