Thank You, For Everything

Sleuthing

The next week was a blur for Alice. Her life was like a merry-go-round, except it wasn't merry. Round and round in circles. The same thing every day. Wake up, get dressed, make breakfast. Work from home, have lunch, work again. Make dinner. Sleep. Repeat. Betty had asked if she was okay two days ago, and Alice had insisted that she was fine, of course she was fine. She'd used up six cans of air freshener by now, the house still reeked of bleach and the smell just wouldn't go away. Alice dreaded thinking about Hal coming home and asking why he could still smell bleach. He hadn't text or even called to ask why she wasn't showing up to work, Alice assumed by now that she was fired once again. She considered asking Weatherbee if she could advise at the Blue and Gold again, but that meant leaving the house unattended. She had to keep an eye out, the Black Hood rumours were stronger than ever since the kids returned from their weekend getaway. She had asked Betty about the rumours, if anything happened, but Betty had been blunt and told her to drop it. She was hiding something, and Alice knew it. Maybe she could ask Jughead about it, pester it out of him. Alice pulled herself out of bed and sighed when she looked in her wardrobe. Everything was pastel, save for a few items of clothing. She was going out to do some sleuthing, she should at the very least look presentable. Alice decided on a grey blouse, black trousers and chunky grey heels; she put on some makeup, curled her hair, and twirled in front of the mirror. She felt better doing this, knowing she was going out, doing something, had increased her mood tenfold. Today would not be a repeat of the last week, she was going to make this day worthwhile.

While making pancakes, Alice turned on the radio and hummed along to the songs being played. She was still determined to get something out to this day, she wanted to make something of it instead of moping around the house again. She set the table and placed the orange juice and pancakes in the three places set for her, Betty, and Chic. Betty came down first, rubbing her eyes. She sat next to Alice and drowned the three pancakes she'd piled on her plate in maple syrup, and downed a glass of orange juice. Alice knew her youngest daughter was either guilty of or hiding something; she'd been acting weird ever since the murder. They'd all been acting weird, but Betty had been treating Alice as if she were a china doll, and now she refused to talk about her weekend away at the cabin. Betty was hiding something and Alice was determined to find out what. Alice squinted her eyes at her daughter before Chic finally entered the dining room, dressed in his work uniform, and grabbed a pancake.

"Gotta go, bye," he said with a stuffed mouth.

"Hang on," Betty turned to face Chic with an accusing eye, "it's Sunday, you don't work on Sundays."

Chic shrugged and shouted as he left through the front door, "picked up an extra shift."

Alice gave Betty a look once her daughter had turned around again, who, in return, made a face at her mother, said she was spending the day with Veronica, and left the house. Alice was alone again. She should be used to it by now, she supposed. With Hal gone; Chic working; and Betty in school or with Jughead, Alice was by herself the majority of the time. Although, she didn't mind sometimes – it was an opportunity to write or get some of the latest gossip for a scoop. But after being alone for a week (since Hal left, actually, but she wasn't going to admit that to herself), Alice wanted some company. She thought about going to see FP again, yet Jughead could be there. She needed to catch the boy alone, not with his father. Fred was next door. Alice smiled to herself as she cleared the breakfast table, conjuring up a plan. She had to wait until noon, invite Fred over for a coffee to say sorry for ignoring him the other week, and casually mention that cabin in conversation. Alice figured that the best way to distract herself would be to clean the house. She couldn't be bothered, though. It was just her, and what needed cleaning, anyway? It was then she remembered the clock still under the cushion on the sofa. Alice rolled her eyes as she picked it up and gave it a once over. It wasn't broken, but Hal brought it and she found it ugly, maybe she could give it to someone, but the bin was better. She didn't even look at the clock when she heard it smash in the trash.