Never stopped // A Falice story

Chapter 40

Alice went out and told Charles her order before going to the bathroom. FP sighed and went to Charles. "So what happened there dad?" Charles asked his father when he saw him. "Not good?"

"It depends." FP smiled sadly. "I hope I helped her." He moved away from his son to take an order. FP didn't want to talk about that. If he was good at something that was bottling it all up.

"Here's your food mom." Charles said handing it to Alice. 

"Thank you baby." Alice squeezed her son's hand gently. She saw he was thinking at something. "What are you thinking about?"

"Just how this is gonna go." Charles shrugged his shoulders.

"This being what?" Alice raised an eyebrow at him.

"Doesn't matter." Charles didn't want to bring his mother and father's relationship in again because he knew it was for nothing. "Oh, I forgot to tell you." Charles chuckled. "Dad and I finished everything for the speakeasy, we have the big opening tonight."

"You're kidding?" Alice asked surprised. She couldn't believe they got it al done so quickly.

"I'm not." Charles chuckled. "You have to come tonight mom. You made the whole thing happen after all."

"Charles I-"

"I forgot to tell you, I don't take a 'no' as an answer." Charles said and Alice pretended to be shocked.

"I'll be here." Alice smiled at her son. She took another look at FP before leaving the diner and saw him rushing into the back. Alice wanted so much to go after him, but it wasn't right. She got in her car and drove home. 

"Alo Gladys." FP said when he answered his phone. He and Gladys weren't the ones to speak a lot with each other, but he decided to try and make it all work. 

"FP, I was wondering if all of us could go tonigt and watch a movie or something, as a family." Gladys said and FP sighed.

"Gladys, the speakeasy's opening is tonight." FP said and could practically hear Gladys's eye roll.

"Then we can all go there together. Perfect." Gladys smiled and ended the call. 

The day went by pretty fast and normal. Alice took a nap around three and listened to FP's advice. She hold tight on his t-shirt and felt his scent, thanks to that she was able to rest. FP went home to change his clothes before goingto the speakeasy. Gladys, Jellybean and Jughead were all ready when he arrived home. Gladys went to FP before Jellybean did and kissed his cheek. FP felt strange, like he was cheating on Alice, but it sounded ridiculous considering he was married with Gladys. "You ready?" Jughead asked when his father came out from the bedroom. 

"Yeah, let's go." FP smiled and took Jellybean's hand. 

The speakeasy was full of people when Alice arrived. She also saw in a corner the Joneses sitting all together at a table. She smiled a little at the sight. Alice looked around and also saw Hermione debating to go or not to go to her. But before Alice could make the first move everyone moved their attention to the stage. "Hi, I'm Charles. I want to welcome all of you here tonight and to thank you for coming." Charles stopped as the people clapped their hands. "I want to invite here on stage the people who made this possible. My parents FP and Alice." Charles said and everyone, but Gladys clapped their hands welcoming them on the stage. She didn't know about Charles, but now she was planning on a conversation with her dearest husband.

"Welcome to everyone." FP smiled at the crowd. "I don't want this to be like a long boring speech so I'll just say how happy we are for having you all here today. I know most of you think this is just some kind of bar where you can come and grab a drink, but it's more. This speakeasy is here today because Alice right here is a brave woman and decided to take some people's fate on her hands, to help them." FP said and the crowd started cheering. He handed the microphone to Alice.

"I wanted to do this because they all were and are part of my family, the Serpents and I truly love them all." Alice smiled and got off stage with FP right behind. She didn't know what to say more and she also didn't thought she could add something to FP's speech.

Alice didn't stay close to FP the whole night. She was walking around the room talking with different people as FP stayed with his family at a table. "Hermione." Alice said and tapped her friend on her shoulder. Hermione turned around and smiled shyly.

"Alice, hi." Hermione looked down at her hands, she didn't know what to say around Alice considering what Hiram did to her.

"Hey, look at me." Alice said and her friend lifted her head up to look into Alice's eyes. "What is going on?"

"I'm sorry. For what Hiram did." Hermione whispered. "For not being there for you. You probably needed someone, but I didn't know if you wanted to see me."

"First, what Hiram did it's not your fault and I am getting better." Alice smiled a little. "Second, how are you?"

"Finally free." Hermione sighed. "I'm finally over with all of his threats and illegal stuff. Veronica and I can finally have a normal life. But I saw Gladys is back, I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry. FP and I agreed he's be better with them." Alice said and looked away. 

"You didn't agree." Hermione knew she was lying because Alice didn't seem pretty ok with Gladys and FP staying together at that table and also because Fred told Hermione what he and FP talked. "You pushed him away Alice and  that happened a few times."

"Maybe but it's better like this." Alice stated firmly.

"I don't think so, but have this in mind Alice, some day when you push him away he won't come back." Hermione didn't want to hurt Alice, she just wanted to warn her. 

"Hopefully it happened this morning." Alice startled a little when she felt Hermione's hand on her cheek. "What?"

"You shed a few tears Alice." Hermione said  and Alice took her hands to her face. That's when she felt the tears.

"Happy tears, the speakeasy it's finally done." Alice lied and Hermione just nodded.

"If you need a shoulder to cry on I'm here Alice."