Hometown

Friday

    Betty and I are in the teacher's lounge for lunch. Unfortunately Ethel is there, I have no idea why, but she is. We aren't telling people she's pregnant until her fourth month, because she is at risk for losing the baby this early in her pregnancy. I snake my arm around her waist and pull her to my side, kissing her temple. I can tell Ethel is making Betty uncomfortable due to her constant squirming.
    The radio is playing some song quietly across the room and Betty turns to face me, resting her head on my chest.
    "What's wrong?" I ask.
    "Just sad."
    I put my hands on her hips and she wraps her arms around my neck, hiding her face in my chest. I sway back and forth to the music.
    "I love you."
    "I love you too." She says.
    "I thought you were past the newlywed phase, I know Juggie is." Ethel winks at me and I roll my eyes.
    Betty lunges at Ethel. I grab her by the waist, yanking her back to me and Ethel flinches away.
   "Bitch." Ethel spits at her.
    "Skank." Betty says back.
    I kiss behind Betty's ear and whisper to her. "Ignore Ethel. I love you."
    I feel her breathing calm and she turns back to face me and a tear falls down her cheek. I really don't think she knows that it did, but regardless, I wipe it away. Ethel is talking to Evelyn across the room and looking over at Betty. Evelyn calls Betty over and I give her a kiss.
    "Hey, what's up?" Cheryl asks, walking up to me.
    "Hey, where's Toni?"
    "Sick, how's Betty?"
    "Not great, but doing better." I smile down at my feet.
    "What's with that smile?"
    Betty walks back up to us and Cheryl turns to face her. "You're pregnant."
    "You told her?" Betty whispers.
    "No."
    "I knew it! I knew Jughead was too happy."
    "Gee, thanks Cher."
    "Listen, you can't tell anyone that I'm pregnant. We're still at risk and honestly don't want to get anybody's hopes up. They said four months is a good time to tell people."
    "Can I just tell Toni you're pregnant?" Cheryl whispers.
    "You're pregnant?" Veronica exclaims quietly, with Sweetpeas arm over her shoulder.
    "Who's pregnant?" Archie whispers.
    "Me." Betty sighs.
    I rub her back and smile, kissing her head. "We just have to keep it quiet. She's only a couple of weeks along."
    "Betty, I actually have a surprise for you." Archie says pulling Betty into another room with Evelyn.
    "What's up with Evelyn and Archie?" I whisper to Veronica.
    "You don't know?"
    "No."
    "Oh, they're going out. She was about to fire Betty because Ethel was saying she 'attacked her' but Evelyn saw right through her bullshit and we both know Archie called her out on it. So she just let Betty know that she should probably avoid Ethel."
    "Really? So is she going to move in with him?"
    "No, not yet. I mean, you didn't move in with Betty until after you were married."
    "Yeah, but I practically lived with her anyway."
    "I guess, but they aren't serious yet."
    I nod and Betty comes out of the room holding one of the cutest puppies I've ever seen in my life.

    "Holy shit." I say, smiling at her.
    "Isn't she just the cutest little muffin?"
    "Is that her name?"
    Betty pauses. "It is now."
    He phone begins to ring and she passed me muffin and I hold her up to face my face while Betty walks away.
    "Yeah, Betty was really sad so Evelyn thought that we could get her a puppy. Evelyn's sister, Max, had puppies-"
    "How did she manage that?" Sweetpea jokes.
    "Okay, dad jokes are catching up." Veronica laughs.
    "Where is little Liam?"
    "Jellybean is babysitting."
    "How are you?"
    "Well, maturity leave wasn't working for me, but I'm not bleeding as much."
    "Oh..."
    "Get ready for it. Betty will bleed like there's no tomorrow."
    "Juggie..." Betty says, walking back into the room.
    "Yeah, baby. What's wrong?"
    "Hershey's alive."
    "What? What do you mean?"
    "Th-they sold him to someone, but one of the workers explained to them what happened. They're going to drop him back off here."
    A smile spreads across my face. "So, we've got two pups."
    She smiles, jumping into my arms.
    I grunt. "Careful."
    A man with dark hair walks in holding Hershey and Betty runs over to him, scooping Hershey out of his arms, kissing the puppy all over. Hershey looks good as new, maybe even better.
    "Listen, you two have been through a lot recently, Betty told me, just for work and everything, she had to. Why don't you take the day off? There are subs floating around the school." Evelyn says.
    "Thank you so much." I say, bringing Betty to the car. She keeps the puppies in her lap on the drive.
    We get home and let the puppies go and play while we...catch up. If you know what I mean.