Chapter 9- Open Letter

Archie feels Fp's and Betty's eyes digging into him for answers. Fp keeps waiting for answers. Betty wants to know what he's talking too. She thought he left again after the riots. She still can't believe Jughead lived through his injuries. He was inches away from dying. She cried so hard as she waited for him to get out of surgery. Her mother was normal than and she was there to comfort her. She misses those days more than anything now.

"He got into some trouble. He won't say but he's protecting me from the Ghoulies." Fp wanted to know what Joaquin did and he wanted to know now. But he had to himself calm and collected.

He sighs as he rubbed a hand over his face," You to be kidding? Just stay low and don't get into any trouble, Red." He offered some words of advice.

Betty agreed as she held the phone to her ear," We'll get you out of here, Arch. I promise we will do everything it takes to get you out of here."

In the tin-trailer, Gladys was tidying the trailer up. She grabbed three boxes off the table and brought them into their bedroom. As she set them down on their king-sized bed, a little pink envelope fell out.

Her hands carefully glide along the name. A name she knew too well. Her husband loves Alice. She's known this for years, but she thought his love for her had died. Apparently it didn't. Why else would be carry a letter with her name written on it?

She was still curious so she opens the letter. Before she knew it, her heart froze." Alice, I want to say I'm sorry for how I acted at Pop's, last night was amazing and I was afraid of getting hurt again. After all these years I still love you and I'll never stop loving you. Maybe we can talk after the musical if you're still interested? Love Always FP Jones." She shut the letter with a few tears rolling down her cheeks.

Was she just a toy to him? He would be back soon and she would confront then but for now she was going to mourn.

By three P.M, FP reaches his trailer, Betty trailing behind him. He can still feel her tense up every time she thinks about her mom. He can't blame her for being angry, to be honest he was angry with her as well.

"What is this?!" His wife snarls as she slapped the paper down on the table in front of him.

FP stops dead in his tracks, his feet glued to the carpet as she looks at him with daggers. He keeps his eyes at the pink envelope with her name written on top. His breathing hitched as it gets caught in his throat. He can feel the room growing stolic as the tension grows deeper within the small condensed room.

A few breathless seconds go by, he finally opens his mouth," Where did you get yet?" He tried snatch it back from her but she was quicker then he was.

She pointed her finger called a dagger," I found it! Now tell me why her name is on it?!" She started shouting as she angrily waved her finger around.

"Gladys…. please let me explain…" She shakes her head at him. "No! Why?! Why do you have this?! When did you hook up with her?!" Now his mind was was crowned. It was hookups, plural. He wasn't ashamed for what he felt with Alice.

"I have it because! I love her! I love her, Gladys and I'm sorry." He shouted without even looking back at Betty.

Betty stood there astonished. Mr. Jones was in love with her mother. She always had a feeling but now it was real. He really said the words. "You what?!" She heard Glady's voice crack.

"It's true. I do love her. I'm sorry…" FP says as he stepped closer to his wife. Gladys shakes her head. This can't be right. He's really leaving her.

Then the door opened," You told him." They all turn to look who just entered the trailer.

FP looks over at the door, his son was staring at his mother. What was he saying? He was confused. "Told me what?" Jughead notices the look on his dad's face and moves further into the room.

"Jug, don't." His mother warns as he takes a shortcut into his room and came back.

FP looked at his son and, then at his wife. He was growing more angry and frustrated by the second. Betty could see the looks and eyes her boyfriend.

"She's four months pregnant, and your not the father!" Jughead finally snaps, his closes mouth and watches his father's expression change.

FP looks at his wife with cold eyes and then back his son. His son nods his head before adding," I found out by a bill and she tried to have me lie to you." He hisses and FP wants to punch a wall.

His wife had an affair before he did. He was so hurt by what she had done and the fact she was trying to make their son lie for her only made him more angry.

He sees his wife flinch and her hand instantly goes to her stomach. "Tell me he's lying?! Not that you cheated on me and you think have the right to be angry with me for sleeping with Alice!"

Gladys bites her tongue," I-I— I'm sorry." She says as her eyes become watery. She takes a breath," I was lonely and—-"

He holds up his hand and shakes his head, "And that gives you the right to cheat on me m?!" He's gritting his teeth together.

"Oh the fact she wouldn't let me stay with her, she thought I would tell." His eyes flash to his son. "Was that too, Gladys?" She nods her head, clearly ashamed." Woww…"

"FP… I'm sorry. I was wrong for getting angry with you about the letter and—-" Gladys was interrupted by her son.

"A letter? What letter?" Jughead joined in and Betty's flickered at him. He picked the letter off the table and began to read it. "Ohh… you wrote one for Ms. Smith…?" He asks his father as he looks at him.

FP slowly nods his head. He didn't want his son mad at him. He never intended to act on his feelings. "Yeah…" He said sheepishly, slightly blushing a rosy color.

"Mr. Jones…" He looked at Betty and sighed." It's okay. You and my mom have history and even had a son together."

"Wait you and Alice?!" Gladys shouted, "He's dead, Gladys!" FP spits back and she withdrew her daggers.

She had no clue and almost felt bad for him. She never liked Alice but losing a kid must hurt. Jughead looked at Betty and then it all seemed to click. Charles was his dad's son… that meant..

"He was my brother…" He slowly asked his father. He could tell his dad was about to break.

Without thinking, FP just gets up and walks out of the room. He doesn't bother looking back, or throwing her stuff outside. All he wants is to drink. He wants Alice and only her. But where is she? He has no fucking clue.