TOGETHER WITH THEIR FAMILIES

NANCY

Karen Wheeler

~and~

JONATHAN

Anthony Byers

invite you to their wedding celebration

APRIL 14 1990

at 4 o'clock in the afternoon

SUGAR PINE LODGE

Lake Tahoe, California

dinner & reception to follow

Lake Tahoe, California

"Babe, wake up, we're almost there," Mike said softly as he reached across the back seat of the taxi and squeezed Max's thigh.

"Mmph," she grunted as she blinked open her eyes in the bright afternoon sunlight. There had been an impromptu party last night celebrating a band's new record contract, and she hadn't gotten home until two in the morning when they had to leave for the airport at ten.

Mike shook his head with a smile and looked back out the window at the impressive scenery passing by.

The weekend of Nancy and Jonathan's wedding had finally arrived. It would be the culmination of months of planning and arguments and last-minute changes, the details of which he was well acquainted with wholly against his will because it was all his family had been talking about for the past year.

He was looking forward to getting out of the city for the weekend. He'd just finished a week of absolutely grueling midterms and it was the start of spring break. It had been a long and miserable winter in Chicago—the bitterly cold winds howling ceaselessly across the surface of the lake and bringing with them endless snowstorms. The pipes in their apartment had frozen not once but twice, and the pathetic amount of heat emitted by the ancient radiator forced him and Max to spend most evenings each wearing two pairs of socks, curled up in front of a space heater under a pile of blankets. The cold had carried on well into March, with spring just barely making an appearance in the first couple weeks of April, so it was a sight for sore eyes to see this lush pocket of Northern California so teeming with life.

"I can't get over this view," he said, looking in wonder at the snowcapped Sierras jutting up dramatically around them. "Remind me again why we live in Illinois?"

"I know," Max replied, pressing her forehead against the window, "I came here once as a kid when it was winter, I bet it's even nicer now."

"Just another couple of minutes, folks," the taxi driver informed them from the front seat.

Mike tore his gaze away from the window and glanced over at Max, frowning when he saw how tense she suddenly looked. One hand was fiddling with the aquamarine pendant of the necklace he'd bought her last month for her twentieth birthday, and the other hand was resting on her knee, clenched tightly in a fist. He reached over and took it in his, gently unfolding her fingers and running his thumb over the angry red indents in her palm.

"You good?"

She sighed and looked down at their intertwined hands. "I'm a little nervous about seeing… everyone."

In this case, he knew "everyone" mostly meant El. She and Max were both bridesmaids, and it would be the first time either of them would be seeing her since 1986. Their relationship felt like it had happened a lifetime ago, and when he thought of her now it was with a detached fondness, but he knew seeing her in person would be an entirely different matter. He knew that she knew about him and Max but he had no clue how she felt about it, if she felt anything about it all.

"I am too," he admitted. "It'll be fine though. I think enough time has passed that we can all be mature about it." Max gave him a skeptical look and remained silent, gripping his hand a little bit tighter.

The taxi turned off the highway and down a narrow road where melting snow piles still dotted the sides and lush pine trees towered around them, nearly blocking out the bright blue sky. Another minute later the forest opened up and the hotel came into view. The lodge-style building had a rustic timber frame and a large, sloping roof. On either side of the main structure, there were longer wings about three stories tall that presumably held all the guest rooms. The driver pulled into the semicircular driveway and Mike paid him before retrieving their bags from the back.

Max gave a low whistle as they entered the spacious lobby, taking in the vaulted wood-panelled ceiling, the stone fireplaces surrounded by leather armchairs, and the warm cedar smell seemingly permeating through the whole building. The entire back wall was a large window through which they could see the glittering turquoise waters of the lake.

Mike was certain his parents paid a small fortune for this, but if anyone deserved a fairytale wedding, it was Nancy. Unbeknownst to most—practical, responsible Nancy had been dreaming about her wedding day since the first time she watched The Sound of Music. He smiled to himself, thinking of all the Barbie weddings that he'd ruined by swooping in with his action figures, earning a pillow to the face or worse, a pointy elbow to the stomach.

They got in line at the front desk to check in, and not a minute later turned around to see Will running up to them with a wide smile on his face.

"Hey guys!"

"Will!" Max exclaimed, standing on her toes to give him a quick hug before leaning back and looking him over.

They hadn't seen him since their post-graduation road trip when they'd spent a week with him in San Francisco, but Mike still tried to talk on the phone with him once a month. Although now that he thought about it, they'd missed quite a few lately what with both of them being so busy with school.

He'd grown a bit more, almost as tall as Mike now. The shorter haircut he was sporting was undoubtedly more flattering than the bowl cuts that were forced upon him by Joyce, and it also exposed a new piece of silver jewelry glinting from his ear.

"Nice earring, Best Man," Mike teased, flicking at the hoop in his friend's earlobe.

Will flinched and swatted his hand away. "Ha, yeah, thanks," he said, touching the hoop nervously. "Um, how was the flight?"

Mike was about to answer when the hotel employee called him up to the desk, so he let Max fill Will in on the details of their trip.

Once he got their key cards he rejoined them and clapped Will on the shoulder. "So where's your date?"

His eyes widened. "Oh uh, I didn't bring anyone. Flyin' solo as they say," he replied while shooting finger guns.

"Not seeing anyone special?" Max teased, elbowing him in the ribs.

"I am, it's just… It's new," he said, fidgeting with his earring again.

"Oooh, what's her naaame?" she asked, and Mike laughed at the flush that immediately spread over his friend's face.

"Uh, well–"

"There you are!" Will's answer was cut off by Mike's mom dashing over, reading glasses perched on top of her head and the dreaded purple wedding binder tucked securely under her arm.

The overflowing, meticulously organized planner had never been more than an arms-length away the few times Mike had visited home in the past year. She gave them both a quick hug and immediately launched into a tirade about the flower arrangements not being a perfect colour match for the chair sashes, whatever the hell those were.

"Where's Dad?" Mike asked when she finally stopped to take a breath.

"At the indoor pool with your little sister, probably asleep in a lounge chair," Karen replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Oh, Max sweetie, come with me so I can give you your dress for tomorrow."

"I'll take our stuff to the room and meet you back here?" he called out as Max got dragged away by the elbow. She nodded, a fearful look on her face as Karen started talking enthusiastically about eyeshadow and updos.

Mike grabbed the bags from the floor and left Will with a promise to catch up more that evening at the bachelor party.

He didn't linger in the small room, tossing their bags on the bed before making his way back down to the lobby. He rounded the corner and froze in his tracks when he saw Max clutching a garment bag in front of her chest, talking to another girl.

Shit. El.

Mike stepped back and flattened himself against the wall, finding his heart was suddenly pounding and his palms were clammy. He hadn't been ready for this reunion to happen quite so soon. He peeked around the corner. El was facing mostly away from him, arms folded across her chest defensively. She was a little taller, her hair wavy and longer than he'd ever seen it; she was wearing a white t-shirt that showed off her deep tan and some sort of baggy, colourful printed pants that cinched at the ankle around her hightops, probably a souvenir from her volunteer work in Southeast Asia.

"–it's fine, I mean I kind of knew you always had a thing for him," she was saying. Mike winced. Clearly, El wasn't beating around the bush with talking about the past.

Panic flashed across Max's face. "I– what? That's not– it's not like I was after him the whole time," she stuttered, shaking her head emphatically. "This thing was completely new for both of us, I swear. We only started getting close after you– after the breakup."

"Okay…" El shrugged, although it sounded like she didn't really believe her. There was an uncomfortable silence and Mike figured it was time for him to step in.

He took a deep breath and walked up to the girls, resting a hand on Max's lower back in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture.

"Hey guys," he said, praying his nonchalant delivery didn't betray his racing heart as he turned to face his ex-girlfriend.

"Mike." El's eyes widened and looked him up and down before locking onto his.

And it was like he was transported back in time.

And all at once it's him seeing her for the first time, wild-eyed and afraid in the rain; and it's the moment before their first kiss at the winter dance, The Police playing in the background; and it's their last kiss at the airport after Christmas, and a whispered promise to see each other for spring break…

But then he blinked and it was gone. Because that's all it was—ancient history. None of those feelings existed anymore, he realized now as he stared into her warm, brown eyes. Eyes that displayed every emotion behind them clearly instead of staying guarded; eyes that weren't impossibly blue and framed by long, golden eyelashes.

He glanced down at Max who was peering up at him anxiously as if she was half expecting him to dump her on the spot and run off into the sunset with El. He smiled and slid his hand around her hip, giving her a gentle squeeze as he pulled her a little closer, immediately feeling some of the tension leave her when she leaned her body into his. He turned back towards El and saw her gaze had dropped down to where his arm was wrapped around Max before flicking back and forth rapidly between their faces.

"El," he finally said. "It's good to see you. You look uh… different. Good different," he added quickly.

She gave him a tight smile. "Thanks, Mike. You look… the same." Then she glanced around and tucked her hair behind her ear. "And um, pretty much everyone calls me Jane now."

"Oh, right. Um, sorry. Jane." The name felt strange on his tongue.

"Alright," she said after another awkward silence, "I'm gonna go find Nancy and help her get ready for the party tonight. I'll see you guys later." They waited until she disappeared around the corner and collectively exhaled.

Max turned and buried her face in his chest, the remaining tension in her body evaporating instantly.

"Well, that was about as awkward as I expected," Mike said as he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, the garment bag crinkling between them.

"You don't have to spend all night at the bachelorette party with her," she grumbled into the fabric of his sweatshirt. "What if she glares at me the wrong way and blows my head up?" Mike chuckled and pressed a kiss onto the top of Max's head, not fully certain he could promise her otherwise.

Dinner in the hotel restaurant that evening was a chaotic affair, with an endless stream of distant family members popping up at their table to say hello, most of whom he had no memory of ever meeting. He quickly tired of going through the usual introductions of Max and repetitive small talk—yes, Chicago was a big city, yes, that Michael Jordan was an exciting player, and yes, it was hard to believe he was already almost finished his sophomore year.

Nancy and Jonathan were also making the rounds, holding hands and grinning and looking stupidly in love. Joyce came over at one point and gave him and Max big hugs. Her hair was streaked with grey now, and somehow she was even smaller than Mike remembered, but she smelled the same—a comforting blend of instant coffee and Pond's hand cream.

After dinner, once they finally extricated themselves from a borderline racist conversation with Mike's great-aunt Rose about the rising crime rates in major cities, they barely had time to go to their room and nap for thirty minutes before Mike found himself in Jonathan's hotel room for his "last night of freedom".

The bachelor party so far consisted of Mike, Will, Ted, Jonathan, a long-haired boy inexplicably named Argyle, and a blond boy named Connor who went to Fresno State with Jonathan. From what he could gather, Lonnie Byers had either declined to show up or wasn't invited in the first place. Considering his strained relationship with his sons, Mike wouldn't have been surprised if it was the latter.

They were playing poker and drinking scotch from an expensive bottle Mike's dad had provided, and Mike was struggling not to gag as he choked down the amber liquid, unable to understand how people drank it for pleasure. This was also his first time playing poker, and he'd quickly learned he couldn't bluff for shit as he watched his stack of chips steadily diminish with each hand.

Unlike his son, Ted Wheeler had an excellent poker face, barely cracking a smile when the cards were revealed and the boys yet again groaned and shoved their chips towards his growing pile. Despite his impressive winning streak, once eleven o'clock rolled around he was unable to suppress his yawns and opted to call it a night, patting his future son-in-law on the shoulder before making his way for the door.

As soon as it closed behind him, Argyle tossed his cards down on the table. "Alright, now that Daddy's gone, the real party can start!"

"Argyle," Jonathan groaned, "I said no strippers. Nancy would cut my balls off."

"And I listened, dude! Besides, I couldn't even find one who would come all the way out here," he added under his breath. "Now, even though you didn't make me the best man, which I'm not at all offended by, you know I still had to hook my boy up with…" he paused as he pulled something out of his backpack, "a Bachelor Blunt!" He produced the largest blunt Mike had ever seen, brandishing the dark green cone in the air like a beacon.

"Did I do good, or did I do good?" he winked at Jonathan, who laughed and threw his arm around his friend's shoulder.

"You did good, buddy."

They went out onto the balcony, shivering slightly in the cool night air. While Argyle lit the blunt for Jonathan, Mike took a seat on the floor next to Will, gazing out at the nearly full moon peeking out from behind the mountains on the other side of the vast lake, reflected in the calm surface like a mirror. He took a deep breath, welcoming the fresh scent of pine and mountain air, a far cry from the blend of garbage and exhaust fumes he'd grown accustomed to in the city.

"Man, I can't believe you and Nancy are actually getting married," Connor said, taking the joint from Jonathan as he exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"I can't either. She's so out of my league."

"Are you nervous?" Will asked.

"Honestly? No. I know we're young but it feels like we've been waiting forever for this."

"Not gonna lie, I thought for sure you guys were dunzo that first year you moved to Lenora," Argyle said after sending a perfect smoke ring floating into the night sky.

Jonathan nodded. "It was a close call, dude. I'm just glad she didn't let me fuck it up. That would've been the biggest mistake of my life."

Mike took the blunt from Argyle's outstretched fingers, realizing it was actually wrapped in some sort of leaf instead of the brown tobacco wrap he was used to. He took a long pull and held it in, coughing as he exhaled and immediately felt fuzzy and lightheaded.

"Shit, that's strong," he wheezed as he passed it to a hesitant-looking Will.

"That's that Cali kush, baby," Argyle laughed, slapping Mike on the back as he continued coughing.

An hour or so later, while the older boys reminisced on a "legendary" trip they took to Tijuana for spring break a few years back, Will gave Mike a nudge, pulling him out of his half-catatonic state.

"Hey, can I talk to you inside for a sec?"

"Yeah, man," Mike nodded.

His limbs felt like lead as they made their way inside, and he noted it was just after midnight. They each grabbed a beer from Connor's cooler and settled into the leather armchairs in front of the electric fireplace.

"So what's up?" he asked as he twisted the cap off the bottle.

"Um, okay." Will inhaled shakily as he rubbed his hands over his thighs. "There's something I've been wanting to tell you."

Mike frowned at his friend's obvious discomfort. "What is it?" Will swallowed audibly but didn't say anything. "Are you in trouble or something...?" Mike prompted. "It's not–" he glanced up to make sure the balcony door was closed and lowered his voice to a whisper, "–Upside Down stuff again, is it?"

"No, no," Will shook his head, "nothing like that." He picked up his beer and took a long sip, keeping the bottle in his hands and picking at the corner of the label for a few seconds. "Okay. So. You know how I've never had a girlfriend?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Will had always been shy. But where was he going with this? Was he going to ask Mike for dating advice?

"There's a reason for that," Will continued, his gaze locking onto Mike's. "Which is that I'm not interested in having a girlfriend." Mike frowned in confusion, waiting for Will to elaborate. He rolled his eyes and looked away, staring intently at the flames dancing in the fireplace for a few moments. "I… I'm gay, Mike."

Mike blinked, certain he must have misheard. "You're gay?"

"Yup," Will said quietly before glancing up at him again.

He knew he looked dumb with his brow furrowed and his mouth hanging open, but his mind was racing, thinking back to any signs he might have missed, but then again what would the signs even have been?

"You– you don't like girls? At all?" he stuttered out eventually.

"Nope."

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure."

"Not even like, Cindy Crawford?"

"Not even her," Will chuckled dryly.

Mike shook his head slowly. "But like… why?"

"It's not a choice, Mike," Will explained with a shrug. "It's just who I am."

"How do you– I mean have you tried liking girls?"

Will sighed. "Yeah, I did try. All through high school. But it always felt so wrong. And I wished–" his voice cracked and he paused for a second before continuing. "I wished every day that I could just be normal but…" he trailed off, leaning back in the armchair. "And no, it's not that I haven't just met the right girl yet."

Mike felt his face heat up, embarrassed that that had actually been his next question. "When did you um… realize?" he asked instead.

"The first time I really admitted it to myself was when I was seventeen. But deep down I'd known for a while. Forever, really. I just always felt… different. Like when we were kids and you and Lucas and Dustin were obsessing over El and Max and Suzie and I just couldn't imagine ever feeling that way about a girl."

Mike nodded, remembering that summer when a rift seemed to form in their friendship. And then a terrifying thought came to him.

"But aren't you afraid of AIDS?" he blurted out, cringing as soon as the words left his lips.

"Oh my god, dude. I'm not even answering that," Will said with a laugh and an incredulous shake of his head.

Mike paused and leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply and eyeing his friend. "Well. Shit. I don't… really know what to say?"

"It's fine, Mike," Will shrugged, tearing a jagged piece of the beer label off. "I know it's a lot to wrap your head around. I just wanted you to know."

"Who else knows?"

"Jonathan knows. He's the first person I ever told. Jane and my mom I told at the same time a few months later. And at college, I decided not to be in the closet at all when it felt safe to do so. Luckily San Francisco art students are extremely open-minded," Will chuckled.

His earlier comment suddenly came back to Mike and his eyes widened. "Wait, so when you said you're seeing someone–"

"It's a guy," Will nodded, looking down with a small smile. "His name is Blake."

"So how does it– you know what, never mind." Mike cut himself off and chugged the rest of his beer before his brain let him ask something totally inappropriate.

There was a long pause, and then Will took a deep breath and looked over at the fire again. "Do you like, still want to be friends with me?" he asked, his voice shaking with emotion and barely audible.

Mike looked up sharply. "What?"

"I mean I get it if you don't, it's–"

"Will," he cut him off, "come on. I might not really get it but I– I'd still go to the Upside Down and back for you, man. You're still my best friend," he added, leaning down to meet Will's tear-filled eyes.

He gave him a sad smile and shook his head. "Max is your best friend now."

"Yeah but… she's my girlfriend. It's different."

"You're my best friend too, Mike," Will said, his smile widening into something less tentative.

Before Mike could reply, a girlish scream from outside made them jump out of their seats. They bolted back out onto the patio, leaning over the railing where the older boys were already peering down at the back lawn of the hotel. In the dim light of the moon, they could make out a few stumbling figures, and then a chorus of laughter rang out.

"Oh shit, it's the girls!" Connor laughed.

One figure could be seen running across the grass to the rocky shore before throwing her head back and flinging her arms out to the side.

"I'm getting married today!" Nancy shouted into the night as she spun in a circle at the water's edge, the glittery pink veil on her head streaming behind her.

"Yo, let's go crash the party!" Argyle exclaimed, already turning around and packing up his backpack.

Jonathan whipped around and shook his head. "What? No, we're not supposed to–"

"Oh come on Byers, you know you wanna see your wifey," Argyle teased, punching his friend on the shoulder.

Jonathan quickly acquiesced and the boys gathered their things, beer and scotch included, and made their way downstairs and out through the back of the hotel. Mike shivered in the cold, zipping his jacket up all the way and shoving his hands in his pockets.

He nearly tripped over his own feet when they neared the girls and he was confronted with the unexpected sight of his current girlfriend and his ex-girlfriend with their arms around each other, giggling and swigging from a wine bottle they were passing back and forth.

"Hey, no boys allowed!" Nancy's college roommate Grace cried out when she spotted the approaching group of men.

Nancy squealed and ran into Jonathan's arms, clearly well past tipsy and not giving a damn about arbitrary pre-wedding rules. Mike saw that in addition to the veil, she was also wearing a white satin sash that had "Bride-to-Be" written in gold lettering.

He hung back a little and waited for Max to notice he was there, not wanting to interrupt the moment she was having with El. After a few seconds, she spotted him, a wide smile on her face as she skipped over. She'd stolen his Northwestern sweatshirt from his suitcase, the sleeves engulfing her hands and the hem reaching mid-thigh.

When she reached him she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Miss me?"

"Always," he chuckled, hugging her back.

He felt her inhale deeply and then she leaned back, her eyes narrowing as she looked up at him accusingly. "Did you get high without me?"

"Sorry babe, Argyle probably has more," he nodded at where the long-haired boy was acting something out to a laughing El. "So… you two seem cool now?"

"Never underestimate the power of a champagne-induced heart-to-heart and a quick cry sesh," Max grinned as she patted him on the cheek. Girls, Mike thought, shaking his head.

"Plus after that, we started playing really dirty truth or dare and there wasn't much room left for being shy. Speaking of which…" She smiled wickedly at him. "Nancy told us Jonathan does this thing where he li–"

"Max!" Mike cried out, covering his ears with his hands. He definitely did not need to hear the end of that sentence.

She cackled as she grabbed his arm and led him over to where the group had gathered around a circular stone fire pit. El looked over when he took a seat in one of the Adirondack chairs and flashed him a polite smile as if to let him know there weren't any hard feelings. He knew he'd have to have his own talk with her eventually, but not tonight when his head was clouded with medical-grade marijuana and expensive liquor.

Sometime later, after another one of Argyle's joints had been passed around along with the rest of the champagne, Mike was watching in amusement as Argyle and Connor forced Jonathan to shotgun a beer when he looked around and realized his sister was missing.

He stood and spotted Nancy sitting at the end of the long wooden dock with Jonathan's denim jacket draped over her shoulders and swallowing her small frame, looking up at the moon which was now high in the sky.

"Nance?" he called out as he approached slowly, not wanting to startle her. She turned to look at him and he frowned when he saw the tear tracks streaking down her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" he asked, taking a seat next to her and peering down at the several-foot drop into the inky black water.

"I'm fine," she sniffled, wiping the tears away with the cuffs of the jacket. "I was just thinking about Barb. I always thought she'd be here for this." She looked down and straightened out her sash. "We used to imagine we'd be each other's maids of honour… That's why I didn't ask anyone else. It's still her in spirit."

They'd never been the most affectionate of siblings but Mike scooted closer and put his arm around her bony shoulder.

"God, I still miss her all the time," Nancy choked out, her voice breaking as she buried her face in his chest and dissolved into fresh tears. He patted her back gingerly, staying silent because he knew no amount of words would bring back Barb.

It was easy to forget sometimes that while he'd been lucky enough to get his best friend back, she'd been too late to save hers. He heard the creaking of footsteps behind them and turned around to see Jonathan walking up with a look of concern on his face.

"Barb," Mike mouthed. Jonathan nodded in understanding and came to sit on the other side of Nancy.

Mike gave her a nudge and when she realized her fiancé was there she immediately pivoted into his arms, her shoulders still shaking as he murmured reassuring words into her ear and stroked her hair.

Mike stood and started walking back down the dock. He'd made it about halfway when Argyle came sprinting towards him out of the darkness, clad in nothing but alien print boxers.

"Cowabunga, dude!" he shouted as he ran past Nancy and Jonathan and launched himself into the water with a noisy splash followed immediately by, "Fuck me it's fucking cold!"

Mike stood and laughed as Grace ran by next in a tank top and underwear, shrieking as she surfaced in the icy water, followed by three more splashes and gasping curses from El, Will and Connor who'd run by shortly after.

"Get in, pussies!" Argyle shouted.

"No thanks, I am not catching pneumonia before my wedding!" Nancy replied to the swimmers as she and Jonathan stood and retreated towards the fire with their arms wrapped around each other.

Max jogged over then, already grasping the hem of her sweatshirt. "I'll jump if you jump?"

Mike groaned as he let his jacket fall to the floor. He never could say no to her.

The morning of the wedding Mike found himself sitting up in bed in his underwear with a shitty cup of coffee and a mild hangover, waiting for Max to come out of the bathroom.

"Don't laugh, okay?" she called out through the closed door.

"I won't, I promise," he replied.

The bathroom door swung open and she emerged, clad in a floor-length lavender gown with comically poofy sleeves and several layers of ruffles and tulle. Her slouched shoulders and pouting bottom lip let him know exactly how she felt about it.

Mike bit the inside of his cheek painfully hard to keep from laughing. "Oh wow."

"Fuck you."

"No, you look cute, babe!" he said, a snort of laughter coming through that he attempted to play off as a cough.

Max marched over to the full-length mirror and looked at herself in dismay. "I look like a stick of cotton candy!" she whined, tugging at the puffy short sleeves. "I really thought your sister would have better taste than this."

"Nancy still perms her hair," he pointed out.

"Ugh," Max groaned, letting her head fall back. "Now I have to go get my hair and makeup done. I don't even wanna know what they have planned."

She dragged her feet over to the bed so she was standing in front of him, and he put his mug down on the nightstand so he could cup her rather adorably pouting face. "I'll see you out there?"

He nodded and pressed a kiss to the wrinkle between her furrowed eyebrows, grinning against her so she wouldn't see it.

The ceremony was taking place in the late afternoon, and Mike had to admit that the insane amount of planning his mother and Nancy put in had paid off.

It was taking place close to where they'd been the night before, with a flower-adorned lattice arch framing the lake which was reflecting the vibrant pink and orange streaks of the setting sun. Rows of chairs were set up on either side of the aisle which was lined with tall planters of flowers that matched the ones on the arch.

Mike unbuttoned his suit jacket and took his seat in the front row next to Holly and his mom, glad the tall pine trees provided some cover from the glare of the sun. Soft instrumental music was playing from somewhere he couldn't see, likely concealed somewhere in the shrubbery.

The music suddenly got louder and the chattering of the guests quieted down as Jonathan walked down the aisle with Joyce on his arm, exchanging a long hug and some whispered words before he took his place in front of the arch and Joyce sat down in the front row, already wiping away tears. Will and Max walked up next, followed by Connor and Grace and El and Argyle, who had his hair tied back in a sleek ponytail.

Once they'd arranged themselves on their respective sides, Mike caught Max's eye, giving her an obvious once-over followed by a wink. She rolled her eyes and surreptitiously scratched the side of her nose with her middle finger.

Then the music changed again and everyone stood and turned as Nancy came down the aisle with her father. Her long white dress had wrist-length lace sleeves and a straight neckline that exposed her shoulders and collarbone; her curly hair was pulled back except for a few tendrils that framed her face, and her long lace veil trailed behind her. The guests all murmured approvingly as she walked by, but she only had eyes for Jonathan, who was sporting a beaming smile that matched her own.

The officiant started the ceremony with the usual spiel about marriage and commitment and then handed the microphones to the bride and groom, who took turns reading sonnets that they had apparently written to each other when they'd been long-distance during their senior year, which was exactly the kind of romantic, corny shit Mike would have expected from the two of them.

He glanced over at Max at one point and he could swear he saw some unshed tears in her eyes, which he would definitely be making fun of her for later. Miss 'Weddings-are-cheesy-performative-bullshit' my ass.

And then before he knew it Nancy and Jonathan were exchanging rings and grinning through their first kiss and husband and wife while everyone clapped and cheered for the happy couple.

While the wedding party went off to the side to get pictures taken, the rest of the guests made their way inside to the banquet hall where the reception was being held. Mike felt someone sidle up next to him and turned his head, inhaling sharply when he realized it was none other than Jim Hopper.

It was his first time seeing the police chief since before his supposed death at Starcourt, which had turned out to be false after his incredible rescue from Russia by Joyce and Murray years ago. He was still taller than Mike but he looked much older than he remembered, thinner and greyer, with a short beard instead of the moustache he'd last seen him with.

"Wheeler," Hopper said with a curt nod as they continued walking across the lawn.

"Hello um, sir," Mike stuttered, still intimidated by the man after all these years. "When did you get in?"

"Late last night," he replied gruffly. Then he nodded over at where Max was forcing a smile for the wedding photographer. "You two still going strong, then?"

"Um, yeah. Four years now," Mike replied, feeling his face heat up. "You must be glad El– I mean, Jane and I didn't last, huh?"

"Eh, I was just being a hardass," Hopper shrugged. "If you really made her happy I would've gotten on board. And I've learned a thing or two since then about letting go. You were a bit of a pain in the ass though," he added after a second.

"I know," Mike winced. "I'm sorry about that."

Hopper gave a dismissive wave and stuck his hands in the pockets of his dress pants. "So, you and Max must be next?"

"Oh, I don't know about that," Mike laughed nervously. "We're still pretty young, and I'm in school…"

"Well don't wait too long, kid," Hopper said wistfully.

Mike glanced up at the cryptic statement, following Hopper's gaze towards the wedding party where he was watching Joyce with a look of what could only be described as longing.

The banquet hall had the same vaulted wood ceilings as the main lodge from which hung several large light fixtures that cast an orange glow over the spacious room. Round tables decorated with flickering candles and bright flower arrangements surrounded the dance floor where Mike now found himself slow dancing with his mother.

"Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac played over the speakers while Nancy danced with Ted and Jonathan danced with Joyce, and after a minute Mike's mom had come over and dragged him out as well. He figured now was as good a time as any to float the idea of a wedding binder bonfire.

"I can't do that Michael!" Karen gasped as if he'd suggested running over a puppy. "I still have two more weddings to plan in the future!"

"Oh jeez, Mom," Mike groaned. "I think you'll be waiting a while before the next one."

He let her chatter on for the next minute about ideas for his future wedding, not having the heart to tell her about Max's less-than-positive views on marriage. The song came to an end and transitioned into another slow one, so he handed his mom off to his dad who gave her a twirl that made her yelp in surprise.

Mike looked around for Max and saw that she was already dancing with Will, so he made his way back to his table, faltering when he realized that it was occupied only by El, hunched over and clad in the same lavender monstrosity Max was wearing. He hesitated for a second but figured it was time to finally clear the air.

"Wanna dance?" he asked as he came to stand in front of her. She looked at his hand for a few seconds before nodding and flashing him a small smile as she took it.

They swayed back and forth somewhat stiffly, his hands frozen in place on the middle of her waist and hers resting lightly on his shoulders, maintaining a platonic gap between their bodies. After a few seconds of avoiding each other's eyes, he heard her take a breath and his gaze finally met hers.

"Mike, I'm–" El started, pausing to clear her throat when her voice came out a little hoarse. "I'm sorry for how it ended between us… I feel like I never really gave you an explanation."She paused again, waiting until he gave a nod to continue.

"When I first moved to Lenora Hills I was lost and grieving and I– I thought I would die from how much I missed you. And then somehow I made new friends, the popular kids, who I never thought would even look twice at me. They really weren't that bad though, and they were nice to me. And they were all going on group dates and to school dances and I just… I really wanted to fit in somewhere for the first time in my life."

"And you couldn't do that with a boyfriend on the other side of the country?" Mike supplied.

El gave a sad smile. "That's part of it, but… I also meant it when I said I needed to find out who I was without you. For as far back as I can remember my world was white walls and men in lab coats, and then my world was just you. And it was great, it was amazing but… it couldn't be everything, you know?"

Mike nodded. He did understand. "What about um, that letter and the second phone call?"

She sighed and glanced down. "That was me panicking. I had been asked to the Spring Fling dance by this boy who liked me. And he was so nice. And I was with my friends, and we all got ready together and listened to music… It felt like a dream, like one of those teen movies. And then at the end of the night, he kissed me and… it felt all wrong, and I freaked out and I thought I'd made a huge mistake and I needed to get you back." She looked back up at him with sadness in her eyes. "And then I found out you'd already moved on."

Mike looked away as he swallowed around the lump in his throat. "I– I'm sorry I didn't tell you it was Max, it was still pretty new then and I wasn't sure how you'd react."

El shook her head. "It's fine, Mike. I mean, it was a shock when I found out from Will," she chuckled. "I just, I never… thought of you two as a possibility? But I got over it eventually. And… you are good together," she added after a second.

"Yeah," Mike glanced over her shoulder at where Max had her head thrown back, laughing at something Will had said. He smiled and thought it was his favourite sound in the world when she laughed loud and uninhibited like that. "I think everything worked out the way it was supposed to."

"I think so too," El nodded, and they shared a genuine smile, their bodies less stiff as the tension between them dissipated. "So, you're in Chicago now?" she asked after a few moments.

"Yup," Mike nodded, "I'm in college and Max works full-time."

"I have some good memories of Chicago," El quipped with a raise of her eyebrow that made Mike burst out laughing.

"How about you?" he asked when he regained his composure. "Will said you've been volunteering around the world?"

"Well I just got back from building a medical clinic in Malawi so I'm staying with Joyce for the time being. But I actually applied for a paid position with the same organization, so I'm waiting to hear back."

"That's really cool, El– I mean Jane, sorry. I don't think I'm ever gonna get used to that," he confessed. "I know you always wanted to help people."

She smiled and they danced in comfortable silence for a minute before Mike cleared his throat and leaned in a little closer.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask, can you still, you know…" he jerked his head to the side and she chuckled as she quickly got his meaning.

She looked off to the side and he followed her gaze towards a table where Argyle was lifting a fruit tart towards his mouth. Right before he took a bite the tart suddenly flew out of his hand and landed on the floor in a pile of crumbs, leaving him blinking down in confusion as the two of them dissolved into giggles.

When the song came to an end they shared a friendly hug and went their separate ways, and Mike felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He glanced around until his gaze landed on Max, who was already eyeing him from the back of the room, giving him that pointed look that meant "sneak outside for a smoke break". Mike nodded and watched as she slipped out the doors to the patio before making his way across the room.

He loosened his tie and grabbed two champagne glasses off a tray before he slipped through the doors and out onto the large wraparound deck, where Max was already waiting off to the side where the lights didn't reach.

She had just finished taking out the pins holding her hairstyle in place and bent over to shake it out, groaning in relief as she ran her fingers through her hair-sprayed roots. When she straightened up and flipped her hair back it tumbled around her face wildly like a copper mane.

"Ugh, my hero," she said when she saw the drinks in his hands. She snatched the stem of one between her fingers, downing the whole thing before setting the glass down on the wooden floor.

Then she pulled a joint she must have bummed from Argyle out from somewhere in her voluminous dress and Mike handed her the lighter from his pocket. "This has been the longest day ever," she sighed as she exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"It's not over yet," he nodded towards the window where they could see the edge of the crowded dance floor. "You know Nancy and Jonathan took dance lessons?"

"Barf."

"I know, right?" Mike chuckled, taking the joint and lifting it to his lips.

They stood side by side while they smoked in comfortable silence, leaning against the wall of the lodge and looking up at the stars. He was reminded of their lunchtime smoke breaks in high school, back when they were just two gloomy, broken people taking solace in each other's company, and marvelled at how far they'd come.

Then the door swung open, startling them as loud music streamed out into the silent night.

"Oh shit," Mike hissed as they scurried deeper into the shadows. Max flapped her hands in the air, frantically waving away the lingering smoke while he extinguished the joint on the bottom of his shoe.

Joyce emerged looking visibly agitated, attempting to light the cigarette clenched between her teeth and getting frustrated when the breeze kept blowing the flame out. They took advantage of her distracted state and slid behind one of the large wooden beams supporting the overhang, standing stick straight so they wouldn't be seen.

"Joyce, wait!" a deeper voice called out. They peeked around the pillar and saw Hopper storm out onto the balcony as well.

"No Jim, I can't do this right now!" Joyce exclaimed, backing away from him. "It's my son's wedding day for god's sake."

"Come on, you know I have to catch the red eye back tonight. Please just talk to me," Hopper pleaded.

Mike leaned in close to Max's ear. "We shouldn't be watching this."

"I know, we should let them know we're here," she whispered in reply, not taking her eyes off the scene unfolding in front of them.

"Look," Joyce started, giving up on her cigarette and lowering her voice so they had to strain to hear it, "last night was a mistake. We can't just keep… hooking up when you're in town once a year like we're teenagers again!"

Mike's jaw dropped and he looked down at Max. "They're fucking?" he mouthed. She gave an exaggerated shrug of her shoulders and leaned forward to hear the rest of the conversation.

Hopper caught Joyce by the elbow and tugged her towards him so that she had to look up to meet his gaze. "Why not?"

"Because it's… it's too hard to say goodbye after," she said softly, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

He reached out and traced a finger down her cheek. "Well then let me stay here."

Joyce let out an inelegant sound somewhere between a snort and a scoff and stepped back out of his reach. "You in California? Get real, Hop."

"I'm retiring next year Joyce, what am I gonna do hanging around Hawkins? There's nothing there for me anymore."

She leaned back against the balcony railing and crossed her arms tightly. "And so what, you'd just– just… move in with me?"

"Would that be so bad?" he asked as he came to stand in front of her again. "You're all alone in that house now that the boys have moved out, and Jane seems committed to her nomadic lifestyle…" He put his hands on top of the railing on either side of her, caging her in. "We could do this. For real. I don't wanna waste any more time."

Mike was on the edge of his proverbial seat. He'd had no idea this whole epic romance had been playing out in the background all these years.

Joyce shook her head sadly and looked down at her feet. "When have you and I ever worked out for real, Jim? Last time we tried, we almost tore each other's heads off."

He put his fingers under her chin and tilted her face up towards his. "That was decades ago, Joyce," he murmured. "I'd like to think things would be different now."

"I don't know," she breathed, even as they both started to lean in towards each other.

"Yes you do," Hopper whispered against her lips just before they collided in a kiss that was way more intense and passionate than should be allowed for people of their advanced age. Max clutched excitedly at Mike's forearm, riveted by the drama.

The kiss deepened, hands grasping hungrily at fabric, and Mike started wondering if they were about to be scarred for life, but then someone from inside called out for Joyce, their voice getting louder as they got closer to the doors. She jerked her head back, panting and flushed like she was a high schooler caught under the bleachers.

"I– I gotta go," she said as she patted down her hair.

Hopper grabbed her hand before she could disappear through the doors. "Save me a dance?"

"Yeah," she nodded, her expression softening. "Yeah, okay."

Mike and Max stayed frozen in place while Hopper let out a deep breath and looked out contemplatively at the lake for a few moments before smiling to himself and whistling a jaunty tune as he made his way back indoors.

They both let out the breaths they'd been holding as the door swung closed, stepping out from their hiding place.

"That was fucking crazy," Mike exclaimed, running his hands through his hair in disbelief.

Max laughed and shook her head. "That was like a movie."

He took the half-smoked joint from his pocket and relit it, leaning forward against the railing as he exhaled. "I hope those two crazy kids work it out."

Max came to stand beside him and took the joint, leaning her head against his shoulder while they finished it.

They jumped, already moving to dart back behind the pillar when the door swung open again, but this time it was only so someone could prop it open with a chair to let some fresh air in. The Michael Jackson song that had been playing faded away and was replaced by a low, crooning voice that Mike recognized as Elvis, and he knew immediately it was one of Joyce's requests. He hoped Hopper was getting his promised dance.

He cleared his throat and gave Max a nudge. "You know, we haven't actually danced together yet."

"I might step on your toes, I wouldn't want to scuff your new shoes," she said, giving his dress shoes a kick.

"I'll live," Mike chuckled, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her flush against him. She relented and wrapped her arms around his neck, gazing up at him as they swayed to the music.

The moonlight was reflected in her eyes just like it was on the surface of the lake behind them, and he was hit with that familiar overwhelming wave of adoration he so often felt around her. He glanced down at the pendant on her necklace sparkling where it was nestled amongst ruffles of purple fabric, and he thought about Joyce and Hopper and missed opportunities and bad timing and felt infinitely grateful that he and Max didn't let their window pass them by.

A desire to see her smile and hear his favourite sound suddenly overcame him, so he lifted a hand up to cup her cheek and schooled his face into a serious expression. "Hey, Max?"

She leaned back and looked up warily at the sombre tone in his voice. "Yeah...?"

He leaned in slowly until his mouth was beside her ear. "You look like a cupcake," he whispered, unable to stop the grin that broke out on his face.

"Fuck off, Wheeler!" she exclaimed, smacking him in the chest as she threw her head back, her laughter echoing out into the perfect spring night.