Saving Her

Chapter 13. Trust

Later that night, FP made it home and he walked in on Jughead and Gladys having, what seemed to be, a very intimate conversation---nearly violent.

"What's goin' on here?" he wondered as he shut the front door.

"Nothing," they said in unison as they looked back at one another.

"Just some regular old roughhousing," she rubbed her knuckles firmly into her son's head.

With a slight groan escaping him, "Yeah," Jughead arched his brows, lying through his teeth for the sake of his father.

Glancing around, "Where's Betty?"

"She's at the school still, in the newsroom. She had some extra research to look into but she said she would be back soon," he replied. "Anyway, I gotta meet up with Sweet Pea and Fangs. They just got attacked by the Pretty Poisons..."

"Are they okay?" he concerned easily.

"Yeah, I'm sure they are. Cheryl is a loose cannon," he rolled his eyes and then went on his way.

As soon as the teen left, FP's eyes landed on his wife in an odd manner---only thinking about what he walked in on.

"I hear the Serpents are low in numbers," Gladys mentioned. "I offered to help our boy out but he didn't like my idea."

"I'll bet," he took a seat, his head practically falling between his knees.

"What's wrong with you?" she brought her hand to his back.

"I've got real problems at work," he shrugged it off. "Where's Jellybean?"

"She reconnected with some friends from elementary school, so she went to sleep over," she assured.

"Our daughter is having a sleep over? Our daughter?"

"Yeah, what's so wrong with that?" she laughed.

"No," he chuckled. "I think it's great, it just seems way out of her character."

"Yeah, that makes two of us?" she sat down and swiped the side of his face.

"What?" he pulled his head away.

"You've changed. You're an old softie now."

"No, I'm not that soft, believe me. But stepping down as king, that really has been stress relieving."

"And now you're stressed again?"

"About something else, but I'm working on it."

"Well, maybe I could help relieve that for you," she suggested, leaning forward to kiss him.

He pulled back immediately and he shook his head, furrowing his brows. "What are you doing, Gladys? I'm with Alice..." He stood just to get a few feet away from her.

"I don't see her around," she stood right with him, crossing her arms. "Besides, how can you still be a lovesick idiot when she hasn't even reached out to you?"

"Can't help it," he simply replied. "I love her. Do you love me, Gladys? Or are you just here for shits and giggles?"

"I thought I was getting the family together."

"How? You can't do that without discussing it with your partner. You skipped out on me, I found somebody and now you're back, thinking you can just take over again."

"Okay, what seems to be the problem, FP? You got home and now you're a total crab. What did I do?"

"You're right, fine. You did nothing, but I got too much on my mind that I can't worry about you or where this relationship with you might end. If I'm honest, I want it to end."