Chapter 43: Awkward New Years: PT. 1

A few days later after Fred's unexpected visit. Hermione came over to help Alice pick out her wedding dress. The wedding was a month and half away.

"Al, Fred and I said our sorries! We didn't mean to... um... that in your hot tub." Hermione explained, hoping Alice would finally let it go.

Alice squinted her eyes trying to get the image out of her head. She didn't want to keep replaying that vivid image her mind. She had seen too much of them.

She held up her hand to stop her," Okay, I get it! I don't need a play by play!" She uttered quickly to stop her.

Hermione's cheeks blushed up," Okay..." She said quietly, helping Alice hang the decorations.

Alice grabbed the box of decorations, thrusting them into Hermione's arms." Here take these to the table in the living room for Betty to hang up."

Hermione nods her head before disappearing into the other room to find Betty flustered. She set the box on the coffee table and then stood up on top of the couch to give Betty some help.

"Here you go. Just a little higher." Betty looked over her shoulder slightly to see who was helping.

She noticed it was Hermione. She lifted the string lights a little closer to the window. She then stepped down from the ladder." Thank you, Ms. Gomez."

Betty didn't know the awkwardness of that night, she and her friends were out at La Bonne Nuit enjoying cocktails and getting their New Year's kisses. As of today was celebrating Betty's birthday.

"Happy Birthday, Betty." Hermione said as she handed her the punch bowl. Betty smiled as she scooped some punch into her cup. "Thanks, Ms. Gomez." She took a sip from her cup and saw Jughead heading over to them.

"Betty, Ms. Gomez, you look very lovely today." Betty blushed and took his hand into hers.

"Thank you, Jughead." Hermione said as she took a sip from her cup. "I like the suit."

"Dad made me wear this--" His sentence was cut short by a pinch to his arm. "And the birthday girl." He added bashfully, still wincing inside his head from the pinch.

"And I think he looks handsome." Betty says as she pecked his cheek.

The doorbell rang breaking their conversation as Betty walks away to answer the door. When she opens the door, she's met with Archie and Veronica. Betty held the door open for them and took the gift bag from Vee.

"V!" Betty hollered causing Veronica to hug her arms around Betty's petite form.

Veronica looked around the room and smiled. She was quite impressed that Betty organized this all herself without her and Cheryl's guidance. She remembered the day Betty asked her mom if she could host a party for her seventeenth birthday.

...THREE MONTHS AGO...

Betty sat in her room, contemplating whether she should have a birthday bash for her seventeenth. It had been a few months since Jughead's birthday and things have calmed down after Koel was returned to them.

"Mom!" She hollered. A few seconds later, her mother stood outside her door, looking at her. "Yes, Betty? What is that you need?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something." Alice walked over to her daughter's bed and sat down at the edge of the mattress.

"What is it? I have a lot to do today. FP needs to go to the barber, JB has soccer and Jughead has to train for his writing competition in a few weeks. I also have laundry." Alice said kinda impatient. She didn't mean to sound that way. She was running on a few hours a asleep. It was making her cranky and hard to be around.

"I was wondering if I could have a birthday party this year." Her mother made a face. "I don't know, Betty. After everything this year, I'm not really in the mood to plan a party. I'm sorry, Betty, but it's a no."

Betty pouted at that and then an idea popped into her head." What if I do all the planning myself, hiring a caterer so you don't need to make food or supply any beverages? If I do that, then can I have the party?" She asked.

Alice didn't mind the idea if Betty would do all the work and the effort to pull this party off. She didn't see a problem with the party. She would have to talk to FP about it since it was his house too and FP had issues with parties. Ever since Koel was kidnapped FP's tethered to keep gatherings small and only close family friends. She didn't bother with the subject back then. She could understand what he was going through. She went through it too.

Koel's disappearance took a toll on their lives and relationship. She also still had the fear in the back in her head. It only had been three months since Koel came back to them. Her fears still haunted her even now.

She took a breath and then looked over at her daughter's smiling eyes. "I don't see why not." Betty squealed. "Thank you, thank you!" Alice smiled at her daughter's excitement. She couldn't turndown her offer to do it all herself. "I'll just have to talk to FP about it."

"Yeah, I understand. Thank you, Mom!" Alice left Betty's room and still heard her dancing around. She chuckled to herself. She never heard a girl being happy to plan her own event. All she had to now was make sure FP didn't reject the party idea. "You're welcome, Baby."

Later that night after dinner, Alice waited until he was in a good mood before she brought up the news. When Alice found him he was sitting on the couch, watching a show on the T.V. sporting a drink in his hand. She walked over to her lover and kissed him gently on his lips, directing his attention from the screen, long enough to search her eyes.

"I know that look." He said as he grabbed the remote and paused it without taking his eyes off hers. "That's 'I have something to ask' look, now what is it?" Alice sighed as she sat right next to him on the couch and looked down at her hands and then back up at him.

"Betty wants to throw a party for her 17th." She decided to just go out with it and hope for the best.

FP sighed." I don't know if that is a good idea, Alice... After the last party, I'm not sure if we would throw a party.

"She said she'll do all the planning and hiring a caterer. I know we have the wedding coming up in a few months from now. But Betty really wants this, FP. I've never seen her so dedicated to something since her begging Hal for her old cat, caramel." She saw his frown." Come on, FP. Please?"

He looked down at his hands than took Alice's hand and placed his hand over hers making a fist." I guess she can throw her party." He sighed as she kissed his cheek. "Thank you! I'll tell her tomorrow morning before she goes to school." She turned her attention on him now." Now, I have something to thank you for." He looked at her with curiosity.

"Oh, Yeah?" He bit his lip, slowly as he teased her.

She hummed as she carefully lowered herself on his lap, straddling her hips around him. She brought her lips to his, slowly kissing at a slow pace before deepen. His hands slowly went up her shirt and her hands caressed his hair. She moaned into his mouth before teasing him by rocking her hips against his lap.

"I like that. Keep doing that." He moaned against her lips.

.Present...

"This is amazing, Betty!" Veronica complemented as she looked around with clear shock in her voice.

"Thanks, Vee!" She said as a small smile formed on her lips before she took a sip from her punch in her cup.

Alice welcomed in her guests as she handed them samples on a tray from the kitchen. She was very impressed with what Betty pulled off in such a short notice. Her daughter hounded at the delivery caterers for being late. FP walked into the house, holding onto Koel after a day at the daycare. He figured that since Alice and him worked today that being him to the local trusted daycare would be beneficial.

Of course Alice and FP did a lot research before they sent their baby boy to the daycare center. They weren't going to make any mistakes this time. The kidnapping was an eye-opener for them both. Maybe it wasn't a good one, but it showed them how awful this world could be.

Alice spotted her son in FP's arms and quickly handed off the tray to someone else. She walked over to him and Koel. FP chuckled lightly as Alice practically snatched him from his arms before he could even say hi.

"Hi, Baby. Did you miss Mommy?" Alice cooed affectionately to the small child. She carefully hugged his little body against her and kissed his small forehead, causing him to giggle. "Yes, you did, you missed Mommy!"

"Kayla said he was very good today. He played with blocks and sat still during the sing-long for most of it." FP informed Alice on what Kayla, the daycare manager told him.

Alice smiled." That's what Mommy loves to hear." She said before turning to FP," That's really good. How about we change him and get the present that we got for Betty?" FP nods as he followed her.

When they returned Betty was by the cookie platter, secretly handing them off to her boyfriend who had a few more than he told her. FP shook his head at his son with an eye roll. His son usually ate all the food at the party.

"Betty, Alice and I have a gift for you." Betty looked up from the cookies in shock.

"Wow, really?" He nodded his head. "Where is it?" All he did was walk away, Betty turned to her boyfriend, Jughead shrugged with confusion in his eyes as well.

Betty and Jughead followed the two adults outside the house and over to the garage. Alice gave him the cue and he pressed the button on the remote. Betty's eyes went wide as the garage down started rolling up and revealed a brand-new shiny looking car.

"You bought me a car?!" Exclaimed the seventeen-year-old. Both adults nodded their eyes and smiled at Betty's face.

"Happy Birthday, Kiddo!" FP said as he watched her smile light up.