Tuckamore Bay

the Wedding (2)

Matty reached down and took Bill's hand. She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with the silk handkerchief Jojo had given her earlier.

"You okay, sweetie?" Bill asked, a concerned edge to his voice.

"I have never been better."

She squeezed Bill's hand and took another deep breath.

"The first time I saw this man, he was laying on his back, outside the kitchen window of the lighthouse."

Matty kissed Bill's hand and let go of it, as she continued.

"I had his sneaker, in my hand, because he near hit me in the head with it, when he threw it at, what he claimed was a mutant giant rat.

We, here in the Bay, call it a field mouse."

Laughter erupted through the Pub.

"But, you know what. Looking at him laying there, all I could think was, 'where have you been, all my life'.

I'm not saying it has all been great, but it sure as fuck has been interesting.

Bill almost had his tit bit off by Jarge. Instead of shooting the seagull, Bill adopts him. And even after Jarge ate my engagement ring," Matty pointed toward the bar.

"There he is, big as life and now he has a girlfriend."

Matty blew a kiss to the two seagulls, who were on the bar, watching her and eating fresh herring.

"Jarge is just one example of the huge heart that this man has."

Matty looked down at Bill, shaking her head.

"The biggest heart, I have ever seen.

He came here to buy a lighthouse and instead, he saves our little village. He is the most incredible man I have ever know another is no one the world I can imagine me spending my life with."

Matty took Bill's hand and helped him to his feet.

"Today is so special for me, for two reasons.

For one, I am marrying the man of my dreams."

Matty kissed Bill gently.

"I can't imagine life without him and that is why I am so thrilled for reason number two."

Matty stared at Bill for a moment.

"Sweetie. We're going to have a baby."

The Pub erupted with cheers and clapping, as Matty dropped the microphone, when Bill grabbed her and lifted her off her feet.

"A baby?"

Matty started sobbing.

"A baby."

Bill hugged her tight and kissed her over and over.

"You happy?"

Bill wiped tears from his eyes.

"I don't know what to say. I love you, so very much."

Bill and Matty kissed again and then turned and waved to those gathered in the Pub.