Shadows of Your Dreams

Chapter 14

Bea learned to walk two weeks after her first birthday. It was a small party with the few families they knew and had become friends with, who also had toddlers, and a few of their high school friends. Betty and Jughead's parents came a few days later with loads of presents. Bea didn't like it when she had much attention and usually just hid in someone's lap or played on the ground or slept on the dog.

She had managed to take a few steps towards FP in the party, and after that, Jughead and Betty had actively tried to make her walk more. Throughout the days, they practiced, using a toy as a lure, or using some kind of kitchen objects she liked, but now, the two had noticed her obsession with chocolate-chip cookies.

So, Betty was seated on the carpet, and Jughead on the other end of it, with a few cookies in his hand. Bea was reaching for him while standing up, waiting for someone to support her and walk her some feet forward to get the treat.

She put her foot forward when Betty was still holding her, and when the blonde carefully let go, Bea looked back at her curiously, confusion on her small face. "Come on, baby. Go to dada."

"Dada," she said, turning back to Jughead.

"That's right, come to dada, baby," the man said, taking a bite from the cookie.

"Jug, you can't eat them all," Betty chuckled with a bit narrowed eyes.

"She needs to see what she'll miss if she won't do it," he said, smirking at Betty's amused face.

"Do you want a cookie?" Jughead asked his baby, placing the end into his mouth and holding it there.

"Ookie," the girl said excitedly and walked towards him on wobbly legs, falling into his arms afterward. She giggled excitedly when she took the cookie from Jughead's teeth, that he had taken a bite from.

The two grownups stared at one another with a bit opened mouths. "That was so good, baby," Jughead whispered proudly, kissing her cheek. Betty scooted close to the two and wrapped her arms around them, a big smile on their faces while Bea ate the treat, enjoying it while doing so.

In April, so to say two months later, Betty and Jughead had problems keeping their daughter still. She had mastered the walking pretty well by now, and it was the only thing she would do. Bubbles even waited up with her small legs, and instead of running always walked behind or next to the girl. They had become best friends and both Jughead and Betty had their phones full of photos of Bea sleeping on top of the dog.

Now, the family was driving towards Riverdale for the Easter break. Betty had a break from teaching, just like kids did, but she was supposed to be getting the new materials ready and her book was going to be published soon. Jughead had most of the past few months worked from home, writing articles for an online newspaper, and a sequel to his bestselling book.

Bea was babbling to herself on the back seat and humming to the baby songs on the radio that Jughead and Betty had gone crazy listening to. Bubbles was sleeping in a comfortable dog cage in the trunk of the car, the backseats lowered so that she could see the baby and Bea could see her.

When they entered Riverdale, Betty's hand moved to Jughead's thigh, giving it a soft squeeze to comfort him as they passed Pop's. Pop Tate had been taken to the hospital a few weeks ago, and was now in his house, just resting and being with his son, waiting for the last breath of his life. He was ancient and had some blood and breathing problems now, but it was normal with 87 years. Betty and Jughead were going to visit him in a few days.

But, right now, for the first time in history, the Joneses didn't stop in front of the small diner as they drove into the town. Instead, they took the right streets to the Cooper house, knowing Betty's whole family was there already. Tomorrow, they would be visiting his father and meeting his girlfriend—someone that Jughead hadn't believe existed when his father told them over the phone.