Timing is Everything

The Dessert (Chapter 15)

*Your POV as Jughead*

This time you are the one who tries to break the awkward silence. You clear your voice and say to no one in particular, "This peach pie is amazing"

"You would know Jug" Betty smiles, "you certainly gave yourself enough of it to try"

You smirk at her. "True. But this is also a compliment to your mom's cooking Betty" you raise an eye at her.

Betty nods and looks up at Alice, "Mom? Did you hear?...."

"Hear what Elizabeth?" Alice answers tersely, wiping the crumbs off the table.

You cut in, "I really enjoyed the pie you baked Mrs.Cooper" you force a smile but can't help but feel nervous for her response. You honestly just want to go back home to the trailer at this point.

"Why thank you Jughead" she meets your eyes and abruptly gets up to clean the dishes.

Your mom gives your dad a worried look and moves her eyes to the door to get the hint.

Jellybean notices this exchange and quickly finishes her plate of cookies and pie.

FP slowly stretches his arms and stands up, "Uhh, Listen Alice" he pauses to give you a look to finally stop eating, "I thinks it's time we all get going, it's getting pretty late"

"Oh? Why so soon FP?" She stares at him, "I was hoping we could have gotten to all know each other a little bit better" she says with a motive.

"Yeah, we'll.... we will have to take a rain check for that" he fakes a smile and adds, "Thank you for the dinner and desert, it was marvelous" he sarcastically replies reaching for his coat.

You shoot Betty a worried look and she mouths the words, "I'm so sorry" to you while tilting her head towards Alice.

You walk over to Betty and hug her while whispering in her ear, "It's fine".  You lie, it's not fine but things will turn out better this night if your family wastes no time to leave sooner rather than later.

                                  ———-

While you're relieved to walk into the safety of the trailer, you can't help but feel a lump of nerves in your throat. There is nothing worse than sitting through an awkward dinner and knowing that you'll need to defend yourself afterwards for words that came out of someone else's mouth. You know mom, she heard what Alice said. She knew where Alice was going with that accusation about you. And you knew that she would interrogate you about it now.

"Well that was fun" FP sarcastically says to everyone once you all enter the trailer. You all seem to congregate into the kitchen, a much smaller kitchen with darker lighting than you had just experienced with the Coopers.

"You could say that again" your mom laughs sitting down, "What is that woman's problem?"

FP shakes his head. He knows Alice is jealous of Gladys being back in the picture, along with your dad not telling her sooner about the family's arrival. He just didn't know she would take out her frustration this brashly.

To avoid an interrogation of questions you try to quietly leave the room while looking down, but don't get too far in the process.

"Juggie?" Your mom calls out. Her voice is still sweet, but you can sense a more disciplinarian tone to it.

You stop walking and look up at her. You feel your heart beating faster.

"Umm" she smiles worriedly, "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

You swallow hard, "I can't think of anything at the moment" you smile lightly.

"Listen hunny, I know things are different now with us being back" she looks at Jellybean and then back and you, "But I'm sure there were changes while we were gone. And I want you to know you can tell me about these changes" she says studying your body language and tenses seeing how uncomfortable she is making you.