Jug or Forsythe as she called him was the only boy who never saw her daughter as a girl, he didn't like girls, but well, he was different around her. Not nice as in boy nice to girl but nice as in friend to friend nice. So, why did she now feel queasy to leave her daughter, her youngest daughter alone at home ? While they left to visit friends in New York and stay over the weekend, would she do something she dreaded as a Mom ?
But then, wasn't it her life ? Betty would turn 18 after she graduated from school. Jug was five months older, in other words he was already 18, so he could make his decisions for himself, but now ? Could she trust him to make the right decision about her daughter ? She needed to talk this out with her husband before she or rather the two of them, faced Betty.
"Hal..." she called, Mr. Cooper whipped around, she called him by name only when things were urgent "Dear, we need to talk."
Mr. Cooper listened quietly to his wife, he put his arm around her and pressed her. "I understand, Alice." he gazed at the floor "Dear, I know this is a difficult time for both of us but we have to trust her, we have to trust Ann to make the right decision and we have to trust him." he turned to his wife.
Mr. and Mrs. Cooper used their daughter's middle name when discussing her among themselves, it was a dear name. Mrs. Cooper's mother was Mrs. Anna Cooper. She was Betty's godmother.
A tear slid down her slightly wrinkled cheeks "I know Dear, it's just..." she closed her eyes, the emotions too much for her "I...I don't want my baby to be hurt." and she broke down.
She returned home from softball practice, make that coaching. The school's top girl athelete, she filled in for a female coach since 2009 when budgets got too tight for a female coach. The results spoke for themselves, Riverdale High was the district champion in women sports. "Hi Mom, Hi Dad !" she beamed as she walked in, she dropped her mom a kiss and rushed up the stairs. Mrs. Cooper looked at her husband, he nodded "Let her come down for dinner."
"Boy ! I could eat a bear !" the blonde was bubbly as ever, for once Mrs. Cooper wished that her little tomboy never grew up. She was wearing a dark blue skirt and a baby blue top. Mrs. Cooper smiled, they picked those up on one of their shopping trips. They sat down together for dinner. Betty went on and on about school and her softball team, how they expected to pummel Greendale yada yada. Mr. Cooper threw in some words here and there. "Dad, What's up with Mom ?" Betty asked "Mom ! Did Dad refuse you a candlelight dinner ?" she giggled. Mr. Cooper looked at his wife. Mrs. Cooper looked at her plate and turned to Betty.
"Honey..."
"Yup, Mom !" Betty said as she lifted the lids one by one checking the stuff out. "Your Dad and I were wondering if you would like to come with us to New York." Betty turned to her Mom, a surprised look on her face. "Mom ! I visited New York twice already this year ! Chill ! I will be fine, promise ! Plus everyone's here and ..." she winked "Juggie lives nearby and will be here in notime !"
Mrs. Cooper looked at her husband for help. "Betty, Dear !" Mr. Cooper cleared his throat "You will be graduating soon." Betty nodded "Next month, I can't believe Dad ! It's really going to happen !"
"Dear, your Mom and I were having a talk about you..." Betty knitted her eyebrows "and young Forsythe." she turned to her Mom. "No, Dear !" her Mom shook her head "He is a very good boy, I can't believe that it's been over a year and you haven't cried even once ! You are always so happy with him !" she smiled at her daughter. She reached out and held her hand "It's just..." she took a deep breath.
"Honey, you are our baby. Our youngest and well...I mean we are really sorry that you two will be parting so soon and..." she groped for words.
Betty turned to her Dad for help.
Mr. Cooper reached out and squeezed her hand "Dear ! We trust you, just do the right thing." he nodded. Mrs. Cooper looked into his eyes, he closed his eyes and just nodded at her.
Betty kissed her Dad and her Mom and hugged her. "Mom, Dad ! You both love me so much, you know everything which happened between me and Archie and then me and Juggie." she sighed "I know Mom, We both, me and Juggie, don't think we will be able to make this work long distance but before I leave for college, I just..." she pulled away from her Mom and closed her eyes, her hands in tight fists. Her parents looked at her with concern. "I just want to be happy. Mom ! Dad ! I...I can't promise whether I will do everything right or not but...but I ask you to understand me, please !"
Her Mom hugged her, her Dad laid a hand on her shoulder and nodded. They ate their meal in silence.
Early next morning, the senior Coopers left for New York. Betty spent the morning going through her checklist for college, making sure everything is in order, she fed Caramel, brushed her coat. She was going to do the laundry when her cell rang.
"Is this Ms. Elizabeth A. Cooper speaking ?"
"Please state your business before I can proceed."
"Please ask Ms. Cooper what her plans are for the weekend."
"Securing that information requires your plans for the weekend."
"Please inform her that mine are quite flexible and can be amended to her demands."
"It seems as you have no plans."
"Oh ! Not really ! If she is not available I can easily secure a date with her best friend."
"But isn't her best friend already almost engaged with your best friend ?"
"So was Ms. Cooper until she became more acquainted with me !"
"Wipe that grin from your face Juggie !"
Jug laughed out loud "You are really jealous you know that ! How did you know I was grinning ?"
"I know you inside out. Oh ! Sorry ! You must be getting late for your date with Ron ! I won't keep you waiting ! Bye !"
"Hey ! Hey Betts ! Wait !" Jug yelled "Simmer down, OK ! So, what are you upto ?"
"Doing the laundry." she said, as she hauled the clothes to the machine.
"Need help ?" Jug offered.
"Since when have you been doing laundry ?" she asked, opening the machine's lid.
"I press my own clothes." he said.
"Yeah ! Right !" she said as she piled in the clothes "Why do I get the feeling that you are hungry ?"
"You know me !" he smiled "So, when do I come over ?"
He was there within five minutes. "So ! Where are the cookies ?" he said rubbing his hands.
"Ha ! I knew you, old mooch ! Helping with laundry huh !"
And then it was her turn to be surprised as he loaded the clothes into the dryer and made himself scarce by keeping himself in the basement till the cycle was completed. "Where do you want me to dump them ?" he asked.
She got the load from him, her cheeks red. What was she thinking ? There were two women in the house and here was Jug doing their laundry. He just smiled.
He joined her in the kitchen and set about making the perfect lunch, it had to be when you had the two biggest foodies of Riverdale in one kitchen.
"So ?" she asked.
"So so ?" he asked.
"So so so ?"
"So so so so ?"
"Juggie !"
"Well, you started it !" he grinned. She pouted and went about dicing the vegetables. "Did you start packing yet ?" she asked. "We still have one month to go, Betty" he said "Let's not talk about that for now." he said, preparing the sauce "Let's make the most of it."
They talked about their families, their friends, Jellybean, Polly, Chick, Hotdog. Everything except themselves, they understood.
Whenever they ate at her house or his, it was always with the TV or a movie or videos on the comp but now, now for the first time, they sat across each other on the table. "This does feel a little funny." he said "I know." she said "You know Juggie" she took a deep breath before she could continue.
"Ron told me something yesterday." she continued "She said that Mr. Lodge could arrange for your scholarship if..." she stopped, he raised his eyes to hers.
"Columbia rejected me, Betty." he said. "I know, Juggie...it's just...Maybe you know, maybe MIT or Harvard..." Ron's offer, although in the air, gave her hope. Maybe things would be easier if they were on the same coast, they could still see each other every weekend, right ?
"I understand, Angel." he said "Let's talk on this after we finish."
If someone would have seen them then, they would have been mistaken for a couple with 10 years behind them. Indeed they were often taken as such on their many outings, the almost psychic bond they shared, unnerved many.
They lay on her bed, her walls were cleared of Archie long back. She still had those pics, just stashed away though, she couldn't bring herself to return them. It would be too hard on Archie.
"I can't take Mr. Lodge's offer, Betty." he said.
She looked into his eyes, her eyes pleading. He caressed her lips with his thumb. "We won't have much time, Betty. Believe me when I say that I too feel sad that it has to be like this but being coasts apart will make things easier than being in different univs on the same coast."
"How can you say that ?" she asked, amazed.
"Betty, if we are on the same coast, we will always have this thing in the back of our minds that you or I just live a four or five hour drive away. All the planning and everything to get together will still fail. If we are coasts apart." he hugged her closer "At least we will remember each other, more often." he smiled.
She wept silently on his chest, first Archie, then Jughead. Maybe she was never meant to be happy. Jug held her quietly, outside, the sun slowly spproached the horizon.
"Feeling sleepy ?" he asked her. "Don't go." she said. "I will be downstairs." he said. "No" she reached up and kissed him "Sleep with me."
"Betty !"
"Juggie, this is something which we should have done long ago."
"Betty, I love you, but...but..." he started.
"Don't..." she laid a finger on his lips "I don't know whether our love will last Jug, despite all our promises...I just...I just want this to happen. Don't lie to me Jug, you want me too."
If someone had told Betty that she would first make love to Jug even a year ago, she would have thought him or her to be crazy.
If someone had told Jug that he would first make love to Betty even a year ago, he would have thought him or her to be crazy.
Life is crazy.
He was gentle, afraid almost, as if he was handling a baby. His fingers touched lightly, trembling, before they became firm. There was a storm in her mind, all those years she fantasised about doing this with Archie and here she was doing it instead with his best friend, with her best friend !
"You are beautiful !" he regarded her as she was born. "Even in my dreams..." he kissed her.
He hovered above her, "Betty, are you sure ?" he asked, looking into her eyes.
"Juggie..." she said, her hand reached behind his neck, pulling him down, her breathing intense.
He brought his mouth near her ear and said "If something happens to you, if you get hurt, I swear I will never forgive myself."
He looked into her eyes again "I love you, Betty."
They slept together in each other's arms that night. Hunger, home forgotten. They were in each other's arms.
Jug woke up sometime and looked at Betty by his side, he smiled, kissed her forehead and pulled her closer.
Betty woke up sometime too and looked at Jug by her side, she smiled kissed his cheek and snuggled closer.
Nothing had changed, yet so much had changed. They grew up together, knew each other's darkest fears, secret hopes, were the best of friends, fought, quarelled and even loved. And yet, it was as if everything was to be all over again.
What are best friends for ?