Two Pink Lines

30

The phone rings as Alice is thumbing through the book she's been reading, and she blindly reaches her hand out for it, drawn to the story playing out.

"Hello?" She answers.

"Hey, it's me." Fred's voice echoes through the line.

"Oh hey," Alice perks up, closing her book for the moment. "What's up?"

"Same old, same old. How are you and my Godchild doing today?"

Alice fondly rolls her eyes. "We're doing good, working our way through the pantry, but good."

"Good to hear. I was actually calling to see what you and FP were doing tonight?"

"Nothing that I know of, any particular reason?"

"Well Mary is back from Chicago so we thought it'd be nice for the four of us to have dinner."

"That does sound nice, count us in."

"Awesome. How does five o'clock sound?"

"Five's good, gives FP some time to get ready after work."

"Mary offered you cook so dinner's at our place."

"Mary's cooking, huh?" Alice smiles a little.

"Yeah, figured it's better than me cooking."

"Well can't disagree there, though I am intrigued as to when you and Mary became so close again."

"We've always been close." Fred replies, but Alice isn't letting up.

"No, you've just always been friendly, for Archie's sake. You've been spending a lot more time together than usual, when she's back in town."

"Well, there may have been a moment last time she was here."

"A moment?" Alice grins. "Do tell."

"Nothing too crazy, we just had a couple glasses of wine and we were reminiscing-"

"Did you two kiss?"

"I was getting there you vulture, enough with the questions." He teases. "But since you asked, yes."

She holds back a squeal of excitement. "Fred that's amazing!"

"Well don't get too excited, I don't know if it was just a drunken, heat of the moment kiss, or something more."

"If it was a drunken moment don't you think you two would be acting awkward around each other? I mean she suggested a dinner, she offered to cook, that doesn't sound like a drunken kiss to me, that definitely sounds like something more."

"Here's hoping." He pauses. "Alright, I've gotta finish cleaning the house up, but I'll see you tonight."

"Looking forward to it."

•

The kids have been home for a little over an hour, Betty and Jughead having gone straight upstairs and Jellybean taking up residence at the kitchen island to keep Alice company as she makes dinner.