Forever Mine (Joe & Ella 2)

“That’s really not helping Simon. Why are you here?”

I was getting fed up with this show down already. Refereeing these two was not the way I had planned on spending my Friday night.

“I came for you Ella. I missed you. You said your place was in the city so I figured if you couldn’t live with me in the countryside I would make the sacrifice and be with you in the city. I want to be with you Ella.” Simon pulled a velvet ring box out of his trouser pocket and I flew into action. I had to act fast to stop this erupting into world war three. I could already feel the waves of anger coming off Joe behind me and I knew he’d never back down from this. Simon was on his territory and messing with his ‘masculinity’. Men really were like lions in the wild, using displays of power to intimidate another lion and try to take what was his. I’d laugh if I wasn’t caught up in the thick of it.

“Simon we need to talk.” I sighed and spun round to face a red faced Joe. “You need to wait there. I will talk to you in five minutes. Okay?” Joe nodded but never took his eyes off Simon.

I pushed Simon towards a table at the side of the bar away from the crowds and music and sat down next to him. He looked lost and a little overwhelmed by being here.

“I’m sorry Ella, I shouldn’t have sprung this on you. I thought it might be a nice surprise. I guess I forgot you have a whole other life down here that I don’t know about.”

He put the ring box on the table in front of him and started to fiddle with his hands in his lap.

“It’s lovely to see you Simon, but I meant what I said before. I can’t give you anything more than friendship. It’s nothing to do with where you live. I just don’t feel that way about you. I’m sorry.”

He took a deep breath and sat still for a while, thinking of what to say or do next.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, maybe in time things could change? Sometimes that can happen. It does happen Ella. I’d wait for you.”

He wasn’t listening to me, or at least he didn’t want to hear what I was saying. He pushed the ring box towards me and gestured to it.

“You can open it if you like. I brought it for you.”

I picked up the box but I didn’t open it. I put my hands in his and put the box into his hands.

“It’s not gonna happen Simon. I’m sorry, but I need you to understand that. I won’t change my mind.”

“So you’d rather be with him, a guy who throws his weight around and acts like a caveman? That’s what you want Ella?”

“I don’t want anyone right now. I want to be on my own, but when I do settle down it’ll be my decision Simon. I won’t be bullied into it by anyone.”

“I’m not trying to bully you Ella.”

I was making a cock up of this, and I need to wrap this up before we started an argument.

“I know Simon, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to say that. Look, stay and have a drink with us. I’ll make up the sofa for you tonight if you want to stop the night. But tomorrow you need to go back to your life and find someone who’ll love you for you. Someone who wants the things you want Simon. She’s out there somewhere, but it’s not me.”

He nodded reluctantly and put the ring box back into his pocket.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to Chris, Robyn and Max. Just ignore Joe he’s a law unto himself. I’ll sort him out then we can have a drink and catch up. Okay?”

Simon wasn’t happy but I was at a loss for what else to say to him. He was burying his head in the sand over this, he needed to wake up and face reality. Me and him would never be a ‘thing’ we were two completely different people. I would always break his heart and it was best to do it now than keep him hanging on, waiting for whatever scraps he thought he could live with from me.

We walked back to the group and I introduced them to Simon. Robyn took him under her wing and agreed to keep him company whilst I talked to a now extremely agitated Joe. I figured it would be better to talk to him outside where he could rant and rave as much as he wanted without causing a scene in front of an audience. However, the way he banged the bar doors open almost shattering the glass made me regret my decision.

“Bloody hell Joe, calm down you’re scaring me.”

“I’m fucking mad Ella, if that scares you I’m sorry but I can’t stop it. Who the fuck does he think he is coming in here like that. I should knock him the fuck out.”

“Stop it. Simon is the last person to be in a fight, he’s not like you Joe, you’d do him real damage. Just calm down for Christ’s sake.” Joe was pacing up and down the street now, his fists clenched at his side.

“Too bloody right, I’d do him damage. He wouldn’t come back here ever again either, making me look a bloody fool in front of everyone.”

“He hasn’t made you look like a fool, get ove

r yourself.”

I grabbed Joe’s arm and pulled him into the alley at the side of the bar and then towards the car park at the back, out of the way of the passers-by who had started to slow down and enjoy the free show.