Tuckamore Bay

I want to get married

Matty walked through the upper door of the lighthouse and stopped.

"Here you are."

Bill turned and looked at Matty.

"Okay, what is wrong?"

Bill smiled.

"Just thinking my love."

Matty hugged herself.

"Well there are much more warmer places to think, than on top of this old lighthouse. Fuck, its freezing up here."

Matty looked past Bill.

"And you have those poor gulls up here with you?"

Bill patted the chair next to him.

"Come and sit down."

He pointed to the electric heater, he had on the lighthouse veranda, next to him.

"Grab the blanket on the chair and sit. Its actually quite comfortable."

Matty sat, spreading the blanket over her legs. Bill passed her a scotch.

"Okay, what is wrong?" she repeated.

Bill shook his head.

"Nothing. Its just been such a long tome since I have sat up here."

Matty laughed.

"Well, my love, it is like five degrees and getting colder by the minute. We could sit on our veranda, in front of a huge fire and be more than comfortable."

"I know, but I love it up here."

Matty looked at the gulls, who seemed to be shivering.

"Jarge? Mabel? Go. Go to your home."

The two gulls squawked, stretched their wings and flew off.

"Seriously, Bill. You could have at least put a blanket over them."

"They were fine," Bill assured his wife.

"They are just being big babies."

"Okay. I am going to ask again. What is wrong?"

Bill lit a cigarette, still staring across the cold waters of the North Atlantic.

"Why aren't we married?"

Matty stared at Bill.

"What?"

"Its a simple question, hun. Why aren't we married?"

"I guess ... I mean ... Well, you know ..."

Bill turned and looked at her.

"That's your answer?"