JEN008 - Lunch with James

Jenna and James, having lunch in the Punch House...

It was a lazy day in the Punch House.
The lunchtime trade had been slow and casual.  By 1:30pm the locals had been left in peace to enjoy their quiet afternoon at the bar.
Jenna and James were sitting in a window seat, having a late lunch.  They were an unlikely pair – Jenna small and petite in her police uniform, James stocky and bulky in his dirty work overalls.
James cut a large rubbery piece off his steak, stabbed it moodily with his fork and shoved it into his mouth – which was already crammed with half-eaten chips.
Jenna watched him distastefully as she picked at her jacket potato, topped with tuna and melted cheese.
“Hungry?” she asked.
James mumbled something indiscernible through his mouthful of food.
Jenna looked confused, “What?!”
He swilled himself out with beer and tried again, “Yeah, haven’t eaten since 6 this morning”
“Oh”
He pointed at her plate with his knife, “Yours nice?”
“Yes, very, thanks”
He nodded and cut some more steak away from the bloody t-bone.
“Busy at work?” Jenna asked.
“Yeah, we’re behind schedule, gonna be working late again this evening”
“Right”
James worked for a local construction company.  Usually he had to travel to work, but recently he’d been working on a project just outside Monmouth, which meant he could meet Jenna for lunch... an arrangement which he mixed feelings about.
She watched as his eyes scanned nervously around the bar.  He was on edge, and she knew why – he didn’t like being seen with her when she was in uniform; he was embarrassed to be dating a policewoman.  That trait alone had been grounds for her ending things after their second date, 18 months ago.  But there was something about James she liked... he was a man’s man; rugged and butch and uncomplicated; what you saw was what you got.  She’d given him a chance; she was still giving him a chance.
“Are you... ok?” she asked.
“Yeah” he looked defensively at her and added, “Jen... you know I get a bit... you know, when you’re...” he gestured at her police hat, lying on the chair beside them.
“I don’t mean that” she said dismissively, “Although that does really piss me off!  No, I mean, generally, you seem unusually moody and sullen recently, even for you”
She made the question into a joke by stressing the final words and flashing him a quick smile.
He met her eyes and swallowed thoughtfully.
“It’s Brendan, isn’t it?” Jenna asked, “You don’t like him–”
“No, I don’t” James said plainly.  He sat up straight and took a swig of beer, “Shouldn’t he get his own place?  Your flat isn’t that big.  And... and we just don’t get on, do we?”
Jenna sighed, “He’s just a bit protective of me, that’s all”
“He’s a pain in the ass.  That’s what he is!”
“He’s my brother James.  And my best friend!”
James scoffed and took another swig of beer.
Jenna scowled at him.  “James, if you can’t get on with Brendan, or even give him a chance, then... well, I can’t be with you.  It’s as simple as that”
His eyes snapped onto hers, daringly.
“Oh come on James.  You’re both important to me.  He’s my brother.  We’ve always been close.  And we always will be!  And you’re my boyfriend” she paused and added, “Aren’t you?”
He seemed to like the label.  His lips curled into a butch smile.
“Can’t you just try to get on with him” she implored, “He’s a really sweet guy.  Ok, you’re like chalk and cheese, but I like that... you’re both special in different ways”
She was saying all the right things.  His lips curled upwards another centimetre, causing two small dimples in his fleshy cheeks.
“OK.  I’ll try and give him a break” he conceded, finishing his beer.
“Thank you!  Why don’t you come round tomorrow night and we can all do something together?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know... I could cook, or we could watch a movie, or...”
“Or go to the pub?”
Jenna laughed, “Yeah, or go to the pub like usual.  But just please be nice to him!  Just try and get on”
James nodded and picked a piece of stake out of his teeth, “OK, I’ll give it a go”
Jenna smiled at him.  She didn’t have high hopes, but maybe he’d surprise her?
“Another drink?” he asked, rising from the table and grabbing his empty glass.
“No thanks.  I’m on duty.  Remember?”
“Oh yeah” he looked nervously around the room again and headed off towards the bar.
Jenna smiled to herself and turned her attention back onto her jacket potato.