Cingulomania
Chapter 16
This a work of fanfiction, no copyright infringement is intended. I own nothing pertaining to the Archie Comics/Riverdale universe.
…~*~...
"When the sins of my Father
Weigh down in my soul
And the pain of my Mother
Will not let me go
Well I know there can come fire from the sky
To refine the purest of kings
And even though
I know this fire brings me pain
Even so
And just the same…"
…~*~...
The roaring of motorcycles permeated the small town streets, residents young and old were gathering on the streets to watch the leather clad men ride past the small shops and eateries they'd filed out of. There were only a handful of motorcycle riders in their little semi rural area, they'd known the men by first name, known them based on their occupations and which end of town they resided. Emerald green snakes woven on the back's of the riders gleamed brightly in the sunlight of the Floridian afternoon. Young men with harsh scowls and badass personas sat astride the motorcycles, looking for their President. He was standing in a way that exudes sex appeal and danger. He was the object of many a woman's attention. With his rugged unshaven face, the way his leather fell over her his shoulders and dripped down his muscled back. For the few women that were openly gawking at him, he was the flavor of the day, a rack of ribs sauced and waiting to be devoured.
It'd been a couple of days since the streets of Everglades City were being ridden by the Serpents and their new found comrades, the rowdy townies they'd all grown up with. Jughead had taken to escorting the tall lanky blonde around town on the back of his bike, much to his Dad's dismay. The girl was more trouble than all the Serpents combined, but she sure was pretty as a peach. FP was pissed as hell when he found the two of them naked all over his bed in the dingy motel room he shared with the teenage boy. It was one thing to have a good time with a local girl here and there, but it was an entirely different thing to be banging the girl on your Dad's bed. FP was perplexed by Jughead's behavior as of late, he wanted to slap the taste of the boy's mouth, but he thought better of it. His own Father had tried to beat the piss and vinegar out of him once, it hadn't worked. It only made him more determined to be a punk ass kid. That was when Alice left, pregnant and afraid.
So when it came time for the Serpents to meet up with the wild Florida boys and Jughead hadn't shown up, FP was raging inside. He knew exactly where the boy was and what he was doing. You never put pussy before business, you never put women before the club, and his punk son was doing both. They waited for another twenty minutes for the Serpent prince to show, he didn't.
FP and the Wild Boys leader led the others back through town to an old dirt road. Trees and other foliage encroached on their pathway. At the end of the dirt road there was a shack, it didn't look lived in, it looked barely inhabitable at best. James, the Wild Boys leader, hopped out of his beat up chevy pick-up truck, entered the little cabin and waited for the rest to enter. They had business to tend to, and James was getting restless.
"Y'all need to reign in yer boy, the one with the hat. That girl, Bennie-Jo, she's problems, more than an incredible rack and a set of great stems. Ya know what a I mean?" One of the younger boys said to Sweet Pea before entering the door.
"He's not gonna listen to me, you might give him a try though. He's an asshole, probably deserves his pee to burn." Sweet Pea smiled at the kid, they seemed to be around the same age.
"I figured, after we caught them foolin' around the holler, but it's all fun and games til her Daddy come for him. It's not a good day for anyone when that man is running' after ya. He large ya know?" He popped a cigarette into his mouth and lit it with a match, waving the flame until it went out.
"Hmmm…" FP had overheard the exchange, wondering what type of problems were heading their way.
"Let's get down to business boys." James pulled out his calculator and a cash box. "You wanna move how many pounds?" The curly headed man was leaning back in his busted office chair, one arm swung over the back of it.
"That depends on how well we can move it down here." FP came to stand in front of James' desk.
"I can move horse shit from one end of town to the other, make a good two grand doin' it. Le' me do ma job and I'll let ya do yers. Deal?" James stuck his hand out toward FP. FP looked form the dirty hand to the nearly toothless man at the end of it, then took it in his own hand.
"Deal."
…~*~...
"The seed needs the water
Before it grows out of the ground
But it just keeps on getting hard
And the hunger more profound
Well I know there can come tears from the eye
But they may as well be in vain
Even though
I know these tears come with pain
Even so
And just the same…"
…~*~...
"Hey, we should probably slow it down a bit, I missed my meeting this morning, I'm on the shit list with my Dad as it is, especially after the thing with Fangs out on the street the other day. I like spending time with you but, I have a job to do here." Jughead was pulling his boxers back on, watching Bennie-Jo's ass from where he stood. She was damn near perfect, almost exactly like Betty, it didn't hurt that her name was so similar either.
"You'll be gone soon, I might not see you again. I want as much time with you as I can get Juggy. Doncha like me?" She looked over her bare shoulder at him, batting her eyelashes to get her way.
"You can bat your lashes at me all you want Bennie, but that doesn't mean I'm not in trouble. Get your ass dressed, my Old Man is gonna be here soon." He watched her, never giving her a glimpse of what he was actually thinking.
"Fine, I'll just leave then." She rose from the bed, dressing hastily in her bra and panties, nearly stubbing her toe when she turned around to grab her skirt and blouse from the edge of the bed. Her lip pushed out and her eyebrows knit together. No one had ever turned her down, nor had they told her to leave before, maybe she was losing her touch.
"Hey, look at me." He stood next to her, pants slung low on his hips. Bennie-Jo couldn't help the rush of moisture between her thighs at the thought of him between them. Begrudgingly, she tilted her head up to meet his gaze.
"What Jughead?" She had her white skirt and her soft yellow blouse hanging in her hands.
"I do like you. A lot. I just have business, and I can't mess it up right now. My Dad is pissed about the other night still. I have a couple of more days in town, then it's back to Riverdale. I have a feeling I'll be back though." He hooked his index finger under her chin, tilting her head back, elongating her creamy neck.
"Don't play around with me Juggy." She was serious, even though she was usually the one to be playing around.
"I'm not darlin', don't you worry." Then he kissed her.
…~*~...
"And the seas are full of water
That stops by the shore
Just like the riches of grandeur, oh no no
Never reach ghe port
And let the clouds fill with thunderous applause
And let the lightning be the veins
That fill the sky
With all that they can drop
When it's time to makde a change…"
…~*~...
FP sat on his bike, looking out over the Gulf of Mexico, watching the sun set over the ripples of water. He took a deep breathe, releasing the stress he'd been holding onto for what felt like years. He'd finally been given a moment to think, a moment to fully accept what he was about to go home to in a few days. He was going home to Alice, to live in her home, with her daughter and his son. He was going to get his divorce finalized, and move forward with Alice and their baby. This was his last chance to have something good, to leave behind his juvenile shit and be a real man. He knew the baby Alice had given up when they were teenagers was his. He knew it by the look Hal gave him every time they were in the same room. It was time to find himself some happiness, finally. He wanted to have his family with Alice, their children, and their baby. It was good, he was good. He was happy, and it was about time. Taking out a cigarette from his pack, he lit it with his zippo, inhaling deeply.
The sun had set fully now, the sky turning an inky blue mixed with bright red orange clouds. He could hear the crickets beginning their night song, the lapping of the water on the sand of the shore. It felt right, it was right. He couldn't wait to get home to Alice, he looked forward to their reunion. When his cigarette was done, he smashed it out on the sole of his boot, then tucked the butt into his jacket pocket. His bake roared to life, taking one last look at the ocean, allowing himself to kick off from the sandy area, then he rode away.
FP Jones was a new man, turning a new leaf. Of course he was still the Serpent's leader, he was still a hard ass man, a force to be reckoned with in Southside. He felt the weight of it all whip away in the wind that blew past him. He just wished that he could smack reasoning into his son's head. That the more he fooled around with this Bennie-Jo, the deeper he'd end up in the girl's mess. FP learned earlier that the girl was a real tease. She'd had her good times and then some. She made the girls of the Southside sound like angels in disguise. He wanted more for his son, more than a dirty used up chick in some half hick town. He would have liked Betty for his son, but she was done with the mind fuck. She wanted her own happily ever after, and FP didn't blame her one bit.
Upon his arrival at the only motel in the small town, FP found the door ajar, Jughead seated on his bed, phone in his hand. Instinctually, FP pulled his own phone from his inside jacket pocket, there were several missed calls from Alice. Jughead looked up from the cellular device and to his Dad.
"Hey Dad." Jughead's eyes were puffy, rimmed red from crying, voice thick with emotion.
"What's going on Jug?" FP didn't dare look at his phone, he wanted to hear it from Jughead first.
"Alice, she's in the hospital. Something's wrong, they don't know what yet. We need to cut this trip short and head home Dad." Jughead stood, wishing that he hadn't been crying, worried about his step mom.
"Do the other guys know?" FP was trying his hardest to keep his head clear, stay focused.
"No, I haven't told them yet, I was waiting for you." A single tear slipped down Jughead's cheek, his hand shot up to swipe at it.
"Okay, uh, tell them. Let's do this, I'll call James, and then I'll call Alice. Hurry Jughead, we have to go." He was already scrolling to the 'J' section in his contacts, no longer looking at his son. Jughead was already out of the door and knocking on the next door over when James picked up the call.
"This is James." The voice was clear on the other end of the line.
"Hey James, my Ole Lady is in hospital, we have to leave today. I can make another trip back as soon as I know what's going on. I'll drop off the package before I leave." FP hoped like hell that James was an understanding type of guy. He prayed like never before that they could keep this business going, that he would make it in time to see his woman before something truly awful happened.
"Oh shit man, yeah, get on home FP. Don't keep family waitin'. Contact me when you know things are solid." James was a family man himself, he had two young daughters and a son on the way himself. If anything were to happen to his kids, his wife, while he was away on business, he might lose his mind.
"Aw, jeez, thanks James. I will. Three days tops til I can get home. I'll let you know when we will be back." FP stood eerily still, listening for the other man to speak.
"No problem buddy. Just make sure your youngin's are are safe and sound. We'll hear from ya soon enough." Then the line was dead. The screen was clear now, save for a picture of Alice he'd taken that night after her latest serpent dance. She was smiling seductively at him, bottom lip tucked under her pearly top front teeth. He had to talk to her. Selecting her name from his contacts, he called his woman. The line rang several times, then her voicemail played. He hung up the call, then tried Betty, who answered on the second ring.
"FP?" She was breathless, stress oozing from her voice. "We tried to call you, Mom started having pains. Then she started bleeding, I got her to the hospital. She's been in with the doctor for awhile, they're doing some tests. I'm scared FP." FP scrubbed his face with his hand, he was shaking now, unsure as to what to say to help ease Betty's upset.
"Betty, listen to me alright? We're leaving town in a little while. I need you to stay calm. Try to give me as much information as possible, leave a message, a voicemail, anything. I'm coming to you alright Betty? I'm comin', tell Alice I'm comin'. Tell her I love her, I love her so damn much. I'm on my way." His throat was tight with emotion, he felt utterly lost.
"Okay, I'll talk with you soon." Betty sounded small.
"Talk to you later Betty." He tried to keep his tears at bay, but he couldn't help it, he lost it, sitting on the bed, head in his hands. He hadn't cried like this since he was a child. Letting the tears flow freely, his hands were soaked, his nose was stuffy. He needed to leave. Pushing through his emotions, he began to pack his sack, tossing socks and underwear in the bag haphazardly, grabbing pairs of pants from the dresser drawers with no regard to their care. By the time Jughead returned to the room, both of their bags were packed and FP was pulling out his debit card to pay for the rooms.
"Come, on we're going home Jug." With his bug on his shoulder, room key in hand, FP exited the room he'd been staying in for the last several days.
…~*~...
"Make it rain
Make it rain down low
Make it rain
Make it rain
Make it rain
Make it rain down low
Make it rain
Oh make it rain."
…~*~...
Alice Cooper sat in the small room with the radiologist. The cool jelly had already been squirted onto her belly, the little ultrasound handle was gliding over her abdomen. Alice looked for any sign of danger in the young woman's face, she found nothing. Looking toward the door, she knew FP wouldn't be here just yet, but she hoped that Betty would be coming back from the phone call soon. Scared, alone, it felt all too familiar. She didn't want to be in this little room without FP, without his calloused hands on her own, his stubbled chin scratching over her temple. He soothed her in a way that no one else could. She longed to smell his oil tinged musk, to see his half smile shining just for her. She tried to not to let the tears fall, or to let the ball in her throat phase her much, but when the woman sat up straight all of a sudden, looking from her to the screen before her, Alice couldn't help but let the tears loose down her cheek.
"What is it? Is the baby alright?" She was desperate for any type reassurance.
"I honestly can't say ma'am, I'm sorry." The young woman grabbed two tissues from the box on her table, handing them to Alice. "Here, clean up where I've missed." She then proceeded to wipe away the mess of jelly on Alice's stomach and her utensil, then stood. "If you'll follow me Mrs. Cooper, I'll let the Dr. have these images, and he will be in to see you." Alice followed the woman down the hallway back toward her assigned room to wait once more. Betty was waiting in the room with tear stained cheeks and blowing her nose.
"Mom! Any news?" Betty was sick with worry, desperate for anything new to tell FP.
"No, nothing yet, I have to wait for the doctor. You got a hold of FP?" Alice was settling into the hospital bed, holding her abdomen in pain.
"I did, they're on their way home Mom. He said he loves you and he's coming to you." Betty tucked the thin blanket in around her Mother.
"Thank you for being here Betty, you have no idea what it means to me." Alice let herself cry for the first time since the pains had started in her lower back.
"I'm always here for you Mom. Always." Betty hugged her mom, then gave her a tissue.
Alice leaned back on the stiff mattress, closing her eyes. "I hope he gets here soon."
"I know Mom, he's trying. You know he'll be here. They all will." Betty was certain that all they guys would be making the rounds as soon as they got back in town.
"I know, this all brings back memories for me, it was terrible. To be in the cold hospital wing of the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, alone. My parents didn't even come. They didn't acknowledge that Charles was even part of me. They threw me away, threw away my son, our son." Alice had never admitted this to anyone, especially not outloud. "I was scared, just your age Betty, having a baby alone. They let me hold him for a little while, then they took him from me. He was so beautiful." Then Alice was silent, reliving those events in her mind.
"I didn't know Mom. I won't leave you, and neither will FP. You mean everything to him. You need to get some rest though, you're overworked, overstressed. Lean back, try to sleep." Smoothing her Mother's hair back, Betty felt the buzz of her cell phone in her back pocket. She pulled out before sitting down on the plastic chair. It was a message from Jughead.
Betty, we're on our way, tell your Mom we will be there in few days.
Try to hold it together Betts.
"Oh make it rain."
Make It Rain by Foy Vance