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•••
After doing a little research to find Charles Alice was lead to the cemetery. Betty came along to emotionally support her. Ever since she found out the truth about her baby boy she made it her mission to find where his remains were. "Do you know what happens to the dead when they're unclaimed?" Alice looked up from the grave and over at her daughter.
"No," Betty said. She knew it was hard for her mother to be there but it was something they had to do.
"Their bodies are cremated and their ashes are buried in a single mass grave." Alice looked back at the grave. "This is the spot where Charles' ashes are buried. I needed proof and here it is." Alice was chocking back her tears. The thought of her child being dead was too much for her. She sighed to show her melancholy. "If only, if only I had stayed with FP. Charles would-"
"Mom," Betty tried to stop her from blaming herself for this tragedy.
"My son would be alive," Alice took in a deep breath. "And I wouldn't have been married to a murderer." She looked over at Betty. "But then I wouldn't have had you or your sister." Alice knelt down and touched the gravestone. She let her tears fall out. She sat down and sobbed hysterically. Betty tried to help her up but she wouldn't budge. Alice was not going to leave any time soon. Betty pulled out her phone and dialed a number. She stepped away from her mother to make the call. "Mr. Jones, we need you here."
"Betty? Are you and your mom okay?" FP answered the phone immediately when he saw her name pop up on the screen.
"No, we're not. My mom is breaking down and I need you to please come talk to her. She refuses to leave the graveyard and I'm worried it could get worse. It's really hard to be here."
"I'm on my way." FP was getting into his truck the second she called. "In the meantime please stay next to her. It really helps her having someone by her side."
"Thank you Mr. Jones"
When FP arrived he spotted the two blondes sitting on the ground. Alice was resting her head in Betty's arms. FP approached them and tapped Betty on the shoulder. Betty looked up at him. "I've got it from here. You can go home and rest if you'd like. It might take long."
Betty nods and takes the keys to the station wagon from her mother's purse. She knew FP would be taking her home after. FP took over and sat in Betty's place. She carefully held the sleeping woman in his arms. He was careful not to wake her. He also wanted to take the moment to see their son. Betty left and gave them some privacy. Alice felt the change in the hold she found herself in. She fluttered her eyes open. "FP?"
He saw that she was awake and presses his head against hers. He was staring at the gravestone in front of them. "So this is where he is?" There was a hint of sadness in his voice. He hasn't taken his eyes off the grave since he got there. "Charles is one of these?"
"He would be alive if it weren't for me." Alice dug her face into his coat.
"Al-"
"Our poor baby is in there with the others who were unclaimed. He deserves to be happy and I ruined that for him."
"You didn't do this to him, alright?" His voice was weak but he was being strong for her. "This is not your fault. It's mine."
"You didn't shut the door on him like I did," She croaked.
"But it was my fault I ruined both your lives," FP held her close. He didn't want to let go. "If I wasn't such an idiot you wouldn't have followed your head and done the right thing in making sure he was taken care of. If I was a good boyfriend I wouldn't have caused you both to suffer. If I-" Looking at the grave again made him choke back the tears he was trying to stop. Alice held him in return. He hid his face in the palm of his hands. It was Alice's turn to comfort him. "It wasn't your fault. How would you have known you had a son? That was my mistake. I should have told you. We could have made it work and done everything we could to give our son the love he deserved."
"I shouldn't have let you walk out of my life. I should have tried harder and fight for you but my impetuosity got in the way. I regret it everyday. We could have been a family."
"But then you wouldn't have had Jughead and Jellybean," Alice thought about the miracles they were actually blessed with during this nightmare of a time. "And I wouldn't have had Polly and Betty."
"I love my kids and I'm sure you love yours but were you happy? In all honesty I wasn't. My kids were the only good thing in my life these past two decades but then I screwed that up too," FP glumly said. "It cost me my daughter and I almost lost another son. It would tear me apart if I had to visit two graves for my sons in this graveyard."
"I have a daughter who never comes home to visit and I won't be in my grand babies' lives as much as I'd love to. Then my bond with my youngest daughter is estranged. I just wish I could have a stronger relationship with both and not have them leave me like all the others."
"It's clear we both live terrible lives," FP lightened up the mood and got her to chuckle for once.
"Just promise me that we won't put an end to whatever this is. You're all I have besides Betty and I can't bare to be alone. I need you in my life. You're the only one I can go to."
"I promise," FP said with meaning. "I need you just as much."
•••
The two comfortably laid in his truck. The cold winter weather beat them and they did not want to get frostbite. They didn't want to leave the graveyard just yet either. FP stared out the window. He was laying on his seat with his back against the door. He had Alice on top of him, holding her against him. She let her head lay on his chest as she clung onto him and closed her eyes. She was peacefully dozing off.
"I bet he was a smart boy. A brainiac just like you." FP lamented. He pictured himself being a proud father, not that he wasn't already one. "Definitely a badass like you. Fred would have gotten a kick out of it. He loved your feistiness as much as I did. To be honest he has always been afraid of you but I mean who wouldn't be. You were that girl...my girl." He rubbed his thumb along her arm. She was peacefully sleeping on him. He smiled and kissed the top of her head. He carefully took his coat off and laid it on top of her to keep her warm. He kept his arms wrapped around her and tried to sleep a bit too.
