"No. Let them go."
Bill nodded, as he held the cellphone to his ear.
"Yes, I am sure."
Bill laughed.
"I know, but for now let's just let them stay out of the water."
Bill nodded again.
"Tell Gertie no."
Again Bill laughed.
"Sorry Gertie. Hate to take your fun away."
The smile left Bill's face, as he nodded in silence.
"Do that. But just that. Just follow them out of town."
Bill nodded .... again.
"Sure if you want. No just follow them."
Bill started laughing again.
"Yes. Stay wherever and let me know tomorrow what they did. And tell Gertie I will pay for the beer. Just call me when you get to the motel."
Bill shook his head, rolling his eyes.
"Okay. Talk to you tomorrow."
Matty looked at me as he put his cell phone back in his pocket.
"Freddy?"
Bill nodded.
"Yea. Simon and Gail are getting ready to leave and Freddy wanted to know...
Well you know what he wanted to know."
"Dat boy be pushing' da cart ahead of da 'orse"
Bill had to agree with Nanny Dove.
"He is not the brightest bulb on the tree, but he is loyal to a fault."
"Loyal, yes. But me son, 'es bulb was long burnt out. Ise don't knows ifin 'e was even borned wit one," she laughed.
Matty sat on the coffee table, next to her grandmother.
"Nanny? Why would anyone be interested in this Bay?"
Nanny Dove looked at Bill.
"Well, me dear, best youse be asking' yer 'ubby about dat. Ise still tinks ..."
Matty put up her hand.
"I am not talking about Bill."
"Oh."
She smiled at Bill.
"Sorry, Willam."
Bill sat on the couch, close to Matty and Nanny Dove.
"Is there some secret about the Bay that we don't know about?"
"Youse be talkin' strange der, Willam. Whats does youse mean?"
"The mainlander, Hirst, that we met with last night is awfully interested in the Bay. He and a group of investors are more than willing to pay a lot of money to get everyone to move out of the Bay."
Nanny Dove stopped rocking and knitting.
"Is 'e be related to Freddy Simpson?"
Bill laughed and shook his head.
"I don't think so. He is a wealthy business man from Edmonton.
He offered to pay everyone a lot of money, if they would all leave the Bay."
Nanny Dove leaned back and started to rock.
"Now, me son. Whys wud 'e do dat?"
"That's what we were hoping you could help us understand," Matty added.
"Is there some buried treasure here or gold mine or ..."
Nanny Dove laughed.
"Now Ise beginnin' to tink youse is related to Freddy."
"Nanny, please, be serious. This guy Hirst is really intent on having the Bay relocated. He says he is in bed with some provincial and federal politicians."
"Fuckin' politicians. Can't be trustin' any of dey. Dey is all a bunch of ass'oles."
"Nanny! Please!" Matty barked.
"This is serious shit."
Nanny Dove took a deep breath and looked deep in thought.
"Ise can't tink of anyting, me love. Da Bay be nuttin' more den some scrub grass and rocks. 'cept fer da fish, der ain't nuttin' 'ere dat Ise can tink of."
"Fuck."
Matty stood up and kicked at the floor.
"What is that arrogant prick up to?"
She looked at Bill.
"I don't like this not knowing shit. I don't like being in the dark. We need to find out what he is hiding from us. We have to Hirst to tell us."
Bill shook his head.
"I don't see that happening, my love. He wouldn't even give me a clue."
Nanny started knitting again.
"Wes ain't fucked yet."
"Really?" Matty snapped back.
"We have no idea what is going on."
"Matty, me love. Der bes lots more peoples wes can talk to."
"Like who? Clayton? Henry?
Ah, maybe Linda Tucker."
Nanny Dove laughed.
"Youse bes only tinkin' of da young ones, me love."
"Then who else is there, other than the Spirits that walk the Bay."
Nanny Dove shook her head.
"Matty, me love. Der be hundreds more Spirits 'ere in da Bay."
"Like who?"
"Like Issac Dove."
Matty was speechless, which didn't happen often. She stared at Nanny Dove.
"Cat got yer tongue dere Matty?" Nanny Dove laughed.
I spoke for her.
"Issac Dove is still here?"
"Were youse 'spect 'e to be. In dat Jammy Ikea place yuse keeps talkin' about? Don't know dat 'e even knows what a condo bes."
"You mean the ghost of Issac Dove is still here?"
Nanny Dove stopped rocking and stared at Bill.
"Willam, 'ow many times does Ise needs to be tellin' youse. Spirits.
Spirits, not ghosts."
"Nanny stop picking on my hubby," Matty cracked.
I smiled.
"Thank you wifey."
"Wifey?"
"Ah ... wife?"
"Better."
Matty blew me a kiss and looked back at Nanny Dove.
"And for the love of God, Stop changing the subject and start answering the questions."
"Dat bes a lot of tings youse wants me to do at da same time."
Matty growled.
"Nanny? Are those Spirits still here?"
Nanny Dove smirked.
"Course dey bes. Where youse 'spect dem to be?"
"Then why don't we see them?"
"Matty. Dey bes old fashioned. Des don't knows shit about all dese new fang-dangled tings dat da world is full of. Deys stay in da cemetery. Dey bes comfortable there."
Matty sat back on the coffee table and took Bill's hand.
"Do you think they might come and talk to us?" she hoped.
"I could be askin' dem, ifins youse wants."
"Ise be wants," Matty cracked, excitedly.
"I mean, yes. Of course we want to talk to them."
Nanny Dove nodded.
"Den Ise will bes talkin' to dey and sees ifins dey wants to sit and talks.
But, let me bes tellin' youse. Dey bes of a diff'rent time. Deys might not bes open to some of da stuff whats youse mite tink dey be."
"Nanny Dove," Bill started, "I don't ask much of you. Could you please do this for us?"
She stopped rocking and stared seriously at Bill.
"Will youse stop smokin' in me 'ouse?"
Bill nodded.
"Yes."
"Will youse and Matty's stop soundin' like two ruttin' moose?"
"Matilda Dove?" Matty yelled.
"Seriously?"
"Well honey, we could quieten it down a bit," Bill suggested, wanting to get answers from Nanny Dove.
Matty just glared at him.
Nanny Dove ignored her and leaned forward in her rocking chair.
"And Willam. Will youse leaves da Bay and never comes back again?"
Matty stood up.
"Okay, old lady. Fuck that shit. You have stepped over the line."
Nanny Dove pointed, angrily, at Matty.
"Youse sit da fuck down and shuts da fuck up. Ise not be talkin' to youse and youse knows better den to be talkin' to me dat way.
Understand?"
Matty sat back down.
"Sorry Nanny, but ..."
"Der ne no fuckin' buts, Matty. No fuckin' buts."
She turned he attention back to Bill.
"Well, Willam? Will youse leave da Bay and never comes back?"
Matty squeezed his hand.
Bill took a deep breath.
"If it means saving the Bay, then I will leave."
"And Matty? She be stayin' 'ere."
Matty nearly broke his hand, she squeezed so tightly.
Bill looked at Matty.
"If that is what she wants."
He took a deep breath and turned back to Nanny Dove.
"But it would tear my heart out."
Matty released her death grip on Bill's hand.
"Nanny Dove. I love Matty and I love Tuckamore Bay. And I love you and even that stupid seagull, Jarge.
I will do whatever it takes to save the Bay."
Tears started filling his eyes.
"No matter what."
Nanny Dove nodded and started rocking and knitting again.
"Good.
Now, start packing."
Bill started to stand up.
Nanny Dove laughed.
"Sit down, Willam. Youse bes wayyyyyyyy to easy, me son."
"But?"
A figure began to appear next to Nanny Dove's rocking chair.
"Really Matilda. I am surprised that you are a descendant of mine."
Nanny Dove looked up at the man.
"Youse knows Ise loves you, Poppy Issac. But Ise jest loves givin' Willam dere a 'ard time. It bes so easy."
"Poppy Issac?" Matty gasped.
The man smiled and nodded.
"It is a pleasure to meet you both. I am Issac Matthew Dove. I am the founder of Tuckamore Bay."