Chapter 55- Rivers Rush Down Steep Slopes
Betty stared at Fp on the floor with tears in her eyes. What happened to her mom? Betty needed to know. She couldn't stop thinking as Fp was carried onto a gurney and was checked. The doctors said it was just the shock. That raised a lot of questions that Betty need to be answered. She looked into his hospital room as tears ran down her cheeks. As she stood in the doorway she saw how stressed he looked. Was the ring shopping to much for his heart? She had a lot of questions. She felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned her head slightly. Jughead was standing next to her. She felt all her courage being ripped from within her. It seemed like her life was like a river that only rushes down.
"Is he awake yet?" He asked in a soft whispered tone. Through the crack in her voice she was only able to shake her head. She had no energy left. He saw her head shake and felt his heart drop. He knew his dad was under stress. "He will don't worry too much, Okay?" He stated softly. She looked into his eyes. They were full of trust.
"Ok-ay." She says through her voice cracking. He hated watching her fall apart. He thought that this was the end of the surprise. Maybe he was wrong.
In the distance they heard giggles coming from the far left of them. They turned to see Toni and Cheryl holding balloons and stuff animals in their arms. Betty wiped her eyes and walked over to them. Toni and Cheryl noticed everyone was quiet and a hint of sadness in their emotion drained faces.
"Guys, why do you all look like you saw a puppy being shot?" Cheryl asked observing their faces. Veronica uncurled herself from Archie's body. She had dried on tears on her cheeks. She got up and hugged Cheryl and Toni.
"Uh well the twins were born. Her mother's doctor came out and told us that it was a girl and a boy. The girls name is Aubree Rose Jones. But they didn't have a boy name. Cause something happened. She said she wouldn't say. She also addressed that it was up to Fp. And Fp is passed out right now. We don't know when he will wake up." Veronica explained as she wiped her cheeks with her sleeves. Cheryl absorbed the information and felt her heart drop to her stomach. This couldn't be happening. She dropped the stuff bear from her hands and tears fell from her eyes.
"What no! This wasn't supposed to happen." She cried. Betty knew how much Cheryl grew to care about her family. It was hard to watch Cheryl break down.
"Cher, come here. He will be okay and they didn't say a thing about mom. I'm so scared." She confessed as she felt Cheryl's arms wrap around her tightly.
Fp felt his eyes burn from the lights in his room. He heard his son and Betty talking outside. Then he heard giggle. He instantly thought it sounded like Alice's. But when he opened his eyes, he got a rude awaking. Then he remembered that Allie was still in surgery.
"Jug?" He called out. Not too long later, his son is by his side. Jughead saw his dad's eyes darken when he mentioned Alice. "Jug, Alice.. something happened after she had the second baby. I don't know what happened. I'm sorry for freaking you guys out. I still haven't been able to sleep that good since you know happened." He explained as his eyes burned from the tears threatening to escape. Jughead felt his throat go dry. Alice was in danger.
"Dad, she's going to pull through. She tough and she wouldn't leave you." He reassured his dad. Fp tried to let his son's words sink in. But his mind was else where.
Hours passed and still no news about Alice. Everyone was getting worried. Fp was allowed to leave the room. The doctors ruled that he didn't have anything wrong, it was just lack of sleep. Fp stared into Alice's room. He was standing in the doorway looking at her. She looked like she was just sleeping. At least he hoped she was just sleeping. He saw a movement in the room, he wasn't sure if it was his mind playing tricks on him or was it for real.
"Allie?" He whispered as he walked up to her bed. He could hear moans of pain and felt tears of happiness ran down his cheeks. "Allie it's me! Open your eyes, baby." He encouraged softly as he grabbed her gently.
Alice felt a soft touch and heard a loud voice. She knew almost immediately that it was Fp. She fluttered her eyes open. He smiled brightly at her. He couldn't believe she was there.
"F-p, I-m Sorry." She apologized as tears glossed up her eyes. His eyes glossed up with tears. He was so unbelievably happy she was alright.
"Oh my god, Allie. I'm just happy your fine. The babies are great. I have been thinking a name. The boy doesn't have blonde hair. He has black just like me." He states as tears rolled down his cheeks. Alice couldn't help but smile through the tears. She didn't mean to make them worry.
"He does?" She says as her voices cracks. He nodded his head. "What name did you pick?" She asked as she felt his fingers wipe her tears away. He cleared his throat.
"I was thinking, Trevor Liam Jones." He replied smiling. She couldn't help but smile back.
"That's cute. How come your good at naming? But you named your son after you?" She teased as she ruffed his hair up. Fp rolled his eyes at her comment.
"Hey that's very offending. Besides that was Gladys's name choice." He stated, with a slight offended tone in his voice. Alice rolled her eyes back at him. She highly doubted it was Gladys's choice. She knew Fp wasn't that smart back then. Her lips curled up slightly.
"Oh really? You think I believe that our dear old friend Gladys picked that name?" She questioned, with curled lips. He let out a sigh. Why did she have to dig up old wounds.
"Yes it was." He sighed and turned his face away. She knew she hit a raw part of him. She didn't mean to.
"Fp, I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just teasing. Why do you have to be so sensitive all the time? What happened to the king I knew?" She lightly teased as she looked him directly in the eyes.
The truth was that he hadn't been sleeping. He did to know how he was going to tell her. He knew that she would get all worried and he didn't want to get her all worked up, especially not after life altering experience he witnessed. Everything had been on the rocks since then. He still struggled with his sobriety and issues. Alice didn't know about his constant nightmares he had been having lately. His eyes went dark and she started having a feeling within her.
"Allie, there's things you don't know about." He says almost too quiet for her to hear. Her heart started pounding her chest. She swallowed the lump down her throat and sucked in some air. The air made it easier to slow the pounding in her chest.
"What things, Fp?" She asked looking up at him. He felt her eyes boring into his soul. She was a perfectional at making people confess. It surprised him that she didn't become a Lawyer instead of a journalist. Before he could open his mouth, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He slipped his hand into the pocket and swiped the screen, answering it. Alice decided it wasn't the right time to interrogate him. She was tired and wanted to see her babies.
He brought his phone to his ear, turning to look at her with apologetic smile and mouthed " I will be back soon." She sighed and turned on her side, now looking at the white wall in front of her.
"Hey, JB." He whispered into the phone, in the quiet Hallway. "Why are you calling?" He asked as he made eye contact with Jughead. He was now staring up at his dad.
"Hey, Dad. I was just calling to ask how the twins are. Jug texted me telling me that they were born. Also, I was wondering if I could come visit this summer." Fp heard his oldest girl ask. He was in total shock. He hadn't seen her in 9 years. He's girl was 14. Jughead couldn't believe his little sister's words.
"That would be great, Jellybean." Fp said, trying to conceal how happy he was to hear her news. He could also hear his daughter's groans at the nickname.
"Dad, it's JB now!" She snapped joking, he could tell that she was trying to hold back her giggles.
"I know, but I miss calling you that, JB. You know your still my little princess." He informed joking, but more serious then before.
"Yes, I know, Dad. Hey can I talk to Jug for a minute?" She asked in a quieter tone. He turned to Jug and mouths," she wants to talk to you." Jughead takes the phone.
Fp goes back into the room, walking up to bed, realizing that she had fallen asleep. He couldn't help but curl up next to her. As he laid next to her, messaging her head with his fingers. He knew it was one of her pet peeves, he felt her shift and swat him in her sleep. "Get your hands off my head, Fp." She mumbles in her sleep. He smirked and kissed her forehead, closing his eyes and drifting off to the sweet sleep he had been craving for months.
Betty was standing outside the nursery, staring at the adorable little babies. She spotted her little brother and sister with no problem. She couldn't wait to be able to hold them in her arms, read them stories and tickling their tiny feet with her fingers. With her eyes glued on two cutest babies, she didn't see the nurses waving at her. She was so tuned into their cute little faces to even hear the nurse's calls. She then felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned her head and smiled.
"Miss, would you like to hold them?" A sweet blonde with short hair asked. Betty smiled and nodded her head.
The nurse opened the door, she followed her up to where they were. The basinets were marked with their names. The first one was labeled Aubree and the second had Trevor. She thought the names described them perfectly. The nurse picked up Aubree, handing her over to Betty. She craddled Aubree gingerly in her arms as she swayed side to side. Little Aubree squirmed in her arms, sticking her little legs out and stretching her arms out wide. Betty could help, she couldn't stop smiling. She loved the feeling of being a big sister. She had all theses feelings poking through her veins. She knew if anybody tried to hurt her or him, she would fight like hell to make sure that never ever happen under her watch. She wanted them to experience the same safe neighborhood, childhood innocents she had when she was a child. Betty was perfectly aware of her surroundings. She wasn't clueless, she just preferred not thinking about it.
"Oh sweet Aubree. I just want you to know that I will fight for you and your brother. You may be 12 minutes older. Just know that I can tell all your secrets and boys that you like all about your embarrassing stories and moments. Also I will kick anybody's little butt, if they try to lay a hand on you." She whispered into her little ears. Aubree responded by sticking out her little tougue. She just started giggle at the little baby in her arms. "I love you so so much, Aubree." She said lovingly as she kissed her lightly on her forehead, staring with an heart-melting smile.
Jughead was watching Betty bonding with the babies. He still had the phone in his hand. He could hear his sister's tone change drastically.
"Jug, I have to tell you something and you can't tell a soul. Can I trust you?" She lowered her voice to a whisper, still sounding dead serious. His heart started to pound a little. What was going on?
"JB, is everything alright?" He asked with his worriedness poking through. He heard a deep sigh drop his sister's mouth.
"I did something bad..." She answered softly. What could she had done? "I'm not sure how to break it to Dad. I know he will be so disappointed in me." She sniffles. He could tell she's crying now.
"JB, you can tell me. What's wrong?" He asked with a protective brother tone in his voice, trying to stay calm. Trying was the key word.
"Juggie, I—m..." Her voice was interrupted by her sobs. He felt his heart ache. What was she trying to tell him? Is she hurt? Did she steal? Thousands of questions were racing through his brain as the silence was killing him.
"Jelly, what's wrong? Your starting to scare me? I won't be mad. Just talk to me." His voice starts being overpowered by worry.
"Juggie, I have to go. I will call you later, Okay." She stated. Before he could say anything else, the line went dead. What was she going to tell him? This was bothering him. His brotherly instincts were all fired up. His mind was still clouded by her tone she used. Why would Dad be disappointed in her?
Archie noticed Jughead's face darken and pale. He knew something was wrong. He got up from his spot and slowly approached him. He touched his shoulder, Jughead responded by almost slapping him in the face. Once he realizes it was just Archie, he stares at him.
"Sorry I didn't mean to react like that. I was just really out of it, man." He apologized softly. Archie could tell that something was bothering him.
"It's okay. What's bothering you?" He asked concerned about Jughead. Jughead sighs and his eyes lowered to the ground.
"I don't know. Jellybean. Who now goes by JB. She called Dad. She asked to come visit over the summer." He stated with a smile. Archie was confused. Why would he sad about it?
"Jug, that's great news. Why you so sad then?" He asks placing his hand on his shoulder. Jughead takes a deep breath and exhales.
"Then she asked to talk with me. She said she had to tell me something. She said I couldn't tell a soul. I felt the brotherly instincts kick in and pleading her to tell me. She started to but she just started sobbing and told me will call me later." He explains as his eyes feel the pain. Archie was just as confused as Jug was.
"That's odd. Well you can tell me and I won't say anything. I have to get going now. Bye Jug see you tomorrow." He says as he hugs him goodbye.
"Okay and bye Arch." Jughead says back and watches Archie take off.
He started walking back to Alice's room. He cracked the door and saw his dad was sound asleep. He placed the his dads phone on the table next to the bed and plugged it in, closing the door behind him.
A couple hours later, while he was in his bed at the trailer his phone rings. He instantly has a pit in his stomach as he sees his sister's picture on his screen. He sits up in bed, swipes the screen to answer. When he realizes it's a FaceTime call. He knows it's very important. When his sister's puffy eyes appear on the screen, his pit gets bigger in his stomach.
"J-ug, I though it was for the best that I did it to face to face. But sinces we are miles away from each other. We had to do it this way." She sighs as she wipes her eyes.
Jug hears the front door open. His dad came in looking for something. Fp spots his son staring at his phone intently. Jughead sees his father and he puts a fake smile on his face.
"Uh, hi Dad. I didn't know you would be home tonight. I had Mr A drop me off so I could get some rest." He responds. He heard his sister gasp and saw her cover her mouth. Fp noticed his son's focused tone. What was it?
"Jug, are you alright?" He asked looking at him with concern showing. Jughead just keeps a fake smile.
"Uh, yeah just tired." He replied softly avoiding his dad's eyes. Fp didn't believe him. But he had to get going. Alice really need stuff from the trailer.
"O-kay, I just came here to grab some stuff. See you tomorrow, Jug." He states still not convinced his son was okay.
"Night, Dad." Jughead yawns, waving as his dad closed the door behind him. He turns back to his phone, Jellybean was still quiet.
"Is he gone?" She whispers quietly. He saw how her eyes lowered low to the ground.
"Yeah, Jelly. Now what were you going to tell me?" He asks softly. Jellybean turned her head, avoiding looking him directly in the eyes.
"Okay... I already told mom and she didn't react well. She told me that I was a disgrace and to get the hell out. She tossed my things outside. That's why I had to go." She started explaining, still not looking him in the eyes. Jug felt his blood boiling. Why would mom do that? This didn't make any sense.
"JB, why would she do that? He asked starting to get impatient with her stalling. He could tell she noticed his face change.
"Juggie, it's hard for me to say this. But I'm going home now. I will be there in Ten hours." She blurted out. Jughead felt his heart rate slow down.
"Oh that's great JB." He exclaimed, excitedly. He stopped smiling, when he saw her face change and tears slid down her cheeks.
"I don't know about that, Juggie." She sighed as tears rolled down her cheeks. He wanted to hug her tight in his arms, but he couldn't do that over the phone.
"Okay, I will see you, tomorrow. I love you, JB." He whispered. He saw her eyes light up.
"I love you, too, Juggie." She said softly back as she wiped her tears from her eyes, blew a kiss, before ending the call.
After the call ended, he get out of bed, heading to the bathroom and got ready for bed. On his journey to the bathroom, he saw the clock in the hall. It was 10 PM, His sister will be here in 10 hours. He brushed his teeth and headed back to his room. Once his head the pillow, his mind was still awake. What was his sister not telling him? It was haunting him. He closed his eyes tightly trying to stop worrying about what Jellybean had to tell him.
Fp was sitting in his truck in the parking lot of the hospital. He couldn't stop wondering what his son was so concerned about. Had it been something he heard? One of the nurses slipped to him that Betty went to visit the babies. This still confused him. Jug wouldn't be sad about that.
He entered Alice's hospital room, she smiled at him. He tried to fake a smile. But she saw right through him. Alice knew something was bothering him.
"Baby, What's is it?" She asked as he sat down next to her. He looks up and sighs.
"I don't know. Something just seemed off when I went to the trailer." He explains. She raised her eyebrow slightly.
"What do you mean off?" She questioned curiously. He turns toward her and lowered his eyes.
"Jughead just seemed very odd. He was staring at his phone intently. I was confused and he was very short with me. I also heard a voice come from his phone. The voice sounded very much like my little girl. I don't know, maybe I'm just very tired, but it sounded like her, Alice." He stated as his voice cracks. She knew that he was just a concerned parent.
"It's fine to be concerned, Fp. That's what parents are most of the time. Sometimes I feel that way with Betty on the southside. It's just a motherly feeling I have. I know that you will protect her and kick anybody's ass if they touch her." She explained with a giggle. He knows she's right.
"I know." He chuckled and laid next to her. He closed his eyes. Alice knew he needed sleep. She heard about his fainting from a few nurses. Ever since she heard that she had been more observant now.
