by T V Hartwell
Jake had just taken a bite of his taco. He held up his index finger. He chewed his food longer than he typically would’ve and even took another bite, contemplating his choice of words.
Julie silently and patiently waited as she continued to eat her food too.
He didn’t want admit to getting wasted so badly on Friday night that he didn’t realize he’d crashed at Will and Kerry’s pad until he awoke the next morning on their sofa. And he was too embarrassed to say that he’d watched the Oscars Sunday night just so that he could ogle Amanda in private at home alone.
“It was a pretty chill weekend—just errands and stuff. I actually spent a lot of time thinking about things.”
“Like what?”
Jake sighed and then stared blankly as he spoke. “About me. My life. I’m really not happy, Julie,” he admitted.
Julie stared at Jake quietly for a moment. Then she put her taco down and wiped her hands with her napkin. She looked down contemplatively and then back up at Jake, who didn’t meet her gaze. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you happy?”
Jake didn’t initially answer her. Struggling to find the right words to say, he remained silent, still staring blankly.
“This is about Amanda, isn’t it? You miss her.”
Jake took a drink of his soda before he answered, speaking in a slow, reflective manner. “It’s just…this is not where I expected to be right now. You know?”
Julie sounded frustrated. “Jake, I don’t understand. Why’d you break up with her in the first place?”
Jake sighed. “I received some information that I never expected to hear, and I reacted to it by breaking up with her because I thought that was the best thing to do at the time.”
“What information?”
“It’s complicated, and I really can’t go into any detail.”
“Was she cheating on you or something?”
“No, nothing like that. Really, I can’t talk about it.”
Julie stared at Jake, perplexed, while he continued to stare blankly ahead, not meeting her gaze. They sat in silence for a moment before Jake continued.
“What’s done is done. It is what it is,” Jake said with defeat and resignation in his voice.
“And she’s dating Adam Weinstock, which you obviously know by now. They were on TV at the Oscars together last night.”
“I know.”
“They seem pretty happy to me.”
Julie’s assertion was the same as Will’s, but Jake turned and looked away in irritation. Although he’d seen with his own eyes that Amanda appeared happy, deep down Jake felt that she probably still loved him more than Adam and that he could convince her to take him back despite his infidelity. Amanda had loved him too much, too hard, and he hadn’t deserved it. He sat there temporarily transfixed by the memory of making love to Amanda as she cried and told him how much she loved him and that she’d do anything for him. It was a scene they’d repeated many times. The intensity of her love and adoration for him, the surrendering of herself and of her own ambition—having left her career in New York to move back to LA to be his wife and mother to his children—often made him sick with guilt for his disloyalty. In that moment, guilt began to seep in again. Guilt for walking away from her and lying about his reasons for doing so instead of telling her the truth and confronting her about her alleged illness. However, Julie’s peskiness and growing impatience snapped Jake’s attention back to her.
“So what are you going to do? You’ve made your choice. At some point you’ve got to accept it and move on with your life…unless you intend on trying to get back with her. Is that what you want?”
“I don’t know,” he lied, wanting to be more circumspect instead of revealing his intentions to her flat-out.
Julie shook her head in annoyance and sighed. “If you’re still this conflicted about Amanda after having broken up with her six months ago, then I think we should cool things off a bit and not continue to sleep together. You need to figure out what you want.”
Jake didn’t protest. He just nodded his head but felt relieved Julie was the one to suggest they end their ongoing fling.
“It’s very obvious that things between us aren’t going anywhere fast. Let’s face it—we were both curious for a long time, and wanted a taste. I’ve had my fill. You’ve had yours. We’ve had our fun. Now it’s time for us to move on and get our relationship back on track. Back to the way it was. This whole friends-with-benefits thing has been very distracting, to say the least. It’s really not me, but I made an exception. I’m getting too old for this kind of bullshit.”
Jake grinned as he watched Julie quickly evolve before his very eyes from the love-struck wannabe girlfriend she’d morphed into back to her normal self—dispassionate, rational, and in control. “Thanks for letting me off easy, Jules. I’m sorry if I’ve seemed flakey about things. I still have a lot of shit to work through in my personal life, and you’ve been very patient with me.”
“Oh, don’t mention it. We were friends and colleagues first, and friends and colleagues we shall remain. Now I’m going to get me some more salsa,” Julie said nonchalantly as she stood. “Want anything?”
Chapter Eight
Jake couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome in his breakup with Julie. He had initially feared that she would be bitter and that their relationship would be strained, making it difficult to work together. However, as the week progressed, they easily settled back into a strictly platonic relationship marked by collegiality and mutual respect for one another as legal professionals. It was as if the torrid love affair in which they’d been engaged over the last four months had never taken place. Jake suspected that perhaps deep down Julie was more upset than she’d let on, but he concluded that she was too self-possessed and full of pride to show any emotional attachment. Whatever the case might’ve been, it was over. Now he could turn his attention in earnest to winning back Amanda.
Jake had decided that first and foremost he needed to phone Rick Climent. Out of a sense of professional integrity, he wanted to let him know personally that he’d had a change of heart and intended ask Amanda to take him back. Jake also wanted Rick to know that he intended to keep his promise and not reveal what Rick had told him in confidence about the state of Amanda’s mental health despite his growing skepticism. At the same time, however, Jake wanted Rick to understand that he was prepared to face the consequences of Amanda’s supposed illness head-on, and if there were any relapses of her psychotic episodes as “Maggie,” he would be committed to making sure that Amanda received the help and medical attention she needed. Jake knew that Rick had objected to his intervention before, but he didn’t care anymore at this point. He owed Rick nothing. He hadn’t taken Rick’s money, and he hadn’t signed any agreement. Jake’s mind was made up. If Amanda became his wife, as originally planned, he and she, together as a couple, would be in charge of her medical needs, not her parents. That’s the way it should be, Jake concluded, the thought was more clear and obvious to him now than six months before.
By the end of the week, Jake was ready to make the call. He had rehearsed what he wanted to say to Rick over and over again in his head. Although he suspected what he had to say wouldn’t be received very well. Jake knew that he was no longer considered a part of the Climent fold. He’d been effectively banished from the family, and he knew the revelation about his secret relationship with Kirby made him persona non grata and a social outcast to them. The audacity of him to call Rick now and so randomly to explain his intentions to reunite with his daughter and seek her hand in marriage yet again would most likely be met with derision, if not outrage. Nevertheless, Jake held firm to his plan, convincing himself that Amanda had been stolen from him and that he’d been taken advantage of. In his mind, his intentions were good and pure. At the time, it seemed like the morally correct choice to support the Climent family’s efforts to save their daughter from her self-destructive, suicidal alter ego. However, he now had doubts about the severity of h
er alleged illness. How could she be doing so well after what he’d been told? Seeing Amanda appear more healthy and radiant than ever before and with a new boyfriend at her side made Jake angry—so angry that he continued to brush aside thoughts about what else might’ve motivated him to break up with her so willingly, without a fight.
Jake decided to call Rick’s office. Perhaps an appointment could be arranged for them to speak in person.
“Climent Partners,” Rick’s assistant said upon answering the phone.
“Hi. This is Jake Doyle. Is Rick available?”
“Oh…hi,” the assistant said, sounding a bit surprised, as if she recognized Jake’s name. She continued to speak cautiously. “And what is this regarding?”
Jake nearly blurted “Amanda” but quickly thought that sounded too forward and suspicious. He didn’t want to cause alarm. “It’s a personal matter.”
“Uh…okay. Let me see if I can get him for you. One moment, please.”
Jake surmised that she did recognize his name. Otherwise she wouldn’t have been willing to place him on hold to find Rick. While he waited, Jake wondered if Rick was even at the office. After nearly sixty seconds had passed, the assistant came back on the line.
“Mr. Doyle?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry, but I wasn’t able to get a hold of him. Can I pass along a message for you?”
“I’d prefer to speak with him directly. Maybe I could arrange to come by the office to meet with him.”
“I can see if that could be arranged. I’ll have to run it by Rick and get back to you.”
“Do you still have my numbers?”
“I’m sure we do. Let me check here,” she said.
Jake could hear her typing.
“Yes. Here you are.”
“It’s pretty urgent. The sooner a meeting or phone call could be arranged, the better. Whatever’s most convenient for Rick.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
After confirming Jake’s contact information with him to make sure what she had in her database was still current, they hung up. He probably doesn’t want to talk with me, Jake thought, believing that the assistant had likely reached Rick but that he’d refused to take Jake’s call.
Chapter Nine
Amanda and her sister Alexandra lay next to each in Amanda’s bed. Alex stretched up her arms and yawned as she looked over at her older sister, already awake.
“Good morning,” Alex said.
“Good morning,” Amanda said before she yawned, too, and giggled at herself. “Why does that always happen?”
“Yawning’s contagious. Didn’t you know? It’s like a virus, except it doesn’t make you sick.”
Amanda leaned over to hug Alex and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m so glad to see you. Thanks for spending the weekend with me.”
“Awww…I’m happy to see you too.” Alex hugged Amanda back. “Better than being at home in that big empty house. Even with Mom and Dad there it still feels so empty, doesn’t it? I need to get my own place in LA to come home to when I’m not training in Santa Barbara.”
“Well, until you do, you’re always welcome to stay here with me when you come down.” Amanda broke their embrace to lie flat on her back again.
“So what do you want to do today?”
Amanda groaned. “Oh…I don’t know.”
“What’s wrong? You sound a little down.”
“Nothing,” Amanda said unconvincingly as she turned her head away to stare out the window. She paused for a few seconds. “It’s Jake’s birthday today.”
Alex balked. “So do you plan on sending him a bouquet and wishing him a happy birthday or something?”
Amanda chuckled half-heartedly. “No. But I am a little curious to know what he’s doing to celebrate.”
“Why?”
Amanda lifted her shoulders to mimic her words. “I don’t know. I just am.”
Alex sighed. “I’m worried about you.”
“Why? Just because I’m curious to know what he’s doing for his birthday?” Amanda said defensively.
“No. Because you have a tendency to bring him up without any prodding.”
Amanda snickered. “No I don’t.”
“Yes you do.”
“Anyway, did I ever tell you that Jake apparently has a new girlfriend?”
“See what I mean?” Alex said smartly.
“Oh, hush,” Amanda retorted.
“No. I don’t believe you told me. Who is she?”
“Someone he works with at the office.”
“Really? How’d you find out he was dating someone at his work?”
“Nana told me.”
“Nana? How would she know?”
“She and Jake’s grandmother have mutual friends, and they gossip among themselves like typical rich old ladies do because they have nothing else better to do.”
Alex snickered.
“So anyway, Jake’s grandmother told one of Nana’s friends that Jake brought this girl over for Thanksgiving and that she’s older than him.”
“Older? How much older?”
“Nana said in her thirties.”
“That’s interesting.”
“I think I know who it is.”
“Who?”
“Her name is Julie, if I’m recalling correctly. She and Jake work closely together. I met her a couple of times, once at the firm’s Christmas party and then again at their summer picnic. I always suspected she had a crush on Jake. I bet she’s the one.”
“So what about Kirby? Do you really believe they’ve parted ways as Jake claimed in that email he sent you last month?”
“Oh! I’ve been meaning to tell you. I’ve been so crazy busy lately that I forget that I haven’t brought you up to speed on certain things. So I ran into Kirby last weekend after the Oscars. He was at the Elton John party.”
“He was? Oh my God. No, you didn’t tell me that,” Alex said as she sat up in bed in rapt attention.
“Lucy and I had just come out of the bathroom, where we ran into Heidi Klum—I’ll tell you about that too—and there he was. We literally walked right into him.”
“Did you speak to him?”
“Of course I did. It was the first time I’d seen him in months.”
“When’s the last time you saw each other?”
“Before the wedding was canceled. Sometime in August. Anyway, I confronted him about everything. How he was fucking Jake, fucking Adam’s assistant Antonio, and fucking his girlfriend Laren all at the same time.”
Alex smirked. “Did he try to deny any of it?”
“No. He didn’t.”
“Did he say anything about why he did what he did? Try to offer up some sort of explanation for his whorish behavior?”
“No, not really. He said it was complicated, which is the same thing Jake said.” Amanda slapped her hands to her cheeks and shook her head in bewilderment. “Ugh. Don’t get me started. It makes me angry every time I think about it. He and Jake fucking the whole time we were together. Six years, Alex. Six fucking years!”
“So are he and Jake still friends? Are they still lovers? What’s going on with them?”
“He told me they’re not friends anymore, which is the same thing Jake said in that email.”
“The email where he begged you not to tell people that he’s gay even though he basically admitted to you that he was,” Alex said with a roll of the eyes.
“Well, he actually didn’t admit to being gay. He said that he’s probably bisexual and that Kirby was the only guy he’d ever been with.”
“Which I don’t believe. Do you?”
Amanda sighed. “Who knows? But he’s clearly bisexual if he’s dating girls again.”
“Unless this chick Julie is just his beard.”
“Funny you should say that. Charlie and Lucy think the same thing.”
Alex huffed in exasperation. “Enough about Jake, Kirby, and their madness. How’s Mr. Weinstock?”
; “Adam’s fine. He said to tell you hello, by the way. I miss him already.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s in Toronto working on another film. He’s directing it himself this time. It’ll be his directorial debut.”
“Oh, wow. How exciting. That’s amazing. He was just nominated for a Best Picture Oscar and you guys were flying all over the place for these premiers promoting it and he’s already out working on his next film? Does that guy ever rest?”
“No,” Amanda said with a giggle. “He has, like, three or four film projects in development at any given time. I’m so bummed though.”
“Why?”
“Because I probably won’t see him again until we have the launch party for the bag line in New York.”
“Why don’t you go visit him in Toronto?”
“We talked about it. But my schedule between now and the launch event is crazy. I can’t take any more time off. Lucy and I have a lot of work to do leading up to it. We have tons of appointments scheduled next week. She’s been so patient about me traveling around with Adam for his premiers, award shows, and pre-Oscar events. It’s been fun, but I’m glad it’s over. I’m exhausted. That’s why I’m here at home this weekend. So I can just relax and get some rest before I fly to New York on Monday. Besides, he’s busy working with his crew, even on the weekends. I would just be a distraction. Seriously. They work morning, noon, and night. All we would have time for is a quickie, and then he’d leave me at the hotel or I’d just be standing around the set watching them work. Even though I miss him dearly, I’ll just wait until I see him in New York for my launch party. It’ll make the reunion all the more sweet.”
“You guys have spent a lot of time together over the last couple of months. And all the press you’ve been getting. It’s crazy. They’re even saying that you two are headed down the aisle and that you were caught scouting wedding venues in Paris together. What’s up with that?”
“I know. How ridiculous.”
“Where did that story come from?”
