"Crap!"
"Elizabeth Cooper! What have I told you about foul language, young lady? Go to your room!"
"Can you shut the hell up, Kevin?" The sound of another dress being chucked at a wardrobe ran through the small apartment, with several sighs and curses from the matchbox bedroom at the end of the almost-not-a-hallway. "I spent eighteen years with my mother and now you choose to remind me of her, when I've finally gotten rid of hearing her annoying voice inside my head?"
Kevin Keller appeared in the doorway of Betty Cooper's bedroom, smiling mockingly at the flustered blonde standing in a sea of dresses, skirts and blouses scattered all over her bedroom. "To be fair, you didn't see her for the last five years. I thought you'd appreciate the reminder."
"Not now, Kevin," muttered Betty under her breath, flinging a random white blouse to the other end of the room, trying to search in vain for something to wear. With Veronica Lodge's wedding just two days away, she'd demanded that Betty, as her Maid of Honour, put in an appearance prior to the day so that her dress and last minute arrangements could be sorted out, as well as her dance with the Best Man, whom Betty had yet to even meet, let alone know his name.
Kevin's smirk disappeared as he navigated his way towards Betty, plucking a white, pearl embellished pencil dress from the floor and handing it to her. "There, won't that be sufficient for Veronica?"
Betty sighed, and shook her head, dropping the dress back into the never-ending pile around her. As much as men tried to help women with clothing, they never seemed to be any help. "Kevin, that dress is long. I don't want to trip over my own feet as I walk."
"Then I don't understand, Betty. What the hell are you looking for to wear? It's only a small party, right? What does Veronica expect you to show up in, a clown outfit?" He searched around the room before producing a black cocktail dress that consisted of mesh sleeves and a twine belt around the waist. "There, won't Ronnie be happy with this? It's simple, elegant, and you won't be tripping over your own feet - although you do that half the time, so I would be concerned for your dance partner at the wedding..."
"Kev!" Betty gently smacked him on his arm as she took the dress from him. Although it was a few years old, it had served her well at the few parties she'd attended and interviews for jobs. Veronica said to be elegant, after all...
"Thanks!" she called to him as she vanished into the bathroom, blowing a kiss to him. she changed quickly into the dress and applied a little makeup, knowing that she needed to look good after not seeing her best friend for five years, even though they'd had a hearty farewell for her, not to mention the absence of one notable person from her goodbye party...
Betty shook her head quickly, reminding herself not to go there. The past was the past, and when she'd left Riverdale, she'd promised herself she would leave it all behind her and make her future the brightest. After all, five years in New York and she'd already obtained her degree in Journalism, with intentions of coming back for her honours the following year. Her decision to leave had seemed much better once she'd enrolled in NYU and found this apartment with reasonable rent, taking into consideration its size.
Her district was small and quaint, with more residential areas than she could count, but the quiet atmosphere allowed for her to continue writing articles uninterrupted, which suited her perfectly. Even though her apartment was tiny, barely managing to contain a kitchenette, bedroom, closet, bathroom (no bathtub) and space for a sofa and TV, she'd survived. She was comfortable (even if she sometimes felt claustrophobic and felt like the walls were closing in on her) and happy.
Money flowed in steadily, with her part-time job at the mechanics shop opposite her building bringing in an good sum (tinkering cars with her long-dead father in her youth had certainly helped) and doing a few shifts at the local bar whenever she could added in any extra she may have needed. Her real passion was journalism, so her actual job of writing articles for an online newspaper and various other magazines they owned allowed her to hone her craft and practise whenever she needed to.
All in all, while it was not the glamourous life of Veronica Lodge, neither the life of someone who lived in squalor, she was happy, content and safe - right now, that was all that mattered to her.
"Betty! We need to leave in two hours, and you still have to get Ronnie a present!"
Betty scowled in the mirror at Kevin's interruption of her thoughts and yelled back that she'd be out in a minute. She swept her newly curled hair into a messy ponytail and ventured out of the bathroom in a second, to find the floor clean of clothing, while Kevin was in her closet, hanging up whatever was in his hands.
"Aw, Kev, you didn't have to clean after me," Betty called to him as she slipped on ballet flats. Kevin didn't say anything in reply besides rearranging some of the clothes he'd hung up and came out of the closet bearing a pair of dark stilettoes, which made Betty groan.
"No Betty, you will wear these. Veronica texted me while you were in the bathroom and insisted," Kevin scolded, brandishing the heels in her face. "You know," he continued, glancing at her outfit, "I'm sure she wouldn't have minded seeing you in your oil-stained overalls and heavy work boots..."
"Looking like a goddamned grease monkey?" Betty sighed once more before changing into the heels, cursing Veronica silently as she wobbled over to Kevin, clutching at his arm for support. "Actually, I'd pay to see Veronica's face if I turn up like that. I'm sure she'd have a heart attack."
She smiled as Kevin laughed, moving quickly around her bedroom and gathering her belongings - laptop, suitcases, bags, her dress for the wedding in a suit cover, a few wedding presents, her cell phone and toiletry case - before joining Kevin in her lounge (it wasn't a lounge by a far stretch) where he gasped at the bags she dragged behind her.
"Betty, how long are you actually planning to stay in Riverdale?"
She played with one of the loose curls in her ponytail, avoiding Kevin's gaze. "Maybe around a month? Or a few months? I'm not really sure..."
Kevin's jaw dropped. "Why are you staying so long, Betty? I thought you'd be leaving a day after the wedding with me."
She shook her head. "Sorry I didn't tell you Kevin, but my mom called last night..." Betty shut her eyes tightly. "...with the intention of making amends for what happened the night before I left...she said she wanted to apologise. Then Ronnie called me and said that she needed someone to look after the Pembrooke while she and Archie were on honeymoon, and that she'd really missed me these past few years and that we needed to spend more time together. I realised there were a lot of loose ends I'd left behind, so now I need to go back and fix whatever damage I'd done."
Kevin nodded to her, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders. He didn't know the exact details of the fight that had panned out between Betty and her mother the day before she'd left, but he knew that if anything had Alice Cooper in it, it was enough to cause damage to someone if she wanted to. And Betty had suffered enough these past years. She needed a rest.
"And what about your jobs?" he asked, knowing how important journalism was to Betty.
"It's all sorted. My boss at the mechanics practically shoved me out of the door when I asked for leave because 'I work there too often', or so she claims. The bar really doesn't need me, so I didn't call them. And I can write articles from anywhere, so long as I have my laptop." Betty hugged Kevin tightly. "I'm sorry Kev, it's just that I've spent so long here that I didn't realise I needed a break or holiday; I haven't taken one since I got here. Maybe staying in Riverdale at Ronnie's for a month or two is what I need."
Kevin pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You've worked too hard you whole life, Betty, and it was always for others. You deserve this break."
Betty broke away from the hug and nodded to Kevin. "Thank you, Kevin, for being such a good friend. I wouldn't have made it in New York without you."
Smiling, he took a suitcase from her and pulled it along with him. "Have you spoken with your landlord, Betty?"
"Mr Turner just took a sort of 'reservation fee' from me when I told him I'd be gone for a while. He refused to take the next few month's rent even though that's the policy for all other tenants..."
"You have everyone wrapped around your little finger, Betty, even your cranky old landlord. What a women you are, Betty Cooper, what a woman."
Betty blushed before ushering him out of the apartment and locking it behind her, following Kevin down to his car parked on the busy street below - where they'd stop off at a small boutique to buy white roses and a stunning marble vase to put them in for Veronica, before making their way to Riverdale.
"Betty!" Veronica's excited shriek reached her at the bottom of the elevator in the Pembrooke as she pulled along her bags, Kevin in tow. The Latina barely gave her a minute to set her bags down as she engulfed her in a tight hug. "I'm so happy you could make it, girl! We're going to have so much fun..."
Veronica pulled back to examine her friend, noting the new hair and slimmer, tougher figure. "You're looking good, B."
But Betty's attention was drawn to Veronica's stomach, where a small bump lay. "V, are you...?"
"Pregnant?" Veronica supplied with a small smile. "Yes! I just found out about a month ago and I'm going three months strong. Archie was so happy."
Betty hugged her friend once more, trying to ignore the nausea building up in her stomach and the sudden dizziness she felt. Don't go there Betty, don't go there.
She forced a smile onto her face as she turned back to face her long-time friend. Be happy for Veronica, it's her baby, she deserves this happiness in her life.
Betty prayed her smile was sincere and not strained as she told Veronica, "I'm so happy for you, V. I really am."
"Thank you Betty. Come, let me help you with your bags." She ignored Betty's protests that she was pregnant and shouldn't strain herself. "Honestly," she grumbled, "if only my useless fiancé would show his head, I'd have some help carting Betty's bags upstairs!" She yelled the last part.
"Ronnie, I'm not useless." The notable redhead appeared at Veronica's elbow, a grin on his face as he appraised Betty and hugged her with just as much enthusiasm as Veronica had.
"Arch! It's been ages since I've seen you!" Betty cried as she wrapped herself around Archie. "How have you been?"
"I'm good Betty, and you? It looks like New York has been treating you well."
Betty nodded her head as she pulled away from Archie, grabbing a duffel bag from Veronica, ignoring the glares the raven-headed girl gave her as she walked towards the lift. "What can I say? New York is New York. The city is different from a small town, and I think the time away did me good." Yes, leaving my demons behind in Riverdale and running away was the best thing for me to do. Betty tried not to wince as her mind filled in the unsaid words.
After Kevin greeted the couple, he and Betty made themselves at home in the two spare rooms they'd been given to use while staying there. Veronica immediately dragged Betty for a tour around the penthouse, showing her all the additions she'd made.
"What with Mom moving up to stay in London and get away from all the mess, and Dad in prison, she told me to take over the Pembrooke and use it as a home," Veronica explained as she led Betty to the master bedroom.
"Archie and I are in here," she said with a flourish at the gold and black room that was very Lodge-like, consisting of a huge king bed and nightstands, a couch and desk and chair at one end. A tall bookshelf served as a place for the few trashy romance novels Veronica occasionally indulged in, and an entire wall was dedicated to housing the couple's walk-in closet. All in all, the penthouse seemed homier and warmer than when Hiram and Hermione had originally lived in it.
Betty followed Veronica to the spare room Kevin was currently occupying, showing her the medium-sized boxes stacked in a dusty corner of the room.
"That," she began, pointing to the mountain of cardboard, "is all my old baby furniture. Archie and I immediately went online and researched furniture stores. Buttons and Bows is some small boutique that does custom made furniture, so I'm ordering from them, and this pile," she again indicated the piles of boxes, "is going to charity."
"So, this is to be the nursery then?" asked Betty, eyeing Kevin's small suitcase next to the nightstand and the wallpaper, which had changed from the stronger silvers and blacks of the penthouse's colour scheme, to a lighter, softer lilac with small lace flowers.
Veronica nodded. "I know it's untidy but it's still in the works." A smile flashed on her face. "Archie and I are so excited for this baby. He's been lonely for a long time, missing his Dad and Mom, even though she meets up with us twice or thrice a year." She placed her hands on her protruding abdomen, her eyes misty and reflecting her contentment and happiness. (She failed to notice Betty surreptitiously wiping away a lone tear that trailed down her cheek.)
Betty patted Veronica's back and reiterated what she'd said earlier. "I'm happy for you V. This child will be so lucky to grow up and have you and Archie as parents."
Veronica led them out of Kevin's room and made her way towards the kitchen, where a tray containing a steaming pot of tea and cups, as well as a generous serving of carrot cake, lay.
"So, B, tell me all about your New York years. You're no longer a town girl, you're a city girl."
Betty laughed lightly, and her attention drew to the neglected white roses and complementary gift-wrapped vase on the table. "Oh, V, I almost forgot! These are for you," she said, waving a hand towards the gift. "White roses, especially for the bride. And to say thank you for having Kevin and I."
"Thanks, Betty. You shouldn't have bothered, really. I don't need a gift to say thank you for hosting you. It's part of being my BFF." Veronica turned her head towards the tea tray. "Now, what do you say we indulge in this heavenly cake that simply begging to be eaten?"
It was all the convincing Betty needed before she settled in an armchair opposite Veronica, sipping away at tea, as they caught up on all the things she'd missed while she'd been away.
(She didn't question the noticeable failure of Veronica to mention a certain beanie-wearing boy. She was secretly grateful.)
"So, you're hosting your Bachelorette party at the speak easy?" Betty cross-questioned Veronica as they ate dinner, a tasty salmon fillet with a side of tomatoes prepared by the chef she'd hired after Hermione had left for London. Kevin was away at a party one of his old high school friends he'd known, but Betty had forgotten about.
It was almost as if she was relearning the town she'd grown up in - as if she were a stranger in her childhood home.
Veronica frowned as Archie tugged her champagne flute away from her, a knowing glint in his eyes. She flipped him off as she swallowed a forkful of salad. "I thought I'd make it sort of a memory thing, you know? We haven't seen some of our high school friends in ages, so I've invited Josie, Toni, Ethel, Cheryl - the whole gang will finally be back together!"
"I'm sorry that I couldn't organise it, V." Betty was regretful that she hadn't been close to her best friend for the better part of five years, yet Veronica acted as if nothing had changed. She appreciated Veronica's efforts, and even though she'd kept in contact with her and Archie while she'd been away, it didn't excuse her poor performance as Veronica's best friend.
"It's alright, Betty. It's hard studying and maintaining a degree, trust me, I know." Veronica began attacking the crispy baguette left out by the chef. "You were really passionate about journalism. It was only expected that you went down that route."
You didn't mention the fact that I left you all behind. Betty ignored her conscience as she changed the subject.
"How's Cheryl, by the way? You didn't mention what she was up to."
(She pretended not to notice the concerned look passed between Veronica and Archie.)
Veronica waved her fork in the air. "She's currently housing Toni in Thistlehouse and taking care of Nana Rose. Her mother is...well, I don't know where her mother has been of lately."
Betty had to mentally stop herself from moaning as she ate another bite of the salmon. She was seriously considering stealing Veronica's chef and taking her back to New York with her. "And Toni? Their gang is still up and running, right? The Pretty Poisons?"
Veronica smirked. "Yes, it very much is. So much so..."
"That my delightful wife-to-be decided to join not one month before we discovered her pregnancy," Archie interjected, smiling as Veronica pushed up her sleeve to show Betty a small, pink rose tattooed on her upper left arm.
"What about the Serpents? And FP?" And Jughead? Betty was sure both of them had understood the unasked question in her words.
(She also pretended not to notice the awkward looks Archie and Veronica gave each other before turning stiffly back to her.)
"The Serpents still help with law-enforcement, assisting FP when they can, and I've managed to get them proper homes built on the trailer park land. Not exactly palatial, but it's home to them."
"That's wonderful, V. And..."
"As for FP," continued Veronica, stabbing at her salmon now, "he's still in Elm Street with Jellybean. Rumour has it Gladys found a guy and married him somewhere in Toledo. She visits from time to time, but...he's heartbroken. You can see it." Her eyes did not meet Betty's gaze.
Betty nodded solemnly, trying to ignore the subtle reminder in Veronica's words: she'd broken Jughead's heart the day she'd left him and went to the city. That clearly meant, in Veronica's book, that she held no right to ask about him and his affairs.
There was no further mention of the Jones's or the Serpents for the rest of the evening, even when they discussed the drug problem still running through the town. It seemed Jingle-jangle had reared its ugly head again, while the Fizzle Rocks trade, started initially by Hiram Lodge, had somehow appeared slowly in the Southside.
"Who's the new dealer?" asked Betty as they dug into dessert, a fluffy Baked Alaska.
"No one knows for sure," Veronica said, her words somewhat mumbled as she said them around mouthfuls of dessert. "FP and the sheriff's office have been having a hard time trying to crack this mystery. But whoever they are, they're just reintroducing the same evil back into the town, which is even worse, considering how good Riverdale has been doing recently."
"Maybe it's something you can investigate while you're here, Betty?" suggested Archie. "After all, you were the Nancy Drew of the town back in your day."
"I'll think about it." Betty nodded. "I'm going to be here for two months anyway, so what am I going to do to pass the time?"
"Aren't you still writing articles for The New York Times?" Veronica asked, sipping at a glass of water. "Can't you write from here as well?"
"Or you could join The Register..." Archie's words struck some sort of chord in Betty, nearly causing her to topple over in her chair as she hurriedly got up.
"What's wrong, B?" Veronica's worried voice reached Betty as she ran to the apartment door and snagged her coat off the coat stand by the door.
"I forgot, I'd promised my mother I'd see her today," Betty replied, pulling on her boots. She was about to step out the door when she realised - she had no idea where her mother was staying now. She turned back to Veronica, embarrassed. "Do you know where she's staying now? Is she still at the Five Seasons?"
"No, Betty." Veronica shook her head. "She's with FP."
"At our old house?" The shock failed to register with Betty. "But I thought she didn't want to stay there anymore..."
"Jellybean is there as well," supplied Archie, who got a sharp elbow in the ribs from Veronica at saying this. "That hurt, Ronnie..." he whined, before following her gaze to Betty's sad face. "Oh."
Veronica stood up and went over to Betty, seating her down on the couch. "Are you okay, Betty?"
"No, V." Betty's gaze was drawn towards a small loose thread on the carpet below her, shaking her head slowly. "I just...I didn't realise I'd left so much behind when I'd left for New York, that I'd left so many people high and dry..."
"You needed a new start, B," said Veronica in a soothing tone, wrapping her arms around Betty. "Your Dad had died, your Mom was missing and had been found, everything around you was falling apart...you did what you needed to do. You saw that you needed a new beginning, a new start, and you took that opportunity."
"All I did was what a coward would have done: run away. I didn't stop for one second to think about how my departure would affect people. I didn't think about you, or Archie, or my family...I was only in for myself. And that was selfish of me."
"You've done so much for others," Archie said, placing a hand on Betty's back. "You gave up so much, never thinking about yourself for one second. It was only natural that one day, you'd look after yourself before anyone else."
"New York has done you good, Betty." Veronica smiled comfortingly as Betty pulled away from her and wiped her eyes with her hand. "You had a new start there and see where it got you. You've grown into a wonderful woman, who's cultivated her skills and personality. You've become better at what you do. So, take this as another chance to start over in Riverdale. See it as a silver lining, not as a red herring."
"What about my history here?" Betty sniffled noisily. "I can't just go and run into my mother's arms and pretend she didn't throw me out of the house before I left..." And I can't just go to FP's house and pretend that I didn't break his son's heart.
"Forgive, but don't forget. That's my motto." A small grin from Archie. "You can't ignore the past, but don't let it stop you from going forward."
"Do you want me to drive you to FP's?" asked Veronica tentatively, watching as Betty graciously accepted a tissue from Archie and wiped her face.
"Better now than never, right?" Betty answered in a shaky voice, standing up.
Veronica nodded and went to change from her t-shirt and pants into a warmer dress and boots. As they were about to leave and say goodbye, Archie's phone rang. He smiled apologetically to the girls, before answering.
"Hey, it's Archie." His face lit up in a smile at the caller's voice. "Oh my god! Dude, is that really you? You can make it? Are you sure?" Muttered words from the other end made Archie's smile even wider. "That's great! Well...yes, yes. Of course! No worries at all. Keep in touch." He ended the call with a smirk on his face.
"Who was that, Archiekins?" asked Veronica, a suspicious look on her face.
"Just another addition to the guest list, Ronnie. I'll tell you later." Betty and Veronica exchanged puzzled looks over the triumphant expression on Archie's face, but dismissed it to the fact that maybe the new guest was some relative he'd been trying to invite for months.
"I'll see you later, Arch," Veronica said, kissing him on his cheek. "We should be back by, say, 10 latest? I can't seem to stay up late nowadays."
Archie waved goodbye, sighing in relief as the door shut behind his fiancé. He glanced at his phone before sending a text message to Veronica.
Jughead is coming to the wedding. As my Best Man.
He couldn't help but laugh at her response.
Shit.
That'll be perfect for B.
Somehow, Ronnie - I have a feeling all will be well.
Little did he know how soon things would change - for the worse.