Shouldn't have done that

                   The excitement was electric. Everyone in town could feel it. Almost all of the 800 town residents were in the Houlka Town Square. As in all small towns the group of citizens was close knit. Today was a celebration. The Houlkans had come together to honor a new celebrity and hero to their little part of the world. It wasn’t just a celebrity coming to town, though. This was entirely more special. One of their own, Jeremy Manis, had earned his celebrity ranking while living there in Houlka. He had gone to the same school, eaten in the same and only restaurant in town, and shopped in the same few stores as everyone else. Before today he was just a regular guy. He married a girl from high school, Jenny, and lived in a small house down the only road off the highway, Main Street.
         Mayor Russell put this town rally into action when he found out Jeremy was about to publish his first book. Everybody knew Jeremy was a writer but he never bragged or acted proud of his writing job until now. He was loved by most of the town and respected by the rest. His stories had been published in magazines and some poems in books before but nothing like what was going on sale today. Today was his day. He had finally made a national name for himself. That was enough for the town to celebrate with him but his promise to continue living in town gave Houlka something to brag about. They wanted and needed something to brag about.
         Mayor Russell led the town in congratulating Jeremy. He reminded everyone to drive into the next community and get their copy of “Small Blues” if the grocery store ran out just before the band kicked into gear. The street party only lasted for two hours. People started filtering out to their cars to make it to Houston for a copy of “Small Blues”.
         “Well, are you nervous?” Jenny asked him.
         “Sure, I mean I’ll have a lot of critics and maybe a few fans after they start reading this book.”
         “You’ve gotten great reviews from all the critics that count. It won’t matter if this town’s piddly people don’t like your book.”
         “I know what you’re sayin’, but you read it. I was honest. The mayor will probably try to run me out of town in a few hours.”
         “Look, Jeremy the whole world will think this is a truly fictional book. You’ve marketed it that way. You’ve changed names and places. You’re gonna be fine.”
         “I know, but….. I don’t know.”
         They gathered their belongings and headed home. When they pulled into the driveway they noticed a banner across the front porch that read “Thanks for giving our town something to be proud of!” Jeremy’s shoulders slumped in regret. This should have been his proudest moment. He was regretting his decisions. How could he have thought this would have been ok?
         Nervous hours ticked by until the first phone call brought his cell phone to life. It was the sheriff of Chickasaw County. He had been first in line in the Houston bookstore when it opened.
         “Jeremy, I’m not sayin’ you’re in trouble. I’m just sayin’ you should be watching your back for a while. Why don’t you get out of town for a bit. Maybe say you’re goin’ on a book tour somethin’?”
         “I can’t do that. I won’t know if or when to come back. I need to see this out. I didn’t lie in my book.”
         “Well I know that. Everyone will know that. I don’t think that’ll be enough to keep the Richardson’s from wantin’ to punch you in the mouth. Do you?”
         “Mrs. Richardson is having an affair with your brother. Everyone knows that. Mr. Richardson has to know that.”
         “He might have known it. He might not. He’ll not like that it is written for the whole world to see. Mr. Black isn’t gonna be proud of his chapter either. Mayor Russell is gonna wanna kill you when he reads that part about his stealin’ from the town and dealin’ drugs to the high school girls.”
         “Ok. I’ll watch my back.”
         “Real quick. Tell me what the rest of the book has in it. Do I need to come sit on your front porch? Wait. Am I mentioned in this book?”
         “No, Sheriff Bill. The only other person with the balls to do anything to me will be the high school principal. James is going to be livid.”
         “You didn’t mention his affair with Sandy, the cheerleader?”
         “Well, yeah.”
         “Shit, boy. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Hold tight. Maybe he hasn’t gotten to that part yet. Or maybe nobody else has and called him. I’ll be right there.”
         “Thanks.”
         Jeremy hung up with Jenny standing close waiting for a recap of the conversation. “Sheriff’s coming to sit on the front porch. Says it’ll hold off anybody wanting to get stupid.”
         Jenny looked him over and said, “Well, that stuff needed to be out in the public. We needed to clean this town up. I think it’ll all turn out for the best.”
         Jeremy wanted to believe her but was so worried he couldn’t focus on anything. He didn’t see Jenny pull their shotgun from the rack by the door. Had he seen her he would have thought it was for protection but not this time.
         “Jeremy,” Jenny said in a cold metallic voice, “I know you meant well but I just read that part you put in there about my parents. I have to be honest I didn’t read it all when you asked me to. I have now. You shouldn’t have mentioned Momma and Daddy.”
         “I put everything in that book. It’s marked as fiction. It’ll be ok,” he said without turning to see her raise the shotgun.
         “No, it won’t. I can’t have people thinking that was true. I’d just assume they have to wonder. That way we can move on. The only person they could ask is you. You were the only one who knew what they did to me. You were the only one I told and you put it in a book. Well look at it this way. You won’t have to lie to them.”
         Jeremy turned to see the barrel of the twelve gauge inches from his face. “Wait, don’t. I love you. You know I love you.”
         “You shouldn’t have done that.” A blast rung out from the house and Jeremy hit the ground with a thump. Jenny looked around in surprise. She hadn’t pulled the trigger. Mayor Russell was on the front porch. He must have shot him. No he didn’t have a gun. Someone else was in the house. Sheriff Bill was standing in the back door. “He shouldn’t have done that,” Sheriff said.
She stared teary eyed at the man she loved in the kitchen floor. He was bleeding but not dead. His bullet wound was low in his abdomen and gushed like guisyer. She lowered the shotgun muzzle and shot him in the head. “Shouldn’t have done that,” Jenny said.

1,194 Words.