Moving On

C h a p t e r 2 3

Jughead POV:
When the line was off the hook, I immediately knew something was up. I called Hermosa to background check her and said she had changed her name. She no longer lived in New York. She moved to Texas. She gave me her new number to call. I called several times, no response. I left lots of messages, though.
"Hey, Donna. It's Jughead. I've been trying to get ahold of you for months. Hope is my daughter and I would like her back. If you don't give her back I will report you for child endangerment and kidnapping. Please, all I want is my baby." I had lost hope, until that morning. I was working in my office, typing up a new book. That's when a heard the door slam shut and a child crying. I saw Julie bolt down the stairs. Their, before me. Is Hope sitting on the floor in tears. All she has with her is a pink duffle bag, and a letter on top of it. It read, "Jughead" in cursive. Before I could pick it up, Julie was beyond confused and staining and Hope is just hysterical. I sat down next to Hope and called Veronica immediately.
"Jughead, what is it?"
"Can you come over?"
"Now?"
"I have a situation."
"Okay, I'll be right over." She knocked on the door and opened it.
"What is happening?" I explained her the entire story and then she sat down next to Hope.
"Julie. Come over here please." I said. She tiptoed over.
"Veronica is going to play with you in your room for a few minutes, okay?" I then called Alice. While waiting, I picked up the letter and tried to talk to Hope.
"My name is Jughead." I spoke softly. She looked up at me in pure fear. She then buried her face in her knees.
"Do you want a hug?" She then crawled into my arms. I just felt this warmth inside of me. For own shining moment, there was peace.
"Do you know who I am?"
"Yes. Your my daddy."
"How do you know that?"
"Donna told me. She told me one day she would take me to my daddy and I would live with you."
"Oh, wow."
"But I miss her."
"Yeah, I bet."
"Do you want to meet your sister?"
"Yeah!" She immediately perked up.
"Julie!" She pranced downstairs so happily.
"This is your sister, Hope."
"I have a sister?!" She immediately tan in and hugged her so tightly.
"What's your name?"
"Hope. What's yours?"
"I'm Juliet. But everybody calls me Julie."
"Cool." She smiled. Then, Betty's mom walked in.
"Jughead. Wow."
"Veronica! Watch them for a sec?"
"K." I knew Veronica was getting annoyed with me but, she wanted to have Betty back. This is all that is left.
"Read the letter." The letter read:
Dear Jughead, I have received many of your messages regarding Hope. In fact, every last one. You must understand, Hope was like my daughter. She practically was. It broke me knowing that one day you would come looking for her. Here's the full story. Betty was pregnant when she was kidnapped. Without fully knowing. She was in the bunker for a very long time abused, hungry, terrified for the road ahead. I'm not sure how he found out she was pregnant, but he did. He had called me and said he had a job for me to do. I got in the bunker. There was a doctor of some kind holding the newborn baby. I saw Betty in so much pain and how deranged it look in there. She did see me. Hope! She screamed name her Hope! Hope I'll get out of this hellhole alive! She screamed. To which he told me to take the kid and go. And if I were to ever report his actions to the feds, he would be out for blood. I was terrified he would hurt me or Hope. Betty had always been strong. I knew she would find her way out one way or another. So, I ran. After you visited me the first time, I began to panic and I ran. Over the years, I showed her pictures of you and Betty. She knew I wasn't her mother. I told her one day she would live with you. When the time was right. After you sent me several messages, I felt it was time for her to go home. I hope I'll get to see her in the future again. Sincerely, Donna Sweete."
"Wow."
"Yeah." Alice said. She agreed to spend the night and Veronica went home. We ordered takeout.
"Hope, we're gonna give you a room here, how does that sound?"
"That's cool!" She giggled.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"Where's our Mommy?" Hope said questionably.
"Yeah." Julie agreed.
"Uh, she'll be home soon. She just got kind of sick but she be back."
"Where." Julie said.
"At a fancy hospital."
"Woah." Hope said.
"We'll all go pretty soon. Once she feels up to it."
"Okay." Hope and Julie smiled.
"How about we all have a sleepover tonight in fort in the living room?"
"Yayyy!" The girls screamed. When the girls ran up to get pillows, Veronica called.
"Jughead."
"Yes. That's me."
"Don't play dumb. What's happening now?"
"Donna dropped her off. She left a note. Julie really likes her a lot."
"Well that's good."
"Yea. I can take Tommy and Daisy tonight if you want. We're having a sleepover."
"How about we all come. It'll be fun."
"All right. But that baby better be on a sleep schedule."
"Oh, she is. Don't worry." I hung up and they all came over. Hope hid behind Alice when they all came in and Julie ran up to Tommy. She kissed him on the cheek. I was in pure shock. He kissed her back on the cheek, too.
"Juliet Elizabeth Jones!" She just giggles at me. Me and Archie hugged.
"Everyone, this is Hope."
"Hope, this is Archie, Veronica, Tommy, Cece and Daisy." She smiled and hid her face in my arm.
"She's just a little shy at first." All the kids played except for Julie who I was carrying around with me. Me and Arch sat on the couch and watched a game.
"So, Veronica told me everything."
"Yeah. It's a lot."
"Yeah, it is! Dude, you have another kid."
"I know. It's crazy. The rest of the night was pretty chill, considering. It was like for one minute, I could breath.