Moving On

C h a p t e r 7

I still lay there hopeless. I felt stuck. Trapped. It was almost 5, so, I just decided to get up. I started the coffee maker and it woke hot dog. I fed him and sat down on the front porch. There was that nice, cold morning breeze. I sat there with my coffee in the porch swing Betty and I had put in. Hot dog lay next to me. It was nice. Quiet. Then, I grabbed my phone and called Veronica.
"Hey, Jughead. It's a little early, isn't it?"
"Yeah, sorry. Can you just maybe send Archie over? I need to talk to him."
"Alright, I mean I'll try. But, you know he's not a morning person."
"Haha yeah. I've lived with the guy. Just let me know. Okay?"
"Alright. Bye, now."
"Bye, Veronica." I sat there for a second. There was always the split second in the morning where you wake up and realize how great your life is. Then, reality kicks in. You remember your wife has been missing for almost 5 years and now, yours, hers, and your daughter's lives are being threatened. The American dream. God, what a load of crap, I thought to myself. I heard a faint,
"Hey, Jug." In the distance.
"Archie."
"Hey, man. It's been a while."
"You mean a couple days?"
"Haha, yeah." We both laughed. He then sat down next to me. He had some plaid pajama pants on with a riverdale high hoodie on. His hair was messy from just rolling out of bed, I could tell. It took a while but, I explained it all. Julie's dream. The ring. The phone call. Tabitha. Just all of it. I could barely hold myself together by the end of it.
"Jug.. you have to tell somebody."
"Tell who? The police? You saw what good they did with Betty's investigation."
"That is true."
"Jug.. just promise me you won't bring Julie to sweet water river."
"Oh, I never would bring her. Even if I do go, she's not coming with me."
"Jughead! You can't go alone. You could get yourself killed."
"Well then, that's a risk I'm willing to take if it means protecting my family." It was almost 7:00 by now. Archie and I were sitting together on the porch swing.
"Daddy!" I heard Julie from inside of the house.
"Duty calls." I laughed
"I'll be back."
"Okay." Archie said. I carried Julie outside with me and Archie and I sat together in silence. Julie had fallen asleep in my arms. It was still early so I let her fall back asleep.
"What are you going to tell Julie, Jug?"
"I don't know, Arch. I don't want to think about it right now."
"Alright. Well, I think Tommy and Cece might be getting up soon so I'm gonna go."
"Alright. Bye, Arch."
"Bye." I gave Julie breakfast. Some Frosted Flakes. I got her dressed, brushed out her hair, she brushed her teeth. Then, I helped her out her shoes on and grabbed her book bag. I grabbed her hand and slung her backpack over my shoulder. I put hot dog on a leash and we brought him in the car with us. I had also gotten dressed and ready for the day in the meantime. We pulled out and waved to Archie as he and Tommy were doing the same. I had Archie bring her in with Tommy since I couldn't bare to see Tabitha yet. I then went home to grab my stuff and headed over to the register as if everything were normal. I couldn't tell Alice. She always gets her hopes up. I didn't want to lead her on with this. It was a burden to have this kind of information. It could ruin your life. It sure did a number on me. We did business as usual. I had lunch with Toni. I confessed to everything else that had happened. I broke down for a second but, I got over it quickly. I had to keep moving. I came back to work at the register a little bit more before I went to pick up Julie. Archie volunteered to pick her up, but, I knew I had to see Tabitha at some point. Riverdale is a small town. We'd cross paths eventually. So, I got in the truck and just froze for a minute. To gather my thoughts. Then, I started driving. I put on the radio to break the silence. I got to the school and froze again. I slowly got out of the car. I walked up and met Archie at the gate. He picked up Tommy and Julie came out with Tabitha. It was awkward so we just waved and then Julie and I left. Julie and I got in the car. I sat in the drivers seat and looked in the rear view mirror up at Julie.
"So, baby, how was your day today?"
"Good. Tabitha said to tell you that the lasagna-ana was good."
"You mean lasagna?"
"Yeah." She began to laugh at herself. We both laughed. Soon, we both started making funny faces at each other in the mirror. It was so nice to laugh. I hadn't laughed like that in a long time. Later, I helped her with homework, we had dinner, and, we walked hot dog. We went home and watched a movie then, I read her a story and she went to sleep. I then began to work in my office downstairs. I sit there drowsy with coffee in hand. Major writers block. The bags under my eyes began to grow deeper, and had a darker lining to them. After 2 1/2 cups of coffee, I realized I wasn't going to get anything done. So, I walked upstairs to where hot dog was sleeping in my bed. I was changing my clothes and looked at my serpent tattoo. Honestly, I liked the serpent tattoo before I got a chunk of skin carved off. It was bigger, and more bold. This one is as pretty small. Less colorful. I remember how Betty was so worried about me. Then, I remembered that night, she was dealing with her dad. He was being out in jail that night. By this time, I was laying in my bed. Half asleep but also half awake. Then, my eyes were wide open. My eyes suddenly became wide open. I was suddenly completely awake. I threw the blankets off. I quietly but quickly open the door. I ran downstairs. Quietly but quickly. I sat down in my chair in the office. I then started typing like crazy. Then, I started connecting dots. Where was Betty's father? Isn't he dead? Is penny dead? I wrote down enough information for me to analyze. I couldn't think of it too much, I had to go to sleep. I went to bed with a better mindset. That maybe, now there was a loophole. For once, I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time. Hope.