15

"Why didn't you want Mike to talk with us?" Nancy asked as she and her mother sat next to each other at the

"Why didn't you want Mike to talk with us?" Nancy asked as she and her mother sat next to each other at the dinning room table.

"Because he already knows and I don't want to get him even more upset than he already is." Karen told her. "I'm going to try and just be straight forward with you, and tell you that-"

"Dad has another family." She whispered. Karen's eyes widened. "I know, mom."

"H-How did you know?"

"I've seen them around and I put two and two together." She told her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Karen asked, taking hold of her hands.

"I-I don't know, honestly. I know you knew, because I've heard you mention it before, on the phone with one of your friends."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Nancy. I wanted to, and like I told Michael, I didn't want you guys to think of him any differently and I didn't want you to hate him."

"Oh trust me, I hate him for what he's done, but I love him, only because he's my father."

"And I completely understand. Um, how long have you known?"

"Since the first kid was two." She replied quietly. "For four years now."

"Oh my God." Karen rubbed her temples. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you myself. I wish I had told the both of you. I wish I'd have took you two and leave, but if I did that, then..."

"We wouldn't have Holly." Nancy finished.

"Exactly. And with Mike... I wish he hadn't found out this way. He absolutely hates your father now."

"I wouldn't blame him one bit. I don't know what happened but Will and Dustin gave me a play by play during the tree lighting."

"Figures they would." Karen rolled her eyes playfully.

"Mom?" The two looked over to see Mike, standing at the base of the stairs, biting his lip like he did when he was nervous or upset.

"Are you okay? Come here." Karen motioned for him to join them at the table, and he just stood behind her chair as they both looked up at him. "What is it?"

"Holly, she um, she asked me if dad was gone." He said, playing with his fingers as he looked down at his feet.

"What did you say?"

"I didn't want to lie to her, so...I told her yeah. She asked if-if we'd ever see him again, and I told her I'm sure she would, and damn it, she knows a lot more than we ever thought, mom." She decided to ignore the curse word as she nodded for him to go on. "She said she doesn't want to see him again, that he's mean and too lazy." He kinda chuckled a bit at that, but continued. "She said that he doesn't like us. She's four, she isn't supposed to think stuff like that. I told her that he does love us, but mom, I don't believe it. Not one bit." Instead of getting emotional, it just made him angrier talking about it.

"Michael..." Karen put a hand on his arm.

"If he really loved us, why would he do this? Did he ever really love you mom? Because if he didn't, I swear he's lost the best thing to happen to him." Karen's heart swelled at the words. "Because you don't deserve an asshole like him. He doesn't deserve you, he doesn't deserve us." She stood up at the sight of tears falling down his cheeks and hugged him tightly. Nancy joined in and Mike hugged the both of them, trying his best to stop the tears.

"You're absolutely right, Mike." Nancy whispered. "He doesn't deserve any of us." The three stood like that, hugging each other, until Mike finally pulled away and wiped his eyes with his sleeves.

"I'm sorry. Just angry crying I guess. Again." He said, shaking his head at himself.

"It's okay to cry, Michael." Karen said, patting his shoulder. "Let's go in the living room, I want to talk to you about what Hopper told me." The siblings nodded and followed their mom into the living room and sat on the couch on either side of her. "I'm sure you already know this, but we are getting a divorce. I'm going to be honest with you guys, we've been in the process of it for a couple of weeks now, I just didn't want to tell you, and not telling you blew up in my face."

"I don't care, I just don't want to be around him again." Mike said, shaking his head. "I've had enough of his sorry ass. Oh, sorry." He realized he cursed again and bit his lip. She just patted his hand.

"It's okay. And you won't have to see him again. That's what Hopper was telling me. He went and had a little chat with Ted, but he didn't give me exact details. He did tell me that you all probably won't see him again. I will, in court."

"Why? Just for the divorce?" Nancy asked.

"And for child support. Hopper knows a lawyer from the city that he's going to call and talk to, and apparently, he's good. He's going to help us out with that. The reason I've been acting kinda weird lately, is because I've been worried about how I would pay the bills when your dad finally leaves, I thought we'd have to move to stay with your grandparents-"

"What?" The siblings exclaimed in unison.

"That's not the case, we're not moving, I promise. The house is paid for, so we don't have to worry about that. Just the electricity, water, food, and other stuff for you guys. And with child support from your father, we won't have to worry about that. If I could find a good job to support you guys and stay here, I would, and I will try and find a job, but without the child support we won't make it, and I don't want to take you from your home." She told them, putting an arm around them.

"You don't have to explain yourself to us, mom." Mike said, leaning into her side.

"Yeah, he's never done anything else for us, he might as well do this."

"He's kept this roof over our heads-"

"Yeah but that's it, mom." Nancy said. "He's never done anything with us. Never to those father daughter dances, he's never, ever, done anything with Mike. He wouldn't even go to the game with him Friday, so Mike asked Hopper and he went." Mike nodded in agreement. "Hell, he never changed Holly's diaper when she was a baby. Mike knew how to change a dirty diaper when he was 10."

"I know, and I'm so sorry. I hate that he's never been a father figure to you." She began crying so they hugged her.

"It's not your fault mom." Nancy said.

"No, not at all. It's all him." Mike said, burying his face in her hair. She smiled a small smile. After a few more minutes, she finally sent them to bed with,

"It's late, and you two should get to sleep. We'll talk more tomorrow, okay?" The two nodded and hugged her goodnight and went upstairs together, silently.

"Night, Mike." Mike gave her a smile.

"Night, Nance."