In the evening of the third day of final week, Eddie sits on his cot in front of Wayne, both of them holding a tray with their dinner, courtesy of Hawkins High's cafeteria employees. All the seats around the few tables are occupied, leaving them no choice but to sit there at the risk of staining their thin bedsheets.
Eddie shovels some of the whitish mashed potatoes, grimacing as they drip through the teeth of his fork. They drop back onto the plate, forming a shapeless puddle he doubts is even edible. Instead, he stabs a small piece of beef in its stew and pulls it off with his teeth but struggles to chew through it.
"Fuck, this thing's like rubber," he comments.
"Yeah, I almost only have sauce. Only two pieces of meat."
Using his spoon, he gathers some of the watery potatoes and tries to shove them in his mouth without looking at the texture. They immediately melt onto his tongue, feeling like sand with dirty water. Without any warning, he spits it onto his plate, triggering a fit of laughter from his uncle, who brings his index finger under his nose as his face turns red.
"Sorry, Wayne, it's rude, I know, but it's fucking disgusting!"
"No harm done, kid."
Wayne plays with the consistency of his gooey sauce, watching it filter through his fork like boogers on a tissue.
"After all these years, I thought we hit rock bottom living in that goddamn trailer," he says, shaking his head. "But here we are."
He drops his cutlery onto the plate and smiles at Eddie.
"Hey, son, let's go out tonight. Does McDonald's sound good to you?"
Eddie swallows the beef with difficulty, widening his eyes at his uncle's offer. He washes all of it down with a sip of lukewarm tap water, clicking his tongue.
"For real?" he asks. "But the money?"
"It's on me. We haven't gone out in years. C'mon, let's throw that shit away."
Wayne doesn't need to tell him twice. Eddie jumps onto his feet and slips his vest back on, welcomed by a pat in the back by his uncle. Side by side, they return to the makeshift buffet, heading straight to the trash can in the corner. While they scrape the food off their plates, his eyes meet Linda's as she tilts her hip, pressing a closed fist against it.
Giving her his best smile, she chuckles and whispers to him.
"I'd do it too, it looks horrendous."
"Nothing beats your sandwiches, Linda," Wayne coos in his back. "You put so much love into 'em."
"Oh stop it, you!"
Blushing at his remark, she reaches out to take their plates and trays away. Behind his nephew, he approaches Linda and pecks her on the hand, triggering another chuckle from her. As they pace towards the door, Eddie turns to his uncle, scrunching up his nose.
"Gross."
Wayne drops the car key into his hand without granting him a reaction. They jump into the van, Eddie groaning with joy as he turns on the ignition. He hasn't driven since the night of Chrissy's murder and he doesn't realize how much he's missed it until he drops onto the seat and feels the vibration of the worn-out engine through the key.
He pulls out of the parking lot and heads out of Hawkins, driving a few miles towards Muncie, where the closest McDonald's is. On the way, Wayne's voice cuts through the silence and the excitement of eating a warm meal for once. Not just peanut butter or ham sandwiches and a glass of juice or water. Not just a cold burger and soppy fries brought by Steve, however lovely it was that he bought them for him in the first place.
"How's it been going with ya, Ed?" he asks with a sniff. "Feels like I haven't really seen ya in forever."
"I've had ups and downs," his nephew answers truthfully, genuinely enjoying this moment alone with his only family. "Lots of nightmares after the earthquake, lots of doubts."
"I see. Listen, I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. I am. Work's been takin' up so much time, but also being at the shelter just depresses me."
"Can't blame you."
Wayne slips his gaze towards him with a proud grin.
"But it looks like you finally built yourself a good circle of friends. It's good to see after the years you been strugglin'."
"Yeah, they're nice people," Eddie smiles, picturing the whole group, especially Steve, Dustin, Robin and Vickie, although he hasn't been able to spend as much time with Dustin as he hoped he would.
"They really care about ya. Especially that pal with the…"
Seeing his uncle's finger waving widely around his head, Eddie laughs, rubbing his finger across his bottom lip.
"The hair?"
"Yeah, the hair," Wayne joins the chuckle.
"You mean Steve. Yeah, he's been… really supportive. He knows what I've been through with the earthquake and seeing it all happen. I like to think that we helped each other out, but he's helped me more than anything."
"That's good. I'm sorry I didn't give you that, Eddie."
"It's okay. You've had your own stuff to deal with."
Wayne pats his shoulder and rests his sore back against his seat, gazing outside without really seeing any of the landscapes passing by. He gulps and picks at his split thumb nail, avoiding his nephew's gaze.
"I, um… I've started looking for another trailer," his raspy voice declares, fearing his reaction. "Out of Hawkins."
"How far out?"
"Still in the county, I still need to go to work. But it would be closer to the plant and with the financial compensation from the insurance, we should be able to afford something slightly more spacious than what we had. I thought we could start over once you graduate and you don't need to travel back to school."
Without uttering a word, Eddie ponders about the suggestion, keeping his eyes fixed on the road. In spite of his burning desire to leave Hawkins behind, he can't help but think about how little he would be able to hang out with Steve anymore. He wouldn't have the excuse of the shelter or driving from Vickie's to spend time with him. Since he's not going to college, work will take up most of his time, there would be no more night drives for slushies, gigs with Corroded Coffin, nor movies watched for free at Family Video.
But it's time for the two of them to get out of the shelter. After two months of sleeping on an army cot, he swears that the slight deviation in his spine worsened into a full-blown scoliosis. Wayne cannot bear it anymore either. Over the course of the past weeks, he seems to have aged more brutally than over the past five years.
He knows he'll end up crying himself to sleep in a new bed, wishing he could go back in time to the night he slept next to Steve. Wishing he had gathered the courage to even just caress his face, hold his hand, anything. He can already picture himself hating Wayne for coming up with the idea of moving and hating himself for following him.
But there's no denying it. He needs out. They both do. Wearied by the constant encircling, the lack of autonomy and lack of privacy. He can't even remember the last time he blasted music on his worn-out boombox and started to jump around, pumping his fists or singing along.
Hell, he can't remember the last time he sang.
Eddie sighs, scratching his curls and throwing a glance at Wayne.
"I understand," his voice cracks, betraying the hint of dread in the serenity of his decision. "I wish that we could get out of Indiana altogether, but you're right. It's time for us to move on."
"Out of Indiana? Really?"
"Yeah… Too much pain here."
"I feel ya."
He pulls up onto the parking lot of the fast food restaurant in Muncie and the two step out as soon as the engine coughs itself into silence. Burying the key into his pocket, Eddie throws a glance back, waiting for Wayne to join him as they pace towards the front door.
"What do you feel like having?" the younger man grins. "I call shotgun on half of the fries this time!"
His uncle laughs, throwing his arm under his nephew's shoulders and squeezing him against his side.
"You get your own menu today, son. Go crazy."
"For real?"
"Yeah, you're not a kid anymore."
"But can we affo—"
"Don't worry about that, Eddie. It's fine. Go for whatever you want."
He thanks his uncle in a whisper as he pushes the door open, holding it for him. They walk up to the counter with their chins up to examine the menus, drooling at the array of options offering itself to them. Placing their order, they wait at the register, leaning against the countertop, looking around them.
People look different here.
They can't quite explain why. It feels like a far-fetched remark at first, and rather discriminatory. But most of the clothes worn by the teenagers hanging out in the booths bear much brighter colors than these of his fellow town folks. Although a splash of color was once added to the rather dull Hawkins landscape when Starcourt Mall opened, making it more urban than ever, the grasp of the countryside way of life remained too strong. Sober tones, earth hues, more modest clothing, it stands as Muncie's prude little sister.
A clank beside him bring him back to earth. Wayne hands his change to the bubble gum-chewing employee, who processes the payment and drops the few cents of change into his opened palm. Eddie thanks him and picks up the tray, pivoting on his ankle to face the restaurant in search of a free table.
Finding one nestled in a corner, the two of them sit face to face. While Wayne takes off his jacket, Eddie sorts out the items they ordered, placing them in front of their respective owners.
While the young man cracks open a pack of sauce to accompany his fries, Wayne nibbles on a wedge potato, looking right at him.
"So you said you wanted to leave Indiana," he starts. "I know you're taking your SATs, but did you send any applications to community colleges? Even out of state?"
"No, I know we can't even afford that," Eddie replies, scratching his nostril.
"Hey, if you really want to go out there, I think you should. I could ask my boss to pay me for the next three months in advance so I can pay the first installment of the tuition fees."
Eddie looks up, scanning his uncle's expression to make sure he isn't joking. When all he meets is seriousness, he drops his shoulders with his hands open.
"What's up with people wanting to pay my tuition?" he scoffs. "Don't do that, Wayne. Seriously. You have a chance to start over with the insurance money, don't waste it. Maybe one day I'll go, but I want to save up for it myself. I don't even know what I want to do!"
He bites into his burger, shaking his hand as sauce spills between his fingers.
"I'll just follow you wherever you want to move," he continues with his mouth full, ignoring the disgusted looks from the next table. "I'll just work with you at the plant."
"In all honesty, Eddie, I don't think you should do that. I don't want to see you killing yourself there like me. It's a waste of your potential."
Eddie bursts out laughing, hiding his mouth behind a napkin. When Wayne doesn't even show the hint of a smile, he stops in his tracks with a frown.
"Wait, shit, you're not joking."
"No I'm not, Ed," his uncle exclaims as though it should have been obvious to him. "You're much smarter than you dare to show others. I have no doubts you'll go far in life, if you'll just bother to get out there and do something."
"I'm not. I guess I just want to figure myself out first, like, really give it a try before I attempt a college career. I don't want you or anyone to pay so much money for me to screw it up immediately because I don't know where to go."
Wayne nods in agreement, watching their neighbors leave the table with their trays in hand.
"What about your exams? How's it going?"
"Pretty good. Studying with Vickie and Robin paid off. Even preparing for the math exam with Steve, out of all people," he chuckles. "Actually, I think I actually have a chance to graduate this year."
"Good."
While Eddie's finishing his burger, moaning with an eye roll as he lets the taste invade his mouth, Wayne laughs along and stares at him again.
"Ya know, you've changed a lot since what happened in Hawkins," he says softly. "You're stayin' put. No more trouble. Not even at school."
"That's what being accused of murder does to you, I guess."
His uncle reaches out over the table and tousles his hair. For a second, Eddie feels like his younger self, confused to have been put in his care instead of staying with his parents. Whenever sadness took over, Wayne made sure to spend time with him, listening to the tales he made up from scratch with the few broken-down toys he owned, passed down from his uncle's own youth. He tolerated the changes in his personality, witnessing the hair growth, the tattoos, but above all the wall Eddie built around himself to protect his sanity from the outside world.
Hawkins folks never took too kindly to the people living in the trailer park. Eddie's banishment from children's groups started early, first because of the poverty he came from. Later on, his unusual tastes gave bullies other excuses to attack him, destroying the little self-confidence he possessed.
Brick after brick, he built a fortress around his true personality, switching from a shy yet caring child to a serve no master, rules-breaking and drug-dealing teenager. Embracing what made him different from the others, he buried the sweet Edward Munson, so often pushed over and shoved in the mud by ill-wishers.
But Wayne never saw Edward die. As much as the two of them fought over the years about him getting into serious trouble, he wasn't convinced that he would harm anyone on purpose. Teenage rebellion was thundering inside their home, but on days of peace, the kid he once was peeked out of the cracks in the stones, letting himself known.
Wayne empties the boxes in front of him and lays against the back rest of the chair, placing his hands over his stomach with a suppressed burp. While Eddie picks his fries one by one, observing other customers, his uncle catches his attention with a soft whistle.
"Hey," he smiles. "I know I don't say it often, but I'm happy to have you, son."
"Holy shit, you're growing soft, Wayne!"
"Won't you be serious, for once?" his uncle groans. "I know I struggle to show it, but I mean it. That day when I found Chrissy in the trailer, I… I really thought I lost ya. Couldn't bear the thought. Everyone was against ya from day one. I tried to tell them, I swore ya didn't commit no murder. But only one listened."
"Who?"
Wayne frowns, recalling his interaction with the young journalist as he smoked a cigarette on a picnic table to calm his nerves while the cops were turning his trailer upside down.
"It was a young girl. Slightly younger. I saw her a few times at the shelter with the Hair."
"Robin?"
"Nah, not her. More feminine. Brown curly hair and those huge blue eyes."
"Nancy?"
Eddie's jaw drops at the thought of Nancy Wheeler being the first one to ever trust in his innocence. For a moment, he scolds himself internally for ever thinking badly of her, whether a few years prior or when his jealousy broke out whenever he saw her with Steve.
But she was the one to believe him first.
He promises himself to thank her whenever he sees her. Share a snack with her or whatever is fitting when someone saves your life.
The two of them empty their trays into the designated trash cans and dispose of them on the shelf above them. The drive back to Hawkins is quiet, eerily still for an outsider, yet carrying so much emotion between the two of them. Whatever issues they faced in their relationship was in the past. Other discussions will be needed to start the healing process before they get to lick their wounds, but they both consider it to be a more than decent start.
As they return to the shelter with reluctance, the headlights of the van shine their light upon a silhouette sitting on the hood of a parked BMW. Recognizing Steve, Eddie waves at him before tucking the vehicle away between two others. When he jumps out, his friend comes to meet him.
"Hi Eddie, I was wondering where you were."
"Went out to Muncie with Wayne," Eddie beams. "What are you doing here?"
"I came for you. Wondering if you needed help with studying or if you wanted to relax before tomorrow."
"Sure."
Wayne walks up to them and nods at Steve as a greeting.
"Eddie, don't forget your exams tomorrow, mmh?" he grins. "Don't come back too late."
"I won't."
He turns to the other young man, his throat twitching as he laughs at his own joke before it even runs past his lips.
"Have him home by ten, mmh?"
"Will do!" Steve teases back. "His virtue will be untouched."
"Good, good. Night, boys."
"Night Wayne."
Eddie slips his hands into his pocket and rocks himself at the waist, grinning at Steve.
"What's the plan?"
"I've got a bunch of fresh soda cans we can drink up?"
"Too bad it's not beer."
"Nuh-uh, not the night before an exam. And don't insist, young man, I won't tolerate it."
The two of them chuckle as Eddie pulls him into a brief embrace.
"Soda it is."