Little Do You Know

Chapter 13

1990

Dani made her way up the stairs of their apartment building, dead on her feet after a fourteen hour shift at the bookstore. Donna had called off, again, and Lydia had been desperate for someone to cover her shift since Eric was on winter break from college and went home to see his family. Even though she'd opened the store, greeting the delivery guys at five this morning, she'd agreed. It wasn't like they couldn't use the extra money.

"Shit," she muttered as she saw the glaring pink notice on their door. Rent overdue by two months; settle up or I will have to evict. This was not the first time their landlord, Bobby, had threatened to do so, but they had the money  this time. Eddie had worked overtime every day last week to earn enough to catch up. It had been awful, Dani having to juggle everything on her own, barely even seeing him, but they'd needed it. He'd told her he would take the check to Bobby today and settle up with him.

He forgot. Of course he forgot. Eddie always forgot the responsible things he had to do. He never forgot band practice or his DnD night once a month but he forgot shit like paying the damn rent and stopping at the store for milk. He forgot to run to the laundromat on his day off, leaving Dani to fit it in somewhere in the week if they all were going to have clean underwear. But he'd never forget that Steve invited them over for swimming and drinks, telling Dani about it when she was exhausted and just wanted to sit on the couch and have a glass of wine.

She stuck her key in the lock, turning the knob and swinging the door open, immediately stumbling over Eddie's Reeboks that were laying right in front of the door. Cursing, she nudged them to the side where they belonged with her foot, adding her own shoes next to them. Dani pulled off her coat, hanging it on the hook next to the door and dropped her purse on the counter.

"I'm home!" she called out but nobody answered.

Where the hell were they? Eddie was getting off at two today and he was supposed to pick up Lyric from her mom. Dani heard soft voices coming from the direction of her daughter's room. Curious, she headed toward them, down the hallway, and past her own bedroom. Lyric's door was open just a crack and she caught sight of her daughter, dressed in her Cinderella costume dress. Uncle Wayne had built a beautiful wooden chest for Lyric for Christmas and her mom and Hopper had filled it with a variety of costumes for her to play in. She hardly ever wore regular clothes anymore. Why would she when she could be a princess or a pirate? She would be Tinkerbell at the grocery store, Wonder Woman at the laundromat, and Snow White at the library.

Dani pushed the door open a little further and pressed her lips together, her heart bursting at the sight in front of her. Eddie was sitting next to their daughter at her tiny table, his long legs pressed all the way up to his chest. He had a sparkling, golden tiara resting on his mess of hair which was pulled back in a partial ponytail, pieces loose in the most random of places. Costume jewelry covered every inch of him, gaudy rings replacing his own silver ones, a heart shaped necklace resting against his Metallica shirt, and what must have been fifteen bracelets on his wrist. There was a bright yellow tutu around his narrow hips and...was that make-up on his face? He held a teeny teacup in his hand.

"More tea Daddy?" asked Lyric, holding up her teapot.

"Oh, yes please," he answered, offering her his cup. She tipped the pot over completely. If there'd been tea in it, it would be all over the table right now but he didn't point that out. Eddie brought the cup to his lips, pretending to take a sip.

"Pinky daddy!" Lyric yelled.

"Oh, so sorry. Where are my manners?" he replied haughtily, sticking his pinky finger out, only holding the handle with his thumb and forefinger.