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FP drove the car with Alice silently weeping in the passengers seat. Betty sat in the back observing the two. He had her hand in his and his other behind the wheel. All he wanted to do was hold her until things got better. When they reached the house FP went around the car and opened Alice's door. She climbed out and latched onto him. He accepted her and held her up against him. He handed Betty the keys and gestured for her to go open the door. FP lead Alice in so she could just focus on holding him. "Let's go sit," He walked into the living room and took a seat. She kept her head in the crook of his neck. His arms were still wrapped for dear life around her.
"Can I get you both something?" Betty offered to help in any way she could.
"Can I get some water?" FP moved Alice slightly so he could see her face. "Al, do you want water too?" FP didn't get a response. "We'll just share one, thanks." Betty excused herself and went to the kitchen. She tried to listen to what he was telling her. "Alice, can you say something? It's just me and you right now."
"He's gone," His shirt muffled her words. She looked up and in his eyes. He saw the pain in her eyes. She wanted her son, their son, back. "He's gone, FP, and it's all my fault."
"Hey hey hey, it's not your fault. What he did to him is not your fault." FP didn't want her to blame herself for what Chic did to Charles.
"He hated me. He must've hate me for what I did to him. I don't deserve happiness. I deserve biblical punishment."
"No," FP stopped her from saying those things. "You don't deserve any of this. You deserve to be happy. You deserve the world, Alice. I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I never did that for you. I've been an idiot all these years. I constantly hurt you the same way I learned I was hurting myself."
"If I'm going to be honest I hated you-" Alice made his heart shatter. He however believed he deserved that. "-but I wanted you." He felt like he was going to break. He didn't care though. He needed to let it out. He let tears stream down his cheek. It was silent. Betty came back and left the glass of water on the coffee table for them. She saw how he kept her mother so calm. He was comforting her so perfectly. Her ear was pressed against his chest. She was listening to his slow heartbeat. He was playing with her hair. Betty could see their puffy eyes. Charles meant the world to them even if they never got to raise him together. FP reached for the glass and drank some water. He sat Alice up and held the glass for her so she could take a sip before placing it back on the table. "What was he like?"
"Small," Alice said. "His fingers wrapped perfectly around my thumb." She felt a lump building up in her throat. "I wish you could have seem him. He was beautiful. When the nurses took him I wept all night. All I wanted was for him to be gifted the world, if not by me then by a lovely family." She hid her face again. She didn't want him to see he like this. "But I failed him. I made his life miserable. He wound up with that murderer who dared tell me he OD'd on Jingle Jangle when he himself hurt our son."
"Alice..." He stopped talking. He was finding it hard to put the words together.
"Mom," Betty spoke up. "Charles wouldn't blame you for any of this. Things happened yes but the terrible things that happened aren't tied back to you. You gave him up for his happiness even if that meant sacrificing yours." She meant every word. Her mother was selfless and she loved her for that. "As for you Mr. Jones, you didn't know but instead of playing victim and bashing my mother on the topic you've only been there for my mom. You've been her comfort and sense of security. I know things didn't work out between you two all those years ago but this is what you both need. You need each other."
"What are you trying to say?" FP asked.
"Seek comfort in each other." Betty proposed the idea. "It's obvious there are many mysteries tied to this bond. Solve them. Work them out. Be the people you wished you have turned out to be twenty five years ago. It's never too late."
FP and Alice looked at each other. She was right. There was still hope for them. Their story wasn't over. They had overcome the painful obstacles of life. It made them stronger.
His eyes drifted down to her lips. She stared right back at his. They both knew what came next. He inched forward and she cupped his face. They kissed. Once they parted their foreheads were pressed against each other. "I loved you once, Alice Smith, and I don't think I ever stopped."
"I love you, Forsythe, and I don't plan on stopping either."
Betty recognized that look on their faces. They were in love. Their smiles were to die for.
