Happenstance ⌱ Jim Hopper

[ 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒆 ]

[rated 17+]

    THE SMELL OF artificial holly and crisp cranberries hung heavy in the air as Jodie floated across the shag carpet of the Byers' home. It was a meagre Christmas, with re-purposed Christmas lights and paper mache snowflakes tied up by balloon string.

      Jodie was walking through the holidays with a cigarette and tequila haze. Joyce had insisted Jodie come over for Christmas dinner. A small, deeply buried part of Jodie was understanding, so she stapled on a placid smile as she poured another tequila and dumped it into her Kroger eggnog.

     Joyce grinned, trying to pretend she hadn't seen, and spooned the watery mashed potatoes into a Better Homes and Garden serving dish. "Did you stop by the Police Station's Christmas party?"

        "Huh," Jodie pretended to not have heard her. "The station?"

       She knew about the station part of course. But, the truth was, she hadn't talked to Hopper in weeks. Jane was gone, Jodie's heart was in a frenzy and, honestly, it seemed like the man was avoiding her too.

       "Oh," Joyce's voice was soft as she watched Jodie. The dark brown colour of her eyes seemed to shift so easily from giddy to concerned as she looked at her. "I'd just thought, with everything that had happened, you know..." her voice trailed off.

       The pale of Jodie's cheeks flushed pink as she caught the insinuation. Her mind flushed back to that night, in the cab of Hopper's truck. The smell of aftershave and cigarettes lingered in her mind like a wisp.

       Just as Jodie fished for something to say, she was saved by Jonathan and Will returning home from the Wheeler's. Jodie inhaled the breath she didn't know she'd been holding as she tore away from Joyce's gaze.

        Will rushed into the small kitchen, sporting a box hoisted over his head. "Mom, mom! Look what Jonathan got!"

       "Wow, that's great!" Joyce cheered, pulling the box from Will's hands with a grin. "Go get cleaned up for dinner. Jodie and I made something special."

     With a stifled smile, Jodie sipped her spiked eggnog and helped Joyce spoon some roasted carrots into a serving dish with a mismatched spoon. She tried not to think about how this was the first Christmas she'd had in a while.

            It was a nice feeling, to be surrounded by a family for the holidays. Jodie spooned some canned peas into her mouth while she smiled and thanked the Byers for welcoming her into their home.

       "Is it true," Jonathan asked Jodie as he passed the turkey, "that you're leaving again?"

     Will's bright eyes turned to her and she offered them a nod. "I am," she admitted. "I was going to be gone before the holidays," Jodie said with a sly smile towards Joyce, "but your mom convinced me to stay a while longer."