The Other Side - Chapter 34

"The Other Side - Chapter 33" 

"Please, please, please tell me that you are Karlee."

Jim literally had his hands clasped in front of him, and was about to fall upon his knees and beg the stranger in front of him to go on for him, because he couldn't manage it anymore. It was 8 p.m. and he never thought it was possible to be so completely confused in less than 7 hours time.

"Do I need to call security?" The woman asked, her brow raised and cell phone poised in hand. He wasn't sure if she was about to make a call or about to use it as a weapon.

Although, I don't think I would mind being bludgeoned with modern technology right about now. Maybe it would knock some sense into him.

When he left just after noon and he thought it was going to be a cinch. All he had to do was follow the directions on the subway...right? Right. So that is what he did. Except he got on the wrong train. So he decided to double back...and ended up going too far. So he re-read the routes, asked a not-so-friendly and apparently not-so-helpful attendant what to take and ended up where he started. So he tried it again, only got on the completely wrong train, got into a fight with some lady with a cat, almost got arrested, and missed the stop he was going to take to go back and try again. Finally he decided to abandon the subway all together and hired a taxi. Hours and a $50 taxi charge later, he was at the studio and completely disheveled.

So much for making a good first impression. Jim just knew if he didn't find that woman within 10 seconds he was going to spontaneously combust.

"The crew man over there said you were Karlee." Jim pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "Please, I'm just looking for her. She said she could get me a job..."

The woman's eyebrow went up even further and she lowered her cell phone (which he was now certain was a weapon) slightly. "Jim?"

Jim grinned, pushing back his short hair only making it messier. "Oh thank God, I thought I would never make it. I've heard horror stories about being lost in New York but..."

Karlee laughed and shook her head. "You got lost? From your hotel? Why in the world didn't you call me?"

Jim opened his mouth only to shut it again, and then shrugged. "I don't know...you seem like such a busy person. And I'm a day early anyway, I didn't know if..." He sighed. "At any rate, I am here. And you're probably ready to send me home."

Karlee's smile widened as she took in the sight of the poor, messy and obviously worn out man. His sneakers were dirty from what could only be the filth of a street in New York. It was apparent that he didn't know yet about staying out of the corners of the subways if he didn't want to smell like urine. "I wouldn't dream of it, Jim. Your kind of dedication is what we are missing around here."

"I can't...I can't believe I am actually here, Karlee."

She could actually see the stress fall out of his shoulders and knew she had made the right choice about bringing the boy here. Even with his focus on her and her decision he had not been able to stop his eyes from roaming around the building. They scanned the high ceiling of exposed metal rafters and traveled down the walls of set after set - mainly dark alleys and old warehouses.

"Thank you, so much for giving me this opportunity." Jim said, removing his eyes from his surroundings to look her sincerely in the eyes. "It was so hard breaking from my life to come here, but I know for certain that it was worth it. Tell me what to do. How can I help?"

All of his worry had been replaced by a grin and Karlee couldn't help returning it. "Well, it is kind of late for the big stuff, but that should mean that you can get some one on one from the big man, Carl. He's the bald one, right over there. Just tell him that you are my favorite and that you are to be the superman of the production, ok?"

Jim nodded and stuck out his hand, which Karlee took. He shook his head, unable to wipe the silly smile from his lips. "I don't think I could ever say thank you enough." Then, without wasting another second, he strode to meet with Carl. Karlee only needed to watch for a moment before the man was roaring with laughter. Apparently, Jim had relayed her message word for word.

Satisfied that he wasn't going to get lost again, Karlee moved along and let the smile slowly fade from her face. So much for warning Jacob of his past being back. It was out of her hands now. Hopefully it would all work out ok, Jim had mentioned to her that he and Jacob had actually gotten closer - without Becky really being a part of it. And if it did stir up things...so be it. He had worked past Becky when the wound was fresh, he could do it again.

Jacob has moved on, and I don't think he's going to be willing to back track now. He was hurt by something he couldn't control and has come to realize that. Karlee nodded her head as if she actually believed what she was telling herself and whipped open her cell phone to make her next call.

-----

When Becky stumbled into her apartment on Thursday morning she was greeted by a fury she had never thought possible.

"Where were you?! I have been worried absolutely sick! I know you left yesterday because I just wanted to be left alone, but I didn't mean forever! And then when you didn't come home last night - I had no idea where you were! Don't you think of anyone else besides yourself?! And this was the first night I've slept in this apartment alone for the longest time - did you even think about how lonely I was!? Now would you just answer me or are you just going to stand there and grin in my face?"

Delany put her hands on her hips and glared down at her cousin. Becky reached out and gave Delany's nose a pinch. "Wow, Cuz, I had no idea you had so much Lynn inside of you." She then laughed and side-stepped Delany, completely ignoring the look of shock on her face.

"Excuse me? Becky? Did you even hear anything I said? Why did you not come home last night?! I admit that I didn't really even notice until this morning otherwise I would have really freaked out but when I got up and I realized that you had never even come back I -" Suddenly she stopped and gave Becky a second look. Her clothes were rumpled, her hair was even more fly-away than usual, and she had a smile on her fact that she had never seen before.

"Oh my God. Becky? Where were you last night?"

Becky shrugged and shook her head, trying to act nonchalant. However, the smile was a dead giveaway. "Nowhere, Del! I just -"

Delany gasped, not even bothering to listen to the rest of Becky's statement. "I can't believe it! You were with Gary, weren't you Becky? Did you - you spent the night with him! Becky I can't believe -!"

Becky waved away Delany's words. "Oh hush. I knew you would blow your top, but I'm going to silence you before you even get a chance to preach. I knew - know - exactly what I am doing."

"But - Becky!" Delany grabbed a hold of Becky's wrist as she attempted to turn away. She waited until Becky was looking her in the fact to continue. "Am I thinking correctly when I am thinking that you -"

"Yes, Del, you are. Now, can I please go and clean up before you completely ruin my good mood?" She started to turn around again, but was stopped.

"I - Becky, you always told me you were going to wait..."

Becky laughed and looked her cousin in the eye. Her voice was calm when she spoke. "You always told me that too, Del. But that didn't happen with you and Jim. Besides it wasn't my -" Becky cut herself off. She was not thinking about Jacob Jones today. "What I mean is, why are you acting as though I just destroyed my life?"

Delany was startled by the soft look in Becky's eyes. "I...I'm not, Beck. It just really surprised me at all. I mean, you barely know the guy. I had been with Jim for years."

Becky shook her head and gave her cousin a hug. "You know what I realized, Delany? Love shouldn't take so long to grow. I found out the hard way with Jake. And now you are finding the same with Jim. Now please, can I go clean up?"

Becky pulled away from Delany without even waiting for the answer. Delany watched her walk down the hall, a feeling of numbness all throughout her body. Had Becky really just told her that she was losing Jim? Had she really just claimed her love for Gary was stronger after less than a month than the long years Jim and she had experienced together? Delany's mind was on overload. Slowly, she closed the door to the apartment.

"The Other Side - Chapter 35" 

Madame