It was about eight at night, that Matty phoned from St. Johns. Bill could hear in her voice that she had been crying.
"Didn't go as well as expected?"
Matty took a deep breath.
"No. I couldn't get the ground fish allotment and that was what we really needed if there was any chance of getting the plant open again."
"Did they offer anything?"
"They gave us ten tons of lobster, five tons of crab and a suggestion that we should start a mussel farm.
And, oh yes, he offered us the recreational fishery."
"What is that?"
Matty took another deep breath.
"It allows each boat to catch up to fifteen ground fish a day. Thats like cod and such. Most communities use it for attracting tourists. They do tours and such and have the tourists catch the fish.
The lobster and crab allotment is really nothing. Maybe enough for one boat to make a living, but no where close to what we would need to start the plant again."
There was silence for a moment and then Bill heard Matty yell. "Fuck."
"I'm sure you did the best you could, Matty."
Matty seemed to ignore Bill.
"Hefford said he really didn't want to even give us the cod and lobster allotment, since we are slated for relocation. I think he did it as a favour because he had the hots for me.
He kept me at that restaurant until almost three and then he wanted to take me out for supper. I agreed to have a couple drinks with him, in the hopes that I could get him to change his mind, but it was a no go.
Son of a bitch."
"So you are back at the hotel?"
"I'm sorry Bill. There just wasn't enough time for me to get the last flight out, so I have one booked for nine tomorrow morning. I should be home around two or so in the afternoon."
"Oh. Okay."
"Hey are you really okay."
"Yea. You know me. Always a little unsure."
"But you said you trusted me."
"I do, hun. This is all me and my stupid insecurities."
"Well you have no worries. If I see that Hefford again, I just might cut his nuts off."
"Don't do that."
"I was just joking, Bill. I haven't cut anyone's nuts off in years."
"Did you give him an answer?"
"Not yet. I told him I had to talk it over with the representatives of the Bay and I would get back to him by the end of the week."
"Don't wait. Tell him yes," Bill suggested.
"What?"
"Just tell him yes. Get hold of him in the morning somehow or email him tonight, but tell him yes. I have a plan that just might work."
"Really? Tell me, tell me." Matty was getting excited.
"Nope. Not until you get home.
Talk to the fisheries. Get the allotments and come home to me. Take a later flight if you have to, but go and see him."
"Okay. I'll go to the fisheries office in the morning. I will email Hefford tonight and let him know our decision. And I'll see you tomorrow night."
"Sounds good. Just get this thing over with and come home."
"Stop worrying Bill. I have no interest in anyone else, just you. Now go and have a drink at the Pub, but stay away from those two vixen cousins, Yolanda and Val. I think they have a crush on you."
"They scare me," Bill laughed.
"I think I will stay home and do some work on my ideas."
"Okay. Love you."
"Love you, Matty. Nite."
~~~~~
"It bes a gud ting Ise don't 'ave carpet on me floors, 'cause youse wud 'ave ad it plain wore out."
"Sorry."
Bill continued pacing.
"Will youse sits down, me son. Looks what youse did to poor ole Jarge."
I looked over at Jarge, asleep in his dog bed.
"Youse dun got 'e all tuckered out."
"Sorry."
Bill had been pacing for almost an hour. He didn't know why he was so nervous as he waited for Matty to arrive home from St. John's. She had called about a hour earlier saying she was in Deer Lake. Bill had been pacing ever since.
"Whys does youse be so nervous?"
Bill stopped pacing and shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know, he sighed.
He sat down on the couch.
"Its just that I never know what to expect with Matty."
"Whats youse mean, Willam."
"Well, one day she is all lovey dovey and the next she acts like were just friends."
"Well youse do be friends, don'y youse?"
"Well, I like to think that we are more than just friends."
Nanny Dove put her knitting in her lap.
"Willam, me son. Matty tinks da world be youse. Ise never seen 'er take to anyone likes she takes to youse."
"But she changes every day."
"Me son, Matty still bes a woman and she's still 'as da rite to change da way she feels.
But I cans tells youse dis, me son, she likes youse a lot."
"Then why do I feel like ..."
"Likes what me son?"
"Like I am an outsider."
"Willam, 'ow longs 'ave youse been 'ere in da Bay?"
"Just a month or so."
Nanny Dove nodded.
"And youse knows dat your people be from da Bay. Silas proved dat fer youse."
"I know, but still, i feel like I really don't belong. I still feel like people look at me as a mainlander."
Nanny Dove let out a long, long exaggerated sigh.
"Ise don't knows whats to tell youse den, Willam. Dis bes yer 'ome."
"I know. Its just me. I always do this. Kinda like J.D. on 'Scrubs'. Every time he gets a great girl, he finds something wrong and fucks it up."
Nanny Dove nodded.
"'e does be a bit of a jerk at times fer sure."
"You know 'Scrubs'?"
"All us cool peoples watched 'Scrubs'. Dey bes da cat's meow."
Bill just shook his head. It was a conversation he did not want to get involved in.
"I just keep putting pressure on me. And that makes me try even harder."
"Den stop tryin'. Jest be yourself. Don't be puttin' pressure on yerself and 'specially don't bes puttin' pressure on others, 'specially Matty."
She sat back and started her knitting and rocking again.
"Ifin its meant to be, den it will bes. Ifin its not meant to be, dens dere be nothin' dat youse can do to make it be."
Bill forced a smiled.
"I guess you are right."
"Of course Ise be right, Willam."
"Thanks Nanny Dove."
"Willam, youse almost becomes like a grandson to me."
She stared at Bill for a moment, adding, "almost."
She smiled.
"Nows, why don't youse go and open a couple beers."
"Why?"
"'cause Matty be pullin' into the front of da 'ouse."
Sure enough Bill heard an engine stop.
"Shit," he said, as he stood and stared at the front door.
"Beers first, Willam. Don't be actin' all desperate and such."
Bill ran to the kitchen and quickly got two beers.
"Now, me son. Sits and waits fer her."
Ten minutes passed by. Bill had heard the car door close, but no knock on the door.
Finally, after twenty minutes, he stood up.
"I guess she isn't coming."
Nanny Dove laughed.
"Youse really don't understands females, does youse me son?"
"I guess not."
Bill started for the kitchen, when a knock came to the front door.
H looked at Nanny Dove.
"Jest goes and gits another couple beers, seein' youse drinked da other two."
Another knock.
Bill put the beers on the coffee table and walked to the door.
"Who is it?"
"Who the fuck do you think it is?"
Bill opened the door.
"Why Matilda, welcome back."
He held out his hand.
"Nice to see you again."
"Willam, me son. 'as youse lost yer fuckin' mind?" Nanny Dove laughed.
Matty walked past Bill, pushing his hand aside and giving him the death glare.She went to the coffee table, picking up a beer and turning to Bill.
"I was beginning to wonder the same thing."
Bill closed the door and slowly turned.
"Its all her fault," he barked, pointing at Nanny Dove.
"Whats did Ise do?" Nanny Dove nipped, innocently.
"Youse ... you told me to be myself. I don't want to be myself.
I want to be this me. Not the old me."
Matty sipped her beer and looked at her grandmother.
"What the fuck is he babbling about?"
Nanny Dove shook her head.
"'es bes your boyfriend, me dear. Ise don't 'ave a clue."
Matty put her beer back on the coffee table.
"Beginning to wonder about that whole boyfriend thing, as well."
She walked toward Bill.
"Matty. I ..."
She put up her hand.
"I am going to go outside and knock on the door. If this idiot, who is standing in front of me, answers the door, I am getting back in my car,
drive to Deer Lake,
take the first flight to St. John's
and marry that creepy sixty year old fisheries man, Hefford, who ogled me for two days."
She walked outside and gently closed the door.
Bill turned to Nanny Dove.
"Sometimes I wonder about you."
"As youse shud, Willam," she laughed.
A knock came to the door.
"Someones bes at da door," she laughed, harder.
Bill started opening the door.
"I hate you," he muttered at Nanny Dove.
Matty must have herd and she simply stared t Bill, taking the doorknob in her hand.
"That's strike two. Shall we do this again."
She closed the door.
Another knock.
"Someone bes at da door, Willam," Nanny Dove continued to laugh, obviously enjoying watching the tortured Bill.
Bill rolled his eyes and glared at her.
He then turned, took a deep breath and opened the door, a huge smile on his face.
"Matty." He opened his arms.
"I missed ..."
Matty jumped into his arms, wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him long and hard.
"I missed you to, jackass."
She kissed him again, putting her legs on the floor.
"And don't be taking advice from the old lady there. She is nothing more than a shit-disturber."
She kissed him again and took his hand.
"Come on, I need a beer."
She stuck her tongue out at her grandmother. "And you stop picking on my boyfriend."
Jarge jumped up from his bed and came waddling across to Matty, squawking excitedly.
He jumped up in her arms and snuggled her neck.
"I missed you too, Jarge."
She looked at Bill.
"Now see, this is a proper welcome."
Bill had to laugh.
"Upstaged by a oversized chicken."
Jarge laughed at Bill, as Matty put him back on the floor and picked up her beer from the coffee table.
"Get back to your bed," Bill ordered.
"Just a second," Matty snipped.
She pulled a plastic bag from her pocket and took out a fresh capelin.
"Here you go Jarge."
Jarge gobbled down the capelin and waddled off to the bathroom.
"Where is he going?"
Bill took Matty's hand and led her to the bathroom. They stood in the doorway and watched Jarge.
"You have got to be kidding me," Matty laughed.
Jarge was standing on the open toilet seat and crapping in the toilet.
"That is so cool."
Jarge jumped down and hurried past them.
Bill walked over and flushed the toilet.
"Now all I have to do is teach him to flush."