Just a dumb one shot don’t mind me {one night a year)
There is one night of the year, no one calls you or ever asks you to do anything July 25. That was the rule. Everyone in family video, the grocery store and the pet adoption place where you worked.
Then only one allowed is your brother Dustin Henderson. Everyone can see the his face the day he goes to town to do business for her. It been years since things had chilled out in Hawkins. He finished college early and invested in apple which was smart.
Steve and Robin Now ran a foster home for gay youth in Hawkins and Nancy and Jonathan are both teachers at Hawkins high and Hopper and Joyce run the police force. Eddie lives in a bus now touring with corroded coffin. So that first night home he doesn’t care about all. The first thing he wants to do is scare the crap out of Henderson the oldest.
So he sneaks in the back porch and hides in her bedroom amoung her giant pile of plushies on the floor. He blends in well being able to see everything without looking humanly seen, he thought the the mask n helmet sold it though.He doesn’t know the date. He didn’t realize he was about to witness something private something that would change his life forever.
Your room flew open as Dustin Henderson hung a sting of lights across the ceiling in her room where he could just see him touching little already pre-hung hooks. He can see him setting a few girly items on the bed which seemed odd. But then he sees Henderson light a few candles and run a hot bath leaving a little little table with care products on it.
It wasn’t long before you came in. You were already cold and your nose was red. You held a coffee in hand and you shuffled forward quietly stripping on the way to the bathroom. Eddie had seen a lot of naked girls but seeing you naked was different it made him ancy and he wanted to move but he couldn't. He was supposed to be blending in with all the other stuffed animals.
He's silent as he watches her sink into the bath. He can hear his band playing somewhere and he feels proud that she listens to them. It's been five years since he's been home.
Then Dustin knocks and asks what video she wants to be put in and He sees Eddie and all the color leaves his face. Dustin shoots over to the pile of animals and leans down whispering," You can not be HERE today!" It's a whispered shout and Eddie's confused.
"What do you mean I just got home... Why can't I visit my favorite girl and her Brother."
Then Dustin because he's clearly upset says," Mind if I shut the bathroom door for a minute sis?" She says a quiet no and then Dustin Henderson the kid who couldn't hurt a fly grabs Eddie by his collar and drug him out of the room.
They stood toe to toe in the hallway and then Dustin punched him square in the gut.
"What the hell was that for?" Eddie groans
" For making me buy her a stuffed animal for all your anniversaries and her birthdays and every little thing you missed. Because you were busy being a rock star." Dustin hugs his fist and then continued pulling Eddie down the stairs to the kitchen.
"What are you talking about?"
"LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW... REALLY EDDIE. My God, you are so self-entitled since the band blew up. You completely forgot dating my sister?"
It kinda hit Eddie like a glass of beer going down wrong. ," Fuck she said she had something important to tell me the day I left... I never showed up because the Studio wanted us in like THEN. Then they flew us..." Eddie wipes a hand down his face suddenly. He can see Dustin starting to cry.
"Buddy... How bad did I mess up?"
" She was pregnant Eddie... She carried the baby to term and she got one day with him. ONE DAY. Then he died. Today is the 4th year he's been gone. Every day she was pregnant she listened to Corroded Coffin and she talked to him. She got one Day Eddie to be with him." Dustin has full tears running down his face," Nothing was worse than watching her cry and hold him, or so I thought... you were on the Today show Eddie and they asked you about someone special in your life and You told them there wasn't anyone special. Her heart broke."
Eddie stood there shaking... How had he forgotten something so important as his own girlfriend? He was rushing out the door hearing Dustin call out his name. He had been buried under toys Dustin had bought and wrapped saying they were from him. He remembered something coming to him on the week after this day it was in her handwriting he dug through the countless papers he'd scribbled lyrics on until he found a purple envelope he opened it hastily his fingers shaking.
I'm sorry this letter isn't in better spirits...I wish I could say your son was nursing happily and we were waiting for you to come home... But Junior didn't make it. He died July 25th at 6am... His lungs filled with fluid and his little heart gave out... He was a very quiet baby, he had a bustle of untamed hair that reminded me of you and the same eyes as yours. Nancy was really nice to take pictures of us the day he was born.
I know you don't really care how I look, but please forgive my messy hair and sweaty appearance. He was stuborn, I was in labor for 21 hours. But he was still perfect in my eyes. Everybody got to hold him Even Wayne (I have that picture for you too).
Please keep these photos safe as I only ever had one copy made...
P.s. Congratulations on the new record deal and making it big. I am very proud.
There were about 75 photos most of them of a little boy with dark eyes swaddled In what looked to be a Corroded Coffin blanket made by hand. He did have a swatch of hair that seemed to stick up everywhere. He got to see Wayne smiling holding him and patting his hair in a couple photos. Even Steve and Robin were there to see the little guy. They both wore dumb shirts that said " WE WANNA HOLD HIM." Joyce, Hopper, El, even Mike, Lucas, Max, and Will even showed up to hold him after welcoming him into the new world.
Everyone but Eddie had been there. Then he stopped when he got to a photo of just Y/N and his son. Her hair is tied into two big messy braids and she's smiling as she holds their son and coos. It's the most beautiful picture he's ever seen of her. She looks exhausted and like she needs a hug. In the next series of photos, everything is shot in color and it makes his mouth dry. She's standing next to his casket a white with red inlay and fixing his tiny baby suit and gelling his hair into a mohawk. Before there's a bunch of people. It's just her Dustin and Wayne at the casket. Wayne puts these adorable little shoes on him that look just like a pair Eddie wore as a kid. Then like that the Two other men sit her down and she sits holding his blanket folding and folding it. You can see it as all the pictures pass. Everyone comes and takes seats. No one will look at her
Instead theirs photos of the casket closing and being lowered into a grave and her standing weeping. Eddie looks at the photo of her weeping holding his blanket standing there unmoving. That's when the tears spill over. He got the photo he realizes because he never got to hold or smell him. He was too busy with girls and music and making enough money to buy Uncle Wayne a house he didn't even think of his girlfriend anymore. He didn't bother to call her and she'd been suffering in years of silence. Because she lost their son. He wasn't prepared for someone to sit next to him.
So when someone sat on his bed he looked up confused to find Y/N standing there in a t-shirt and sweatpants hair braided one knee on his bed.
"Can I look?" She asked her voice a pained whisper," Please I haven't seen little Eddy in years."
"You named him Eddy?" Eddie whispered tears streaming down his face in torrents now.
"I named him after his dad." Her hands shook as she took a look at the pictures from the beginning. Then her eyes filled with tears when she saw a picture of him swaddled in his blanket.
"I spent months making sure the dice and wings were perfect. I remember wrapping him in it. He cooed at me and smiled. I had his initials on it and everything. " she pointed to one of the wings that tapered off into lettering and Eddie looked closer," I used to practice with Dustin and Steve on baby dolls to see who could change and swaddle faster... I even had Dustin learn to listen for cries at night in case I was too sleepy..... I was ready to be a mommy Eddie...." She's holding the picture of her and her son crying.
"You were the best mommy..." Eddie answered and he cried because he knew he'd truly fucked up.
"Eddie what's wrong?" She asked and patted his head soothingly.
"HOW are you not ANGRY at me right now?" He was gasping for air trying to get through the idea that he ruined something much more precious than girlfriend and boyfriend.
"Because... When you didn't come to pick me up I knew." She sniffed," I knew that day at the clinic I wasn't special like your music was. You weren't going to stay loyal when you had thousands of girls just throwing their panties at you. You wanted to be A Rock Star it was your Dream. So I let go, I decided I'd love you from afar and I'd love your little boy and tell him how awesome his dad was... and when you came home...."
"When I came home what?" Eddie asked and she just shook her head.
" I started working three jobs after to pay for all the expenses.... The bills at the hospital. The funeral. Today I take off from two of my jobs and I sit in the bathtub and listen to the album I used to play for him. Then I watch videos of when we were Teens. After I bring him a bunch of flowers and tell him about the puppies that are for sale. How I wish I could have gotten him a puppy for his birthday. What your doing. " She doesn't answer Eddie's question instead she mumbles about what she does on this day.
"What did you tell him today?" Eddie is curious.
" I told him you were home. That you made a new record deal and would probably move to California. That I was sorry for not being able to get him a puppy, that I was still trying to make things work. That maybe you'd visit..." She sniffled and stood, "I can take you if you want. Do you have a car?"
"Yeah actually... Do you not?"
"I bike usually. I don't think you wanna be seen on a bike. I'll go get the flowers and stuff from my house you get the car ready."
She left her steps steady and slow and Eddie sat there noticing she left all the pictures behind. Eddie goes into the house holding the pictures to his chest and starts looking around for the keys he doesn't see Wayne sitting in the kitchen where he placed the photos.
"She said she sent them to you...." He murmured and then he threw the keys at Eddie upset. Eddie had never seen Uncle Wayne upset with him, not like this. He wouldn't even look at Eddie.
"Every day she goes to see him. She tells him how GREAT a father you are. HOW good your music is. She tells him he would be the apple of your eye. And do you know what people do to her? They throw eggs,rocks, and sticks, and spray-paint his grave. Steal his flowers and still at 3am when she gets home from the night shift at Family video. She bikes there and cleans it up... and tells him she'll try and get him a puppy or a picture of you that's new. But today is always the worst. Today you decide to come home. GO take care of your boy for once quit making her do the work your supposed to do Eddie."
Eddie is stunned into silence, who would do that to a child's grave? He wondered and then he got outside knowing Wayne wouldn't be happy until he saw the full results of his actions. The Truck started and he saw her with a huge bouquet of flowers and a bunch of cleaning supplies and his stomach felt weak. The ride is silent aside from her directions and the sounds the truck makes to protest Eddie's speed.
When the Truck stops she climbs out ungracefully. Eddie took all the cleaning supplies and let her lead with the bouquet. They walked until she reached a knee-high headstone in the shape of a guitar. Eddie gasped. It was covered in spray paint and silly string. Masking out names and dates
"Sorry Baby... Mommy had to do some extra stuff today but Daddy's here to see you. You guys can talk while I go get water from the hose to clean up. " She murmured tears falling down her face and walking away with the bucket.
Eddie can't help it he sits in front of the Guitar and tried pulling the silly string aside. He touched the cool lettering letting his fingers feel out the name Munson at the end. The birthdate and then July 25th.
He could read the spray paint. FAKER. WHORE. DEMON BABY. All of it is written in different colors. Then he starts thinking about kids on bikes passing by and her being in the cemetery late at night. How many nights had she ridden home just to get up and see her son belittled?
Eddie was mad. He wasn't mad at her though he was mad at the town of Hawkins and he wasn't willing to let her deal with this anymore. So when she hurried back with goo be gone and a bucket filled with soapy water Eddie took it without a word and started with a cloth of goo be gone to wipe gently at his son's headstone.
"Y/n Just talk to him. I'll clean you've been cleaning up more than I have."
"I don't know what to say though, Eddie... Because you're here."
Eddie stops remembering how Angry Uncle Wayne was when he walked into the house. He sighs and starts talking softly his voice filled with sorrow," I'm a sorry little guy. I didn't want us to meet like this... Your mommy said I was wonderful. Here's the truth. I missed the best thing in my life for a little fame and attention. Your mommy got one day... I'm jealous. honestly..." Eddie scrubs harder making sure all the stuff and gunk comes off," she also got all those months of feeling you grow, she made you a blanket that I'm jealous of, She comes to see you every day and she even wanted to get you a puppy...I'd have gotten you two if I was here.... we could have played airplane and finger painted...I'd have made e- " then Eddie stops because he hears her crying.
She is sitting rocking back and forth and she grabs for the sponge desperately Eddie lets her as she starts talking," Mommy so sorry..Mommy wanted to be your mommy so bad. She tried so hard for you. I got you the nicest crib a-"
"Y/N You were a good Mommy." Eddie cries as he pulls her to him and holds her looking at the grave, "You did nothing wrong. He got the best Mommy. It was me who was shitty okay..."
"You were supposed to come home...." She wailed and Eddie realized the shame she must feel," YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO COME HOME AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO RAISE HIM AND GET HIM A PUPPY. WE WERE SUPPO-" She's in full hysterics punching Eddie anywhere she can reach him. He's sitting there tears streaming down his cheeks knowing he can't fix this. So he sits there his back against his son's grave holding her as she cries and cries and screams about the things her little boy never got to do and how he was supposed to come home and they were supposed to be a family. Anytime she hits him he takes it.
Several hours later she is asleep against his chest and he picks her up and puts her in the truck. He finishes cleaning the grave and carefully places the flowers before kissing the knee-tall guitar. He drives her home where Dustin is waiting pacing back and forth while Steve and Nancy keep him company.
"Thank-Oh FUCK. NANCY STEVE."
Eddie feels the fist before he sees Steve. But he doesn't drop the woman in his arms instead he heads for the stairs carrying her carefully to her room where he sets her in bed and covers her up. That's when he notices the bear on the bed. It's unmistakable it's his son's blanket made into one plush toy. He holds it for a second then tucks it into her arms and tucks her into the bed.
Everyone is still downstairs and he takes a seat on the couch quietly and looks at his hands and sobs. Everyone is in a state of shock except Eddie. Everyone has a right to be angry.
"Go ahead, Dustin...Steve. Nancy. Take a crack at me."
"Eddie, why are you crying?" Dustin's asks and Steve's taking a seat next to him.
"She Told me I was supposed to come home... I was supposed to be here. I should have been here. To help her take care of him. I was supposed to be here. But I was touring and fucking bitches and making money and doing drugs and feeling famous. I didn't think once of her. NOT ONE SINGLE TIME. I didn't think she needed me. She thinks she's a bad mom and that she didn't provide but it's me who was awful. She told him wonderful things about me that he didn't deserve to hear because I'm shit. "
"He's gonna lose it when he has to sleep in Eddy's room." Steve remarks poking the place where his eye is bruised.
"I desrve it. Besides I knew Wayne wasn't letting me off easy..."
"Usually Y/N sleeps there. Tonight but you brought her home. So Things are already Fucked. She didn't tell you she was waiting for you to come back for her did she?" Dustin crosses his arms and the room grows still. More tears come to Eddie's eyes.
"Then you don't know about it and didn't hear it anywhere." Nancy is firm, all three have their eyes pinned on Eddie because they know if he crushes her any more than he already has then they will lose her completely.
Eddie nods still crying and heads home to the house with Uncle Wayne. The porch light is on. His studio is still up but the room that used to be his is a nursery. Everything is black red and white. The colors of his band. He can see Eddy written In big baby blocks on the wall and Then he can see Uncle Wayne awake in the rocker.
"I got worried. She usually comes in by 1. What happened to your face?" Wayne said pointing at his own eye.
" I got hit with reality."
" You know for the first month... She was producing milk... She would sit and pump in this chair and watch you perform and just cry. Then she would put the bottles in my cooler and take them to the local animal shelter, it saved three batches of puppies. Till she dried up. Got mastitis really bad. Then she started watching home movies. I loved that, I'd sit with her sometimes and ask why she recorded most of them. She'd always said so your son could see how cool you were and how much you loved all your friends... I wish Son, you had loved her enough to see how much she gave up for you. Not just eddy but other things too. " Then Uncle Wayne shuffled out of the room slower than Eddie remembered him doing in years past.
Eddie took a seat and realized there was a hand-knitted blanket of rainbow colors he looked at the empty crib with the onesie still laid out in case she got to bring her baby home. But she never did. So it lay there empty with a little mobile filled with Dungeons and Dragons monsters that were child-sized and hand created and Eddie cried. He cried because she had done all this for a tiny human that was half Eddie. He couldn't fathom loving someone that much but he did and he hadn't even held or known him. All he had left was this room and her, and he wasn't allowed to go near her.
The next morning Y/N brought her bucket and sponge and went by her son's grave. Instead of more silly string, she finds a row of kids standing around his grave.
"Nah it's not him he's gotta be in California by now. " Was a harsh whsiper.
"WOULD YOU ALL JUST GO AWAY? His mom is coming and she probably expects a mess. So just go home today. Leave her be." Eddie's deep voice is unsettling.
"Why should we? I mean think of how awful the actual Eddie Munson must feel. This Lady out of nowhere says she had his baby and the next day it's dead."
The Coffee Bistra who spits in her drink every morning speaks," she probably killed it to cover up who his actual father was. I've been spitting in her coffee for years."
"You spit in her coffee?" Eddie was a little alarmed
"When she comes in and gets groceries I put the eggs at the bottom of the bag so they break and the bag breaks." A kid fessed up.
"I don't let her eat at my establishment." Another voice
Then Eddie can see her with her little bouquet of carnations and daisies and all the people looking at him. He starts walking toward another grave and he starts doing what she used to call the Eddie Rockstar to walk where he put his hands in his pockets and started asking if anyone wanted to see the tour bus, but he can't do anything for the woman crying as she bends down and cleans up just some stamped on flowers. There's no spray paint. There's no silly string. Because Eddie cleaned it all up before she had got there. She didn't even notice him take the bucket with him
