The Boss

by Rick Bennette

  “I just wish - we weren’t stuck here overnight.”

  “I’m kinda glad we are.”

  “Why on Earth would you be glad?”

  “You’d never understand.”

  Abbey smiles at him. She is beginning to see in Jake a man she might be able to admire. Little by little, she’s beginning to cave in.

  “There are office policies against these things, you know.”

  “You’re the boss. Change the policies.”

  “Even if I did, you still work for me. It wouldn’t look right to the others.”

  “So make me a partner and give me a big raise.”

  Abbey sees something in the corner of her eye. She stands up and looks out over the water.

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s an increase in pay. Something you probably never heard of.”

  “No, I mean what’s that on the horizon?”

  Jake stands up next to Abbey and looks out at the horizon.

  “You see it, Jake?”

  “It’s a boat.”

  “You sure?”

  “Well it ain’t no pickup truck.”

  Jake starts jumping up and down, waving his arms and yelling.

  “Over here, over here!”

  “You think they can see you?”

  “Not a prayer.”

  “So why are you jumping up and down like a wild kid?”

  “Cause it feels good, Abbey.”

  “Oh.”

  Abbey begins doing the same thing. They are both jumping and waving their arms, yelling out in unison.

  “Over here, over here!”

  Abbey looks at Jake. She smiles and laughs. It is the first time Jake sees the real Abbey shine through as he wished he could. He reaches out his arms to her. She opens up her arms to him. They casually embrace and then resume jumping up and down together yelling.

  “Over here, over here!”

  Jake knows that even if someone can see Abbey and him, they’re not going to stop and help. Most passing boaters would just think he was making a friendly gesture. This isn’t a deserted island. But Abbey doesn’t know that. This is a corner of the island where a few boaters come for solitude now and then. Jake hopes tonight isn’t one of those nights when they will come.

  Chapter 4

  Abbey is tied up and blindfolded in a chair. One of her employees is her captor. In an creepy tone, the man begins his eerie monologue.

  “You give a little, you get some back, ya know? Take me for instance. Been workin’ for ya for seven years. Have ya ever even said so much as ‘thank you’? I don’t think so. Ya prance around the office - like you’re the Queen - of England. That everybody should bow at your feet just because of who you are. You’re no different than the rest of us - other than your money. Ya lucked into the job. You want a little respect - show it to the people. They know you own the business. It’s not the issue. They just want a little humanity, that’s all. You’d be surprised - you give ‘em a little humanity - you get a lot back - a lot more than you give. And they’ll be happy to give it.”

  The man removes the blind fold and continues speaking. Abbey is too scared to say a word.

  “So. When you’re ready to change yourself a little bit - I’ll change my attitude. But - right now I don’t have to worry - cause right now you work for me - and if you don’t - you don’t eat, sweetie.”

  Abbey pops up suddenly with a rush of fear surging through her body. She sees Jake sleeping peacefully by her side. Knowing he will protect her, she holds him for comfort. He awakens surprised to find Abbey holding him, but he comforts her by gently snuggling her back.

  “Abbey, what is it?”

  “I had a nightmare.”

  “A bad one?”

  “I never had a good nightmare.”

  “You wanna tell me about it?”

  “It was scary and creepy.”

  “Oh, that could have just been me.”

  “Just hold me.”

  “OK, if you say so.”

  “You know how long it’s been since someone held me like this?”

  “Since you were a child?”

  “A long time.”

  “Well, you won’t be able to say that tomorrow, now, will ya?”

  “I suppose not. You know, Jake, it feels really good.”

  “For me, too, Abbey.”

  “I mean really good. You have no idea.”

  Abbey begins to nuzzle Jake in a somewhat more sensual manner. He allows himself to forget who she is and just enjoys the moment. Suddenly she presses her lips to his. She darts her tongue between his lips as he opens his to accept it. His hand slowly begins caressing the side of her body as he tests to see just how far she will allow this to progress. She matches his move with a similar gesture, rubbing his body more and more. She moves her hand over his crotch to find out how this is affecting him. He is responding as any man would in a moment like this. He reaches for her breasts and gently caresses each one. Slowly he works his hand from her breasts, sensuously down her body to that forbidden place between her legs. He can feel her getting more excited by the second. She rolls over on him and begins rubbing her hot, tingling body on his.

  They slide each others clothing aside and in the late starlit evening, Abbey and Jake make passionate love so hot as neither of them have experienced in years. Their bodies spent from years of pent up passion finally released, they roll and cuddle into the wee hours of the morning. They finally fall asleep in the warm embrace of each others half naked bodies.

  Chapter 5

  The sun is beginning to lift itself slowly above the horizon. Jake awakens to find himself still locked in Abbey’s embrace as she sleeps so peacefully. He can not imagine this is real. He hopes she will not awaken to regret what happened between them. Finally, she wakes up. For a moment, she is confused. He thinks to himself, “Oh no, here it comes.” But Abbey remembers where she is and sweetly kisses him on the cheek.

  “Good morning, hot stuff.”

  “Now there’s four words I never thought would come out of your mouth. At least not directed at me.”

  “I know. I can’t believe it myself.”

  “So you’re OK with this?”

  “Are you?”

  “I can get used to it. I thought you might wake up thinking it was all a big mistake, you know, caught up in a heated moment of passion, and that was all it would be.”

  “What would you like it to be, Jake?”

  “I’d like it to be like this all the time. I mean, after all these years of the way it’s been, who wouldn’t want it like this instead?”

  “That’s it?”

  “Abbey, it’s been my dream for over six years. You have no idea how many times I’ve had this fantasy.”

  “So it was just a fantasy for you?”

  “I’ll get past that. But I guess what happens next is up to you.”

  “Up to me? Why?”

  “I been thinkin’ about this in my mind for years. But I don’t think you have. I just hope you don’t change your mind, that’s all.”

  “I guess it’ll take some getting used to.”

  “I like it, that’s for sure. As long as you don’t get tired of me, I’m pretty sure I can make you happy for a long time.”

  “So how do we get off this stinkin’ island?”

  “Abbey. We just started something beautiful on this stinkin’ island. It can’t be that bad a place.”

  “I need a shower. And breakfast. I’m ready for civilization.”

  “Me, too. Tell ya what. Let’s take a walk. I have a feeling today’s gonna be our lucky day.”

  Abbey and Jake get up and begin walking hand in hand. They are heading south to the side of the island where there are people. As they near civilization, Abbey spots what looks like a foot path.

  “Look, Jake. I think someone might have been here before. They might even still be nearby.”

  “You could be right, Abbey. Let’s keep walking.”

  “You
don’t think they’d be savages or pirates, do you?”

  “Could be.”

  “Oh, God, really?”

  “No.”

  “You seem pretty sure about that.”

  “My gut tells me we’ll be fine.”

  “Look, Jake. A building! We’re gonna be rescued!”

  “Yes. We’re gonna be OK.”

  “You don’t seem too excited about it. I mean, we could have been stranded here for months.”

  “Told ya, today’s our lucky day.”

  “Wait a minute, I see lot’s of buildings now. It’s a whole village.”

  “I believe you’re right. See? You wanted civilization, and here it is.”

  Abbey stops him in his tracks.

  “Did you know this was here?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “What do you mean, not exactly?”

  “I’ve never been here before.”

  “But you knew there was a village?”

  “ I saw something on the charts.”

  “And you didn’t tell me? You let me think we were marooned?”

  “Abbey, we’re gonna be OK.”

  “I’m pissed, Jake.”

  “Why?”

  “You lied to me.”

  “I never lied, Abbey.”

  “By not telling me there was a way off this island, you lied.”

  “Abbey, if I had told you right away, you’d have wanted to get off this island and we wouldn’t have had last night.”

  “Is that all this was about? Getting into my pants?”

  “It was about much more than that.”

  “If we were driving, this is when I’d make you stop the car and I’d get out and walk.”

  “OK, so we’re ahead of the game. You’re already walking.”

  “It’s no joke.”

  “Abbey, can’t you just enjoy this for what it is?”

  “It’s a lie, Jake. It’s no way to begin a relationship.”

  “There wouldn’t be a relationship if I told you this last night. Come on. There’s a resort up ahead. Let’s get cleaned up and enjoy this place.”

  “You enjoy it. I’m getting my own room. I’m going to shower, eat and get off this oversized sand bar.”

  “I swear, Abbey, you can never do one thing to make the best of a situation.”

  “Oh, I can think of one big thing last night. But don’t worry. I won’t make that mistake again.”

  “Mistake, huh? Only mistake was thinkin’ you could be human for more than ten minutes. You wanna say last night was a mistake? Say it all you want. But I know better.”

  They walk in separate directions, find separate means of cleaning up and depart the island each on their own.

  Chapter 6

  It is the first day back at the office after the plane crash. The door opens. Late as usual, Jake walks through the main office area. There are employees working at their desks. Three enclosed offices line the windowed wall off the main area. Everyone stops what they’re doing and stares at Jake as he walks by. Jake’s closest friend, Erika comes out of her office and approaches him.

  “Jake.”

  “What?”

  “What did you do?”

  “Did I just walk on to the set of the Twilight zone?”

  “My office, Jake.”

  Jake points to the desk in his office as they pass by.

  “My desk, Erika.”

  “Get in here, Jake.”

  “OK, OK. What’s so important it can’t wait till I’m sober?”

  Erika and Jake walk into her office and close the door. The others go back to working at whatever they were doing. Erika walks into her office and stands beside her desk. Jake stands opposite her.

  “You’re completely clueless, aren’t you?”

  Erika sits down.

  “Not completely. I have a clue I’m about to become your boss.”

  “My boss? You must not have been kidding when you said you weren’t sober yet.”

  “In case you didn’t know it, Abbey agreed to make me a partner.”

  “I just spoke to Abbey.”

  “Really? She tell ya how much fun we had on fantasy island?”

  “That’s not quite her memory of it.”

  “So she didn’t show ya the pictures, huh?”

  “Jake, talk to me. What happened out there?”

  Abbey arrives. The office workers try to look busy and avoid eye contact with her. She addresses the group.

  “Anyone see Jake this morning?”

  Susan looks up from her desk.

  “He’s in Erika’s office.”

  Abbey rushes to Erika’s office and opens the door.

  “I want to see you in my office, Jake.”

  “Sure thing, partner. But until I get in there, would ya settle for a nice eight-by-ten of me on your desk?”

  “Why do I even bother?”

  Abbey rushes back to her office and slams the door. Jake struts out of Erika’s office, walks over to Abbey’s office and pokes his body in the door.

  “You can see me in your office now. Happy? Bye.”

  Jake starts to close the door.

  “Get in here, Jake.”

  Jake enters Abbey’s office.

  “Sit down.”

  “Easy does it, partner.”

  “You’re not my partner. You’ll never be my partner. Not here, not anywhere. In fact, I don’t even want you as my employee.”

  “Are you still upset about our magical night on fantasy island?”

  “That’s over. And don’t ever bring it up again. To anyone.”

  “That was the best time I’ve had in a long time.”

  “Then revel in the memory. Because that’s all it’ll ever be.”

  “Too bad you’re so mad.”

  “Mad? I trusted you to do one thing right. And what did you do? You ruined my business. You jeopardized our lives. And for what? Some silly twisted joke?”

  “Is that all you think I see this as, Abbey?”

  “There’s no more to see. In fact, clean out your desk right now. I don’t ever want to see you in this building again.”

  “Whoa, now partner. I can take a hint. I’ll pick you up for dinner at eight and we can talk then.”

  “Get out of my life!”

  “Right.”

  Jake leaves Abbey’s office. He turns back to look at Abbey one last time, remembering how close they came to falling in love just a day and a night ago.

  Abbey yells, “Go, already!”

  His heart heavy from his loss, he doesn’t even go to his office. Nothing there is important to him at the moment. He walks out the front door empty handed and broken hearted as everyone stares at him, stunned at what they heard through Abbey’s closed office door.

  Chapter 7

  Jake arrives at the office earlier than usual the next morning. He still has a key to the front door. He opens the door and walks to his desk. He begins emptying his personal items into a box, some of which include squirt guns and other silly toys. He hopes to get out before anyone else arrives, but Erika comes in just as he’s leaving. She approaches Jake.

  “Want to talk about it?”

  “What is there to talk about? I don’t work here anymore.”

  “ I need to talk about it.”

  “For you, OK.”

  They go into Erika’s office and sit down.

  “So what happened?”

  “I got canned yesterday. Didn’t the whole building hear it?”

  “I mean what happened on the island, Jake.”

  Jake fumbles a moment, not sure of how much he wants to share with Erika at this time.

  “Broken fuel line. We ran outta gas. I mean the airplane did. I think we may have, too, but I hope it’s just temporary.”

  “There was a town on the other side of the island, Jake. With an airstrip. As a pilot, you must have known that.”

  “I did.”

  “Why did you hide that from Abbey?”

&nbs
p; “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me.”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “How complicated could it be? You saw an airstrip. You landed in the water on a deserted beach.”

  “I couldn’t get the landing gear down, alright?”

  “It was a Cessna 172, Jake. The landing gear doesn’t go up and down.”

  “You really wanna know?”

  “Yes, I really want to know.”

  “I’ll send ya the NTSB report when it comes out.”

  “That’s not what I want to know.”

  Jake gets up and heads to the door.

  “So that’s it?”

  “That’s it, Erika.”

  “Nothing else to say?”

  “Nothing else.”

  Erika rises from her seat.

  “In all the years we’ve been friends you’ve never kept a secret from me. I don’t believe you, Jake Harris.”

  Jake turns around and comes back in.

  “OK. OK. You really want to know? I mean, I thought you’d have it figured it out by now. I thought you girls all had an insight to this sort a thing.”

  “I’m a little short on insight as to why you would spend a night on the beach when you could have simply walked to a hotel in twenty minutes.”

  “I did it on purpose.”

  “You what?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Are you crazy?”

  “Every day but Halloween. Or maybe that’s Halloween and -”