Jim checked his watch again and glanced at the door. He had not planned on taking a lunch, but when a former coworker called he accepted her offer. There had not been much time for lunches in the past few weeks since his company had released a large amount of employees. He decided that a good lunch out of the building would do him good. Jim waved as he saw Tina come in the door. He stood as she approached and she gave him a warm hug. He couldn't help hug back as he felt the heat of her body and the scent of her perfume. They settled into the booth and began to talk. It had been a few weeks since they had last talked.
"You're looking pretty good. Have you started looking for another job yet?" Jim asked.
"I sent out a few resumes, but I haven't received any calls yet. I've been spending the time getting my house in order."
"You guys doing well financially?"
"Yeah, the severance package was good. I've just been having some trouble with Anthony." She said with a sigh.
Anthony was Tina's husband, and it was no surprise to Jim that they were having problems. They had been having problems for the past few years and things had not changed. Anthony was a man set in his ways, and where Tina had grown over the years since they married, he had not. He was a bible thumper, and the direction of her growth did not sit well with him. In her mid thirties, Tina had discovered wine, dancing and most of all, sex. It was these three topics that had developed a rift between her and her spouse. They had two children, and even though she was unhappy, she stuck it out.
"I hoped that the extra time might have changed things for you guys."
"I hoped so too, but he isn't going to change. I've come to realize that he is never going to change his views. I just have to make the best of things." She said with a smile that held a hint of sadness.
Jim changed the subject as the waitress came to take their order. When she left, he steered the conversation to more generic topics, and kept it so while they ate. He had always found Tina attractive, and as they talked, he found his eyes straying over her. She wasn't a super model, but she had a nice face. She was a bit on the thin side, with small breasts, but she knew what clothes to wear and how to apply her makeup.
The conversation swung back to relationships and Jim could tell that Tina was really struggling. It had been evident for quite some time, but it was now almost palpable.
"Have you tried spicing up things in the bedroom? Have you tried taking charge and not giving him a choice?" He asked.
"I tried that, but he shut everything down. It was over as quick as it started."
Jim nodded in understanding. There wasn't much he could say on the subject and he had already spent enough time away from work. Tina had left a few items at the office when she left, and he had kept them for her in his office. He had forgotten to bring them with him, so she decided to return with him in order to retrieve them.