Eva kissed me on the lips softly and I poured her a cup of coffee.

Thank goodness, Spirit and Ghost were in the kitchen.

"I was talking to my cats."

.

She sipped her coffee, leaning against the counter. "Do you talk to the cats all the time?"

.

I nodded.

"Well, I do live alone and they are great listeners."

.

She walked to me and kissed me on the lips. "You are a little strange, Mr. Will Templeton."

.

"Sorry."

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She sat at the kitchen table. "Don't be, I like weird."

.

The cats began their little dance as Whisper, who had disappeared, suddenly reappeared in the kitchen.

.

"Oh my God. I have never seen cats do that in my life," Evangeline said, smiling.

.

I laughed, nervously. "Well, if you think I am a little weird."

I pointed at Spirit and Ghost. "Meet my cats."

.

She smiled. She looked so beautiful. She was wearing one of my t-shirts and a pair of my sleep pants. Obviously she had been in my bureau drawers. I didn't care. The clothes never looked so good.

.

"I'm going to my room Daddy."

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"Ok, sweetie," I answered, unconsciously.

.

Eva looked at me, "Ok sweetie what?"

.

Idiot.

.

Whisper giggled and disappeared.

.

"Ok, sweetie, what do you want to do today?" I blurted, trying to cover up my mistake.

.

"So you are calling me sweetie, are you?"

She smirked at me, as she sipped her coffee.

.

"No. I'm sorry."

Had I blown it again?

.

She laughed. "Relax Will. It's ok. After last night you can call me anything you want."

She smiled teasingly, slightly licking her lips.

.

I smiled. Hopefully I wasn't blushing too much.

.

She continued, with a heavy sigh, "But I have to go to Grand Falls for a couple days."

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I nodded, sadly.

.

She smiled. "Why don't you come with me?"

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I was about to say yes, when I remembered I had promised to play at Betty Maynard's birthday party. She was the oldest resident in Maynard's Rock and she was celebrating birthday number 100.

"I would love to, but I can't."

.

She looked sad. "I understand."

She stared at her mug.

"I knew I would regret this."

.

I sat down, quickly, nest to her and took her hand.

"No. No. No regret. I would love to go with you and in any other circumstance, I would."

.

"But?"

.

"I made a promise to play at this wonderful old lady's 100th birthday tonight at Dove Hall. Actually I was going to ask you if you wanted to come."

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Evangeline shook her head.

"I have that photo shoot in Grand Falls. I have a contract."

.

Why didn't anything ever work out for me?

"Do you have to be there tonight?"

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She thought for a moment. "I have a room booked and...."

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"I will pay for the room," I blurted out.

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She smiled. "I can't let you do that, Will."

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"No problem." I picked up my cell phone from the counter.

"What is the number of the hotel?"

.

She got up from the table and put her cup on the counter. She then took mine and put it there too.

"I have to go."

She took my hand and started walking down the hall.

"But I still have a couple hours to kill."

.

I heard Whisper giggling.

.

Three hours later I was giving Eva a kiss at the veranda.

"I will see you tomorrow afternoon?"

.

I kissed her again. "I will be there."

.

We made plans for me to drive out in the morning and spend a couple days together in central Newfoundland. I hadn't told Whisper yet, but I felt she would be ok with it.

I watched her as she got in the car. I could see her get her keys out of her purse, but she sat motionless in the car.

Finally she got out and walked toward me, a puzzled look on her face.

.

I asked her what was wrong.

.

"I know you wanted me to stay, but this."

She held up her car key. It was bent like a fishing hook.

.

"What the hell?"

I took the keys from her.

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"My sentiments exactly," she said. She gave me a strange look.

.

"It wasn't me," I said, honestly.

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"Then how do you explain it?"

.

I shrugged my shoulders and went into the house. I got a pair of pliers from my toolbox and tried to straighten the key. It simply would not straighten out.

.

"I don't know Eva."

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I heard Whisper giggle.

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I took a deep breath.

'You are bad, little girl.'

.

She just giggled.

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I sighed.

"I will take you to Corner Brook. They have a dealership there. They can make you a new key."

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She stood there staring at me.

.

"Really Eva, I did not do this."

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I heard Whisper giggling.

.

'You are bad.'

.

"She was going to leave Daddy."

.

'You are still bad.'

.

"Do you love me Daddy?"

.

"Of course I love you," I said aloud.

Idiot.

.

"What?"

.

I looked at Eva. "I didn't mean......"

.

"You didn't mean what?"

She kissed me.

"You are a strange man, Will."

.

"Like you wouldn't believe," I said, shaking my head.

"And getting stranger by the minute."

.

She smiled. "I have a spare key in my purse."

.

My heart sunk. "Oh."

.

She shook her head. "You are paying for my room."

.

I almost shrieked like a little girl.

Whisper did.

.

Eva walked by me and went inside. Whisper appeared next to me, with her hand held high.

I gave her a high five.

.

Eva called from inside. "You want a beer honey?"

.

She called me honey.

Another high five with Whisper.

"Yessssssss."

.

Eva appeared with a beer for me.

"Ok. I just saw you give nobody a high five."

.

I looked around. The cats were no where to be seen. Damn!

I simply shrugged.

.

Eva laughed and passed me the beer. "You are a strange one, Will."

.

"Sorry."

.

"Don't be. I guess that is why I like you so much."

She sat on the veranda.

"So what time is this party tonight?"

.

"Betty's party starts at seven."

.

"Cool."

.

The party was a blast. Most of the town showed up. Eva had her camera and she took pictures of everyone there, especially Betty.

I did a couple sets of songs with some of the younger residents of Maynard's Rock. The one thing that amazed me about this town was everyone seemed to play something.

It was a wonderful night. I danced with Eva and we shared drinks and....

I was so in love.

.

Except that she kept taking my picture. I so hated having my picture taken.

.

Whisper was there to dancing up a storm. She also was up to mischief, hiding people's drinks when they weren't watching and her most favourite trick, tying people's laces together.

.

But I didn't care. I was having too much fun.

.

About 12 o'clock, I bid everyone farewell and headed home, hand in hand with Eva.

Everyone at the party seemed to like her and she really seemed to fit in well.

.

Whisper disappeared after a few steps.

"See you at home Daddy."

.

'Ok, sweetie.'

.

It was a wonderful walk home. The moon was full and there was only a slight wind blowing.

"I can see why you love it here, Will," Eva said, as we walked.

"It is simply the most unbelievable place."

.

"I really do love this little village. I couldn't believe this place when I found it."

.

"The people of the village really seem to love you."

She stopped and looked up at me.

"You didn't tell me you were an honorary Mayor."

.

"It's nothing."

.

She continued to stare at me. "Nothing? Mayor Maynard told me that you paid for the new town hall and the library and most of the upkeeps on the people's houses. And your friends, Bobby and Jessie. You are building them a new house?"

.

As usual, I didn't know what to say.

"It's really nothing."

.

She shook her head and we kept walking. "You are too humble."

.

"You don't care, do you?"

.

"About what Will? Money?

No, I don't. You could be the richest man in the world and still be an asshole. You just be you Will and we will be ok."

.

I had to smile. My life was great.