"Why not?! It will just be a few friends!" Polly protests at the kitchen island. She had been hassling her mother all morning about throwing a party over the weekend.
"God damn budget cuts." Alice mumbled as she stirred her coffee, refusing to look up at Polly. She and every other working parent found them to be a major inconvenience. If it wasn't for these cuts, she wouldn't have to be dealing with her screeching 17 year old on this fine Friday morning where she had the day off and planned to relax, but that was hard to do with her rebellious and easily bored daughters around.
"Because I know you Polly, a few friends will turn into 50 friends and those 50 will turn into a hundred, and the next thing you know, we're waking up to our TV and roof missing." She digressed before taking a sip of her hot beverage
The teen scoffed angrily, scowling at her mother before rolling her eyes. "This is bullshit." She mumbles with a mild attitude, furrowing her brow to put emphasis on her feelings.
The sounds of Betty's footsteps coming down the stair case and turning the corner gained their attention. The younger Smith took note of her elder sisters pressed lips and narrowed eyes.
"What's up with you face ache?" She wonders, swinging around the counter and pulling out her chair.
Polly rolled her big blue eyes, turning her head away and continuing her meal.
The loud ringing from their home phone began to draw their attention. It was barely ever called or even used, so this was definitely a surprise to the three of them.
Alice removed herself from her seat, pursing her lips in confusion as she walked over to the device, clutching it into her manicured hands and bringing it to her ear.
"Hello?" She greeted, twirling around with the cord as she awaited a response, but the information she was fed on the other end turned out to be something she could've done without hearing at all.
Suddenly, the atmosphere throughout the room switched from mildly lighthearted to cold and eery, based on Alice's silence and facial expression alone. She had stopped fiddling with the chord and looked as if all the wind had been knocked out of her sails as she stared blankly at the wall in front of her, her mouth falling dry and her eyes saddening.
"And you're sure about this?" She questioned quietly, still in her train of thought. "Okay detective, thank you." She finished with a straight face, refusing to turn around to face her girls as she slowly placed the phone back onto the hook with her trembling hand.
Polly and Betty glanced each other's way the minute she put the phone down, a combination of confusion and concern spread over their faces.
"Detective?" Betty wonders, looking away from her shaken mother and back to her sister. Detective, surely that couldn't have been a good sign.
Noticing the brisk change in her mother's stance, Polly immediately stood from the island, slowly approaching her mother and standing by her. She focused on the woman's face, noticing how vulnerable she suddenly appeared to be. "Mom, what's happened?"
She swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth, gulping to prepare her words as she processed the information she had just heard over the phone.
"Your grandma died." She informs them blankly, keeping her eyes off of them and proceeding straight to the couch.
Polly's mouth gaped as her mother told her the news. She wasn't sure how to react as she watched her clearly shocked mother wander over to the couch.
Betty's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as this revelation hit her in a completely different way. "We have a grandma?" She whispered before placing her spoon down into the bowl and making her way to her Mother and sister. Alice had never spoke of the woman, never even mentioned her, so finding out she was dead had more of a WTF affect on Betty, unlike the other two.
"Are- are you sure? She's definitely like, snuffed it?" Polly questioned, trying hard to disguise her mild insensitivity.
Alice shifts her head towards her eldest, narrowing her ocean blue orbs unamused while her youngest takes the seat the opposite side of her. "So the police suspect." She states as she tilts her head, shrugging mildly, not knowing what to say. Her throat felt tight, almost as if the words were stuck. As much of a revelation this was to her, she also felt trapped, in a stand still, not knowing where to go next.
She was on a rollercoaster of emotions, some of them she felt bad for feeling, but grief certainly wasn't one of them. She and her mother were the furthest thing from close, hence why Betty had no idea the woman existed.
"I've gotta, go back to Boston and identify the body." She explained to Polly and Betty, fiddling anxiously with her manicured hands. "Make sure it's actually her and the police haven't made a mistake, because God forbid they do that." She adds, lightly chuckling at the thought of the Boston police actually being competent for once, or the police in general.
"Mom, are you sure you're okay?" Polly reiterates, taking a hold of her mothers hand. It truly touched her how supportive her eldest was being. Polly wasn't the sympathetic or emotional type and she'd usually expect this reaction from Betty.
"Yeah baby, I'm fine." Alice assures her, tucking a strand of her short blonde hair behind her ear and softly cupping her face. "I'm just, shocked, is all."
"You know, it's okay to cry Mom. We won't make fun of you." Betty jokes with a soft smile, earning a light snigger from her mother. "No fucking way." She curses, gathering herself together and rising from the couch. "And ruin my mascara? I'm not gonna shed a tear for that woman."
Their mothers sudden shift in emotion took them both by surprise, glancing back at each other, they grew concerned, following her up off the couch, but the ring of the doorbell gained their attention.
They watched as their mother strolled over to the door, not bothering to check the peep hole or ask who was on the other side, just simply throwing it open, revealing a very confident and smiley FP.
"Oh, hey." She says nervously, still a little shaken. "I thought it was my day off."
"Oh no, it is, it's is." He assures her, chuckling at the minor misunderstanding. "I was just at Fred's, thought I'd drop off this book Betty leant to Jughead."
Her face falls flat, slowly nodding as her lips twitch into a mild frown. "Oh." She croaked. "Thanks." She added, taking the book out of his hand and placing it onto her table stand.
Her reaction didn't go unnoticed by him, he was always good at reading people and despite trying to keep himself out of others personal affairs and business, he just couldn't help himself but ask what happened to be bothering her. He was genuinely concerned.
"Are you okay, Alice?" He lowers his head a little, bringing his gaze directly to hers, forcing her to glare into his eyes. She melted as he brought his hand to her shoulder, showing immediate support, despite not even knowing the issue. She admired that, and very much appreciated it. If this was how he responded over a minor look, imagine how he'd be after she revealed all.
She gulps anxiously, taking a deep breath to prepare herself. "My, mother, might've died, detectives just called from back home."
His eyes widen sympathetically and in shock, holding his gaze onto her as he bares his teeth in confusion. "I'm so, sorry Alice, I- are you sure it's her? Do the police know for sure?" He's rambling nonsense at this point. He doesn't know how to respond to all of this other than to possibly take her in his arms and offer comfort and support, that's what he feels like doing. That's what feels natural to him, but of course he understood the meaning of boundaries.
"Well, that's why I've gotta get to Boston and give a formal identification." She explains. "And of course it would be the week my trucks at the garage, her timing was always inconvenient." She scoffs with raised brows. "And trust me, you have nothing to feel sorry for."
"Well why don't I drive you?" He kindly offers, adding a smile to make the gesture extra sweet. It was the least he could do with what she's been through.
"No, no way. I couldn't ask you to do that FP, that's too much. I appreciate it but-"
He steps closer to her, subconsciously rubbing her forearm before speaking. "I insist Alice. It's the least I can do, and surely you don't wanna be on your own for this."
She considers his offer, wanting to take it but not wanting to inconvenience him. "What about Jughead and Jellybean?"
"They're visiting their grandparents in Toledo for the weekend. Honestly Alice, it's fine, I wanna do this for you." He genuinely insists, giving her a sympathetic smile as he does and earning one back from her.
As he stared so innocently into her deep blue eyes, she couldn't help but think just how different he was to the others, the rest of the Male species. He was generous, decent, humble, down to earth, selfless, hard working, honest, a family man, who wouldn't appreciate that? He was the ideal man in her book and she really needed a friend like that in her life.
"You'd really do that for me?" She questioned, searching his eyes for any hint of ingenuity.
"In a heartbeat Alice." He reiterated, displaying sincerity all in the same moment.
And with that being said, she didn't need to hear any more.