Tuckamore Bay

the talk

"Turn my head?"

Matty picked up her drink and sipped it, staring at Bill.

"Really?"

"Believe me, I do understand. I knew this was all too good to be true."

Matty nodded.

"It is?"

"And usually when things are too good to be true, they usually aren't."

He drank his drink quickly and poured another.

"I am actually surprised that this lasted as long as it did."

"This?"

"Me and you."

Matty sat back on the couch.

"Oh. You mean this?"

She pointed at Bill and then at herself.

"You mean like me and you?"

"I mean here in the Bay, I am something special. Well at least something unique or at the worst different. Out there."

Bill forced a laugh.

"Out there, I am nothing."

"You are different?" Matty had to agree.

Bill stared at her, still fighting back the tears.

"Please don't make fun at me. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do."

"Really?"

Matty looked confused.

"I thought we were talking about my thing."

"Your thing is my thing, Matty."

Bill took a deep breath.

"I am just doing the man thing here."

Matty bit her lip to stop herself from smiling.

"The man thing?"

She leaned forward, staring into Bill's eyes, trying very hard, not to laugh.

"And what exactly is this man thing that you have to do?"

"I love you, Matty, but there is an old saying ...

If you love something, set it free."

Matty was still biting her lip.

"Really? And answer this, Bill. 

Why the fuck would you set something free that you loved?"

"I don't fucking know."

Bill quickly wiped his eyes. The tears had finally began to flow.

"Are you crying?"

Bill jumped up.

"No. I just got some dust in my eyes."

He walked to the bathroom.

"Maybe you should clean more often," he heard Matty call behind him.

Bill closed the bathroom door and wet a cloth with cold water.

He wiped his face and eyes and stood leaning on the sink. The tears would not stop.

"Are you coming back?"

"No," he yelled back.

"Why don't you just leave."

"If that is what you want."

"I think it is for the best, Matty, all things considered."

"Of course. All things considered."

Matty was shaking her head, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"You sure this is what you want."

"Yes," Bill whispered.

"Okay."

Bill listened as Matty walked to the front door. He heard the door open and then close.

Then silence.

Bill sat on the toilet, nearly falling through, as the cover and seat were up.

He jumped up and slammed them both down.

"Fucking Jarge," he yelled. "Fuck."

He sat back on the toilet and covered his eyes with the cool cloth. The tears just would not stop.