Title: What's in a Name
Characters: Priestly and Jen with Tish, Piper, and Trucker
Rating: PG-13
Warnings/Notes: Some language, unbetaed, movie spoilers mentioned, name stuff comes from the Internet, so apologies if it's not accurate
Summary: Jen talks to Priestly after his friends' teasing becomes more than he can endure.
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine.
"So, what's it mean?" Tish asks Priestly a week after Trucker and Zo's commitment ceremony.
"You're gonna have to be more specific," her boyfriend informs her as he flips over split rolls being toasted on the grill.
"Your name. Boaz. What's it mean?"
"Strength or swiftness," Piper interjects from behind the counter, where she is poring over an art book. "What?" the strawberry blonde asks when she sees Priestly and Tish both staring at her. "I looked it up. It's pretty rare for a first name."
From her seat at a booth, Jen smiles in silent agreement, then goes back to her homework.
"Probably not any worse than Platisha," Priestly reasons, giving Tish an overly sweet smile as he speaks.
In retaliation, she sticks the paper for a customer's order in his green mohawk before going over to answer the shop's ringing phone. Trucker chuckles quietly at the comical sight before going back to reading his newspaper.
"Maybe we can call you something else besides 'Priestly' now," Piper muses as her male co-worker irritably removes the paper from his hair.
"Ooh, I like that," Tish agrees, covering the telephone's receiver with her hand. "What about Bo?"
At Priestly's scowl, Piper decides to join in on the teasing. "Or maybe just your first initial, like B. Or B.P."
"BP is the name of an oil company, not a person. You got a middle name?" Trucker wants to know now.
For a split second, Priestly looks terrified at the question. Tish's smile widens into a grin. "Looks like a 'yes' to me," she remarks.
"Hmm, is it worse than Boaz?" Piper wonders aloud.
"Guys…" Jen begins, but her warning comes too late as Priestly shakes his head at their speculation.
"I'm going on break," he announces, removing his apron from his waist.
"Aw, c'mon, Boaz, we're sorry," Tish pleads, but he ignores her and exits out the back door.
Jen worries her lower lip with her teeth, watching him go. She waits until business has picked up a bit before quietly leaving the shop unnoticed.
Priestly is sitting on the stoop in front of the Grill's side alley, watching a beetle crawl by him. Jen sits down next to him.
"They didn't mean it," she begins, placing a consoling hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, I know," he says with a sigh. "It's just…this is exactly what I didn't want. I've been teased enough about my name."
"But you never changed it," she observes, simply stating the simple fact.
"My mom named me. She died when I was little. I told myself I'd keep it…sort of honor her memory, you know?"
Jen nods. "Hey, you know how my dad's a minister, right?" At Priestly's nod, she continues. "Well, he once gave a sermon about King Solomon's temple. The Bible says that Solomon named the two pillars of his temple Boaz and Joachim. The names are supposed to be symbolic. Do you know what Boaz meant?"
He shrugs. "No clue."
"It means 'love.' Maybe that's what your mother was thinking of when she named you."
"Love," he repeats softly, thoughtfully. A smile graces his face as he gives her a sidelong glance. "That's kind of awesome, Jen."
She laughs. "I'm glad you appreciate it," she replies dryly. She gets to her feet and brushes the dust off her shorts. "Well, I'd better get back inside. I'll let you finish your break in peace."
As she turns to go back in, Priestly's voice stops her. "Jacob," he says quietly.
"What?"
"My middle name. It's Jacob." He cringes at a memory, before adding, "Don't tell the others? I got all kinds of shit for having the initials B.J. growing up. Beej, Beetlejuice, blowjob. I heard it all and hated it."
"My lips are sealed…Jake."
They exchange grins before Jen disappears back inside the Grill.
Priestly sighs and stretches his arms behind his head, bending them at the elbows while looking up at the cloudless blue sky above him. "Another sunny day in Santa Cruz," he mumbles. He lowers his arms, only to press the fingers of his right hand to his mouth and then lift them to the sky. "Thanks, Mom," he whispers before he gets up and goes back inside to rejoin his friends.