Chapter 52

HELLO BAGUETTES AND MERRY CHRISTMAS. or happy hanukkah, kwanzaa, etc. whatever it is you celebrate 🙂 I just wanted to say thank you for all the support you give this book, it’s the best gift i could ask for. And to give you a gift back, I have THREE WHOLE CHAPTERS FOR YOUUUUUUU. So merry christmas, and this is the best christmas gift i could’ve thought to give you guys :)))

The early afternoon sun hits the tarmac with a lazy glare as Maggie wheels her suitcase toward the arrivals gate. She had called Karen and Ted earlier about her flight, arrival time, and general instructions for picking her up.

And now, there they are. Karen is practically vibrating, scanning the crowd with an energy that makes Maggie grin before she even reaches them. Ted stands beside her, hands in his pockets, leaning slightly back with that signature grumpy “I’d rather be anywhere else but here” posture, though his eyes flick up at Maggie with faint amusement.

“Maggie!” Karen calls, waving both arms, “Oh my god, oh my god, you’re here!”

Maggie laughs, hurrying to meet her, “Karen, calm down! You’ll make the airport security nervous.”

“Nope,” Karen says breathlessly, grabbing Maggie into a tight hug anyway, “I don’t care! You’re here! You’re actually here!”

Ted, meanwhile, raises a brow, shuffling Maggie’s suitcase just a little with a grunt, “Try not to break anything on the way out, okay?”

“I’ll… try?” Maggie says with a grin, earning a small smirk from him.

He’s clearly pretending to be unimpressed, but there’s a softness there she recognizes from all the times she’s been here before.

Karen takes Maggie’s arm and half-drags her toward the curb, “You didn’t tell me you were bringing luggage too. I could’ve helped!”

“I can manage,” Maggie says, though she appreciates the enthusiasm.

Ted leans down to adjust one strap, muttering something about “never trust airline straps,” but he doesn’t stop her from walking.

The car ride is its own little symphony. Karen chatters the whole way, hands waving in time with every word, talking about the weather, the neighborhood, her latest DIY disaster, and how thrilled she is that Maggie is actually visiting. Ted is quiet in the front seat, only occasionally adding a dry remark or rolling his eyes when Karen gets particularly exuberant. Maggie sits back, suitcase balanced between her knees, and lets herself relax.

“So,” Karen says suddenly, turning slightly in her seat to peer at Maggie, “what’s your plan for the week? Baking? Window shopping? Or do you want me to embarrass you in every coffee shop in town?”

“I was kind of hoping for a little of all of it,” Maggie says with a laugh, leaning against the seat, “And maybe some time to just… exist without worrying about anyone yelling about science projects or homework.”

“You got it, kiddo,” Karen says firmly, as if that settles everything, “You’re officially on Wheeler vacation protocol.”

Ted snorts from the front, “You’re going to regret volunteering to chauffeur her around.”

Karen shoots him a look sharp enough to make the air crack, “Oh, don’t you start. You love it.”

“I tolerate it,” Ted says.

Karen waves a hand like she’s dismissing him entirely. Maggie can’t help but smile at their dynamic. It’s ridiculous and somehow exactly what she needed.

By the time they pull into the Wheeler driveway, Maggie feels the tension from the week’s stress melt away a little. Karen is practically bouncing out of the car before it’s fully stopped, already opening the trunk to grab her suitcase.

“Home sweet home for the week!” Karen declares, arms wide, “You’re going to love it here. Absolutely love it!”

Ted, slower to move, just shakes his head with a grumble, tugging the handle of the front door.

“Don’t break the furniture,” he says.

Maggie laughs again, grabbing her suitcase, “I’ll do my best. No promises.”

Karen grabs Maggie’s hand and gives it a little squeeze, “Best week ever, I promise. You just wait.”

And with that, they step inside, the door clicking shut behind them, leaving the warm buzz of anticipation filling the house.

“Nancy won’t be home for a few hours, so you’re welcome to hang around here. You’ll be staying in her room, so you can go ahead and store your things in there,” Karen says, voice bright and welcoming.

Maggie grins, eyes sparkling, “And she has no idea I’m here?”

Karen claps her hands together, “Not a clue! Neither do the kids, it’ll all be a welcome surprise. We’ve been keeping your secret like pros.”

Just then, Holly bursts into the room, pigtails flying.

“Hi Maggie!” she calls, racing forward.

Maggie crouches down, arms open, “Holly, milady! You’ve gotten so big!”

“Mommy said I had a growth spurt,” the eight-year-old beams, tugging at Maggie’s hair gently.

Maggie ruffles the pigtails with exaggerated flair, “Clearly, the growth spurt comes with excellent taste in visiting friends.”

Holly giggles, then darts off to the living room.

“Go ahead, sweetie,” Karen says, nudging Maggie gently, “Make yourself at home. Pillows, blankets, whatever you need.”

She heads upstairs, taking in the little quirks of the house she’s seen hundreds of times before. She pauses for a moment, staring at a picture of Nancy and her hanging on the wall.

Maggie drops her suitcase near Nancy’s bed and begins unpacking, sliding a few personal things into drawers and laying her jacket on the chair. She pauses at the window, watching sunlight spill across the floorboards, thinking how nice it is just to be here, if only for a week.

A knock at the door startles her. Karen pokes her head in, smiling brightly.

“Everything okay in here?”

“Perfect,” Maggie says.

Karen steps fully inside, glancing around. “Good. I figured you’d want some privacy before the grand surprise. But also…Holly’s bouncing off the walls out there. She’s been saying your name nonstop.”

Maggie laughs softly, “Little energizer bunny, huh?”

Karen grins, “Exactly. Just give her a few minutes, then I’ll rein her in before she gives away the secret.”

Maggie shakes her head with a fond smile and starts arranging a few things on the bedside table. The room feels comfortable, familiar in a strange way, like she could sink into it and actually breathe.

From down the hall, she can hear Karen talking to Ted in low tones, the familiar sound of their energy filling the house. A small part of her heart lifts; this week was already shaping up to be more than just a visit.

Maggie flops back on the bed, letting herself relax fully for the first time that morning. Outside, she can hear Holly’s giggles fading as Karen begins her gentle enforcement of “hush before the surprise.”

Maggie smiles to herself.

The house feels unusually quiet as the afternoon stretches on. Karen hovers in the kitchen, rearranging dishes she’s already cleaned, unable to keep still. Ted lounges on the couch, pretending to read but clearly listening to Karen’s humming of “something celebratory” and the occasional muttered commentary about how ridiculous Karen’s excitement is.

The sound of the front door opening makes Karen nearly jump out of her skin.

“Nancy!” she calls, voice a little too high-pitched, trembling with the kind of energy that can only come from keeping a secret for too long.

Nancy steps inside, hands full of bags, hair mussed from the breeze outside.

“Mom? Dad? Hello?” She pauses, sensing the unusual energy in the house.

Karen glides toward her with a grin that’s barely contained, “Sweetheart, I left a little gift for you in your room. You just have to go see it!”

Nancy frowns, lowering her bags, “Gift? I didn’t get anything…”

Karen swats her arm lightly, nudging her forward, “Oh, come on. Go on. I insist. It’s… well, it’s very special. Go see for yourself.”

Nancy exchanges a skeptical glance with Ted, who shrugs lazily.

“Mom’s dramatic,” he mutters.

Nancy sets her bags down in the foyer and follows Karen’s subtle pointing toward her room. The door is closed, sunlight spilling softly through the window. She hesitates, hand on the knob, then turns it slowly and steps inside.

And there she is. Maggie. Sitting on Nancy’s bed, suitcase at her feet, a soft, slightly nervous smile on her face.

For a moment, time seems to stop. Nancy freezes, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. Maggie’s expression mirrors the same. It’s filled with relief, joy, and disbelief, all rolled into one small, fragile smile.

“Maggie?” Nancy breathes, voice catching in her throat.

“Yeah,” Maggie whispers, standing quickly and stepping toward her, “It’s me. I’m here.”

Nancy drops her hands to her sides, shaking her head slightly, trying to process, “I… you’re… here?”

Maggie nods, taking another step until she’s close enough to reach for Nancy’s hands, “I wouldn’t miss this week for the world.”

And just like that, the tension cracks. Nancy throws her arms around Maggie, holding her tight as if she’s been holding her in her heart the entire time. Maggie hugs back fiercely, breathing in the familiar scent, feeling the warmth and reality of this moment settle in.

“I didn’t know,” Nancy whispers into Maggie’s shoulder, voice muffled, “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“I know,” Maggie murmurs back, pulling back just enough to look at her face, to read every line of emotion, “I wanted it to be a surprise. And… you know me. I couldn’t stay away.”

Nancy laughs softly, a little shaky, resting her forehead against Maggie’s, “You always know how to make me feel everything at once.”

Maggie smiles, tilting her head to press a gentle kiss to Nancy’s temple, “And you always make me feel like I’m home, no matter where I am.”

For a few blissful minutes, they just stand there, hands entwined, foreheads pressed together, letting the quiet of the house fill the space between them.

Karen’s voice floats from the doorway, teasing but affectionate, “Okay! Enough oggling for now! You two have a week! Don’t start crying before you’ve even had lunch!”

Maggie and Nancy break apart just enough to laugh, still holding hands, smiles lingering, eyes shining.

“This is going to be… amazing,” Nancy says quietly.

Maggie presses a quick kiss to her lips, “Yes. The best week ever.”

And just like that, the tension of days apart melts completely, leaving only warmth, love, and the certainty that they’ve found their way back to each other.

After lunch, the sun is soft and warm, spilling through Nancy’s bedroom window and pooling across the floor. The two girls sit on the bed, Maggie leaning back against the headboard while Nancy folds her legs beneath her, flipping through a notebook absentmindedly before setting it aside.

“Listen,” Nancy begins, her voice low, serious, “I think there’s weird stuff starting in Hawkins again.”

Maggie groans dramatically, flopping backward so her head dangles slightly off the pillow, “Of course. The moment I come back, I get thrown right into the mess.”

Nancy smirks, watching her.

“There was a murder last night,” she says slowly, letting the weight of the words settle, “And I just have a feeling something bigger is happening.”

Maggie quirks an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth twitching, “And the ever-so-quizzical Nancy Wheeler is going to go investigating, am I right?”

Nancy shakes her head, a smile tugging at her lips. “…Maybe. I actually want to go today. I need to know the whole story for myself.”

Maggie reaches up and slaps the back of her hand against her forehead in despair.

“Just please don’t do anything stupid,” she says.

Nancy shoots back with a teasing grin, “Oh, that’s rich coming from you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Maggie moans, throwing her hands up, “So… what am I supposed to do while you’re off being the hero?”

Nancy leans closer, tilting her head, “See the kids? I know they’ve missed you.”

Maggie’s eyes light up as a grin spreads across her face.

“Ah, a genius plan!” She raises a finger in the air, “Do you know where they might be?”

Nancy shrugs, casual, “Robin and Steve are at the Video Store. Dustin might be there. Lucas and Max…I have no clue.”

Maggie sits back, sighing, then grins, “Well, my day is officially laid out for me, then.”

A quiet settles over them for a moment. Maggie twirls a strand of hair around her finger, then a thought pops into her mind.

“I actually brought something for you,” she admits, a small nervous flutter in her stomach.

Nancy looks at her, eyebrows furrowing slightly, “You being here was enough. You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Trust me,” Maggie says, reaching into her bag with slightly trembling fingers, “I wanted to.”

She pulls out the small box, holding it delicately as if it were made of glass, and hands it over. Nancy’s hands hover over it for a moment, hesitant, then she opens the lid. Nancy clasps a hand to her mouth, eyes wide in surprise.

“It’s not a proposal,” Maggie braces, voice soft, “It’s just a promise. Joyce was telling me about promise rings, and it just seemed perfect… for us, you know?”

Nancy’s eyes shine as she breathes out, “It’s beautiful.”

She pauses, then her fingers reach out instinctively, “Will you put it on for me?”

Maggie grins, taking the ring and sliding it gently onto Nancy’s thin finger. The metal catches the sunlight, sparkling faintly, and Maggie can’t help but feel a small swell of pride and tenderness.

“So this is why my mom was questioning me about my ring size,” Nancy murmurs, a playful smile curving her lips.

Maggie shrugs sheepishly, “Yeah, I had Karen spy for me. Didn’t want to risk guessing. I wanted it to be perfect.”

Nancy reaches forward suddenly, cupping Maggie’s face in both hands, and presses her lips to hers.

Pulling back slightly, Nancy whispers, “It is perfect. You’re perfect.”

Maggie smirks, a flush rising to her cheeks, “Awww, you’re gonna make me blush, Nancy Wheeler.”

Nancy laughs softly, brushing a strand of hair behind Maggie’s ear, “Good. I like it when you blush.”

Maggie leans into her, forehead resting against Nancy’s, letting the warmth of the moment sink in.