Will found himself sitting at a park bench at the old Eastside Park with Joyce. Will remembers coming here when he was little to play. Now the park is very rarely used and it was empty now as they sat. "Remember this Will? That is where you gave away your toy truck." Will remembered back to the 70s and giving his truck away to a crying girl in that sandbox. "I remember you saying you couldn't afford to buy me another one." Joyce nodded. "Yeah, I was such a bad mother keeping Lonnie around. All he did was abuse us and spend all our money on booze and gambling. I was so scared to get rid of him because I didn't want to be a single mother. I thought he could change, but all he did was get worse until I kicked him out. I fought on my own for 9 years trying to be a mother and work, and I was tired. I brought this up because there are some things you need to know Will."
Will looked at Joyce with his long eyebrows pitched up. "Remember when I sent you to my cousin Richard's house in Minnesota to live?" Will remembers how nice both Rick and Rebecca were to him. The Maldonados treated him well and he misses them. "Yeah I do." Joyce reached out her hand and Will took it. "Well they had two daughters back when they lived in Hawkins, Tina and Jessie. Do you know how they died?" Will shook his head "they didn't give me any details and I didn't ask." "Okay honey, I'll tell you and then I'll tell you why you were sent away. Jessie was a year older than Tina. Tina was very popular in school while Jessie was more shy and didn't have many friends. Tina was more competitive and she would one-up Jessie whenever she could. One day Jessie started dating Jack Walsh. They dated for a couple weeks and one day Jessie came home to Tina and Jack in bed together. Jessie was so hurt she went into a deep depression. She moped around and slid worse into depression so bad that she wouldn't even leave her room. My cousin and Rebecca didn't know what to do so they forced her to go to school and got really tough on her. She went that day but went home early. When her parents came home, Jessie killed herself. Suicide. Her body was in the car garage when Rebecca came home. It devastated them. They made the mistake of blaming Tina. Tina started to drink and get into trouble. That next spring Tina was going to a party at Fall's creek and rolled her car going up the logging road out there because she was intoxicated. Tina died and my cousin moved to Minnesota after the school year ended."
"What does this have to do with our situation? Wait, did you think I was going to break?" Will looked at his Mom. A couple held back tears fell on his Mom's face. "Not you sweetheart, I was worried about Jonathan." Will let out a huh when his Mom said that. He was still holding her hand when she retracted it.
"Oh Will, I knew when you caught Jonathan and Mike that this situation could come true again, so I sent you away. Even with everything you went through with the Upside Down, Vecna, moving to California, and the Mindflayer, you were so strong. I didn't worry about you as much, but Jonathan was different. He was barely hanging on by a thread. I know about his drug use, even in California, but what could I have done. He was trying to cope with all the crap we all went through. I made him shoulder too much at such a young age. Did you know he basically planned your funeral?" Will shook his head. "It's true, he did what I was suppose to do while I just fell apart looking for you. I knew when Nancy dumped him he was going to get worse. When you caught him with Mike, I knew things would get bad. I didn't want you moping around while Jonathan felt guilty because he would be the one to break. I knew you could survive alone, so I called my cousin and let him know the story. He wanted another chance to make things right so you were sent there. I knew about your crush on Mike and with El around you would just be miserable. I was trying to help you and save Jonathan. I neglected him most of his life so I had to make things right myself. I'm sorry Will, but I had to do it."
Will's jaw uncontrollably moved and he felt pressure in his forehead. "Make things right!" Will yelled out. "You sent me away because it was convenient for you. You didn't give a fig newton about me." Joyce cut in "what was I suppose to do Will? I had to work all the time, I wasn't Karen Wheeler who was home mostly. I know you would be depressed and there was nothing I could do for you. Hop wanted to move in with us with El and all I would see is you being depressed. I couldn't do anything because you seen so much in your short life that I felt guilty even yelling at you. I couldn't wait 2 years before I moved in with Hopper and you probably wouldn't even like him after living with Lonnie. What's done is done Will. It is time to forgive like you always used to do. Please Will, I did care for you! I still care for you. I was a lousy mother at that time, but I was tired and didn't have the energy for everything. I'm so glad you kids turned out good because between us it could of been much worse." Joyce started to cry. Will couldn't stand to see the one person that cared for him break down. He pulled her into a hug. "Don't cry Mom, I'm here. I know you did the best you could, but why didn't you tell me this back then? It would of made things better between us." "I..I couldn't tell you back then because I just couldn't. Please Will, please forgive me." Joyce was leaving tears on Will's shirt. Will decided to make up with his Mom. "I forgive you Mom." Will said quietly. "Thank you honey." Joyce said back.
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Left Hawkins: Please Come Back
FanfictionWill Confronts his Past After Being on his Own
