A Jaws Retelling

Midnight Confessions

Ruth waited outside the Brody's door, and had barely lowered her hand from knocking when the door swung open to reveal a hyper little boy. Ruth waved at Sean through the screen door and he excitedly called to her as he opened it. Ellen came up behind her son, warning him to be quiet because "daddy" was napping.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ruth said. "I just came by because Polly sort of told Hooper and I to get out of the station...away from all the stuff about the s-h-a-r-k," she added, mindful of the little ears eagerly listening.

"Oh, don't be sorry," Ellen said warmly. "Martin's asleep right now but you're more than welcome anytime. Come in." Sean stepped back to allow his friend "Ruthie" to come in, and Ellen held the door for her.

"I guess I could have stayed in 'my room' at the station, but Polly was sort of right, I wanted to get out of there for a while." Ellen nodded in understanding.

"It'll be over soon," she said compassionately. Ruth could hear in her voice that she really believed that. Or maybe she simply had to. Ruth wondered what she would do when the whole ordeal was over and Brody no longer needed her help at the station - would he ask her to leave? When her memory returned, if it returned, would she discover she had somewhere to go back to? Ruth shook the thoughts from her head, as they reminded her of her previous encounter with Hooper.

"Ruthie, come dance with me!" Sean cried, pulling his friend along into the living room by the hand. Ruth happily complied, the young boy's innocence and cheer a drastic and welcome change from anything she had felt since awakening on Amity. Ellen trailed behind, picking up the boys' toys and tidying up as she watched her son's "dance" moves in amusement. Ellen had put a record on for Sean, it was Temptation Eyes, a Grass Roots album. Currently the old Victrola was crackling along to the song "Midnight Confessions." It was turned down low enough so that the music would not wake Martin Brody.

As he was dancing, Sean asked, "Ruthie, what's your favorite song?" Ellen looked up suddenly at her son.

"Sean, don't be insensitive," she warned quietly. "You remember what I told you about Ruthie's memory." Ellen was suddenly aware she had adopted her son's nickname of choice for Ruth. But the realization quickly faded as she saw Ruth, looking suddenly ashen and staring blankly at the record player.

"Ruth?" Ellen asked tentatively.

"This song," Ruth whispered. "I remember this song...I remember—"

Whatever else the song had brought back in her mind, and it didn't look to be a pleasant memory by the ghostly expression on her face, it was interrupted by Brody ambling down the stairs. The sudden appearance startled Ruth out of her reverie.

"Ruth," Brody said warmly, as rejuvenated by his rest as he could be in his current situation. "I'm glad you're here. Get sick of Polly?" he joked.

"More like she got sick of Hooper and I," Ruth returned, shaking off the moment she had just had with the music. Ellen wanted to bring it back up, knowing it was something work acknowledging, but was cut off by the phone's trilling ring. "I'll get it," she said.

"Oh, hello Mr. Hooper...oh, yes, Matt, then do call me Ellen...yes, he just woke up," the mood in the room noticeably dampened as Ruth and Brody realized their break from the shark was over. Mayor Vaughn had given them only twenty four hours to find evidence that the shark still inhabited the waters surrounding Amity. Another pause on Ellen's end before she said, "Oh yes, she's here..." Ruth perked up at the thought that he was asking after her. It was a slight change that Brody failed to notice.

"Okay," Ellen finished decidedly. "Yes, I'll tell them. See you soon, Mr—yes, see you soon Matt." The click of the phone being laid back onto the receiver was heard before the clicking of Ellen's shoes against the hardwood in the hall.