Co-parenting

Chapter 13

"Dada?" Archie wakes up to Valerie's hands in his face and her little voice.
His eyes widen when he realizes he's still at Veronica's. He grabs his phone and check the time. 7:45. He groans and lies back down.

"No daddy. Get up"

He pulls Valerie onto his chest and squeezes her close to him.

"Nooo" she squeals.

Archie chuckles and sits up. He kisses his daughter's head before he gets up with her in his arms. "Let's get you dressed honey. What do you want to wear" he asks while he walks towards her closet.

"A dress"

"Okay, which one? You have so many just like mommy"

Valerie leans forward and points to a purple dress. Archie takes it and walks back to her bed. He helps her out of her pjs and then pulls the dress over her head. He brushes her hair and ties it into a high ponytail. Before he can even say something Valerie runs out of her room to her mom who prepares breakfast in the kitchen.

"Mommy" Valerie cheers. She wraps her arms around Veronica's legs and leans her head against her lower stomach.

"Good morning honey. You look adorable, I love your dress"

In that moment Archie walks into the kitchen too. His hair is messy and his cheeks are rosy. He looks cute but Veronica would never admit that.

"Morning" he mumbles.

Veronica looks at him for a second but doesn't responds. Her gaze moves back to her daughter. "Are you ready for preschool today?"

"No mommy, no preschool"

"Yes Val. Mommy has to go to school"

Valerie's eyes water. She wraps her arms tighter around Veronica and starts to cry. "No mommy, I want to stay with you"

Veronica sighs. She lifts her daughter onto the kitchen counter and wipes her tears away. "Honey, you know I can't take you with me"

"Maybe she misses you" Archie says.

"Huh?"

"Yesterday you said that she's really attached lately. Maybe she misses you or is scared of losing you. I mean I don't see her as often as I want and I can imagine that she fears she won't see you often enough either"

"Val honey is that true? Do you miss mommy"

The little girl nods with new tears running down her cheeks.

"Oh sweetie, don't cry. I'm here and I will always be. I know I have to focus a lot on college lately but you're always my number one priority. I promise you when I'm done with school we two go one a little vacation. Anywhere you want. Just you and I, okay?"

Valerie nods again. Veronica cups her face and places a big kiss on her forehead. "I love you baby"

"I love you too"

"So you're going to preschool?"

"No!"

"If you don't mind Veronica" Archie starts "I'd love to spend the day with her and then she can go back tomorrow"

"Don't you have school too?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"It's 8am" he laughs "10 until I'm in Riverdale. I think I skip school today"

Veronica looks into her daughter's face. Her eyes are red from all the crying. It breaks her heart to see her little girl like this. She sighs. "Fine but one little scratch on her body and I kill you"