Borrowed Time

by Antonio D. Sommerio

  “Are you going to be alright?” Jacob replied now standing as well holding her arm stabilizing her.

  “I told you, I’m a big girl Jacob…and besides it couldn’t have been much liquor in those petite little cups anywho, I’m just a little tired is all.” With that Sheryl slowly took Jacob’s hand from her arm and walked forward stumbling once more before entering the women’s restroom.

  “Here’s your check, is there anything else I can get for you?” offered Catharine.

  “No thank you, I think we’ve both had enough so to speak,” smiled Jacob handing the waitress his credit card. And like clockwork as Catherine returned so did an still unsteady Sheryl.

  “You’re going to sleep pretty good tonight I imagine,” said Jacob extending his arm for her. He too could feel he was intoxicated but decided he would manage and focus best he could to ensure a safe ride home.

  As they both got into the car they released a simultaneous sigh. Definitely a well needed and welcome sign of relief.

  “So, what did you think?” asked Jacob softly.

  “About?”

  “About The Java Joint.”

  “Hmm…It was heavenly to say the least…a delightful decadence of purity and sin…if that makes any sense.” As Sheryl spoke, her eyes grew heavy as if she would soon fall into a deep sleep. Jacob just nodded while pulling from the driveway and starting home.

  “Wait, are you drunk?!” yelped Sheryl now seemingly concerned and alert.

  “No, I’m fine. Where did that come from?” answered Jacob in almost mid chuckle.

  “It’s just so many people fall victim to drunk driving each year. I don’t want to be part of that statistic.”

  “I assure you I am completely focused. I’m always focused so to speak, so don’t worry.” Sheryl frowned at Jacobs’s last response which to her, came across as snob and arrogant.

  “You speak as if you are ‘impervious’ to distractions or something,” she throttled back sarcastically.

  Jacob kept his eyes and attention on the road partially ignoring Sheryl’s change of temperament. Sheryl on the other hand fumbled through her purse until she found the lone item she wanted. Reaching up and grabbing the passenger’s visor, she opened the small vanity mirror and began to reapply her lipstick while watching Jacob out the corner of her eyes. He’s such an anal prude sometimes, she thought to herself. She then unfastened her seat belt and slowly began rubbing Jacobs’s leg. Jacob looked down for a moment at her beautifully polished nails. He wouldn’t be swayed or distracted. Sheryl just wanted to prove a point…and so did he.

  That point however leaned abruptly in her favor when without notice she unzipped Jacobs’s pants and reached in deep grabbing him firmly.

  “Sheryl!” Jacob yelped, embarrassed. Her touch was as delightful as her beauty. Jacob tried to speak again but nothing would come out. Sheryl on the other hand (now quite pleased) began slowly stroking Jacob wanting even more of a reaction. Jacob was frozen his thoughts everywhere as Sheryl then did the unthinkable as she leaned in towards Jacob’s lap and…

  And there it was…a wet and warm slice of heaven itself. His wildest dreams would be jealous at the sheer pleasure Jacob now experienced. Sheryl moaned as she systematically switched from a fast and vigorous, to a more teasing slow, lengthy motion. Jacob wanted to stop her…he knew he should, but he couldn’t…for some reason unbeknownst to him, he just couldn’t. He peered down at her momentarily watching in amazement the way she handled him as her newly placed lipstick was once again being removed.

  “Wait…Sheryl….no stop!” Jacob screeched. He knew what was about to happen and he couldn’t allow her to do that. Alas she would not stop as her motion grew at an even more rapid pace and her moans became louder as if she’d enjoyed Jacob reaction and would not stop until... Then there is was...the release!

  “Un…fucking believable!” Jacob shrieked before immediately following his last statement with an apology. “Oh my god I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that—”

  “That it was pretty good?” Sheryl interjected, grabbing a napkin from her purse and removing the last of her smeared lipstick. “So, Jacob were you still ‘focused’ all the way here? And look at that, not bad timing either, we’re home.” Jacob fished for words but just sat in awe. “Sweet dreams baby,” Sheryl said giving Jacob a long peck on the cheek before exiting the car.

  She then waved at Jacob and finally blew him a kiss before stumbling up the first step as she entered the building. Jacob on the other hand just sat still, paralyzed so to speak from the events that were…Sheryl!

  The next two weeks Jacob would find himself sneaking in and out of his abode in hopes of not running into Sheryl and having to discuss the awkwardness of “that night.” Little did he know, Sheryl herself had a similar agenda and today would be the day, they both would fail…miserably.

  Jacob slowly reached for the front door turning the knob slowly allowing it to open but a smidgen, listening at first making sure the coast was clear. However, a certain next-door neighbor herself was surveying the hall making sure she too could leave unnoticed. Initiating phase two of his stealthy operation, Jacob opened his door just enough to stick out his head and look across at Sheryl’s. As he stepped out just a bit to obtain a clearer view he was taken by surprised as he saw an even more careful red-haired woman peering over toward his door as well. With a, “Shit!” exclaimed by Jacob and an, “Oh my god!” screeched by Sheryl, they simultaneously retreated back into their apartments, slamming their doors shut.

  “Stupid.” “Lame,” they each chanted again in unison in their respective homes. “Ok Jacob, apparently she’s just as embarrassed as you are. Act like it never happened. Just go outside, say hello and be on your way,” he said instructing aloud to himself. With that he opened the door to find Sheryl directly in front of him as he exited.

  “Jesus Christ, you scared the hell outta me!” he exclaimed nearly running into her.

  “You want to go first?” asked Sheryl nervously.

  “Well—” began Jacob before being quickly interrupted.

  “Never mind, I’ll go,” she started. Jacob gave an uneasy smile before walking to the hall’s steps and sitting down. “I admit I was a little tipsy that night, but don’t you think for a second I’m some kind of freak! Well maybe when I want to be…” Sheryl’s voice would change pitch as she would make a statement and then analyze it in the same breath. Jacob’s uneasy smile turned into one of authentic compassion. It had now become blatant and painfully apparent that Sheryl’s feelings for him were genuine and that she was just a human as he.

  “I just want to thank you,” interjected Jacob (confidence returning).

  “Excuse me?”

  “I just wanted to thank you for your honesty; I would be lying to you if I said that I didn’t share the same stirred emotions for you.”

  “Well I—”

  “Shhh.” Jacob wouldn’t allow her to interrupt this time as he stood and placed his index finger about her soft glistening lips. “I’m just confused right now but again I appreciate you…in a way I always have.” With that Jacob removed his finger and leaned toward Sheryl, kissing her softly. As their lips separated, Sheryl exhaled deeply releasing a distinct sigh of relief. For once, it wasn’t up to her to control a discussion and for once she didn’t have to force upon another how she felt, as Jacob knew unequivocally, she held his best interest in mind with their every interaction.

  “I have to go but we will definitely talk later,” Jacob assured in a dominant but serene tone. Sheryl gave a quick and submissive nod in agreement as she turned away teary eyed and entered her apartment closing the door behind her softly. She slid down slowly her back now against the door and finally her soft buttocks reaching the floor. Tears maneuvered in a wavy pattern across her freckled pale cheeks. “Why Jacob…” she whimpered softly to herself. “Why am I so in love with you?�
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  Jacob stepped into Pinkerton Industries and headed straight to his office. He inadvertently ignored the numerous greetings with his mind elsewhere as he grabbed his office door. “What?!” he said confused. “Locked?

  “Of course it’s locked, you know how much personal stuff I have in there?” interjected Stanley now walking behind Jacob.

  “I don’t follow.”

  “You never do Jake...sir. Here these are yours.” Stanley then gave Jacob a set of keys and two small remote-control devices. “He said just to give you these for whenever you decided to come back to work. He’s been gone for the past couple weeks but never questioned when you would return. I on the other hand, was two seconds from showing up at your doorstep. I don’t know what has been going on around here lately but thanks for my new office,” he said now unlocking what was apparently Jacob’s “old” office.

  “You’re welcome…I think,” replied Jacob still baffled. Stanley then stared at Jacob as if waiting for him to say something else before he entered the office leaving him alone outside.

  Looking at the variety of devices in his hand, one seemed to stand out strikingly familiar. He’d remembered Harold having a similar device that he’d used to control the electric blinds in his office. “Wait a minute,” Jacob said finally coming to the realization of what was before him. He trotted to the elevator and then to Mr. Pinkerton’s office using the one lone key he had unlocking the door then entering. For a moment, he just stood motionless. The office was entirely empty, not a picture, award nor plaque furnished the walls any longer. The furniture was gone, and the carpet had been changed as well and the walls repainted. The only thing that lay in the office was a small chair in the middle of the floor caressing a note. Jacob removed the parchment and began reading.

  “I know you can do this Jacob,” it began. “I also know it’s a tremendous change for you and a plethora of responsibility. What I love about you most is your ability to work best under pressure. That is why I have decided to leave for a few months to handle business overseas. You will now literally be running the company solo for the time being until I return. I trust your judgment and know I needn’t worry while away. So again, congratulations and thank you.”

  “P.S. I gave Mr. Burgress your old office so I didn’t have to fire him for asking me over a million times. You can order whatever you need for this space and put it on the company’s card which Stanley should have as well. Get it from him immediately!”

  And that was all there was. Short, direct with an ounce of emotion to balance things out. Jacob sat the note back on the chair breathing deeply for a moment before deciding to return to Stanley. Before he could knock on the office door Stanley swung the door open (as if waiting) inviting Jacob in and offering him a seat in his former chair.

  “What can I do for you sir?” he asked trying to be as professional as possible.

  “So, I see you decided to keep all of my furniture,” said Jacob looking around his old space.

  “Yeah, reminds me of you.”

  “I see…so Mr. Pinkerton said he left—” before he could speak further, Stanley had opened his desk drawer and reached in giving Jacob a red Visa Credit Card. “So…did you—”

  “Buy anything? Nope didn’t spend a dime,” interjected Stanley again.

  “Well then I guess we’ll catch up later, so what about Friday?”

  “What about Friday?” returned Stanley.

  “I thought we were supposed to go out…you know, catch up on old times?” Stanley then rubbed his chin as if thinking about his schedule for the day in question.

  “Naw, I think I’m gonna just stay in with the missus and the kids.”

  “You sure?” asked Jacob.

  “Yeah believe it or not I miss the old bag. We’ll probably stay in and watch a movie or something.”

  “A movie?” started Jacob in disbelief. “Ok then…just give me a call if you change your mind.”

  “Sure thing Jak—uh sir.”

  With that Jacob tapped the card in the palm of his hand a couple times staring at Stanley before asking a lone, “You’re completely positive?” Stanley said nothing and just nodded. Jacob then turned and left.

  Spending a little over three hours with the who’s who of the company and being brought up to par on all operations, Jacob finally decided to head home for the day. He wasn’t sure what to make of everything that had happened. Was Mr. Pinkerton really trusting him fully with the company? Did he really need him as much as he’d stressed? It seemed to Jacob like the company was doing just fine without him, it was as if it ran itself. Maybe that was a good thing. And what of Stanley? It was transparently obvious he was lying. But more importantly, was the question Jacob still hadn’t made a firm and sound decision for. If his friend was being untruthful, should he intervene and try to save his life?

  Returning home Jacob headed straight for his bedroom opening the “forbidden drawer,” and pouring himself one of many drinks. “So, is this how it is to end?” he said to himself looking up to the sky. “If I save my best friend, nearly another three weeks will be taken from what I have left leaving me…a little more than hours until…” And with that Jacob went silent. Why couldn’t Stanley just listen to reason for once? But ultimately did it really matter? Was Stanley’s sacrifice worth him keeping a mere three extra weeks to wonder, to be afraid and paranoid? Jacob again paused, thinking about everything that had happened over the past couple months. The man with the headphones, the beautiful Rebecca and finally Officer Borelli. Maybe this was it…his purpose. Just maybe every event that happened in his life was conditioning him, preparing him for what had come to past and was now before him. With that last thought, Jacob grabbed the watch and held it tightly in his hand.

  “I’ll do this Stan. But not just for you…for your wife…for your children…for myself.” Jacob then opened the other drawer of his nightstand a grabbed Theresa’s picture. “For…closure.”

  Sooner than he could have prepared for, Friday was upon Jacob. Neither he nor Stanley had made much effort to communicate with each other over the last few days, which further fueled Jacob’s suspicion of Stanley being insincere with him. But nevertheless, Jacob had come to terms with what had to be done. He dressed himself and ate a light snack before trying to call Stanley receiving only his voicemail. “Well Stan.” Jacob began to himself. “I hope at least if you are lying, you’re where you said you would be,” he finished while shaking his head. Jacob remembered where Stanley had mentioned going a few weeks ago to play pool and that’s where he would head first…this time prepared.

  Although chance or luck may have played a major role in the salvation of both Rebecca and Borelli, this time Jacob made sure to have better means for securing a victory. With that he grabbed his top mattress and slid it downward revealing a small black box with a silver handle. Opening it, he took out a small pearl handled revolver first releasing the cylinder latch verifying it was loaded and then placing it behind him in his waistband. “Please don’t let it come to this,” he said. “Well at least if it does and I go to jail, I’ll only be alive for a few hours before I…” Jacob again went silent. He opened his nightstand drawer and turned up the bottle of whisky a few times before wiping his mouth with his sleeve. “Alright Jacob…it’s time!”

  Before Jacob left, he knocked on Sheryl’s door. She too had been missing in action for some time, but much to his delight, she opened the door with a warm smile.

  “Hey there…I just wanted to let you know that if you don’t see me again after tonight…I really think you’re a great person.”

  “What—wait, what are you talking about Jacob, do you realize how late it is?” replied Sheryl smile torn away. “Maybe you should come inside for a moment—”

  “There isn’t any time, if I’m going to save him I have to leave now…goodbye Sheryl,” slurred Jacob as he exited the building.

 
Sheryl just stood in shock. She could smell the alcohol on Jacobs’s breath and noticed his speech patterns differed from normal. She stepped back into her apartment and looked at the painting that Jacob had previously admired. “Oh my god…It is him!” she exclaimed while turning a ghastly pale and running back out into the hall. As fast as she could, she ran down the stairs barefoot and outside, but Jacob was nowhere to be found. “Please be safe Jacob…I knew I should have told you when I had the chance,” she whimpered while returning indoors.

  With one hour and thirty minutes to “event,” Jacob arrived at a large open area. As his car came to a stop a cloud of dust swirled, engulfing his vision. The whole area would have been nothing more than a dirt field if not for the small shack not too far in the distance. Numerous cars could be seen outside the small but apparently populated establishment. A lone stack stood at the top of the acute structure emitting smoke, that when finally reaching Jacob, smelled of hickory and spices. “Ok so I have a little less than an hour and a half, I guess I’ll stay out of sight and wait this out.” Jacob whispered while lowering the driver’s seat. And with impeccable timing, not two minutes later Jacob could see Stanley’s car approaching the bar. “Well that takes away one stress.” Jacob proclaimed now sitting upright. “You just couldn’t be honest, could you?”

  He continued watching as he witnessed his friend walk to the door slowly as if looking for someone before finally disappearing inside. “Ok now plenty of time to spare, do I sit or go in and drag his ass out by his ear?” he mumbled. “This whole situation could have been avoided.”

  Jacob sat for a moment to ponder the pros and cons of whether or not he should wait or just go in gung-ho right now and speak his piece. “Gung-ho it is!” he said smacking his steering wheel then exiting the vehicle.

  As he walked to the door, he could smell moisture in the air. A cold front followed implementing the premise that rain would be next in line. The tattered neon sign outside popped and crackled as Jacob entered through two old swinging double doors. Upon entry, he was greeted by a hearty and welcoming voice.