Through the Glass

City Trips and Phone Calls

<<<I'd just like to say, I'm clearly altering the story. The end result will obviously be the same, but I plan to just add little details such as the day trip. These are simply for the entertainment of you guys! I also LOVE your comments! If you have any suggestions, drop them below! I love them!!!>>>

It was nine-thirty on a Saturday morning when I managed to shag Archie out of bed. He sure as shit was a heavy sleeper. I expected him to be up earlier, and be easier to wake up. It's probably the teenager in him.
The rest of the kids had already come over and we're eating breakfast I cooked consisting of pancakes and eggs along with orange juice and iced tea I picked up from the store earlier that morning.
"So," Veronica started as she set her fork down, having finished her chocolate chip pancakes. "Is it just wedding photos?"
"Expecting something else?" I asked her with a small smile as I set two pancakes on a plate for Archie who took a seat next to her.
"I don't know," Veronica sighed. "Have you ever done Fashion stuff?"
"She shoots for Vanity Fair and Vogue," Betty said and I nodded as I thought about the time I met
"How did you know that?" Archie asked Betty, shocked. "I don't even know that!"
"I looked her up," Betty shrugged as she ate a strawberry.
Betty's a better sibling than Archie!
"Betty's right. I do everything." I shrugged as I crossed my legs over the edge of the kitchen island with a cup of coffee. "Fashion, politics, wedding photos, music festivals,"
Dad walked downstairs and grabbed the coffee before he bid us all a quick goodbye as we piled into my car. Thankfully, my car could hold all six of us comfortably. Kevin stole the passenger seat as Veronica, Betty, Jughead and Archie were squished in the back.
The tunes were blaring, and the kids realized I was a The Weeknd fan.
"I left my girl back home
I don't love her no more
And she'll never fucking know that
These fucking eyes that I'm staring at
Let me see that ass
Look at all this cash
And I emptied out my cards too
Now I'm fucking leaning on that"
The whole way into downtown we were dancing to The Weeknd, Childish Gambino and Chance the Rapper. Even Jughead, who didn't listen to this music, and didn't dance, was dancing. It surprised me but I was happy about it.
We reached the studio around eleven. "Now," I said and looked at the kids as I grabbed my cameras from the back of the car.
"There is a very important man in there. The mayor of this city. So I'm begging you to behave. Just chill and watch. After we go shopping and get some food."
The guys groaned at the idea of shopping. I could tell that once they saw how cool these stores were, they wouldn't be opposed. "Shopping?" Archie asked. "Really?"
"Fine. Then we won't go to the baseball game I got us reserve seating for," I shrugged, feigning indifference and the kids all looked at me with wide smiles.
"How do you get all this stuff?" Jughead asked me as we began to walk inside, the boys helping me carry equipment.
"I have a lotta friends, kids. When you get older you'll learn that connections are very vital to how successful you become." I shrugged, giving them bits of business advice.
We finally reached the room for the shoot, where I saw the mayor in his formal wedding attire, which was his military formal wear, and the wife in the beautiful gown I helped design.
I did help design basic parts of it. I'm friends with the mayor and his -now- wife, so I was asked for advice when the woman wanted a one of a kind dress.
"Ah!" Christina, the wife, smiled at me as she took me into a lose hug, so to not wrinkle the dress. "Madison! My dear!"
"Hello, Christina! Hey, Jeff," I said as I smiled at the mayor.
"You're friends with the mayor," Veronica gasped as she set her hands on her hips. The kids were finally understanding what kind of life I led outside of Riverdale.
"Go sit down," I told the kids as I bobbed my head towards the sprawling couches that lined the wall of the studio.
I began to unpack quickly as Jeff and Christina told me about the wedding. I was invited to the wedding, but I couldn't attend since I was moving back to Riverdale at that time.
"We are so happy you could be here and do these," Christina smiled as I got the tripod set up.
"I wouldn't even consider another photographer," Jeff said. "You've been there since your freshman year. I remember the first time you came into my office."
I nodded with a smile at the memory as I handed Christina a bouquet of blue flower. I helped the couple pose and walked them through how I would work their photos through editing and framing before I sent them to the house.
"Alright, kids," I turned and looked at the group of five teenagers spread out on the couches who were all watching excitedly as I began to take the photos, "this is how it's done."

*****

A couple hours later, the shoot was finished. Jeff and Christina had left and the kids were helping me pack again before we were on our way to the shopping district. The guys went to their own stores while Betty, Veronica and I went to ours. We were to meet back in the mall square for an hour to head to lunch before the baseball game.
All of us, even the guys, got a good amount of stuff. I could see Jughead got a bit less than everyone else, and I hoped that wasn't because he didn't have the money. I wish I could have helped more.
As we got into my car to head to the restaurant, my phone went off. It was FP.
Shit.
Jughead was next to me in the passenger seat too, damnit!
"Hello," I spoke nervously into the phone anxiously.
"Hey," FP said as I turned out of the parking lot.
"You with Jughead?" He asked me and I sighed as I shook my head. He couldn't keep track of his own kid?
Oh wait! Jughead lives with us, not FP. Jesus Christ. I really can't win
"I am," I spoke as I stopped at a red light before I turned to the kids. "If you kids want to change before the baseball game change at the restaurant, alright?"
"Baseball game?" FP asked me as I anxiously watched the red light.
"I'm allowed to take them places," I said vaguely to FP. "Especially him."
"I'm not saying you aren't," FP spoke challengingly.
"Then what's the problem here?" I asked him, getting a tad irritated at his horrible timing.
"None of his friends are in town, I just wanted to make sure everyone is okay." FP explained and I could almost hear his shrug from the other side of the line.
FP cared about the wellbeing of others? That's new.
"Yeah, they're all with me," I said to him as I changed lanes to pull into a parking lot. "Don't worry, I got it. I'll text you when we get home."
"Alright, babe. Talk to you later."
"Bye," I ended the call and sighed, tossing my phone into the center council of my car.
Please don't let Jughead figure it out.

*****

We were sitting in the restaurant on the terrace under the warm sun with a cool, fall breeze as the kids filled me in on Jason Blossom's murder.
"Shit," I breathed as I took in all the details and breakthroughs the kids have made.
"Kevin, I think your dad is great, but if you kids are figuring this out, I think you should tip your dad off. He's not really getting all this on his own, you know?"
Kevin nodded with a shrug as I took a bite of my Caesar salad as Archie, Betty and Jug were digging into their food, clearly starved from the already long day.
"So, you guys have any theories as to who killed him?" I asked as I sipped my hot lemon tea, crossing my legs under the shining sun.
This was actually... insane. These kids were making serious leaps and bounds towards finding Jason's killer.
"Well," Veronica said as she set her hands on her lap. "There's this Southside Serpent I've been seeing around recently. Him and my mom are talking which is... weird."
Jughead and I made eye contact and I felt my heart near explode.
If he didn't know then, he sure knows now.
This could be worse, he could have said something at the table.
"Well," Archie said after looking between Jughead and I, catching the odd connection and he began to divulge his own theory as to who killed Jason Blossom.