I had your baby

Chapter 4

"What do you mean he's alive?" Betty asks when turning to a sitting position. "Didn't Chic say he was dead?"
"I thought so too but I found something." Alice pulls out the picture. "A picture of a rehab center here in New York and I think he is getting treated there."

"That's... That's great mom", Betty says still sounding tired, which she is. "But why did Chic lie about it?"

"To steal his identity, Betty, what else?" Jughead declare.

"I found out something about that too. Charles and Chic were together", Alice explains.

"You mean in a relationship?" Betty asks confused.

"Yes. And I believe that Chic didn't really want to hurt him."

"So why did he do it?"

"Maybe he wanted to get revenge on you for what you did to him?" Jughead says and look at both of them.

"That actually makes sense", Betty says.

"Anyway, I need to go there now", Alice says.
"It's only-" Betty looks at her phone. "4 am. Can't you wait until the morning."
Alice sighs. "Do you honestly think I'm going to be able to sleep now anyway?"
"You should at least try. Have you been sleeping anything at all?"
"I'm a mother. I'm used to not sleep."
Betty doesn't really know how to respond to that. "I'm guessing he's been there for a while so I'm pretty sure he will survive another day without you."

Alice decides to wait for two hours and then she would call FP. She has to tell him about it since it's his son too.

As soon as the clock turned 6am she picked up the phone and called.

"Alice?" She can barely hear him because of the "newly-awake" voice.
"FP, I have to tell you something. Something about Charles."

FP didn't make a single noice.

"I think he might be alive", Alice bursts out.

"What do you mean? How?"

"Chic was lying, Charles is still alive. Please come with me."

"Where?" FP asks confused on the other side of the hook.

"To the Jour Treatment Center New York."

It has only been a couple of seconds since he woke up but he knows this is important for Alice so he wanted to do it for her. And he also knows there's no point in asking her to do it later because she have probably waited long enough already.

"So? You coming with me?", she asked again.

"Pick me up", he says and hangs up.

"I can't come with you", Betty says when her mother starts making a to-go breakfast. "Archie is going to get released today. We need to be there for him and Veronica."

Alice looks disappointed at her daughter. She had hoped to get as much support as she could. Last time Betty was with her and it helped a lot, but at least she has someone with her.

"Well, I guess it's for the best anyway. Walking in all four of us might make him uncomfortable."

"All four?"

Alice froze. She haven't told anyone Charles is FP's yet. And since Jughead clearly doesn't know, FP haven't told anyone either.

"I'm-" she tried to come up with a reason for taking FP with her.

"FP is coming... because I need a friend." She heard how bad the excuse sounded but Betty didn't seem to care.

"Okay, good you're not alone." Betty smiled. "But should you really take FP? I mean with him started drinking again. It's going look bad if you are going a rehab center."

"He can control himself. And besides, I don't have anyone else."

Alice walks up to the woman sitting at the reception while FP is standing a meter behind making sure the alcohol can't be smelled.

For working with people having mental health issues she looked very angry and unpleasant. Her black hair was tied up in a tight ponytail and her glasses was pointy on the edges making her look even angrier.

"Hey", Alice said. "We would like to meet a patient of yours." She smiled and tried to look as polite as she possibly could, working hard to hide how tired and nervous she actually was.
"Name?"
"Alice Smith and FP Jones."
"I don't mean you two, I mean the patient", she said angry like it was so obvious what she meant.
"Oh, Charles..." Alice didn't know his last name. "Smith", she finally said hoping he hadn't changed it through the years.

The woman started to type on her computer, searching for him. She looked at the screen a long time.

"What did you say your name was again?", she asked and looked at Alice.

"Alice Smith."

"It doesn't say anything about any Alice here." She looked down at her computer again. "How do you know him?"

"I'm his mother. And this is his father." Alice pointed at FP.

"If you're not in the system I'm afraid he haven't mentioned you and you cannot meet him."

They haven't driven all this way just to go back. She haven't broken into someone's house, stealing his diary and found out her son is still alive just to go back ignoring it all.

"But we are his parents. We need to see him", Alice said hopelessly.

The lady gave her a look that almost terrified her. "If you are his parents, why haven't you been here before? He's been here for months and you've never showed up. Neither has he mentioned you."

Alice didn't know how to explain it. Telling the real story would mean she was going to prison, but telling the truth and keep some details away should work.

"I gave him up for adoption because my ex husband forced me to. Until recently I thought he was dead but one of his friends told us he was here."

Talking about the adoption almost made her starting to cry. Another reason to hate Hal. He had been very controlling of her since the beginning. Telling him it wasn't his son would have meant even worse things for her and the baby. By saying it was his she could at least get away with giving birth and then give it away for adoption, even though she chose to keep it a secret just in case. If she had been honest and told everyone it was FP's everything would have been easier. But then she would have been stuck there, on the Southside. With the serpents.

The lady stared at her for a long time. Deciding if Alice could be trusted or not.
"Okay", she finally said and Alice breathed out released. "You can see him. Second floor, room 2:19."