In Another Time

The kids began to pile into the living room just in time for Alice's big news report to air on tv. They spread themselves out on the couch and the adjacent arm chairs. Polly sat the twins at her side and hoped that the two would stay put for a few minutes in support of their grandmother. Ever since they hit their terrible twos they have made it their mission to be anywhere and everywhere. Fortunately for her, Betty and Charles had given her a hand, each claiming a twin to watch at their side, too.

Jughead snatched the tv remote out of Jellybean's hands and changed the channel to the right one which only resulted in Jellybean throwing a pillow at him. That had been exactly what she was doing before he took the remote from her.

"What was that for?" Jughead glared at her. Jellybean stuck her tongue out at him and sunk back into her chair.

"Grandma!" Juniper pointed at the screen as soon as Alice came into the frame. "Grandma!" Dagwood also felt the need to announce, making them both enthusiastically clap their tiny hands together.

"Mom! Your news report is on!" Betty looked back towards the kitchen. "Ugh!" She scrunched her nose when she saw her and FP locking lips. Alice pulled away and smiled like a fool in love. FP hooked his arm over her shoulders and walked her to the others, so they could watch her latest project together.

"Wow, would you look at her?" FP exclaimed at the sight of his beautiful girlfriend on the news.

"Daddy," Jellybean groaned. It was rough enough already being the one stuck at home with them the most.

"Hush, watch the tv."

Everyone watched the segment in silence and it was not until they heard Alice sign off that they cheered for her. "For RIVW news, this is Alice Smith."

"You were amazing like always, baby."

"I couldn't have done it without your help." Alice offered him a small kiss in gratitude. Charles cleared his throat to that. Alice looked down at him on the couch. "You, too, of course." She pinched his cheek. "I didn't forget about my baby boy."

Charles swatted her hand away. "I'm twenty seven, mom."

"You're still my baby."

Charles wouldn't admit it out loud, but he secretly loved the attention he received from his mother. "You heard that?" He looked at all of his siblings. "I'm the favorite child."

"That's not what I said."

"We have no favorites," FP backed Alice up. "If anything, we would say you're all our favorite set of kids."

"That's because you have to say that," Betty said. "But come on, if you had to choose. Who would it be?"

"No comment."

"It's me, duh." Jellybean stated very sure of herself. "It's always the youngest, the baby of the house. Just break it to them, daddy. Tell them about the jellybean tattoo."

"That proves nothing." Jughead argued. "In that logic it could just as much be me. I'm the only one here that has a Serpent tattoo, too. Now that's dedication."

"Hey, it's not my fault my mom wouldn't let me get mine," Betty shot down his argument. "And your dad wouldn't tattoo me like he did Archie."

"I wasn't going to let you get that tattoo, Elizabeth."

"I'm just as much a Serpent as you, mom. I think I had a right to my tattoo. Besides, you got yours when you were younger than me."

"And I ended up leaving the Serpents."

"Well that's because of him," Betty pointed at Charles. "Wouldn't you have still been a Serpent if you weren't pregnant with him?"

"What about you, dad?" Jughead had his own thoughts on the matter. "You're Serpent King and all now, but what if grandpa never got you to join the gang? Would that mean you would have only ever been a high school jock like the rest of the Bulldogs?"