Jacob walked about aimlessly, trying to summon the courage to visit his sons. As he walked, he thought about what he might say to Tom when he saw him, and what he would say to Frankie. What could he say? How could he make it all better with mere words? He envisioned the meeting and hoped it wouldn’t turn out like his previous meetings had, with him and Tom arguing. The last time they saw each other, Frankie begged Jacob not to leave, but Tom felt much different. So Jacob, as he’d done many times in the past, left once again.
Jacob got off the streetcar at the corner of Wabash and Washington and walked up Washington Street to the row house bearing Tom’s last known address. Stopping in front of 1641, he attempted to summon the grit to knock on the door, but before he did, he drifted back to a distant time, a time when he held Tom, his firstborn son, in his arms.
“Isn’t he handsome?” Amanda said as she put her arms around Jacob and the infant son he held. Glancing up at Jacob, she smiled. “Just like his papa.”
Jacob leaned in and gently kissed his wife on the lips. “I think he got his looks from his mom, not his pop.”
Emma, a little more than two, toddled over and grabbed her father’s leg. Jacob handed the infant off to Amanda, leaned over, and lifted Emma into his arms. “Speaking of beautiful, here’s my little Emma,” Jacob said with pride. He playfully held her over his head and blew air onto her bare stomach with his lips, making flatulent sounds, which always made Emma laugh.
“Jacob!” Amanda laughed.
“Oh, she likes it.” He held her up and did it again, then held her close to his chest. She smelled so good. Jacob loved the scent of a freshly bathed baby.
The front door of 1641 Washington Street opened and a woman emerged. It wasn’t Betty, Tom’s wife, and it wasn’t anyone Jacob recognized. She stared at him curiously as she walked by. Jacob let her pass, and then he said, “Excuse me, ma’am?”
She turned to him, a bit put off by his unkempt and soiled appearance.
“Are you talking to me?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jacob replied. “Do you live here?”
“I don’t mean to be rude, but why is that a concern of yours?”
“Let me explain. My son, Thomas McCallum, and his family…this is the address I have for them. I have come a long way to visit.”
“Well…yes, I do live here. But there’s no Thomas McCallum in the residence. I’ve lived here for more than a year now.”
Slipping his hands into his coat pockets, Jacob turned and slowly began walking away, gazing at the ground.
“Wait a minute, sir!” the woman said. Jacob turned around hopefully. “There was a young man with his family who lived here before I moved in. I don’t know where he moved to, but Mr. Schmidt may know.”
“Mr. Schmidt?”
“Oh, he’s the landlord. He may have your son’s forwarding address.”
“Where can I find this Mr. Schmidt?”
“He lives in the house on the corner,” the woman said, pointing to a brick home up the street.
“Thanks. I’ll give him a try.”
“Good luck,” the woman said as she turned and walked up the sidewalk.
Jacob stood there for another moment, thinking. I’m so out of touch with my children that I don’t even know where they live. Redirecting his attention up the street to the house the woman had pointed out to him, he said aloud, “I guess I’ll go have a talk with this Mr. Schmidt.”
He proceeded up the hill, hopeful the man had a record of Tom’s new address. Jacob walked up the front steps and onto the porch. Stopping at the wooden door with a large glass oval in the center, he knocked timidly—waiting for a moment before knocking again…this time louder. There was no answer. He walked across the front porch and peeked into the window to see if there was anyone home. There wasn’t. Taking a seat on the front steps, he thought, I’ll just wait here for a while. He watched as the wind raked the leaves from the tall oak tree in the tiny front yard. After sitting there for more than an hour, he decided to call it a day.
* * *
The moon rose over the Chicago skyline. Jacob, dejected by the day’s events, found his way back to Kelly’s Bar. He walked in the front door and found the joint filled with people—a rowdy crowd. Finding no seat at the bar, Jacob fetched a chair near the pool table, where two grizzly men were shooting a game of pool and drinking heavily. A wad of dollar bills lay on the corner of the table, waiting for the winner to grab. Curious, he observed them for a while. By habit, he fumbled through his pockets looking for a smoke. His search, as usual, was unsuccessful. Old habits die hard. He scanned the floor and spotted a cigarette butt that still had some life left in it. As he leaned over to snatch it, one of the inebriated fellows playing pool stumbled over Jacob’s arm and fell to the floor. The place got real quiet.
“Hey! What’s the idea of tripping me?”
As Jacob looked up, the burly man lifted himself off the floor, his unshaven face red with anger. The guy dusted off his pants with an ample set of hands, and then charged toward Jacob like a raging bull, grabbing him by the shirt, ripping it as he lifted him off the ground. The unruly crowd reacted with excitement.
“What’s the idea, bub? What do ya got to say for yourself?”
Jacob said nothing so the brute shoved him to the floor.
“Get up! Get up and fight like a man!”
Someone in the crowd screamed, “Yeah!” Then everybody started shouting, trying to spur the big guy and Jacob into a fight. Jacob knew better. He got up, but not to fight. He turned to walk away and the man shoved him again.
“You’re yella!” the man hollered.
The crowd began jeering Jacob.
“Look, I don’t want any trouble.”
“Then don’t go around tripping people.”
“I didn’t mean to trip you.”
The man charged Jacob again, this time with his fists clenched in a fighting posture. The crowd cheered its approval. Suddenly, an even larger man grabbed Jacob’s aggressor from behind.
“Hold your water, Henry.”
It was the bartender—thankfully not the one whom Jacob had the pleasure of meeting the previous morning.
“Well, he started it! He tripped me!” the man bellowed.
“I saw the whole thing, Henry. He was reaching for something on the floor and you stumbled over his arm. If you weren’t so darn drunk, you wouldn’t have fallen down.”
“Let go of me!”
“I’ll let go of you when you settle down, and not a minute before.”
“All right. All right! I’m fine now!” the man snapped angrily.
“Okay. I’m going to let go of you and here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to get your hat and coat, and you’re going to leave for the night without saying another word to this gentleman. Right?”
“Gentleman? You call this bum a gentleman?”
There was a pause. The bartender, still grasping the man from behind in a bear hug, gave another squeeze and leaned back slightly, lifting Henry, causing his boots to hover about two inches off the floor.
“Right?” the bartender demanded, this time using more persuasion.
“All right.”
The bartender released him and Henry swaggered out the door, mumbling under his breath.
“I’m sorry for the trouble,” Jacob conceded. “But thank you. I think I was in for a hard whippin’.”
“Oh, don’t mind Henry. He can turn pretty nasty when he gets a snoot full, but he’s not a bad fellow, really.”
“Here,” the bartender said, offering Jacob a cigarette. “This will be better than the one I saw you reaching for on the floor.”
“Thanks.”
“You look like you’re a little down on your luck. Are you from around these parts?”
“Originally, but I’ve been on the road awhile.”
“Family here?”
“Yes. I have two sons here in Chicago.”
“Are you staying with them?”
“Well, hopefully I will be when I find them.”
“Where are you staying in the meantime?”
“Actually, I just got into town and I don’t have a place to stay.”
“Tell you what,” the bartender said with a smile. “You look like you could use a hand, and so could I. If you stay and help me clean up the place after we close, there’s a cot in the storeroom you can sleep on for the night. You’ll be locked in after I leave, but Carl, my partner, will let you out when he opens in the morning. You can tell him I said you could stay the night, and I’ll leave him a note, as well.”
“By the way, my name’s Bill Austin,” the bartender said, extending his hand to Jacob. “What’s yours?”
“Jacob McCallum,” Jacob reciprocated, noticing the hugeness of the man’s hand as he shook it. It appeared more like a bear’s paw than a hand as it clamped down on his like a vise.
“Thanks. I appreciate it,” Jacob said.
“Here, you could probably use one of these, too,” Bill said as he poured Jacob some whiskey into a glass.
“I sure could.”
The two men talked for a while. As the place emptied out, Jacob began putting the chairs upon the tables and swept the floor. After he helped Bill wash the last of the glasses, the place looked pretty tidy.
“Well…I guess I’ll be leaving now. The cot’s in the storeroom behind the bar. Carl will be in around eight o’clock in the morning to open up. He can let you out. Good luck finding your sons.”
“Hey, I appreciate all your help,” Jacob said.
“Don’t mention it.”
Bill turned out the lights as he left, leaving just a dim lamp on over the bar. Jacob heard him lock the door from the outside, and then shake the lock, making certain it was latched. Bill had left an open pack of cigarettes on the bar. Jacob assumed they were for him. He retrieved an ashtray, turned off the light, and retreated to the storeroom, where he reclined on the cot, lighting his cigarette. The cot felt good against his aching back. He set the ashtray on his chest and drew deeply on his smoke. The red glow turned amber, lighting his surroundings. He inhaled, filling his lungs to capacity. Holding his breath for an instant, he exhaled fully, expelling all the smoke from his lungs. Emotionally and physically drained, Jacob let his mind drift as he took an accounting of his life. How could he have let his life slip away, a life that by almost every measure had been perfect? He reflected upon his relationship with Amanda, and how, from the first day he laid eyes on her, he knew she would be his wife. Initially, she wasn’t quite as convinced. But after months of Jacob’s relentlessness, she warmed to his brash ways, and once she did, you couldn’t pry her and Jacob apart. When times were good, they shared an especially deep love—until Jacob destroyed it, that is.
Jacob extinguished his cigarette, setting the ashtray on the floor. He sprawled on his back, raising his arms above his head, cradling it in his interlocked fingers. By now, his eyes had become accustomed to the darkness. A faint light from the street crept into the room through a small window, allowing him to see the slight shadows. He looked around the dirty room, which, with the exception of a few cleaning supplies and boxes, was virtually empty. Jacob remembered a time when he wouldn’t have been caught dead even sipping a drink in a place like this, let alone sleeping on a cot in the storeroom because he had nowhere else to stay. Jacob’s former life took him to the finest hotels in New York, San Francisco, New Orleans, and other cities from coast to coast. As he lay there, his eyes became heavy with sleep and he let his mind drift to a more peaceful place.
It was 1905. Jacob and Nick had just taken over a small manufacturing business that Nick’s father had started about fourteen years before. The business manufactured brakes and other parts for the railroad industry. It was small, but provided a decent living for twenty-three people. Nick and Jacob started out working for Nick’s father, forging steel. But when Nick’s father became ill, Nick and Jacob hatched a plan to become equal partners and buy the business. They bought Nick’s father out over time. Jacob and Nick set up a new corporation, J & N Manufacturing, of which each held fifty percent of the stock. They agreed that if either of them died, the surviving partner would purchase at least one additional percentage of the company’s stock, making him the majority owner.
The young men approached their new venture with much vigor and enthusiasm. They were never satisfied, working long hours to manufacture better parts. Their efforts paid off as they developed a reputation for reliability and their business flourished.
One Sunday afternoon in June, Nick dragged Jacob to a family gathering to celebrate his Aunt Helen’s birthday—a picnic in Nick’s aunt and uncle’s backyard. Jacob didn’t really want to go, but went as a favor to Nick. On the way, Nick reassured him, “We’ll just stay for a little while, and then we’ll leave.”
As they made their rounds greeting Nick’s relatives, Jacob’s eyes locked on to the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.
“Who’s that?” he enthusiastically asked Nick.
“Oh. That’s my kid cousin, Amanda.”
“She’s no kid. She’s beautiful. How old is she?”
“She’s only seventeen, too young for you.”
Seventeen, Jacob thought. That’s not too young. Jacob was twenty-one at the time and hadn’t dated much—being too busy with the business. He studied Amanda as she moved from person to person, her magnetic personality seeming to captivate all those to whom she spoke. She moved about so gracefully, making the sunny summer day even brighter for Jacob. Her blond hair glowed like a golden halo in the afternoon light.
“Nicky, how are you?” Amanda said as she rushed up to him. “I hear your business is doing great. We’re all so proud of you.”
Jacob stood by, jealous of all the attention being showered on Nick by the girl he was dying to meet. Like Nick had done it all by himself, Jacob thought. How about introducing your business partner over here, he said silently.
Amanda just kept talking away. She touched Nick on the arm as she spoke. It was driving Jacob crazy. Hey, Nick! Jacob shouted in his mind. How about introducing me! Surely he will, Jacob reasoned.
Amanda rose onto her tiptoes, calling Jacob’s attention to her long and slender legs as she kissed Nick on the cheek, then turned to walk away. Hey, Nick! Over here! I can’t believe he’s going to let her walk away without introducing us.
“Hey, Nick. Thanks a lot!” Jacob said after Amanda was gone.
“For what?”
“For nothing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Thanks for introducing me to your cousin,” Jacob said rhetorically.
“But…I didn’t.”
“That’s my point.”
“Oh, you wanted to meet her?”
“Now we’re getting somewhere.”
Nick grabbed Jacob by the arm and pulled him over to where Amanda stood in conversation with another guest.
“You don’t have to be so obvious,” Jacob said as he offered a bit of insincere resistance.
“You said you wanted to meet her, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, but could we be a little more subtle?”
“Subtle?”
“Yeah!”
“Do you want to meet her or not?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then come on!”
“Amanda!” Nick shouted, attracting everyone’s attention. “There’s someone here who wants to meet you.”
Oh, what a great introduction, Jacob thought.
“This is my friend and business partner, Jacob McCallum.”
“Hello, Jacob. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Amanda said as she extended her hand. She favored Jacob with an endearing smile, her electric blue eyes staring straight into his.
Jacob awkwardly took her hand, which felt like a kidskin glove. He wasn’t prepared and at a loss for words. He just stood there like an idiot, his heart pounding in his chest, unable to speak. Say something, stupid! his inner voice cried out. But his body wouldn’t respond.
“Well…it was nice meeting you. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime,” Amanda said as she turned and walked away, a bit perplexed.
“You sure are smooth with the ladies,” Nick joked. “I’ll bet you made a memorable impression.”
Jacob couldn’t believe he’d fumbled the opportunity to meet the girl of his dreams. He just stood there, gawking at Amanda from afar.
“Are you ready to go?” Nick asked.
Jacob didn’t even hear him.
Nick punched him on the arm. “Let’s go, Romeo.”
“Why don’t we hang around for a little while longer,” Jacob said, unable to peel his eyes off Amanda.
“You didn’t even want to come here in the first place.”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“Forget about it, Jacob. You blew it.”
“What I wouldn’t give for a second chance.”
“Well, you’re not going to get it this afternoon. Let’s go.”
Nick gave his Aunt Helen a good-bye kiss, wished her a happy birthday, and departed as promised with his friend.
Nick and Jacob walked several blocks to the station and caught the L train back into town, just a few miles away. All the while, Jacob couldn’t stop thinking about Amanda, the most beautiful girl he ever met—or…sort of met…anyway.
* * *
Jacob obsessed over Amanda for weeks after their introduction. He kept prodding Nick to set them up with a date. Nick resisted the role of Cupid, however. Jacob would have gone calling on her himself, but after the fiasco at their initial meeting, he figured he needed all the help he could get.
One Monday at work, Nick and Jacob discussed what they’d done over the weekend. Nick described the delicious Sunday dinner he’d enjoyed at his Aunt Helen’s. Jacob immediately began to cross-examine him about Amanda.
“What was she wearing? How did she look? Did she mention me?”
“Amanda. Amanda. Amanda. That’s all you ever talk about. You only met her once. You didn’t even speak to her. I doubt if she even remembers you after that great first impression you made.”
“I know, but she’s always on my mind. She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. You’ve got to arrange for me to meet her again.”
“What if she already has a fellow?”
“Does she?” Jacob asked desperately.
“I don’t know, but she might.”
“I don’t care. I really want to see her again.”
“Well, I suppose if I want to get any work out of you, I better do as you ask. You’ve been moping around like a beaten puppy since you met her,” Nick relented. “My aunt’s back fence needs mending. She’s always saying Uncle John keeps promising to fix it, but he never does. She mentioned it as I was leaving yesterday. Maybe next Saturday, you and I will drop by and fix it for her. That will be your excuse to see Amanda again.”
“Thanks, Nick, I really appreciate it.”
“But this time, practice your lines, will you?”
“That’s real funny, Nicky boy.”
The days of the week passed ever so slowly for Jacob as he anticipated another chance to meet Amanda. He couldn’t believe he let Nick rope him into fixing a fence, though. But the opportunity to redeem himself in Amanda’s presence seemed well worth it to him.
Finally, Saturday rolled around. Jacob and Nick caught the L and arrived at Nick’s aunt and uncle’s just after ten in the morning. Nick knocked on the door and his Uncle John answered.
“Nicky! What a surprise. Come on in.”
“You remember Jacob, don’t you?” Nick said, introducing his friend.
“Sure. You guys are getting quite a reputation around town. Real go-getters.”
“Good to see you again, Mr. Lewis.”
“Oh, you don’t have to call me Mr. Lewis. You can call me John.”
“Thank you, John,” Jacob said respectfully.
“Who was at the door?” Nick’s Aunt Helen asked her husband as she entered the room. “Nicky!” she said with surprise as she rounded the corner from the kitchen. “And you brought your friend Jacob.”
“What brings you young men out this way, business?” John asked.
“No. Actually, we came out to fix the back fence.”
The truth being there was a conspiracy afoot for Nick to introduce Jacob to Amanda…again.
“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to fix that fence for a couple of years now. I’ll give you guys a hand.”
“Oh, that’s all right, Uncle John. We can manage. Besides, that’s the least I can do to show my appreciation for the delicious meal Aunt Helen fed me last Sunday.”
“That’s mighty nice of you and Jacob,” Helen said as she glared at her husband.
“Is Amanda home?” Nick asked his aunt.
“No, she spent the night with a girlfriend. I don’t expect her home until late this evening. I believe she said something about going up to the lake with her friend’s family. Did you need her for something, Nicky?”
“No, I just wanted to say hello.”
“I’ll give her your regards when she returns.”
Well, that’s just dandy, Jacob thought. I came all the way out here to meet the girl of my dreams and she’s not even here. Now I’m stuck fixing a fence on a beautiful Saturday! Why didn’t Nick check to make sure she’d be here?
“The tools are in the shed out back,” John told them. “You guys sure you don’t need an extra hand?”
“No, Uncle John, we can handle it, but thanks.”
As they examined the fence, Jacob, with clear irritation in his voice, said, “Why didn’t you make sure Amanda was going to be here? That’s the whole point of this, isn’t it?”
“Look, I didn’t know. I just assumed she’d be here.”
“Well, you obviously made the wrong assumption!”
The project wasn’t as easy as Nick had anticipated. A number of the boards were rotten and needed to be replaced. The job ended up taking most of the day.
“Ouch! Dang it, Nick. Watch what you’re doing!” Jacob shouted as he threw down the board he held and grabbed his left thumb, which throbbed with pain.
Nick had missed his mark with the hammer and slammed it down on Jacob’s hand.
“Sorry, Jacob.”
“Sorry? You’re sorry? I’m the one who’s sorry. Here I am wasting a perfectly good Saturday helping you fix a fence, with a smashed thumbnail, all so I could meet a girl—who’s not even here!”
“Well, if you could have got your tongue dislodged from the roof of your mouth the first time you met her, you wouldn’t be here now—would you? You’re sorry, all right!”
They both started to laugh, Jacob forgetting momentarily about the pain coming from his aching thumb.
After completing the job to the satisfaction of Nick’s Aunt Helen, she invited them to stay for supper. Before replying, Nick and Jacob looked at each other. Though grateful for the invitation and Nick’s aunt’s anxiousness to show her appreciation, Jacob considered all the other things he could be doing—especially in light of the day falling so short of his expectations.
Nick, sensing Jacob’s reluctance to stay, spoke up. “Thank you very much, Aunt Helen, but we have to be going.”
“I baked an apple pie,” she said as an enticement.
Jacob gave Nick a look of certain death if he changed his mind.
“No, Aunt Helen. Thanks, but we’ll be going.”
“Thank you, boys, for fixing the fence,” John said. “I was going to get to that next week.”
Helen eyeballed her husband, smiled, and said, “Sure you were, dear.”
“Not a problem, Uncle John,” Nick said as he winked at his aunt. “We’ll be going now, Aunt Helen.” Nick kissed her on the forehead before leaving.
Jacob and Nick were about halfway down the block when Nick looked back and saw Amanda walking up to the front door.
“Oh no,” he said as they continued to walk.
“What?”
“You’re not going to like this.”
“What?”
“I just saw Amanda go into the house.”
“What?”
“I just saw…”
“I heard what you said. I just can’t believe it. Of all the dumb luck! I came out here to get another chance to meet her. Instead, I end up spending the day with you fixing a fence, turn down a meal—and I’m starved, by the way…Amanda wasn’t even home, then she shows up a minute after I leave…and all I have to show for it is a smashed thumb! You’ve got to do something, Nick.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Think of something!”
“Well…If you hadn’t been in such a darn hurry to get out of there, we’d be eating supper right now, you could be gawking at Amanda, and I’d be about fifteen minutes away from enjoying some delicious apple pie.”
“We have to go back and say we forgot something,” Jacob conspired.
“But what?”
“You left your billfold out by the fence.”
“No, I didn’t.”
Jacob swore at his friend. Then he said, “I know you didn’t, but that will be our excuse to go back.”
“You better get it right this time, Jacob, because I’m not going through this again just so you can meet Amanda. Now let’s go!”
Nick knocked at the door. Amanda answered. She looked fantastic. The sight of her made Jacob’s day worth reliving, except perhaps for the part about his throbbing thumb. She wore a dark blue dress with a flowered print that fit her frame snuggly, accentuating her slim figure.
“Nicky. What are you doing here?”
“It’s a long story. Jacob and I were here earlier fixing your mom’s fence and I think I left my billfold out in your backyard. I came back to get it. You remember Jacob, don’t you? You met him at your mother’s birthday party a few weeks ago.”
Amanda looked at Jacob with uncertainty, then politely said, “Sure, I remember meeting him,” though she didn’t seem quite positive. “How are you doing, Jacob?”
“Fine,” he replied.
“I’ll let you two catch up on old times while I go get my billfold,” Nick said with a touch of sarcasm.
Well…this was the moment Jacob had wished for. He felt a lump begin to swell in his throat. His mouth became dry. Not again, he thought.
Amanda broke the ice.
“Why don’t you come in and sit for a while.”
“Thank you. That would be nice.”
They walked into the sitting room to join Nick’s Uncle John and Aunt Helen.
“I thought you and Nicky left,” John said.
Jacob explained why they came back.
“Did Nicky find it?” Helen asked.
“I don’t know, he’s in the backyard now looking for it,” Jacob answered. He actually felt somewhat guilty telling the little white lie.
“How has your business been going?” Amanda asked.
“Great,” replied Jacob. “We’ve been real lucky.”
“Dad says it’s more than luck. He says you and Nicky are going to be very successful one day.”
“I sure hope he’s right.”
“Well, just remember good old Uncle John when it happens.” John laughed.
“I found it,” Nick said as he entered the room, holding up his billfold.
Jacob couldn’t keep his eyes off Amanda. She caught him staring at her several times. His eyes would dart away when she looked back.
Amanda glanced down and noticed Jacob’s mangled thumbnail. “What did you do to your thumb?”
“Nick hit the wrong nail,” he said, holding up his swollen digit for everyone to see. He glanced over at Nick as everyone laughed.
“Believe me. He deserved it,” Nick joked.
“That looks sore,” Amanda said sympathetically.
“Yeah, it hurts a little bit,” Jacob retorted in a manly tone to ensure that Amanda didn’t perceive him as a wimp.
Amanda stood and walked over to Jacob. His eyes followed her every move as he scanned her body, beginning with her feet, up her long legs and torso, and they came to rest as he gazed up at her eyes.
“Why don’t you come out in the kitchen and let me clean that up and put a bandage on it for you.”
Jacob immediately jumped to his feet and followed her into the kitchen. She drew some water and, with a clean cloth, gently scrubbed the dried blood from his thumb. They stood close, Amanda bending over slightly in front of Jacob to get a good view of his injury. Jacob’s eyes were active as they took in Amanda’s beauty. He couldn’t help himself. He leaned in slightly to get even closer. He could smell the sweet scent of her hair, closing his eyes to heighten his senses.
“Ouch!” Jacob shouted suddenly. Instantaneously, his ecstasy turned to pain and his eyes opened wide. “What are you doing?”
Amanda stood upright and proudly displayed the object of her surgery—his thumbnail.
“It was just hanging on there by a thread. I had to pull it off so it would heal properly,” she said.
She gently wrapped his thumb with a clean bandage and they returned to the sitting room, rejoining Nick and Amanda’s folks. Nick and Jacob ended up staying for supper that night, which made them both happy. Nick got his slice of apple pie. Jacob got to spend time with Amanda.
By midweek, Jacob’s head still remained in the clouds over Amanda. He found it hard to concentrate—difficult to get any work done. Nick’s patience with his partner wore thin.
“Come on, Jacob. You haven’t been good for anything all week. Don’t make me regret introducing you to Amanda. I need you here.”
“I’m sorry, Nick. I just can’t stop thinking about her.”
“You’ve got it bad. Why don’t you do something about it?”
“Like what?”
“Ask her for a date. Take her candy, flowers, I don’t know. Just do something so you’re not so useless around here.”
The truth was, Jacob longed to call on Amanda, but every time he got up the nerve, he got cold feet. That evening he bought some flowers and took the L out to Amanda’s house. When he arrived, she was sitting on the swing that hung from the rafters above the front porch, her attention absorbed by a book. She hadn’t even noticed Jacob as he walked up the sidewalk, bouquet in hand.
“Hello there, Amanda.”
His words pierced the silence and frightened her, causing her to jump.
“Well, hello, Jacob. I didn’t expect to see you so soon. How’s the thumb?”
“It’s great!” He held it up. “Practically brand new.”
“But you’ve taken the bandage off. You shouldn’t have.”
“Oh, it’s all right. You did such a good job patching it up that it’s healing real good. Here, these are for you,” he said, timidly handing her the flowers.
“They’re beautiful, and they smell so lovely. But why are you bringing me flowers?”
“Because I wanted to, and to thank you for taking care of my thumb.”
“Oh…That’s sweet of you, and I appreciate it. But it wasn’t really necessary.”
“All right then, I’ll take them back,” he joked.
“Oh, no you won’t!” Amanda said playfully. “It’s not every day a girl gets flowers, you know.”
If you were my girl, I’d bring you flowers every day, Jacob thought to himself.
Amanda moved over and made room for him on the swing, patting her hand on the cushion to invite him to sit next to her.
Jacob practically fell over himself at the suggestion. She lifted the bouquet to her face, taking in the pleasant aroma of the flowers once again. Looking over at him, she smiled and said, “Thank you, Jacob. That was very nice of you.”
Jacob couldn’t help blushing. They remained on the swing and talked for about an hour. Amanda quizzed him about the business, how he liked working with Nick, and she even asked questions about him, giving him the mistaken impression that she was interested. Jacob let Amanda do most of the talking. He loved listening to her voice and felt contented just being in her presence.
“I really must be going in.”
“Yes. I need to be going also,” he said, though truthfully, he would have stayed for several more hours if he could.
An awkward period of silence followed. Then, Jacob blurted out, “I’d really like to see you again.”
“Sure, anytime,” Amanda said, misinterpreting his intentions.
“I mean…well…what I mean is, I’m attracted to you and I would like to take you out on a date—to dinner or something,” he said clumsily.
Amanda nervously inspected the flowers. Then, biting her upper lip, she peered back at Jacob. Mouth open, eyebrows raised, he anxiously anticipated her answer.
“I think I should tell you that I’m seeing someone.”
“Is it serious?” he asked, bracing for the painful response.
“I wouldn’t say we’re going to get married or anything—not just yet anyway. But I have feelings for him and we’ve been seeing each other for a while.”
Another uncomfortable pause punctuated the conversation. Jacob’s face turned ash white. He felt queasy. Amanda’s answer was absolutely deflating.
“What’s his name?”
“Does that really matter?”
“Not really. But it would be nice to know the name of my competition.”
“Competition?”
“You didn’t think I was going to give up this easily, did you?”
She laughed. “Somehow, I didn’t think you would. His name is Robert. But I wouldn’t say you are his competition.”
“By that, do you mean I’m not his competition, or he’s not my competition?”
“Either way, this is not a competition.”
“So what you’re saying is there’s still hope for me.”
She shook her head and smiled. “Somehow, you impress me as a fellow that doesn’t like to lose.”
“I can only accept losing after I give my best. Could I just come over sometime and take you for a walk or something?”
“I’m not so sure that would be proper, since I am seeing Robert.”
“Oh. So you aren’t going to make this easy on me, are you?”
Amanda placed her hands over his. Looking up at him, she said, “Thank you for the wonderful evening and for the beautiful flowers. I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon at a family gathering or something. That’s if Nick brings you.” She smiled in an ornery fashion.
“I’ll make him bring me.” Jacob laughed.
They hesitated, exchanging glances before saying their farewells. Jacob watched as Amanda opened the door and went inside. Then, he began his walk back to the train station. The evening, which had begun with so much promise, ended on a flat note—at least for Jacob.
J & N Manufacturing continued to flourish, as did the business reputation of the two young men who were behind it. Once they were content with the quality of their product and their manufacturing operation, Jacob and Nick hit the road, calling on the purchasing agents for the rail yards around Chicago, Detroit, and other major cities in the Midwest. Little by little over the next few years, their business grew even more. As the demand for their products increased, the entrepreneurs expanded their manufacturing facility. They also purchased land and buildings to expand further. The demand for their products became so high they could not seem to expand fast enough to keep pace.
* * *
Back at Kelly’s Bar, Jacob dreamed randomly. In one of his dreams, he stood at the jewelry counter of a fine department store in downtown Chicago, an array of rings, bracelets, necklaces, and the like displayed before him. He spent almost a half hour studying the exhibit.
“I’ll take that one,” he told the woman behind the counter.
“Oh my. That’s an excellent choice. Who’s the lucky lady?”
“My wife, Amanda. It’s her birthday.”
“This must be a very special birthday.”
“All of her birthdays are special. In fact, every day I spend with her is special.”
What a catch, the woman thought.
They dined at an exquisite restaurant. Jacob couldn’t wait to give the gift to Amanda. He’d planned to wait until after dinner, but his enthusiasm got the best of him. Just after ordering their entrées, Jacob told Amanda that he had a birthday surprise for her.
“Close your eyes and don’t open them ’til I tell you.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Just trust me. Close your eyes.”
Amanda obliged.
Jacob pulled a stunning diamond necklace from his suit pocket. Leaning in, he gently placed it around her neck. The stones sparkled in the candlelight.
“Okay. Now you can open your eyes.”
“Oh, Jacob, it’s beautiful.”
She took her compact from her purse and admired the necklace in the mirror.
“Do you like it?”
The pleased expression on her face told the story.
“I love it! You’re so thoughtful.”
Amanda slanted her body toward Jacob and kissed him softly on the lips. “I love you, Jacob.”