Take Me to The Races

There Will Be Blood

We were having a dinner at the Lodge's. I smile as the adult reminisce on high school memories. "If I'm remembering correctly, the only house in Riverdale with a pool was Thornhill." Mr. Lodge points at his wife, who nods in agreement with him.

"There we were, two drunk dumb teenagers looking to cool off." Dad explains why they trespassed on the Blossom's property.

"Why didn't you just go to the quarry or Sweetwater River?" Archie laugh at dad lame excuse. There was no way he would let either of us get away with that excuse.

"Oh, what I remember is someone borrowing the school van for a joy ride, you and Mary." Dad waves his hand over at Mrs. Lodge.

"No, that was Alice, not us." She shook her head, correcting him.

"Oh, my God, this sounds like an episode of Saved by the Bell." Veronica laughs.

Husband and wife share a look before he turns to dad. "Hey, Fred before you head off, why don't you join Hermione and me in the study? I have this 30-year-old rum. I think you'll love it."

"I can't say no to that." He wipes his mouth as they stood up.

"Veronica, stay with Archie?" Her mom told her. Veronica nod then smile over at Archie as her parent got up to take my dad to the study. Archie was watching dad leave the room with a concern look. It seems that he had the same feeling as me. I suppose it was a hypocrisy that most people fell into. It's acceptable for us to get involved in something dangerous, but unacceptable for someone those we love to get involved in the same dangerous activity.

"Do you mind if Archie and I go to my room?" Veronica, being the perfect host turns to ask me.

"It's fine." I smile. They got up and left the room. I play merge dragons on my phone until dad came out of the study.

Mr. and Mrs. Lodge walk us to the door. Mr. Lodge gave each of us a handshake while Mrs. Lodge and Veronica gave a hug and a kiss on the cheek. When Mr. Lodge shook my hand, I slip Penny's business card to him. He put it on his pocket without any questions or raising suspicion. When Mrs. Lodge kisses my cheek I whisper the card was someone who wanted in.

Archie, dad, and I left the building and climb into our pickup truck. Before dad could put the keys in, Archie was asking what happen in the study. While dad turns the car on and made his way home, he explains to us that Mr. Lodge asks him to run for mayor. I lean back into my chair after hearing the news. Malachai told me that Mr. Lodge wanted to involve my whole family. His way of doing that was to make my dad mayor, so that they can use and abuse him like they did Josie's mom. It wasn't going to work. My dad wouldn't let anyone push him around like Mrs. McCoy did. If they were able to get him in, they would have to push him back out. That wouldn't go as smoothly as it did with Mrs. McCoy either. I knew in that moment, I would have to make the hard choice of either Malachai or my family.

"Dad, is this something you're seriously considering?" Archie broke the silent of everyone processing the news.

Dad let out a big sigh, "Being mayor is something I dreamed about ever since I was a little kid in the back of my mind. And I know Riverdale's had a lot of downs lately but maybe, I can help get it back up."

"And you don't think it's weird that Mr. Lodge is asking you to run?" Archie was trying to push him away without telling him straight up that Hiram was a dirty business man.

"He's not dumb, son. He spends a lot of money in Riverdale. It makes sense he wants a friend in the mayor's office." Dad justifies the Lodges interest in him. I bite my lip to stop from snorting at the word friend. I don't think people have an affair with their friend's wives.