Chapter Text
August 1998, 7.75 miles to Hawkins, Indiana
The wood paneled station wagon sputtered and finally died on the highway shoulder.
The sisters traded looks as neither had any idea how to work a car. Eden and Suzzane Bingham were tired, the long journey from Utah to Indiana was an arduous trek. The AC died a hundred miles back and the overheating took its toll on engine, driver and passengers alike.
They felt defeated despite being so close.
“What do we do?” asked Suzie with a slow deep sigh.
“Aren’t you a genius? Shouldn’t you know what to do?” Eden snarked, her anger and frustration bleeding out. She winced at the shrill sound of her own voice. Her younger sister wasn’t actually asking, just lamenting, as anyone would at the situation.
“In theory, but I’ve never even looked at an engine diagnostically.” Suzie was apologetic despite the harsh tone.
She knew Eden wasn’t trying to be mean, her older sister was only exhausted from driving. Suzie, trying to stay on task to get to Hawkins, which apparently is only eight miles down the road according to the highway sign that they were now parked in front of, stayed calm and collected.
One loud and very frustrated groan later, Eden opened her door and stepped out of the car into the beating Indiana Summer sun. Waves of heat emanated from the highway asphalt. A breath made her nose flare from the hot air. Shutting the door behind her she made her way to and opened the hood of the station wagon. Steam erupted, as though an angry volcano had replaced the engine within.
“Eden!” Cried Suzie as she pulled her sister a distance, safe from the escaping cloud of dangerously hot vapor. Eden never even noticed her sister exiting, but she was thankful anyway.
“This really fucking sucks.” Eden swore, making her little sister wince as they watched the cloud of hot steam erupt from the car. The younger girl made no reply, just nodded mutely. “We’re going to have to try to walk to town, hopefully get a tow while we’re there.”
Eden frowned deeper. Her sister looked as miserable as she felt. They were so close though, just eight more fucking miles. That fact alone spurred her further. Eden was faster to get up and helped her sister to her feet. A sudden look of realization from and she gave an oh!
“Wait here!” The younger Bingham sister ran to the driver’s side to fetch the keys and then to the trunk of the car. When she made her way back to Eden, Suzie was smiling under the shade of what was…
“Is that a fuckin parasol ? Where the fuck did you get that?” Eden was beside herself but could not help but return the big smirk that her sister was carrying, a bright red parasol. The younger sister always did seem to have an endless supply of optimism, coupled with her ever preparedness, and literal genius intellect, it made her a constant boon to have on your side. Eden could easily say she loved her sister dearly, of course, Suzie felt the same way.
The younger Bingham sister offered her arm to her sibling who took it with sigh. Then, while under the shade of a red parasol, they walked at an easy pace towards Hawkins, Indiana. For now, the station wagon was left behind.
Neither spoke as they strolled, the sounds of the highway filling most of the silent gaps. Cornfields could be seen from any direction, shifting lazily in the warm breeze. Eden let herself feel the wonder of the scenery. In any other situation it would be beautiful to witness; blue skies, yellow fields, a black swath bisecting it all, which all went on for almost infinity.
None of the scenic poetry was lost on Eden, she just wished it wasn’t a million fucking degrees and she didn’t have swamp-ass so moist, and so damp, that it felt like she just came out of the pool but just in her sweat-soaked panties.
The majesty was there, she agreed with the universe on that, but did she have to feel like a fuckin’ mess right now? Couldn’t the universe just let her feel the beauty and not the heat?
A car pulled up a short distance in front of them. A cop car. A police cruiser with lights and decals and everything you’d ever seen in a small town movie that had a cop in a cop car in it. Eden imagined a figure; portly aging, sweaty in the brow and fat in the hands, a holstered gun hanging off his portly waist, she thought a man like that would be coming out to meet them. It was all she ever had experience of law enforcement in small towns.
Instead, a tall, strapping, Adonis stepped out. Fit, Blonde, square jawed, and broad in the shoulders, he was youngish. A wide brimmed hat and Aviator sunglasses finished the look. He seemed confident but friendly, even flashed a smile at the two as he took long steps up to them. Curiously, he did not have a gun Eden noticed.
“Afternoon ladies, you two in any need of assistance?”
The smile never left as he spoke, his hips cocked a little with hands on his belt. Eden was almost annoyed at how he looked but remembered how she and her sister did. Eden wore mostly black, Suzie was in her usual blouse and conservative skirt ensemble and the bright red parasol only marked them further. Looking sweaty and obviously tired, they more than likely stood out.
“Oh thank you so much!” Suzie started immediately, and Eden wanted to roll her eyes but knew letting her little sister be herself in situations like this was the most efficient way to deal with it. As annoying as it could be, was good at being a damsel in distress.
He took a few steps towards them with his hand outstretched in a greeting. “Happy to ma’am. Name’s Sheriff Carver, I’m the local constabulary, so it is literally my job to help folk like you out!” He never stopped grinning. He took the aviators off his face to show bright blue eyes as Suzie handed Eden the parasol to shake his hand.
“Of course.” Eden thought, the man was practically an all-american beefcake already with the way his biceps were practically bulging out his sleeve, why not finish off the stereotype?
“Well, I assume the smokey station wagon back there is yours, and that you two need a ride.”
“Wow, are you a detective or something coming up with that all by your lonesome.” Eden drawled sarcastically. Suzie frowned at her, and the Sheriff seemed taken aback for just a moment, but just resumed smiling after.
“I’m sorry for her, Sheriff. I’m Suzie Bingham, and this is my sister Eden.”
“No one’s actually complimented my deduction skills yet, but I am reading Arthur Conan Doyle right now. Maybe some of that‘ll rub offa’ me.” He gave a short bark of a laugh, like he amused himself with his words. Eden looked confused and the Sheriff started to walk towards his police cruiser still chuckling. “Lemme drive y’all ladies somewhere we can getcha a tow, maybe some hydration.”
“What the hell is he talking about?”
“Doyle, Arthur Conan, Eden. You know, Sherlock Holmes. You should know that one.”
Suzie was right, she should have. Eden was an avid reader, practically a bibliophile. Missing the reference irritated her even more.
“Come on, I really need to pee.” Suzie told her under her breath and headed quickly to the police cruiser. Eden followed, her grumpiness growing. She was already starting to hate Hawkins, Indiana.
Eden saw Sheriff Carver hold the door for Suzie and beckoned for Eden to follow her lead. “I’d rather neither of you ride in the back, makes a sorta weird image. Don’t want no one having any wrong ideas about either of you.” He told her as she approached.
With no argument to be made, she climbed into the passenger side and sat crammed in with her sister. When the Sheriff got in, Aviator shades went back on his face. He did look real good in them Eden thought for a moment, but banished it when she remembered she was supposed to hate him and everything he stands for. Or whatever. She was just tired.
“Y’all ready?” He asked in a jovial voice, “Well then, the game’s afoot!” He said when the Bingham sisters nodded, laughing again as they made their way down the highway into town.
No one spoke for a short ride, but then the Sheriff announced crossing into town borders, proudly pointing out the town sign as they passed it by. An almost garish display of bright pastels depicting a field of tall ripening corn with a rainbow over it. A multiracial group of people waved in the foreground.
“Welcome to Hawkins, Where You Can Be Yourself!”
Eden’s eyes narrowed reading the words. Not exactly a weird phrase, just not what you’d expect for a town in the middle of Cornville, USA. From a glance, Carver saw her expression.
“Motto’s new. Our recently elected mayor’s big idea.” The Sheriff explained. “He’s trying to push more of our town’s diversity, made a big point of highlighting it. Which, in my opinion, is a great thing, but change is hard for some folk, even if it is inevitable.”
Suzie and the Sherriff made small talk as they drove, allowing Eden the pleasure of being left to her thoughts. Change is hard, she heard the Sheriff mention . That’s like saying corn grows in Indiana.
Another short ride and before she could ask his opinion on the inevitability of change, they pulled into a small gas station in front of a mechanic’s garage. Next door was a diner.
The parking lot on the mechanic’s side was wide and filled with vehicles of varied make models. The multiple garage doors were open revealing more cars in various states of repair. Opening her door, she smelled fried food, oil and grease wafting from the area.
“There’s facilities that should be open if you ask, just tell’im the Sheriff sent you.” He pointed to the diner and then turned to the mechanics. “We can get you set up with a tow over here. So pick your priorities, I’ll be by the garage talking to the owner.”
Eden was about to shut her door when she noticed something had fallen out. It was an old paperback novel, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Cheap and worn, yellow and dogeared. It looked like the kind she started reading out of as a little girl. She liked the thinner ones because they were easier to hide from her parents. Opening the cover revealed words written in black ink, Property of EM.
Without thought, Eden tossed it back into the cruiser’s cab.
Looking about made her frown again. Even the names of these places were so painfully yokel she couldn’t help it. Munson’s Auto Repair? Rainbow Diner? At least the small town feel is consistent.
“I’m going to use the bathroom, you’re okay handling the car stuff?” asked Suzie halfway to the eatery’s entrance. The way her little sister was already dancing slightly, Eden shooed the younger woman away to her relief. A faint thank you was heard as the older Bingham walked over to the mechanics, following the trail of one Sherriff.
“Hey, Munson!” She heard him raise his voice over the busy workshop. “Get your sorry behind outta here!”
Eden hesitated in her steps a moment. He sounded suddenly angry, but there was a playful tone to it.
“Whatta ya want, Jay?” A bright but firm, feminine voice shouted back. “We’re busy!”
“Busy doin’ what? Smokin’ doobies and worshipin’ Satan?” The Sheriff exaggerated his midwestern accent a few notches with his last words. It made Eden realize he really was just goofing around.
Out from another vehicle rounded a tiny blonde in a jumpsuit and a cap, she was holding a ratchet wrench and wielding it like a weapon. Being a full head shorter than the Sheriff, it was sort of a silly scene.
“I swear to God, Jason Carver, if you don’t stop messing around, I’m gonna kick your ass like I did back in high school!” She practically squeaked at the Sheriff who only laughed uproariously while playfully holding his hands up in a defensive manner.
“I have actual work to do and I do not need you nor Eddie acting like goddamn children and distracting me!”
“Hey, I give! I give! But I got nothin’ doin’ about that no good husband of yours, I’m here for honest to God oh-ficial po-lice reasonins’!” He gestured to Eden as he continued smiling at the little blonde mechanic.
“What?” She asked, looking back and forth between the darkly dressed young woman and the Sheriff.
“Chrissy, this here’s Eden. Her and her sister had some car trouble up the interstate and we were hopin’ you could get a tow out for her.”
“Eden?” A tone questioning tone from the smaller woman made the aforementioned to perk up.
“Uh, hi. Our station wagon broke down, and we came all the way here from Utah to…”
“Eden from Utah? You’re Suzie Bingham’s sister!” Chrissy’s eyes went wide with realization.
“I uh, um…” Eden was taken aback for a moment and found it hard to conjure words.
“You two familiar with each other?” Jason asked, his brows knit.
“Oh my god! I’m Eddie’s wife!” Chrissy was suddenly celebratory, making happy sounds and practically bounding. A look of confusion and she explained further. “He’s the celebrant officiating the wedding! Omigod, omigod! I can’t believe you’re here already!”
“Eddie’s officiating a wedding? Wait, what wedding? Our Eddie? From Hawkins? Since when was he a celebrant? Does he have to wear a robe?” The Sheriff frowned at the image. Chrissy ignored his many questions.
“Wait, are you Chrissy Munson?” Eden asked hesitantly, finally finding an inkling of understanding in the situation.
“In the flesh!” She stated proudly letting the name tag on the dirty jumpsuit become more prominent. “Where’s your sister?”
“Probably in the bathroom.” Eden threw a thumb over her shoulder, indicating the diner.
Chrissy’s eyes went wide and practically squealed! She then frolicked to the eatery, repeating omigod over and over again. “I’m so excited!” She laughed. Eden and The Sheriff were left to stand in the garage watching the little blonde go.
It took both a moment to realize that they should probably follow the short, energetic mechanic.
Suzie was practically ambushed as soon she exited the diner bathroom. With still damp hands, she was now shaking hands with an incredibly excited and babbling blonde woman in a jumpsuit and a hat. The woman was pretty, and had a friendly tone to her voice that seemed familiar.
“Oh, I, well, if you just…” Suzie was used to dealing with high energy fosters before but this was on another level. It was like a giant wave, she felt like the best way to handle it was to just go limp and let it wash over you.
“Jesus H. Christ, Chrissy! Breathe!”
Susan saw the Sheriff Carver shove the fast talking woman still shaking her hand. Eden was next to him looking unsure and shrugging at Suzie, hands up in emphasis. The little blonde looked offended for a moment, realized that the Sheriff was right, then took a big long breath, her big toothy smile never dropping.
“I’m Chrissy Munson! We spoke last week!”
Susan’s eyes went wide, and her mouth made an ‘oh’ of realization.
“You’re Chrissy?! Omigod, omigod!”
Then, it was like their energies synced and both were practically holding hands and bouncing in place. Repeating omigod and I’m so excited over and over again, the two women started garnering stares from diner staff and patrons alike.
The hostess came over behind the Sheriff and Eden. “What’s Chris bouncing up and down for Jay?”
“Eddie’s gonna officiate a wedding and Chrissy’s excited.” The Sheriff explained.
“Our Eddie? Does he have to wear a robe? ‘Cuz I remember when he had to dress up like a Wiseman in that Nativity play for the grade school. Looked real stupid.”
They both frowned at the image.
“What was that, like, last year, right Holloway?” Jason scrunched his face trying to remember.
“That was ninety-five, Jay.” Heather Holloway, hostess and part owner of the Rainbow Diner corrected Sheriff Carver who looked startled.
“Shit, that long?”
The hostess shrugged.
“Do me a favor? Call your old lady for me.” The Sheriff nodded to the darkly clothed women. Heather looked over to the new faces and nodded. “Got a couple outta-towners, might need places to sleep for the night.”
“I’ll give her a ring. Pretty sure Harrington House has vacancies.” She headed off when she saw a patron waving her down.
“Thanks, Holloway.” The Sheriff called out after her and got a smile with a friendly wave in return.
“How can her mother help?” Eden finally spoke, standing to the side of the exchange not wanting to interrupt.
“Whose mom?” Jason was suddenly confused.
“Um, the woman you just spoke to?” Eden matched his tone.
“What? Oh, no. I meant her wife.”
“She’s gay?” Eden’s tone made Jason frown. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that! It’s just not what I expected, around here I mean.” She backpedaled immediately trying to salvage herself.
“Out here in the sticks you mean.” Jason shortly turned to Chrissy, not letting Eden make any defense. “Okay, Munson, you had your fun. But we work before we play, and you got a car to tow.” The Sheriff’s lectured the little blonde still babbling with Suzie. Chrissy gave him a petulant little huff, rolling her eyes at him as she did so.
“Listen, you know Dustin’s situation so we’ve got you in the best place here.”
“Well what a coincidence, being the forward thinking Sheriff I am,” Jason started with mock bravado, “I’ve already had the hostess here call ahead to the Harrington House for them. I will happily provide transportation there and Mrs. Munson here can have your vehicle and luggage driven to you shortly after.”
“That’s a ten-four Sheriff!” Chrissy squeaked, playing along to Jason’s command voice.
“If those terms are acceptable, we can be on our way.” The Sheriff looked to the two Beingham women. Suzie nodded enthusiastically, relieved in their turn of luck. Surely, the Sheriff practically rescuing them from the side of the road and driving them to facilities and lodging was the best possible outcome of a poor situation.
Still, Eden could not help but be irritated at the Sheriff, giving him dirty looks as he led them back to the police cruiser. Sure, he was nothing like she expected, and he was so far beyond the stereotype she conjured earlier on the highway, but there was just something about him that made Eden want to…
A sudden blush occurred on her cheeks when she realized what she wanted to do to Sheriff Jason Carver’s stupid, squared jawed, cornfed grin. She quickly shook off the heat she felt on her face and groaned to herself. For fuck’s sake, did he have to be that good looking? Eden sighed and looked over at her little sister who was still beaming.
“Isn’t Sheriff Carver the best, Eden?” Suzie asked, genuinely happy. Eden didn’t even try to match Suzie’s tone.
“Yeah, the fuckin’ best.” Eden replied through grit teeth.