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About Jack Part 1
Jack takes a sharp inhale, startled by his ringing cell phone. With one eye he checks the time. 3:32am. Though lead weighs his arms he fights off the comfort of sleep, answers the phone knowing full well how the rest of his night would go.
"Babe? Babe! Hello?"
"Ya-ya I'm here, everything ok?" Jack asks sitting himself up and rubbing his eyes.
"I don't want to be here anymore. I want to be in bed next to you, please come get me?"
Jack paused. "Debra, I have to be up in 2 hours to go to work. Can you call an Uber?"
"God, you will never do anything I ask will you? Do you not want me to come home, is that it?"
"Honey no but think, I'll have to wake Eli up, get him dressed in a car seat to even come get you. Babe please it will be easier if you just called an Uber."
"No! Jesus, for once Jack just do what I ask and come get me. I want to be home!" Debra screamed before disconnecting the line.
Jack dropped his phone, burying his face into his pillow. Struggling to leave his warm bed he managed getting dressed before tiptoeing to Eli's room.
Ever so slowly he lifts his near perfect two year old into his arms, glides him out the door and into the nights fresh air.
In the car, Jack fumbles with the car seat buckles and Eli begins to stir.
Without skipping a beat, Jack shushes and brushes his ever so light blonde hair, looking into his sleepy brown eyes that mirrored his mother's, coaxing little Eli back to sleep.
Jack gets in the car, and starts it. Rubbing his eyes once more before putting it in gear.
…..
As he pulls up to the party house of the week, it is clear the party was far from dying. Yet only one person was outside.
Sitting on the porch was Samantha, an old crush of Jack's. He tried to court her a few years ago but he could not push her fiery stubbornness in his favor. Back then he just wanted to get closer to her. Show her how good she could have it. So Jack courted Samantha's best friend, but still trying to find an edge to Samantha's heart. Ultimately it backfired, so after he broke off his half hearted relationship he tried once more to convince Samantha, more blunt this time. In the end she politely rejected him.
That was all before Debra, exactly one month before.
Jack looked at Samantha, engrossed in her phone and cigarette. He let his mind wander a moment on the 'what ifs' before shaking the thought from his head.
I will not be my father. Jack thought. Then checked his phone to see if Debra had responded, she had not. Samantha looked up from her phone and smiled, recognizing the car, she half swaying her way over to the front of the lawn.
Jack unbuckled and jumped out of the car, quietly closing his door.
With open arms Samantha hugs Jack and says, "Jack! It's so good to see you! How have you been?"
"Oh you know wife, kid, job I'm just living the dream." Jack replied returning her hug.
"I bet! Look how far you've come I'm happy for you man, but hey we miss you! Get a babysitter and come over with Debra one of these nights!" Samantha slurred excitedly.
"I would most definitely like to do that."
Jack and Sam continued with small talk until the front door flew open. Debra stood teetering on the door frame before finding her footing then came staggering down to Jack and Sam.
"Why are you not in the car with our child?!" She sneered at Jack pushing a drunk finger into his chest.
"Oh that's my bad I wanted to say hi but I'm drunk and loud, he came out so I didn't wake up Eli. You ok Debra? Did you drink that cup of water?" Samantha chimed in.
"I'm good Sam, thanks for everything, love you see you next time!" Debra replied hastily before leaning heavily into Jack, pushing him towards the car.
"Love you guys too, be safe! Again it was good to see you Jack! You should bring him with you next time Debra."
Debra did not turn just put a hand up as a wave of recognition as she pushed Jack and herself to the car. Jack helped her in then turned to wave, before settling in the car himself.
Jack rubbed his eyes and then looked at Debra, who was glaring out the window half slumped over onto her arm, which rested heavily on the door.
Jack thought about saying something but instead...
"Babe? Babe! Hello?"
"Ya-ya I'm here, everything ok?" Jack asks sitting himself up and rubbing his eyes.
"I don't want to be here anymore. I want to be in bed next to you, please come get me?"
Jack paused. "Debra, I have to be up in 2 hours to go to work. Can you call an Uber?"
"God, you will never do anything I ask will you? Do you not want me to come home, is that it?"
"Honey no but think, I'll have to wake Eli up, get him dressed in a car seat to even come get you. Babe please it will be easier if you just called an Uber."
"No! Jesus, for once Jack just do what I ask and come get me. I want to be home!" Debra screamed before disconnecting the line.
Jack dropped his phone, burying his face into his pillow. Struggling to leave his warm bed he managed getting dressed before tiptoeing to Eli's room.
Ever so slowly he lifts his near perfect two year old into his arms, glides him out the door and into the nights fresh air.
In the car, Jack fumbles with the car seat buckles and Eli begins to stir.
Without skipping a beat, Jack shushes and brushes his ever so light blonde hair, looking into his sleepy brown eyes that mirrored his mother's, coaxing little Eli back to sleep.
Jack gets in the car, and starts it. Rubbing his eyes once more before putting it in gear.
…..
As he pulls up to the party house of the week, it is clear the party was far from dying. Yet only one person was outside.
Sitting on the porch was Samantha, an old crush of Jack's. He tried to court her a few years ago but he could not push her fiery stubbornness in his favor. Back then he just wanted to get closer to her. Show her how good she could have it. So Jack courted Samantha's best friend, but still trying to find an edge to Samantha's heart. Ultimately it backfired, so after he broke off his half hearted relationship he tried once more to convince Samantha, more blunt this time. In the end she politely rejected him.
That was all before Debra, exactly one month before.
Jack looked at Samantha, engrossed in her phone and cigarette. He let his mind wander a moment on the 'what ifs' before shaking the thought from his head.
I will not be my father. Jack thought. Then checked his phone to see if Debra had responded, she had not. Samantha looked up from her phone and smiled, recognizing the car, she half swaying her way over to the front of the lawn.
Jack unbuckled and jumped out of the car, quietly closing his door.
With open arms Samantha hugs Jack and says, "Jack! It's so good to see you! How have you been?"
"Oh you know wife, kid, job I'm just living the dream." Jack replied returning her hug.
"I bet! Look how far you've come I'm happy for you man, but hey we miss you! Get a babysitter and come over with Debra one of these nights!" Samantha slurred excitedly.
"I would most definitely like to do that."
Jack and Sam continued with small talk until the front door flew open. Debra stood teetering on the door frame before finding her footing then came staggering down to Jack and Sam.
"Why are you not in the car with our child?!" She sneered at Jack pushing a drunk finger into his chest.
"Oh that's my bad I wanted to say hi but I'm drunk and loud, he came out so I didn't wake up Eli. You ok Debra? Did you drink that cup of water?" Samantha chimed in.
"I'm good Sam, thanks for everything, love you see you next time!" Debra replied hastily before leaning heavily into Jack, pushing him towards the car.
"Love you guys too, be safe! Again it was good to see you Jack! You should bring him with you next time Debra."
Debra did not turn just put a hand up as a wave of recognition as she pushed Jack and herself to the car. Jack helped her in then turned to wave, before settling in the car himself.
Jack rubbed his eyes and then looked at Debra, who was glaring out the window half slumped over onto her arm, which rested heavily on the door.
Jack thought about saying something but instead...
