The Choice

Chapter One

The Choice

Chapter One

"The whore of Riverdale has returned."

Elizabeth 'Betty' Cooper looked up from her menu and the corner of her mouth quirked in a wry grin.

Her old nemesis, Cheryl Blossom...(or did she go by her married name 'Rutherford' now?) took her seat across the table from her. She motioned for a waiter who was at their table in an instant.

Betty may have deliberately picked a restaurant outside of town for this meeting, eighteen years in the making, but the Blossom name still carried a long reach and Cheryl was recognized and catered to wherever she went.

Betty didn't want anyone else to know she had returned. Yet. She and her daughter Jessica had arrived from New York City the night before, going straight from the airport to the hotel where she had made the call to Cheryl.

"I should have been surprised to get your call but I really wasn't. I knew as soon as JJ turned eighteen that you would come back."

Cheryl didn't call him Jason, Betty was so grateful for that...She had so much to be grateful to this woman for, but right now, this, small yet huge thing, that she had kept her promise to Betty that she wouldn't let her son be called Jason. A well of emotion swelled into Betty's throat and she had to take a deep breath to move past it and be able to speak. "How is he?"

"His graduation was just this past week. A grand affair of course attended by all high society. He's trying to convince my mother to let him to go backpacking in Europe for a year before starting Princeton."

Betty eased back in her seat. Princeton. Just like that. Her little boy was headed to Princeton like the golden heir apparent that he was while Betty had fought and scraped together every resource she had to make sure Jessica got a good education and got a full scholarship to Columbia. "Is he happy?"

Cheryl gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Yeah. He's got a wide circle of friends. Every advantage the Blossom name has provided him with and a bright future."

Betty didn't miss the undertone of warning in her tone. Don't fuck it up for him now. She stiffened.

Cheryl sighed. "Look, Betty. I can't even imagine what these past eighteen years have been like for you-"

"No, you can't, Cheryl," she snapped. "I kept my end of the bargain. He's an adult now. I want my son back."

Cheryl took a sip of her wine. "He doesn't know you exist, Betty."

"Because you told him his parents died. I remember the deal, Cheryl, but the time has come for him to learn the truth. I thank you for what you did for him-"

"You have no idea," Cheryl said, her eyes glittering hard for a second before she looked at Betty sadly. "I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to know the truth...I wouldn't be here if I didn't agree with you but we can't just ambush with everything that happened almost twenty years ago. This can't just be about what you want. It has to be about what's best for him."

Betty nodded slowly, trying to control her emotions. "You're right... I just..."

"Yeah I know. Just... baby steps, okay? My mother is gonna have a shit fit when she learns your back in town. To stay?"

"Oh you bet your ass," Betty insisted.

Cheryl nodded, as if she approved. "Well, I know my nana is gonna find that hysterical."