Broken Home

13 | Preoccupied

"Are we almost to Toledo?" Jughead yawns.

"Almost, Jug. Ten more minutes." FP looks back at him through the rear view mirror. "How's your sister?"

"Sleeping," Jughead peeks over her car seat.

"She's fine," Gladys confirms. She rode in the back with the kids to keep an eye on the baby.

The Bentley residence is a nice, big beige house in a cul-de-sac. Gladys's parents Eric and Susan lived alone prior to their daughter coming back home for a few weeks.

As FP got closer he looked for parking. "We're here."

"Have we been here before?" Jughead unbuckles his seatbelt when they park alongside the sidewalk.

"You were too little to remember," Gladys answers. "Probably a year or two older than Jellybean."

Eric stepped out onto his porch when he heard the car. He watches Jughead jump out of the car while FP handles the baby.

"Forsythe junior junior," Eric crouches down and opens his arms for the little boy. Jughead shyly approaches him. "There's my favorite grandson."

"He's your only grandson," Gladys walks over with the baby. "Come on, Jug. Let's go inside and say hi to grandma."

Eric remains outside to greet FP. There's a smile on his face when he gets a peek of his granddaughter. "This must be Forsythia."

"She might be a little fussy considering she just woke up, but you're welcomed to say hello." FP hands him the baby. She stares up at the strange man and her lip begins to quiver. "It's alright, Jellybelly. It's just your grandpa." He looks at his daughter in awe. "Sorry, she's just not used to new faces yet."

"How old is she now?" Eric asks. He steps aside so FP can go in.

"Two months."

"FP," Gladys's mother walks into the foyer. "It's lovely to see you. I just saw how big Forsythe got and I needed to see how small Forsythia was."

"Look honey," Eric shows her the baby girl. "Isn't she the cutest little bean?"

"She's Jellybean," Jughead tells them. His grandparents laugh.

"Yeah, I gave the kids nicknames." FP says. "That's Jellybean. She's Jellybelly to me though." FP then looks over at his son. "He's Jughead."

Susan looks around. "Where's the big one? Your son?"

"He's with his mom."

"That's a bummer. He's a very polite young man." Susan likes Charles. He takes after his father with his chivalrous ways.

"Thank you," FP smiles.

Susan grabs Jellybean from her husband. She coos at the sight of her tiny face. "Hi, Jellybean. I'm your nana."

"She didn't cry with you," Eric gapes and shakes his head, a little offended by that. FP stifles a laugh.

"She just loves me more, Eric." Susan sticks her tongue out at him and walks to the living room with the baby.

"In your wildest dreams, hon." Eric follows behind. "Right, Jughead?" He passes the boy on his way and ruffles his hair. "Do you want a snack? You must be hungry after a long drive."

"Yeah!" Jughead yells excitedly.

"There's a cookie jar in the kitchen. You can grab one cookie before we have lunch." Gladys tells her son.

Jughead wanders into the kitchen. That leaves only his parents behind in the foyer. They glance at each other before heading into the living room.

"So, FP, how have you been? What's it like back there in Riverdale?" Eric asks kindly.

"Same ol' same ol'," FP flops down on the couch. "But I'm really excited for my Charles. He made the football team recently. He'll be sporting my jersey number on the field."

"You've got yourself a junior, alright." Eric is impressed. "Jughead will be following in his footsteps in a couple of years."

"Actually, I don't think he'll be wanting to. I've noticed how much of a bookworm he is. He loves to read. He's like his mother in that sense and I respect that. He's a smart kid. I like to think he'll be some great writer or something like that some day. Me? I can barely string two sentences together."

"What's for lunch?" Jughead comes out the kitchen.

"We'll be right there," Susan says. Jellybean whimpers. "Oh, sweetheart, you must be hungry too."

"I've got her," Gladys cradles her daughter in her arms, but she continues to cry. FP gets up. "I can take her." He extends his arms out.

"No, I can handle this. I'll just make her a bottle."

"Okay, I'll just grab her bag from the car then." FP makes his way out to the car.

"Come on, Forsythe. I'll fix you up some lunch." Susan takes the boy back into the kitchen.

Eric stays behind with his daughter. The baby is still crying as she tries to soothe her. "Let me." He takes the baby from her and rocks her gently in his arms. It seems to help. "So, you and FP? You're trying it out again?"

"Yes, we just needed a break. We're fine now."

"Are you sure? You two have been together for over six years and there's still no ring."

"I don't need a ring to be satisfied. We can be serious without the whole marriage crap."

"I'm just saying. With raising three kids together, you would expect a ring by now."

"Hey, Alice got a ring from her man and now they're getting a divorce."

FP rushes back inside with the baby's bag, the bottle and formula already in hand. "I'll fix it up for her."

FP scoops the baby and takes her into the other room. Eric turns to Gladys, "He loves these kids. Don't screw it up."

"Me?" Gladys scoffs. "Have a little faith in your daughter."

"You left them and came running here. What are we supposed to think?"

"I tried bringing the baby. Charles had locked himself in the room with her."

"Just the baby?" He points out. "Listen to yourself, dear. You're not getting the point."

Gladys grows silent before she follows her father into the kitchen.

+

As they try to go to sleep later that night, they're just two bodies resting next to each other. Both minds preoccupied with things of their own.

Gladys thinks long and hard about what she is trying to get done. Not a drop of remorse runs through her.

FP thinks about Alice. As he lays here with Gladys, he can't help but wish it were her instead.