In Your Arms

In Your Arms Chapter Seven: The Final Goodbye?

Jughead's POV...

     I thank everyone who walks into the funeral parlor, choking back my tears as I intentionally avert my blue eyes from Betty's casket, knowing that as soon as I see her lifeless body I'll completely break down.  I look over at Alice instead, who's by the small video screen that has pictures of Betty all throughout her life playing, making me smile sadly as she brings Juliet—who's in her arms—closer to the screen and pointing at it, saying "That's your mommy!"
     Veronica and Archie arrive, and Veronica's parents are watching Aiden for them—no matter how much Archie protested.  They both give me a hug and start to tear up, making me swallow and choke back more tears.  I can't cry yet.  I need to try my best to keep it together. 
     "How are you holding up?" Veronica questions me sadly.
     I clear my throat, "I'm hanging in there," I answer, inhaling and exhaling a quivering breath.
     "We're proud of you, Jug, we all know this is hitting you the hardest, yet you're being the strongest," Archie comments, placing his hand on my shoulder and patting it.
     "I need to be.  For Jules," I respond, "Honestly, there are some moments where I just want to breakdown and cry, but whenever I'm with her or in public I don't.  Though, I can't say the same for when I'm alone."
     "You'll get through this, Jughead," Veronica tells me, rubbing my arm comfortingly.
     I sigh, and then I see Betty standing next to the wall and nodding her head, assuring me that I'll indeed be able to get through this.  I smile slightly, and then look back at Veronica and Archie, nodding my head as well.
     "Yeah.  I will," I answer, smiling weakly at them.
     I walk over to Alice and Juliet next, frowning when I see Alice wipe away some tears.  I stare at the video screen—which has just restarted its presentation of Betty's life—and stand next to her, rubbing her arm comfortingly.
     "Thank you, Jughead," she whispers.
     "For what?" I answer, dumbfounded.
     "For always being there for Betty, and for not leaving every time I tried to push you away from her," she explains, sniffling.
     I nod my head, "Of course," I respond.
     I watch as Betty's life flashes on the screen, smiling when pictures of us flicker on there.  Us at the Back to School Dance, one of us at Pop's, Prom, when I proposed to her (Veronica insisted that she took a photo of us, and knowing she wouldn't take no for an answer I allowed her to) and one at our wedding, and one of her holding Jules in the hospital asleep after she was born, me cuddling with my two girls while looking down and smiling at them.  I didn't know that photo was taken.
     The slideshow starts up again, with a picture of a little Betty, little Archie, and little me all smiling at Sweetwater River.
     "You were there for her throughout her whole life," Alice continues, "I sadly can't say the same for myself.  I regret not being there for her when she needed me most," she sobs, looking down at Juliet, "She's probably ashamed of me."
     I shake my head, "Alice, as much as you might've hurt her in the past, I'm sure that she's forgiven you and that she's not ashamed of you," I tell her.
     "You really think so?"
     "I know so," I answer, and she smiles weakly and nods her head.  She hands Juliet to me, and I take her in my arms.
     "Even as a baby, she looks identical to Betty," Alice comments, "When I first saw Juliet in the hospital I had major déjà vu," she chuckles.
     I smile, "Yeah, I see a lot of Betty in her," I respond while letting Juliet wrap her tiny hand around my pointer finger.
     Juliet stares up at me, making me smile sadly as the same green eyes Betty had blink and stare into my blue ones.  "Hey baby," I whisper, kissing Juliet's head.
     She just stares up at me, and Veronica and Archie walk over again after Alice goes to pay her respects.  I'll have to do that later, too.  Veronica smiles weakly at us, "You're a really great father, Jughead," she compliments.
     "Thanks Veronica," I reply without moving my eyes away from Juliet.
     "Do you maybe want us to watch her so you can go say goodbye to Betty...?" Archie asks gently.
     I sigh and look up, nodding my head, "Y-yeah."
     They nod and Veronica takes Juliet in her arms, nodding at me assuringly.  I hesitate and then walk over to Betty's casket, looking down at her.  Her blonde hair is curled and resting on her shoulders, with her eyelids shut, covering her green eyes.  She has blush on her cheeks, and mascara on her eyes, as well as light pink lip gloss on her lips.  I exhales a quivering sigh, noticing that tears have started to stream down my cheeks.
     I kneel down on my knees and swallow, taking a deep breath before speaking to her lifeless body.
     "Hi, Betts.  I know you're listening right now, and I wanted to tell you a few things before you're laid to rest.  I'm not going to lie to you, because after everything with high school we promised never to lie to each other.  It's hard.  I miss you so much, and I hate waking up in the morning and not seeing you next to me in bed, or walking into Jules' room and not seeing you cuddle her in the rocking chair.  I swear to you that I'll tell her all about you, and make sure that she feels like you're still here with us.  Like that you never left.  Though, I suppose you haven't really left us.  You'll always be here, even when we don't know it.
     "I already see so much of you in Jules, and I can't wait until she grows up to be and look just like you.  I'll be strong for her, I swear, and I'll always be there for our little Buggie.  People are saying that I'll move on, but they're wrong.  I'll never move on from you.  You're still it for me.  I'll always love you, Betty Jones.  I'll love you until the day we can hopefully be reunited.  I love you so much baby, and I'll never forget that you love me too.  Never."
     That's my promise to her.  I'll always love her, even if she can't be here with me in person anymore.  She's still my Betts, my wife, and my love.  No matter what.