What We Once Were

Chapter 29

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Veronica's POV
I'm laying in my bed on my back, staring up at the ceiling. Reign is asleep on my chest as I rhythmically rub her back softly. I can feel her lungs inhaling and exhaling, and her heartbeat thumping. My phone starts to vibrate on the bed next to me and I pick it up, seeing Archie's caller ID pop up. I click send a message and decline his call:

V: can't talk. Text me

Seconds later a text comes in.

A: is she with you?
V: Yes. We're lying down together, she's sleeping
A: Well I don't want to keep you, you're probably tired. I'll talk to you tomorrow
V: just letting you know, Reggie is coming for breakfast tomorrow. Trying to follow our whole honesty thing, I thought I should tell you.
A: Thanks for letting me know. I love you, call me after breakfast
V: I will. Love you too.

I click my phone off and set it on my night stand, intent on ignoring it the rest of the night. The only thing I want to pay attention to is my daughter finally being where she belongs.

I wake up to a loud screaming in my ear, almost making me fall out of bed. "Oh shh" I coo, standing up with Reign in my arms. I guess I fell asleep with her before being able to put her in her crib in the corner of my room. I take her to the changing table that I had put in my large bathroom and I change her dirty diaper. "We've got this completely under control, right honey?" I whisper to her. She stops crying to laugh up at me. Babies are so easily amused. "All clean" I say, before lifting her back up and resting her on my hip to take her into the living room.

"Thank you guys for going out for breakfast. You're both very intimidating, and I don't need you scaring Reggie when he's meeting his daughter" I say while putting Reign in her highchair. "We understand, Mija. But since he wants to come over everyday for breakfast he needs to be comfortable around us" my mom says. I nod my head, "Yeah well that goes both ways" I say. My dad scoffs and pulls his jacket on, "goodbye Mija, We'll see you tonight" he says, opening the door for my mom and then walking out. I take a deep breath and look down at my daughter playing with her toys on her highchair, "Hey baby" I coo, sitting down in the chair in front of her. She smiles with her one tooth and slams her chubby hands on the white tray. I laugh and play with her until a knock at the door pulls my attention from her, making my heart race. I know it's Reggie on the other side of that door, and the second I let him in, that means that I'm no longer the only parent that Reign has. I shake the thought from my head and stand up, then proceed to walk over to the door. I pull the door open and see Reggie standing there with a teddy bear and flowers. I smile, "Hey Reggie. You didn't need to get this stuff" I say. He nods, "yeah I know, but I wanted to get her a gift. And you, a thank you for letting me be in her life" he says while handing me the flowers. I lift them to my nose and smell them, "thank you, come in" I say, stepping back and letting him walk in. "Let me put these in water. She's in her chair" I say pointing to her. He takes a deep breath and walks over to her, "wow she looks just like you" he says, sitting down in the chair that I previously occupied. I smirk, "I think so too, but I'm biased so..." I fade out. "No, not at all. She's all you" he says. I put the flowers in the vase and set them on the table, "not to be that Mom but can you go wash your hands before you hold her" I say. He laughs, "Yeah" before getting up and walking to the kitchen to wash his hands. I walk over to Reign and lift her out of the chair. "That is your daddy, his name is Reggie... but that doesn't matter, you'll just call him daddy" I say, "and you have no idea what I'm saying" I whisper that part and she giggles at me. Reggie walks out of the kitchen and walks up to Reign and I, "Okay should I take a drug test first or..." he asks jokingly. I roll my eyes, "just hold your daughter" I say while handing her over. He takes her and she goes into his arms no problem. She laughs and grabs onto his shirt, "well she's not shy" he says while poking her belly, making her laugh. I smile and sit down on the chair, watching Reggie bond with our daughter.

Archie's POV
"So Reggie is meeting her right now?" Betty asks. I nod my head as I take a bite of my waffles. "And you're not being 'Jealous Archie'?" Jughead asks. I shake my head, "no. I love Ronnie and she loves me, I trust her. I don't trust Reggie but Ronnie can handle herself" I say. Betty nods, "Agreed. And you can't ask Veronica to keep Reggie away from their daughter" she says. "I'm sorry but I'm not used to the fact that Veronica is a mom and Reggie is the..." Jughead starts but fades out. "Father" I say. He nods, "Yeah. I'm sorry dude I shouldn't have-" he starts but I cut him off. "Don't be. It's weird to me too but that's not gonna stop me from being with Veronica. And it's not like she cheated on me with Reggie, I'm the one who cheated on her with Midge. And sort of Valerie" I say. Betty shakes her head, "that was over a year ago, Arch. You need to stop beating yourself up for that" she says. I nod, "I know. But I can't help but think we wouldn't be here if it weren't for what I did. Ronnie and I wouldn't have lost a year of our relationship" I say. Jughead nods, "Yeah, it makes sense. How is this going to work though? Long term?" He asks. I look up at him, "long term?" I question. He nods, "Yeah. We're seniors, we'll be going to college in a year. She's obviously going to New York, meaning Reggie will probably want to follow his daughter. Are you just going to tag along?" He asks. I sigh, "I don't know Jughead. I just know that I want to be with Veronica. I'm taking the rest one day at a time" I say. He nods and backs off, noticing that this is an extremely sore subject for me. I look down at my waffles and start pushing at them with my fork. Is Jughead onto something? Where do I fit into their newly formed, picture perfect family?

Sorry my updates have been off lately but I'll be getting back on track. No update tomorrow and then update on Wednesday