Betty was watching Archie move about his bedroom to dress for his Saturday morning at the gym. They'd finalized the designs for the remodel of the second level, but Archie didn't yet have the time to do the work. As a result, they continued to sleep in his room each night. Truthfully, Betty didn't mind. There was something comforting about sleeping in the bedroom he grew up in.
"The twins are so excited for their lessons with Uncle Archie," Betty sat up in bed with the sheet wrapped around her torso.
"I'm excited to get back into teaching," he found his shoes and sat at the end of the bed to lace them up, "We used to run clinics at the college during the off season. The kids were so much fun to work with."
Betty moved to the end of the bed to rest her chin on Archie's shoulder, "Polly's coming over for dinner, but I've been begging for some auntie/nephew/niece time, so I get to pick up the kids after their lesson."
Archie tilted his head to rest against hers, "You sure you'll be up to it?" He knew how tired she could get throughout the day, and the kids were high-strung on a mild day.
"So far, so good," she smiled, teasingly tickling the nape of his neck.
Archie glanced at the clock and groaned. He had to leave in a few minutes to set things up at the gym, but he'd really like nothing more than to spend the day in bed with Betty.
Just as he was about to leave, Betty's phone rang. "It's Polly. I hope she's not cancelling tonight...Hey, Polly, what's up?"
"Betty, I completely forgot I have to open the store this morning," Polly sounded a bit frantic, "Is there any way you can take the twins to their boxing lesson today?"
"Yeah, sure," Betty replied, "I was going to swing by at the end anyways to pick them up and spend the afternoon with them. A few extra hours won't hurt."
"Thanks, Betty," Polly stated, "I'll drop them off on my way to work."
"I'll be dressed and ready to go," Betty assured her.
Archie waited until she hung up, "You sure you'll be okay with them?"
"If I need reinforcements, I'll give Cher and Toni a call," she promised. "Cher feels as deprived of her auntie time as much I have been."
"No picking them up," he reminded her, "The doc gave you weight lifting restrictions, remember?"
"I promise," Betty nodded. "I love you."
"I love you too," he gave her a quick kiss and then was out the door.
Betty quickly dressed and was ready when Polly dropped off the twins. She tossed a few crackers into her bag just in case. Her morning sickness seemed to have subsided, but she wanted to be prepared just in case.
"Are you two ready to punch heavy bags today?" Betty asked the two children who looked up to her with adoring eyes.
"Uh huh," they bobbed their heads in unison, with Dagwood adding, "Uncle Archie is really good. Mommy said so."
"Uncle Archie is a very good boxer," Betty tapped his nose playfully, "And he's going to be a great teacher for both of you."
"Are you going to learn with us, Aunt Betty?" Juniper asked.
"Not today. Today is just for munchkins," Betty smiled.
"Did Uncle Archie learn when he was a munchkin?" Juniper asked, tripping a bit over the word 'munchkin'.
"He did. His dad taught him," Betty smiled, remembering when she watched Fred showing Archie the right way to throw a punch from her bedroom, back when he first had a punching bag hung in his room.
"Come on, Aunt Betty, let's go," Dagwood tugged eagerly on her hand, "We don't want to be late."
"Okay, I'm coming," Betty smiled, putting them into the backseat and making sure they were securely buckled up before she started her drive.
It was a short drive, and there were several other cars parked in front of Archie's gym. Ladies were getting out, dressed in their best outfits, their makeup and hair expertly done.
"What the heck?" Betty muttered to herself as she looked down at her own outfit. She'd thrown on the first pair of stretchy pants and shirt she could find, ran a brush through her hair, and didn't even bother with makeup. "Who the heck are they trying to impress?"
The twins must have heard her because, Juniper stated, "Those ladies dress like that during t-ball practice too. Mommy says it's because our coach is really yummy."
"Really? Is that what mommy said?" Betty snickered.
"Yep, she said that to Audra's mommy," Juniper replied.
Betty smiled and then paused on that thought. They couldn't be trying to impress Archie, could they?
She escorted the twins into the gym and was hit by the humidity of the interior.
"It's hot in here," Dagwood said immediately.
"Uncle Archie," Juniper ran over and launched herself into his arms.
"Hey, guys," Archie carried Juniper over as he greeted both Betty and Dagwood.
"It's a bit sticky in here today," Betty noted the way Archie's shirt was already starting to clinch to his body.
"Yeah, the A/C went out sometime overnight. Sweet Pea called the repair guy. He should be here by the afternoon," Archie explained. "It's going to be a bit warm, but it's not that bad in here. I'll just make sure the kids are well hydrated. Are you staying to watch, Betty?"
"Yeah, it seems like the other parental units appear to be staying, so I will too," Betty noted the moms gathering in the bleacher seats. It looked like an episode of the Real Housewives of Riverdale with the way everyone was dressed to the nines.
"I have an extra water bottle in my office. Why don't you grab it and fill it up at the faucet? I'd hate for you to get dehydrated while watching us," Archie suggested with a wink.
"You're so sweet," Betty smiled at him before she looked down at her niece and nephew, "Are you guys good to go here?"
They both nodded and Betty went to retrieve the water bottle and fill it up. When she got back to the bleachers and found a seat, she was surprised to hear the conversations around her had nothing to do with the kids and everything to do with their instructor.
There were a lot of inappropriate comments that Betty did her best to ignore, but all bets were off when Archie lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face and revealed his rock hard abs to the masses.
"Oh my," one of the woman gasped, "I bet you can do laundry on those things. Wow."
"Forget laundry, I'd love to have the opportunity run my tongue up and down them," another woman said.
"I'd leave my husband in the dust for just five minutes in the office with him," yet another chimed in.
Betty could take no more, "Okay, ladies, perhaps you should all hit the showers to cool off. That man you're ogling like a piece of meat happens to be my boyfriend. I'd appreciate you refraining from further comments, or I'll rip out your tongues and stomp on them."
"You're going out with him," one of the more heavy made up women who reminded Betty of Penelope Blossom said as she gave Betty's attire the once over.
"Yes, I am," Betty looked at her with her arms crossed. She hoped she appeared confident. She knew these types of women. They loved to find any sort of flaw and then unleash filth that made Betty's stomach turn.
"Sure, you are," the woman snorted, "And I'm the Queen of the Nile."
Betty turned to see the kids coming towards them, having obviously been dismissed for the day. Betty strode with determination towards Archie. They'd been keeping their relationship low key because of Louis, but that was over now. As Betty approached him, she said, "Just go with it." Archie looked like he was going to ask a follow-up question when Betty wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with everything she had. He was thrown for a loop but managed to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her closer.
She could hear the kids giggling around them as they kissed and had to laugh herself when Juniper started singing 'K-I-S-S-I-N-G' as they broke away.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that all about?" Archie asked as they swayed slightly.
"Staking my claim," Betty motioned towards the women with their jaws nearly on the floor. "You should hear what some of those women said about you. Trust me, I did this for your benefit as much as mine."
"Well, then, we should leave no doubt," Archie laid another kiss on her.
All the kids broke out in another round of giggles as they joined Juniper in singing another round of the K-I-S-S-I-N-G song.
Betty squealed a little when Archie lifted her off the ground, still kissing.
"Want anything from Pop's? I can bring it back for you," she asked him.
"Nah, I've got everything I want right here," he continued to nibble at her lips.
"Well, the twins worked up quite an appetite, so I'm taking them for some grub. If you change your mind, shoot me a text," she smiled. "Are you going to be here much longer?"
"Just until the repair guy arrives and hopefully fixes whatever is wrong with the A/C unit," he shrugged, "The night manager should be here around three, so no later than that."
"Perfect," she smiled, "Are you up for grilling tonight?"
"Absolutely," he bobbed his head.
"See you then," she pulled away slightly, patting his back end as the last of the women continued watching them. Archie caught her hand just before she was out of reach and brought her back into him.
"You're playing with fire, Betty Cooper," he hissed.
"Yes, I am," she grinned as she offered one final kiss and then claimed the twins.
"All right you two," Betty stared the twins down as they had lunch at Pop's. Pop had greeted Betty and the twins with a wide smile and a quarter for each kid to chose a song from the jukebox. They'd finally joined Betty in the booth and ordered lunch. Pop had just delivered their shakes. "We need to have a little talk."
"Did we do something wrong, Aunt Betty?" Juniper looked like she might tear up.
"No, Sweetie," Betty assured her, "We just need to talk about something serious. It's about what you saw at the gym today between me and Uncle Archie."
"You mean all the kissing," Juniper puckered up and made the kissing noise.
"Yes, all the kissing," Betty laughed. "That is a secret, so you can't tell your mom."
"Mommy says we can't keep secrets from her," Dagwood chimed in, "She says secrets are bad."
"You won't have to keep this secret for too long," Betty assured them, "And it's only wrong if you have to lie about it. If Mommy asks if you saw Aunt Betty and Uncle Archie kissing each other, then yes, you should tell her the truth. If she doesn't ask, you don't need to say anything."
The siblings traded hesitant looks.
"How about some ice cream after you eat your burgers," Betty was not beyond bribing her niece and nephew.
The twins bobbed their heads as Pop set down their meals.
"Thanks, Pop," Betty smiled.
"Can I get you anything else?" he asked.
"Not at the moment, but I promised these two some ice cream after they finish their burgers," Betty replied.
"Trying to give them a sugar rush?" Pop chuckled, "I hope you're handing them back to Polly right after."
"Nope, they're all mine for the day," Betty replied, "I'm sure Archie can wear them down later. They had their first boxing lesson this morning."
"You're learning from the best," Pop stated as he went to wait on other tables.
"How come Uncle Archie is the best?" Dagwood asked with a mouth full of burger.
"Because Uncle Archie won a national championship this year, which makes him the best boxer in his weight class in college," Betty explained, "He even got named 'Most Outstanding Boxer'. That makes him the best of all the boxers in college. It was a very big deal."
"Did he win a medal like they do in the Olympics?" Juniper asked.
"He won a medal and a trophy," Betty replied, "He keeps the trophy at the gym. The medal is on a shelf in Archie's office at home. I bet if you ask real nice, he'll show it to you, maybe even let you put it on."
"Really?" the kids' eyes widened in excitement.
"Yep," Betty smiled.
After they finished their burgers, shakes, and ice cream, Betty drove the twins back to her place so they could have some fun together. Like Pop warned, the ice cream had given the kids the sugar rush that seemed like it wouldn't end. All Betty wanted to do was curl up on the sofa and take a nap.
"Uncle Archie," Juniper greeted him when he came through the door an hour after they got home.
"Hey, Squirt," Archie bent down to give her a quick hug, "You two did so well in class today. Did you have fun?"
"Yep," Dagwood bobbed his head as he took his turn hugging Archie, "We get to do it again next week."
"You sure do," Archie chuckled, "Did you have fun with Aunt Betty this afternoon?"
"Yep, we had burgers, shakes, and ice cream," Juniper rocked on her feet.
"You look a bit worn out, Betts," Archie noted when Betty came into the entryway.
"I forgot how much energy these two have," Betty patted their heads.
"Aunt Betty says if we ask nicely, you'll show us your medal," Juniper replied.
"My medal?" Archie lifted a brow.
"Your national championship medal," Betty amended, "They were so eager to tell Pop that you were giving them boxing lessons, and Pop told them that you were the best person to teach them. They asked why you were the best, so I told them it was because you won the national championship."
"Then I guess we'll have to show it off," Archie smiled, "Give me ten minutes to shower and change. The gym got a bit stickier before the repair guy showed up. I didn't want to hang around after he fixed it."
"Go," Betty shoved him towards the stairs.
As Betty heard the shower running upstairs, the kids kept themselves busy will the coloring she'd convinced them to do for a few moments of quiet. She snuck upstairs just as Archie was leaving the bathroom in her bedroom with a towel wrapped around his hips. "I have the best timing," she admired the view as she plopped down on his bed.
Archie chuckled as he pulled clothes from his drawers.
"For your information, we have to play it a bit cool for the rest of the day," Betty relaxed as she watched him dress, "I think I have the twins convinced that they don't have to tell their mom that you and I kissed at the gym, but we'd best not give them any reminders."
"Do you really think we need to keep Polly in the dark on our relationship?" he frowned.
"I just don't want to risk it. The more people who find out, the more people who can accidentally blab it to someone else," Betty sighed, "I know Polly wouldn't do it on purpose. It's just too risky with Louis, the Slime out there."
"Is that his nickname for the week?" Archie snorted.
"Yeah, it probably won't stick. There are far worse titles he's earned," Betty groaned.
"We'll keep things casual, but the minute Polly and the twins are out the door I'm going to unleash all my repressed feelings," he warned her.
"Sounds like it's going to be a good night," Betty giggled. "Good thing we've got tomorrow off. Sounds like we'll need time to recover."
"Or more time to unleash my repressed feelings," he winked as he pulled on his shirt.
"Deal," Betty rose from the bed and pecked at his lips quickly before going back downstairs to check on the twins. She was just in time as Polly rang the doorbell just as Betty hit the landing. "You're earlier than I expected."
"My boss let me off early," Polly replied, "It was a slow day, and when I told her I had big plans with my sister and kids, she practically shoved me out the door. I wasn't going to complain since I've worked nearly fifty hours this week."
"Mommy," Juniper ran to hug her mom, "We had so much fun today. Did you know Uncle Archie is a national champion? He's going to let us wear his medal."
"I did know that," Polly smiled.
"And Pop says he's the best to teach us how to box," Dagwood chimed in as he demonstrated quickly what they'd learned so far.
"And Uncle Archie taught us that we can't hit people when we aren't at the gym and there isn't anyone to referee for us," Juniper added.
The twins continued to ramble off all the lessons they'd learned that day as Archie came down the stairs.
"Sounds like the lessons are a big hit," Polly greeted Archie with a hug.
"They did great for the first day," Archie patted each twin's head, "I know they're only going to get better."
"Can we wear your medal yet, Uncle Archie?" Juniper rocked back and forth on her heels as she tried to look as cute and innocent as possible.
"Whoa, man, that's a Betty Cooper move if I've ever seen one," Archie was instantly transported back to their childhood and watching Betty do the same thing.
"Oh, wow, I'd totally forgotten she used to do that," Polly laughed.
"Can we, Uncle Archie?" Juniper continued to rock as her eyelashes batted.
"Of course you can," Archie lifted Juniper into his arms and tossed her over his shoulder like she weighed practically nothing. Juniper giggles carried her all the way to Archie's office where Archie pulled his medal off the shelf and showed it off to the twins.
"Man, those kids need a good male role model," Polly climbed onto a stool in the kitchen as Betty worked on getting the hamburgers shaped for dinner.
"You really haven't dated much since Jason," Betty noted, "At least not that I've seen. I was away at college for a few years."
"Nothing's change," Polly told her, "I guess part of me feels like I'd be betraying Jason and the twins."
"Polls, you know that's not the case," Betty wanted to reach for her sister's hand but it was covered in raw hamburger, "I'm sure Jason would want you to be happy."
"I don't know what Jason would have wanted," Polly sighed heavily, "I know he wanted to be a better dad to his kids than his father was to him, and he agreed to marry me. Sometimes I wonder if he agreed to marry me only because I was pregnant, or if there was more to our relationship. What I felt for him, for me it was real."
"It was for him too, Polly," Betty replied.
"I wish I knew for sure, but I'll never know, not really," Polly frowned, "Even Cheryl didn't know what was in his heart."
"Polly, he was leaving his family and everything he'd ever known behind to be a family with you," Betty quickly washed her hands so she could comfort her sister.
"God, how did we get from Archie's medal to me being a weepy, sobby mess?" Polly pushed away the tears.
"Years of pushing your grief aside," Betty replied.
"Probably," Polly mopped up the rest of the tears.
"It's time, Polly," Betty gave her hand a squeeze, "It's time to allow yourself to grieve, and it's time to allow yourself to move on. Until then, you can use Archie as the good male role model for the twins."
"Thanks, Betty," Polly gave her a hug before Betty returned to continue shaping the patties of meat.
Dagwood came running into the kitchen with Archie's medal around his neck, "Look at me, Mom. I'm going to be a national champion when I grow up."
"Then you'd better listen to everything Archie says," Polly kissed the top of her son's head. "You'd better bring that back to Archie. He'll be mad if you lose it."
Dagwood ran back into the office to give his medal back to Archie. Just as Betty was finishing up with the burgers, Juniper came running in to make the same proclamation.
"Archie is going to be a busy trainer with those two," Betty laughed as Juniper returned to the office to give the medal back.
"Alright, National Champ, let's put those grilling skills to use," Betty shoved the plate of raw burgers at him when he entered the kitchen with a Cheshire grin.
It was no surprise that Juniper and Dagwood wanted to help Archie get dinner cooked.
It was a struggle for Betty and Archie to keep their hands to themselves throughout the meal and afterwards, but the twins seemed to have kept their secret. It wasn't until Polly and the twins were safely on their way home, when Archie chased Betty upstairs, much to her delight.
TBC…