Borrowed Time

By Jude Parker

Julia is an aspiring actress in San Francisco who is bored with her life, and frustrated with her husband and motherhood. When an intelligent playwright enters her life, she embarks on a journey of seduction and a sexual odyssey that eventually leads to an exploration of the nature of desire, infatuation, obsession, and real love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Campfire Publishing
• Release date: Apr 5, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458011176

Jude Parker

Jude Parker is a playwright, sculpture, and theater set designer who divides time between homes in Copenhagen and southern California.

Book preview

Borrowed Time

by

Jude Parker

Copyright 2010 Jude Parker

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are the product of the author’s imaginations and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

*****

January, 2004

Julia's Therapist's Office

Julia, an attractive twenty-eight year old woman is seated across from a Therapist. Her eyes are sparkling from within as she begins ...

You know I totally planned on admitting my crush to him. I tried to tell him on previous nights ... I kept thinking in my mind that if I admit my crush to him, maybe all of those thoughts of him would go away ... I would cleanse my dirty mind! I had thought it all out in my head ... how I was going to tell him ... but when we would wrap every night, we weren't alone together, there were always other people around and ... the timing just wasn't right. Until that one night ... that changed our lives forever ...

January, 2003

The Theater ...

Ten actors are rehearsing on stage. Julia is one of the actresses. The director is Henry, an attractive thirty-year-old man.

Okay, everyone. That's it for the night. Everyone was great. Thank you so much, the director tells everyone.

One of the actors looks at Julia and says, I don't know how you do this ... rehearse all night and then get up at what – six o'clock in the morning to get your kid ready for school?

Julia smiles and says, Nah, I get up at eight o'clock. But my husband gets up earlier to clean the house and he gets him ready if I'm dead tired or whatever.

Another actor joins the conversation when he says, You do not look like you have a kid.

Julia turns to him and replies, Thanks.

Henry has been busy cleaning up and straightening things out, but it is clear he is hearing everything the actors are talking about.

Finally, everyone exits except Julia .

You need some help straightening up? she asks him.

Henry turns his head and answers, No, thanks. You did enough for the night. Drive safely.

She takes a few steps forward. No, I'll help. Really.

He nods his head. You're tired. Go home.

Julia takes another step closer. You're tired too. I hate when actors just leave after their done. I mean, this is a team effort. You put in as many hours as we do - more actually - so what's an extra five minutes, right?

Henry is trying to move a couch across the room. Julia grabs the other side and helps him. She pushes too hard and Henry falls over. Julia starts laughing.

Oh, my god! I am so sorry! Are you all right?

She kneels beside him as he composes himself. After a second, he lets out a slight laugh.

Henry brushes dust off his hands and wipes the hair away from his eyes. I guess I am tired, he admits. I don't think I want to stand up.

Cool! Then don't. Here, I'll sit beside you. Then you can tell people I fell, too.

Henry scrunches his forehead slightly and says, Um ... I didn't fall. I was pushed.

Julia's head goes back slightly and her eyes widen. Oh, my god, you don't believe that, do you? I didn't mean it. Seriously!

He smiles. I know, I was just joking.

She shakes her head in slight disbelief. Whew! I don't want you mad at me. I heard about your reputation.

Henry looks at her, his head cocks slightly to the side. What reputation?

She shakes her head side to side. Forget it. You know what I mean.

No, I don't, he responds in a serious tone. What are you talking about?

Julia does not reply right away but after a few seconds she says, You know ... that you sort of have a ... temper.

Henry is suddenly confused. What? What kind of temper?

Julia wants to drop the subject. She's sorry it ever came up. You know, like you yell at people and stuff.

His eyes widen. I do?

She takes in and then lets out a long breath. I don't know. Personally ... I don't think so. I think you're really nice. That's just what I heard - that's all.

Henry's eyes narrow. From who? he asks, his voice rising.

Julia looks away. She really wants this topic to disappear. Just ... different actors. You know, this is a small business. People talk.

Henry stands up and takes a step away from Julia . That's fine that people talk, but if it's not true - it's not true.

Now it's Julia's turn to stand up. Okay, whatever.

He takes some steps away from her. Not 'whatever' - what did you hear? What, do I throw toasters at people or whatever? What kind of made up shit is floating on around out there? Man, actors are such gossipy pussies.

Julia tells him, Well, I just heard that you've lost your temper on sets before. I'm sure you had your reasons.

Henry thinks about this for a long moment.

Yeah, okay, maybe I got pissed off at an actor or two for consistently showing up late ... or disappearing for hours ... or fucking things up ... but I can't see how my getting mad about that would garner me a reputation as someone with a temper.

Julia takes a step towards Henry. Look, don't worry about it. Forget it. You're right. It was probably because of stuff like that. And you have that right. People should be respectful of other people - especially when we all count on each other to be here. She pauses for a moment and then adds, I don't blame you for losing your temper.

Henry shakes his head in disbelief. I never lost my temper. What the hell are you talking about?

Julia is suddenly uncomfortable – or acting like she is. Okay, I'm going to go now. You're obviously getting very upset, so -

She stands to go, but he reaches for her arm, which catches her off guard, and she falls onto him. He is very embarrassed and concerned.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Are you hurt?

Julia starts laughing.

What's so funny? Henry wants to know.

Nothing. I'm just a klutz. I would have fallen anyway. I fall all the time. I constantly bump into walls and stuff. I am loaded with bruises. Check this out. Julia lifts her shirt and shows Henry her bruised shoulder. I don't even know where I got that from. Honestly, I bump into shit all the time. I'm like a ping-pong. Bouncy! Bouncy!

Henry is concerned and tired and wants to get out of there. it's been a long day. He tells Let's get out of here.

Okey-dokey. Hey, this reminds me of a really gross story.

Henry walks to turns the lights off. What does?

Julia stands up and brushes off and stands up.

Just ... things ... I don't know. My mind goes a mile a minute some times. Want to hear it? I'm serious, it's a gross story. Do gross things freak you out?"

Henry doesn't look at her when he asks, It's not about animals being eaten or tortured is it?

Lines cross Julia's forehead. No, that's disgusting! No, this is sick. Really sick.

Julia tells the same

story to her Therapist ...

Henry and I had the same sense of humor. We really liked gross stories. I told him the story about how one time I was at a girl's house, helping her study for a test and I asked to use the bathroom and her father said, 'sure, hold on a sec.' And he walked me to the bathroom and then looked into the toilet for some crazy reason and then turned back to me and said, 'okay' and then he left me alone in the bathroom. I had to pee really bad but I decided to look in the toilet first, wondering what the heck he was looking for and I don't know if the guy was fucking blind or he did not see what was in there ... Or he wanted me to see it ... but ... how do I describe what I saw? For starters ... it was not urine! It was the other thing. # Two! ... And I swear to god that it did not seem like it came from a ... human. It was like maybe an animal used their toilet. I can't describe it but I can see it now. It is etched in my memory forever! I will never forget it!

In the Theater ...

Henry is seated there, motionless, his mouth opened. He is sickened.

Okay, I am officially disgusted forever. You realize, of course, that this isn't exactly the most lady like conversation.

Julia smiles. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I think it's stupid that girls can't do or say certain things and that people shouldn't

Reviews for Borrowed Time

[mckait · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Edie Claire's books will make you feel good. Don't think this means that they are all rainbows and butterflies, because that isn't the case. The charactersare real and rich and often fragile. But they don't give up. Their pain is often so real that your heart will ache, but stay with them. You will be glad you did. Adam is a kind young man who reaches out to his pretty young neighbor. She rebuffs him again and again. While heyearns to reach her, and finally begins to see her resistance crumble, he feels her secrets. Once she opens up to him, he can also feel her fear, but what is it that causes her such fear?Will he ever learn, and will she ever be completely his?