Joyce came home steaming with anger. Slamming the door behind her, she fought the urge to kick a hole in the wall. How dare he do this to her?

Joyce parked herself on the couch with her arms crossed, waiting for Hopper to walk in the door. After fifteen minutes, Jim came through the door with a bag from the hardware store on his arm.

"Joyce? What's got you stewing?" Hopper asked as he dropped the bag. Joyce was glaring at him with piercing brown eyes that could throw daggers.

"Why in the hell were you out with Chrissy Carpenter?" Joyce said in a dangerously low voice. Hopper stopped dead in his tracks. How could she have seen him? He had been careful!

"Joyce, I don't know what you're talking about. Why would I ever be out with her?" Hopper defended, white lying through his teeth.

"I saw you, Hopper, why were you with her?" Joyce yelled angrily as she stood up off the couch.

"Joyce, I absolutely promise it was not what you think it was." Hopper said with his hands in the air for defense.

"Are you cheating on me?" Joyce ground out through her clamped teeth. She saw the blood drain out of Hopper's face.

"No, Joyce, I am not cheating on you. With Chrissy of all people, she's like a walking herpes sore!" Hopper couldn't help but laugh at his own retort as he tried to step closer to Joyce.

"You didn't have a problem with that in high school." Joyce spat as she backed up away from him.

"Joyce, you don't know what you're talking about okay? I was absolutely not cheating on you and definitely not with Chrissy." Hopper tried to step closer but Joyce's glare practically built a shield around herself.

"Then tell me what you were doing with her." Joyce replied as she stuck her chin up. Her nostrils flared with anger as she watched him sigh and rub his face.

"I can't tell you right now." Hopper said as he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Fine. If you can't tell me then I'm leaving." Joyce said as she started towards her keys.

"Joyce, wait." Hopper pleaded as he pressed his hand to her forearm before she shook it off.

"No! You won't tell me why you were with her! I saw you two at the jewelers together, Hopper! You got caught, so either explain or I'm leaving!" Joyce spat as she grabbed her keys.

Hopper sighed and pulled her closer to him. "Chrissy was helping me pick this out for you. I didn't have anyone else to ask." Hopper said calmly as he pulled a black velvet box out of his pocket.

Joyce's eyes widened in fear as she saw the diamond ring inside the box. She wanted nothing more than to melt into the floor. She had made a terrible mistake.

"I just fucked up so bad, didn't I?" Joyce said in a deadpan tone as she squinted her eyes shut.

Hopper's warm chuckle rumbled against her ear as she realized her head was pressed against his chest. "Joycie, I could never cheat on you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Chrissy hasn't got anything compared to you, baby. I couldn't ask Flo because she has no style, Karen can't keep her mouth shut, and Nancy would tell Jonathan." Hopper said as he squeezed her closer.

"Did I just ruin this?" Joyce asked with a whine as she kept her eyes closed tightly.

"Well, if you'd like, you can turn around and we can try this again." Hopper chuckled as Joyce looked up at him with apologetic eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Hop." Joyce said as she felt her cheeks burn. "I just saw you in there with her and you guys were laughing and I felt so upset." She explained.

"She said it was about time a good woman like Joyce Byers would be putting me in my place. I laughed. Nothing happened, honey. I promise." Hopper said with a warm smile.

Hopper plucked the ring out of the box as he knelt down on one knee. "Joyce Byers, I want nothing more to spend my life with you as husband and wife. Will you marry me?" Hopper asked with a smile as he watched Joyce break down.

"Of course I'll marry you." Joyce cried as he slipped the band over her ring finger and kissed her hand gently.

"I'm sorry for going behind your back, Joyce." Hopper pleaded as he pulled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry for fucking up a story we're going to have to tell our grandkids." Joyce cried as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. This was definitely one for the books.