Falice 2

Our Daughter 2

FP sits in silence staring at the television that isn't even on. He stares at himself in the reflection. He's been sitting like that long enough for his son to notice something was odd.

"Normally I turn the tv on to watch it." Jughead says, but FP doesn't respond. "Dad?" No response again. Jughead turns into the kitchen to find Jellybean coloring at the kitchen table. "What's going on with dad?

She shrugs. "He said he was thinking."

"About what?"

"I don't know."

Jughead pokes his head out to look at FP again. He has yet to move from that same position.

"What did you do today?"

"We went to go get ice cream, then we stopped that mean man from hurting the nice lady."

"What lady?"

"Her name is Charlie. We took her to see her mommy." Jellybean answers nonchalantly. "She lives next door to Mr. Andrews."

"This really is one of those small towns," Jughead shakes his head. He grabs an apple and heads back to his room. He takes one last glance at his dad before walking up the stairs.

+

Alice knocks on Fred's door. He opens it up to her in tears. He frowns. "Woah, what happened?"

"I need somebody to talk to."

"Come in. Archie's out walking the dog." Fred steps aside to grant her access in. "Do you want to tell me what has you all worked up?"

"I need to find FP."

"What?" This takes him by surprise. "Is there a reason you suddenly want to see him? You've been avoiding each other for decades."

"I should have told him. Maybe things could have been different."

Fred holds onto her shoulders to keep her steady. "Told him what? Alice? Alice?"

She looks him in the eye but it isn't any kind of look. He looks past the guilt eating her up and focuses on the sadness hiding behind the front she's put up for so long.

"I should have told him about his daughter," It came out almost a whisper, but Fred heard her clearly. "His daughter. She...she needed him. All this time. And I took that from both of them."

Fred embraces Alice as she starts to pour out the tears. Fred never spoke about FP with Alice and vice versa; he never spoke about Alice to FP. It was out of respect to the both of them. Bringing up their past always put them down.

"Is it Charlie?" Alice pulls away to look at him. "The timing makes sense. I had no idea."

"I told her and she didn't take it well."

"You told her about FP?"

"No," She wipes away her tears. "I couldn't get it out. I just told her Hal wasn't her father."

"Did Hal know?"

She shakes her head. "He had his suspicions but I never told him...or FP. Where is he? It's time I do what I should have a long time ago. I have to."