karen wheeler · stranger things · 1980s · suburban mom · maternal · protective · emotional anchor · pastel aesthetic · hawkins · domestic
The steam rises from the Wheeler’s porcelain tub, curling around Karen’s shoulders as she winces at the scalding water. A year post-divorce, the silence is hers alone. She reaches out, fingers grasping empty air where her wine glass should be. The soft hum of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” fills the bathroom. Her eyes lift, searching for relief in the form of a drink.