Chapter 26: Fundamentals
Even though Alice and FP were getting along there were fundamentals that She had to endure. Her ultrasound appointment had been scheduled for next week Friday. She and FP decided to find out their baby's genial and both parties were ecstatic. She hoped one day FP would finally forgive her. Everything had been rocky between them over her lying. Only one thing she could do was to wait for it to pan-out. By average Alice felt as if her world was spinning in circles.
That was until one day a knock awoke her from her daily nap time. Ever since she got pregnant her days consisted of multiple naps to keep her baby growing healthy. Her doctor, Shan explained that sleeping more helps regulate your sleeping arrangements. Because once the baby comes, She'll have to adapt to getting little-to-no sleep for the next few months.
Three weeks after Jellybean's dance recital when knocking at her front door woke sleepy Alice. She groggily began paddling her feet on the floorboards and went to answer the door. Once she opened the door. She was quick to notice FP standing there with a weary expression on his face.
"FP? What are you doing here?" Alice asked as her eyes scanned for a reason.
FP's face stayed unreadable. "I need a favor."
Alice sighed." Sure. What is it?"
FP looked behind him and said," JB caught a cold and Fred and I need to go out of town for two days. I really need someone to watch her.
Another minute later, JB showed. Alice immediately saw the flush color in Jellybean's cheek and her eyes panned with empathy.
"Dad." She coughed," I don't need a babysitter. I can watch myself."
Alice and FP both their heads." Nonsense." Alice walked over and raised her hand to touch JB's forehead.
"You feel warm, Sweetie." JB rolled her eyes.
"But Dad, I'm old enough to take care of myself for a couple days." She complained with her arms crossed over her chest.
The mother could see behind JB's bravery. She knew all the tricks because her daughters tried them all out before. FP looked over at his youngest daughter and shook his head.
"No, JB. I'm sorry, but you are not staying home by yourself. Jughead is gone for a camping trip with Archie, Betty and Veronica. Also Abby's parents don't want their little one getting ill, JB."
"I'll be more than happy to take care of JB, FP." FP nodded and JB groaned.
Alice stepped in, gushing over the sick child and quickly took her to the living room. FP followed Alice as she gathered pillows, blankets, humidifier and cough syrup. Jellybean seemed to be over the fact after Alice gave her the WiFi password and she began playing Minecraft on her laptop.
Meanwhile Alice and FP were in the kitchen heating up chicken noodle soup on the stovetop. She gathered the ingredients to make the soup, went over to the sink, filled the pot with water and then placed the pot onto the stove.
As FP watched her effortlessly make his daughter get-well-soon soup with a tray of saltine crackers to dip with. He began to wonder how it would be like if he ever got sick. Would she take care of him like the way she's taking care of his daughter? He really hoped so. He thought of times with Gladys. She wasn't the tender loving caregiver when it came to sickness. It seemed like when she heard their wedding ceremony officiator, the words "Sickness and health" slipped passed her eardrums. When he proposed he clearly didn't think things through and with Alice... his mind was cleared.
She made his world much clearer. It made the fact that she lied much harder to be upset with her. He didn't want to be mad anymore. Sure she made a mistake. A big mistake if had to add on. But people make mistakes. He guessed he could start pushing on through and maybe see forgiveness in his future - their future. Hell she was having his kid.
"Thanks, Al. I really appreciate you doing this --especially when it's this last minute."
Alice turned away from her cooking, looked over in his direction and sent a kind reassuring smile. "It was no problem, FP. Kids get sick. It's nothing we aren't used to."
FP let out a chuckle." I sure hell know that." Alice nodded for him to go on," There was a time with Jughead. We were two hours away from any gas station and Jug decided before we left to eat three large pieces of cake..."
"Oh, no..."
"Yep." FP chuckled again," He puked... I mean puked all across the windshield. Oh, man that reeked so bad."
Alice's face appeared with a sheer look of horror. "Oh, wow that's bad."
"It took me a week to get the stench out! Fred... oh, he gave me a nickname because of it. I told them it was Jug and he said that I didn't need to use my son as a cover."
She chuckled a laugh." That sounds like Fred."
Alice took a short strut over to kitchen table, pulled out a chair and sat down. FP, who sat on the countertop, hopped down and plopped right next to the chair beside hers.
"I have one for you." She began. "Betty had gone over to Midge Klump's for the girl's fourth birthday... and the night she was supposed to spend the night I got a call from her mother. She told me I had to get Betty. It turns out that Betty ended up catching the stomach bug and barfed in their pool."
"Gross."
Alice shakes her head." Oh, it gets worse."
"How much worse could puking in a pool be?"
"Oh, you just wait."
There was a pause before she spoke again. This time Alice had a harder time stopping the chuckles that came along. She got back up, grabbed the can opened, poured the soup into the pot and stirred with the spoon.
"The pool Betty tossed her cookies in, happened to be with her crush at the time..."
"Red?" He received a nod." Oh, man that must've been embarrassing."
"Yes. It had been. My little Betty freaked out as soon as I showed up. And remind you again, she was only four. I'll never forget get the horror on her face."
"Oh! That's right, Jug went to that party. He told me that Archie got puked on girl while in the pool. I can't believe that was Betty." His face lit up with the realization.
"Yeah... Betty made me swear with her pinkie to never mention it."
Once the timer went off, Alice checked on the soup. FP helped by getting the bowls while Alice handed him the soup ladle. After that was finished, FP and Alice headed back to the living room couch to find JB still playing.
"Sweetie, your soup is ready." Her sweet sounding voice traveled as she set down the tray of crackers and soup onto the coffee table.
JB paused her game, shut the screen and placed it on the other side table. Then she proceeded to reach for the soup with both hands. "Thank you." JB said in a hoarse voice.
Alice could hear the hoarseness in her voice and found herself feeling bad for the girl. Getting sick is never fun, especially when you are older and have not yet really grownup.
"Of course."
An hour later, FP's luggage laid against the staircase handrail. With a soft exhale FP grabbed the suitcase and placed it into the bed of his truck. Alice came out with two storage ziplock gallon sized bags filled with homemade fried chicken legs and another had been stuffed with one slice of peach cobbler on a paper plate for the road. She didn't want him to get hungry on the way to the construction buyer event.
FP took the bags that he was given and said." Thanks. I'll enjoy these on the long ride."
The truck horn beeped." FP! We gotta go!" Fred's voice shouted from inside his truck.
FP shook his head as he glared at Fred who seemed to have a smug look on his face. He knew Fred wanted him to confess his feelings. He didn't want to give his friend the satisfaction.
"Hold it, Fred!" He turned back to Alice. "I'm sorry, you know how impatient Fred is."
Alice's head bobbed." Oh, I sure do."
"I'm not in patient! I just like being on time!" Fred defended himself. He honked the horn again." Let's go!"
FP rolled his eyes before sending Alice a smile and his daughter who stood beside her. JB waved her father goodbye.
"Have a safe trip, Daddy!"
FP nodded came over to her and kissed her cheek." I will, Jelly. And you get better soon."
"I'll try, Daddy."
His eyes floated over to Alice's. He wanted to give her a kiss goodbye. So he settled with leaving a soft tender kiss on the side of her cheek. Alice watched as he walked away, got into the truck and waved. She waved back, feeling the heat of her cheeks.
He kissed her on the cheek. It was a start. Maybe it was a new beginning for the two of them. But who knew, only time can tell.