Tennessee Sharks
Grim and dirt swirled off Jack Kringle’s old hands and down the kitchen sink. He loved that smell. The smell of hard work and gasoline. Sitting in Jack’s garage is an old Ford F-150. Say what you want about Ford’s, Jack still loved them. He hated it though. For six months he’d been working on that engine, trying to get it started. Damn thing is never gonna be ready by December, he thought. The water felt cold against his hands. He preferred it warm. Warm water reminded him of fresh blood. Another thing that swirled down the kitchen sink.
“Coming?” His wife Kathy asked as she kissed him on the side of the cheek. Her saliva rested on his face. Twenty years married and she still took his breath away. Her red, Irish hair lost its hue over time, but her eyes were just as green as ever. His eyes followed down her back as she walked into the living room. The tv’s whisper turned into the orchestral beginning of a summer blockbuster. Every Monday was movie night at their house. He seldom missed it.
Jack sat down next to his wife, settling in for the night. Most men his age lost interest in physical touch with their partners. Not Jack. Jack’s romance was hotter than ever. He placed his arm around her shoulder, and she leaned his head against his chest. He would never admit it out loud, but he loved the smell of her shampoo.
His hand rubbed her shoulder. As the movie began, his hand moved slow, closer towards her breast. She felt soft to the touch. A door creaked in the other room. The pitter-patter of light footsteps came down the hall. The two love birds straightened up like teenagers, as if their parents had came into the room. Instead, standing in the shadows, was a ten year old boy, afraid of the dark.
“What’s a matter boy?” Jack asked. His son, Miles, caught his breath. He hid behind door; his tiny, ten-year old fingers whitened as he clutched the frame. “Well?” Jack shouted.
“I had a nightmare.”
“A nightmare?” Jack reiterated. “What got ya spooked?”
Miles hesitated, afraid he’d get in trouble for what he was about to say. “That you got eaten by a shark.” The boy admitted.
“There’s no sharks in Tennessee.”
“I dreamed you took me to the lake and we went fishing. Then I felt a big tug, and we thought it was a fish, but when we reeled it in, it was shark. Then the shark started swimming against the boat and you fell in. I tried to pull you back into the boat, but I wasn’t strong enough.” Tears came to Miles’s eyes. He fought them from coming down.
Jack’s phone rang. “Miles, do you wanna watch a movie with your mother and me?” Jack’s phone rang again. He looked at the number, then at Kathy. “Hold on.”Jack said, entering the kitchen while Miles embraced his mother.
Jack tapped the green button, but the phone kept ringing. It rang a few more times before he remembered he had to swipe. “This better be goddamn important.” There was a familiar voice on the other end. His message was brief, but enough for Jack’s phone to hit the floor, cracking the screen.
Jack came back into the living room, gun in hand. “Come on. You’re going to bed.” Jack said, picking up Miles by the arm and flinging him over the shoulder. Miles was too old for that, and so was Jack. He gently set his ten-year old back into bed. “Listen, son. If you see any more sharks in your dream, you tell ’em to fuck off. ’Cause I’m coming for them. You got that?” Miles didn’t know whether to laugh or shiver. Jack smiled. “Love ya, boy.”
“I guess we’re not watching a movie tonight?” Kathy said as Jack cut off the TV. There was an eery silence that distracted Jack from answering. “What was the phone call about?”
“Boss is dead.” Kat’s eyes rested on Jack as he collected his thoughts. “Shot, three times in the chest. Once in the head. Police are over there now.”
“Now what?” She asked, forcing the words to come out of her throat. “Should you go over there?”
“No…Shit, I thought I’d be out of this by now.” He laughed to himself. “This close Kat. We were this close to packing up and settling down for good.”
“Duty calls.”
“My ass. This is some bullshit. Fucking greedy bastard gets shot as I’m about to exit. He fucking knew I wanted out and didn’t want to take care of his dirty laundry by himself. And now I gotta fucking take care of it. Fucking asshole. I’m gonna kill this cocksucker whoever did this to him. I’m almost done with the truck. We could have been out on the road in a couple weeks. Now we’re in the fucking sticks of Tennessee, stuck dealing with some goddamn bullshit, rednecks!”
“I like it when you get angry.” Kat put her around around his neck.
“Not now, sweetheart.”
“Will you still be angry when you get back?”
“I gotta go.”
“Hey,” she said looking into his eyes. Her lips longed for them to be kissed. “Who’s my strong man?”
“Honey — “
“Who’s my new boss?”
“Honey, I gotta go — ”
“Who’s the new boss?”
He searched deep in her eyes. He loved her. If anyone knew how to tame a lion, it was her. “I am.” He said, kissing her like the first and last time they’d be together. She rubbed his face and pecked him on the cheek as he walked out the door. Frank got into his SUV, made sure his gun was loaded, and got ready to pull the trigger.
Kat listened as the car rode into the distance. She went back into their bedroom, and pulled out a gun from her PJ’s. She wiped it down, took out the last two bullets, and placed it where Jack last had it. Before going to bed for the night, she kissed her boy on the head.
“Mom. I like it here.”
“Even if there’s sharks?”
“Yeah.” Miles said as the last bit of conciosness left him.
“Good. I don’t think we’re gonna move after all.”
