"Matilda Jeanie Dove."

Matty stopped dead in her tracks, when she heard the woman's voice yelling at her. She turned slowly to see Nanny Dove standing a few feet from her.

"Jest what do youse tink youse are doin'?"

"I was. I was."

Bill lowered his hands from his face.

"Hello Nanny Dove."

Matty spun around, pointing a finger at Bill.

"You do not talk to her. You have no right to talk ..."

"Matilda," Nanny Dove screamed.

"Whats 'as gotten into youse? Is dat bes da way Ise raised youse?"

"No, Nanny Dove."

She continued to glare at Bill.

"And stops dat silly glarin' dat youse be doin'."

Matty never moved.

"Matty?"

"Fuck."

Matty turned around to face her grandmother.

"I'm sorry Nanny. Its just that ..."

"ise knows what its bes, me love, but Ise don't tink beaten' the shit out of Willam will accomplish anyting.

Does youse?"

Matty bit her upper lip.

"No, Nanny."

She lowered her head.

"Would make me feel better though," she whispered.

Nanny Dove shook her head.

"Den whys don't youse be sittin' dere on da couch and let Willam move his suitcases into da bedroom."

"No way," Matty barked.

"No fucking way."

She turned to Bill, again.

"He manipulated his way into this. He did not let Dave Wells know all the facts about the sale."

"Did youse?" Nanny Dove asked, gently.

"Did youse give Willam all da facts? Youse is no bitter den 'e is."

Matty sneered at Bill.

"See. You are no better than me."

Bill took a deep breath.

"I wanted to buy a lighthouse, Matty. That is what you advertised with Dave Wells.

A lighthouse.

Not a village."

"Doesn't matter. You knew I did not want to sell just the lighthouse. You signed the fucking papers."

"I was drunk, Matty. I don't even remember signing any of the papers."

"Well, isn't it convenient that you were still able to use the original papers to get the lighthouse."

"That was all I wanted, Matty. That was why I came all the way across the country."

"That was why I came all the way across the country," Matty mimicked his voice.

Bill forced a slight laugh and shook his head.

"You know what? Maybe this is all a big mistake, after all."

"Yes. maybe it is," Matty snapped back.

She pointed at the door.

"Maybe you should just go out that door, get in your truck and get the fuck out of Tuckamore Bay.

Since you never wanted to be here anyway."

"Matty. Ifin ise gots to speaks to youse one more times, youse is gonna wish Ise never comed back from da dead."

Matty turned slowly and was about to say something when Nanny Dove pointed at her.

"Sit da fuck down, little girl."

Matty didn't move.

"Now," Nanny Dove yelled. The house seemed to vibrate from her voice.

Matty slowly walked to the couch and sat down.

Nanny Dove looked at Bill.

"Now me son. Youse takes dem bags and youse git settled."

"I don't know ..."

Nanny Dove stepped toward him.

"Nows me son. Youse don't wants to git me all pissed again does youse?"

Bill shook his head.

"No."

He quickly gathered the suitcases and duffle bag and scurried into the bedroom.

Nanny Dove walked back to her rocking chair and sat down.

"Whats be gotten into youse, Matty?"

"I don't know Nanny. I just can't stand the thought of him moving in here."

"Well youse 'ad no problem when youse tot he were gonna buy da Bay."

"That was different."

Nanny Dove shook her head.

"No, me love. da ways Ise sees it is dat youse tried to fuck Willam 'round and dat it were okay when youse were doin' it, but when 'e did da same to youse, well youse jest 'bout lost yer fuckin' mind."

Matty looked into the bedroom at Bill, unpacking his clothing.

"I just can't stand seeing him making our house his."

"Its bes 'is 'ouse now, Matty. Dat bes da way it is, unless 'e decides against it."

Matty sat back on the couch and let out a long, long sigh.

"This was not what was supposed to happen."

"Whats did youse expect Matty. Tings don't always works out da way yuse tinks dey will. Dat jest bes life. Now youse put da light'ouse on sale and Willam bought it. Dat bes the simple fact."

"But he is not going to help me save the Bay, Nanny. This is just his way of getting back at me for trying to manipulate him."

"Really?" Nanny Dove snickered, as she sat back in the rocking chair and took out her knitting.

"So youse tinks dat 'e is jest gonna stay 'ere and not do anyting to 'elp? 

'e is jest gonna live 'ere and wait till da gov'ment closes da Bay down?

'es gonna spend all dat money and in da end 'ave nuttin' to show fer it?"

Matty looked toward the bedroom.

"Fuck."

"'e bes 'ere 'cause 'e wants da Bay to be 'is 'ome.

Youse tink 'e wants to live 'ere alone?"

Bill walked into the living room.

"I would listen to Nanny, if I were you."

"No one asked you to speak," Matty snapped at him.

Bill smiled.

"I am allowed to talk in my own house, aren't I?"

"This is not your home," Matty barked.

Bill walked to the couch and sat down.

"Look, Matty. If you really want me to, I will pack up again and I will leave the Bay and you will never see me again.

You will get the $250 thousand and you will have some money to help you in your fight to save the Bay.

Or, I could stay and we could sit down and talk and see if we can work out something."

"But you don't want this."

"No," Bill agreed.

"But I do love this place and I love this house and I would love to live here. I do not really want to buy the whole fucking village, but I am willing to help to save this place.

I am not really in the mood to be the only resident here in a year or so, although I do have the money to afford to do so. I could even fence the whole place in and hire security and ..."

Bill laughed.

"But that is not what I want."

He got up and walked to the bedroom, returning quickly with a handful of papers.

He passed them to Matty.

"Here are all the papers, including the three new documents. As you can see, they are marked null and void. I checked with a lawyer and he said they would never stand up in court, but I do like some of the ideas there and I am willing to work with you and the council.

That is all I can promise right now."

Matty looked at Nanny Dove.

"'e makes sense, me love. Youse do bes askin' a lot be 'e. And 'e bes offerin' youse a chance to do some gud."

Bill continued.

"I will release the rest of the money, on the condition that the money is yours. I don't want you sharing it with the other residents."

Matty shook her head.

"No."

"Then we don't have a deal."

Bill got to his feet.

"I'll pack again."

"Wait."

Bill looked at Matty.

"What for?"

"Why don't you want me to share the money?"

"Because if this all goes to shit, you will need the money to continue your fight and I will be making you pay your share of the expenses here, if we are the only two left here."

Despite herself, Matty had to smile. She didn't want to admit to herself that she was glad Bill was back and she certainly was not going to admit that to him.

"Okay."

"Okay what?"

Matty closed her eyes and sighed.

"We will do this your way," Matty opened her eyes and looked at Bill, "for now."

Bill smiled.

"Good."

He looked at Nanny Dove.

"So, Nanny Dove. May I have permission to live in your house?"

Nanny Dove smiled.

"Dis be youse 'ouse now, Willam."

Bill shook his head.

"No. This is always your house. I just want to share it with you for maybe fifty years or so, if you don't mind."

Nanny Dove nodded.

"Dat would bes me pleasure, Willam. A real pleasure."

"Thank you," Bill whispered.

He looked at Matty.

"So we have a ceasefire?"

"For now," Matty sighed.

"So. I want to meet with the council again. Can you arrange that for us?"

"Us?"

"Yes. This is us."

Matty nodded.

"I will get in touch with Henry."

She got up from the couch.

"I will let you know when the meeting is."

She walked out of the house. Once outside, she closed the door and looked around.

She then jumped in the air and punched her fist at the sky. She ran toward the General Store, a huge smile on her face.