''Welcome, welcome!'' greeted Will as he swung the entrance door to the Hopper-Buyer's residence wide open.
''Will!'' exclaimed El, throwing her arms around him. ''I missed you!''
''Missed you more,'' responded Will as he wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed her back affectionately. Then he released his hold on El and turned to face Mike.
''Whaddup, Mike!'' he cried excitedly, pulling him into a hug.
''Hey, buddy. So good to see you, man,'' replied Mike, patting him on the back.
Will released himself from Mike's grasp and held him at arm's length to study him. ''Am I getting shorter or are you getting taller still?''
Mike laughed. ''My money's on you getting shorter.'' Will punched him on the chest playfully.
It was time for another round of greetings when Jonathan appeared from the kitchen, with Nancy by his side. The two had reconciled last summer, when Nancy had moved back home from New York after completing her law degree. She had moved back home with Karen and Ted while she studied for her Bar exam, which was coming up in a few weeks. Jonathan, on the other hand, had never left Hawkins, and worked full time (and more) at the one of the local auto shops. They were going to move in together once Nancy became a full-on lawyer. Her plan was to start her own private practice here in Hawkins.
''I've missed you, little brother,'' said Nancy as she embraced Mike.
''Yeah, me too sis. Although it pains me deeply to admit it.''
Nancy reached up to give him a light smack behind the head. ''You're such a dick.'' Mike laughed. Nothing like good old sibling rivalry.
''Everyone, go to the living room, I laid out some food!'' called Joyce from the kitchen.
''Mom's coming over with Holly,'' said Nancy. ''Joyce invited them.''
''What about dad?'' asked Mike.
Nancy glanced at Jonathan. Jonathan just looked back at her, uneasy.
''Um… Dad moved out, Mike. They're getting a divorce.''
Mike was surprised to feel his heart sink. He blinked. ''Seriously?''
Nancy nodded gravely. ''Yeah. It happened last month. Mom didn't want to tell you right away so your grades wouldn't suffer. You know, with your finals and all. It just didn't feel like the right time.''
El was shocked, too, although Karen and Ted separating had been a long time coming. They had to expect this would happen eventually. She placed her hand on Mike's shoulder and gave him a gentle squeeze. ''I'm sorry,'' she whispered, leaning into him.
Mike was still too baffled to say anything. His mind was processing what this would mean for their family, especially during the holidays. Where was his dad staying? Had his mom kicked him out? What had happened, exactly?
''It's okay, El,'' replied Nancy. ''They hadn't had a relationship for years. It was just a matter of time.''
El nodded. She knew this, of course. Everyone did.
''Are you okay?'' asked Nancy, touching her brother's arm.
''Yeah! Yeah. No, I'm fine,'' said Mike, shaking himself out of his daze. ''It's just… a shock, you know.''
''Of course,'' said Nancy quietly.
''How's Holly taking it?'' asked Mike, suddenly overcome with concern for his twelve year old sister.
Nancy shrugged. ''She's okay. It's harder to understand the dynamics of a dysfunctional marriage at that age. But she'll be alright. She knew they didn't love each other anymore, so there's that, at least.'' She paused. ''Do you think… maybe you can pretend that you don't know when Mom tells you?''
Mike nodded. ''Yeah. Sure.''
El snaked her arms around his waist and squeezed him hard. ''Come on, let's go have some good old holiday comfort food. I'm starving.''
''Okay,'' said Mike, following her into the living room in a zombie-like state, consumed by thoughts of his parents' unhappy marriage.
As he entered the living room, he immediately spotted a short, blond boy sitting on the couch next to Will. Will had his hand on the boys leg, and both of them were laughing uncontrollably. Will had smudged what appeared to be cream cheese on his nose, presumably from the smoked salmon topped with cream cheese cracker he was holding in his left hand. The unknown boy reached over and wiped the cream cheese from Will's nose with his thumb, then casually sucked it clean. Mike watched as the scene unravelled before him.
When Will spotted Mike, he immediately stopped laughing and whispered something into the boy's ear. The boy looked up, his eyes locking with Mike's. Mike could only stare back, confused. What was happening?
Will and the blond boy slowly made their way across the living room over to where Mike and Eleven were standing. Will cleared his throat as he laced his arm around the boy's shoulder.
''Mike, Eleven, this is uh… this is my boyfriend, James.''
Mike clutched El's waist, fearing for a brief moment that he might literally fall over in shock. The words hit him like a tidal wave.
El, however, moved forward and embraced James almost immediately, giving him a peck on each kiss. ''James, it is so nice to finally meet you. I'm Eleven. Or Jane. Whichever you're more comfortable with.''
James beamed at her. ''Of course. The million dollar woman," he said, referring to her lawsuit against Hawkins Lab. El laughed, blushing. "I love Eleven. It's so much more unique. Whereas Jane is a little more… well...''
''Plain?'' offered El. She and James both erupted into laughter. Mike didn't get the joke. So nice to finally meet you, El had said. So she had known about this, and not told him?
''Exactly. Plain Jane. And honey, you are anything but."
James reluctantly shifted his gaze to Mike. Mike was staring at him, but from where the rest of them were standing, appeared to be looking right through him. He just stood there, unblinking.
''Mike,'' whispered El. He barely heard her.
''Hey, Mike,'' offered James shyly as he held his hand out to him. ''Will told me all about you, too. Said you've been best friends since you were kids.''
This seemed to snap Mike out of his daze. ''Yeah, sure have,'' he replied, glancing at Will. An unsettling, awkward silence filled the air.
The doorbell rang.
''I'll get it,'' muttered Mike as he walked way. Eleven and Will exchanged glances.
''You haven't told him?'' hissed Will.
''I haven't told him? I thought you were going to tell him,'' she hissed back.
''I was going to! I was! But then… I don't know. I wasn't sure how to tell him. It's not the sort of thing you tell someone over the phone. Especially not your best friend.''
James looked at El, then at Will, then back at El, mildly amused. Will turned to face him and sighed.
''Well, that didn't go as well as I thought it would.''
Joyce clinked her spoon against her glass of wine as she rose from her seat around the kitchen table. ''I'd like to say a little something before we start dinner.'' The conversations came to a halt as everyone quieted down.
Joyce cleared her throat. ''I just want to say thank you for being here. Nancy, Karen, Holly, James. Mike, you too, of course, dear, but you've been a part of our household so many years, now. You're almost like my own son. Except erm, maybe not, because that would be weird.'' She laughed nervously at her own bad choice of words. Everyone chuckled.
Everyone except Mike.
Joyce brushed off Mike's unresponsiveness. ''Thank you for being here tonight, everyone. Our Christmases used to be much different, many years ago, back when it was just me, Will, and Jonathan. Then you all came along, and I couldn't feel more blessed. My heart swells to see what wonderful young adults you've all become.'' Her voice cracked at the last sentence. Hopper placed his hand on her back.
She cleared her throat. ''Sorry, I didn't mean to get emotional. It… just seems like yesterday that you were all still children. Time sure does fly. We've all been through so much together. Yet here we are, united. Because that's what family does.'' She raised her glass, as did everyone else. Even Mike, although it seemed like it was the last thing on Earth he wanted to do.
''To our children's safe return. We are so glad to have you home. And a very special thanks to my amazing husband for helping me set up dinner,'' Joyce finished her toast by clinking her glass against Hopper's. Everyone followed suit, clinking their glasses against each other's.
Joyce clapped her hands together. ''Okay, let's eat everyone! I hope you all enjoy.''
Everyone gave their thanks to Joyce, and began to chow down on the plates set before them. Karen handed Nancy the macaroni salad from across the table, whereas Jonathan reached over to give the bread basket to Holly. The hum of mixed conversations grew louder as everyone ate and chatted.
Will, who was sitting directly across from Mike, was desperate to make eye contact with him, but Mike avoided him at all costs. In fact, Mike had barely looked up from his plate at all, and continued to stare blankly at it as he picked his food apart.
Eleven sipped her wine and ate her food, watching both of them in silence, concerned. She hadn't seen Mike upset like this in a long, long time, if ever. James, who was sitting beside Will, looked concerned, too, but Holly kept trying to make conversation with him, totally oblivious to the whole situation. James tried as best he could to appear enthusiastic and happy, but kept stealing sideways glances at Will.
''Mike,'' croaked Will.
''Not now, Will,'' responded Mike flatly, not looking up from his plate.
''I know it's not the right time. But I really have to talk to you,'' pressed Will. El and James exchanged nervous glances, both taking huge sips of their wine.
''Will, you could have talked to me yesterday. You could have talked to me last week. Picked up the phone and called me last month. But you didn't okay? And here we are,'' said Mike, raising his voice. Will looked down at his plate, defeated. He stabbed a piece of turkey with his fork.
''Mike,'' murmured El.
''El, stay out of it,'' snapped Mike. El recoiled, taken aback by his harsh tone. Everyone stopped their conversation and turned to look at Mike, equally shocked. He never snapped at Eleven like this.
''You want to talk about it? Okay. Let's talk about it. Who here knew that Will Buyers was gay?'' asked Mike, almost shouting as he glanced at everyone around the table. Joyce and Jim exchanged glances, as did Nancy and Jonathan. Holly guilty looked down at her plate.
''Seriously. Everyone must have known, right? Since you're all acting like James here has been a part of this family for years. Joyce, you knew him, right? Jonathan, Nancy? El?'' He looked them in the eye as he called their names, and they all averted his gaze. Mike scoffed, his eyes darting from one family member to the next, further guilting them into silence.
He turned to face Will again. ''How long have you guys been together?'' he asked, the anger in his voice cutting through the heavy air like a hot knife in butter.
Will cleared his throat, and finally glanced up to hold Mike's gaze. ''Six months,'' he replied.
Mike nodded. ''Six months. Wow. Well congratulations, you two. Really.''
''Mike,'' said El. ''Calm down.''
But Mike was far from finished. ''You told El, Will, and you didn't tell me? What, I'm not family enough for you?! I thought we were best friends. I thought that meant something.''
''We are!'' cried Will. ''We are, Mike! It does mean something!''
''How long have you been keeping this secret from me?''
''Mike…''
''How long?!'' shouted Mike.
''Michael!'' said Karen, raising her voice. ''Enough!''
Mike turned on Karen. ''And you! Don't even get me started. You get a divorce, and I don't get so much as a phone call?''
Whatever Karen had been expecting, she hadn't expected that. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. She shot an accusing glance at Nancy, who looked guiltily down at her plate.
Mike's eyes darted across the table again. ''Seriously! Is there a Don't-Tell-Mike code you guys have between yourselves, or are you all just traitors by nature?''
Everyone just sat in silence. Tears spilled down Will's cheeks. James placed an arm over his shoulder.
Mike rose from his seat, and downed his glass of wine before slamming it down on the table.
''To fucking family,'' he said, before disappearing from the kitchen.
"Mike!"
But it was too late. They all jumped when the front door slammed shut.