Work Text:
Erina carefully tugged the needle through the fabric, letting the thin line of color fall into the sea of threads. Before making another stitch, she glanced over at the drawing on the table in front of her. Embroidery wasn’t Erina’s strong suit. Many feminine things like that were lost on her, being raised by only her father. He could stitch up a patient, but he wasn’t quite talented at making pretty things. Fortunately, good-natured patients, or wives of, were more than happy to lend their knowledge where her father was lacking.
Without looking up from her own needlework, Ms. Rigby’s lips quirked into a small smile as Erina meticulously studied the reference. It was a familiar scene for the past few weeks when Erina had been working on this project. Admittedly, she had improved a great deal since she started this piece. Early on, she would cross-reference Ms. Hawkins's drawing several times before every single stitch. But with more experience and after getting the shapes blocked on the fabric, she grew more confident in her abilities. Ordinarily, Erina would be quite a bit more laissez faire with her embroidery, trying her best but not worrying about a mistake in the stitching when they happened. However, this piece was so much more important than anything that she had ever made.
It had to be absolutely perfect. Nothing else was an option.
“That looks great, Erina,” Ms. Hawkins said as she walked past.
Erina started, not expecting the sudden comment. “Oh, you think so?” Erina held the piece out and looked it over from a distance. It looked nice, but it hardly comparable to the astonishing stitchwork in Ms. Rigby’s embroidery.
Ms. Hawkins nodded. “Absolutely! You’re doing an amazing job Erina.”
Erina stared intensely at the stitches. Yes, it was one of her better pieces, but there were still some glaring mistakes. She could easily point to several spots where she pulled the thread too tight. Then there was that patch where she didn’t cut the thread short enough, so it was worn down as she repeatedly pulled it through the fabric. There was also a little portion where she got the shades of green thread mixed up, so one stem was the wrong color. And…
A light smack on the back of her hands pulled Erina out of her spiral. She glanced at Ms. Rigby as she settled back into her seat. Returning to her needlework, Ms. Rigby immediately took to chiding Erina. “Your work is lovely, Erina. The whole is more the enough to overcome a few mistakes. Don’t you think?”
“Well…”
“Or are you displeased with Daisy’s base sketch?”
Erina’s eyes went wide, and she vigorously shook her head. “No, ma’am.”
“And certainly, you couldn’t be casting aspersions on my teachings.”
“Absolutely not!”
“Then why should my beloved student be any more worthy of ridicule? Or is your dear friend so cruel to mock a few mistakes?”
“Heavens no!” Erina shrank back at her own exclamation, expecting reprimand from Ms. Rigby. She said nothing, but the look in her eye sent the message clearly. Despite the inappropriateness of her language and her volume, Erina couldn’t help but feel at least a bit justified. It was simply ridiculous to suggest that Joanna would be anything but her polite self when receiving a gift.
Oh.
Ms. Rigby was too much of a lady to be a braggart when she was right, but the smallest upturn of her lips said enough. She leaned across the seat and rested a hand on Erina’s shoulder. “You don’t need to worry, Erina. Your work is very nice. She’s going to love it.”
Ms. Hawkins leaned over Erina’s other shoulder. “If it would make you feel better, somewhere around here, there’s a piece where Eleanor accidentally switched the colors for a tree. And I love it.”
Erina looked to Ms. Rigby with a confused glance. She sighed and shook her head, glancing at Ms. Hawkins without a speck of amusement in her eyes. “There are many reasons to not embroider in the dark.”
Erina shifted the hoop to one leg, using her free hand to cover her giggle. The roommates turned their attention away from Erina, talking about something regarding their flat. Without the extra eyes, Erina looked back to her needlework. Taking her needle back in hand, she returned to her work. She had a deadline to meet, after all.
───※ ·✥· ※───
The Pendletons weren’t used to receiving invitations to parties from the upper class. They weren’t struggling to make ends meet, but a widower doctor and his child weren’t the usual company that people in the Joestars’ circles would keep. However, when they received the invitation to attend the family’s Christmas party, her father was happy to accept.
Walking into the Joestar Manor after the door was opened by a staff member felt like a dream in both the wonderous and bizarre ways. Although it wasn’t Erina’s first time at the manor, she hadn’t been free to visit since they decorated for Christmas. Everything looked like it had been touched by the Ghost of Christmas Present himself. Rich, deep greens of firs, hollies, and wreaths were scattered throughout the entranceway, brightened by shining reds and golds. The manor felt like it was plucked right out of an illustration on a Christmas card. She couldn’t imagine that there was a more beautifully decorated home in England, outside of the palace. (Though, in her heart, Erina believed the Joestars outshone even Victoria’s home.)
However, the elegance only made Erina completely out of place. Even though Erina was dressed in her nicest, the soft pink and white dress seemed so much less impressive than even the fabric that the others' dresses were made from. It would certainly pale in comparison with whatever Joanna would be wearing. She felt like a sparrow among swans, charming enough but nowhere near as eye-catching.
Erina’s eyes followed an older man—one of the Joestars’ butlers—as he walked across the room toward Georgina Joestar and her children. He stood patiently as Mrs. Joestar greeted her guests, waiting for a lull in the conversation to interrupt. Standing just behind her were Joanna and Dio. For once, their expressions showed that they were of one mind for once: smiling politely in front of the guests but clearly bored out of their minds. Joanna’s painted-on smile grew into something bright and genuine when the butler finally got a word to the hosts. She quickly turned to the face the entryway, where the Pendletons were still lingering. She looked so full of vigor that she would’ve jumped right of her skin to make her way over to the Pendletons, only stopping when her mother dropped her hand on her shoulder. With a deep breath to pull her energy back, Joanna was released from her mother’s hold and gracefully walked across the room. Her rich blue skirts swished across her legs, landing just above mid-calf. Erina couldn’t fight the small laugh from coursing through her body, sending her condolences towards the seamstress who was yet another victim of Joanna’s last minute growth spurts.
“Merry Christmas, Erina!” Joanna said as grabbed Erina’s hands. She looked over Erina’s shoulder and added, “Merry Christmas, Dr. Pendleton.”
Erina’s father smiled at her and nodded. “Merry Christmas, Joanna. Thank you for inviting us.”
“You’re welcome. I’m so happy you were able to come.”
“Dr. Pendleton, Erina,” Mrs. Joestar greeted as she walked up with Dio by her side. “Merry Christmas. Thank you for coming.”
Erina’s father smiled and gestured to Joanna. “Merry Christmas to you as well. I was just telling Joanna how happy we were to get an invitation.”
“Of course.” Mrs. Joestar looked to Erina, who tried not to squirm under the statuesque woman’s gaze. “Erina has been such a good friend to Joanna. We’re so happy to see such a nice young lady getting along with Joanna.”
Erina internally bristled at her words. She knew that the true meaning was ‘I’m happy that someone is making my daughter act like a girl.’ As though there was something wrong with Joanna normally. Like her pluckiness was something to cover up while the boys around them could act however they pleased. Something told Erina that Mrs. Joestar wouldn’t emphasize what nice young lady Erina was if she was friends with Dio.
But because Erina was a nice young lady and had nowhere near the gall that Joanna did, she bit down those thoughts and smiled pleasantly at Mrs. Joestar. “I’m lucky to have a friend like her.”
“Mother,” Joanna pipped in, “may I be excused so I may show Erina the decorations?”
Mrs. Joestar nodded. “Yes, you may. Dio, you’re excused as well.”
“Thank you, Mother,” both Joanna and Dio said.
Dio walked off to join the boys he had become chummy with since he became a part of the Joestar household. Erina looked up to her father, similarly asking for permission from him. With a wave of his hand, he bade her to go with Joanna, saying that he saw one of his patients that he wanted to go chat with. Both girls smiled, and Joanna snatched Erina’s hands and pulled her across the entrance hall. Faintly, they heard Mrs. Joestar call out for Joanna to stop running. The girls looked to each other, grins growing wider, nearly Cheshire-like. Joanna did slow down, but only so she could wrap an elbow around Erina’s and properly escort her through the house.
They stopped by the large Christmas tree, standing below the flickering candlelight. They wove past the large mantle place, decorated with thick greens and four brightly colored stockings hanging from the edge. Ultimately, they wound up lingering at the gingerbread house constructed at the side of the dining room. Erina couldn’t believe that the other guests milling about the room weren’t paying the confection creation any mind. Whoever made the house was nothing short of incredible! It was a perfect, if simplified, recreation of the Joestar manor. Joanna and Erina were having a great time of pointing out different locations commenting on how accurately they represented the building itself.
“If you look around here,” Joanna leaned forward and circled one of the windows, “that would be my room.”
“Speaking of your room, didn’t you have some business to attend to, Joanna?”
The girls jumped and turned to find Mrs. Blackheart looming behind them. Erina had met the stoic tutor several times, and yet, she still couldn’t quite lower her heartrate around her. Mrs. Blackheart was nothing but polite, but there was a severeness to her demeanor that knocked Erina off balance whenever they interacted. Her penchant for wearing dark clothing did nothing to help her seem less like an ominous shadow in Joanna’s life.
Joanna stood up straight, brushing down her dress until the copper accents were uncreased and the blue fabric was wrinkle-free. Her face was pleasant, but her excitement turned far more subdued than moments before. “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Blackheart. Could you please clarify? I don’t quite understand.”
Mrs. Blackheart bid her good tidings in return but didn’t verbally clarify anything. Instead, her eyebrows raised, making her eyes grow wider like she was trying to send a message through her eyes that Joanna wasn’t picking up. Joanna was keeping an even face at surface level, but Erina could tell she was starting to become more frazzled.
“Oh, Jetta,” a bombastic voice cut in, “stop terrorizing the poor girls.”
Mrs. Blackheart turned to a man walking to stand by her side. He was easily half a head shorter than Mrs. Blackheart, with a twice as jubilant face. Mrs. Blackheart sighed through her nose before turning to face him. “I did not spend weeks helping Joanna with our little project for her to not see it through to its conclusion.”
The man laughed and shook his head. “No one believes me when I say you are the biggest gossip I know.”
Mrs. Blackheart stared down at the man, her dark eyes borderline unblinking. Erina marveled at his courage. She could never stomach the stoic woman’s threatening eyes when they were locked onto her, but he seemed to revel in raising her hackles. Her lip twisted, and a low warning escaped her. “Merrill…”
“Yes, yes. I’m more trouble than I’m worth.” He waved his hand, as though he could dissipate her annoyance like a swirling cloud of fog. He turned to Joanna and with a little wink, he said, “Joanna, could you please put Jetta out of her misery? Or at least me? You know I’m a nosy so-and-so!”
At last, Joanna seemed to get the message. “Oh! Yes, of course. I wasn’t certain if now was the best time to drag her off or if that would be rude.”
“Better now than before dinner is served,” Mrs. Blackheart said. With a flick of her fingers, she silently ordered Joanna to leave.
She didn’t need to be told twice and wrapped her arm around Erina’s to escort her from the dining room.
“Joanna, who was that?” Erina whispered.
“Hm? You mean that man?” Joanna asked. When Erina nodded, she clarified. “That’s Mr. Blackheart.” Erina’s eyes went wide in shock, sending Joanna into a series of laughs. “Erina! You know she’s married! Why are you so shocked?”
“My apologies. But that wasn’t who I pictured when I thought of Mrs. Blackheart’s husband.” She turned to look over her shoulder at the couple. The two couldn’t be more opposite. Mr. Merrill Blackheart’s auburn curls were desperately trying to escape his low ponytail, making him appear like a happy short candle casting the looming shadow that was played by his wife.
“Yes, they are quite different. But trust me, you won’t see two people more besotted with each other.”
Joanna took Erina away from the party, pulling her through the hallways until reaching a familiar door. She released Erina to push open the door, holding it to allow Erina to walk in first. Joanna’s room was significantly larger than Erina’s—though that was to be expected, given that her home was larger than Erina’s as a whole. Joanna walked past the bed and small couch that was covered in books to reach her desk in the corner. She pulled open one of the drawers, and her smile grew at the sight. Suddenly, she turned to Erina, like she just remembered something, and instructed her to close her eyes. Erina acquiesced without a second thought. She felt Joanna’s large hands slip around her own, and when she gently pulled Erina forward, Erina stepped into the unknown, following Joanna’s lead.
When Joanna steadied her into a stop, she manipulated Erina’s hands, so her palms were facing up. Once she was satisfied, Joanna carefully set something in her hands. It had a decent weight, and it felt like there were several layers under her fingertips.
“Alright, open your eyes.”
Erina’s eyes fluttered open, and she gasped when she saw the object. It was a small wooden box, barely large enough to fill both hands. But what made the box captivating was the decoration. The box was covered in paper cutouts using a decoupage style. Layers of beautiful illustrations were artistically placed over the outward facing sides of the box. The four sides were primarily natural images: branches with flowers, shells, butterflies, birds, and so on. The top was much simpler in comparison. One corner featured an elegantly written “E.” The opposite corner of the lid brought a smile to her lips.
Erina tapped the large star, clearly cut from a Christmas card, and lightly teased Joanna. “Is this meant to be your signature?”
Joanna looked down with a shy smile. “I didn’t want you to forget who it was from.” As though it was possible for Erina to forget which friend was capable of making such a thoughtful gift.
“Thank you, Joanna. I love it.”
Joanna’s shoulders released their tension. “I’m glad. I wanted you to have something pretty, but useful so it wasn’t taking up space when…when you have to go.”
Erina saw sadness starting to fill Joanna’s eyes at the reminder that their time together was limited. Soon, she and her father would be traveling to India, and her friendship with Joanna would inevitably be strained. She carefully set her box aside and riffled through her pocket. In an effort to stop Joanna from mourning before Erina stepped on the boat, Erina held out a folded piece of fabric.
“I have something for you too.”
Joanna’s eyes went wide, like the thought of Erina having a gift in return never crossed her mind. With shaking fingers, she unfolded the fabric, only to gasp when she saw the full image. Erina could only see the opposite side of the image, where the stitches poked through, but she could easily picture the embroidery piece she had been working on for weeks.
“Erina, this is beautiful,” Joanna gasped.
“Thank you. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without Ms. Rigby and Ms. Hawkins. They helped me to pick the flowers, and Ms. Rigby taught me to embroider in the first place.”
Apple blossoms, clover and dandelion leaves, zinnia, larkspur, forget-me-not, dogwood, monkshood. Each flower of the bouquet was chosen with a message in mind. Erina wasn’t incredibly well-versed in the language of floriography—again her father was more concerned with teaching her medicine than more feminine exercises like that. However, with Ms. Rigby and Ms. Hawkins’s guiding hands, they were able to help her create a perfect message to give Joanna. A bouquet that celebrated their friendship and wished her well after Erina left her. Erina certainly wouldn’t be able to discern the meaning at first glance, but a gentlewoman like Joanna could see at least a few of the messages hidden within the petals.
Joanna rubbed the corner of her eye with her thumb. With a strained voice, she said, “It’s amazing. Thank you so much.” She looked back down at the embroidery piece, like she was trying to take in every stitch.
Quietly, enough so that she most likely didn’t intend for Erina to hear, Joanna whispered, “I wish you weren’t going.”
The silence hung in the air, tension tightening like a spring. Before it snapped and sent the two girls spiraling into sadness during what was meant to be a fun evening, Erina held out a hand to Joanna.
With a smile, she offered, “Let’s go back to the party.”
───※ ·✥· ※───
Dinner was lovely and filling to the point that Erina didn’t want to eat anything for the rest of her life. Or at least until dessert was served. Until that point, she and Joanna stepped out onto the nearest balcony to get away from the noise. The snow was gently falling over the two girls as they talked about everything and nothing. As they chatted, Erina’s eyes fixated on the flakes clinging to Joanna. Against her indigo hair and her complementary dress, she looked like the embodiment of a starry night at midnight. Very apt, given her name—too apt in fact. She would never voice that complement to Joanna, not with the certainty of her making fun of the wordplay on her name.
As they chatted, Erina rubbed at her fingers, trying to keep up her circulation. She hadn’t thought to slip on her gloves before stepping outside. Admittedly, Joanna hadn’t grabbed hers either, but Joanna had the temperature endurance of a bonfire. The cold didn’t seem to bother her in the least.
Joanna trailed off as soon as she noticed Erina rubbing her fingertips. “Oh, I’m sorry. Are you cold? We can go back inside if you want.”
Erina shook her head. “No, it’s not that bad. I’m just a bit chilly. How are you not cold?”
Joanna smiled sheepishly. “I’m fairly warm naturally. Here.” She reached out and wrapped one hand around Erina’s chilled fingers.
Erina’s eyes went wide in shock. “Goodness! You would think you were just by a fire.” She stepped closer to Joanna and slipped her hands further into her grip. “How are you this warm?”
Joanna laughed. “I don’t know. I’ve always been this way. Mother says I was born with a fireplace inside of m—.” Joanna briefly glanced upward and immediately cut herself off, teeth clicking together. “Oh.”
Erina started to look upward to follow her gaze, only for Joanna to interrupt her by leaning in close. Everything within Erina froze apart from her heart, which had decided to start racing as fast as it could to turn her face blood red. She was certain that Joanna could feel the heat steaming off Erina’s face under her lips. When Joanna pulled back from Erina’s cheek, she flashed a shy smile while rubbing her neck. Erina was happy to see there was at least a light dusting on pink on Joanna’s face.
“Sorry,” Joanna pointed upward, “but it’s bad luck to leave a lady unkissed under the mistletoe. Soooooo…”
Erina looked up and saw that there was indeed a sprig of mistletoe hanging by the door. She quickly cleared her throat, looking off to the side. “Well, obviously, we wouldn’t want that. Bad luck and all.” She turned her attention back to the mistletoe, doing everything she could to not stare at Joanna or else she might melt and be lost among the snow. “How, uh, how is that hanging there anyway?”
Joanna looked at the sheer wall where the mistletoe was hanging. Clearing her throat a few more times than necessary, she answered, “We, um, we have a maid. I swear, she can get anything to stick to anything. She’s a decorating master.”
Erina nodded, still refusing to look directly at Joanna, like she was the sun itself. “Incredible.”
The girls stood in silence for the second time that evening. A silence that was just as tense as before, though laced with completely different emotions. They risked glances at each other, each missing the other’s gaze by mere seconds. Not that either knew what to say or do if their eyes were to meet. Eventually, Joanna broke the silence with an excited gasp, nearly startling Erina out of her skin with its suddenness.
“I know what would help your hands!” Joanna walked to the door with a wide grin. Before ducking back inside, she gleefully said, “I’ll be right back.”
With Joanna gone, Erina turned from the glass doors to face the railing of the balcony. No longer needing to keep a calm façade, Erina started rubbing at her still-flushed cheeks. At least her fingers were warming up, but her blush refused to die down.
Joanna was just being gentlewomanly.
Joanna didn’t want her to have bad luck.
Joanna was—
“It’s rare to see you two separated nowadays.”
Erina started at the sound of a low, smooth voice. She pulled her face out of her hands but didn’t make a move to turn. He seemed to get the message that Erina would stay in place because it only took a few seconds before a head of golden hair entered her peripherals.
Erina didn’t have a great deal of experience talking with Dio Brando. She occasionally found herself in conversation with him, but most of those discussions had Joanna as a middleman. It was a rare that she talked with him one-on-one. However, the few times she talked with him were…odd. Not unpleasant, but certainly odd. There was something about Dio that reminded Erina of a fish. Every time that she thought that she had a handle on his character, he slipped right out of her grasp. He darted in every direction, to the point that she didn’t think that anyone truly understood who Dio was. However, it seemed like everyone was more than happy to stare at his shimmering exterior, too blinded by his gilded nature to see his evasiveness. Erina was ashamed to say that she probably would’ve been just as captivated if the first thing Erina knew of Dio wasn't that he beat Joanna senseless in front of the boxing club.
“Hello, Dio,” Erina said, remaining polite despite her misgivings. “I don’t believe I wished you Merry Christmas.”
Dio shifted his weight to lean against the railing. “Merry Christmas to you as well, Erina. How on Earth did Joanna manage to tear herself away from you?”
Erina sighed through her nose and turned to fully face Dio. “You make it sound like I’m holding her captive.”
Dio brushed the snow off his velvety magenta sleeves, a gentle smile growing on his face. “I simply meant it was rare to see you apart these days, what with your departure approaching. I don’t think I’ve seen a pair of faster friends. I must say, I’m quite jealous.”
“I don’t see how. It seems like you found your niche since you arrived. That’s something to be proud of, I would say.”
Dio sighed and shook his head. “I suppose you wouldn’t understand the pain of never being able to bridge the gap between yourself and someone who you should share a connection with. Perhaps it would’ve been different if we were both girls as well. It seems like it’s easier for girls to make those close bonds.”
“I don’t think it’s as hard as you’re making it out to be. All it takes is being kind, listening when someone is being vulnerable and being vulnerable in turn, being there to support when they need strength, all that sort of stuff. It can’t be that different for boys, can it?”
Dio hummed in acknowledgement. “Perhaps you’re right. I suppose that I’m simply nervous for JoJo at the moment. Once you’re gone, there won’t be anyone else for her to confide in, especially as she starts courting and the such.”
Erina froze at Dio’s words, thrown completely off-balance by the sudden mention of courtship. What was the purpose of talking about something like that? They had years before courtship would be brought up in the same breath as Joanna’s name.
Taking Erina’s silence as a permission to continue, Dio kept pressing at the topic. “It really is a shame that your family will be overseas for so long. JoJo could use a friend like you around, especially as she starts to catch the eyes of young men. She’s so incredibly smart and talented and has countless virtues. But will they see what makes her so special? No, they’ll just see some rich girl whose property they can claim.”
Erina gripped the railing, digging her fingers into the snow and compacting it in her fist. Her stomach was churning. Why was Dio still talking about this? Why was he putting the thought of men who would never see Joanna for the gem she was into Erina’s head?
“And not to mention the asses who would see to it that she lost her independence as soon as the ink dried on the certificate.” Dio shook his head, lips twisting into a sneer. “There are—pardon my language—some real bastards out there. JoJo is so good at seeing the good in people that a wolf in sheep’s clothing could prey on her without an ounce of remorse.” He turned to make direct eye contact with Erina. “If you were here, I’m certain that you would be able to help her separate the wheat from the chaff. You would never allow someone to get their hands on JoJo and take more from her than she should give.”
Erina was going to be ill if he continued talking.
“No, you would help guide her to find someone who would put her wellbeing first. Someone who appreciates everything that makes her special. You’d find a man who would make her just as happy as she is when she’s with you.” Dio turned and smiled at Erina. “Or maybe, you’d find a man who could make her even happier. Wouldn’t that be grand?”
…No. No? Why was that worse? Joanna deserved to be happy. Why did Erina feel worse imagining her happy with some man than with someone who could never appreciate the star Joanna was? Why did she feel so discontented thinking of Joanna wearing her best dress, staring at some man with love and respect reflected in their eyes? Erina felt like a monster. She was a monster.
But Dio. Kept. Talking!
“But I can’t imagine that you’ll be back in time to help her through courtship. Maybe you’d be able to see her through her engagement, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she was married by the time you returned.”
Dio pressed a hand to his chest, eyes wide in earnestness. “Erina, I promise you; I will do everything to keep Joanna safe from unsavory leeches in your stead. You will be able to rest easy knowing that only the most honorable of men will have a chance to stake their claim on her.”
Erina forced her mouth into a smile. “That’s…good to hear, Dio. I’m glad that there will be someone back home who would be willing to protect her.”
Dio nodded in acknowledgement, a smile gracing his face. There was something unpleasant about his contentedness, but Erina could easily be conflating the unpleasantness of the conversation with his expression. With a dismissive wave and a shake of his head, Dio said, “But let’s not worry about something that is years away. We’re at a party. We should be celebrating! And here I am, bringing down the mood.”
Smiling like Erina wasn’t a hair’s breadth away from screaming at him, he asked, “How are you enjoying the party?”
“…It’s been lovely.”
The two turned as the door opened. Joanna walked onto the balcony, holding a glass of steaming mulled wine in each hand. She stalled by the door, clearly surprised to see someone else on the balcony. She shook off the shock in record time and greeted Dio.
“Oh! Hello, Dio. I didn’t see you come out.”
Dio smiled and pushed away from the railing. “Yes, I saw you step inside, and I thought that I would come out to keep Erina company.”
“Thank you. That’s very thoughtful of you. What have you been talking about?”
“Oh, nothing that important,” Dio said as he walked over to Joanna. “I was just saying that it’s nice seeing how close you two are.” Joanna’s eyes flicked to Erina, confusion clear in her furrowed brow. With a laugh, Dio continued, “I suppose the sentimentality of the season just got to me.”
“Alright then. Do you want to join us?”
Erina knew (or hoped) that Joanna was just being her polite self, but she desperately stared at Dio, trying to will him to leave. Knowing her luck, Dio would stay with them for the sole purpose of picking at more touchy subjects. She didn’t understand why he would do that, but there was no way that he didn’t realize the effect his words were having on her. She didn’t have that good of a poker face.
Fortunately, Dio shook his head. “No, thank you. But I think I’ll go ahead and take my leave now that you’re here.”
Erina thought that was the end of it; however, like usual, the second the thought she had a handle on Dio, he slipped out of her grasp again. He gently took one of the glasses from Joanna’s hand—the one with a noticeably lower level of wine inside. The confused crease in her brow only grew deeper as Joanna stared at her now empty hand. She opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut off by Dio taking her hand in his free one and bringing it to his lips. The packed snow in Erina’s hand fell apart in clumps as her fingers twitched furiously, briefly tightening into a fist. His lips lingered on the back of her hand for a few more seconds than could be considered appropriate. At one point, Erina swore that she saw his eyes flick to her direction, like he wanted to double check that she was watching. When he finally pulled back, Dio absentmindedly gestured to the plant above them before walking through the glass door.
Joanna huffed and stepped out from under the mistletoe. “I was drinking that,” she grumbled.
Erina briefly glanced toward the party to see that Dio was drinking from the glass that Joanna had poured for—and apparently drank from—herself.
With a sigh, a small, but tired, smile returned to Joanna’s face. She passed the remaining glass to Erina. “Here. This should keep your hands warmer.”
Erina clutched the warm glass between her hands, shuddering as a wave of pins and needles cascaded down her newly warmed hands. “Thank you, but what about yours?” Erina looked back to the party and started stepping away from the railing. “I could go get you a replacement!”
“Please, don’t worry about it. My glass was a formality. I was more concerned with getting you warm.”
Erina nodded and turned back to face the garden. The girls watched the snowflakes gradually piling over the hedges and topiaries below them. Slowly, Erina took small steps, almost imperceivable, until she was standing with her arm completely pressed against Joanna’s. For her part, Joanna didn’t shift away at the contact. It might have been a trick of the wind, but Erina would swear that she felt Joanna step closer in turn.
Looking down at Joanna’s hand, a new wave of sadness crashed over Erina. Like Joanna said earlier, Erina wished she wasn’t leaving either.
But in her heart of hearts, Erina knew that her sadness would persist, whether or not she remained in England with her best friend.
───※ ·✥· ※───
Eleanor opened the door to see Erina standing across the threshold. Her face brightened, seeing the young girl. “Erina! It’s good to see you. Come in, come in.”
She escorted Erina to the sitting room and sat down so she could fully face Erina. She couldn’t fight the excitement from leaking into her voice when she asked, “Well, how was the party? Did she like the gift?”
What she wasn’t prepared for was Erina to burst into quiet tears. Eleanor stood from her chair and moved to the couch where Erina was sitting. As soon as she settled next to Erina, she rested a hand on her back and started rubbing soothing circles.
“Erina? What’s wrong? Did something happen at the party?”
Erina sniffled. Without looking at Eleanor, Erina’s sorrows started spilling from her mouth. “I’m leaving and Joanna’s going to meet someone who is going to make her happier than she ever was when she only had me for a friend and they’re going to get married and live happily ever after and I’m a terrible friend because I don’t want that.”
Erina pulled her knees close to her, politeness thrown out the window, so she could bury her head down. Her fingers tangled into her hair, twisting the locks like she was using the pain as punishment.
Eleanor shut her eyes, trying to figure the best way to comfort the panicking girl who believed herself to be a complete monster. With a sigh and a lament for the easy afternoon that she lost, Eleanor turned to call over the back of the couch.
“Daisy?”
Daisy walked into the room, only to pause at the sight of Erina crying. She looked to Eleanor, concern clear in her eyes.
Without missing a beat, Eleanor asked, “Could you put on some tea for us?”
Daisy, despite her fluster, nodded. “What blend?”
“Something relaxing. Chamomile if we have it.”
Daisy walked off and was quickly replaced by the sound of puttering in the kitchen. With that matter being dealt with, Eleanor turned to face Erina. This was not going to be an easy conversation, but it was better that they do this now or else she could have these lingering feelings of guilt during her years overseas without someone to properly guide her.
After carefully unweaving Erina’s fingers from her hair, Eleanor kept a loose grip on her hands to prevent her from hurting herself again.
With a deep breath, Eleanor began their long conversation. “Erina, I assure you: you are not a bad friend…”
───※ ·✥· ※───
Dio’s words lingered with Erina for years after she left England, made all the more intense by the revelation of the Rigby-Hawkins relationship and their suspicions about her true feelings toward Joanna. Erina couldn’t quite tell if they were correct during her time away. She had met several beautiful people, boys and girls alike, but none of them stirred her the same way that Joanna did. Yet, the same could be said for the friendships, none sparking as quickly and furiously as hers with Joanna. It was all simply too confusing, so she tried to push everything surrounding it to the back of her mind so she could focus on learning medicine from her father.
Yet the times she needed to pull something from that precious box would send everything flooding back.
She didn’t know what image was worse. A man who didn’t understand what a rare gem Joanna was. One who decided she was a bird who needed her wings clipped to be worthwhile. One who would leave her miserable and unable to escape a wretched marriage. Or was a man who properly valued Joanna worse? One who appreciated Joanna and everything that made her unique. The perfect partner for Joanna in all ways, who could make her happy beyond all belief…but wasn’t Erina Pendleton.
Erina would vacillate her answer countless times over the years, even as she and her father boarded the ship back to England. No matter what answer she came to in a specific moment, picturing either reality made her feel nauseated.
It would be eight years before she would have to face her nightmare.
Reuniting with Joanna.
And coming face-to-face with her fiancé.