Escaping Fate

New Jersey has been known for different things like Cape May, Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Princeton Battlefield State Park, Paterson Great Falls, and the Battleship New Jersey to name a few. Jacob Winters had seen all of them growing up. Jacob lived in a nice home with his parents and was an only child. The house was his sanctuary. It was a smaller two-story brick home with an asymmetrical roof and a t-shaped walk path that lead from the street to the front door in the yard, then from the driveway to the backyard in front of the entry area. It had well groomed lawns in front and back, of which Jacob’s father taught him how to take care of growing up, spider bushes and flower beds under giant oak and elm trees outlining their property. This house held great memories for Jacob for the most part as he grew up. Jacob Winters lead a descent life, but things changed during his senior year.

Jacob was strong from working at his dad’s steel mill since he was thirteen, and from playing sports. He stood a tall height of six feet four inches and had blond hair and ice blue eyes. Sure, as captain of the football team, he’d brought his team to two state championships, dated one of the prettiest girls on campus, and worked in his father’s warehouse as an iron caster part-time, but Jacob was also very short-tempered. The next stage in his life would change everything he was accustomed to, and he was not a person who accepted change easily.

When he got home one afternoon in early January, Jacob’s parents were sitting at the kitchen table waiting for their son. He instantly knew something was wrong.

“Son, sit down” his father stated in a scratchy tone, like he’d been yelling or possibly crying hard, or maybe both. Jacob did as he was told and dread filled his emotions and his throat began to tighten up.

“What’s up, Pop?” Worry switched to dread and fear.

Mama spoke up first, but her voice was shaky. She took a deep breath before she came right out with what she was holding in. “Jake, your father and I are getting a divorce. I will be moving in with my sister in New York for the time being. We discussed it, and think it’s best if you stay here and finish high school and keep working for your father as planned.”

Jacob was overwhelmed with anguish, and at a loss for words. His temper was boiling just under the surface. He glared at his mother like she was prey to be devoured, then got up from his chair and stormed off to his room, slamming his door behind him. When his voice caught up to him, Jacob yelled with such power and hostility that his window vibrated. “Son of a bitch! Auuuugh!” Jacob fell to his bed, face down into his pillows. He punched into them for a few seconds before bringing his face up for air. Somewhere in the depth of his conscience, Jacob could hear his mother crying for a moment then the front door opened. Jacob turned his head toward his closet door on the opposite side of the room, just so he wouldn’t have to look out the window. He couldn’t face the truth. He listened to a car engine start up, and watched headlights reflect off the wall as someone left their driveway.

Jacob squeezed his pillow tightly, but never shed a single tear. Instead, he decided he needed to go somewhere to burn off anger. He rolled off his bed with his pillow in hand, then threw it back onto the bed very haphazardly and headed toward the front door with keys in hand. When he reached the edge of the hallway, he looked left into the kitchen. “Pop, I’m going out. I can’t deal with this.”

“Me either. I get it. Go ahead.” Jacob’s dad looked old for the first time in his life, even though he was only forty-five. He ran his fingers through his hair before he asked, “Will you be home tonight?”

“Don’t know. Later.” Jake turned and walked out the front door to his 1965 Shelby GT 500 Mustang. He had this car since he was sixteen, and it still looked brand new. Once he was behind the wheel, Jacob drove several blocks before he had a destination in mind. Then, at the next street light he decided there was only one person he wanted to see right now. Janet.

From his house on Clover Ridge Road to Janet’s home on Anderson Avenue, Jacob arrived at Janet’s house in less than ten minutes, speeding and hitting all the lights just right. He parked on the street in front of her house, and then trotted up the walking path which led to the front door. He rang the bell. Seconds later, Janet answered the door still wearing her wool skirt outfit from school. “Hey there! I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight. Everything okay? You’re face is a little red.”

“Can we go somewhere private and talk?”

“Yeah, just come in for a sec. I need to tell my folks I’m going out.” Janet opened the door wider and stepped aside so Jake could enter.

Jacob muttered under his breath, “Damn it.”

“Jake, what’s wrong?” Janet asked.

“Not here. Come on, let’s go.” Jacob’s voice was icy, and Janet could tell he was trying to keep his anger in check, but he was being very curt with his answers.

“Hello, Jake! How’ve you been?” came the booming voice of Janet’s father as he walked into the room to see who was at the front door. He walked up to Jacob and extended his hand. Jacob’s demeanor instantly sobered as he took the outstretched hand, shook it then released it a moment later.

“Fine, thank you sir.”

“Daddy, Jake and I need to talk. Do you mind if we go out for a while?”

“Sure, just be home by ten. It is a school night after all.” Janet thanked her dad and gave him a hug before she grabbed her jacket from the closet and followed Jake out the door to his car. When Jacob was like this, she knew better than to speak. Not all people did.

Jacob was silent in the car for the first several minutes of the ride. Janet waited patiently when she noticed he was heading north, out of town. “Where are we going?” she cautiously inquired.

“Somewhere quiet. I know a place.” At least now, he sounded a touch more calm.

“Are we waiting to talk until we get there?” Janet cocked her head and faced Jake, while propping her elbow on the window sill to hold her head up between her earlobe and neck.

Jacob stole a glance at Janet before answering. “Let’s just say I had a rough day. We’ll be there soon. I just needed to clear my head.”

“Okay, well I’m here when you’re ready to talk. I’ll enjoy the music until then.” Janet took her hand out from under her head, and gave Jacob the space he needed. She started tapping her thighs in time to the music and singing softly, almost to herself. Jake noticed but said nothing. Thirty minutes and five songs later, Jake pulled off the road into a rest stop that was secluded from sight of the main roadway. Not that there was much traffic during that time of night, especially in January.

Jacob killed the engine and shut off his headlights. It was a cool night, but the star were out and inside the car was warm. He turned to Janet and finally spoke. “Tonight when I got home, my mother announced that she and Pop are getting divorced.” One single tear glossed over Jacob’s eye.

“Oh, babe! I’m so sorry.” Janet reached for his face and stroked his cheek with one hand and undid her seatbelt with the other. “Are you okay?”

“No, not really. I feel so betrayed by her! I lost my temper at home, and then she took off to go God only knows where! I had to get out of there.”

Janet scooted as close as she could to Jacob to embrace him in a caring hug. She ended up straddling the stick shift, with one butt cheek on her seat and the other in the air as her hips shifted for better hugging position. Jacob knew he couldn’t have found a more understanding girlfriend. That simple thought excited him, and he undid his seatbelt as Janet relinquished her hold on him to return to the passenger seat. Jacob was so quick; Janet didn’t have time to react. He followed her to her seat and was face to face with her, while simultaneously reaching down the right side of the seat to release the seat back so it lay almost flat on the back seat. His mouth was on hers in an instant, completely engulfing her voice.

Jacob slowed his passionate kissing and raised his head just enough to look in her eyes. “I really want to be inside you right now.” He growled the words.

Breathless from the kisses and excited by the passion of it all, Janet said, “Just be careful. We don’t have a condom.” Within seconds, Jacob’s pants were undone and his underwear was pushed down to his knees. He lifted Janet’s skirt up to her belly and yanked her lacey white panties down to her ankles. Janet used her feet to push them off the rest of the way since they were in a tight space, and then put her feet on the dashboard to allow Jacob access.

As they made love, Jacob’s mind began to race with thoughts of the evening.

The words his mother said came back and repeated in his head. “We’re getting divorced. I’m leaving” were the words he heard, and then he spaced out and only felt anger again. He was pushing into Janet harder and faster, with his fury drowning out ever sound or thought around him.

He didn’t hear Janet tell him to pull out, and he pushed a few more times as they both climaxed and he released his seed within her. When his head cleared just a moment later, he was gasping for air and looked down at Janet who was also breathing heavily under him. He realized at that moment what had occurred. Jacob rested his forehead on hers, and he finally released all his pent up frustration in the form of short gasping breaths between sobs of sorrow. He stayed connected to her like a lifeline, and buried his face into her shoulder.

Janet held Jacob, and tried to comfort him. She gently kissed his head where she could reach. “It’s okay, Jake.”

After Jacob relaxed his sobs and his weeping convulsions, he got his body under control and looked again at Janet. “I am so sorry!” He whispered.

“Like I said, it’s okay. Maybe we got lucky.” She didn’t really know what else to say at that moment, so she just ran her fingers through his hair. After several more minutes, Janet spoke up again. “I hate to mention it, but it is getting late and I do need to get home.”

Without a word, Jacob opened the passenger door and climbed out to pull up his pants and to let Janet get herself situated before he got back in the driver’s seat to take her home. Again, the drive back was done in silence except the radio station, and a few quiet sniffles from Jacob on occasion as a tear tried to roll down his cheek.