New Beginnings

Visible Cracks

He stepped through the front door of his home into the living room to find Jellybean sat at the coffee table doing a drawing.

"Daddy!" She chirped excitedly before running into him and hugging his legs.

"Hey Jelly belly!" He greeted before kissing her head and ruffling her hair. "What are you drawing?" He asked as she lead him to the table

She picked up the sheet of paper and his heart melted at the drawing; two figures stood in front of a house, which he assumed was theirs, with the words "Me and Mommy" written at the bottom.

He sits down on the couch, still glancing at it and pulls her into his lap.

"Do you like it?" She asked him with a grin

"Of course I do! It's one of the prettiest pictures I've ever seen." He gleamed.

"Do you think Mommy will like it too?"

Jellybeans question took FP by surprise a little.

"Mommy?" He wondered

"Yeah. It's her special remember day, and I want her to remember me so I drew her this. Can we go to her stone and give it to her?" Jellybean innocently asked.

Jellybean was only four when Gladys died, so he was a little surprised that she remembered her death anniversary, but then again, she had always been a clever kid.

"We thought you had forgotten, you know, because you've been distant lately." Jughead announced as he came into the living room, taking a seat down next to his father.

FP's eyes widened in shock at his sons statement, filled with hurt, he ran his hand over his smoothly shaven face. "Forgot? Kids, I would never, ever forget your mother." He exaggerated.

The corner of Jughead's mouth flicked upwards, glad to hear his father hadn't forgotten one of the most important days in their family.

"I just didn't want to upset you guys. I'm sorry, if I made you think that I didn't care." He apologised running his hands through their hair with his hands.

"Do you remember when after she died? You told us that we're sad now, but with time things will get easier, and when we think of Mom, there won't be any tears but we'll picture all the good thoughts and memories only and smile proudly?" Jughead reminded him

FP's eyes lit up softly as he beamed at his sons words. He really did raise some wise kids. "Vaguely but, yes. I do."

"I think we should visit her grave you know? Tell how much we still love her and that we're thinking about her everyday." Jughead suggested.

FP agreed. It was the best way to honour her memory and keep her alive in their hearts.

The family got ready and made their way to Riverdale cemetery. It wasn't a long drive from their Southside home.

They all had something special in their possession to share with Gladys; Jellybean with her drawing, Jughead with a draft of a novel he was working on and FP with her favourite flowers.

"Okay, who's up first?" FP asked the two of them as they walked towards her headstone holding Jellybeans hand.

"Me!" The young girl chirped.

FP laughed. "Okay honey, go ahead." He ushered her closer to the stone.

"Hi Mommy! Daddy says you're in heaven so I don't know if you can see but I drew this picture of us. It's me and you playing outside in the garden with Hot Dog." The young girl gleamed.

FP approached his daughter from behind and stooped down to her level. "Hey! How about we get a balloon and tie it to the picture so we can send it up to heaven and Mommy will have it with her all the time? Would you like that?" He suggests