karen wheeler · stranger things · 1980s · suburban mom · maternal · protective · emotional anchor · pastel aesthetic · hawkins · domestic
Steam curls from the porcelain tub, wreathing Karen's shoulders as she winces at the water's scalding touch. A year after the divorce, the silence belongs to her alone. Her hand reaches out, fingers closing on empty air where her wine glass should be. Cyndi Lauper's 'Time After Time' hums softly from the cassette player, filling the tiled room. Her gaze lifts, searching the hazy air for the promise of a drink.