It was only 8:30 when Bill walked into Dove's Pub. Most of the welders from TBWFS (Tuckamore Bay Welding and Fabrication Shop) were sitting at tables, having coffee and breakfast. They looked up long enough to wave to Bill.
Bill waved back and slumped on a stool, at the bar.
Moments later, Valerie Pike walked out from the kitchen carrying a tray of food.
"Be with you in a moment, love."
She passed out the meals and walked back to the bar.
"How can I help you love?"
Bill looked up at Valerie.
"You look like shit, my love."
"Just coffee, Val."
Valerie poured a coffee and passed it to Bill.
"You look ..."
Bill laughed. "Like I haven't slept all night?"
"Kinda, love. Not used to seeing youse like this."
Bill sipped the coffee.
"Hard night Val. Just couldn't turn off the brain at all. I was up at three, playing NHL hockey on my Xbox. Just couldn't sleep. Not with all the shit that went down yesterday."
"I didn't sleep much either. Was thinking about poor Henry."
Bill nodded.
"I was already talking to Nick, this morning. He says that Henry is okay, but he will have to take it easy from now on. He is even stepping down as Mayor."
"So who will be Mayor now?"
"I guess we will hold an election," Bill suggested.
"That will be the fair thing to do."
Valerie poured a coffee for herself and leaned on the bar.
"Why don't youse just bes Mayor? Youse owns the town anyway."
Bill shook his head.
"I don't think that would be fair."
"What's bes not fair?" Clayton Rideout wondered, as he sat next to Bill. He smiled at Valerie.
"Can Ise 'as a coffee and some toasted sour dough bread?"
"Sure thing," Valerie smiled.
"You want anything, Bill?"
"Yea, maybe I will have some toast as well, if its not too much trouble."
"Not at all."
"So, Billy, what's bes not fair?"
"Oh. We were just talking about Henry and the fact that he is stepping down as Mayor."
"Ise 'eard dat. Me and da boys were sayin' dat wes shud jest go down to Deer Lake and 'ave a little talk wit dat prick Hirst and dem men dat were wit 'im."
"No. We are going to do this by the letter of the law. All of us involved are doing new statements. We are coming clean. Nothing but the truth."
"Ise guesses dat bes da rite ting to do, Billy."
He took a deep breath.
"What's 'bout me and me sons? Youse wants we shud give statements. Ise don't tink our names come up. We's didn't git dere 'till da end."
"Yea. I want you, Billy and Wike here at ten. The RCMP will be here to get this thing straightened up and the RCMP Commander will be here as well."
Clayton nodded.
"Ifin dat bes what youse wants, Billy, den I'll see dat wes be 'ere at ten. Ise jest don't wants to see dat prick 'first gettin' off wit what 'e did to 'enry."
Bill shook his head.
"No. He is not getting away with anything. Neither are those men that were here with him. Matty is drawing up a proposal for compensation. I talked a bit to Henry this morning, also and he wants this settled without any more stress to him, at all. He just wants it put behind him.
He actually feels that this whole thing is a bit of a blessing."
"'ow da fuck can 'is 'eart attack bes any kind of a blessin'?" Clayton almost yelled.
"Well, if he had not had this minor incident and it is just that Clayt, a minor incident. If he had not had this and they had not found out about his heart issues, he could have had a massive heart attack at a later date and that could have been fatal.
Remember, Henry was a stubborn old soul who never went to the doctor."
Clayton calmed down a bit.
"Ise guess dat cud be right, Billy, but Ise jest 'ate to tink dat Hirst fella is gettin' off scott free."
Valerie put the toast in front of the men.
"Whose gettin' off scott free?"
"Dat fucker, 'irst."
"He is not getting off scott free, Clayt. We just have to let Matty handle this."
Clayton took a bite of his toast.
"Were a time dat wes wud look after dis shit ourselves. Da way da Bay always 'as."
Bill took a bite of his toast and let out a long sigh.
"All I am asking Clayt, is that you trust me enough and trust Matty enough, that you let us handle this. Those days are gone, Clayt."
Clayton smiled and slapped Bill on the back.
"Billy, ifin wes didn't trust youse and Matty, Ise guaranties youse dat wes wud not bes 'avin' dis conversation. Wes wud already bes on our way to Deer Lake."
"Thank you, Clayton."
Bill turned to the other ten or so men in the Pub, all of which Bill knew were listening to the conversation.
"And thank all of you as well. You know we will do what is best for the Bay."
"Youse da boss," Wike Rideout assured Bill.
"Wese trusts youse."
"Thank you, Wike."
"Until youse fucks up," Wike laughed.
"Wycliff Rideout," Clayton yelled.
"Does Ise 'as to turn 'round in dis seat?"
"No, Dad. Ise were jest makin' a joke."
"And?"
"Bill, youse knows wese were jest yankin' yer chain, don't youse."
Bill smiled.
"All in fun, Wike."
"Ise still 'aven't 'eard an apology," Clayton snapped.
"Sorry Bill."
"Thats okay, Wike."
"And don't youse bes flippin' me da finger dere Wycliff. Ise can still tan yer 'ide."
"Youse got fuckin' eyes in da back of yer 'ead, old man?"
Clayton took a mouthful of his toast, a huge smile on his face.
"Fuckin' kids never grows up."
He stared at Bill for a moment.
"Youse looks like shit dis mornin', Bill."
Bill swallowed, while nodding.
"I never slept last night."
Wike and his brother Billy, sat at the bar. Valerie poured them both coffee.
"Youse say youse slipped last nite, Bill? What 'appened?"
"No, Billy. I said I never slept last night."
"So, youse wanted to slip? Dat jest don't make any sense.
Bill turned in his stool.
"No, I didn't get any sleep last night."
Clayton slapped Bill on the shoulder.
"Probably 'cause youse slipped. Did youse strain someting?"
"Ise 'eard dat when a man slips sometimes, he can pull 'is groin."
Wike sipped his coffee.
"And Ise 'eard dat dose groin pulls are really painful."
Billy agreed.
"A lot of dem goalies in 'ockey gets dem groin pulls. Dats 'cause da way dey flops around now on da ice."
"Back in my day," Clayton added, "dey played a different type of 'ockey. Not like dey plays now. Diff'rent game all together."
Wike laughed.
"Youse wasn't playing' 'ockey wit Matty, were youse?"
Wike pushed Bill playfully.
"Ifin youse know whats Ise means."
"Well Bill told me that he was playing hockey last night," Valerie added, a slight smile on her face.
"Dat bes kinda private to bes sharin' with Val, ain't it, Bill?" Billy Rideout asked.
"After all, Val is a bit of a gossiper."
"Is that so, Billy Rideout. That's the pot calling the kettle black."
"Ise don't gossip."
Clayton leaned forward to look at his son.
"No me son, not fuckin' much. Youse and yer mudder bes da biggest gossips 'ere in da Bay."
Billy laughed.
"Gud ting mudder ain't 'ere to 'ear youse sayin' dat about 'er. She'd bes slapping' youse up side of da 'ead."
"So how did you slip, Bill," Valerie smirked.
"You just love this, don't you?"
Valerie leaned forward and kissed Bill on the forehead.
"More than you know, my love."
"Just can't leave you alone for a minute, can I?" Matty proclaimed, as she walked up to Bill.
"I am going to have to put a leash on you."
She kissed Bill quickly.
"Coffee, Val, please. And leave my man alone."
Valerie smirked.
"Not as long as you leave him alone. Youse knows all us women loves him."
Valerie passed a coffee to Matty.
Billy Rideout looked at Matty, a serious look on his face.
"Wese 'eard dat poor old Bill dere, pulled 'is groin while youse and 'e were playing' 'ockey."
Matty stepped back from the bar, putting her hand over her mouth to stop herself from spitting out the coffee she had just sipped. It took her several seconds to regain her composure.
"What?"
Clayton turned around on his stool.
"Youse bes a bit rough on Billy, din't youse, Matty. Dem groin pulls can last a long time."
Matty looked at Valerie, who was smirking.
"I bet you didn't help my husband out at all, did you?"
Valerie started laughing.
"Honestly, Matty, its just too much fun."
"And den Bill told dis one," Billy pointed at Valerie.
"And wes all knows what a gossip dat ones bes."
"Well you would know, Billy Rideout. Takes one to know one I always say."
Billy threw his arms in the air.
"Ise not a gossip."
Junior Tucker put his arm around Billy's shoulder.
"Time fer us to git to work dere, Louise."
Billy stood up laughing.
"Youse a real smartass, isn't youse Junior?"
The two started walking away, the other men from the welding shop, following. Each nodded to Bill, as they passed.
As they walked out the door, those at the bar heard Billy say, "'as Ise got a story fer youse. Ise jest 'eard about what 'appened with Freddy and dat Cameron guy."
Clayton stood up, finished his coffee and put his hand on Bill's shoulder.
"Youse still looks like youse 'asn't sleeped in a month, Billy."
Clayton left the Pub.
Matty sat on the chair next to Bill.
"So you didn't get any sleep last night because you pulled your groin while we were playing hockey?"
Bill rolled his eyes.
"All I said was that I hadn't slept ... slept ... all night. And it went from there."
Matty kissed Bill.
"My man. Haven't you learned yet?"