Chapter 3: Monster Spray
Ruth Barbara Harrington is 4 years old. She didn't need help getting dressed or going to the bathroom anymore (Most of the time). She picked out her own clothes and used a real cup not a baby cup. She was a big girl now but sometimes at night she would feel like a baby again. The dark was a little scary sometimes and sometimes she thought she saw monsters in the dark corners of her room.
Tonight was one of those nights. She pulled the blanket up to her eyes and peaked out into her dark room. Her nightlight turned off a few minutes ago and she was too afraid to get out of bed to go get her Mommy or Daddy.
She wanted to cry but she was a big girl now and big girls don't cry… we'll maybe they do sometimes. She started sobbing and yelled for her Daddy.
Her parents room was right across the hall so it didn't take long for her Daddy to come in and turn on the light.
"Peanut, what's the matter?" Steve asked rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Da.. Daddy." Ruth cried opening her arms and lifting them towards him.
Steve picked Ruth up and she wrapped herself around him holding on tight while still crying. He sat on the bed and rubbed her back soothingly.
"Shhh it's okay sweetheart. Did you have a bad dream?" Steve asked already knowing the answer.
Ruth nodded into his shoulder. "Th..there was a scary monster by the closet and he tried to eat me." Ruth said pointing to the corner of her room.
"A scary monster? Ha! Did you know your Dad is the greatest monster hunter in the world?"
Ruth shook her head rubbing her eyes.
"I know the secret to keeping them away. Do you want to hear it?" Steve asked.
Ruth nodded her head enthusiastically.
"You need some monster spray."
"What's monster spray?" Ruth asked curiously but no longer crying.
"Come on let's go get some. Then, there won't be anymore monsters in your room ever again." Steve stood up with Ruth still in his arms. He walked out of the room towards the stairs.
Ruth turned her head back towards her room looking worried. "What if the monster gets Mommy while we're gone?" Ruth whispered.
Steve smiled at his daughter. "Nah, Mommy is an even better monster hunter than me. Don't you worry she'll be okay."
They went to the kitchen where Steve sat Ruth down on the counter top.
Steve rummaged through the bottles under the sink and came up with a spray bottle with no label on it. They used it to water the plants around the house. There was only water in it and it was perfect for "monster spray".
"Aha!" Steve said as he turned around with the bottle in his hand.
"This is super secret monster spray. You can't tell anyone about it… except for Mommy. Promise?" Steve asked.
"Pinky promise!" Ruth said holding out her little pinky.
Steve had taught her about pinky promises last week and now every promise she made was a pinky promise.
Steve wrapped his pinky around her little one and shook it. "Okay come on let's go spray your room." Steve picked her up with one arm and held the monster spray in the other.
Steve sprayed the corners of her room with the water and under her bed and in her closet. Once Ruth was satisfied she asked Steve if he could fix her nightlight.
Steve sat on the floor in front of the outlet with the nightlight. He flipped the little switch back and forth but the light didn't go on. He unplugged it and that's when Nancy cracked open Ruth's door.
"Everything okay in here?" Nancy asked looking at Steve and Ruth.
"Just a little monster prevention Nance. Sorry if we woke you." Steve apoligized from his spot on the floor.
"No, you didn't you've just been gone a while. I wanted to make sure everything was okay."
"Daddy got me monster spray so the monsters won't come no more." Ruth happilt showed Nancy the spray bottle.
Nancy gave Steve an amused look and turned back to their daughter. "Well that was very nice of him." She sat on Ruth's bed and wrapped her arms around Ruth. Ruth cuddled up to Nancy sleepily resting her head on Nancy's chest.
"Looks like we need a new nightlight." Nancy said watching Steve on the floor fiddling with it.
"I don't want to sleep in the dark. Please don't make me." Ruth said her voice cracking and her hold on Nancy getting a little tighter.
Nancy's heart broke for her daughter. She hated when Ruth was scared and even though she knew the monsters Ruth saw weren't the real ones her and Steve had faced in Hawkins she couldn't help but think of them whenever Ruth claimed she saw a monster. The thought of Ruth ever having to face something from the upside down made her shudder.
"It's okay baby. How about you sleep with us tonight so that Daddy isn't up all night trying to fix the light and tomorrow we can get you a new nightlight." Ruth happily agreed with Nancy. Nancy looked to Steve who smirked and nodded.
"Sounds like a plan to me." Steve hopped up off the floor glad to be rid of the nightlight problem.
Nancy stood up with Ruth in her arms. "Oh my goodness you're getting too big for me to hold. Pretty soon you'll be bigger than me!" Nancy exclaimed and Ruth laughed.
"Not like that's hard Nance." Steve mumbled and Nancy shot him a look.
Steve surprised them both by lifting Nancy and in turn Ruth into his arms bridal style. They both let out a yelp.
"Steve!" Nancy yelled and Ruth giggled.
"What?" Steve asked innocently. "Come on ladies lets get some sleep." Steve carried them across the hall and deposited them onto the bed gently.
"I think you're both getting too heavy for me." Steve said stretching out his back.
"Watch it." Nancy said playfully pointing at him.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." Steve raised his arms in surrender and bent down to kiss her good night again.
He climbed in on his side of the bed and kissed Ruth on the head.
"Goodnight my beautiful girls." Steve said shutting the light.
"Goodnight beautiful parents!" Ruth exclaimed.
Steve and Nancy both chuckled at that.
"Goodnight you two." Nancy said as she kissed Ruth goodnight.
Ruth burrowed under the blanket between her parents. Steve and Nancy were both on their sides facing Ruth. Ruth held one of their hands in both of hers and fell asleep quickly feeling as safe as she possibly could.
After a few minutes of Ruth breathing deeply Nancy picked her head up and looked at her husband to see if he was awake.
"Monster spray? Really?" Nancy whispered.
"Hey, it would've worked if the nightlight didn't crap out on us." Steve whispered back.
"Just don't let her spray too much water everywhere."
"Come on, what do you take me for?" Steve scoffed.
"A push over." Nancy smirked.
"You're lucky Ruth is here." Steve said outraged but still whispering.
"You know you're a pushover when it comes to her." Nancy held in a laugh at Steve's face.
"I am not." Steve said indignantly.
"How many times in her life have you said the word no to her?" Nancy waited knowingly.
Steve scoffed. "Plenty of times… like…like the other day she wanted to climb up on the roof of the garage to jump into the pool. I said no then." Steve said pleased with his answer.
"Glad to hear you draw the line at jumping off the roof." Nancy rolled her eyes.
"Well it's really all your fault when you think about it."
"How is it my fault that you spoil our daughter?" Nancy asked in disbelief.
"She looks just like you." Steve gave her a crooked smile. "I never stood a chance with her." He defended himself.
"You're an idiot Steve." Nancy smiled at him grabbing his free hand with hers and squeezing it tight.
"I'm you're idiot." Steve corrected her.
"Yes, and I love you."
"Love you too."