January, 1985

"Good Lord, Michael, where that appetite came from?" their mother asked during dinner. Mike was surprisingly hungry that night; normally he'd only eat as much as Holly. No wonder he was so skinny.

"Love makes miracles," Nancy mumbled to her fork, but everyone heard her.

"What did you say?" their mom asked at the same time Mike said- "Shut up!"

Nancy smiled.

"Mike's girlfriend is back," she told everyone.

Both their parents looked confused, but Holly just exclaimed "Mike has a girlfriend?!" It was kind of cute.

"She's not," he started and then shook his head. "I don't have a girlfriend."

"I didn't hear anything about the Stones being back in town," their father commented, genuine confusion in his voice, and Mike made a face. He and Hilary Stone were far from being a couple.

"One dumb school dance does not make Hilston my girlfriend, dad," Mike argued. His father said something about how stupid that nickname was, but Mike talked over him. "And I don't talk to her since she left."

Teddy frowned.

"Then you're a crappy friend," he accused, causing Karen to protest.

"You don't get to tell me what kind of friend I am!" Mike exclaimed offended.

"You take that back right now, Teddy!" Karen said at the same time. "Your son is nothing but loyal to his friends, and he has no obligation to talk to any girl."

"Thank you, mom," he sassed and then turned to his father. "See? Mom knows me. You don't."

"Michael, don't press it," his mom warned.

"This is bullshit," he complained, feeling the hunger wave disappear. "Dad doesn't even try."

"Mike," Nancy called in an oddly calm tone that caught his attention. He looked at her and she shook her head, and then he looked at Holly, who seemed a little scared of yet another table fight.

For once, he dropped it.

"She's not my girlfriend, Hol," he said instead to his baby sister. "Just a girl who is a friend. She had to leave for a while, but finally came back. Her name is El. I will introduce you to her later, okay?"

"Elle?" his mom asked. "Eleven?"

They guessed that they couldn't expect her to forget that time when a girl snuck into their basement for a week. Mike and Nancy nodded.

"She's staying at Hopper's," Nancy told her. "I was helping Joyce buy some clothes for her today."

Karen nodded. She was probably relieved that there wasn't a kid hidden in her house anymore. Nancy turned to Mike.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her before, she asked-"

"It's okay," he shook his head. He wouldn't hold it against them. The important part was that El was back. Nancy smiled.

"Bad before good, right?" she observed, and Mike nodded.

"Damn right."