Jackman-Templater



      Ben Jackman walks back into his Tampa home after five days in Cuidad Acuna, Mexico. He is unshaven, and his eyes have a dull worn look deep in them, the shine almost gone, whether from jetlag or from a burden on the mind is unsure. Jackman walks into his bedroom, setting his bags down on the bed he slides the top drawer out of his bedside table, and pulls out his cellphone, punching a button casually to light up the display in his darkened bedroom.

      25 missed calls

      Jackman scrolls slowly through the list of numbers, looking for one in particular and near the end there it is.

      Missed Call: STEPHANIE.
      Saturday, February 15, 2003.
      3:17 p.m.

      Jackman mumbles incoherently to himself as he pulls the phone up to his ear, calling Stephanie back.

      "Time for some answers, bitch. Probably get jerked around again."

      The phone is picked up on the second ring and Stephanie's voice slides over the line as cooly casual as ever.

      "Good afternoon, cocksucker. What can I do for you?"

      Jackman grunts in disbelief and disgust.

      "For God's sake, Stephanie. Don't talk like that in front of the kid. What the hell is wrong with you?"

      Stephanie snorts laughter.

      "Oh yeah, why don't you go ahead and play Mr. Goody Goody Standup Dad, motherfucker. What the fuck do you want?"

      Jackman opens his mouth to speak, a lump of pure rage filling his throat. He manages to hold himself back, he clears his throat and continues.

      "Stephanie, I want to know what the hell our business is doing all over the SHOOT Project? What in the hell made you think that that shit needed to be made public?"

      Stephanie laughs.

      "Ben, I love to make you sweat. Whats wrong with people knowing you want to take your son away from his mother? The only parent he's ever had for the first seven years of his life? Oh wait, that makes you sound like the worthless, deadbeat piece of shit that you really are. We'd hate for the truth to spread, that might..."

      Stephanie mocks gasping in suprise.

      "That might...might fuck up your career, Benny. Goddamn, I'd never wanna do that to you."

      A door can be heard swinging slowly open in the background, followed by the faint sound of little Johnny Jackman's voice.

      "Mommy, you said Ben. Is that daddy on the phone? Can I talk to him...please? Please mommy?"

      Stephanie groans in disgust.

      "No Johnny, its not your daddy. No go back to your room, I oughta bust your ass for coming out, and bothering me while I'm on the phone."

      The mental dam in Jackman's mind breaks and he bellows into the phone.

      "Johnny. It's me. I love you, Johnny. I..."

      The sound of the phone being set down on the bed stops Jackman momentarily as he can hear Johnny being hustled out the room, his mother chasing him down the hall with a flood of expletives. She returns a few moments later, and Jackman can hear the phone being pulled off the bed and the sound of the door shutting again. Stephanie raises the phone to her ear, and coos into the phone softly, clearly mocking Ben.

      "Oh Benny, that was the sweetest thing I've ever heard you say. 'I wuv yew Johnny. I wub you.' How dare you fuck with that kid like that? What kind of monster are you?"

      Jackman breathes heavily, his heart pounding in his chest as the anger begins to overtake him, he manages to shove it down again as he speaks.

      "I'm going to get my son. I will do everything in my power to get that innocent little kid away from you, you fucking bitch. You don't even love him..do you?"

      In the middle of Ben's diatribe the phone can faintly be heard switching hands, and as Ben finishes speaking a male voice comes over the other end of the line.

      "You're not getting the kid, Ben. Why don't you just give it up."

      Ben explodes, his voice booming over the phone.

      "Who the FUCK is this? Answer me motherfucker, so I know what to call you when I have to drag your ass to the hospital to have my foot removed from your ass. Who the fuck is this?"

      The man's voice returns over the line.

      "Oh, I don't know, Ben. Why don't you call me 'Daddy', like your son does."

      Ben bellows into the phone, his anger overtaking him completely.

      "You MOTHERLESS FUCK...I'm gonna find you and fuckin..."

      CLICK.

      "Hello...Hello? Ah....GODDAMIT!"

      Jackman sets the phone down gently on the bed realizing that the man on the other end hung up on him. Anger shakes through Jackman's body, tearing him apart inside until he leaps to his feet tears streaming down his face, and with a tear strangled sob drives his huge right hand through his bedroom wall.

      Jackman collapses on his bed in a heap unable to regain his composure.