Captive

Chapter Sixteen

The atmosphere was heavy around her, as if a great black cloud hovered over her, sucking all the energy and joy from her. Jim observed her from the bar area and shook his head. He had examined her carefully when she arrived, his eyes going over her body but there wasn't a mark on her. If there had have been he fully intended to have strong words with Bret, probably with his fists as much as his mouth. She was different  though, even quieter than she had been before, barely speaking to him when she came in, keeping her head bowed and quietly going about her tasks. Though he couldn't fault her work, it was as efficient as ever and the place gleamed, he was concerned for her. Brian arrived an hour before he was due to collect her and took a seat at the bar.

"I'm worried for her Brian,' Jim said as he poured his friend a glass of coke. Brian nodded, watching as she headed into the ladies' bathroom to clean. He had noticed a difference as well when he collected her, a sense of total dejection from her. Her shoulders were slumped,her hair pulled back in a ponytail and no hint of gold about her throat. When she did look at him to murmur thanks for the lift her eyes were dull, almost lifeless.

"Not to mention it's bad for business having someone look so miserable on the premises," he said and Jim shook his head grimly.

"I don't like it," he said stoutly. "She's always had a smile for me, a bit of conversation. I knew she was upset with Bret and quite rightly too if you ask me but I don't understand why she's gone cold on me as well."

"Can't tell you, Jim," Brian replied. "But it won't last. She'll soon get over it." But as the weeks passed, Juliet didn't get over it. Her mood remained low. In the house she avoided Bret at all costs; if she did sit to eat with him she sat at the other end of the table and half turned herself so that she didn't have to look at him. The rest of the time she ensured that if he walked into a room she was in she found a reason to leave it and she didn't speak to him at all of her own accord. She always answered him politely but there was a coldness to her voice that hadn't been there before. At the bar she barely spoke either, keeping her head down and doing her job to the usual high standard so that no one could complain about her, but Jim missed the easy conversations he had once enjoyed with her.

"Bret will be in later tonight," Brian said, as he dropped Juliet off with Jim. She didn't react though and Jim shrugged.

"Unusual. What's bringing him out here?"

"It's Curt's birthday. A few of the boys are coming out," he replied. "Reckon he needs a night out. He's looking as miserable as she is."

"He told me the longest time he's spent with her the last few weeks was when he took her for her check up at the hospital and even then she didn't speak a word to him all the way there and back, only to tell him everything was fine and to give him one of her jars of pills to keep in the kitchen."

"She needs to go easy on him," Brian observed and Jim snorted.

"He only has himself to blame. Treated her like shit and now he's getting his dues. Just a shame the rest of us are being lumped in with him."

Juliet tied an apron round her waist and went through to give the bathrooms a good clean before they opened. They were basically spotless anyway as nobody had been in since the last time she cleaned them but she didn't want to appear idle, didn't want to give anyone a reason to speak to her. When she came out Brian was still sat at the bar with Jim and she eyed him curiously wondering why he was still here. The place began to fill up at nine o'clock and she was kept busy clearing the tables and filling then emptying the dishwasher, helping Jim keep the glasses behind the bar stocked. She kept on top of the bathrooms as well, heading into the men's three times and locking the main door behind her so that she could keep it clean. She was always quick so that it didn't effect anyone and there was a disabled toilet if anyone was too desperate to wait for her to come out.