It Comes With The Name

Chapter 23: Running From The Mess You Made

The first half of the drive was silent, Rick periodically looking over to glance at Glenn. His knee bounced anxiously as he looked out the car window, something was obviously bothering him. Rick's eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror to see his sister in a similar state.

Lauren's eyes were fixed in her lap, lost in her mind. She anxiously knawed on the inside of her cheek as she thought. She kept replaying her interaction with Daryl back again, trying to figure out what the hell had happened. Had she done something to set him off? Did she ask him for favors too often?

"So are either one of you gonna tell me wrong, or do I have to guess?" Rick finally said, snapping the both of them back to reality.

"What do you mean?" Lauren asked, playing dumb.

"I mean that you both have spent this entire ride looking like you're contemplating the meaning of life." He laughed, trying to ease the anxiety. "Glenn's leg is moving a hundred miles a minute and you look like you're about to chew a hole through your cheek so, what's up?"

Glenn turned to face Rick and looked back at Lauren. "You first."

"Fine." Lauren sighed. "It's Daryl."

"Got it."

"Enough said."

Rick and Glenn both nodded, talking at the same time.

Lauren relented with a small laugh, eager to shift the topic of conversation away from her own thoughts. "Okay, Glenn's turn."

Glenn's face dropped and he paused, trying to find a way to articulate what he wanted to say.

"Maggie says she loves me." He said finally, letting out a puff of air.

Lauren blinked in surprise before a smile crept onto her face. Rick wore a similar grin as he focused on the road.

"She doesn't mean it. I mean, she can't" Glenn shook his head with an awkward chuckle. "She- she's upset or confused. She's probably feeling like..."

"Glenn, I think Maggie is smart enough to know what she wants." Rick stopped his rambling with a smirk.

"No, no..."Glenn shook his head, still trying to rationalize his thought. "No, you know what it is? She wants to be in love, so she... she needs something to like hold on to.."

Lauren laughed from the backseat as her brother once again cut Glenn off. "Glenn, it's pretty obvious to everyone that Maggie loves you, and not just because you're one of the last men standing. So, what's the problem?"

Glenn turned around to raise an eyebrow at Lauren, searching for confirmation about what Rick was telling him. Lauren just nodded, holding back a smirk.

A small look of panic flashed in Glenn's eyes and he quickly turned back around in his seat, not looking at Lauren. He already knew what her reaction would be to what he was about to say next. "I didn't say it back..."

"You what?!" As he suspected, the smirk was wiped from Lauren's face when she heard that. Her eyes widened in disbelief and she leaned forward in her seat.

"I've never had a woman say that to me before except my mom, of course..." He immediately jumped in trying to explain himself.

"Oh, Glenn..." Lauren just groaned. She shook her head, hiding her face in her hands as she leaned back in disappointment.

"With Maggie it's different." He continued. "We barely know each other, We're practically strangers. I mean... what does she really know about me? Nothing!"