From here to the Moon and Back

1 "I saw him here, as a black hood."

Sometimes, it happens that you have to lose everything to appreciate things you haven't appreciated before.

That's how it was with me.

Harold Cooper - my ex-husband was in prison, but this fact didn't calm me down. I knew him for over twenty-five years and knew what he was capable of even behind the bars.

What frightened me the most was the fact that my daughter met him regularly. Of course, I found out about it by accident when headmaster called me and said that Betty was skipping school.

I've told my daughter many times that Hal is a manipulator, but she didn't want to listen to me. She said that I can't stop her from seeing her father.

Sometimes, I felt that Betty got along better with Hal than with me. The truth was that I had a hard time in my life. My second daughter - Polly, escaped to Toledo with my grandchildrens and she didn't keep in touch with us. It hurt me very much.

In the meantime, I re-affair with FP Jones, my school love and the father of my deceased child. Unfortunately, our idyll didn't last long because his wife returned to Riverdale. We met then less and less, and I felt bad because I was breaking up their marriage. In the end, I took matters into my own hands and talked to FP.

"Do you love her, FP?" I asked gently with tears in my eyes.

FP was embarrassed. I saw that he struggle with a decision.

"She is the mother of my children" these words hurt me. He forgot about Charles.

"And me? I'm the mother of your child too" I said with a trembling voice.

FP apparently realized what he said.

"Do you love me, FP?"

"That doesn't matter now. It's over. I'm sorry, Alice" when I heard these words, I left his office right away. After that, I got drunk with Hermione.

When I finished preparing to work, I heard my phone. I looked at the screen. I was surprised.

Why did FP call me?

I answered the phone with a fast beating heart.

"Hello," I said.

"Hi, Alice. It's FP" his voice was upset.

"Yes, I know. I know your number" I shrugged. "Something happened?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, something quite serious" I immediately thought about Betty.

"Something with Betty?" I asked, terrified.

"No, Betty is okay. It's about your ex-husband"

"Please, don't say that he escaped from prison" I asked quietly.

"Not quite. Hal was transported to Hiram's prison. There was an explosion on the road and ... No one survived. I'm sorry, Alice, "he said quietly, and I nodded.

In a sense, I was relieved. Hal was dead, so I didn't have to worry about my life.

"Why was he transported?"

"Betty... Betty talked to Hiram and asked for help." That was too much. My daughter was crazy.

"Thank you for the inforjmation, FP" I said and hang up.

Why Elizabeth did something like that behind my back?

"Mom, I'm home!" I heard her voice so I went to the living room. I couldn't hide my nervousness. I was furious.