Chapter 3 - Talking
Janet casually walked hand and hand with Jay down the street as she pointed out different places that she liked or the gang had visited. She had been having a wonderful day hanging out with Jay, but the events of the morning were still in the back of her mind. Terri had been so excited to meet Jay and very encouraging but Jack.what happened to him? He was quiet, and slightly distant. Definitely not himself. He acted like he didn't like Jay. She laughed at herself for that thought, who couldn't like Jay? He was practically perfect!
"Janet? Earth calling Janet," Jay said snapping her out of her haze, she hadn't noticed they had stopped walking. She shook her head a little, hoping to clear out her thoughts.
"Sorry Jay, guess I zoned out a little there. What were you saying?" She asked him as they took up walking again.
"Not much, I was just asking you what you were thinking about. You were in, like, a complete trance," He said smiling.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just thinking about my roommates, that's all," She tried to assure him. He furrowed his eyebrows before speaking.
"Anything you want to talk about?"
"It's nothing really, probably just a silly worry. It's just Jack, he seemed a little off."
Jay nodded. "Yeah, he did seem tense. Not like the talkative joker you described to me. Is he feeling ok? Personal problems or something?"
"I don't know. He hasn't said anything to me." She sighed. "I guess I'll just have to ask him about it tonight."
"Don't worry, I'm sorry it's nothing to get jumpy about. Probably just tried or some other minor thing. He'll be back to himself in no time. Just wait, you'll see," Jay said positively, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He smiled down at her to show that everything would work out in the end.
Janet smiled tentatively back up at him, then pulled her arms around his waist. Jay was probably right. With Jack normally it wasn't anything to big. His date might have ditched him or something, nothing to worry about. Even though she tried convincing herself that that was probably the case she couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was something.deeper wrong with him. Sighing, she decided it would just have to wait until they got home. Right now, she was going to enjoy her time with Jay.
"Hey! I've got an idea! Why don't we go to Jack's restaurant tonight for dinner? That way maybe I can get to know him better and besides, I'm interested in knowing where exactly this guy works," Jay suggested. Janet smiled a genuine smile at her ex's concern and thoughtfulness.
"I'm sure Jack will be thrilled, and I know Terri loves to go out and eat. Gives her an excuse to look good," Janet whispered to him as if she were letting a big secret go. Jay laughed and led her into a small ice cream parlor, ending the discussion of Jack for the rest of the day.
* * *
Jack glanced at the clock - again. And sighed - again. He wasn't even close to closing hours and he already felt like he'd been in the bistro forever. All he wanted to do was go home and relax. Not that he would probably be able to do that. Not with 'perfect' Jay there to entertain the girls and sprinkle them with stories and compliments. That is, if could ever leave Janet's side.
The events that happened in the morning were still rolling around in his mind. Everything from the breakfast, the endless flow of happiness and especially the talk he had had with Terri right after Janet left to met Jay. Seven hours later and he still didn't understand 96% of the thoughts and emotions he was having. The other four percent that he did get, he didn't like.
He was, however, glad that Jay was leaving after a week. He didn't want to have to deal with him for any longer then that, it would be torturous. Of course immediately after thinking that his brain would go into over drive, asking him all sorts of questions. Like, and why exactly do you hate him? Why should you be mad if Janet wants to pick up seeing him again? Come on, admit it.
"But I don't have anything to admit!" Jack yelled in the kitchen, frustration coating his voice.
"That's good to know," Felipe muttered, surprising Jack who had forgotten all about him.
Blushing slightly at the confession of no confession, he busied himself in the dining room receiving orders and such to get his mind off certain subjects and to try and help him concentrate. But the thoughts that had been plaguing him all day were never very far off. So when time to close shop came around he breathed a sigh of relief, the customers had seemed a little more annoying then usual in conflict with everything else that was happening around him.
When the bell signaling the entrance of a customer rang, Jack growled slightly and went to tell them they were closed when he was greeted by two faces he didn't expect to see.
Jay and Janet. Together. Holding hands.
"Hey Jack! We were wondering if we could eat here tonight?" Janet said with a grin. Jack swallowed hard and smiled weakly at the pair.
"Sure, just tell me what you want."
"Oh, Janet's been raving about you're chicken for so long I can almost taste it now!" Jay exclaimed.
"We'll both have chicken," Janet answered with a smile. Jack nodded and disappeared in the kitchen.
They're not together again already are they? He thought to himself. Shaking his head he waited a few minutes longer for the chicken to finish cooking. He glanced out of the door porthole and did a double take when he realized what he was witnessing.
Jay and Janet were leaning across the table, kissing. And it wasn't one of those friendly little pecks or over done nonsense kisses either, it was the kind you gave to a girlfriend or boyfriend, the kind to savor. Without his acknowledgment Jack's stomach and heart seemed to drop into a bottomless pit. He rushed around and left the kitchen to give the apparently happy couple their food.
Janet broke the kiss instantly after Jack emerged from the kitchen with two plates full of food. He looked a little pale, and she hoped for the life of her it wasn't because he had accidentally seen them kissing.
"Here's your food," He said, setting it down on the table in front of them.
"Smells great!"
"Aren't you going to join us Jack?" Janet asked.
"No, I don't feel that good."
"Really?"
"It's nothing, just a little.stomachache, nothing serious. I'm just sick. That's all," He assured and walked back into the kitchen.
It was the first time he'd told the truth all day.
Janet casually walked hand and hand with Jay down the street as she pointed out different places that she liked or the gang had visited. She had been having a wonderful day hanging out with Jay, but the events of the morning were still in the back of her mind. Terri had been so excited to meet Jay and very encouraging but Jack.what happened to him? He was quiet, and slightly distant. Definitely not himself. He acted like he didn't like Jay. She laughed at herself for that thought, who couldn't like Jay? He was practically perfect!
"Janet? Earth calling Janet," Jay said snapping her out of her haze, she hadn't noticed they had stopped walking. She shook her head a little, hoping to clear out her thoughts.
"Sorry Jay, guess I zoned out a little there. What were you saying?" She asked him as they took up walking again.
"Not much, I was just asking you what you were thinking about. You were in, like, a complete trance," He said smiling.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just thinking about my roommates, that's all," She tried to assure him. He furrowed his eyebrows before speaking.
"Anything you want to talk about?"
"It's nothing really, probably just a silly worry. It's just Jack, he seemed a little off."
Jay nodded. "Yeah, he did seem tense. Not like the talkative joker you described to me. Is he feeling ok? Personal problems or something?"
"I don't know. He hasn't said anything to me." She sighed. "I guess I'll just have to ask him about it tonight."
"Don't worry, I'm sorry it's nothing to get jumpy about. Probably just tried or some other minor thing. He'll be back to himself in no time. Just wait, you'll see," Jay said positively, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He smiled down at her to show that everything would work out in the end.
Janet smiled tentatively back up at him, then pulled her arms around his waist. Jay was probably right. With Jack normally it wasn't anything to big. His date might have ditched him or something, nothing to worry about. Even though she tried convincing herself that that was probably the case she couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was something.deeper wrong with him. Sighing, she decided it would just have to wait until they got home. Right now, she was going to enjoy her time with Jay.
"Hey! I've got an idea! Why don't we go to Jack's restaurant tonight for dinner? That way maybe I can get to know him better and besides, I'm interested in knowing where exactly this guy works," Jay suggested. Janet smiled a genuine smile at her ex's concern and thoughtfulness.
"I'm sure Jack will be thrilled, and I know Terri loves to go out and eat. Gives her an excuse to look good," Janet whispered to him as if she were letting a big secret go. Jay laughed and led her into a small ice cream parlor, ending the discussion of Jack for the rest of the day.
* * *
Jack glanced at the clock - again. And sighed - again. He wasn't even close to closing hours and he already felt like he'd been in the bistro forever. All he wanted to do was go home and relax. Not that he would probably be able to do that. Not with 'perfect' Jay there to entertain the girls and sprinkle them with stories and compliments. That is, if could ever leave Janet's side.
The events that happened in the morning were still rolling around in his mind. Everything from the breakfast, the endless flow of happiness and especially the talk he had had with Terri right after Janet left to met Jay. Seven hours later and he still didn't understand 96% of the thoughts and emotions he was having. The other four percent that he did get, he didn't like.
He was, however, glad that Jay was leaving after a week. He didn't want to have to deal with him for any longer then that, it would be torturous. Of course immediately after thinking that his brain would go into over drive, asking him all sorts of questions. Like, and why exactly do you hate him? Why should you be mad if Janet wants to pick up seeing him again? Come on, admit it.
"But I don't have anything to admit!" Jack yelled in the kitchen, frustration coating his voice.
"That's good to know," Felipe muttered, surprising Jack who had forgotten all about him.
Blushing slightly at the confession of no confession, he busied himself in the dining room receiving orders and such to get his mind off certain subjects and to try and help him concentrate. But the thoughts that had been plaguing him all day were never very far off. So when time to close shop came around he breathed a sigh of relief, the customers had seemed a little more annoying then usual in conflict with everything else that was happening around him.
When the bell signaling the entrance of a customer rang, Jack growled slightly and went to tell them they were closed when he was greeted by two faces he didn't expect to see.
Jay and Janet. Together. Holding hands.
"Hey Jack! We were wondering if we could eat here tonight?" Janet said with a grin. Jack swallowed hard and smiled weakly at the pair.
"Sure, just tell me what you want."
"Oh, Janet's been raving about you're chicken for so long I can almost taste it now!" Jay exclaimed.
"We'll both have chicken," Janet answered with a smile. Jack nodded and disappeared in the kitchen.
They're not together again already are they? He thought to himself. Shaking his head he waited a few minutes longer for the chicken to finish cooking. He glanced out of the door porthole and did a double take when he realized what he was witnessing.
Jay and Janet were leaning across the table, kissing. And it wasn't one of those friendly little pecks or over done nonsense kisses either, it was the kind you gave to a girlfriend or boyfriend, the kind to savor. Without his acknowledgment Jack's stomach and heart seemed to drop into a bottomless pit. He rushed around and left the kitchen to give the apparently happy couple their food.
Janet broke the kiss instantly after Jack emerged from the kitchen with two plates full of food. He looked a little pale, and she hoped for the life of her it wasn't because he had accidentally seen them kissing.
"Here's your food," He said, setting it down on the table in front of them.
"Smells great!"
"Aren't you going to join us Jack?" Janet asked.
"No, I don't feel that good."
"Really?"
"It's nothing, just a little.stomachache, nothing serious. I'm just sick. That's all," He assured and walked back into the kitchen.
It was the first time he'd told the truth all day.