Meet Me Halfway

Chapter 33

"Gladys?" A mildly concerned FP called out as he stepped onto his front porch, his brows furrowing in wonder as his eyes darted left and right, backwards and forwards around the quiet and secluded trailer park, wondering where she could have gotten to. He had right to worry, as recently the gang wars and drug trade between the Greendale Ghoulies and Southside Seprents had made the neighbourhood the furthest thing from safe.

"I'm here." She responded in a flustered tone as she came out from behind the motor home. She shamelessly laughed it off, walking slowly towards her boyfriend as her clenched fists dug into her palms and cleared her throat. Her shifty behaviour not going unnoticed by FP as he sighed in relief upon finally finding her.

"Where'd you get to?" He asked approaching her in a little bit of a hurry.

"I just- needed a minute, to get some fresh air." She stammered, emphasising her life as she pretend to fan herself with her hand. "I was feeling a little queasy."

"You want me to drive you home?"

"No." Gladys sharply dismissed in a giggle. "I'm good for now. Let's just get inside, it's freezing."

Taking FP by the hand, and still rattled by Hermione's revelation, Gladys proceeded to lead FP inside immediately.

"FP?!" Roger yelled out from outside his front door, cradling a wide awake Charles in his arms as he stepped off the porch with his diaper bag in hand.

"Roger? Hi." FP greeted after turning on his feet, his mood instantly peeking up at the sight of his baby boy before approaching the two of them. "What's up?"

"Look, I know it's last minute-" Roger reluctantly began in a groan, rocking the fussy infant in hand before positioning him over his shoulder, slowly soothing him by rubbing his tiny back. "And I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate, but Alice is exhausted, the poor thing, and this one has kept her up quite a few nights so she needs her sleep and I've gotta head to the store and run a couple of errands, but I don't wanna bring him along like this and -"

A chuckling FP held out his hands to halt Roger right there and then, not wanting to hear the man beg and plea any longer. "Roger, say no more. I'll take him." FP gladly accepted. He began to coax the infant out of Roger's arms, much to Gladys' dismay, who stood there silent with a tightened lip, her face full of discomfort as the two men exchanged the infant and diaper bag.

"Hey, if Alice is having it a little rough, I can have him for a couple nights." FP kindly offered as he gazed down at Charles, lightly stroking his chubby little cheek before locking eyes with Roger once again. He hated the thought of Alice struggling alone, so offering any gesture no matter how big or small to lighten the load for her.

Roger was rendered speechless the minute that sentence left FP's mouth, which was a real shocker for anyone that knew him and his tendency to rarely hold his tongue and always speak his mind.

"Really?" He asked with raised brows awaiting confirmation. "I mean, only if you're sure, you seem busy already." Roger concluded, gesturing to a clearly reserved Gladys stood far behind FP. She had grown to accept her position as a third wheel in these situations and just quietly mind her business. She'd be doing this for a long time.

"It's fine." FP reassured as he placed the infant over his shoulder and began to walk back to his trailer, wanting Charles out of the cold as soon as possible. "Just bring the travel crib over when you're ready." He called out once more before stepping inside with Gladys behind him and closing his front door.

•••

With the distraction of Charles occupying FP, it wasn't difficult for Gladys to disguise the fact that she was sweating like a pregnant nun in confessional and her jittery on edge behaviour, she had even resorted to biting her nails, a habit she had long abandoned since middle school but the guilt, combined with crippling fear of Hermione revealing the details of her recent dalliance with Hal to FP had yet to subside and wrecked havoc with her mind.