Bill don't know how long he was in the bathroom. The tears had stopped, finally and he was feeling somewhat normal again.
At one point he had even considered sleeping in the bathtub, but realized that was stupid, considering he had a perfectly comfortable bed.
He wiped his face one last time and opened the bathroom door.
"I was wondering when you were going to emerge from the dungeon."
"Matty?"
Matty was sitting on the couch, petting Jarge.
"I thought you'd left."
She shook her head.
"No. I never got a chance to say what I had to say. Someone took over the conversation and then did the man thing.
Run into the bathroom and lock the door."
She kissed Jarge on top of the head.
"Go to your bed, hun."
Jarge jumped off the couch and waddled past Bill, giving him, what he was convinced, was a snarl. He settled in his bed, by the fireplace and looked at Matty.
"Come and sit down, Bill."
"Matty. I'm tired and ..."
Matty held up a drink.
"Come and sit with me and let me say what I wanted to say. Then you can go to bed."
Bill sat down and Matty passed him the drink.
"And this time, let me fucking finish what I want to say.
Okay?"
Bill nodded as he sipped on his drink.
"And no manly tears," she smiled.
"I'll try."
"Like I was saying before you got all manly on me ..."
"Not gonna let that go, are you?"
Matty smiled.
"Never."
She moved closer to Bill and took his free hand in her's.
"There is a whole world out there and I did feel like I got a chance to let my wings open and fly free and believe me, it was exciting. Meeting all these new and interesting people and being able to communicate and negotiate with them on their level, finally mede me feel alive.
The lunches and dinners were interesting and I got an insight into business that I never knew before. Bill, I felt alive and I felt like I mattered and I was important.
Men get to feel that way all the time. Women don't.
I was stepping into a man's world and I was thriving."
She bit her lip. Bill knew something bad was coming.
"And, I have to admit that there were a few men. Single, successful men.
They did show an interest in me and I am sure if I had given in, they would have taken advantage of me, but ...
I didn't give in.
And you know why?"
"Because of your promise to stay a virgin until you get married?"
Matty laughed slightly.
"Partly that but more importantly because I knew when I did give in to any man, there was only one man that I wanted to give in to."
"Who?"
Matty shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Freddy fucking Simpson. Who else?"
Suddenly Bill felt hopeful again. The sinking feeling in his stomach was going away.
"Actually," Matty's face grew serious, "his name is Juan Carlos Santana. He is a VP for Apple Canada."
The smile that had been appearing on Bill's face quickly disappeared.
Matty started laughing.
"You really are too fucking easy."
Bill sipped his drink nervously.
"I am sorry if I cause you any undo pain or anxiety the last few days, but I really needed this time to myself. I even let Tanya go to a couple meetings so I could stay at the hotel. I spent most of my time sitting on the balcony of my room, staring out across the city.
I had to get my shit together before I came back home."
She leaned forward and kissed Bill quickly on the lips.
"You are the most frustrating man I have ever met."
Bill could feel the sinking feeling returning quickly.
"Your complete lack of confidence in yourself is not exactly a redeeming quality. I never know what to expect from you or what mood you are going to be in. And that is hard to live with, Bill."
Bill was beginning to feel like he was drowning.
"I need a strong man. I need a man who is always going to be there when I need him. A man who can pick me up when I am down, not jump in his truck and threaten to leave or hide in the bathroom when things get heated."
Bill simply nodded. He couldn't speak because he knew the manly tears would return.
"But I also need a man who is kind and gentle and understanding. A man who looks at me like I am the only woman on the face of the earth. A man that, when I look at him, I see my future. I see us married and having kids and growing old together, here, in Tuckamore Bay.
I need a man for ever, not for a while."
Matty put her hand on Bill's cheek.
"Do you know what I am saying?"
Bill was fighting back the tears, but he did manage to speak.
"Did you find that man?"
Matty nodded.
"I did."
"Who?"
Matty laughed gently and kissed Bill on the lips.
"Its you, you fucking idiot."
The sinking feeling completely disappeared and tears flowed down Bill's face.
Matty wiped the tears from Bill's cheek.
"All I could think about was you. Every time one of those men came on to me, I would get up, say good-night and go back to my room to talk to you."
"But the last couple times we talked, you weren't yourself and then three days of nothing."
Matty shook her head.
"I know. I said I was sorry, but I was wrestling with a lot of shit myself, hun.
This whole relocation thing and saving the Bay. After every meeting the street just continued to grow, as the realization of how much work had to be done and how little time there was to do it. Believe me, there were times when I started thinking about a condo in Jamaica."
Bill laughed slightly.
"Me too."
"I knew, if this was to happen, I needed someone by my side that I trusted, could confide in, would be there for me and work with me, but above all, Bill.
Someone who would love me and someone that I truly loved."
Bill wasn't sure exactly what was coming next.
"I know you love me, Bill. You show me that every day, simply by the way you look at me and the sweetest words I hear every day is you telling me that you love me.
And I think, you know, that I love you too. Even if I don't show it that often."
Bill was about to speak, but Matty put her finger to his lips.
"And i know I don't tell you enough.
Or at all.
But, I am telling you now, Bill Williams.
With all my heart and soul and without any doubt in my mind at all; I love you."
Bill put down his drink and was about to pull Matty close to him.
She put up her hand, to stop him.
"Now, Mr. Frisky Hands, not so fast.
I am not finished."
Bill sat back.
"And the reason I have been a little weird is because I am so afraid of losing you."
"You lose me?"
"Yes. Me lose you. I'm just a little ole girl from the Bay."
Bill sat forward and took Matty's hands.
"Matty. You are the most beautiful woman in the world."
Matty glared at me.
"Are you gonna let me finish?"
"Sorry."
"Anyway ...
Fuck it."
She jumped up holding out her hand.
"Let's go to bed."
Bill shook his head.
"No."
"What?"
"Matty please sit down. Now I have to talk."
She sat down slowly.
"You want to talk, now?"
Bill nodded.
"Look. I can't make you go against your virtues."
"Yes you can. I'm letting you."
"No sweetie. You made yourself a promise years ago, that you would save yourself for the man you marry.
I can't let you break that promise."
"But you are the man I am going to marry. Haven't I made that clear?"
Bill stood up.
"How can you be sure? We don't know what the future will bring."
"Are you fucking serious, right now?"
Bill turned and headed for the bedroom.
"I'm sorry Matty. I just can't allow you to give me your last ounce of respect and dignity."
"What the fuck are you babbling about?"
Bill walked back out of the bedroom.
"I can't allow myself to take what you have promised ..."
Matty cut Bill off.
"You are not taking. I am giving."
She got to her feet.
"Are you stoned?"
Bill stood in front of her.
"You told me once that you would not sleep with a man until you got a ring on your finger."
He went to one knee, taking a ring box from his pocket. He opened the box and stared up at Matty.
"Matilda Dove. I love you more than life itself and I never imagined when I moved to a place called Tuckamore Bay that I would find the most beautiful woman in the world.
You told me that you love me. You know I love you.
Now I ask.
Will you be my wife?"
Matty could hardly speak through her tears.
"Yes. Yes."
Bill took the ring from the box and was about to put it on her finger, when he heard a loud squawk.
He turned slightly to see Jarge flapping his wings and waddling quickly across the floor.
Matty yelled, "NO."
Bill tried to pull his hand away, but Jarge was too fast. He leapt forward, his beak catching the ring and he pulled it from Bill's hand.
Bill jumped to my feet.
"Fuck."
Jarge was a few feet from Bill and Matty. Bill could see the beautiful, very expensive ring, hanging from his beak.
He started slowly toward Jarge, hand extended.
"Jarge? Give me the ring," he demanded softly.
Jarge shook his head, flapped his wings and grunted at Bill, not loosening his grip on the ring.
"Jarge. Be a good boy and give me the ring."
Again the flapping and grunting.
"GIVE ME THE FUCKING RING," Bill yelled.
Jarge opened his beak to squawk and the ring fell to the floor.
Bill looked at the ring and at Jarge.
He looked at Bill and at the ring.
Bill dove for the ring, but Jarge was faster. He grabbed it in his beak and flipped it in the air.
Bill looked up, grabbing at the ring, but missed.
As Bill hit the floor, he saw the beautiful, very expensive ring go between Jarge's yellow/orange beak and disappear.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."