Jughead was in trouble, big trouble. The silent treatment had been going on for over 3 hours. Betty refusing to even look at him anymore. She locked herself away in the bathroom. Drawing herself a bath to get away from her inconsiderate husband. How could he forget it? It happened every year. 25th of August, their wedding anniversary. They celebrated it every year. But this year, he forgot it. How? How did he forget it? He remembered Betty's comments in the days and weeks leading up to it. He even wrote it down. But he still forgot it, and Betty was pissed.
Now he had to grovel. He couldn't leave to go and buy something. And he knew that none of the flowers in their garden would work. His last resort was Amazon, but even with his Prime membership, there was no way he could get something delivered in less than 2 hours. "Shit." He said to himself. Running his hand through his hair. Betty was furious. So furious she had thrown her gift for him into the trash. A new set of leather-bound journals with his name running along the side in gold. Now it was covered in yoghurt and pieces of fruit, worthless which only made him feel worse.
"Betts," Jughead said as he knocked on the bathroom door. "Open up, please. I'm really sorry." She didn't respond. She was still giving him the silent treatment. It had been over 3 hours now, and not a word out of her mouth. The yelling was over. Now it was silence.
"Betty, please. Open up. I'm really sorry." He tried again knocking on the door.
He heard the sound of the bathwater draining away. The smell of the scented candles long gone. Even the music she had put on to try and forget about her anger was off. She was sitting in the bathroom, alone and in silence. Knowing Jughead would sit outside the door for as many hours as he needed to wait for her.
"Go away, Jughead. I'm hungry." She yelled through the door.
"I'll make you something." He offered.
"No, I just want to be alone." She yelled.
"It's our anniversary, you can't be alone." He replied.
"Oh really, because I thought you forgot." She yelled back.
"I'm so sorry, Betty. I am. Please, let me make it up to you." He begged.
"How?"
"What if I cook you an amazing dinner."
"Jug, you can't cook. Last time you tried you nearly burned down the kitchen." She replied and he nodded. It was true. He couldn't cook.
"How about I order a pizza."
"Pizza for our 5th wedding anniversary. How romantic." She said sarcastically.
"I'll order some seafood. You know what they say about oysters." He said bringing a smile to his face.
"I can't eat seafood, you idiot." She yelled back angrier.
"Why not?" He asked stupidly.
"I'm fucking pregnant, or did you forget about that too?" She grizzled.
"Sorry, I ..I'm so sorry, Betts. Of course, I know you can't eat seafood. Let me make it up to you, please."
"You can't."
"5th wedding is wood. What if I build you something." He suggested.
There was silence and he knew she was shaking her head. He wasn't a builder. He couldn't even nail 2 pieces together.
"I'm sorry, Betts. I am. I've .. I've just been pre-occupied with work, and the baby coming soon. I'm sorry."
"That's not an excuse, Juggie. You just forgot because .. .because.." She had to stop herself as tears filled her eyes.
"Because of what, Betty?" He asked sadly.
Betty pulled herself off the bathroom floor and opened the door looking sadly at her husband. "Because you don't love me anymore."
"What! Are you serious?" Jughead yelled as he looked at Betty. Her hands rubbing over a large pregnant belly. "Of course I still love you. Why would you even think that?"
"You never forget about this day, Jughead. And now .. this year you did. Is it because I don't look at how I did last year. That I'm fat." She pouted as a tear ran down her face.
"You're not fat, baby. You're pregnant. If anything I'm more attracted to you because you're carrying my baby." He moved to place his hands on either side of her face but she pushed him away and stepped back into the bathroom. "Why are you saying all this stuff? Is it the pregnancy hormones?"
"I don't know. I just feel uncomfortable all the time. I couldn't even relax in the bath."
"Why not?" He asked stepping into the bathroom, following her as she sat on the edge of the tub.
"Because ... you weren't in there with me." She replied.
Jughead bent down and rested on one knee taking her hands with his. "I'm really sorry I forgot our anniversary. Let me make it up to you. I can run you another bath, and we can enjoy it together."
Betty shook her head.
"What can I do then? I want to make it up to you, sweetie." He asked, desperate for an answer.
Betty looked away towards the counter and smiled. "I have a way you can make it up to me."
"I'll do anything." He begged.
"Anything, you say?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye.
"Yes, anything."
"I can't believe I agreed to this," Jughead said as he lay back on the bed with Betty hovering above him.
"You promised me," Betty replied.
"I know. Come on then, let's do it." He replied.
Betty giggled as she ran the face brush through the bowl and in the green mask before she began to paint it over Jughead's face. She couldn't help but laugh when he opened his eyes.
"You look so pretty, Jug." She laughed as his face was covered in the green mud mask.
"How long do I have to leave this crap on?" He winced.
"Not too long. Now it's my turn. Do me." She asked as she closed her eyes falling back onto the bed and Jughead took the brush from her and proceeded to paint her face with the remainder of the mask.
Betty opened her eyes and they both let out a giggle. "After 7 years of being together, I never imagined that you would ever con me into doing something like this."
"Well, you owe me, Juggie." She replied as she moved closer to him, head to head. Top and tailing on the bed. "Thanks for doing this."
"I'm sorry for forgetting about our special day. I promise it's not because I stopped loving you. I just .. I've been so worried about the baby coming. I'm really sorry. I promise I'll make up for it."
"Next year I want the biggest and best anniversary present ever." She asked gleefully.
"I promise." He said as Betty brushed her lips onto his.
