Chapter Text
C hapter 4
Pancakes and bacon was an odd combination of morning foods as her mom always reminded Betty and an unhealthy one at that. But the young journalist just couldn’t resist on tasting this perfect combination of sweet and salty in the morning. Especially if she would have to answer all of her mom’s difficult questions. In all of her scenarios and plans about how to tell her mom about her relationship she never thought it would happen like this. She wanted to sat down with her mom and tell her all about Archie and how happy they are. But that plan was ruined now and her mom hadn’t commented on her choice of breakfast once.
It was Betty who suggested they have their conversation over breakfast alone and at Pops but she wasn’t expecting such silence, she was almost certain she would just get yelled at a bit more and they would argue. She put her fork down and crossed her fingers on to the table.
“Okay, mom. I know you’re mad right now. And you have every right to be. But I want you to know that I didn’t mean for you to find out like this.”
“I bet you meant for me to never find out, Elizabeth.”
“Of course not, mom. I….just… it was never the right time. And I want you to meet him and love him and see that he’s the right guy for me.”
”Two years, Elizabeth. In two years you couldn’t find one moment to inform me that you were in love? That you were in a serious relationship. That you live together?”
“You are right there’s no excuse. But I would love to tell you now. And for the record there was a reason I was insisting you come see my place.”
Alice huffed and “Just tell me, Elizabeth.”
“Okay aa…oof I don’t know where to begin.” Alice was about to complain and Betty rushed to continue.
“Okay, the beginning.” She spoke slowly “We were friends first for a bit of time but there was always something more there. And we soon crossed the line and we were more than friends. But it was complicated and we didn’t say anything to anyone for six months. So we were in a secret relationship and we realized that what we had would stick and wouldn’t destroy the rest of our lives, so we started telling people. And that was when my worrying start.
I wanted to tell you but, I wanted to be at a good time. And I was scared he’s the first boyfriend I wanted you to meet after Jughead and it took us years to be in a good place. From there it all went too fast, every plan we had at holidays and such got cancelled and before I knew it I was too scared to tell you I’ve been in love for so long and you didn’t know.” Betty was speaking faster and faster as she went on.
“Okay, honey. It’s okay. Take a breath and just… tell me about him. Tell me are you happy??”
Betty looked at her mom with so much love and adoration in her eyes. Alice was brought back to a time when her daughter was young and tutoring Archie, she had the same look back then. It was a look Alice only hoped to see on her face again.
“I’m so happy, mom. I’ve never been happier. I have everything I ever wanted, my family loves me, my dream job, and a person who loves me as much as I love him. I’m his priority mom and he’s mine and we’re on the same page all the time. Of course we have little arguments and stuff but I even love those too.
It’s just… however hard my day was when it’s time to go to bed I’m happy because he’ll be there.”
“Elizabeth, I’m so happy for you. You sound very smitten for a girl in a two year relationship.”
“That’s because I still am. Sometimes he’ll do something very small and insignificant, like fix my drawer and I’ll just gush in my head about how wonderful and thoughtful and capable he is and I’ll fall even harder.”
Betty was waving her fork that had a piece of bacon on while she spoke and Alice finally said something about it.
“Betty that’s all wonderful, honey, but you’re gonna send that bacon to someone’s eye if you continue. It’s enough that you’re poisoning your body like that, you don’t want to hurt others too.”
Betty grinned. Now she knew for sure they were fine.
“Mom, he’s the one.”
Alice actually squealed and Betty followed her too.
Back at their neighborhood Archie and Fred were making their way to their car. They were planning to get breakfast at Pops too.
“So dad, did you catch up entirely with Betty yesterday?”
“Your tone suggests there’s a catch to the question. But I actually did. We haven’t talked properly since the last time I visited you guys I wanted to know what she’s up to.”
“I tell you what she’s up to every time we talk.”
“It’s not the same, Arch. You know that. Besides she’s family now I want her to know that I like her.”
“Dad she’s been family forever, and she knows you love her. She loves you too.”
“I know we said you would not lie for us but you also said you wouldn’t blow this for us.”
“I didn’t Archie. Did you hear me ask her 'hey betty is my idiot son taking good care of you?”
“No you haven’t. I made appropriate questions that everyone could weigh into. But you can’t expect me to not talk to my daughter in law.”
“Future daughter in law. And that’s if she says yes.” Archie had told his dad that he was ready for them to take the next step and when they had talked about it they had both agreed that they wanted to get married someday and that they wanted kids and all that. So when Archie felt ready he started looking for rings. Now he had found the right one and it was waiting back in New York. He knew that for Betty to be ready she would want her family to be in the know and okay with all of this.
Fred saw his son face as he was parking in front of Pop Tates chocklit shop and smiled at his nervous son.
“Don’t worry, Archie. Betty loves you, she’ll say yes.”
“Yes, yes I know but I can never be sure. You know.”
“I was so anxious when I was about to propose to your mom too. It’s like at this moment when you propose all your plans stop being plans they are not so far away and I was afraid I would screw this up.”
“That’s exactly how I feel. I feel like at this moment either she’ll say yes and I mess everything up or she’ll realize I’m not good enough for her and say no.”
“Ah Archie, you are not good enough for her. You are perfect for her. And if in all these years I haven’t convinced you I think you guys should talk about it.”
“We have. More than once. And it always reassures me but sometimes I just can’t believe it, dad. She’s perfect. In every way. I didn’t think it was possible.” Fred chuckled lightly and pointed at a booth where Archie saw Betty and her mom stand up.
Not five seconds later the two women were in front of the Andrews men greeting them. “Good morning Mr. Andrews, Betty.”
Archie had of course already said good morning to Betty from their windows but this was different.
It turned out the ladies had just finished with their breakfast and had to go because Alice was needed at the newspaper. And before Archie had the time to form a sentence his father said what he planned to.
“Well, Betty if you had nothing else to do we would love your company.”
“Fred, I think you’re monopolizing my daughter’s time.” Alice joked.
“I can’t help it. One minute they were seven and running around the house and now I haven’t seen her for so long. You know I love her like my own kid.”
“I do of course, I was only kidding Fred. I really gotta to go though. Betty?” Alice waited to hear what her daughter would do.
“I’ll stay mom. You go take care of things.”
Soon after they were sitting in yet another booth with Archie and Betty on one side and Fred on the other. After the two men ordered Fred turned towards Betty.
“So Betty, is my idiot son taking good care of you?” Fred had a smirk and Archie chuckled at the question.
Betty raised an eyebrow in question but answered anyway.
“Of course he is Mr Andrews. He’s perfect as always.” Betty without thinking about it laced her fingers through Archie’s. She felt freer than she had all week. Archie smiled as the three of them continued catching up. This time they were talking about the silly little stories they couldn’t share the night before.
“So Mr Andrews. I was really surprised to find out something really really interesting about Archie. Once I was cleaning the apartment while he was out doing grocery shopping. And when he came home he didn’t realize I was mopping the floor.”
Fred just laughed at that he didn’t need any more information and Betty joined him while Archie was shaking his head with a smile on his face. “Oh I know where this is going.”
When they settled down Betty continued. “He didn’t just slip and fell, he took the biggest spill I’ve ever seen and he fell loudly on his back. The grocery was all over the floor, all my cleaning went to waste.”
Betty and Mr Andrews laughed again.
“You keep laughing, you don’t get it. It’s not only really annoying and embarrassing. It’s also dangerous. I could have died.” Archie tried to defend himself
“Oh, my poor baby. You could have hurt yourself.” Betty cooed at him.
“If you hadn’t died in so many years you won’t die now Archie.”
“So please explain to me Mr Andrews how this whole thing started.” Betty turned to Fred once again.
“It’s a really simple story. Since Archie started walking every time the floor was even slightly wet and Archie walked on it he slipped and fell down. Correction he wouldn’t just slip he would dive to the floor. He couldn’t just stand still when the floor was wet. And he never really learnt how to.”
“Clearly.”
“Honestly, I can skate and everything but I can’t just not fall it is ridiculous.” Archie shook his head.
“No it’s not, it’s silly and funny and it’s adorable.” Betty brought their entangled limbs on top of her legs and embraced his hand with both of hers now. Archie smiled down and Fred just looked at them. He loved those kids so much and he sometimes still had trouble believing that they had worked through all their stuff and are so close to happy ending.
“So tell me more about this plan of yours.”
They seem to remember that they had a plan. And they untangled their hands.
“It’s a simple plan really. We wait until the wedding is over and then we tell them the truth.”
“Wait what? We tell them the truth?”
Betty knew that wasn’t the entire plan they hadn’t thought of that part.
“We have to tell my family. We can do whatever you want with everyone else but my mom deserved to know long time ago.”
“I will agree with Betty on this. Alice deserves to know about her daughter’s life.”
“Yeah, okay we can do that. I agree. I just don’t know if we tell anyone won’t we attract attention to ourselves either way?”
“You might be right. Let’s think about it later.”
“That’s why I say you shouldn’t lie kids.”
“Mr Andrews, it wasn’t our intention. But at this point we’ve made our bed and now we have to lie in it. We’ll just keep doing what we are. We’ll try to tell the truth without any lies.”
“Well except the necessary ones. Like I have to say I’m single but it’s what I’ve been saying on interviews anyway.”
“Why are you lying on your interviews too?”
“The record says I’ll be more wanted if I say I’m single and Betty’s mom shouldn’t find out like this.”
“So how are you gonna tell her?”
“I didn’t have a plan. I’ll just tell her. She forgave me for keeping a secret boyfriend for so long I think she’ll understand when I tell her it was Archie. You remember how she was back in the day with Archie. She’ll understand my hesitation.”
“I remember. Alice was harsh with Archie for a while there. We better hope it works out.”
“It has to.”
It was time to get ready for the party before Betty knew it. After her time with the Andrews she had spent her day catching up with people including her sister at the paper and Kevin at the school. She found it so surreal walking back on the familiar hallways. Everything was still the same as if she had never left yet Betty felt like the place was smaller than she remembered. Maybe it was that she had outgrown it.
She looked in the mirror on her bedroom one last time checking that she was perfect. Make up looked good, hair was all in place and her dress looked also great. Betty ran her hand through the black lace of the dress. It was one of her favorites and she didn’t miss any chance to show it off to the world. If she knew back in high school that she could feel so powerful and sexy with lacey dresses or silky or anything but wool really she was sure she would be another person now.
They arrived at the party with Polly. Betty felt a strong deja vu as she walked into the speakeasy. It looked exactly like it had nine years ago. Only now it could truly serve as a speakeasy.
The first person they run into was Reggie who was welcoming everyone.
“Welcome ladies. You ready to embrace love?”
“Reggie this place looks amazing.”
“Thank you, Betty. When Veronica sold me the place I was very worried. I thought maybe I had oversold myself.”
“But he has turned this in the number one go to place in Riverdale.”
“Thanks Polly, you know that means a lot.”
The cooper girls took their seats at the bar and ordered when their step brother approached.
Jughead joined them for a drink but soon Polly left to give them some space.
“Betty I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.”
“What is it Jug?”
“Look I know what I did yesterday was wrong. But I just wanted to be sure you knew that what I said was true. I want us to be friends, like we once were.”
“Jug, I would love that. The only reason I haven’t is because of what you said at Christmas all those years ago.”
“I was an idiot. I thought… I don’t know what I thought. And it doesn’t matter. What matters is if you’ll be my friend.”
“Of course, Jug. But you know as your friend I would need to know more about your current life.”
Jughead started talking about some random things he was doing like how he started putting ketchup on pancakes or how he was becoming quite handy with engines because his bike kept breaking down. And Betty felt like it was possible that they could get their friendship back. That one day soon she would be able to hang out with Jughead, Veronica and Archie and it would be as comfortable as it once was.
Soon they were dancing enjoying their buzz and laughing with their crazy moves not only the two of them but all their high school gang.
When Betty was ready to take a break from dancing she spotted her two old best friends at the bar and decided to join them.
When she reached them Betty found Veronica and Kevin deep into conversation. They were basically whispering but before she could leave them alone they saw her and invited over. She orders some water and asks “You guys seemed pretty focused on what you were saying I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“No, no” Kevin rushed to say. “We were just talking about me, actually.”
“Yes, Kevin here, was telling me about his boy problems.”
“Kevin you have problems? I thought you and Fangs…”
She was interrupted “Exactly it, I’m not really sure there is a Fangs and me.”
When Kevin saw the confused look on Betty’s face and on Veronica’s on a lesser note he elaborated.
“We are in this… situation, on this vicious circle. I love him and I think he loves me, but we can’t work. And we can’t exactly walk away, so we’re trying this no strings attached.
And it’s just horrible.
I don’t know what I was thinking suggesting it. He turned me down yesterday when I asked him to come over after dinner, and I couldn’t sleep last night. Who was he with? It’s horrible.”
“I’m so sorry Kev,” Betty frowned.
“Things like these just…” she shook her head “suck. There’s no easy solution.”
“Now, now Betty. I think there’s hope yet. Kevin,” she turned to her other friend “I think you need to show him how you feel.”
“Like talk to him?” Kevin asked
“Of course not. Like make him feel what you feel. He made you jealous? Make him jealous.”
“Or like your first instinct was talk to him. Tell him what you feel.” Betty counter suggested.
“You do that you give him the power Kev. He can basically step on you with his shoes.”
“It’s not about power though, is it? You said it yourself you love him.”
“I do, yes. But what if he does crash me with his shoe? What if he makes me feel even worse?”
“What if you do what Ronnie said and it works? Then, every day you share with him will be a power struggle, Kev.” Betty paused to give him a moment to understand the depth of what that meant.
“You won’t have a shared life, shared love, you’ll both just try to take from the other one.
Kevin, that will hurt you more than any shoe can.”
Veronica pressed her lips to a line. “I thought you said they had no chance, Betty.”
“No, I said there’s no easy solution. But I’m a strong believer of communication and honesty.”
As she said it she realized how ironic that last part was. Here she was lying to her whole town.
“And I’m betting you always follow those with you relationship.”
“Yes, actually. Me and A… Me and Andrew, we hadn’t had the easiest start.”
“Oh story time.” Kevin seemed interested while Veronica rolled her eyes.
“For our own reasons, we decided to keep it quiet. We didn’t tell anyone that we were not just friends anymore. But he is… very hot if I say so myself, and apparently I’m not the only one. For six months I had to see girls and guys throw themselves at him and he couldn’t just tell no to every single one. And I couldn’t do anything about it.
I was jealous to say the least. So when I couldn’t take it anymore I burst. I told him everything I was feeling, and he told me what was bothering him too.
One conversation didn’t solve everything. But we kept talking and we made it.”
“So now you don’t get jealous?”
“Well, not that often. But the point is you need to find a person that makes you realize in my situation what you mean to them. For me it’s that I’m his number 1 choice and priority. And that’s what I try to remember when I’m jealous.” she turned to Kevin again.
“Kevin, the person you belong to wants you to be happy and he thinks you’re unique and perfect as you are, so when something troubles you, you go to him and together you find a solution. Is Fangs that person for you?”
“Wow, Betty. I never knew you were that romantic.”
“She hid it well.”
“I wasn’t romantic. I went from murder- mystery to a romance novel.”
“Aww, you became sappy too.” Kevin smiled at her.
She hit him lightly on the shoulder and Toni got their attention.
“Alright people, gather up, make sure you have a drink. And let’s do this already. We’ll warm up with some never have I ever” Toni announced and everyone did as she told. Almost everyone, two red headed women and a man stood still and one of the women cleared her throat very loudly and started talking.
“Everyone, you seem quite cozy amongst yourselves and I’d thought it was time I introduced myself and my companions, seeing as someone else won’t.” The woman threw daggers at Cheryl. But Cheryl didn’t even break a sweat.
“I am Dora Blossom, I’m Cheryl’s cousin and so are these two Raymond and Claire Blossom.” It seemed like the impromptu and hijacked announcement was over so Betty went to move when she heard the annoyingly high voice of Dora.
“It seems like we have one more of our own with us tonight.” Betty closed her eyes and turned to face her. She hated the Blossom part of DNA.
When she finally did though she figured out Dora wasn’t talking to her, she was talking to the only other ginger in the room.
Archie.