Chapter Nine: Let's Go Back To The Start and Towards The End


It felt like going back in time as Jellybean walked from school.

Riverdale was a small town, with its oddities of town stuff only in its borders. Jellybean could see the appeal that someone would like to live in, seeing its peacefulness. It has been month's since her mom's death and the pain was still somewhat dulling itself away in her heart. Jellybean still was trying. She really was.

She still went back and forth to her dad's trailer on the weekends while living with the Andrews. It was her new normal as the school days turned to summer days for Jellybean. Summer in Riverdale was hanging out with Nancy and Jinx, teaching her dad and Uncle Fred how to draw cartoons and watch old eighties movies to her heart's content. It was a good summer for Jones went to the cemetery to talk to her mom. Usually about life, the daily goings of Riverdale, her family and the mischief they cause.

"And then, Uncle Fred threw a water balloon at Mr. Lodge. It was supposed to hit dad but he ducked at the last second and ended up soaking Mr. Lodge. After that it was full-blown war, Hiram accidentally aimed it at Auntie Sierra and then it was Team Fred-Sierra vs Team Hiram-FP. Alice ended up on Uncle Fred's side so Aunt Mary ended up on Dad's side, they both said it was an act of a traitor, or at least that's what dad was going to say before Alice threw a water balloon at his face. It was so funny, I got it on tape, almost lost it when a ballon got me, missed the camera because I protected it."

She sat criss-cross on the grassy area where Gladys Jones was laid to rest.

The stories that she told her mom ranged from the daily doses of her time with Uncle Fred, being on the Southside with her dad, school and spending time with her other pseudo aunts and uncles. It was somewhat peaceful to chat with her mom, telling her about her life. She wondered if her mom was watching everything, maybe she was laughing about the water balloon fight too?

"Well, that happened on Saturday." She said out loud. "We'll be celebrating aunt Mary's birthday, well today actually. It's going to be a surprise party, I drew a lot of stuff for the decorations. Anyway, Dad has the job to keep Aunt Mary occupied while all of us fix the house for the party. Mrs. Lodge and Alice wanted to take over to decorate everything but Uncle Fred put a stop to them and put himself as the boss for the prepping of the party."

She looked around, knowing it was dumb considering she was the only one in the area of the old cemetery. Sometimes when she was here, she got the feeling that her mom was here even if it did sound silly.

"I should get going, mom. I've got to help put everything together for the party and then go help Dad no blow the cover story if he calls that is. I'll see you next week." She said the last part with a smile. "I'll bring more flowers, next time."

She made her way to the entrance where she left her bike parked. An end of the year gift from her Dad, she was still painting it with Uncle Fred, only the front of it done. It was covered in blue, paint at the moment with fading pink on the other half, waiting to be covered in blue paint. She pushed and rode off, away from the cemetery.


"SURPRISE!"

Mary's face was one of literal surprise and joy, seeing everyone jump out of their hiding spots when she came into the living room with FP right in front of her. Toni, who helped with setting up along with Fangs and Sweet Pea, took pictures.

Fred gave her a hug along with Archie and Jellybean.

The celebration for Mary's party commenced as everyone chatted, danced and ate, all having a good time. Jellybean seemed to marvel at the sight of it all, as she finished the final touches of her sketch. It was a present for her aunt, something she had been working on for over a month. She had to be careful though, the paint and a couch did not mix well if knocked over. So, she carefully added the color to the spots and ran back upstairs to let it dry when Archie called out that dinner was going to be served.


"This one's from us Mary," Hiram said, as Veronica handed the large present to the redheaded. Opening it, Mary laughed.

It was a rather large snow globe of Chicago. Mary used to collect snowglobes when she was a kid, always trying to get as many as she could. The wackier or the prettier, the better she told Jellybean this once.

"Thank you."

Presents after presents were opened, Jellybean quickly ran back upstairs to get hers after dinner and was now waiting for her turn to give. She had the painting framed, a small one but she hoped her aunt liked it.

Carefully, she handed the rather crudely wrapped present to her aunt, mumbling about how sorry she was for the wrapping. Mary opened it and gasped.

"Oh Jellybean," she murmured, tracing a finger over the painting. She showed it to everyone, they all "oooh" and "aaaaah" at the gift.

The sketch that took a month to do, was of the Twin Peaks famous sign, but instead, it had most of the Riverdale landscape. Mary got up and hugged Jellybean.

"I love it. Thank you, sweetie," She said to her.


After the presents were all opened, the cake was cut and the adults took refuge in the living room while the teenagers went outside. They could hear laughter and yells of "Archie!" or "Jughead don't you dare!" with bouts of laughter.

The adults were all chatting, wine, beer or in FP's case-a glass of strawberry lemonade in hand. They were looking through a scrapbook Jellybean left out after showing it to Kevin and Betty. They were passing the pictures that were on the table and the book itself.

The pictures were one's from Gladys computer that Jellybean finally managed to print and some old photos from dusty albums that Jellybean finally opened after months of delaying it. Some of the other pictures were from Jellybean's time in Riverdale and some back in Toledo, that Gladys took. There was one of a young looking FP and Gladys from the time they graduated High School, FP seemed to be waving his arms wildly while Gladys had her head thrown back in laughter.

Another was one of sixteen-year-old Gladys with Sierra, Mary and Hiram dressed up as characters from Twin Peaks. Hermione laughed while showing everyone the picture. Mary and Hiram looked like they wanted to burn it as everyone laughed.

"Who were you guys dressed up as?" Alice asked as she took the picture to get a better look.

Hiram rolled his eyes. "I was dressed up as FBI agent Cooper, Gladys was Laura Palmer-" Mary pipped up. "I was Audrey Horne and Sierra was Donna Hayward."

Sierra shook her head. "We look like-"

"Nerds?" Hermione piped up, with Alice snorting. "Ha ha ha, hilarious," Mary said dryly.

Still, they kept looking through the scrapbook when Fred spoke up. "It feels like decades ago, uh?" They all murmured in agreement. They could all agree that it felt like the end of something but the beginning of another chapter for each of them in their lives.

Maybe it was.

Maybe this was the end of a sad chapter, with Gladys and a new one filled with happiness. It would be what their old friend would have wanted. Nothing more and nothing less with a new beginning, so they looked for it in this small town with her daughter leading it on.


NOTES: THE END! Wow, I'm so happy yet sad it ended. But I think this was somehow the end of Jellybean's story-well mine in this case. Glad everyone loved this story and stuck with it from beginning to end. Don't worry, I'll be back with another story a-la Riverdale soon!