Who Knew - Byler

2

"W-What?" Jane asked. Hopper looked down and tapped the sofa next to him so that Jane would sit there. When she sat down, Hopper put the letter down and looked at her.

"Listen, kid... you have to know I'll always be by your side. And I'll always be honest with you. And I don't really know how to tell you this, but..." he paused. Jane was so scared. What was it?

"That letter... it was from Becky. You remember Becky, right? Mama's sister." Jane nodded. "Well, she has written me this letter to tell me... your mum... passed away two days ago". When she heard that, Jane could feel tears falling from her eyes. Hopper continued talking.

"Becky wants you to go to the city with her for two weeks to prepare everything for the... funeral... and then stay with her for a while. You'll have to leave tomorrow really early so you can say goodbye to your friends today." Jane couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Of course, she never expected having a normal mum who would take her places and embarass her in front of her friends, but a little part of her always thought that eventually she'd get better. That one day she'd go visit her and Becky and her mama would be the one opening the door and not Becky. She would hug her and tell her how happy she was of finally being back with her daughter.

But that was never happening. 

"I'm really sorry, kid" Hopper said, and he hugged her. She cried and cried and eventually they broke apart. "If you want I can take you to your friends so you can tell them what happened and say goodbye. You'll see them in two weeks, don't worry" Hopper said, understanding how wrong it was leaving her friends in that moment. 

"Yes. Take me to the pool". Jane muttered. 

-

"Geronimo!" Dustin shouted, while jumping into the pool. "You splashed me!" Lucas complained, while everyone laughed. "You complain about everything" Max said, kissing him in the cheek. Will smiled and he splashed Mike. And just like that, they started a splash-fight. Until Mike noticed Jane had come to the swimming pool. 

He quickly got out and took his towel. Then he walked to Jane, who was at the entrance. "Jane! I thought you couldn't come! I'm so happy that you..." he stopped talking when he noticed Jane's red eyes. "Jane? What's the matter?" Mike asked, worried. Will was watching the scene from the pool. 

Wait, is Jane crying?, he thought. He quickly got off the swimming pool too and quickly walked to Jane. Mike was hugging her and she was crying. He hugged both Mike and Jane. Then Max came, and Lucas, and Dustin, and suddenly, all of them were hugging her. Jane just cried and cried.

-

"I can't believe her mum died" Max commented. It was eight and Lucas was walking her home with his bike in his hands. "I know... she's already been through so much..." Lucas agreed. It seemed unfair how this one girl had gone through so much in her short life.

"What I don't really get is why she has to go away for two weeks" Lucas admitted. "I mean, Jane was Terry's only daughter and Becky didn't have any. I think their parents are dead... And Becky doesn't want to be alone the first days without her sister. So she invited Jane, someone who's suffering as much as her for Terry's death." Max said. 

They walked in silence, and four houses away they both stopped and said goodbye to each other. Lucas turned around and biked home. Max walked the rest of the way by herself and she entered home. Her mum was in the sofa, watching TV. Billy and his dad weren't anywhere to be seen.

"Oh, hi, honey! Did you have fun at the swimming pool?" her mum asked, as she saw her daughter was home. "Yeah..." Max answered, sitting down next to her.

-

Will layed on his bed. Jane would be gone for two weeks. He would havw Mike for himself for two weeks. What are you thinking of? Jane's your friend!   But... two weeks...

-------------------------------------------------

Thank you so much for the votes, they make me so happy!  Next chapter will be posted soon ;)