Redemption [Sweet Pea x OC]

Chapter 24

A few weeks had passed since FP's retirement party that just became a party when he'd made his announcement about staying in the Serpents, and the Wyrm had been transformed, along with just about every other place in tow. Christmas was everywhere, and I hated it.

"How can you not like Christmas?" Sweet Pea asked, passing me another box.

"I used to love it, the decorations and playing in the first snow of the season," I explained. "But then all the false cheer started getting to me. Kids acting extra good so Santa will bring them presents and parents going out of their way to buy meaningless gifts for others. The holiday lost all its magic, it just became another day for me."

"What if I changed your mind about that?"

I repositioned a few gift boxes. "Sorry, but I don't see that happening."

"I can still try though, right?" Sweet Pea asked.

"Yes, you can try," I said. We packed a few more gifts, expertly wrapped by Toni and Fangs.

"Why aren't you in school?" FP asked, coming around the corner.

I looked up to see that Jughead had managed to show up at some point. "It's a half day before break, he said. We all stayed quiet, not acknowledging the fact that we'd all skipped the day while he'd gone to see his friends on the Northside.

"Well, in that case, you can hold down the fort here, Jug," FP said.

"Or I could come with you guys," Jughead offered. He'd initially blamed me for FP taking over for him with Penny, but FP and I set him straight fairly quickly. Now he was desperate to be back in.

"Nice try. The answer's no," FP replied, shooting Jughead down yet again.

"We do need another set of hands, boss," Tall Boy said.

"There you go, let me pull my weight, Dad," Jughead pleaded. "I know what the Snake Charmer has you doing."

FP ignored him. "Sweet Pea, you're with us," he said, glancing in our direction. "Babygirl, let me know if you hear anything."

"Will do," I told him.

"I'll see you later," Sweet Pea said, kissing me quickly before following FP and Tall Boy out the door.

Jughead sighed, frustrated. "Okay, what can I help with?" he finally asked, turning around.

"We've got the wrapping station under control," Fangs said.

"You can pass me gifts so I can get everything packed faster," I offered. "Or you can pack your own."

Jughead got to work, and before long everything was ready, waiting to be picked up. "Abigail, can we talk?" Jughead asked, following me out of the Wyrm.

"What about?"

He looked around before answering. "About my dad. And Penny, and you. Can we go to Pop's?"

I rolled my eyes. "You can get food, but this doesn't sound like a conversation to be had where anyone can listen in. We can talk at your place."

"No, yeah, you're right," he stammered.

When he let me in the trailer, I couldn't help smiling at the little Charlie Brown Christmas tree they had in the corner, a single strand of multicolored lights wrapped around it. "So, what do we need to talk about?" I asked, taking a seat on the couch.

"Do you know anything about this debt Penny has on my dad? How long he's going to be doing this?"

I shook my head. "That's between the two of them, just like the jobs you did for Penny. I didn't tell FP about them because it wasn't my information to share. When she says he's done, he'll be done."