I'm taking thought into changing the title of this story. I named it before I really had any idea what it was solely about, The titles I have in mind are:
Shark Tale 2: The Beauty Is A Beast!
Shark Tale 2: Tale of Two Fish
Shark Tale 2: Makin' Waves
Shark Tale 2: Reef City Rejects
Shark Tale 2: A Strong Fin On Love
Shark Tale 2: 'Hooked' On Love
Shark Tale 2: 'Hooked', Line, and Sinker
Shark Tale 2: Get Hooked, Love, and Sink
Shark Tale 2: Get Hooked, Get Loved, Get Sinked
Shark Tale 2: A Case of Unforeseen Attraction
Shark Tale 2: Love Is Rough As Shark Skin
I'll be taking a vote on which one you guys like the most. I'm also open to suggestions in other titles if you guys have any.
And I finally found a voice for Milo!
Milo - Hugh Laurie (Jasper in the live-action 101 Dalmatians and Mr. Little in the Stuart Little movies)
---
Chapter 4: Dr. Reuben
Poor Lenny. Poor Oscar. Poor Angie. You know that women are a bit more emotional than men. No offense at all, it's just a biological fact. But I gotta give it to Angie… She's a strong girl. It takes quite a bit to make her emotionally snap. She was dealing with this whole situation okay, but it wasn't like she wasn't hurting at all. But the real problem in all of this was Oscar. He wasn't quite getting the point of what Milo had told him. The kid knew absolutely nadda about real love. So, for further advice, he came to me to hear from the master!
....................................Okay, so I went to him.
Reuben swam inside Oscar and Angie's apartment and closed the door behind him. "Oh, Mr. Stud Smith!" he rang.
"I'm sorry," Oscar's voice called from where he was lying on the couch. "Mr. Smith is taking a siesta at the moment. Please make an appointment with our receptionist on the way out."
"That's interesting, I enter looking for my man Big 'O' and all I find is Jay-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z."
"Okay, look," Oscar got up and swam towards him. "We have a very useful thing in the community right now that is reducing heart attacks all across the globe, Reuben." He eased his friend out the door. "It's called 'knocking'." And with that, he swung the door shut.
"Mi-mi-mi-mi-mi…." Reuben muttered under his breath mockingly.
Oscar slumped against the door with a groan. "Man…" he sighed. "What have I gotten myself into…?"
"Perhaps I could offer some advice?" Reuben called from the other side of the door.
Oscar scoffed and laughed. "Oh, yeah?" He turned and poked his head out the door. "Now this I gotta hear."
"Well, if makin' jokes at me is all you're gonna do, I'm not sayin' a thing." Reuben announced and turned his back on him and crossed his fins.
Oscar shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Reuben…"
"No."
"C'mon, I wanna know what you think you know."
Reuben turned slowly and gave him a small glare. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
Smiling, Oscar shook his head. "Would you just get you tail in here?"
Reuben gave him a smirk and swam in. "So you're gonna attempt to see things my way, huh?"
"Noooo, I still want to know what you think you know."
"What if I don't know what I think I know? But if you don't think I know what I think I know, then you must be right because you claim you know everything, you know."
"Just shut up and spill the beans."
"Would you rather I give you the deep-detailed version or should I just give it to ya in a short little spout-out?"
"You think I would just float here and listen to you rant?"
"Okay, well, to make this as monosyllabic as possible… I think you're overreacting."
Oscar sighed in exasperation. "So that's it. " He sighed and sat down on the couch. "Boy, you're a lot of help."
"Well, who do you thing I am? Dr. Gill?"
"Yeah, right, that's the last thing you are." Oscar shook his head and stared at the wall. "Man, I don't know what the heck to do." He sighed and put his head in one of his fins. After a minute, he lifted his head up and looked down at the ground. "…I love her, Reuben… I just don't know how I'm supposed to love her."
Reuben sat down across from him on the table. "Look, it's no big deal, kid! What did Old Man Milo say?"
"He said it was some…honeymoon syndrome or something weird like that…"
Reuben stared at him vacantly with his chin rested on his fins. There was a long moment of silence. "…Right…" he finally said. He got up from the table. "I think your father-in-law is a little confused."
"He's a neat guy and all, but I can never understand what he's saying. I-I'm afraid it was something I said to Angie that may've really upset her. I mean, I've screwed up once before, but this time--"
Reuben turned towards him and put on a serious expression. "Okay," he said, "if you don't straighten up right now, mister, I'm calling your grandmother."
Scoffing, Oscar shook his head. "Oh, I'm terrified, Reuben." he said sarcastically.
"You don't believe me, do ya. Well, watch this!" Reuben swerved and reached for the telephone.
"Whoa, whoa, WHOA!!" Oscar yelled and lashed out, quickly holding the receiver down so Reuben couldn't pick it up. He panted and looked up at his friend. "You know, I could do with blackmail or even a death threat. But callin' my grandmother?? That's low even for you!"
"So that means you'll listen?"
"Fine. You got me. Start talking and make it fast. You got 5 minutes."
"Well, first of all, I know what your every pro and con are. You've always had a weakness for girls; that I know for a fact. But you do not know a thing about love, my man."
"How do you know what my weaknesses are?"
"We met in kindergarten, Einstein."
"Besides, what do my 'pros and cons' have to do with it?"
"A lot more than you think, buddy. It's because of your weakness for girls that you're so tied up with looks that you don't get the other side of the picture."
Oscar stared at him. "Uh-huh… So what do my 'pros and cons' have to do with it?"
"I think you need to be concerned with improving yourself on your weaknesses." Reuben said directly, looking at him thoughtfully.
Oscar smiled and shook his head. "Wow…" He got up and pointed at him. "You…have been watching too many reality talk shows."
"Look," Reuben said. "You have got to sweep the girl off of her fins. You have got to show her you're unlike any other guy that's tried to win her."
"Yeah?" Oscar scoffed. "What exactly do you define as 'other guys'?"
"Well, first of all, you've got the golly-gee-wow nerds." Reuben put on a somewhat nerdy, socially-challenged sound to his voice. "Hello, Angie. You are…very attractive today… and-- well, I mean, I'm not just saying you're attractive today, I mean you're always attractive, but uh, I would very honored to um…to um…to um…hang out?" Reuben changed his voice back to normal. "Or…there's the James Dean Wannabes," He changed his voice to that of a loud, fast-talking Brooklyn boy. "Yo, Joey, get over here! Baby, put on your wings for 'im. Lookit 'dis, Joey, Check this beauty-baby out. You know this gal?" He went back to normal again. "Then, of course, you've got the Euro-trash." He began to talk like a suave, thick-accented Frenchman. "Tell me, mon cheri… Did it hurt when you fell from heaven, my little chickadee?"
"We'd be really great together," Reuben said in his nerdy voice. "Uh, my mom thinks so, and, uh…"
"You sure you don't got any wings, baby? Yo!! Joey, get--!"
"C'est Manifique, Ms. Angie. Angie by name and angel by appearance, oui? What would you say you and I made some…manifique music together."
"Okay," Oscar stifled a laugh and dropped his head in his fin. "You've made your point, thank you."
"But I mean, c'mon, man. Have I ever lied to you?"
"Only under pressure."
"Right." Reuben looked at him for a moment. Then, he got up to leave. "Well, I should start the treacherous journey home."
Oscar raised his eyebrows. "…Reuben…?"
"Yeah?"
"You live in the first apartment right up the stairs from us."
"There's a current, all right?" Reuben pointed out indignantly. "What do ya think I am, a salmon?"
Oscar smirked. "Just watch out for the dreaded landlady." he joked, referring to Mrs. Sanchez.
With a scoff, Reuben headed towards the door. "Eh, no worries, junior, she's harmless. Anyhoo, I'm gonna go home and play around with some of those cheat codes to the Sharkslayer game."
"I thought they stopped posting those online when they stopped making that thing."
"They did…but I wrote them down early just in case you and Lenny blew your cover."
"I'm touched." Oscar said sarcastically.
"You're welcome." Reuben grinned.
"Drag down a bit on those talk shows a bit." Oscar said. "And could you do me a favor?"
"Yeah?"
"Never…ever…call me 'junior' again, okay?"
"Okay."
"Okay."
"Audios!"
And with that, Reuben left.
---
When I decided that Oscar and Angie needed their own storyline, I came across a new song by one of my fave artists, Steven Curtis Chapman. The song is called 'How Do I Love Her' and it's such a sweet song. It's what inspired me to give the storyline I did to Oscar & Angie. Anyway, I wanted you to read these lyrics. The song is basically a prayer, and it's an amazing song, especially when you contrast it to all of the songs out there that talk about 'what I'm gonna get from this relationship and not you' and 'oh no, I'm sorry I hurt you but I'm with this person now so tough luck'. Just read it and you'll see what I mean. They've just gotten into a fight.
Well you know it's not the first time
And it will not be the last
When ya find me here on my knees
Prayin' for the storm to pass
But what I am really needin'
Is much more than just relief
I am cryin' out for wisdom
Only You can give to me
Cause it's such a mystery
I'm a clueless man
When it comes
To knowin' how to love a woman
How do I love her
How do I
Let her know she means more than anything to me
How do I love her
How do I love her, love her
Out of all the gifts you've given
Besides the very gift of life
There is none as precious to me
As the treasure of my wife
And still all the love in my heart
Is like a raindrop to the sea
When compared to your love for her
And that's why I'm askin', please
Will ya teach me what she needs
I'm an earnest man
When it comes
To learnin' how to love this woman
How do I love her
How do I
Let her know she means more than anything to me
How do I love her
Well I know it's gonna take a lifetime
To answer this prayer I pray
But that's okay
Cause I've given You and her my lifetime
Anyway
How do I love her
How do I
Let her know she means more than anything to me
How do I love her
How do I love her, love her
Tell me please
How do I love her
How do I love her