The Other Side - Epilouge

"The Other Side - Chapter 43" 

Becky watched as the sun tried to sneak away into the horizon. She was all alone on this part of the beach, stretched out on the cool sand. She gave a long sigh before pulling herself into a standing position. The sea was threatening her with the rising tides, telling her to go back home and get ready for bed.

Becky walked along the empty shore, digging her toes in as she went, loving the way the sand felt on her bare feet. She found there was only one thing in the world that could calm her, and it was the quiet of the ocean.

Suddenly a pair of warm arms slipped around her waist, and she felt herself being pulled against a strong chest. Becky wasn't startled, she simply leaned into the tall frame behind her, smiling.

"Well, maybe this works too."

"Hmm?" Jacob asked, leaning down next to her healed face. Becky just shook her head. It was the summer before her junior year of college. She couldn't quite believe she was back where it all started - just a little further down the shore. Jacob really did cancel his contract and, just as he expected, he has been facing the press ever since. But as other teenage stars rise and the seasons change, the reporters start getting bored with the same old story. After all, who wants to a tabloid story telling about the perfect life of a used-to-be star?

Well... maybe not completely perfect. Becky thought, remembering the bumps in the road they had both encountered through the winter and spring.

Letting go of a contract wasn't easy. Now it meant that Jacob was somewhat of a "free lancer" and people were scrambling to have him start in both high and low budget films, commercials, cameos in sitcoms, everything. And, of course, he had to finish his obligation with Never Get Caught which included filming, photo shoots, and promotions. Not to mention that it took Jacob over a month to convince Melissa it was really over - and every once in a while in a drunken stupor she would still call Jacob and beg him to come back.

This bothered Becky at first, but now it just seemed sad. She couldn't feel too bad for Melissa though - she had purposefully lied and cheated her way back into Jacob's bed. Plus, Melissa crossed the line when she called Jacob at the Harrisburg apartment. He was only able to visit about once every two weeks, between his obligations, and Becky didn't like having one moment of their time interrupted.

Now, though, the movie was out and Jacob finally was free of the last of his contract bindings. She leaned back even more into Jacobs' chest, happiness flooding through her.

Of course, Becky's side of life hadn't been without its hiccups this past year either. Becky almost had to put a restraining order on Gary - but when the abuser came around the apartment late one night to find only Jake there and no Becky to hold him back... well, he was lucky he still had all his teeth. After that he was too afraid to come around again. That incident got Jake into the tabloid again, but, thankfully Gary was either too guilty, or too afraid, to press any charges against the celebrity.

Then, of course, the love between Jim and Delany was always strong, but Delany's emotions were never stabled. Jim came back for a good month before leaving again on another shoot, which meant they had a hysterical Delany to deal with.

And even though Jacob was taking picture after picture there were no fish biting at the line to hire him up as a professional photographer. But that didn't mean he wasn't trying. Becky was so proud of her former movie star, starting from the bottom and never giving up. Jacob Kilmer was going to be the name at the bottom of a National Geographic photo one of these days, she was sure of it.

"Nothing. Did you get your pictures?" She turned around to face him, and Jacob nodded.

"I don't know how well they are going to turn out, the sun faded a lot faster than I thought it would."

Becky smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek before walking next to him toward their hotel. "I tried my best to make it stay up, but it just refused to listen to me."

Jake laughed and put the strap of his camera around his neck. "Oh well, tomorrow is another day, and another roll of film, right?"

Becky nodded, and they walked up the steps to their hotel, wiping their sandy feet off on the mat outside their door. Suddenly the door swung open and Delany opened her arms wide to the pair. "Hurry! Get in here! Supper is ready!"

Becky and Jacob shared a look of worry before walking inside and actually smelling something wonderful. Becky raised an eyebrow to her cousin. "Del... that smells good. Are you sure you made it?"

Jake intercepted a oven glove that was heaved at Becky's head from the kitchen. "I'm sure! Now go sit down! Jim, you too!"

Jim entered the small portion of their hotel rooms that housed a dining table for four. He answered their questioning looks with a nod. "It's from a box."

The table dissolved into laughter and Delany brought out her masterpiece. From a box or scratch, it was delicious and it wasn't long before the four of them had ate, talked, and laughed together long into the night.