@ihni eddie grabs his uncle and billy packs up susan and max and max's new wheelchair and they all bundle themselves up in the back of eddie's van for the world's most awkward road trip
max spends the first three days painstakingly explaining the upside-down to everyone. susan is horrified. wayne's only reaction is "i knew there was something weird about that town." eddie can't get over max having a friend who can move things with her mind.
billy and eddie spend most of the trip up front, arguing. susan thinks it's because they're not getting along, max knows it's because they are. they're fighting over dumb shit, movies and music and which member of the basketball team was the most annoying, max can hear the difference between billy's "i can't believe you just said that" incredulous, surprised, endeared laugh, and the tone he gets when he's actually angry. she'd be willing to bet that the silences between squabbles are filled with secret, suppressed smiles, but she's not about to tell her mother what to look for.
they take their time making their way across the country. they have to. max is still injured, and being jostled around in the back of the van isn't the most healing environment. they make frequent stops with thinly veiled excuses. wayne says his joints are acting up, he needs to stretch his legs. billy says he's sick of listening to eddie be wrong about lord of the rings (nevermind that he doesnt leave eddie's side for a second once they've stopped). susan points our diners and touristy things, eddie complains about being in the driver's seat all morning. max knows what they're doing, but she lets it slide.
sometimes wayne drives, and the longer they're on the road the quicker susan is to volunteer to sit up front with him. max doesnt think much of it, figures maybe she's finally taking a break from hovering and wringing her hands over every little wince. being worried 24/7 has to be exhausting.
then a couple weeks into their trip max fumbles open the back of the van hoping to feel around for the jacket she forgot, only to freeze when she hears the distinct sound of. people kissing.
for the first time she's kinda glad she can't see anymore. she assumes it's billy and eddie, blurting out "billy could you please do your boyfriend somewhere i don't have to hang out all day!?" only to register her mother's scandalized max a second too late. and an awkward chuckle that sounds a lot like mr. munson.
which is not better than catching her brother, honestly.
