Bill was shooing Jarge and a few of his friends off the upper lighthouse railing, when Kenny Johnstone appeared in the doorway.
"Mind if Ise joins you?"
Bill looked a little shocked.
"Kenny? What a surprise."
"Hope I'm not interrupting anyting?"
Bill walked toward Kenny, holding out his hand.
"Not at all. Just kicking Jarge and his buddies off the lighthouse."
He shook Kenny's hand.
"Getting sick of cleaning up the shit."
Kenny laughed.
"Well Ise guess that's what youse get for having a gull for a pet."
He held up the bottle he had in his hand. It was a 12 year old Glenlivet scotch.
"One of your favourites, Ise believes. At least according to 'enry."
"Absolutely. Have a seat. I have some glasses inside the control room."
Bill disappeared, but appeared a few moments later with a couple crystal glasses and two cigars.
Kenny admired the glass, as Bill handed it to him.
"A lot fancier than youse have got at my place," he laughed, as he opened the bottle and poured a drink for himself and Bill.
Bill raised his glass.
"Cheers."
The two clinked glasses and Bill handed him a cigar.
"You do smoke, right?"
"As a rule, only an occasional cigarette."
He smelled the cigar.
"But Ise tinks I'll make an exception in this case."
Bill lit both cigars and sat in the seat next to Kenny.
Jarge and another gull started to land on the railing.
"Go. Get out of here, the two of you. Go shit somewhere else."
The two gulls flew away.
"Ise tinks that Jarge might have a girlfriend. Youse could be a grandfather soon."
Bill laughed.
"That would be just what Matty would want. More gulls in the house."
He shook his head.
"She wants me to build some kind of shelter outdoors for Jarge to stay in."
"Better than 'avin' him shit in the house," Kenny suggested.
Bill drew on his cigar.
"So, what brings you up to my secret getaway?"
"Not too secret there, Bill. Matty knew exactly where youse was. Her and Jojo are 'avin' a drink down in the house, with Nanny Dove.
Ise glad youse up here, actually. Nanny Dove kinda scares me. She did when she were alive and Ise still thinks she looks at me as little Kenny, who was always trying to kiss Matty."
"Oh really?" Bill exclaimed, suddenly interested.
"So you and Matty had a thing."
"Not really. We all hung out when we were younger and I guess I kinda had a thing for her, but in my teens my attention turned to Jojo and we have been together ever since."
"Jojo seems like she is a wonderful woman, at least the little I have seen of her. And I know that Matty thinks the world of her."
Kenny nodded.
"Them two 'ave been best friends since they was old enough to walk. Was breakin' Jojo's heart to tink dat we might 'ave to leave the Bay."
Kenny laughed, as he sipped his scotch.
"Ise tinks dat Jojo would rather see me leave then Matty."
Kenny turned to Bill and took a deep breath.
"That's kinda why I wanted to have a talk with youse, Bill."
"Is something wrong?"
"No. No.Not at all. Quite the opposite."
Kenny poured scotch in the two glasses again.
He thought for a moment before continuing.
"Ise just wanted to say thank you for all youse have done for the Bay."
"You don't have to thank me, Kenny."
"Yea, I do and so does every man, woman and child here in da Bay. If youse had not come along, Bill, dis 'ere place would 'ave been a ghost town in a couple years and all of us, 'ere in the Bay would be scattered, fuck knows where and our families torn apart."
"Well I am just happy that things are working out the way they are, Kenny. I don't want to see the Bay broken up anymore than you do. It is my home too."
Kenny nodded.
"It tis, Bill, but the ting is that youse can go anywhere in the world and be okay. Jojo and my kids would be lost without their family around and there would have been no way that I could have afforded to stay 'ere in the Bay.
But now, Ise haves a good job at the garage, that Ise loves and me son and wife can work there with me. Little Kenny just loves the idea of apprentice at the garage.
Now Ise can keep my family in their home."
Kenny raised his glass.
"Youse has no idea what that means to me."
Bill smiled, as the two clinked glasses again.
"Honestly, Kenny. It is my absolute pleasure. It has been a lot of work, but in the long run, it will all be worth it."
"Thats the other thing, Bill."
Bill was slightly confused.
"What is?"
"Youse and Matty works ways too much. When does you two even get any time together?"
"We manage."
Bill looked out across the ocean.
"We made a commitment to the Bay, Kenny and until that commitment is fulfilled, we will continue to do what has to be done."
"But youse still needs time with your woman."
"Listen to the man, William. He knows of what he speaks."
Bill and Kenny stood, as Matty and Jojo joined the two men. They both hugged the women and Bill got them drinks. Bill stood and leaned against the rail as the others sat.
"There is another chair?" Matty reminded him.
Bill laughed.
"Oh you mean the one full of gull shit."
In the distance a sound like a seagull laughing could be heard.
Jojo shook her head.
"Dat gull is almost human."
"Dat gull is a pain in the ass," Bill laughed.
Again seagull laughter.
"Anyways, Bill, what Ise was trying to say is that all of us 'ere in the Bay want to say thank youse and wants youse and Matty to know that we will all do all that we can to make this thing reality."
"That's sweet, Kenny," Matty smiled, as she put her hand on his arm.
"Knowing that you are all behind us makes it all worth while."
She reached across and took Bill's hand.
Jojo continued.
"Matty already knows dis, Bill, but we all wants youse to know it as well. The Bay is family. We are not the Johnstone's and the Rideout's and da Dove's or any of da other families. We are all part of the family known as Tuckamore Bay and youse are one of us and as one of us, youse has to know that we will always be there for youse. No matter what."
Bill could feel a tear forming in his eye.
"Thank you, Jojo. That does mean a lot."
Jojo sipped her drink, before continuing.
"The Bay is our world and we protect our own. Always had to and always will. There are no secrets in the Bay, yet the Bay be full of secrets.
We all just want youse to know that whatever needs to be done, will be done."
"That almost sound ominous," Bill laughed, feeling a little uncomfortable at the way the conversation was going.
Kenny shook his head.
"Jojo 'as a tendency to be just a little overdramatic. All she is saying is that we will all work together and if youse ever needs help with anyting, all youse has to do is ask."
Bill raised his glass.
"To family."
"To family," the others agreed, in unison.
As Kenny refilled the glasses, Jojo laughed.
"What's so funny?" Bill wondered.
"Something that 'enry Tucker told me the other day."
"And what was that?"
"He said that 'is general store buys more hundred pound anchors den any community on the coast."
Bill shrugged.
"What's so strange about that?"
Jojo stood and walked to Bill.
"Haven't you noticed anything about the Bay, Bill," she whispered, dramatically.
Bill simply shrugged, a little uncomfortably.
Jojo leaned in close to Bill's ear.
"There are no boats in the Bay."
Bill's face paled.
Matty rolled her eyes.
"For fuck sake Jojo, you shit. Leave my poor man alone."
Jojo started laughing and kissed Bill's cheek.
"Youse are too easy, Bill, me love."
She sat down amid the laugher of the four.
Suddenly Matty's face got very serious.
"But you know what?" she whispered, looking down at the lighthouse veranda floor.
She looked up at Bill, eyes wide open.
"She's right," she screamed out loud.
Bill jumped, spilling his drink all over himself, as the others laughed.
Matty kissed Bill on the lips.
"I love you, mainlander."