The room was quiet while her eyes darted back and forth across the sheet of paper, scanning. By the time she’d finished reading the letter, her mouth was set in a grim line. Slowly, without saying a single word, she crumpled the paper into a ball in her fist. She tossed the crumpled ball into the wastebasket under her desk almost without effort, hardly glancing as it ricocheted against the sides of the can and slid down. She shook her head, frustrated.
“Do you … want to talk about it?” I asked. Truthfully, even though I knew, deep down, it wasn’t my fault—and Ronnie had insisted as much, a million times—I still sometimes felt guilty for how far apart he and Veronica were these days.
“Frankly, I don’t even know what to say,” she said. She shook her head, weary. “Just when I think he couldn’t possibly stoop any lower or find any other way to get under my skin. Somehow, there’s always a new twist. It’s classic Hiram Lodge, basically—a seemingly innocent missive to his beloved daughter, ‘just checking in, m’hija,’ and inquiring as to her well-being.”
“Seemingly,” I repeated.
“Sure,” Veronica went on. “To the casual observer, the letter seems pleasant … maybe even loving. But I know my father. I’m all-too-well-versed in his personal brand of subtext. Asking how I’m doing? Telling me he ‘hopes I’m well on-course for a fruitful, exciting senior year’?”
“Fruitful?”
She smirked. “I’m not a fool. This little love note is Daddy’s way of telling me not to get too comfortable in his absence. She looked at me. “Which, believe me, was not on the menu.”
“And speaking of menu,” Smithers said, cutting into the conversation in an obvious attempt to smooth over some of the tension in the air, “why don’t I just go call Pop now and get started on that poker night selection?”
“Thanks, Smithers, you’re a lifesaver,” Veronica said, grateful.
“Yeah—thank you,” I added as he moved to the door. “But, seriously—it’s just me and Jughead and a few of the guys. Like, it definitely doesn’t have to be a big thing.”
“Absolutely not, Master Andrews. Understood. I’ll take care of all the details. Just leave it to me.”
As he closed the door behind him, Veronica gave me a wink. I know “not a big thing” in Lodge-verse was way different from what it meant to me. But my poker night had somehow turned into Veronica’s gift to me. I was in her hands now, metaphorically speaking. It was best to sit back, let go, and enjoy the ride.
Reggie:
Bro, Veronica tells me poker night’s been moved to La Bonne Nuit and you need me to run you through the security system?
Archie:
Uh, yeah. She says you know how it all works.
Reggie:
Don’t worry, I can show you the ropes. I can definitely also mix a few of my signature drinks, too—if you ask nicely.
Archie:
I mean, if you want to, that’s great. I’m sure we can handle drinks and stuff, though, if it’s too much for you.
Reggie:
That’s hilarious. I AM too much, man. You know that.
Archie:
I hope you’re not waiting for me to argue with you.
Reggie:
Reggie Mantle waits for no man. Anyway, see you there. (Unless you want to just straight give me all your money now?)
Archie:
Yeah, yeah. Hilarious. Let’s just wait and see. We’ll find out who the big winner is.
Reggie:
Yo, Bulldogs, you heard it here first: poker night at La Bonne Nuit TONIGHT. Come early so I can take all your money.
Chuck:
Yo, Arch, what’s the buy-in for the game tonight?
Chuck:
Reggie was saying something like $20? That feels a little rich for my blood.
Archie:
When did you talk to Reggie about the poker game?
Chuck:
He sent out a group text to the whole team to let us know about it.
Archie:
Of course he did …
Archie:
Jug—just a little warning. You might have already heard, but our small poker night appears to be getting bigger by the second. Once we moved it to La Bonne Nuit for a more, uh, “festive” touch, the guest list kind of spiraled. Chuck just told me Reggie passed the invite on to all the Bulldogs.
Jughead:
That’s not all—I just got a text from Peaches ’N Cream. She heard from Sweet Pea that the Serpents were coming tonight and wanted to know why the Pretty Poisons were left off the list. So TLDR: They’re coming, too.
Archie:
Like Veronica says, the more the merrier?
Jughead:
Yeah, because Veronica and I have always had such similar attitudes toward social outings.
Archie:
What do you want me to do, man? It’s a little too late to call it off, I think.
Jughead:
It’s DEFINITELY too late, if only because I’m pretty sure Kevin Keller invited some RROTC kid he made friends with over the summer and he’d murder us if his big date night vanished.
Jughead:
So don’t do that.
Archie:
You’re OK with a whole big thing?
Jughead:
What the hell? Even this social recluse can hang once in a while.
Archie:
Cool. It’ll be fun, I promise.
Jughead:
I love your vision, Arch. May your confidence be manifested into glorious reality. Until tomorrow …
Betty:
So, you got the invite to the poker game? Archie told me you’re bringing a DATE?
Kevin:
Archie has a big mouth.
Betty:
Not a date, then?
Kevin:
I mean, not NOT a date. It’s Frankie Valdez. He was in RROTC with Moose and me.
Betty:
How did you get from RROTC pal to poker night plus-one?
Kevin:
OMG, you’re SUCH a gossip queen!
Kevin:
Luckily for you, so am I.
Kevin:
If you MUST know, I found his profile on GrindEm.
Betty:
All the way to the internet just to meet another Riverdale High student …
Kevin:
Tell me about it.
Kevin:
At least you can’t complain about this one. He’s a known quantity. Well, relatively known.