Falice 2

Our Daughter 2

"I can call him over," Fred suggests. "Is that what you want? Are you really ready to have this conversation? This is big."

"I have to."

"Okay," Fred nods. He's hesitant but it may be something they both need.

He pulls his phone out and looks for FP's name. There's ringing but no response. He then dials FP's new house number; he scribbled it down on a piece of paper the last time he was over. He thought it was going to be another no answer but it went through.

"Hello?" Jellybean answers.

"Hey, JB, is your dad there?" Fred softly speaks to the girl.

"Yeah." She confirms.

"Can you pass me over to him?"

"I would but I don't think he's going to do much talking."

"Why not?"

Alice listens intensely. Why did his child say no?

"Daddy is acting a little funny," She says. "He hasn't said anything since we came home. He just said he was thinking."

"Thinking?"

"Mhmm."

"Is Jughead home? Can you pass him the phone?"

"Okay," Jellybean sets the phone aside and runs up to Jughead's room to call him down. She barges in which upsets him.

"What did I tell you about knocking?"

"Mr. Andrews is asking for you on the phone."

"Me? Why?"

"Because I told him daddy couldn't talk right now."

"Okay?"

"Come answer. He's waiting."

Jughead sighs and follows his sister down. He turns around the bottom of the staircase and finds that FP is still in the same spot. He walks over to the phone and picks it up. "Hello?"

"Hey, what's going on with your dad?"

"Wish I knew," Jughead presses the phone against his ear and leans against the wall. "I was trying to figure out what happened."

"Where did you guys go before you came home?"

"He and JB went out to the ice cream shop a few blocks down. The next thing I know he's mute in front of the tv. JB told me he was thinking."

"I got that part but about what?" Fred doesn't understand what's gotten into his pal.

"I know as much as you do."

"Hold on a sec," Fred glances over at Alice. A thought crosses his mind. "Why did you tell her all of a sudden?"

"Huh?" Alice is confused.

"Charlie. What made you tell her?"

"He dropped her off out front of my house. She came in then one thing lead to another and I felt obligated to tell her."