Hey! Lexi here with the second chapter of Brotherly Love! I'm on vacation so I have lots of spare time on my hands, that's why I've updated so quickly . I'm surprised at the amount of reviews I got! I was expecting less than half that amount. Thanks a billion to my reviewers and readers. :)
At five p.m. on the dot, Jack and Claire exited the small farm house. Claire was dressed in a kelly green summer dress, with matching shoes. Jack had chosen a crimson dress shirt and grey dress pants for the occasion. The sun was just starting to set and magnificent oranges, reds and pinks could already be seen. The pair walked in complete silence to the inn. Once they reached the double doors Jack pulled one open, held it open for Claire, then walked in himself. Once inside they were greeted by a wave of noise. It was Saturday, and the Inn was most usually packed on Saturdays. Claire and Jack wove in between the Mineral Town inhabitants, then finally sat themselves at table next to Cliff, who sat quietly starring into his dish of pasta.
"Well, isn't this nice!" said Claire with a grin.
Jack responded with a small grunt. Suddenly a flustered looking girl strode up to them. Her face was almost as red as her brilliantly red hair that was tied up in a tight braid which fell all the way down to her waist. Her lemon yellow shirt, witch was underneath light denim overalls, was wet from sweat. In her hands, she held two menus.
"Um... Hi, I'm Ann! Welcome to the Inn! Heres the menu." Ann said as she shoved the two menus into Jack's hand "I need to go attend to other costumers now. I'll be back though." She raced off.
"Um... okay, then..." Jack remarked as he slid a menu across the table to Claire. Claire gave a small laugh. The two sat in silence for a bit as they read the menu. Claire put down the menu and watched Jack examine his. When Jack finally put his menu down Claire gave him a huge smile.
"So, watcha having?" Claire asked Jack.
"Just the salad," Jack said bleakly.
"Just the salad?"
"Yeah..." Jack confirmed. Claire wrinkled her nose.
"Jack, not to be rude, but isn't that kinda boring. I mean I'm having the pot pie. Now THAT is good. It's real yummy, it has corn, and lots of other veggies, and the beef, the beef! Succulent, savory and sweet, it's really wonderful!" Claire said with another smile. Jack didn't smile back.
"Claire stop it! I'm vegetarian. The though of meat makes me disgusted... remember ?" Jack said. Claire's smile faded. "I would get something more interesting, but there's nothing that I like that is vegetarian, matter a fact there IS nothing vegetarian accept for a salad on this menu."
"Oh, sorry, Jack..." Claire said, and she looked down at the floor. Claire started fiddling with her dress, it was what she always when she was nervous.
"This is such a disaster! I should of never invited Jack to Mineral Town! My life was fine without Jack. What made me think that jerk of a brother was actually nice? Maybe he was once upon a time, but not anymore," Claire thought. She felt a lump in her throat.
The two sat in silence for a few more minutes before Jack broke it.
"Claire..." Jack said softly. Claire struggled to speak. Afraid she would burst out into tears.
"Yeah?" Claire said. Jack looked at Claire, who still was facing the ground.
"Are you... Claire, are you UPSET?" Jack asked. Claire looked up at Jack. His eyebrows were raised, and knitted together. His eyes were big. And he was bitting his bottom lip. He looked genuinely worried. Claire immediately felt guilty for the things she had just thought about her brother.
"N-no," Claire said, although the minute she said that she felt a large tear slide down her cheek.
"Claire," Jack said, in a voice just above a whisper. "Don't be upset. There is nothing to be upset about." Jack grabbed Claire's hand with his own. "Don't be upset, I love you Claire. Always remember that. There is nothing to cry about."
"There i-is n-nothing to cry ab-about," Claire repeated, but tears were still falling.
"Aw, Claire," Jack said, as he pulled Claire towards him and gave her a big hug. After the two broke apart, Jack pulled up his crimson sleeve to look at his watch. It read 5:20. Jack's eyebrows raised.
"Where IS your beloved fiance?" Jack muttered to Claire. Claire shook her head in reply.
"I don't know..." Claire said. As if on cue, the door swung open, and Gray stepped into the room. Claire sighed with relief. Gray looked perfect. He had no trace of ore on him, his tan trench coat was perfectly straightened, and his hair all fit neatly under his 'UMA' cap. Jack, and Claire both stood at the same time.
"Yoo-hoo! Gray, honey! Over here!" Claire shouted over the sound of the inn. Gray gave a smile and started to maneuvered his way towards his fiance and her brother. Claire gave a side glance at her brother. His eyes were fixed on the red haired man who was walking towards them, his jaw stiff. Finally, Gray reached their table.
"Hello, Gray, honey!" Claire said to Gray.
"Hello, Claire," Gray said as he kissed her on both cheeks. "You must be Claire's brother," he said, turning to face Jack.
"Yes, I'm Jack," Jack replied stiffly as he and Gray shook hands.
"Sit down, please," said Jack, pulling back the chair nearest to himself for Gray.
"Thank you, Jack," Gray said shyly.
Jack sat himself down, and Claire did the same. Once Jack had sat down he turned his chair so that he was facing Gray and announced to him;
"You're late."
Claire stiffened. THAT was one of the first things her brother said, to his future brother in law!?
"Why?" Jack asked Gray, who had his 'deer-in-the-headlights' look on.
"Im-I'm sorry..." said Gray." My grandfather kept me to polish a broach."
"Oh, I see," said Jack, nodding.
The three sat in silence until Ann bounded up to their table again. Her face was not as red as last time Jack and Claire had met her. "Hey Claire, hey Gray," Ann said happily. "Thank God it's emptied out!" Ann looked around the room. It was true: only four of five people sat in the inn. "Now I can get a chance to talk to you! Who is this you've brought along?" Ann asked gesturing towards Jack.
"Oh, that's my brother, Jack," Claire said. "He's come for the marriage"
Ann gave a smile. "Hey Jack, I'm Ann!" she said, giving Jack a hand to shake. Jack shook it unenthusiastically.
"Now, let me take your orders. What would you like Claire?" Ann asked.
"I'd like the pot pie." Said Claire.
"Okay, one pot pie, and you Jack?"
"I'll have the salad."
"Okay, one pot pie, and one salad. What about you, Gray?"
Without even looking at the menu Gray recited ; "Steak with a honey, chicken, sesame glaze, with a side of the Asian salad with extra beef, avacado, and extra chicken."
"Okay one pot pie, one salad, and one steak with a honey, sesame, chicken glaze, with a side of the asian salad with extra beef, avacado and extra chicken," Ann repeated. "And what about to drink?"
"We'll all share a bottle of red wine." Claire said.
"Okay, thank you!" Ann said, she took the menus from Claire's hands and ran off.
"I take it you like meat," Jack addressed Gray.
"Yes, I do," said Gray. "I love the thought of all the animals being chopped up, and going into a pie for MY delight!" Gray laughed. Claire joined in. Jack, however, didn't.
"It ISN'T funny, Gray!" Jack exclaimed. "Do you know how much pain the animals go through?"
Gray shook his head. "It was a joke..." he said, quietly.
"Well it wasn't funny!" Jack growled. The three sat in silence until the wine came. Claire immediately poured herself a glass, Jack did the same, and after Jack did Gray poured his own glass.
"So, Gray, how old are you?" asked Jack.
"21," Gray answered.
"And Claire is... 20," Jack mused. "Interesting." He took a sip of his wine, and and peered at Gray over the top of his glass.
Over the course of the dinner Jack bombarded Gray with question after question. Claire couldn't get a word in edgewise. Gray had stopped addressing Jack as 'Jack', and started addressing Jack as 'Sir'. Claire was becoming miserable, she couldn't speak, and she could see that Gray was angry. All Claire could do was pour herself one glass of wine after another, praying that the food would come and Jack would shut his big mouth.
The food did come, but Jack didn't shut up. And Gray was getting angrier and angrier.
"So Gray, do you go to church every Sunday?"
Gray, who was just cutting into his glossy steak, immediately dropped his knife and fork with a loud clang. He stood up, shaking in anger.
"THAT'S IT! YOU MAY CONDUCT THE INQUISITION ABOUT WHAT I LIKE TO WEAR, OR WHAT I LIKE TO EAT, OR WHATEVER, BUT THATS TAKING IT TO FAR, MISTER! MY RELIGIOUS PRACTICES ARE NONE , AND I REPEAT NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Gray yelled.
Gray's little outburst caused every eye in the Inn to look at Claire, Gray, and Jack.
"Gray, sit down," squeaked Claire in a voice just above a whisper. Gray didn't sit down, but Jack stood up. The two just stared at each other, boring holes into the others' skulls. Finally, Gray broke away. He reached into his pocket and slammed down a small sack of G onto the table.
"There we go, that should cover the cost..." Gray muttered. "Bye Claire," he gave Claire a hug. "Jack." He gave an ice cold stare to Claire's brother. "Ann, I'll have my dinner in my room." And with that Gray walked away. The Inn was still deathly quiet, every pair of eyes was on Claire and her brother.
"Well, carry on with your dinner, there's nothing to see here," Ann mumbled as she grabbed Gray's half finished plate of steak. "Are you guys done?" Ann asked. "Want me to pack it up?"
"I think we're okay." Claire said. "But could we keep the wine?"
"Sure," Ann said, she grabbed Jack's dish, Claire's dish, and the sack of money, then stalked off.
"Lets go," Claire said, grabbing Jack's arm with one hand and the wine bottle with the other. She pulled him out of the inn. Originally, Jack was going to stay at the inn, as Gray stayed there, so that they could have some bonding time, but something told Claire it was better to have Gray and Jack apart for the time being.
Thanks for reading. I hope this chapter was as fun to read as it was for me to write. Please review, your comments mean allot to me! Oh yes, one more thing I'm thinking the title could use changing, if any of you have suggestions please leave them on a review. Thank you!
Next time on Brotherly Love, Claire confronts Jack about the dinner, and Jack has some "cooking" of his own to do- "cooking" up a scheme, that is!