El ignored the pang of sadness that jabbed at her relentlessly as came closer towards Nancy's house.
She pushed the trembling feelings away as she made her way to their front door. Before El's hand came close to contact with the front door - Nancy appears, wearing an apron covered in large amounts of flour whilst bouncing Eureka on her hip, and El finally let the air out that she had been holding in. She missed her, and the smile gracing Nancy's flour-covered face, she knew she missed El just as much.
El wrinkled her nose to cover her laugh, Nancy was a complete mess but it was good to see her. The next thing she knew, her feet were hanging off the ground and Jonathon's arms swopped her in a bear hug.
El let her cheek fall to her brothers shoulder and hugged him back. As he settled her back on her two left feet, she noticed he had a lopsided, open smile and that's when she realised she was glad she took up Nancy's offer to visit.
"We missed you, El. You need to visit us more often, once every few months isn't enough." he scolded, but his voice held playfulness.
El gave Jonathon a sideways smile before watching Nancy placing the giggling baby into his awaiting arms, which he gladly accepted. His face sparkled in delight as he pulled faces at his daughter, Eureka continued to giggle as drool formed on the corners of her toothless grin.
Nancy turned El around by her shoulders, gave her a little push towards their living room, and kissed her cheek before whispering in the shell of her ear, "He's right you know. It feels like we never get to see you anymore. I'm glad you came today, I really am."
El's face flushed with embarrassment and she quickly reached over and gave Nancy's hand a gentle squeeze. She knew everything would be okay, Nancy had been in her life for years and she trusted her completely. El was more embarrassed that she isolated herself so much because of Mike, she realised that she couldn't hide anymore.
"Dad?" El whispered, her footsteps stopping at a halt. There Hopper was, uncrossing his large arms and leaning himself away from the lounge room door frame; coming towards her in three quick strides.
"Hey, poo-bear." He grinned at her, opening his arms wide in an inviting gesture that El's heart seemed to crack despite her best attempts to stop it.
God, she missed him as well.
Without a second thought, she fell into his embrace and smelled his strong cologne. She didn't care that his long beard scratched the service of her skin, nor did she mind his police badge pocking brutally at her chest, she was just happy that he was here.
Nancy stopped where she was beside El and eyed them both playfully.
His smile deepens, revealing his hidden dimples on the sides of his cheeks. "I see someone's missed me?"
El nods her head eagerly into his chest, mumbling, "You have no idea."
Nancy begins clapping her hands together enthusiastically, "Okay, as much as this reunion was needed and I loved watching every second of it, we still have a lot to discuss." Her dainty hands grips both El's and Hoppers as she slides them down and onto their generously large couch beside Jonathon and Eureka.
"Hot coco anyone?" Nancy asks, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she eyed everyone in the room. Jonathon raised little Eureka's pudgy arm as a yes, Hopper nodded his head in approval and finally all eyes landed on El.
"With extra marshmallows, please." El says, looking up and watching Nancy smile at her answer.
Nancy sighed dramatically as she rested a hand against her chest, a playful twinkle glittering in the corners of her warm eyes. "How could I forget?"
As El watched Nancy dart away towards the kitchen, she took notice of the loungeroom they were all sitting in. It was covered head-to-toe in pictures; her eye's lingered on one particular photograph though.
It was of the gang.
They had all been around thirteen in the photograph it seems, except Nancy who had just turned eighteen a few weeks before. They were perched up against an oak tree outside of Mrs Wheelers old home, Nancy and El leaning forward whilst the boys had stood tall and broad right behind them.
That's not what caught El's eye though, it was the youthfulness that flowed on the boys faces and of the girls.
They seemed happy, care-free almost, especially younger El.
El's eyes widened in shock and her breathing hitched as her brown eyes drew closer to the photo. Everyone in it held a contagious, toothy grins, all except Mike.
His jet black eye's were planted firmly on younger El's face. No frown's were edged on his boyish features though, just a small smile, but it was his eyes that glistened with endless amounts of love as he stared at El whilst she stared straight at the camera.
Nancy must've not noticed it though when she hung the picture in her home and El wishes she hadn't noticed either.
El didn't dare to make a fuss - no, not this time - instead she focused her full attention onto Nancy as she carefully handed her the hot coco off the try and El gave her a small, reassuring smile in return as a silent thank you.
El sipped the drink contently, she sighed into the warm cup as the hot coco calmed down her aching nerves and washed over a sense of security. She had nothing to be nervous about, this was her family, long before Mike became her husband or her secret lover.
El noticed Hopper smiling sadly on the couch beside her, rummaging a hand through his greyish-balding hair, placing the chocolatey goodness that nestled its way into the small mug on his perched side table.
El was thankful for the drink, it reminded her of her childhood and for that she was grateful, not to mention Nancy made one hell of a hot chocolate in the weirdest of circumstances when needed.
It was one of her specialties.
El continued sipping the remaining contents greedily before sculling what was left and began placing it next to Hopper's.
El stares down Jonathon as he takes another sip from his mug, whilst holding Eureka in his lap and looks at her like she's in for a surprise.
Her eyes are pleading at him, she doesn't know what for though, all she knows is that if the topic involves her stupid, stupid husband than she'll be ready to high tail it out of there quicker than they could say the letter M.
"You know Poo-bear, we're your family. It's our job to be there for you when your going through something as traumatic as your divorce. You don't need to hide from any of us, do you understand what I'm saying?" Hopper fully turned to face her now, weariness edged its way onto his features.
He seemed calm and collected but El knew he was just as scared as she was.
He was scared that she'd crawl back into her dark place, one that consisted of isolation but most importantly, no Mike. El knew it wasn't healthy to live in fear of the unknown, to constantly dread waking up the next morning to only begin counting down the hours until she could sleep herself away again.
As El looked at Hooper, really looked at him, she noticed how beaten down and old he'd become as she grew up. Like life had battered his soul ferociously and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness that one day he wouldn't be around to give her his advice anymore.
And because of that recognition, the tears swirled in her eyes but she blinked them away. She was sick of appearing weak, everyone already walked around her as though broken sea shells lingered with every step she took and she was over it.
Without a second thought, she swung her pale arms around Hoppers neck loosely and pressed a feather-like kiss against his stubbly cheek. He relaxed in her embrace, the room became quiet but peaceful and her heart fluttered at that.
For once it wasn't because of the dull ache Mike had left on her, it was because her daddy had her in his arms.
And it was what she had needed for so long.
El and Hopper didn't even hear the pitter patter of rushed footsteps as more hands and bodies were now freshly pressed up against one another's. El could feel baby Eureka's drool land on the back of her neck, her chubby fingers twisting the ends of her short curls and giving a slight tug at the ends.
Yet, El didn't care at all.
In fact she loved every second of the hug, with everyone's tangled limbs and warm embraces and occasional giggles erupting from her god daughters mouth. Hopper was the first one to pull apart and than the rest of the scene unfolded in front of her.
No other words about Mike were exchanged and for that El was grateful.
The hug had been enough, filled with so much love and meaning and she knew that she could get through this. Even if it may be slow, they'd always reassure her that they'd be behind her with every step she proceeded to take.
"Okay, enough gushy moments. Let me see that beautiful baby." El says, wiping a small tear that leaked out from the corner of her smudged eye. Everyone around her smiled at El's choice of words and watched El as her arms reached out for Jonathon to pass over his baby girl.
With sudden caution, El pried Eureka out of her brother's strong hold. She took her in - and admired the way her frizzy dark blonde curls fell against her head and how bright her baby blue eye's were.
Her heart thawed in that moment, El's fingers lightly brushed through her matted curls whilst the other held the back of her Eureka's head in a careful grip.
"Why hello there." El sighed into her frizzy hair, foolishly grinning at the baby smell indulging her senses. She was the most beautiful baby El had ever encountered, what shocked El the most was how comfortable Eureka seemed holding her.
Nancy informed El that her daughter was majorly fussy with people that weren't Nancy or Jonathon. Even with Hopper and Joyce, she was overly eager to be back in her Mother's arms.
Jonathon looked over at El in sheer shock, a wolfish smile hanging on his lips and his eye's danced with delight as he watched his baby sister and baby girl share a moment.
"Look's like we've found our babysitter for the next 18 years. If your up for it, sis." Jonathon asked cheekily, moving over to where El held Eureka and graciously planted his knee's firmly in front of them.
He couldn't bear to be apart from his daughter for too long, he knew he was being extra clingy and often a little bit silly, but how couldn't he be?
Not when she managed to brighten every dull moment in his and Nancy's chaotic life.
And he loved it.
"Only if you'll have me." El replied back with as much enthusiasm as she could muster, never taking her eye's off of her god daughter.
Now was probably the right time for the others to get a quick hold before putting Eureka to down for her usual nap routine but El didn't want to let her go just yet and Eureka seemed the same, not even noticing her daddy's lingering presence right next to her.
El could do this, she was so sure of it. She could be the god mother Eureka well deserved instead of shutting herself off. El could once become the girl nestled in the picture, maybe not as young, but she could become that vibrant again.
That happy again.
She knew it.
AUTHORS NOTE:
Three chapters in pretty much a day and a half! I hope you liked this fluffy moment shared - it was much needed I know - I'm slowly getting into the story again and who knows maybe a certain someone by the name of Ben will emerge his way back into the story once again?
I just wanted to give a warm and welcoming shout out for the people that have stuck by or who are new to this story. Thank you so much! I appreciate every second you take of reading and reviewing, makes me so happy.
I'll update as soon as I can! Much love my darlings,
L xx
