Work Text:
1994
It was Valentine’s Day, one of many that the family had celebrated together. This one was a bit different though. They had a new addition to their family, their first grandchild, so it was extra special. Jonathan and Nancy had welcomed their baby boy, Spencer a week ago and everyone was obsessed with him. They were visiting their parents not only so they could see the baby again but also because they were taking their youngest siblings Winnie and Ryder home with them. Joyce, Jim and Karen had dropped some hints that they wanted some alone time for the upcoming holiday, telling them that they hadn’t had alone time in quite a while. They’d also bragged on their eight-year-olds - Winnie and Ryder - saying that they were so good with the baby. Jonathan and Nancy eventually got the hint that the parents wanted them to take the kids for the night so they’d have their hands less full. Then there were Holly and Sara to think about, but El and Max offered to take them out for a girls' day on Valentine's Day. That would leave an empty house for the parents and they were ecstatic about it. But for now, they were tired. They were happy because they’d spent a few hours with their grandbaby, but they were so tired. Their youngest kids would be out of the house shortly but the parents had no intentions of doing any marital activities for the night. That would come the next day. They couldn’t wait.
Jonathan, Nancy and baby Spencer had been there for a few hours and it was time well spent. The family was always happy to spend time together in their spacious living area. On one couch, Joyce and Karen sat, the baby in Joyce’s arms and Karen playing with his little hands. On the couch next to them sat El and Max, cuddled up and watching the younger girls on the floor. Holly and Sara sat there with friendship bracelet-making supplies surrounding them, red and pink everywhere because they wanted to make a bracelet for everyone in their family for Valentine’s Day. They had such big hearts and their mothers and father loved them for it. They even made a tiny one for the baby that he definitely wouldn’t be wearing but the boy’s parents didn’t have the heart to tell them that. Jonathan and Nancy sat on the other couch, the one across from El and Max. Jim was busy assisting his youngest children with packing their little bags for the night.
“He’s just the sweetest thing” Joyce smiled, her eyes glued to the baby in her arms.
“He looks so much like Nance when she was a baby” Karen hummed thoughtfully as she stroked the back of his hand.
Joyce smiled at that but thought to herself that he actually favored Jonathan, the eyes and lips at least. She felt so blessed to have him. She felt blessed to have all of them in her life.
“I love that new baby smell so much” Joyce kissed his little head, his soft hair stroking her lips.
“How long will it last?” Nancy asked, genuinely wondering. She hoped it would last forever.
“A while” Karen told her.
They heard loud footsteps accompanied by small ones on the stairs so they knew it was about time for the smaller family to leave.
“And make sure you mind your brother and sister, alright?” Jim said as he entered the room, his hands on his children’s shoulders.
“We know, Dad” Winnie told him, her voice dragged out and annoyed because she was already entering her moody teenager phase it seemed, at only eight years old.
“I know you will. You’re good kids” He ruffled their blonde curly hair.
Winnie smiled and ran straight to her mothers on the couch. She crawled up into Karen’s lap and Karen kissed her head. She wrapped her arms around her blonde mother’s body and hugged her as she stared at the baby next to her in her biological mother, Joyce’s lap.
“Will you miss us?” Karen asked softly. Winnie nodded her head against Karen’s chest.
Joyce smiled and looked down at the girl. “You’ll have so much fun, though.”
“Jonathan and Nancy’s house is fun” Winnie told her.
“Because they let you do whatever you want” Jim said before sitting next to his wife, Joyce. He looked over at Jonathan and Nancy. “Isn’t that right?” He smirked.
Nancy just rolled her eyes with a smile while Jonathan laughed. The couple stood up as they were ready to head home with Spencer, Winnie and Ryder. They looked down at the kids on the phone and noticed Ryder pick up the thread of elastic, seeming as if he were about to start on a bracelet.
“Are we ready, guys?” Jonathan asked his younger siblings.
Ryder lost all interest in the bracelet he hadn’t even begin and stood up, his backpack on his back weighing him down because he’d packed it full of unnecessary things for only one night away from home.
“Wait, I made you a bracelet, Ryder” Holly held up a bracelet made of pink and red beads.
“Thanks!” Ryder smiled.
Winnie saw that her brother had a bracelet so she wanted one of course. Her sisters had made her one anyway. So she left Karen’s lap and ran to the rug where her sisters sat.
“Here” Sara said and handed it to her.
Winnie smiled in response and hugged Sara. Sara happily hugged her back.
“I guess we’ll head out now” Nancy said as she bent over to take Spencer from Joyce’s arms.
“My boy” Joyce said sweetly and kissed his soft little head.
Nancy briefly hovered him in Karen’s direction so she could kiss his chubby little cheek once more. Nancy took him to his car seat that was beside the couch while the younger kids hugged their mothers goodbye, switching from one woman to the other. After they hugged their father’s legs, they left with Jonathan, Nancy and baby Spencer. Hopper wrapped his arm around Joyce’s shoulders and felt her lay her head on him. He knew how much she worried about their kids, even though they were under the supervision of their other children.
“They’ll have fun” Hopper assured her.
“I know” Joyce smiled and felt Karen intertwine their hands together. She looked over at her partner and smiled.
“I wish we could have Spencer here all the time” Karen sighed, a turned smile on her lips. “I miss having a little baby around.”
El and Max simultaneously looked over at them from their place on the couch, their eyes wide and their heads shaking, silently begging them not to have any more children.
Joyce snickered at their reactions. Karen rolled her eyes.
“Relax” Jim said. “That will NOT be happening, don’t worry” He assured his daughter and her girlfriend, Max.
“Our bodies have changed” Joyce giggled, referring to the fact that they’d gone through the change of life.
“No more babies from us EVER” Karen explained, emphasizing her last word.
“Good” El simply said.
“Not that we don’t love them” Max clarified, looking down at the younger girls on the floor, a mess of beads and charms surrounding them.
Joyce smiled at that then yawned, causing her partners to both look at her. “Spencer wore me out” She blamed her grandson for her lack of energy.
“How?” Jim laughed.
“He barely made a sound, Joyce!” Karen defended the baby.
“I know! But everything takes my energy these days” Joyce sighed, the bags under her eyes heavier than they were a few years ago. Working as an owner of Playboy Bunny took a lot out of her.
“Well, it’s a good thing it’s time for bed then” Hopper clapped her thigh before standing up with a groan because he was getting older too.
Joyce nodded and stood up so Karen did the same. “I guess I’ll turn in for the night” She looked down at her daughters Sara and Holly who were still very much awake to make bracelets. “Make sure you clean up, girls.”
“We will” Both girls said simultaneously.
Joyce smiled and fiddled with the beads on her bracelet on her wrist. It was made entirely with love from her two little girls, one that Jim gave her and one that Karen gave her. “Goodnight, sweethearts” She said before heading off down the hallway to her bedroom.
Hopper dropped a kiss against Sara’s head while Karen did the same to Holly because they knew their girls were clingy and sweet just like Ryder was. Honestly, they were surprised that he even decided to spend the night away from them, his first time ever. Winnie was adventurous and wanted to see the world while Ryder just wanted to stay at home with his parents. They couldn’t be more different in personality despite sharing the same DNA from Hopper.
“Night, you two” He looked at El and Max.
“Night” They both told him, El’s head on Max’s shoulder because she was tired from work.
Jim and Karen linked hands as they made their way towards their bedroom. They found Joyce readjusting their pillows to get comfortable. She smiled over at them when she caught them looking at her, smiles on their faces because they loved her.
“You’re going to need your energy for what I have planned for tomorrow” Jim smirked, his words falling out of his mouth because he’d been holding back from saying them due to the kids in the living room.
Joyce’s lips parted at that, speechless and intrigued by what he had in store, then she got into their bed ass bed. Karen only rolled her eyes and let go of his hand so she could swat his chest.
“How long have you been waiting to say that?” His blonde partner asked him as she crawled into bed to lie beside Joyce.
“Since I thought about it” He chuckled, proud of himself as he walked around the other side of the bed to his designated spot, the other side of his wife. He settled beside her, propped up on his elbow. He looked down at Joyce’s sleepy smiling expression, her pretty eyes closed. He then looked at Karen and moved his free arm to drape it over both of them. “That goes for you, too, you know. You both need your sleep.”
“But not beauty sleep right?” Karen smirked and crossed her arm over Joyce’s body just like Hopper was, feeling close to him and Joyce.
“Neither of you need that” He assured her, letting them both know that they were beautiful. “You know that” He said before dipping down to kiss Joyce’s lips then Karen’s.
“Well I’m glad you think so, Jim, but we’re still getting our hair done tomorrow before dinner.”
“Oh, yeah?” He smiled as he laid down entirely on his side, sliding his arm under Joyce’s neck. He pulled her close to him and she let him, turning over to her side because she couldn’t sleep on her back, she claimed.
Karen rolled her eyes because he stole her away from him but it was fine because she could still cuddle Joyce and kiss her shoulder.
“While you’re doing that, I can pick up your valentines presents.”
“Presents?” Joyce opened her eyes and looked up at him curiously, a sparkle in her big brown eyes.
He chuckled at the way that got her to open her tired eyes. “Yes, Joyce. You didn’t think I wouldn’t get you presents, did you? Shit, this is our tenth Valentine’s Day together, isn’t it?” He realized.
“I think so” Karen smiled, her chest pressed up against Joyce’s back.
“Let’s make it an unforgettable one, then” Jim smirked and squeezed Karen’s hip, his arm atop Joyce’s body.
“Oh we plan on it, don’t we, Joycey?” Karen moved Joyce's waves off her neck so she could kiss her skin.
Joyce smiled and pushed her ass back against Karen, letting her know that she was aroused by the thoughts of what was in store tomorrow.
“I should’ve known you two have something up your sleeve, as well” Jim said.
“Don’t we always?” Joyce giggled.
“You’ve both kept me on my toes the past ten years, that’s for sure” He smiled lovingly and finally shut his eyes.
Karen watched him settle into a peaceful slumber and watched Joyce’s body rise and fall because she was asleep. She smiled and turned around to turn the bedside lamp off. She then returned to holding her Joyce and felt Jim rub his hand over her hip in a soothing motion. They fell asleep just like that, just like they did most nights. They had so much room in that damn bed Jim had had for years but they never found themselves using it.
-
Joyce woke up all on her own since it was her day off. No blaring alarm clock at the side of the bed. It was nice to wake up peacefully and in the arms of her husband and girlfriend. She was facing Jim's sleeping face and his arm was over her side. She noticed the way he breathed heavily. She knew he was still very much asleep. She gently stroked his bare shoulder before turning onto her other side to check Karen's status. Karen was on her back and her arm was thrown carelessly on Joyce's body. She was out of it too so Joyce smiled. She gently crawled over Karen and out of bed. She heard stirring behind her on her way out so she looked behind her. She found Jim searching for her but instead found Karen. But since he loved her too, he pulled her in and Karen let him with a sleepy smile on her lips. Joyce figured Karen would soon be joining her in the world of the living.
Joyce went into their walk-in bathroom and did her usual little routine. She did her thing and freshened up a little, alone with her thoughts. As she brushed her teeth, she wondered about what they’d get into for the day. She knew they had dinner plans. She and Karen were also meant to get their hair done. She wondered what Hopper would do during that time. But her man was always full of surprises. He had been since they met. The past ten years, the past ten Valentine's Days they'd spent together had been something straight out of a dream. Sometimes Joyce still couldn’t believe her life. How she'd come from poverty and an abusive marriage. She'd struggled to raise three kids, Jonathan and her twins, Will and El. She'd chased fame in the adult film industry and landed her dream job at Jim Hopper's company. More importantly, she'd found love there with the company owner, her now-husband. She'd fallen in love with her once-competitor, Karen Wheeler. They'd overcome a lot with their own demons and even worse, murderous ex-employees and vengeful ex-husbands. But in the end, they came out with two beautiful babies who were now eight years old. They'd merged their families together. Joyce escaped a toxic workplace that nearly took her life, just to come back and literally own it. And it was a better place because she did, a woman running Playboy Bunny right. She noticed her smile in the mirror as she brushed her teeth. She genuinely couldn’t complain about her life. Every day was a blessing. She spit and rinsed her toothbrush before putting the cap back on and into the toothbrush holder. She wiped her mouth and tied her hair back into a scrunchie as she exited the bathroom and then the dark bedroom.
Joyce went into the kitchen, following the sounds of laughter that belonged to four of her reasons for breathing. She saw four of her girls sitting at the table with a big red and pink colorful card in front of them.
"What's this?" Joyce smiled, knowing what it was.
They noticed her presence and looked up at her smiling.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Mom!" Sara grabbed the huge 'card' that was actually a poster board. Holly held the other side and they held it up. It displayed Polaroid pictures of their huge family over the years, drawn hearts and glued glitter surrounding them. Joyce’s heart softened at that. She gasped and held her hands over her chest because she was overwhelmed with love.
"Aw, I love it so much" Joyce examined each and every photo. So many holidays, cookouts and new photos of the new grandbaby. She was almost brought to tears. "Girls, this is beautiful" She looked at Sara's smiling face then Holly's. She loved those girls so much, two small beings brought to her by Jim and Karen, her forever partners. It really was the day for love because Joyce was bursting with it. "You're so sweet. Your dad and mom will love it" She dropped a kiss on both of their heads, making them smile. Joyce looked at El and Max from across the table.
"We helped" Max said.
"We helped them with the glue gun" El stated.
Joyce smiled with appreciation. Those girls, now young women, worked all day the day before but still managed to help out when Holly and Sara needed it. Just to make her, Jim and Karen happy.
"Thank you" Joyce said before going to the fridge to make something for everyone. Just a little something, something she could do a decent job at.
She gathered the usual. Bacon and eggs. She gathered some pancake mix from the pantry then felt creative. It was Valentine's Day so she dug out the heart-shaped pancake maker that Karen bought. She grabbed the chocolate chip bag as well before bringing them all to the kitchen counter. She talked with El, Max, Holly and Sara as she began cooking. They shared laughs and they filled Joyce in on what was going on with work and school. Before she knew it, she was done with breakfast so she grabbed everyone's plates and filled them with delicious (she hoped) food. She decorated the heart-shaped pancakes with berries, chocolate chips and whipped cream. She wore a proud smile as she brought two plates to the table for the younger girls.
"Its ready" She smiled.
El and Max went to get their plates and came back to the table., excited to eat because it looked so good. They knew Joyce had gotten better over the years in the kitchen. The food wasn’t just edible, it was good, but she still didn’t compare to Karen or even Jim. She couldn’t make much either, nothing fancy or complicated. It was a running joke in their large family and she laughed right along with them. Joyce grabbed her own plate and joined her girls at the table.
"Holy shit, these are pretty good" Max said with a mouthful.
Joyce smiled sweetly. "So where are you guys going today? You can still take them out, right?"
El and Max understood that the parents wanted alone time. It was Valentines Day after all. And since El and Max were a couple, they wanted to go do something fun, too. They had to take Holly and Sara with them per the parents' requests, but still, they were excited.
"Yeah" Max nodded.
"We are going to get our nails done" El said.
"Ooh, that sounds fun" Joyce responded.
"We're also going shopping. Then we're going to a trampoline park and then have a bite to eat" Max said.
"Sounds like you girls have a packed day" Joyce said.
"Yeah, we're excited" Holly said.
"Me, too" Sara said.
"Are you going to dinner?" El asked Joyce.
"Yes, some Italian place that your dad heard about" Joyce said.
"Sounds good" Max said.
"Yeah. You be careful, okay? And be back by nine" Joyce told them because the younger girls' bedtime was at ten.
"What's for breakfast?" Karen asked with her arms stretched above her head, her pink robe flowing around her. She spotted the huge pretty card propped up by Joyce's feet. "Oh, what's that?" She gasped as she came closer and saw all the sentimental photos. "Aww."
"Look what they made for us" Joyce smiled at Karen.
"I love it!" Karen smiled. "You all are so crafty" She stroked Holly's hair before heading to the counter for breakfast.
"Where should we put it, Kare?" Joyce asked.
"Hmm. We could pin it on the wall in the dining room" Karen said while scooping food onto her plate. "Joyce, this breakfast is so cute."
"I figured I should do SOMETHING" Joyce said.
Karen hummed with a smile as she brought her plate to the table. She took a seat next to Joyce and exchanged a smile with her. They all ate together and got along as they usually did before the girls got really excited about their day, so they decided to head upstairs to get ready. Once they were alone, Karen looked at Joyce.
"Do you think they'll be out for a long time?" Karen asked lowly, giving her a look with half-lidded sexy eyelids.
Joyce knew that look anywhere so she smirked.
"I think they got the memo that we want to be alone" Joyce said.
"Well, good. Because it's been a long time."
"We had sex a few nights ago" Joyce giggled.
"Yeah, quiet sex. I'm not complaining by any means. I'm just saying-"
"She wants to hear you" Jim entered the room suddenly. "And I do too" He smirked at Joyce.
Joyce rolled her eyes playfully with blushing cheeks. The way he could still get that reaction out of her after so many years. They both could. With the way he was looking at her and Karen's hand gentle on her thigh, she couldn’t wait until tonight. She supposed it had been a while since they'd had sex without holding back their moans and using loud toys. The waiting would be worth it, though. She knew that.
"Did you make breakfast, Joy?" He asked, his nose leading him to the food on the counter.
"Yeah" Joyce said.
"And she did a great job" Karen kissed Joyce’s hair.
"I don’t doubt that" Jim said as he filled his plate. Well, he did doubt it but he kept that to himself. He joined his girls at the table and saw the poster board his daughters made. "That's beautiful" He chuckled lightly, his heart full.
"I know, it's so precious" Joyce smiled.
"That’s being hung up for sure" Jim said.
"I'm a step ahead of you" Karen said.
"What time are your hair appointments?" Jim asked while stuffing his face.
"At twelve" Karen glanced at the clock next to the fridge. "So in two hours."
"What are you getting done?" He asked.
"I’m getting my curls touched up" Karen ran her fingers through her waves.
"I'm getting my roots touched up. I'm seeing a lot of grey" Joyce said.
"I think it's sexy" Jim told her honestly.
"I second that" Karen smirked at her.
"Sure" Joyce rolled her eyes smiling. "You know we should probably start getting ready soon."
"Yeah, it takes you forever to do your makeup" Jim mumbled.
"It does not" Joyce defended herself.
"Oh not you baby, I was talking to Karen" He said casually.
"Oh fuck off, Jim" Karen rolled her eyes, their usual banter.
Jim smiled adoringly at her, always happy to see those pretty eyes roll. He loved getting under her skin. Whether his comments ever annoyed her or not, he was usually happy to see her reaction. It added more flair to their relationship they once never saw themselves having.
"Not that either of you two needs it. But you can go do that if you want. I'll clean up here" He pulled Joyce's plate to him since it was still halfway full, knowing she was done. He had a much bigger appetite than her so he was fully ready to finish her plate too.
Joyce smiled and stood up. She held his shoulder as she dipped down to kiss his cheek. He tilted his head to catch her lips instead. She licked his syrup-coated bottom lip and giggled, making him laugh as well. Karen rolled her eyes as she stood up and met Jim's other side.
"You guys are gross" Karen said before doing the exact same thing. She bent down to kiss his smiling lips.
"Remember, reservations are at five" Jim told them.
"We'll meet you there" Joyce said.
"What are you going to do while we're out today?" Karen asked.
"I have plans" Jim shrugged casually and popped some bacon into his mouth.
"What plans?" Joyce asked with a curious raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, do you have another woman?" Karen rubbed his shoulder. "Is two not enough for you?" She teased.
Jim rolled his eyes with a smile. He swallowed his food. "Don’t worry about it."
"Hm. Fine. Be that way" Joyce smirked as she left him, stroking his shoulder as she walked by. Karen took Joyce's hand and led her back to their bedroom so they could get to their bathroom to get primped and ready for their date.
Jim ate by himself and listened to their hushed conversation and giggles. He couldn’t help but wonder if they had surprises for him that night, as well. After ten years of being together, trying every toy and position there was available, he wondered if things could get even better in their sex life. But somehow, it always did.
-
Joyce and Karen arrived at The Grove shopping center and naturally, it was quite busy. People were out getting last-minute Valentine’s gifts, probably flowers and items to fill baskets for their partners. Immediately Joyce tensed up seeing the crowded parking lot because not only did crowds make her nervous but there was always that chance paparazzi would get a picture of her. That was fine, she'd gotten used to it. She'd taken over Playboy fucking Bunny. Of course that was bound to happen. She didn’t have many fan interactions though, not anymore, not like she did when she was at Jim's company. She was grateful for that. She'd always been kind to people who wanted to talk or get a picture with her but that didn’t mean she absolutely loved it. Karen on the other hand, she quite enjoyed it. But she knew it made Joyce anxious as well as the busy mall, so she took Joyce's hand as they entered the mall. Joyce gave her a smile, always appreciating the fact that they could be more affectionate in Los Angeles rather than in Chicago like years ago. And when they were in Hawkins? They could forget about even holding hands in public. But LA was the city of angels, a place full of dreams. It was a dream to show their love to the world and they could do so freely there. They swung their arms slightly as they walked through the food court, the sweet smell of mall food hitting them.
"I know we have dinner later and I'm still full from breakfast but damn that smells good" Karen said as she led Joyce through the crowd.
"I know, right? I'd kill for a soft pretzel with cheese" Joyce said.
"Then you'll have one" Karen immediately took Joyce to the busy pretzel stand, making the brunette smile.
They stood in line for a few minutes just to get a pretzel. It was handed to her in no time after she payed so then they were off to the hair salon built into the mall. They walked in and smiled at the atmosphere because they always enjoyed getting their hair done together. Hair, nails and facials, they always did it together because it was somehow intimate. It was a thing for just them that Jim couldn’t understand because he wasn’t a woman, or not feminine anyway. They got checked in and then were led to their chairs for the next few hours. Thankfully they were sat side by side since those seats were available.
"Hi" The hairdresser approached Joyce and looked at her through the mirror.
"Hello" Joyce smiled.
"Are you getting-" The woman’s eyes lit up when she recognized Joyce and Joyce knew it immediately. "Wait, are you Joyce Byers-Hopper?"
"Yeah" Joyce giggled slightly.
"Hi, it's so nice to meet you" The woman smiled widely.
"Nice to meet you as well" Joyce said.
"I really admired what you did with Playboy. I want to get into the industry."
"Oh, do you model?"
"A little" The woman stroked Joyce's hair, returning to business mode. "I want to more."
"You should come by my office sometime for an interview" Joyce smiled, offering something to the sweet woman because she was kind. Offering interviews to random people in public wasn’t really how it worked but Joyce was too sweet.
"Oh my gosh, really?" The woman gasped, nearly tearing up because she'd been chasing dreams for so long. "Thank you so much!"
"Of course! I know it is to want something and try really hard for it. I didn’t get it until I was in my forties" Joyce laughed softly. "Don’t let me leave here without setting up a date and time, okay?"
"You've got it! You’re the best" The excited woman smiled. "I'll go get the dye" She left to retrieve her supplies to touch up Joyce's roots.
Joyce looked at Karen's proud smile. She smiled at the blonde.
"That was sweet of you" Karen told her.
Joyce shrugged. "I just know how it feels. I mean if Jim hadn’t taken a chance on me, I wouldn’t be here right now. I wouldn’t have met you or him or most of our kids."
Karen smiled sweetly and reached out to take Joyce’s hand. Joyce stretched her arm out and intertwined her fingers with Karen’s. They only broke their gaze because the hairdresser returned and at the same time Karen's did. The women relaxed as they got their hair done, closing their eyes but occasionally conversing. It was a lovely couple of hours, then it was time to shop, mostly just to kill time before dinner. They found themselves in Victoria's Secret because the lingerie displayed in the windows was just too good to resist. They went inside and began searching through sets laid on the table.
"What color are you thinking?" Joyce asked, holding up a black lacey one-piece.
"Hm, I'm not sure. That would look really good on you. But then again, anything does" Karen shrugged carelessly as she held up a red skimpy sheer bra.
Joyce smiled and imagined that bra on Karen as she held it over her shirt.
"Well, that one would look really hot on you. Maybe I should get that one too. We could match" Joyce smiled.
"Jim would love that, wouldn’t he?" Karen smirked, thinking of his reaction.
"He would. Red it is" Joyce decided, picking up one of the bigger sizes of the red bras.
"Do you think maybe he's buying us some tonight? He did say he had surprises for us."
"Maybe. If so, we can wear these some other time."
"Good point. We have drawers full of lingerie that we haven’t worn, Joyce."
"And most of it is from Jim."
"Hm, he really loves us."
"You’re just now figuring that out?" Joyce smirked at Karen with the red set in her hands.
"I guess he's proved himself over the years."
"You two really hated each other at one point."
"Yeah until he knocked me up, then I kind of had to accept him."
"Are you glad you did?"
Karen smiled lovingly, her heart softening because she really did love the man. "Yes. And I'm glad I stopped being a jealous bitch and realized I loved you" She quickly looked around for prying eyes then stole a kiss from Joyce, making her gasp quietly. She pulled back from Joyce’s smiling lips.
Joyce looked around as well though she wasn’t that worried about being caught. She was pretty confident that people didn’t care AS much out there in the big city. Also, she knew she had perks as being the owner of a popular pornographic magazine company and a former huge porn star. She happened to spot a guy with a camera walking away though. She scoffed and rolled her eyes with a smile, impressed that they always found a way to snap photos of her, whether it was just out shopping with her children or kissing or dancing with her partners at a club.
"Paps" She told Karen.
"Of course" Karen rolled her eyes. "Well, at least they got my good side."
"As if you have a bad side, Kare" Joyce rolled her eyes lovingly.
"Let's go" Karen snickered and led Joyce to the register with their new matching lingerie sets.
Joyce spotted the display of new perfumes close to the register so she ventured over there while Karen paid. She took bottle after bottle off the shelves to smell them because she was a sucker for any good-smelling product. She didn’t even know what was going on at the register. She didn’t until she heard Karen's naturally flirty pretty laugh. She looked up to see the cashier leaning a little too close to her girlfriend. Oh, she didn’t like that at all. She immediately abandoned the perfume section and slowly got closer to the register, ultimately hiding behind her girlfriend.
"You're gorgeous I just have to tell you" The woman told Karen.
"Well, I did just get my hair done" Karen ran her fingers through her hair.
"I'm pretty sure I know who you are."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, my ex-girlfriend-" She whispered that last word, "-used to watch your tapes."
"Oh" Karen blushed and laughed nervously. It wasn’t very often that Karen's pornstar days were brought up. It's not like she regretted them or felt ashamed about it but it definitely wasn’t her anymore. "Yeah, that seems like a lifetime ago."
"Well, considering you used to do tapes with women, I'm going to assume that you… are still into women?" She batted her false lashes.
"Oh, uh-" Karen swallowed nervously, not knowing Joyce was directly behind her. "I actually have a girlfriend" She said lowly. "But you’re very sweet."
"Oh, you do?" The woman backed off, standing up straight and got back to ringing Karen up.
"Yeah, have you heard of Joyce Byers-Hopper?" Karen said proud as ever, making Joyce smile behind her.
"Yeah, I have. I know that you used to be together. That’s what the magazines said anyway. But I didn’t know you still were" She sighed discreetly, clearly disappointed. "I just figured since she became super famous…"
"What, you thought I'd forget about Karen and leave her behind?" Joyce suddenly emerged from the shadows, the shadows being her tall girlfriend in heels.
The woman’s' eyes nearly bugged out of her head. She swallowed hard at Joyce because that five-foot-three brunette was a ball of rage.
"Wh- No, I didn’t mean it like that. Wait, aren’t you married to Jim Hopper anyway?"
"Yep, sure am. So tell me more about that buy-one-get-one-free sale on the perfumes" Joyce said casually as ever.
Karen had to bite her red lip to keep from laughing. Her confidence had really rubbed off on Joyce over the years. She gently took Joyce's hand and rubbed it with her thumb. Oh how proud and amused she was by her girlfriend. The woman returned entirely to business mode because she gave up on trying to get a date with Jim Hopper's former second top star. She explained the sales to Joyce and Joyce ended up buying quite a few perfumes, some for her, some for Karen and some for her daughters. They left laughing then were off to some more stores to kill time before dinner. They couldn’t wait to surprise Jim with their new lingerie, not knowing for sure that he already had their outfits picked out for the night.
-
The couple went home to change into their date night clothes, expensive dresses they'd bought not too long ago. Karen wore a red long-sleeve dress that cut off at her knees. She had her freshly permed hair tied up into a bun with some hair falling around her face. Joyce kept her blown-out waves down because she loved how the hairdresser had done it. She wore a black mini dress with thin straps that showed a good amount of cleavage. Since it was cold, even in LA, she wore a sexy long black trench coat over it. She wore heels because she refused to wear heels, not being good at wearing them, while Karen predictably wore red heels. She towered next to Joyce as they walked through the restaurant, on the lookout for their man. They wore smiles as they spotted him in the back all dressed up and waiting for them. The place was fancy as hell so the table was covered with a cloth and the center of it held a romantic candle. A band played soothing music in the corner of the room. His face lit up as he watched them walk his way, always happy to see them link arms and not show fear about their relationship being known.
"Hello" Joyce chimed as she took a seat on one side of the circular table. Karen sat close to her, across from Jim.
"You look beautiful" He picked up her hand to kiss it, making her smile painfully tight. He looked at Karen's awaiting presence. "So do you" He told her genuinely.
"You clean up nice" Karen told him.
"You look very handsome" Joyce leaned over to kiss his cheek. "This blazer is sexy" She stroked his arm.
"I think tan is your color" Karen noted.
"Look at your hair" Jim stroked the ends of Joyce’s big curls.
"You like it?" Joyce giggled.
"I love it."
"This place is beautiful, Jim" Karen smiled looking around.
"You two deserve the best for Valentine's Day" He smiled, meaning every word of it. He watched Joyce crinkle her nose as she smiled before looking down, her cheeks blushing. He looked at Karen's lustful gaze before she lifted her heel up his leg to tease him, to let him know there were a million things to come once they got home.
"So when do we get our surprise?" Joyce asked, breaking their gaze.
"When we get home, when do you think?" He laughed.
Joyce pouted playfully which made him laugh and gently shove her arm.
"What do you think the kids are up to?" Jim asked.
"Well, El and Max took Sara and Holly to a trampoline park so they’re probably still there" Joyce said.
"That’s probably true" Jim said.
"I bet they’re having so much fun" Joyce said.
"They won't want to leave" Karen said.
"Works out for us, doesn’t it?" Jim laughed lightly.
Joyce rolled her eyes playfully and gently smacked his shoulder.
"I feel for them" Jim said.
"Hey, it's not nearly as bad as when we take Winnie and Ryder. Sara and Holly are much more chill" Joyce said.
"You mostly mean Winnie I think" Karen added.
"You guys are always bullying Winnie" Jim shook his head jokingly.
"We're just saying she's a wild child" Karen said.
"She always has been. And you won't admit it because she has you wrapped around her finger" Joyce told him.
"He won't ever admit anything bad Winnie has ever done" Karen said.
"Because she hasn’t" Jim shrugged.
"Not even when she cried and cried and CRIED when she was a baby?" Karen asked.
"Wh- She wasn’t that bad" Jim mumbled, knowing they were right.
"Okay, who cried the most out of your babies? Winnie, Ryder or Sara?" Karen asked him.
"Oh, definitely Winnie" He admitted.
The women giggled at that, knowing damn well they were right about their adventurous, loud little girl.
"I wouldn’t trade her for the world, though" Joyce smiled.
"Oh me neither, she's my baby just as much as the ones I gave birth to" Karen said.
"You know, we really are so lucky to have a big family. And the kids have always gotten along pretty well" Joyce said.
"But I see why Will and Mike wanted to move out as soon as they turned eighteen. A house full of small children isn’t for the weak" Jim said.
"That’s true. We need to call them and wish them a happy Valentine's Day" Joyce smiled, feeling bad for not doing so.
"I'm sure they're with their partners celebrating, though" Karen reminded Joyce.
"Yeah" Joyce sighed thoughtfully. "They've all got their own lives now. They're growing up on us."
"Luckily we still have a while with the little ones" Jim smiled.
"Thank God. I really hope Winnie and Ryder are being good for Nance and Jonathan" Karen wondered.
"As long as they have video games, then I'm sure they’re fine" Jim laughed.
They shared a laugh then the waiter came with menus and a notepad, ready to take their orders. They ordered whatever they wanted because they could, money never being an issue for them. It was on Jim's dime because he was a gentleman and told him only the best for his girls. They had a few glasses of champagne and stayed for quite a while, talking about their kids and laughing about random things like everyday life and inside jokes. They were there for a couple of hours before deciding to box up their leftovers and head home. Then the real fun began.
-
Jim drove a little faster than normal since their kids weren’t with them, alcohol encouraging him to get home sooner as well as Joyce’s hand on his thigh. Joyce and Karen's flirty banter made the issue in his pants even worse. He wasn’t used to drinking anymore either since he'd put the bottles away long ago. They were all feeling pretty good and rushing to get into their huge home when they got there.
Once the front door was shut, Joyce yanked Jim down by the collar of his shirt, smashing her lips against his. She immediately parted her lips and licked his tongue. He knew things were going to get started fast and he couldn’t wait for her and Karen to see the surprise in the bedroom. Jim squeezed her hips as they made out, his groans vibrating her mouth. He felt a soft hand on his arm so he was brought back to reality, not wanting to neglect his other 'wife'. He opened his eyes, never breaking apart from Joyce’s mouth. He locked eyes with Karen's dark ones, seeing just how bad she wanted to be involved. He parted with Joyce and gently pushed her head towards Karen. Still on her tiptoes since Karen was in heels, Joyce met Karen and kissed her hard. Jim smirked as he watched them make out. He brought his other hand to Karen’s head and held them in place, their hair soft against his palms. He e them grasp each other everywhere they could. One second they were squeezing each other's tits, then their hips, then trying to get each other's clothes off. Their moans built up as they got ahead of themselves, almost forgetting Jim's presence altogether. He saw how fast things were getting and he remembered the big surprise. So he dropped his hands and cleared his throat. The women parted with a loud smacking sound, their mouths stained with red from Karen's lipstick. They smirked at him with half-lidded eyes, sex written all over their pretty faces. They reached for Jim at the same time, taking his hands to lead him to their room where all the magic happened.
Jim followed them with a smirk and a tent in his khakis. How lucky he fucking was. He never took it for granted. Not only were his partners drop-dead gorgeous, but he had so much love for them. They'd changed his life in so many ways. He probably wouldn’t be there if not for them, at least Joyce anyway. He always felt a sense of overpowering love when they were on their way to have sex. They entered their room and he shut and locked the door, just in case the girls would come home soon. He watched the woman stop in their tracks once they noticed the display on the bed. Their extra king-sized bed was covered in red and pink rose petals, in the shape of a huge heart. In the center of the heart laid two sets of black lingerie, the tops being cropped and sheer beneath the breasts, and the bottoms being low-cut thongs. Under the sets laid black sheer stockings with garters attached to the thongs. Jim had laid them out so the women could see them perfectly. And between the lingerie sets laid a new pink rabbit vibrator, one end long for penetration and the other end having two small vibrating 'ears'. He'd bought it that day but it was already out of the box and ready to go. And last but certainly not least, a blindfold was under the toy. Yeah, they'd been there and done that. Lingerie, toys, blindfold, all of it. But that didn’t take the excitement away.
Joyce and Karen both looked back at him with sheer arousal written all over their faces.
"Was it worth the surprise?" He smirked.
Joyce giggled while Karen rolled her eyes. They equally went up to him and kissed him. Joyce got to his lips first and of course, it didn’t stop at one kiss. Karen kissed his cheek then made her way to his mouth, nudging Joyce out of the way. Joyce laughed as she watched them make out, her hands on their arms. Karen pulled herself away from him and grabbed Joyce’s hand, taking her to the bed. They leaned over to take the lingerie, stockings and garters, then they went into their bathroom. Karen shut the door and quickly stripped from her skin-tight dress. She tossed it to the floor and looked Joyce in the eyes as she took the clip out of her hair.
"You’re so sexy" Joyce stroked her arms.
Karen hummed sweetly before pecking her lips. She took the rest of her clothes and heels off while Joyce got naked as well. They helped each other into their matching lingerie, giggling as they did so. They attached the garters at the last part, then looked in the mirror. Karen inspected her makeup closely, looking for any pores or signs of smudged mascara. She smirked as an idea crossed her mind. She grabbed her red lipstick and applied some more.
"That’s not going to last long, Kare" Joyce said.
"I know. But I want to cover your thighs with it" Karen said normally as ever with her mouth open, gliding the smooth makeup across her bottom lip.
Joyce felt a rush of arousal at that, her panties already becoming wet. She audibly moaned without meaning to, making Karen look back at her. Karen smirked and popped the lid back on, setting it back on the marble counter. She turned to Joyce and stroked Joyce’s arms gently with her fingertips.
"You are so…" Karen started softly.
Joyce suddenly slammed her lips against Karen's, the need for her taking over her impulses. Karen moaned and grabbed Joyce’s hips, loving how the thin fabric felt under her skin. Joyce pulled back and smiled at her. She licked her lips and took Karen’s hand. Joyce opened the door and led Karen through the little hallway, ultimately finding themselves in front of ht ebed and staring at a naked Jim, sitting on the foot of the bed. The only thing he had on was that black silk blindfold, and awaiting grin on his face. He tapped his fingers against the bed because he knew they were right there. The women smirked at each other because they hadn’t seen Jim in such a submissive position in so long.
Joyce immediately crawled onto his lap and straddled him, her hands on his shoulders. She kissed him repeatedly with hot open-mouthed kisses, their tongues tangling. Karen crawled behind him and sat on her knees. She placed her hands over Joyce’s and leaned forward to kiss the side of his neck. Jim groaned at the sensations his girls were giving him. He brought his hands up, one of them on Joyce’s hip and the other covering Joyce and Karen's hands over his shoulder. Joyce began to grind down on him, the tip of his cock nudging the wet fabric between her thighs. He dropped his hand to pull at the thong, making it go up so her pussy would consume it. He knew she loved the simulation, if her moan was anything to go by. She loved the friction as she ground down more and more.
"I need you now" She whispered desperately.
Jim pulled back and smirked at her before pulling the blindfold off. He looked to the side at Karen. Karen tapped his shoulders playfully and kissed his cheek, placing a drawing of her red lips on his cheek. He felt it and chuckled lightly, reaching up to touch it. He kissed her lips briefly before patting Joyce’s thighs, letting her know to get up. Joyce quickly left his lap to crawl onto the bed. Once she was there, Karen was already there and on her back, the toy in her hand.
"Anyone want this?" Jim held up the blindfold.
He stared down at the beautiful women in his bed, both on their backs with their legs spread, their knees facing upward. God they looked good in that lingerie. He watched Karen's head turn to Joyce, clearly wanting her to wear the blindfold. He smirked, raising his eyebrows at Joyce. Joyce nodded so he smiled and tossed it to her. Karen grabbed it and motioned for Joyce to sit up. Joyce did so and turned around, her hands on the headboard. Joyce spread her knees some more and felt Karen pull the blindfold over her eyes. Suddenly everything was dark for Joyce and that excited her even more. Karen kissed her cheek before turning back around, seeing Jim on his knees and stroking his cock. Karen bit her lip as she stared at it, deciding she wanted it. She dipped down to pull him into her mouth, making him hiss at the pleasure.
"Fuck, Karen" Jim moaned, his hand coming up to her freshly permed hair. "So pretty."
Karen looked up at him with wide lust-filled eyes, her motions never stopping. She sucked him further up every time, wanting to push herself. But she just wasn’t as good as Joyce was. But nothing to complain about, not at all. She moaned around his dick as she sucked him hard, making him moan. He gently pulled her off of him and smiled at the spit string that connected them. He rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb, making her smile.
Karen hummed and turned to give her other partner attention. She slowly slid down Joyce’s thong and leaned in to swipe her tongue down Joyce’s soaked slit. Joyce gasped and spread her knees even further, the best to her ability with the thong trapping her. She enjoyed the bondage-type feeling. She liked her partners controlling her pleasure every now and then. She liked to be out of her head for a while and just be consumed with pleasure. It was hard to think of anything else when Karen's tongue was sliding through her at the speed of light, just like Karen's credit card whenever they were out. She did that a few times before sitting up. She playfully slapped Joyce’s ass before grabbing a cheek and shaking it. She smirked at Jim before lying next to Joyce with her legs spread. She took the toy and turned it on, happy to hear the powerful vibrations. She knew it would be a good one. She slowly slid the longer end into her cunt, moaning at the slight stretch as well as the way it shook inside her walls. She let the smaller ends trap her clit and vibrating those nerves to life.
"Holy shit" Karen gasped, locking eyes with Jim.
Jim smirked and held Karen's knee to feel close to her while holding Joyce's ass cheek with his free hand for leverage. Jim pushed into Joyce, making her gasp at the thickness she'd never adjust to in the best way. She felt him slowly push to the hilt and as usual, he waited for her to adjust. Joyce gripped the headboard as she slowly pushed back to meet him all the way. They were pressed impossibly close together as her walls pulsated around his cock, quickly adjusting to him. Jim smiled at her pretty breathy sounds and slid his hand up her back. He pushed her hair out of the way and unclasped the top in the back, letting it fall halfway down her arms to her elbows. She looked good as fuck in it but he just had to have access to those tits of hers. He held one in his hand and gave her a gentle slow squeeze. He glanced down at Karen because her moans were quickly building up. He grabbed the toy from Karen to hold it instead. She was doing fine on her own, but just to feel intimate with both of them helped them all get there quicker.
"How's it feel, Karen?" Joyce whispered.
"So good, baby" Karen moaned, her hands rising up to her own tits.
Jim watched the show beneath him, the sexy blonde grabbing herself and arching her back. He gently moved the toy around, not wanting to move it too much so the toy could still vibrate her clit. He tried to keep it still as he pulled out of Joyce to push back in. Joyce moaned with every increasingly fast thrust, her knuckles turning white from the grip on their headboard.
"I'm close already" Joyce moaned, throwing her hips back to make the feeling that much better.
Jim chuckled at how sensitive she always was. She never went without multiple orgasms. He looked at Karen, seeing the look on her face and knowing she was close too.
"Touch her" Jim told her. "And I'll make you come hard" He pulled the toy out of her and thrust back in fast and hard, making her gasp.
“Fuck" Karen cried out and reached a shaky arm between Joyce’s thighs. She rubbed harshly at Joyce's clit, happy to hear Joyce's moans building up even louder. They knew she was loud and hadn’t heard her THAT loud in a while. It was hard to have the kind of sex they craved in a house full of kids. But on special occasions when they planned to be alone like Valentine's Day, birthdays and anniversaries, they could have the kind of fun they used to, back when it all began. "You like that, baby?" She whispered, her breathing labored.
"God, yes!" Joyce cried out, her voice cracking in a way they both loved.
Jim fucked her just hard enough to make her come, then he pulled out because he wasn’t done yet. He had another woman to please, even though she was in the midst of an orgasm as well. He breathed hard as he sat back and watched them shake throughout their intense orgasms, their moans mixing so beautifully. He chuckled softly and gently slid his hand up and down Joyce's back, his other hand slowly pulling the toy out of Karen. He waited for them to recover, watching Karen’s hand drop from Joyce's arousal. He watched Joyce slowly sit back down on her knees and pull her blindfold off, tossing it to the side. She looked down at Karen's blissed-out expression and smiled. She looked over her shoulder at the same time Karen smiled at him. They glanced at the now-off toy in his hand. Wanting to surprise them, he popped the vibrator into his mouth. He closed his eyes as he pushed it further into his mouth, sucking Karen's juices off of it. He heard a mix of sexy giggles and moans then slowly pulled it out of his mouth. He licked his lips and dropped it beside him.
Joyce swiftly turned on her knees to yank him forward to kiss him. They made out with passion, grasping each other anyway they could. Joyce went for his dick because evidently she wanted more. But Karen had other plans. She sat up and swatted Joyce’s hand away from their partner’s cock, taking it into her hand instead.
"It's my turn" Karen smirked at Joyce before kissing Jim hard.
Jim chuckled and watched karen lay on her back. Joyce made room for Karen and sat on her knees, just watching for the moment. She stroked Karen’s hair back, watching her crimson lips part as Jim entered her. Joyce smiled down at the pretty face, locking eyes with her.
"I'll never get used to this" Karen said breathlessly, letting him fill her up. "He's so fucking big."
"I'm surprised you're so willing to feed my ego" Jim chuckled, pausing to grab her tits over the top she wore.
"She does when she's horny" Joyce pointed out, knowing her girlfriend too well.
"Oh, I know" Jim said.
"Fuck you" Karen whispered, pushing her hips down.
"I will if you say please" Jim smirked, pulling the top down to release her breasts.
"No" Karen shook her head.
"Then how about you fuck my wife" Jim said, slowly starting to fuck her.
"OUR wife" Karen corrected him.
Joyce smiled sweetly and stroked Karen's cheek. She threw a leg over Karen's head, facing Jim as she lowered herself onto Karen's thirsty mouth. Joyce gasped when she felt Karen's lips latch onto her clit. She looked at Jim with wide eyes and grabbed his shoulders. He smiled widely and leaned in to kiss her. He fucked Karen a little faster as he made out with Joyce, one hand grabbing her tit and the other grabbing Karen's. Joyce moaned sweetly into Jim's mouth as his big tongue wrapped around hers. She rode Karen's face faster and faster, not able to keep up with the way the blonde fucked her with her tongue. Karen’s toney slid through her folds one second, the next it was flicking her click and the next it was inside her.
"I'm gonna come" Joyce whispered against Jim's lips.
"Do it. We want to hear you" Jim fucked Karen harder, making the blonde moan loud into Joyce's pussy. He growled as he got closer and closer. "Come on that pretty face, Joyce."
Joyce came on command, tossing her head back as her nails dug into Jim's shoulders. Her lips parted as her eyes widened before they closed, crying out moans that broke apart with every sound she made. Her hips shook as she rode against Karen's face. Karen felt her walls quiver around Jim's cock as the floodgates opened, soaking his thick cock. She moaned against Joyce and triggered her into another orgasm before she was even through with that one. Jim felt the slickness of Karen's newly added juices and then he was done for. He moaned breathlessly as he fucked Karen with stuttering hips, spilling his seed deep inside her. He thanked God every day for the fact that they no longer had their periods and he'd gotten snipped. They came down from that wonderful high together, an intimate place where they could travel any time all because they chose each other at an adult film studio all those years ago.
Joyce was the first to end it, leaving Karen's face to lie back down next to her. Karen took deep breaths as she recovered, her face soaked. Jim stared at the slickness on Karen’s face that his wife left and laughed lightly. He felt the urge to kiss her just to taste Joyce so he did. He kissed Karen and licked her bottom lip before sitting back and up and pulling out of her, a mess of their juices spilling onto the bed. He sighed deeply at the mess and shook his head.
"You thought of everything but the towel, huh?" Joyce giggled.
"He thought of rose petals but not a towel" Karen breathed out.
"You two are so ungrateful" Jim joked.
"Jim, this was the best Valentine's Day ever" Joyce told him.
Jim smiled adoringly and patted Joyce’s knee before leaving the bed for some wipes. In the meantime, the women turned onto their sides and cuddled, tossing their legs over each other. Karen stroked Joyce’s hair behind her ear and smiled. Joyce smiled widely and scooted even closer.
"Happy Valentine's Day" Karen said.
"Happy Valentine's Day" Joyce said softly before pecking her lips.
Jim returned with what he said he'd gone after and noticed how close they were. It looked awfully similar to a position they sometimes did, one that didn’t involve him in any way except for his viewing pleasure.
"Another round and without me?" He smirked.
"Too tired for that" Joyce said. "God what happened to me? I used to be able to go for hours."
"You’re exhausted, honey" Jim said, bringing the wipes to them. They spread their legs so he could clean them up because he was always great at aftercare. They smiled sleepily as he cleaned them gently. "Want me to wash the bedding tonight?"
"Hm, I don’t know I'm pretty tired. Maybe tomorrow?" Joyce asked.
"Sure thing" Jim dipped down to kiss her knee.
They heard the front door open so they exchanged 'Oh shit' looks. They sighed and got up to rush to get dressed. They quickly grabbed pajamas out of the drawers and got dressed. They were pretty good at doing that. Joyce and Karen went out of their room while Jim put away the lingerie, just in case anyone were to stumble in there. The women found Jonathan, Nancy, Winnie, Ryder and Spencer in the living room.
"Hey" Joyce smiled. Ryder ran to her so she hugged him tight. "Did you have fun?" She asked and he nodded.
"We wanted to bring them back before their bedtime" Nancy said.
"Thanks" Karen smiled as she stroked Winnie's hair. "We really appreciate it."
"Of course, any time" Jonathan smiled. Yeah, maybe they were a handful especially with their baby around but they’d had a good time.
Joyce locked eyes with the baby and rushed to the car seat. She bent down to meet him and touch his little hands. "Hi, my baby!"
Nancy smiled at how much Joyce loved him, as she knew she would. "Oh, they informed us of something just before we got here" Nancy said.
"What's that?" The moms both asked.
"They have a Valentine's party tomorrow at school" Jonathan said.
"Did you forget to tell us?" Joyce looked at Winnie, now holding Spencer in her arms.
"I forgot" Winnie shrugged.
Joyce held back her annoyed sigh because now she had to buy cards and candy for a whole class before her kids went to school the next day.
"Why didn’t they have it on Friday? Holly and Sara's classes did" Karen remembered.
"I don’t know" Winnie shrugged carelessly.
"Okay, okay. No worries. I'll pick up what you want before work tomorrow" Karen quickly thought of a solution. She really was the perfect mom and rarely seemed stressed in situations like last-minute class parties.
"Are you sure, Kare? I mean you work tomorrow"
Joyce said.
"It’s no problem. Oh! I could make cupcakes, too! How's that sound?" Karen beamed and the kids cheered.
"Hows what sound?" El asked as she came through the front door, Max, Holly and Sara behind her with shopping bags.
"I'm making cupcakes for the kids' Valentine's party we just found out about" Karen smiled, unbothered. "Would you like some? I can make two batches."
"Sure" Holly smiled.
"I'm tired, though" Max yawned.
"We stayed at the trampoline park for hours" El explained.
"Well, go to bed if you want but I'm making cupcakes" Karen said excitedly, on her way to the kitchen. "Joyce, do you want to help?"
"Sure" Joyce smiled and went into the kitchen, finding Jim in there and having a glass of milk. "Maybe Jim can help, too."
"What's that?" He sighed after taking a gulp. He noticed the baby and smiled as he played with his foot.
"We're making cupcakes but maybe Joyce can take over. It would be kind of fun" Karen said.
"It would be fun to watch me fuck it up?" Joyce raised a brow, on the verge of laughing already.
"I didn’t say that-" Karen started.
Joyce giggled and shoved her arm. "It would be fun. Get the ingredients because I have no idea what goes in those."
Karen rolled her eyes playfully and went to grab everything they needed while Joyce and Jim obsessed over the grandchild.
"Can you believe eight years ago we had this?" Joyce said.
"Seems like just yesterday" Jim said, smiling at the boy who stared into his eyes.
"But at the same time it seems like a million years ago" Joyce smiled, stroking his hair.
Karen quickly returned with all the ingredients
in her arms and placed them on the counter. The married couple watched her quickly get to work, laying everything out. Joyce smiled as she loved her so much, laying her head on Jim's shoulder. Karen had no idea of the eyes on her, she was just in full business mode. She looked back at them and smiled at their attentive gaze.
"What?" She smiled.
"Nothing" Jim smirked. Joyce passed the baby to Jim and came to Karen's side. "Okay. What do I do?"
They got started and it went well for a while. Jim watched them while he took care of the baby, giving his parents a break and listening to them converse with the others in the living room. Karen was patient and laughed as Joyce asked questions Karen found silly and had simple answers to. She adored that part of Joyce, though. She never judged her or made fun of her for not being able to cook. Not TOO much anyway. But then it came time to mix everything and it just wasn’t mixing… so naturally, Karen took over. Joyce was glad about it honestly but it didn’t come without teasing. By the time the cupcakes were baked and done, Jonathan and Nancy had already told them goodbye and left with the baby because it was getting late. The kids had retired to their rooms because they had way too many cool things in them to abandon. Karen put the cupcakes in the fridge, ready to take to Winnie and Ryder's school the next day along with cards and candy she'd have to pick up the next day. Again, the perfect mother. Then it was time to rest, a time they never took for granted. Like every night, Joyce was in the middle of her partners with the blankets over them. It's a good thing their bedding and bed were so big, that way the wet spots from earlier weren’t a problem. Joyce sighed deeply as she was tired from the busy day. Busy, but worth it. She looked at Jim then at Karen, seeing they were awake. Karen definitely was as she was reading one of her romance novels to help her to sleep more easily. Jim was lying there with his arm over Joyce, just watching them.
"What?" Karen looked at Joyce.
"I'm just thinking" Joyce sighed thoughtfully.
"What about?" Karen asked and put down her book, placing it on the nightstand. She laid on her side to face her girlfriend.
“Yeah, what's in that pretty mind, now?" Jim stroked her arm.
Joyce smiled and turned her head to look at him. "About the butterfly effect."
"Butterfly effect?" Jim raised a brow.
"Yeah, you know. If I'd never gone in for that interview at your studio, we wouldn’t have any of this. And also, if I hadn’t grown up the way I did… Falling for a shitty older guy and living paycheck to paycheck, urged to want more and join the industry. Ultimately leading me to you" She smiled at his smile then turned to Karen. "And you."
"I love you so much, Joyce" Karen said softly, stroking Joyce's cheek.
"I love you" Joyce kissed Karen’s lips before turning to face her, cuddling her tight. "And I love this life."
Jim smiled as he locked eyes with Karen. He scooted closer and kissed Karen over Joyce’s body. Joyce looked up at him and he kissed her too, a little longer that time to savor it.
"Happy Valentine's Day" He told both of them before lying back down, her back tight against his chest.
"Here's to many more" Joyce said before falling asleep, warm and safe between two people she was blessed to have in her life.
All thanks to an untraditional lifestyle, a lot of demons they all dealt with along the way, and a little place called Chicago.