18 Years of Bonnie & Clyde

[28] A Comforting Lie

Year 13...

FP's apartment was filled with the smell of fresh brewed coffee and scrambled eggs, the sun shining through the windows creating a golden glow inside.

Today felt like a good day and though it was only morning, he felt that nothing could change that. Just before he was about to take a sip from his coffee, his phone rang. With a quick glance, he saw that it was Alice.

"Hey you, everything alright?" He smiled brightly as he pressed the phone against his ear.

"Yes, all is fine." Alice said on the other line, smiling too.

"Then why are you calling? Not that I mind, of course." Most of the times when they called, it was to discuss something about Charles, but if she was just calling to catch up he was more than happy to.

"We haven't seen each other in a while. Or does it just seem that way?" Alice tried to come across as if she was stating a casual question, but if she was being completely honest with him and herself, she had been missing him an awful lot.

Her words got FP thinking and he had to admit that it he couldn't even recall the last time they had hung out as friends. Maybe that was because they both had busy jobs and a teenage son to think about, that they couldn't find the time to really be with one another. Sure, they were co-parents first and foremost, but they were also best friends. And those friends hadn't seen each other in a long time.

"No, you're right. Besides from dropping off Charles every now and then we haven't really gotten the time to catch up." He said softly, feeling the guilt take over him that he never had taken a second to think about their relationship.

"Yeah... I miss that." Alice confessed, carefully.

She was fully aware of their special bond and the last thing she wanted was to overstep in his actual romantic relationship with Chloe.

"Me too." FP chuckled sweetly, feeling relieved that they could always be this open with another.

"I was thinking, since Charles is staying over at his friend's Chic's house, we could do something together tonight?" Alice chirped happily, figuring that they could take advantage of their free time.

"He's been staying over there quite a lot, huh? And yeah, that sounds like fun. I'm in." FP arched his eyebrow by the mention of his son's friend, though being happy that he had a friend he was so close with. He knew first hand how much a best friend could mean.

"We could go to the carnival? It's only there for one more week." She proposed, remembering it from passing there when she was out running.

"The carnival?" FP stifled a small laugh.

"Hey. we may be thirty one now, we're never too old for the carnival, right? For old times sake?" She said suggestively, making him recall the old days with Fred and Hermione, where they could spend hours on the Fair ground.

"I was just teasing. Sounds perfect. I'll pick you up. Should we eat there, too?" If they were going out, they could make a night of it, he figured.

"Yes, I'd love to. See you tonight."

**

At the end of the afternoon, FP had crossed his way from the Souhtside all the way towards Elm Street, and made his presence known by making his bike roar loudly, instead of getting off to ring the doorbell. If they were embracing their teenage years, then he was going to do it all the way.

Alice came outside with an arched brow, dressed in denim jeans and a white shirt, simple but beautiful. It was different from the pantsuits she had to wear at work for the RIVW and truth to be told she felt way more herself in these clothes. Over her shirt she wore her old black leather Serpent jacket, one she had to dig out of the back of her closet. It made her feel younger, especially now they had reached the big 3-0.