Mark My Words

72 | Joanna, The Lieutenant, and I

a/n: And I said to myself, "What would be the weirdest travel squad?" and then this chapter happened.

"What do you know about Arden these days?" Joanna asked.

Darling pushed up, sitting back on Joanna's lap. The familiar weight grounded Joanna, and the smell of Darling's perfume even more so. The scent of herbal rose perfume, sweet, soft, and delicate, turned the ache in her chest into cotton. The sensation became saturated with vestigial turmoil, and the relief that always followed her talks with Darling. The ache, however, remained.

Joanna would never be able to get rid of that ache. It reminded her too much of how infuriating Darlene Lavier was. Her sense of loyalty was poisoned by her fierce determination to follow Arden, and therefore, follow Georgina.

Even after everything, Darling would never give up on Georgina.

Joanna clenched her hands into fists as she sat up, jaw clenched tightly. I suppose we both have a stupid sense of loyalty in common, she thought. But I always knew this.

Darling studied her for a moment, the skin around her eyes red and puffy. She sniffed again and shook her head. "I don't want to talk about her with you."

"I have to know," she insisted, voice cold.

"No. It isn't—She isn't good for you," Darling said, shaking her head.

"She isn't good for you, either."

Darling trembled, clenching the used tissues in her hands against her lap. "See? This is why I can't talk about her with you—"

Joanna ground her teeth together to silence the frustrated scream in the back of her throat.

"I don't want to talk about Georgina with you, either," Darling said, shaking her head resolutely.

Joanna never wanted to slap her so terribly before. She blamed it on the amount of time she had to distance herself from Darling and her dedication to manipulative bitches.

"Okay," she ground out tersely. "Then why are you here?"

Darling bowed her head, and Joanna registered the guilt at once. Darling's shoulders trembled as she said, "I just... wanted to see you. We haven't talked, and I don't have your number anymore."

"There's a reason for that," Joanna said.

Darling deflated, though they both knew the truth: That Arden was monitoring Darling's phone activity. That used to be Georgina's gig, but one horrendous fight later and Arden forced Georgina to hand over the controls for once. Darling's private messages were, more or less, too much for someone with Georgina's background to classify as "okay".

Arden was less biased and more straightforward with her results. As long as nothing came on the radar that had to do with A) Her Sisterhood work, B) Hindering Arden's future plans, and C) Joanna Spencer, Arden would not intervene with Darling's communications.

Joanna reached out and held Darling by the shoulders. She gave the girl a squeeze and said, voice tight, "Darling, you know I care about you, but I can't talk to you if you're hanging out with Georgina."

Darling pouted at her as Joanna dropped her hands and pushed off of the bed. Her gut strained as if her intestines were threatening to pop through her belly button. "We can still be friends," Darling argued.

"No, Darling, we can't—"

"You're too defensive."

"That's why I'm a goalie," Joanna deadpanned, and smiled at the irritated stare Darling shot in her direction. "There's a reason for that."