Consequences

Chapter 29

FP wiped the sweat off his forehead. "It's safe now. You can tell them it's safe to go out now."

Jughead, wearing his tank top and suspenders, emptied his water bucket and splashed it over the floor one more time to wash away the gasoline on the floor.

"Are you checking me out?" Jughead raised an eyebrow at Veronica, who was mopping the ground nearby.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Your outfit is the definition of an effboy."

Jughead gaped at her. "How do you have the same definition as me? It's like you read my mind!"

She shook her head and continued her work. Alright, she'll admit to herself, that she was checking him out. She couldn't help it though, he was such eye candy! His biceps, his hair, his muscles— all was Veronica-approved.

"Dame mas Gasolina!" Cheryl sang as she hosed the floors.

"Um, Cheryl," Veronica gave her a look. "Too soon. Not funny."

"What?" Cheryl smiled nonchantly. "This was done by my mother dearest and everything about her is a joke, so this, in conclusion, is a joke as well."

"Cher...people could have died," Toni placed a hand on her shoulder.

Cheryl just shook them both off, but stopped singing. Toni sighed at her. The youngest Blossom had been weird since she saw her mother.

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Veronica Lodge was doing Jellybean's hair and makeup when Gladys Jones burst into the room.

"Oh, hi Mrs Jones, sorry, Jel and I are just having a girls' night," Veronica apologised for intruding into their room.

"That's fine," Gladys Jones seemed stress and her lips turned into a thin line. "Jellybean, after all this is done, pack your bags, we're leaving tomorrow morning."

"What? Why?" Jellybean whipped her head to face her mother, causing Veronica to accidentally smudge her eyeliner.

"Riverdale isn't safe. We're going home," Gladys impatiently said as she dumped her belongings in her lugagge.

"But I like it here," Jellybean protested.

"Jellybean Jones! Now's not the time to be childish! We're leaving and that's final," she insisted angrily.

Jellybean ran out of the room with smudged eyeliner and half done makeup.

Veronica sheepishly collected her makeup bag and said. "I'll go see if she's okay." She then hightailed out of the room after the upset young teen.

"Jel!" She ran after Jellybean, who was running in no particular direction.

When she caught up with Jellybean, she hugged her tightly. Jellybean sobbed on Veronica's night clothes.

"Let's go somewhere private okay Jel?" Veronica stroked her hair to comfort the distraught girl. "Come on."

She lead Jellybean into her room and they sat on her bed.

"I don't want to leave," Jellybean gasped through sobs. "I want to stay here, as a family."

Veronica said nothing as she continued to stroke her hair to calm her down.

"I just want to be with my dad and my mom and my brother! Is that too much to ask for?"

"Veronica, have you seen my—," Jughead stopped short when he came out of the bathroom and saw the scene. "What's wrong?"

Veronica transferred Jellybean to Jughead's arms. "Mom says we're leaving tomorrow!" Jellybean cried.

"She said what?" Jughead was appalled. "No! She can't do that!"

"Do you want to stay?" Veronica asked softly.

The sobs quieted down for a minute while Jellybean considered her question. "I do like it here better than Toledo, but I can't just leave mom..."

"It's not fair," Jellybean weeped softly.

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"You can't just rip Jellybean away from her family again!" Jughead yelled at his mom in a frenzy. "That's just plain selfish!"

Jellybean Jones was asleep in Veronica and Jughead's room after a long cry. Veronica was taking care of Jellybean, while Jughead was expressing his anger to his parents.

"I'm just protecting Jellybean from the danger of Riverdale!" Gladys replied, equally angry. "Riverdale is not safe! In the short two weeks I've been here, you got kidnapped and we were almost all burned to death! And I don't see you and FP spending much time with us either!"

"From what I've heard, you don't spend much time with Jellybean either! And yeah, Riverdale may not be the safest, but Jellybean is well protected by the Serpents and us! Think of Jellybean! She's a lot happier here with us."

"I can provide a safer and stable life for Jellybean in Toledo. She's leaving with me first thing tomorrow, no question," Gladys snapped ferociously.

"Son, Gladys, calm down," FP acted as the mediator. "There's always room for discussion, so let's discuss this in a civil way. What does Jellybean want?"

"I want to stay," a small but strong voice came from the doorway.

Gladys turned to see her daughter, with Veronica's arm around her, in the doorway.

"But I also don't want to leave you, Mummy."

Gladys' face crumpled at her youngest daughter's words. "Honey..."

FP cleared his throat. "Why don't we do this. Since Gladys doesn't want to stay, and we won't move to Toledo, Jellybean gets to stay with us and Gladys alternatively. In other words, she stays here for three months, then goes to Toledo for three, then come back et cetera."

"But...," Gladys wanted to protest.

"I'd like that," Jellybean said firmly. Veronica smiled at her supportingly.

Gladys Jones rushed out of the room, upset. FP gave them all a tight smile before leaving for bed too. The remaining three stood there, smiling at each other.

"Thanks for everything, guys," Jellybean broke the silence happily.

"Anything for you, Jel," Jughead gave her a piggyback ride to his room to rest for the night.

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A/N

Did anyone get the 'tank top and suspenders' reference?😂