Sinners and Saints

Sinners and Saints Chapter 7 - Angels Like Disco

Jojo lets herself and Jill in at six-thirty with her key.  I’m hunkered on the couch – tissue box next to me nearly half-gone. 

“You poor thing,” Jill rushes over and pulls me into her arms while Jojo puts the donut box on the counter in the kitchen and starts rummaging around, “You tell us all about it now,” she urges. 

I had actually stopped crying a little before they came in, but as soon as Jill hugs me, it starts all over again.  I’m gulping and sobbing and Jojo pulls a roll of paper towels as a back-up before handing out plates of chocolate bismarks.  

And I tell them, in detail.  They frequently have to ask me to repeat myself, as I’m sobbing too hard for them to understand me, but they are patient with me as only sisters-in-sympathy can be.  They know I would do the same for them. 

“Oh, babe,” Jill squeezes me harder after I tell them about getting dressed in the living room so he can sleep, “God, I’m so sorry.  He sounds like a really special guy.  You sure there’s nothing that can be done?” 

I pull myself out of her grasp and blow my nose again, “It would never work,” I shake my head, my jaw trembling in self-loathing. 

“It did for Mom and Dad,” Jojo offers, but that makes me cry harder, “Because they were the same.  They knew what to expect.  What man is going to accept that I’m a whore for Heaven?” I throw up my hands, “He deserves better.” 

“You don’t have to be,” Jill tries, “Jojo says that you can stop and still be fine.  Maybe you should take a chance?” 

Another bout of tears.  Shame and guilt and self-loathing.  Jill saying out loud what I want to happen.  But I knew as soon as those words left my lips they were true.  As much as I wanted – Jamie was not for me.  A loud knock at the door keeps me from saying so as we all look at each other in surprise. 

Jojo answers and Clark and Darius walk in.  Darius is mad – the tips of his horns are glowing.  Clark has the same bemused expression on his face that he had during the meeting yesterday – a lifetime ago.  Like he’s watching a rat in a maze and wondering how long it will take for the cheese to be found. 

“What the hell did you do last night, Claire?” Darius booms and the three of us have to cover our ears, “Your mark went off the radar this morning at 3:07.  He’s not in either of our files any longer.  What the hell happened?” 

Clark gives me a wink from behind Darius, who is glaring at me as if he’s going to fry me crispy any second.  And part of me wishes he would.  I open my mouth to speak, but Jojo jumps in front of me, hands on hips. 

“What did she do last night?” she throws back at him, “What did she do?” she’s shaking in anger now, waggling that librarian finger in an arch-demon’s face and not thinking about the consequences.  I start to get up, but Jill pulls me back and Clark shakes his head at me, “She got her heart broken, that’s what she did.  My baby sister got her heart broken and all you can do is accuse her?  She fell for a guy who was already half-way in love with her and had to walk away because of this screwed-up bullshit shell-game you two are playing.  She got purposely paired with a mark that she knew and neither of you did anything to warn her.  Get the hell out,” she points at the door, “You’re not welcome here.  She has enough to deal with without getting reminded that she’s just a damned pawn in your sick little game of psycho.” 

Darius’ horns glow hotter and his eyes begin to flame too.  I love my sister for standing up for me – and I’m a little shocked at it, to be honest.  Jojo was always the reasonable one.  It was always me who shot her mouth off before thinking.  I try to get up again, but Jill’s fingers around my arm are so tight I can feel the blood-flow loss.