Living Without A Heart

The Lodge

"What is this?"

"Hello to you too!" Alice countered "What exactly is going on?"

Earlier that day...

"FP will you get the post!" Gladys called.

"Sure!"

Opening the mail box, he pulled out a small stack of letters and took them inside. After reading the letters he tossed them aside one by one until he saw a hand-written envelope addressed to the both of them, the hand-writing he couldn't recognise.

Alice Smith & Halford Cooper

FP and Gladys we are pleased to invite you to our wedding. Please send your RSVP as soon as possible and we hope to see you there!

Trembling hands crinkled the invite whilst his heart clenched in his chest. Gladys stood with a sly smirk on her face, watching the emotions flit across his face: first pain, then anger, then sadness. This would certainly drive a wedge between them even if the trip didn't.

"Gladys, I've got to go out!"

"Only here darling..." she hummed silkily.

"Oh! Sorry- just need to clear something up."

 "Why would you invite Gladys and I to your wedding!?"

"What are you on about? I didn't! why would I invite you and the woman I despise to watch me marry-" she snapped before being cut off.

"- Ah, I see you got your invitation then!" Hal exclaimed.

"Why would you go behind my back!? Here's me thinking couples made decisions together but yet again you've proved me wrong!" She fumed.

"Oh but Alice like he said at the hospital... you've known each other 19 years and you're such good friends, I thought it was a bit suscpicious that they didn't get an invite." He drawled nonchalont.

"You don't need to come..." Alice remarked apologetically.

"Oh but we'd love to! right FP?"

"Sure Gladys just come on in!" Alice chided.

Ignoring Alice she squawked "Consider this our RSVP!"

"Well, since everyone is here we might as well tell them..." Hal intergected.

"Tell them what!?"

"We're all going on a trip for your birthday- Gladys has hers and FP's bags packed and I have ours!"

"What!?" Alice and FP sputtered simultaneously.

"Yeah, after you ordeal with the ghoulies and FP's relentless efforts to uncover your stalker, Gladys and I thought this was a good way to say thank you to FP and give you a break from Riverdale!"

"Enough dilly-dallying! FP and I will take the bike and car home and then we'll walk back." Gladys crowed.

The two left and Alice and Hal stood in silence before she narrowed her eyes and stalked off upstairs.

"What's wrong with you?" Hal nagged.

"Why would you invite my ex-boyfriend, the father of my baby that you tore from my arms! to our wedding!? And I told you I didn't ever celebrate my birthdays!"

"Oh give over Alice! You and FP were just silly teenagers when you were together- it meant nothing. Now he's your friend and coming to our wedding with his girlfriend."

Alice just scoffed and went to get ready. When FP burst into their house, she was just in her satin top and bottoms. Her curly, blonde hair was tied back in a messy pony tail- her lips were slightly red tinted because of the red wine she'd been drinking.