Alice turned to watch FP walk up to her house with a squint of her eyes. She took in a deep breath before touching a hand to her forehead before following after him. She caught up when he stopped just in front of the door, waiting for her to allow him to enter. Alice opened it and FP offered to let her in first, but she stayed behind and he sighed, stepping inside.
Mrs. Cooper closed the door behind her and what she witnessed caused her heart to jump. Chic turned the corner from the hall near the bathroom as he stepped out and turned to see FP for the first time. Alice and Betty stood by, watching them as they looked at each other for a moment with awe-struck eyes. It was him. They both knew it. They both felt it. Joy took over both of them and they rushed to each other for a long awaited hug. Alice felt her soul whirling inside as she had never seen anything like it. That hole in her heart was slowly filling in again and she began to feel light headed as she couldn't help but smile near the front door.
FP pat Chic on the back several times before they finally broke the hug and smiled at each other with a handshake. "Chic." He said with a grin.
The twenty-two year old let out a small breath of air. "Dad." It flowed right off his tongue with little effort.
"It's good to see you, my boy." FP said, still holding Chic's hand after shaking it. "It's GREAT to see you." He corrected, hugging Chic once more. "Listen..." He pulled out of the hug, leaning down a bit to stare into Chic's eyes with pained ones. "...I'm so sorry about everything. About not being there. If I had known, things would've been different. Better. I would've chosen to keep you in my life."
Chic nodded, tearing up himself. "It's okay." He weakly smiled when FP put a hand on his cheek. "I understand." He whispered before they hugged once more. "You're here now." They pat each other on the back again.
Alice forced her tears of contentment to disappear and she stepped into the living room, pointing to the platter on the coffee table. "I put out some snacks for you two." She choked out. "Betty and I will give you some time alone." She sniffled, walking passed her son and his father, taking Betty by the hand and leading her into the kitchen.
"Does Dad know about this little meeting?" Elizabeth whispered when they were just out of ear shot. She stopped at the kitchen table, putting her hands on the back of one of the chairs.
"Your father doesn't want to speak to me right now." Alice answered as she went over to the sink, starting to work on the dishes.
"And why not?" Betty interrogated.
"Because we had a little fight. Okay, Betty?" Her mother responded, rolling up her sleeves.
"A 'little' fight or a big one?" The teen looked over her shoulder at FP and Chic taking their seats in the living room. "Was it about this little meeting?" She assumed before stopping and recalling yesterday. "Or FP?"
"What about FP, Betty?" Mrs. Cooper kept her back to her daughter.
"You two...In the trailer...Yesterday?" Elizabeth continued.
Her consistency caused her mother to drop a plate in the side of the sink filled with water and she slightly turned to look at Betty. "You know what...in the short version, yes, our fight was about FP and I in the trailer."
"You told him?" Betty crossed her arms over her chest.
"No, Elizabeth. FP told him. Alright? And that's all you need to know." She shook her head and continued to do the dishes.
Betty walked around the table to get closer to her mother so they could speak more without fearing the other two hearing them. "And this is why Dad fired you?" She assumed again.
Alice fought the urge to look her daughter in the eye so close beside her. "Something like that."
"And whatever happened to you keeping FP a secret from Chic?"
Alice dropped another dish in the water before turning her head a bit. "Well, that plan kind of foiled because SOMEONE told FP the truth about Chic visiting us. And I have no idea who...Hm. Was it you, Betty Cooper?" Alice made her own assumption.
"What? No! I don't even wanna talk to that man. Let alone tell him YOUR dirty secrets. He must've found out someho-" She paused before mumbling to herself. "Jughead." She sighed as she briefly closed her eyes.
Alice sighed as well as she understood what Betty just realized. "You see?" She said as she continued to wash the dish she had just dropped. "This is why you shouldn't tell your boyfriend everything."
"Oh, really, Mom? You're gonna judge me on my teen love life drama?" She moved in closer to her mother. "What about yours? The biggest mishaps from yours are right there in that living room and they're both eating off of our cheese platter."
"You know what, Elizabeth. You're right. But you better watch that tone with me or you're gonna end up with another slap in the face. And this time, I will not apologize for it." She hurried up with the dishes as Betty backed away and angrily shook her head, running up to her bedroom.
After finishing the dishes, Alice dried her hands and leaned her back against the counter, putting her head in her hands as she felt the weight of a thousand problems started twenty years ago finally catching up to her. She rubbed the side of her temples, closing her eyes and picturing her life a bit differently.
Out in the living room, she accidentally overheard some of the conversation. "So..." Came from Chic's voice. "Mrs. Cooper told me you used to be a Southside Serpent."
"Did she?" FP replied. "Did she tell you that she was, too?"
"Yeah. But Betty said she left for some unknown reason. Any chance you'd know what that reason was?"
In the kitchen, Alice closed her eyes, shaking her head at FP for not averting this topic and for further exploring it.
"There's a few reasons why." FP responded as he grabbed a few slices of cheese.
"And what about you? Why did you leave? Weren't you the leader at some point?" Chic wondered.
"I, uh..." His dad hesitated. "I still am."
"Still am what? Their leader?" Chic watched as FP nodded. "How? If you're not a Serpent anymore, then-?
"I didn't leave them." Forsythe finally admitted.
Alice's eyes teared up in the other room and she couldn't stop herself from walking out into the living room to interrupt. "I'm sorry. Um...FP? Can I see you for a minute?"
FP and Chic looked behind them at the woman standing near the hallway by the kitchen. "No." He answered.
"Please?" She gave him a look that caused him to sigh and stand, following her into the hallway where they stood near the bathroom door.
"What?" He asked in a whisper, already anxious to go back to Chic.
"You're still a Serpent?" She asked with her arms folded over her chest in disappointment. "What happened to trying to get your life together?" She whispered.
"Well...it turns out I can't exactly do that at the moment." He tried to walk back, but she grabbed his arm, pulling him back and closer to her.
"And why not?" She looked up into his brown eyes, trying her best not to get lost in them.
"Since when do you control me, Alice? I don't have to run things by you. You're the one who didn't want me. Remember?"
He started for the living room again, but once Alice spoke, he stopped with a roll of his eyes. "That's not what I mean. I just...I just want things to work out for you." She looked down at his lips before looking back up into his eyes. "Don't forget...I did tell you that I still love you."
He rolled his eyes again. "Yeah...How could I forget?" He stopped when they heard Betty coming down the stairs. They each turned their heads to see if anyone was coming as Betty's voice grew louder when she stepped into the living room, asking Chic if he wanted a drink. FP looked back to Alice to continue. "How could I forget that you chose Hal over me anyway?"
He turned to leave again and Alice squeezed his arm tighter, stepping into him so their chests almost made contact. "I'm choosing you." She said with panic in her tone.
"What?" He looked down at her with confusion.
Alice gazed down at his lips once more before slowly mumbling just loud enough for him to hear. "I choose...you." She brought her other hand up to hold his other arm as she leaned up, slowly bringing her lips centimeters from his. "Hal and I are getting divorced." She quietly whispered, slightly parting her lips to touch his.
Just as the skin of their lips brushed against one another's, they heard the front door open and Hal and Polly stepped in with two crying babies as both Alice and FP sighed, moving away from each other.