Before Betty

Chapter 8 - Gladys

I ran into the hospital and up to the reception. "My daughter just came to emergency. Where is she?"

The receptionist looked bored and glanced up at me. "Their name?" He said in monotone. 

"Jellybean Jones....or Forsythia." I replied swiftly and impatiently. He typed in what seemed like slow motion to me. "Consultation room, 401." 

I nodded and ran up the stairs in my tall heels which clicked and clacked against the marble steps.

I arrived at the room to see Archie and Fred standing outside. "Jellybean, is she okay?" My voice squeaked to Fred. "She's fine. They used some glue to hold the cut together instead of stitches."

I sighed with relief. "Thank you for bringing her. Do you know how it happened?" Archie shook his head rather quickly, followed by Fred's shake.

I entered the room to see my darling Jellybean laughing with Jughead, but her smile was gone when she saw me.

"Hey mom." She said in a small voice and the cut in her forehead was very visible. "Forsythia! My little Jellybean, are you okay?"

I pushed past Jughead and knelt down in front of her.  "Are you okay to leave?" I asked with a loving smile. 

She nodded, "You just have to sign me out." I went to pick her up, but she dodged me and shuffled over to Jughead.

"What did I do?" I said, trying to keep the tone out of my voice. "Nothing..." I heard the pain in her voice and Jughead lifted her off the consultation bed, placing her on the ground.

"Let's just leave mom." Jughead muttered and led us out of the room.

                                                                 ***

It was on the car ride home where I decided that I had to know how this happened. "How did she end up in the ER in the first place?" Jellybean was asleep on Jughead's shoulder.

I glanced in my rear view mirror and Jughead began to explain. "--And then we...I..uh...Jellybean went inside and d..Dad was home." I noticed him shuffle uncomfortably before I looked back out at the road. 

"All I heard was a smash and....I think Dad might have smashed a bottle on her. A piece....piece of glass must've cut her." My mouth fell open, how could he be so careless?

"Has he done this before?!" I demanded harshly. "I...the other day." Jughead mumbled and I was disgusted mainly at FP of course, but I could've done something if Forsythe had told me.

"We could have avoided this whole debacle if you had told me Forsythe!" I shouted, losing my temper. "So now it's my fault my father is a dickhead who can't control himself?" Jughead shot back. 

"Your sister wouldn't have sat in the ER and we wouldn't be arguing about this right now!" I retaliated. I parked the car as neatly and calmly as I could before jumping out.

I walked around to the side of the car and opened the door. I reached in and grabbed Jellybean from Jughead's side.

She groaned and reached to grab Jughead, but I pulled her out and stormed off towards the trailer.

I heard Jughead's car door slam and him run after me. "Mom, what if Dad's home?" I ignored him and pulled open the door.

I strode to the bedroom and placed Jellybean carefully on the bed. I reached underneath the bed and pulled out a suitcase.

Jughead had followed me and looked confused. "Mom, what are you doing?" I glared at him and began to pull all my clothing from the wardrobe.

"I'm packing. Your sister and I are moving to Toledo to live with your grandparents." I said quickly and with fake joy in my voice.

"What about me...?" I winced at the sadness in his voice before pushing past him to grab Jellybean's clothes from the dresser.

"You'll stay with your father." I sighed and started to open the drawer, but Jughead's hand stopped me. "Mom...you can't. I...I need you guys." 

I shoved him lightly away from the dresser and seized Jellybean's clothes. "You didn't need me two days ago." I saw him begin to blink back tears and I realised I was too.

"Mom..please. Do you really care that little for me?" I was offended by his words, but I realised they were true. I'd always wanted a daughter and when Jughead was born, I was disappointed. 

Of course I loved him, but protecting Jellybean was more important. I zipped up the bag and placed it on the ground. 

"You're leaving now?" Jughead voice tinged with hope that his words weren't true. "I should've left months ago, but no." I said and his face relaxed. "I'll go in the morning."

"Mom no. You can't leave and not take me...I'm going to get hurt." Jughead began to beg. "Mom please, please." It hurt me so deeply that I suddenly felt the urge to agree, but then I looked at Jellybean.

So innocent, so pure, so...so kind, she couldn't be tainted by the pains of my son and husband. "No. Jughead, baby, I love you, but you're old enough to take care of yourself."

"I'm only 14, mom." Jughead still managed to hold back his tears. "Please." I sniffed and held my breath. "I can't. I just -- I can't. Go get some sleep, you can join us at the bus station."

"I'm not leaving Jellybean. You go sleep on the couch." He clipped and kicked off his shoes. 

I was crying as I grabbed the suitcase and left it at the door, ready to start my new life in the morning.