Saving Her

Chapter 9. Baggage

Alice sat by herself, drinking a glass of white wine as she thought about FP; how angry he was with her and how it had been so many years since she saw his rage.

Even when she had told him about Charles, how he was dead, how she turned him away and how she may have been the reason he died, he had comforted her tears. FP was a very calm man post-drinking, though there were stressful times in dealing with the Serpents and or deals that caused him to want to hit something or break something, but he never acted on it. Now being the sheriff, he had to restrain even further, so he was really hoping nothing pissed him off, but Alice knew how to press the right buttons.

"Who does this man think he is?" she hopped off her stool and she snatched her keys out of the dish they were in.

In record time, she made her way to Sunnyside Trailer Park and she pounded on his front door before letting herself in.

"Whoa, Alice," he stood up and he came over, nearly calming her before she could even speak up.

He was dressed down; a flannel over a charcoal, gray tee shirt, jeans and his normal boots.

"I'm angry," she commented.

"Alice, this really isn't a good time," he mumbled, moving her toward the kitchen.

"I don't care. You yelled at me today and I didn't appreciate it---" she crossed her arms. "I went out of my way to help you with the Lodge thing and you treated me terribly at the scene today."

"Lower your voice please," he asked.

"For what? What the hell are we hiding anymore for? The kids know and--"

"Alice Cooper," Gladys walked into the kitchen and she leaned against the frame in a sassy way.

Jellybean traveled in behind her mother, only excited to see Alice because she remembered her being pretty cool when she was little.

"Gladys," the blonde seemed to tuck her attitude away and she slowed her roll. "Well, what are you doing here?" she asked.

FP backed into the counter, preparing for the women to just hash anything out then and there.

"I could ask you the same thing," the brunette woman with raspy vocals mentioned. "But uh, I'd rather that be answered by FP."

His head flew up when his name was spoken.

Looking over, the blonde suddenly felt her heart ache, however, she didn't think it would have been his idea to call his wife over after they had been rekindling their old flame.

"So, uh, you're playing with a wannabe Northsider?" Gladys reponded to his silence easily. "I mean, it's no wonder... Hot body, blonde, those peircing blue eyes, not to mention all the times she slammed the Serpents in the paper."

"Well, at least I have the means to keep my mouth shut in front of my children," she cocked her head toward Jellybean, finding it awful that the woman would pick a fight in front of her kid. "But I remember, you have no scruples, so it's no wonder."

"Alice," he mumbled.

"What?" she whipped her head around and she snapped at him. "I'm just pointing out the fact that she can't be woman enough to hash out her problems in private. If she has an issue with me, why does Jellybean have to hear it?" she removed her eyes off of him and slapped them on his wife. "But I forget you like to look bad ass in front of everybody, including your kids. You can't ever be discreet. Teaching her early that she can run a... business or pick fights when things get tough."

"Y'know, Cooper..." Gladys chuckled. "I don't really like you talking about my girl that way."

"I'm not talking about her. I'm talking about how parents lead by example; how you're showing her it's okay. I think Jellybean can be better than anything you've ever done," she paused. "Oh, and by the way... It's Smith now," she corrected.