A few weeks had passed since FP's retirement party that just became a party when he'd made his announcement about staying in the Serpents, and the Wyrm had been transformed, along with just about every other place in tow. Christmas was everywhere, and I hated it.
"How can you not like Christmas?" Sweet Pea asked, passing me another box.
"I used to love it, the decorations and playing in the first snow of the season," I explained. "But then all the false cheer started getting to me. Kids acting extra good so Santa will bring them presents and parents going out of their way to buy meaningless gifts for others. The holiday lost all its magic, it just became another day for me."
"What if I changed your mind about that?"
I repositioned a few gift boxes. "Sorry, but I don't see that happening."
"I can still try though, right?" Sweet Pea asked.
"Yes, you can try," I said. We packed a few more gifts, expertly wrapped by Toni and Fangs.
"Why aren't you in school?" FP asked, coming around the corner.
I looked up to see that Jughead had managed to show up at some point. "It's a half day before break, he said. We all stayed quiet, not acknowledging the fact that we'd all skipped the day while he'd gone to see his friends on the Northside.
"Well, in that case, you can hold down the fort here, Jug," FP said.
"Or I could come with you guys," Jughead offered. He'd initially blamed me for FP taking over for him with Penny, but FP and I set him straight fairly quickly. Now he was desperate to be back in.
"Nice try. The answer's no," FP replied, shooting Jughead down yet again.
"We do need another set of hands, boss," Tall Boy said.
"There you go, let me pull my weight, Dad," Jughead pleaded. "I know what the Snake Charmer has you doing."
FP ignored him. "Sweet Pea, you're with us," he said, glancing in our direction. "Babygirl, let me know if you hear anything."
"Will do," I told him.
"I'll see you later," Sweet Pea said, kissing me quickly before following FP and Tall Boy out the door.
Jughead sighed, frustrated. "Okay, what can I help with?" he finally asked, turning around.
"We've got the wrapping station under control," Fangs said.
"You can pass me gifts so I can get everything packed faster," I offered. "Or you can pack your own."
Jughead got to work, and before long everything was ready, waiting to be picked up. "Abigail, can we talk?" Jughead asked, following me out of the Wyrm.
"What about?"
He looked around before answering. "About my dad. And Penny, and you. Can we go to Pop's?"
I rolled my eyes. "You can get food, but this doesn't sound like a conversation to be had where anyone can listen in. We can talk at your place."
"No, yeah, you're right," he stammered.
When he let me in the trailer, I couldn't help smiling at the little Charlie Brown Christmas tree they had in the corner, a single strand of multicolored lights wrapped around it. "So, what do we need to talk about?" I asked, taking a seat on the couch.
"Do you know anything about this debt Penny has on my dad? How long he's going to be doing this?"
I shook my head. "That's between the two of them, just like the jobs you did for Penny. I didn't tell FP about them because it wasn't my information to share. When she says he's done, he'll be done."
"But there's gotta be some way I can help," Jughead said, beginning to pace.
"I don't even want to begin to count the number of times you've already offered to help and been shot down. Face it, Jug, your dad doesn't want you involved in this."
"Okay, but what about you? Can I help you with whatever it is you have going on?"
I shook my head. "What I have going on is very carefully balanced. Even the smallest change could bring it all crashing down on me."
"Please, Abigail, there's gotta be something I can do."
"Sit back and relax," I said. "That's how you can help. Let us do our work and quit trying to stir up more trouble than you already have."
Jughead sighed, dropping onto the other end of the couch. We sat in silence for a few minutes until jumping up at a knock on the door.
"Expecting someone?" I asked as he made his way to the door.
Jughead shook his head. "Can I help you?"
"Jughead Jones?" a man asked.
"Maybe," he answered. I stood, pulling my switchblade from my pocket.
"I'm Jack Walsh, you're dad's parole officer."
"He's not home," Jughead said, glancing at me.
"Doesn't need to be. Do you mind if I come in for a moment?"
"Like I have a choice," Jughead said. I slipped my knife back in my pocket, leaning against the countertop as Walsh came in, looking around.
"And you are?" he asked, looking at me.
"FP's niece," I answered simply. I wasn't about to risk giving him my name if I could help it.
"You live here too?" Walsh asked.
"No, I have my own place," I replied. Jughead and I watched Walsh poke around the trailer, looking in closets and opening drawers.
"Looking for something in particular?" I asked, ignoring the warning look Jughead gave me.
"Just checking in," Walsh said. "Making sure Mr Jones isn't violating his parole by possessing drugs of any sort."
Jughead crossed his arms defiantly. "Why would my dad do anything like that? He's not looking back to prison."
Walsh stopped where he was, studying Jughead and I. "Just doing my job," he said. "But, I have heard the Serpents are getting into the drug trade, and as a former Serpent, your father falls under suspicion."
I willed Jughead to stay silent, not looking away from Walsh. "There's nothing illegal going on here," I said.
"Well, then you won't mind telling me what's in here?" he asked, picking up the bags in the corner.
I looked to Jughead, curious as well. "Presents," he said. "We can't exactly fit them under our tree, so they're there, out of the way."
"Uh-huh," Walsh said skeptically, dropping the bags on the coffee table. "Everything looks clear. Tell your dad I'll be in touch."
Jughead shut the door behind him, sighing. "So, what's really in the bags?" I asked.
Jughead shook his head. "I don't know. Tall Boy brought them by this morning and my dad told me not to worry about them."
"You'd better hope there really are gifts in there," I said. "I have a feeling Walsh will be back for another visit soon."
"Yeah, especially now that he knows about Penny's jobs," Jughead muttered, walking back to the couch.
"Not exactly," I said. "He just heard Serpents are running drugs, that's it."
"Easy for you to say," Jughead snapped. "You're the one still running with the Ghoulies behind all our backs."
"You don't know anything about what I'm doing," I said coldly. "Or do I need to remind you to stay out of my business again?"
Jughead glared at me, then the wall, crossing his arms and legs like a little kid who didn't get his way. He didn't move even when the door opened. FP's eyes traveled from me to the mystery bags to Jughead and back. "Did you open them?" he asked.
I shook my head. "No, Dad. Out of respect for you," Jughead answered, finally looking away from the wall. "But your parole officer, Mr Walsh, he sure was curious."
FP froze momentarily, eyes wide. "Walsh was here?"
"Looked through the whole trailer, looking for skeletons in the closets," I said. "Just left maybe 10 minutes ago."
"Don't worry, I got rid of him," Jughead said. "But he already has heard that the Serpents are moving into narcos territory."
FP glanced at me before unzipping the bag. "Ta-da!"
"There really were gift boxes in there," I said with a smile.
"With drugs in them?" Jughead asked.
"No, with gifts in them," FP said. "For you, your mom, and Jellybean. And some for you, Babygirl. I thought we'd take a ride to Toledo and deliver them in person." I looked at him, surprised to hear myself included. "You're part of this family too," FP said.
"Dad, this isn't going to work," Jughead said. "Today it's gifts, tomorrow it's drugs or God knows what. And how long is this going to go on for?"
"Damn, Jones, can't you just enjoy the moment for once?" I snapped at him. His dad went out and got presents for everyone and made a plan to get the family together, even for a day, and he still can't be happy.
"You don't get a say in this, Abigail," Jughead said. "You're even worse, spending half your time with the enemy."
"I asked her to do it," FP told Jughead, giving me a warning look. I put my hands up in surrender. "Babygirl's doing her job and I'm doing mine. And I'll keep doing it as long as Penny wants."
"What?" Jughead looked between FP and I in shock. "Okay, but what if Penny's favors keep getting bigger, which you know that they will?" I rolled my eyes. It's about time he started getting it. "What happens when she asks for more Serpents in on this?"
"Then I'll bring more Serpents!" FP shouted. "Babygirl, get out of here. I need to have a talk with my boy here."
I nodded, slipping out of the trailer, going to Sweet Pea's instead.
"That's perfect!" Fangs said, looking at the computer. Sweet Pea closed it quickly, grinning at me.
"What are you two up to?" I asked.
"Making plans." "Nothing" they said at the same time.
I rolled my eyes at them. "Right. Well, you can get back to making plans about nothing," I said. "I'm going to take a nap, I have to go out later." I left them in the living room and fell asleep quickly.
I woke up hours later to my phone ringing nonstop.