Co-parenting

Chapter 5

Betty stands in front of Veronica's apartment. She has a bag full of candy for Veronica. Yesterday she told Betty how much she's craving candy.

Veronica squeals when she opens the door and sees her blond friend. "Betty!"

"Hey V, how are you?"

"Right now I'm good but usually between 7am and 11am I'm miserable. I knew morning sickness was bad but this bad? I'm not even showing yet and this baby already kills me"

Betty laughs and walks into the apartment. She places the bag on the kitchen counter and points to it. "I got you candy"

"Oh my god you're the best!"

"When is your appointment?"

"In an hour" Veronica says and reaches into the bag of candy. "So we have like 20 minutes before we need to get going"

"Okay" Betty smiles "Are you excited?"

"Mhm. I want to see what it looks like, how big it is already, you know?"

"Do you want to keep it?"

"I still don't know. I mean it's my baby but I'm only 18. College starts next week and this baby connects me to Archie so I'll never be able to let go of him"

"I understand. Maybe today will help you figure out what you want"

•••

Both teenagers sit in the waiting room. Veronica is biting her nails. She's nervous, really nervous and she doesn't even know why. She feels how her heart races and how her hands get sweaty.

"V don't" Betty says and takes her hand away from her mouth. "It'll be alright. You don't need to be nervous"

Veronica sighs "I don't know what's wrong with me"

"There is nothing wrong with you. Just relax"

"Okay"

"Veronica Lodge?" a young woman says.

Veronica looks to Betty before she gets up and walks towards the woman.

"Hello Miss Lodge. You and your friend can go to room 5. Mrs. Brown will be there in a minute. You can lie down already"

"Thank you Ma'am" Veronica smiles. She looks to Betty before they both walk to room 5.

Veronica lies down on the examination bed. Betty sits down on a chair close to her and holds her hand. They don't say a word. Veronica is way too nervous to have a conversation. A few minutes later the doctor walks in.

"Hello Miss Lodge, I'm Mrs. Brown. I'll be your doctor for today and the rest of your pregnancy"

"Hi, nice to meet you" Veronica says. Her voice is lightly shaking but she tries to hide it with a smile.

"I'm Betty Cooper, her friend and emotional support"

"Nice to meet you Miss Cooper" Mrs Brown smiles "Okay, let's check on that baby"

She sits down on a chair. Veronica pulls her shirt up and her pants down slightly. She flinches when she feels the cold gel on her stomach.

"Sorry, I should have warned you"

"It's oka-"  Veronica couldn't even finish her sentence because Mrs. Brown interrupts her.
"There it is. That's your baby Miss Lodge"

"That little thing?"

"Mhm. I'd say you're about 10 weeks along"

"Can you tell the gender already?"

The doctor chuckles and shakes her head lightly "Your baby is too little for that but in about 8 to 9 weeks I'll be able to tell you"

"Okay" Veronica smiles.

She stares at the tiny little ball like thing on the screen. She can't kill that baby, her baby. It's a part of her and she wants to keep it. She wants to raise her child and love it no matter how hard it might get. Her smile grows. Now that she's actually seeing her child she starts to realize her pregnancy. She gets excited. She can't wait to feel her baby move around and kick. She wants to buy baby clothes and stuff for the nursery.

"That baby really is tiny" Betty giggles.

"It's all right" Mrs Brown laughs "Maybe it's a little smaller than average but nothing to worry about"

"Good" Veronica smiles.

"Do you want to be a boy or a girl"

"Well the baby's father cheated on me so I'd prefer a girl. I don't want to look into his face every day"

"Understandable" Mrs. Brown says and hands Veronica a paper towel so she can wipe the gel off her stomach. "How many sonogram pictures would you like to have Miss Lodge?"

"Two please"

"Two?" Betty asks.

"One for me and one for the asshead that put that baby into me"

The doctor hands her the pictures before they walk out. Veronica stares at the picture for a second. She runs her thumb over it and smiles. "My baby" she whispers.

"You look happy" Betty smiles

"I am. Look at that sweet little baby and it's all mine"

"So I assume you want to keep it"

Veronica nods. She turns to Betty and hands her one of the pictures. "Can you give it to Archie?"

"Sure V"

•••

When Archie opens the door he's surprised when he sees Betty in front of him. Before he can even say something she hands him a little piece of paper. He stares at it and quietly realizes what it is.
"Is that-"

"Your baby? Yes"

He smiles and runs this thumb over the picture. He stares at it without saying a word. He can't wait for his life with that little child. Morning snuggles, play dates, movie nights, sticky little hands and sloppy kisses. He didn't notice how Betty left or how she said 'bye' a couple of times before.

Archie didn't let go of the picture for the rest of the day. He started at it during his workout, while he was walking Vegas and during dinner.
He stared at it every second, always smiling.
He kissed the picture a couple of times. He still didn't realize completely that he's going to be a dad but now he can't wait for the day this little human will be born.

He lies on his bed. It's almost midnight and he's still staring at the picture. He runs his fingers over it and smiles.
"My baby, my sweet little baby. Daddy loves you"

He sits up and pins the sonogram picture next to the picture of him and Veronica at the back to school dance, which is still over his bed.