And They Had a Great Fall

Chapter Twenty-Three

chapter twenty?three

T WO M ONTHS L ATER

J ake checked the time on his phone as the plane touched down at JFK Airport. He stepped off the plane with a brisk walk. His body language made it clear—he didn’t want to be interrupted. He made it through the airport with minimal notice. He was anxious to see her after all this time. He knew he should have called, but he wasn’t sure until the last minute if the production schedule would allow him to get back to New York. After everything, he wouldn’t disappoint her.

The city was quiet in the early morning, and he was thankful he didn’t have a talkative driver. He gazed out the window as they crossed the Triborough Bridge and was treated to a sparkling view of the New York City skyline. He loved this city, with its combination of beauty and grit. He believed he was most at home on a movie set, but as he felt himself exhale, he realized this city also gave him life, a refuge for his soul.

Once the car pulled up to the apartment building, instead of going in, Jake jogged to the end of the block to a merchant on the corner. He picked up a bouquet filled with beautiful fall colors he knew she would love. He stalled at the street corner to breath a few deep breaths. He needed a minute before surprising her. He couldn’t predict how she would react when she saw him standing at her door.

He finally entered, nodded at the doorman and slipped into the elevator. The ride to the twelfth floor felt atypically long, but eventually the door creaked open, and he stepped off. He walked the long hallway to apartment 12F and knocked on the door. He could hear laughing and commotion inside as the door burst open. The shocked smile on his mother’s face was worth all the planning and the eight-hour flight back home.

“Jake!” she exclaimed. “I can’t believe you’re standing here! Get in here!” And with that, she pulled him into the apartment.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Mom,” he said, kissing her on the cheek and handing her the flowers.

T he apartment was still and quiet as Jake dried the last of the dishes. He and his mom fell into a comfortable silence as they worked side by side. Jake sank into the quiet after a day filled with boisterous family members, many of whom he hadn’t seen for years. The fun and excitement of reconnecting, along with the overnight flight, had left him happy, but exhausted.

Jake set the last pot on the counter and flipped the towel over his shoulder. Instead of grabbing the pot to put it away, his mom touched his arm. He turned toward her, and she pulled him into a hug. It had been a long time since he’d been in the cocoon of her embrace. He lingered, resting his head on her shoulder. She ran her fingers through his hair, reminding him of the countless times he had come to her for comfort as a child. His mind cleared, and his shoulders lowered. He didn’t pull away like he usually did, a man eager to be an adult. Instead, he allowed himself a minute of shelter and comfort.

“It’s good to have you home, sweetheart,” she whispered in his ear.

“I missed you, Mom. And I’m sorry … for everything,” he whispered back. He felt her squeeze him tighter.

She was the first to pull away. She slid the towel off his shoulder and put it on the counter. “You look exhausted. Get some rest,” she said.

He nodded, thankful for the understanding. Although they had a lot to discuss, what he needed at this moment was sleep. He walked down the hallway to his room, still a teenager’s den, relatively untouched from when he first left. He lay down and fell into a dreamless sleep.

J ake’s eyes opened and for a moment he didn’t know what hotel he was in. His eyes landed the worn poster of The Godfather , held on his wall by yellowed tape, and he grinned. He stretched his arms until his shoulder popped and slipped on his glasses. The time on his phone said it was almost noon, and his eyes widened with surprise. No wonder I feel rested , he thought. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten fourteen hours of uninterrupted sleep.

He wandered into the kitchen to find his parents eating lunch. He looked over his dad’s shoulder. “Try audio ” he said pointing at the Wordle on his dad’s iPad. His dad typed in the five letters and gave Jake a high five when audio was the daily answer. His mom put down the newspaper sale flyer she was reading and gave him a wink. Glancing at his phone, he was reminded it was Black Friday, and he was comforted by the sheer normalcy of the moment.

“Good afternoon, sleepyhead,” his mom said, tossing his dad one of the flyers.

He smiled at her, opened the cabinet, and pulled out a glass. He filled it with water and sat down. “Hey, let me see,” he said, grabbing a handful of papers. Flipping through the pages he looked at what his mom had circled. He made a mental note that she wanted a treadmill.

“What’s your plan today?” his mom asked, handing him the remaining stack of papers.

“I have a meeting with Roger at 4:30 this afternoon. Besides that, I thought I would just hang with you today,” he said. “So, I should ask you, what are we doing today?” He put his chin in his hand and flashed her a smile.

He watched a grin spread across her face. “You don’t have to do that, Jake. I was going to brave Macy’s, but I won’t make you come.”

He appreciated her foresight, but he just wanted to be a person that could accompany his mom to a store. Like before. It used to be a special kind of drudgery to go shopping with his mother, but right now, it was all he wanted to do.

“Mom, if that’s what you want to do, I’m game,” he said. He loved seeing how her entire face lit up—happy because her only son was spending a few hours with her. He felt a twinge of guilt he’d denied her this for years, all in the quest to show the world he needed no one.

His mom stood up to make him some lunch, and he waved her off and jumped up to take a shower.

The weather had turned cold, making it easier to disguise himself in bulky clothes, a stocking cap, and sunglasses. They started walking the fourteen blocks to Macy’s on 34th. It was a long walk, but he loved being out on the city streets. He felt the energy of the people, the traffic, the noise—all of it. As they walked along, his mom made some uncharacteristic small talk.

“I am so happy you came,” his mom said. “Everyone was so excited to see you yesterday.”

“Mmm. It was nice to see everyone. I was shocked that Cousin Danny grew a full beard,” Jake said with a laugh.

“Too bad Kat wasn’t here this year.”

His shoulders stiffened. He tried to act casual. “You told me last week she would be upstate, so I wasn’t surprised.”

“Would you’ve come if she had been here?”

Jake stayed silent. He needed to think about the answer. After a few moments he nodded. He was giving her space, that was true, but he wouldn’t avoid her. It’d been over two months since Kat had left Copenhagen, and in that time, he’d tried to talk to her, but now he was resigned to just give her space.

He was giving her space physically, but she took up so much space in his mind, it was maddening. Everything in the last twenty-four hours made him think of her. He saw her apartment door every time they went in and out, toys for Becca were tucked away in the corner of his parents’ living room, and even the egg-and-cheese bagel he bought from a food cart flooded his mind with memories.

His mom put her hand on his arm. He could feel that she was about to ask him a question, so he jumped in first. “How is she? Are she and Becca okay? She won’t talk to me.” The last sentence he said under his breath.

“She and Becca are fine, Jake,” she said. “They spend a lot of time with Becca’s grandparents, so I haven’t seen them much, but when I have, they’re doing well.”

“Good,” he said without elaborating. He was worried about the impact on Kat and Becca’s life because of his actions. He’d been surprised by the backlash that had come after the article, especially against Kat. Of course, there’d been plenty of positive reactions, but as Kat had predicted, his young female fans tore her apart.

He’d not expected so much pointed criticism of her. She was either not pretty enough (and didn’t deserve him) or too pretty (obsessed with her looks). They attacked her parenting (leaving her child to run off to a foreign city). She was too normal (professional working woman) or a total snob (New Yorker). No matter what, she wasn’t good enough.

When he talked with Cindy about the negativity, she’d shrugged and advised him to let it blow over. It didn’t blow over, and all he could focus on were the negative comments and posts made about Kat. Reading each one felt like scratching a tender wound. He’d finally made his own statement, a simple message posted on Twitter and Instagram. “My ask of the world: be kind and don’t hurt those I love.” No interpretation needed. His ask was clear, and his fans responded by backing down and moving on. He wished he’d done it immediately.

His mom’s voice brought him back to the present. “Honey,” she started, “are you okay?”

They crossed the street and walked halfway down the block before he answered. “Yes and no,” he said. “I will be. I think.” He put his head down while they walked. “I love her, Mom. But I really messed it up.”

“Yes. Yes, you did,” his mom said.

“Thanks for the support,” he deadpanned. She was right, but her brutal honesty was hard to take.

“Jake,” she linked her arm with his, “you know I support you. You made the decision you believed you had to. I don’t believe you were trying to hurt anyone. But you have to live with the consequences of that decision … and so does Kat,” she said, with a matter-of-fact tone.

“I miss her,” he said, looking toward the sky.

“Jake,” she started with a slight nudge of his shoulder. “The universe has a way of working out just as it should. I’m not giving up on you two just yet.”

He smiled at her. He didn’t share her optimism, but in that moment, he wanted to believe she was right.

B luestone Café was quiet when Jake arrived to meet Roger. While in New York, he’d requested a rare in-person meeting. There were things he needed to say, and he owed Roger a personal conversation. His mom offered to head home, but he wanted her there to support and understand his future.

He held open the door for his mom and stepped into the warm coffee shop. His eyes landed on Roger sitting in a back, private corner. As they reached his table, Roger stood up, gave Jake a hug and his mother a kiss on the cheek.

“It is so great to see you in the flesh, Jake,” Roger said as they sat down. “You look good.” Roger pulled out his phone and pushed it across the table. “Here’s the latest gross of Cloud Catcher . It has officially surpassed the one hundred-million-dollar mark globally. Congrats.” Roger’s face outwardly beamed with pride.

Jake barely looked at the screen. He wasn’t here to bask in his accomplishments. “Thanks … but let’s—” Jake started, but Roger started speaking.

“I saw a few rough cuts for Zero Code from Garren. Jake, I’m telling you, it’s going to be another hit. Man, you’re really doing it,” he said. “The number of calls and emails I get every day about you? It’s astounding. I’m going to send a half dozen great projects you should consider over the next two years.…”

Jake leaned back in his chair, sighed, and waited for him to finish. He didn’t try to hide the irritation was on his face. He was tired of being talked at and had things he needed to say. Once Roger was quiet, Jake began again. “We need to talk. I can’t keep doing this.” Jake felt his mom’s hand rest on his arm, and he appreciated her silent show of support.

He watched the shock register on Roger’s face before continuing. He let it linger to allow the seriousness of the conversation to sink in. Typically, Jake’s thoughts were scattered, and he needed Roger to organize and drive business conversations, but today was different. He knew what he wanted and was focused on the direction his career would need to take. He needed a partner, not a father, and he wanted to see if Roger was willing to evolve their working relationship.

“Listen,” he started, “I’m very grateful for everything you’ve done for me through the years. I wouldn’t be anywhere without you.” He took a deep breath. “I still want to work. And I think I still want to work with you, but a lot has to change. If it doesn’t, this”—he gestured between himself and Roger—“isn’t going to continue.”

Roger was visibly relieved. “I’m listening. Go on.”

Jake spent the next hour outlining everything he would need for them to continue their working relationship. First and foremost, he needed breaks between roles and would no longer be convinced to work on a timeline that didn’t fit his life. He wanted a life that was boisterous, artistic, and even a little messy, but also grounded and mentally sustainable. He wouldn’t sacrifice himself or the people he loved for his career.

Second, if Roger was right, he’d reached a point where he could pick his projects, and he wouldn’t be pressured to take a role, no matter how lucrative. He was an artist and would take roles that interested him and refined his craft. He wouldn’t chase fame, awards, or even the next job. It might mean less money in the short term, but if he was able to sustain his career through the years, the long-term payout was higher—for Jake and for Roger.

Third, he wanted to build his team. His team was built for him by Roger when he was just a teenager. That team, built to guide and protect a fifteen-year-old, wasn’t the right team to help him navigate his adult life with this level of fame. He would listen to Roger’s suggestions, but he wanted to decide on a new publicist, accountant, assistants, and every single person to make sure they were what he needed to build a life, not just play a role.

Gone was the frenetic teenager, blindly following an agent who promised to lead him to fame. Instead, they were two adults, discussing the business of Jake’s career and what he needed to sustain a life doing what he loved.