"A jewelry store in a dying town? Good luck with that."
✿
Mickey sets down one of many boxes on the coffee table in her hotel suite. She's chosen to sublet her place in the city, so she had all her things moved to Riverdale, so that her renters could make her home into their home. She takes a sip of her wine before putting it down and then reaches into the box.
When she pulls out her high school yearbook, she smiles to herself. The nostalgia builds inside of her as she flips through the pages, looking at the pictures of all their young faces. She skips to to the end where all her friends wrote entries. A photo of her and Jughead at prom almost slips out of the book. She remembers putting it there as a bookmark for the page with Jughead entry in her yearbook.
Her eyes read over his boyish handwriting:
I'd say what we have is fate. You moving to Riverdale flipped my world upside down in the best way possible. After you came, I was able to experience friendship again and love for the first time—in a way that I never had before. I felt connected. There's never been a moment where I didn't want you in my life and that hasn't changed, Mick. It will never change. I love you with everything in me and I can't wait to see the future you'll create for yourself. Even more, I can't wait for the future we have waiting for us. It'll always be us.
- Jug ♡
She closes the yearbook and places it back in the box. Then she stands and looks around at all of the boxes surrounding her in this suite. There's so much stuff and nowhere proper in the suite to put all of it.
Mickey takes a deep breath.
✿
That very same night, Mickey finds herself at the ice cream shop in town. She was feeling overwhelmed in her suite and remembered what her therapist taught her about stepping away when she's overwhelmed.
"Funny running into you here," Veronica says from her table. She takes off her reading glasses and takes another bite of her ice cream.
"I guess we both needed out of those four walls at the Five Seasons."
"I actually moved out of the hotel." Veronica informs her, "I moved back into the Pembrooke."
"Of course you did," Mickey mutters. "So...what are you doing here then?"
Veronica holds up a purple folder, "Just grading some papers. Why don't you order and join me?" She's been wanting some quality time with Mickey.
Mickey does as Veronica asks and gets her ice cream order. Then she sits across from Veronica at the table. She scoops up a spoonful of her cookie dough ice cream and licks it off the spoon.
Veronica asks, "What brings you here?"
"I was unpacking and needed a break. How's everything been?"
"Things have been hectic. My classes and students, Chad, and now I've got to deal with Archie."
"What's hell bent Archie up to besides saving Riverdale High?"
"He's now focused on creating a fire department for the town since daddy's the reason there's not one anymore." She adds, "I was thinking about buying him a fire truck. He's really into it now. Oh! And I'm opening up a jewelry store!"
"A jewelry store in a dying town? Good luck with that." Mickey takes it back a little, "Aren't extravagant gifts saved for your husband?"
Veronica waves dismissively, "Chad and I are on a break. I need to figure out what I want without my husband trying to influence me to go full wife and mommy mode."
Silence grows between them.
Mickey knows it's for one specific reason and breaks the silence, "Go on."
Veronica shrugs, unsure if she should. "I don't want to make things weird."
"I'm in a good place right now, Veronica. There were times when I couldn't even think about getting out of bed to function through life. I dreaded coming here, but here I am."
"Here you are," Veronica smiles. "What's next for you?"
"I have to finish this ice cream and then finish unpacking."
✿
A few days later, Mickey is looking for the box with her clothes in them when Sweet Pea and Kevin enter with more boxes. She smiles at the one Kevin is holding because it's labeled "business clothes."
Sweet Pea puts the stack of boxes he's holding down on the floor. "What made you change your mind about getting a place in Riverdale?"
After that night at the ice cream shop, Mickey decided not to unpack her things at the Five Seasons. Instead, she found an apartment in town and had some contractors come in to change a few things. Today's the first day she's seeing it in all its glory with her modifications.
"That hotel was getting stuffy and I couldn't make it personal," Mickey tells them.
"And why couldn't you hire movers?" Kevin grunts.
"Because then I wouldn't be able to see my friends," she laughs. She pats Kevin on the back, "Look what you guys have accomplished. Once I put things up and all this stuff is out of boxes, this place will look fabulous."
"What happens when you leave Riverdale?" Kevin inquires.
Mickey says, "I'll sublet just like I did with my place in the city."
Sweet Pea wipes the sweat from his forehead, "It seems you have it all figured out."
"I try."