Heart & Sincerity

12/ Pancake Mix

Jughead ended up going to the trailer park to check on his father again. He heard yelling from inside the trailer the closer he got. He hid under a window to listen. It was a woman's voice and it sounded powerful.

"I can't keep doing this!" FP screamed at someone inside, probably at the female voice. "I already made myself clear!"

"You can and you will!" Penny venomously demanded.

"There's no end with you! I have put everything on the line! I've risked everything! My life, my family-"

"Family?" She scoffed. "What family? I don't see any."

"What will it take for you to leave me alone?"

"Don't worry about that," Penny grabbed his face ruthlessly. She wanted him to look her right in the eye. "Just worry about transporting the pancake mix because if you don't...well I don't have to spell it out for you." She shoved him away. "It's obvious that you were always one to get smitten by that Goldilocks." FP icily glared at her. She knew where to effectively strike.

She put her hand on the doorknob. Jughead saw the door creak and he hid. Penny marched out. Jughead watched this unknown woman disappear into the distance before going in. FP turned to look at who was at the door. He wasn't as tensed when he saw it was his son.

"Why are there more bags here? You said you were done." Jughead saw three duffle bags on the couch.

"I want to be." FP wanted nothing more than to get out of this whole ordeal. "I'm handling things the best I can."

"I want answers, dad." Jughead blocked the doorway. "You're not leaving without talking to me and telling me the whole truth."

"I don't need to get interrogated by my own son right now."

"What does this woman have on you?" Jughead could tell he was being coerced into this.

"There's a reason she's called the Snake Charmer." FP said. "I don't want you anywhere near her, understood? If she reaches out, don't respond. You do not wanna be in bed with a snake charmer."

"You didn't answer the question," Jughead pointed out. "What is it? Or better yet, who is it? What did she mean by Goldilocks?"

"Nothing. Forget about it," FP answered. "Aren't you supposed to be at that internship?" He turned the topic over to him.

"I was, but something came up." Jughead responded. "Don't change the subject."

"Don't push it, boy."

"Fine, answer a different question. Why did you blow my interview?"

"I told you not to question that."

"And I told you to talk to Mrs. Cooper."

"She just can't come around the Serpents, okay?" FP paced around the trailer. He accidentally bumped into the coffee table and the Pop's bag fell. He picked it up and threw it into the trash can. "Especially right now."

"Why not? She didn't mean any harm. You knew she was coming."

"Because I said so, Jug!" FP uncontrollably yelled out. He knew that was a bit over the top, so he tamed himself. "She just can't get involved with what's going on around here."