Jack & Tammy: Bath Time

Jack is soaking in the bath. The hot bath. His eyes are closed and steam is rising up from the still water, wafting over his face, tingling the roots of his scalp.

He’s been home alone for about an hour now. Tammy had left that morning, with her high boots on, for an unnamed errand and had not yet returned.

He didn’t let the water get too hot this time. Getting in was easy, but still sharp against his skin, and pleasant. Some water drips front he faucet every now and then, sending ripples out over the steamy surface.

His breathing is long and deep until he faintly hears keys crunching into the locks on the front door downstairs. He hears a heavy bag of something being set down on the kitchen counter, the sound of the same keys being placed on the hook, and finally, the unzipping of Tammy’s boots.

They were tall leather boots that came up to her knees. The white tissue paper had crinkled as she lifted them out of the gift box. This was last week. They were sitting on the couch, exchanging gifts and drinking whiskey together in the morning.

She was a little bit drunk, it was cute. Her mouth formed an “O” shape and tears had welled up in her brown eyes.

“Oh, Jack, these are so beautiful, thank you!”

Before he could encourage her to try them on, she stood up immediately to step into them. She’d been wearing her thermal adult onesie. It was green and red, Christmas themed, with Hello Kitty as Santa Claus. Sarah hated the little Santa hat she wore, and only tolerated it for one, exactly one, photo.

Tammy posed next to the Christmas tree, holding up Sarah, with her new knee high boots. Jack snapped the photo quickly with his film camera. The boots had a little bit of heel to them, which brought her height a little closer to the star at the top of the tree.

He didn’t need a flash that morning. There was enough natural light coming in from the window. It was a slightly overcast Christmas morning and the breeze was soft among the trees. The air was dry and a little hollow. Not too many people were out, some old ladies had gathered together in their holiday-themed workout leggings. They sipped lattes and shuffled along, enjoying their catching-up ritual. A few men in their shorts and sandals walked lumpy poodles on a leash. These men smoked cigarettes and wore their baseball caps low over their eyes. They were a little lonesome, but found contentment in the walk.

After gifts, Jack and Tammy sat next to one another, slurping spicy takeout food and watching a gangster movie from the ‘40s.

Sarah’s little Santa hat lay on the floor underneath the coffee table. She wrestled with scattered pieces of wrapping paper, shredding miniature depictions of elves and gnomes with her sharp little teeth.

A warm smile spreads across Jack’s face as he recalls last week’s Christmas morning. His arms are open and he braces the edges of the tub, fingers sending beads of water down the edge of the porcelain.

More steam has risen to his neck now and settled there. Sitting halfway up in the tub, small new beads of perspiration have formed over his torso and shoulders. A soft presence of steam permeates the air of the bathroom.

The wooden floorboards of the house give away Tammy’s approaching presence. She’s removed her socks. Jack knows the sound of her bare feet pressing and releasing against the hardwood.

At the corner of the bathroom door, just pressing onto the tile was a small collection of white and orange fur. It now shifts and disappears. Sarah has sought peace elsewhere.

Three soft knocks.

“Hey Princess,” Jack responds gently. He clears his throat. These were his first words in three hours.

“How is it in there?” Tammy asks with a hint of mischief.

“Come inside and find out.”

“Oh, if I come inside there, I might never come out.”

Jack playfully splashes the bathwater with an open palm. None of it gets on the floor, but it makes a lovely crashing sound. The agitation in the water reheats it a little and more steam develops.

“What are you doing in there anyway?” Tammy asks.

Jack only grins and watches as the doorknob rotates to the left and Tammy’s toes cross the threshold.