The Other Side - Chapter 14

"The Other Side - Chapter 13" 

The next morning, Becky sprinted down the walk to the house and pushed the door open. Her hair was pulled back in a pony tail, dripping from the rain. She tried to smooth it back as she walked into the house carrying several plastic bags full of groceries.

Delany stared at the bags as she walked in, wondering just how much chocolate they might contain. "Honey, you okay?" Delany looked worried as Becky walked past her and set the bags on the kitchen counter and started unpacking.

"Yes," she said and pulled an envelope out of her purse, waving it at Delany, "Forwarded from the Penn State," she said with a smile, "I got one too."

Delany looked at the groceries and not a sign of chocolate was to be seen. "What did they say?" she asked, puzzled.

Becky shrugged, "Not much. A reminder to pay tuition. I um…" She looked down avoiding Delany's eyes, "I um…I'm thinking about leaving Africa early." She finished unpacking the grocery bags and hurried off to her room leaving a surprised Delany behind.

In her room, Becky leaned against the wall staring out the window. It was still raining. Water dripped down slowly and she could see people running back into their houses for cover, she sighed and looked away.

She bent down over her bed reaching across for the box of chocolates. Her hand passed over a copy of the National Enquirer she had purchased out of sheer masochism. Her eyes roamed over the front page picture. She imagined Jacob looked almost lustful as he was caught up in the passionate kiss. Jacob had his one hand lifted - she knew it was an attempt to block a picture, but they, obviously had more than one cameraman.

He sure isn't pushing her away. She turned away from the magazine and leaned her back against the headboard of her bed, finally leaning over and picking a book up off her bedside table. She had to do something to keep her mind off this. She had to ignore the fact that Jake had been telling the truth - the girl had kissed him for publicity. The fact was, it was easier to pretend she had been betrayed – it hurt, but it was easier to let go. It was easier to be mad, because the pain of knowing they were simply too different to be together… well, that was a deeper kind of hurt.

Becky shook her head. She opened the book and, much to her dismay, a piece of paper fell. Her heart instantly fluttered. She picked up the well-worn paper carefully, knowing what it was before she even recognized Jacob's handwriting.

         Dear Reader,
         I don't even know why I'm writing this. Like I really think someone is going to find it! But, I think this is just my way of trying to escape. Escape because I'm trapped and I don't know how to get out! You see, my name is Jacob Kilmer. Or, should I say "Jacob Jones" -

Becky stopped reading. Jacob Jones. That's right, Jacob Jones, the fabulous actor. The man she had just started to love… she turned away dropping the note as she gasped trying not to cry. She took a hold of the note and, with shaking hands, tore it up as small as she could. She was stupid, stupid for replying to a stupid note. He never should have come to meet him. They had crossed the line - neither could be on each other's side.

Delany walked in, Becky jumped. "Oh, so that's where you've been hiding the chocolate," Delany noticed something else too; she walked over to the bed and leaned down picking up the copy of the National Enquirer. She stared at the cover shaking her head. "Ah, honey…"

Becky looked away, not wanting to face Delany's eyes.

"Becky, why do you want to leave early for college? I mean…It doesn't start for a couple of weeks, right?" She set the magazine on the bed and sat down next to Becky.

"Well, I should get settled again, it's been a while since I've been on campus and…" She sighed. "Things are just so confusing right now. I don't want to be here anymore, I took him everywhere." She looked up at Delany, "Africa seems so surreal now. I think its time to resume a real life."

----

Jacob leaned back in his seat. He breathed in and out, clenching and unclenching the armrests. He heard the pilot's voice, saying they were going to land in about 10 more minutes. Jacob felt uneasiness grow in his stomach as he realized the woman he loved was thousands of miles away.

He felt Chris nudge him and he turned, "Hey buddy, ready for real life?"

Jacob adjusted the shaggy blond wig on the top of his head. He had put it on just before his connecting flight. It made him look so ridiculous... a perfect face vs. hair coming from the '70s. Jacob couldn't stand disguises because they were so uncomfortable... and he was already something he wasn't, why did he have to change it on the outside, too.

He turned to Chris. "How do I look?" Jacob asked as he slipped on his shades.

Chris just narrowed his eyes and stared at Jacob dumbly. "I don't know you," he said in a low, Barry White voice.

Jacob chuckled, but soon stopped, not wanting to draw any attention. He already had the world's attention... he didn't need any more.

The plane eventually landed and Chris pulled Jacob up by the shoulders. "Come on, cheer up kid."

"What for?" Jacob said miserably, dragging his luggage down from the overhead bin.

"Because you have to. All eyes on you from now until forever."

Jacob clenched his jaw, but relaxed as he saw Chris' expression - empathetic, but realistic.

Jake gave a nod, straighted his posture from his slump, and then flash Chris a well-mannered grin. "Let's get to the studio."

Chris blinked and then grabbed the other bag, shaking his head in mild-awe as he followed Jacob out of the plane.

By the time Chris and Jacob made it into Graham's office, Dave, Graham, and Karlee were all waiting for him. Jacob pulled off the scratchy wig and sunglasses and ran his hand through his hair.

"Hi family." Jacob said easily. He knew it wasn't quite the right greeting for the moment, but he was still in his "cheered" persona from the plane.

"Welcome back." Dave said, but Graham and Karlee were silent. Karlee was biting the inside of her cheek, the thing she did when Jacob did something he shouldn't have. Jake knew what was coming.

"Jacob, I—"

Karlee clamped her hand over Graham's mouth. "Let me take care of this." She caught eyes with Jacob. "This is a problem for family, not managers." She paused and looked Jacob seriously in the eye. "Isn't it?"

Jake sighed, willingly dropping his act. "I'd say so."

Karlee walked over to her little brother and rested a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You guys can give us some privacy, right? Ten minutes?"

Graham nodded and Dave and Chris quickly followed him out of the office.

Surprised but relieved, Jake flopped down on the leather couch that had been Karlee's bed the night before. He was tired from the airplane, it was tired from everything. He just wanted to go home.

Karlee took a deep breath, standing in front of him with her hands on her hips. "I need you to tell me - " Karlee paused, then shook her head. "Wait, I said this was family, didn't I?" She smiled a little and tilted her head. "How was Africa?"

As much as Jacob didn't want to, he couldn't help cracking a smile.

"If you asked me that yesterday, I would have been bursting with joy."

Karlee nodded and sat down next to him. "That's what I thought! But what happened? Why - well, why do you look like someone just ran over your dog?"

"More like my heart."

Karlee pressed her lips together. "Talk to me, Jake. I need to know - as a sister, but also, eventually, as your manager."

"All of it?"

Karlee shrugged. "Might as well."

Jacob really didn't want to repeat the story again. But he had to, and so he did. He told Karlee about the car accident and how it ended up to be Becky - how that started their entire relationship on the wrong foot. He told her about how it worked out though because somehow between running her over and almost breaking her nose, he made a friend. He told her about how amazing she had been, how hard she tried to make him comfortable. He told her about the camera, the giraffe, the dancing in the rain...

"... Karlee, you know how much I envy you? You might not have won an Oscar. You might not have a million bucks in your pocket or your face posted worldwide. But you have a husband, a place to call your own, a stable state of mind, you have time and peace!" Jacob stared at the wall. "I've always admired you for that, Karlee. You're my big sister, but you're more than that to me. I depend on you. Not just because you keep my schedule and with a simple question, you can tell me what I'm doing for the rest of the year. But because you take care of me and help me. Because no matter how much I use you or treat you like crap because of my own arrogance, you're still there for me. And I still can't see how you put up with me."

"Jake..."

"I know I don't say that enough, if I've said it ever. That's the thing - I feel like Africa really changed me. I feel like Becky really changed me. She so kind and honest and, well, not like a lot of people around here. Even if she broke my heart, I know she did it to protect me, to protect the both of us. I never would have had the guts to do it, that's for sure."

She sighed and reached over to hug him. "Jacob, don't start. Please, don't start. You're right, you didn't say it much, but that didn't mean that I didn't know it. You're just as wonderful as this Becky, you know that? I worry about you so much. To be honest, this is no place for you. The entertainment business is no place for you at all..."

----

"...Honey, are you sure you have to leave now?" Andrea stroked the side of her daughter's face and kissed her forehead.

Becky nodded. "Mom, I just need some time alone to get my life back together. I've been really stressed because of Jacob and I need to..." She took a deep breath. "...gain my composure, if you will." She had asked Delany to, very vaguely, explain to her parents what had happened. They didn't even know that he was a superstar, but they did know that she had loved him.

"Well, I hope he doesn't bother you again, sweetheart." Mr. Edwards said, hugging Becky. "Hurting my only daughter is something I'll never stand for. If I weren't a good Christian man, I'd crush him like a bug. You know I would, baby."

Becky gave a lighthearted chuckle. "I know, Daddy. Although I promise he doesn't need any crushing. He's a good person, too." She kissed his forehead and moved on to Delany.

Her arms were crossed and she was tapping her foot against the floor. "Becky, I still don't think this is a good idea. Can't you wait for another couple weeks when we were supposed to leave for school?"

"I already changed the flight, Del. Besides, I could use some time away from you." Becky rolled her eyes and squeezed her cousin quickly, pecking her cheek. "I'll see you in three weeks."

Jim lingered back in the corner. He had made Becky so mad in the past few days, he wasn't sure how she would react. He had learned to just stay away. Delany still refused to talk to him. And the unfortunate thing was, he shared an apartment with these two women back in Harrisburg.

Becky casually walked over to Jim and gave a shy grin. "Hey."

His eyes wandered to her face. "Um... hey."

She took another deep breath. "Listen, Jim. I'm really sorry if I made you think I hated your guts. I had no right to do or say the things I did to you. You were just trying to help and I love you for that, even if you were helping the wrong way." Becky leaned in to hug him.

Jim hugged her back. "I'll see you back home, all right? Be careful."

Becky nodded. "I will, Jim." With a final wave, Becky backed out the door and ran to the taxi cab.

"The Other Side - Chapter 15" 

Zz, Kiryan