The Short Happy Life of Island Bill

Holy shit! She was an MD? It never crossed my mind that this smoking-hot young woman could be a doctor.

It fit her personality perfectly in that she was a giver. But that type of accomplishment for somebody so young and beautiful never entered my mind.

Talk about being a condescending geezer.

Thank God nobody asked me what I did. They just assumed.

But husband Bill was beginning to cut me glances like he was trying to decide whether he knew me or not.

I wanted to get to know Milly a lot better. That was before I made any hasty decisions about my return to the reality of the grown-up world. And

I didn't want my cover blown in the meantime. So we packed up the lunch that the people at Spinnakers cater for me. And I took them all back to the boat in the Zodiac.

When I dropped them at the dock Hughes hauled out his wallet and asked me, "How much?"

I told him that the trip was on the house. I really enjoyed my day with them.

That set off the usual guy thing about, "Take it! No YOU take it!"

Finally I told him that if he and Maddie and Milly would join me for dinner I would call it square.

----

They met me at Spinnakers at 7:00.

The two sisters were absolute visions. There was ten years difference in their age but they would have looked like twins if you could ignore the fact that Maddie was four inches shorter.

Both of them were in light linen dresses with tropical prints. Both of those dresses showed off their magnificent legs and their superb boobs.

They were absolutely enchanted by the venue. I knew they would be. There were three dudes doing something with steel drums and guitars that was so typically creole that it was like they had been hired to provide the night's Caribbean cliché.

I liked the aspect in Milly's eyes. They were shining every time she looked at me.

She was stunning tonight. Both sisters have the kind of perfectly proportioned, even features that just please your eye. You feel drawn to their face every time you look at them.

But fully made up, Milly's eyes and cheekbones and that wide sensuous mouth just pulled me in like gravity.

Every warning bell was going off in my mind. I was falling in love with this stunning creature.

I had been shit on by one beautiful woman. I absolutely did NOT want to give one a shot to one who was younger and even hotter than the woman who had burned me. But the attraction was inescapable.

For the first time in 14 months I was not thinking about my ex-wife. Instead I was thinking about the beautiful woman who was sitting across from me and wondering where a future might lead us.

And I was counting on my role as beach bum to save me from doing something ill-advised with Milly Wilson.

As long as I was one of the local fauna I could get to know this lovely creature. And I could confirm that she was who she appeared to be.

And at the same time maybe I could worm my way into her heart. I was afraid that if she knew me without understanding what I could offer her, she would blow me off like the dirty old man I was beginning to feel like.

After all, I was contemplating robbing the cradle in a very hot and sweaty fashion.

That was the exact point where Maddie's husband totally blew up all of my hopes. Naturally!!

Billy Joe Butler has always been some vindictive god's personal speed-bag.

Husband Bill said with sheer astonishment, "I have been trying to figure out whether I know you. And I have to ask you."

Oh, Shit! Here it comes.

"Are you Billy Joe Butler? And you know the Billy Joe Butler I am referring to."

I thought about trying to lie my way out of it. But these were good people and I owed them respect.

I said rather shamefaced, "Yes, I'm THAT Billy Joe Butler."

He said, "What in the world are you doing down here? I would have never recognized you."

I said, "I hit a bump in the road and when all the pieces hit the ground they landed me in St. Lucia."

He said, "What about Janet, is she here too?"

Milly looked like she was going to cry. She said timorously, "Janet??"

I said wearily, "She was the bump. We have been divorced for over a year. I am down here getting myself back together after that life ending event."

He said, "What about??"

And before he could finish his thought I said, "I know what you are going to ask. I took a sabbatical. I am going back there in a little under four weeks."

Maddie said, "Wait a minute. We all thought you were some kind of island type. Do you mean to tell us that you are actually a big-time academic in the States?"

The cat was so well and truly out of the bag that I figured I might as well just shoot it in the head and be done with it.

I said, "Yes, I am a Full Professor there. And the reason why your husband knows me is that we both do stuff for the National Counter Terrorism Center."

I turned to Milly, who was silently weeping.

I said, "I'm sorry Milly. I have been living the boat life so long that the guy they are talking about is really another person.

"I truly hope that you understand that I was not trying to deceive you.

"It is just that the last 14 months I have been agonizing over what my wife did to me. And for a change, I was beginning to develop real feelings for another person.

"I know that sounds presumptuous but you have managed to restore my faith in womankind and I simply didn't want to confuse that with the rest of my sad story."

She looked at me and said. "You should have been honest with me. I was falling in love with you."

Then she stood up, turned to her brother-in-law and said with quiet dignity, "Take me home. The dinner is on him" and stalked out of the place.

I am used to my relations with women ending in disaster so I didn't follow.

The sadness descended on me as I walked back to my only true friend.

He greeted me in his usual snuffling doggy manner, "Welcome back boss. Struck out again I see."

-----

It was hard to leave my happy life in St. Lucia but my sabbatical was up and I would owe the University a year's salary if I was not back in the classroom on the day after Labor Day.

The situation with Milly had torn the scab off the deep wound that Janet had inflicted. And I felt like I was bleeding-out again.

It was kind of embarrassing actually. I have nothing but scorn for any man who continues to play the brokenhearted wimp 16 months after a divorce. But here I was doing exactly that.

What was strange was that I was grieving over the loss of Milly, not Janet.

I packed and left. Jean-Claude was there to see me go. I had given him the nest-egg I had stashed in case I decided to stay. We had earned it together. He almost looked like he was going to refuse it. You had to know Jean-Claude to understand how touching that gesture was. Money is a sacrament for him.

He yelled, "Bon Chance Mon Ami" as I motored out, "Au revoir." And then he disappeared from view around the bend in the Bay.

I had a hairy time in the Straits of Florida. The first weather of the hurricane season was blowing in and I just got through it before I ran into any situation actually involving lifeboats.

Once I got into the inter-costal the sea calmed down. But the journey was still very bleak and overcast, at least as far as my state of mind was concerned.

Island Bill was dead. And I was going back to reality. But there was no love there.

------

I had gotten my hair whacked back to business professional standards. It was still white blond and people with my kind of tan are rare in DC, so I stood out.

In addition, I was more-or-less rawhide now, not soft and pudgy like the majority of the people around me.

But I was back to being Professor William Butler the solitary bachelor.

I came out of my morning lecture the second week of class to find Maddie leaning nonchalantly against the wall.

To say the least it was a shock! She was absolutely the LAST person I expected to run into in real life.

She had on the same gear as the rest of the students, short pleated skirt and pullover sweater, bare legs and Topsiders without socks.

But she was impossible to miss. That was because she was far and away the hottest woman in the hallway, if not the entire campus. Perhaps even Washington DC.

Man she was gorgeous!

I was startled to see her and curious about why she was there. So I walked over. I got the impression that she was used to people coming to her and not the other way around.

I said, "Hello Maddie. I never thought I would see you again."

She pushed off the wall and stood in front of me. She put her hands on my shoulders at arm's length.

She just silently studied me. Her expression was unreadable. It wasn't hostile but it wasn't friendly either. It was like I was her four year old and I had just shit myself in public. She didn't know what to do with me.

Finally she said, "Is there someplace private where we can talk?"

I thought, "Oh-oh! Is there a problem?"

I said, "My office is just upstairs if you want to go there. Or we can go to the Toombs if you want to talk in a more public place."

She said, "I could use a cup of coffee" and walked off in the direction of the parking lot without even looking back to see if I would follow.

She was unquestionably one confident-assed bitch.

I had come by the Metro so she had to drive me. On the way over we exchanged the general getting-to-know you information.

It turns out that she lived in the Palisades just up from the University. So coming down to see me was no big deal.

I also didn't need to ask her how she found me. Since my location on every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:00 AM is published on the internet.

It's one of the handy things about on-line schedules.

Apparently husband Bill was watching the kids.

We found a table and we both ordered coffee. Everybody in the place was trying to figure out who Maddie was.

She was even hotter looking than Janet in the big-busted exotic looks category, which attracts every male's attention.

The people in the place who knew my real story were all giving me approving glances.

Maddie is a lawyer and lawyers know how to get to the heart of the matter. Since I didn't think she was there to ask me to attend one of the kids' birthday parties I knew what we were going to talk about. So I thought I would preempt the conversation.

I said, "If Milly thought I was playing her I want to apologize once more.

"You can see how different the world down there is. The evidence is all around you here in this room."

Everybody in the place was carrying on serious conversations about class, or business.

"I had only known your sister for two days at that point. And it just didn't seem appropriate to try to explain my convoluted history."

She focused more intently on me. Her eyes were pools of intelligence and rock solid strength.

She said, "Okay - then tell ME now."

I took a long breath and said, "I was happily married to a woman who was almost as beautiful as you and Milly are. She was my best friend, lover and life's companion. I never thought my idyllic world would ever change.

"But I caught her cheating on me with her boss. In her defense I am pretty sure that she would have never betrayed me if the guy had not been so bloody persistent. It was just one of those unfortunate circumstances where all of the conditions required to sell me out clicked into place at one time.

"Nevertheless, when she did cheat it was a "perfect storm". In fact, she cheated with such selfish abandon that she blew up every aspect of our special marriage bond. And all of a sudden nothing in my life seemed certain anymore.

"If you ask me honestly, I don't think she would ever do it again. But I wouldn't bet on it. Nevertheless, watching her perform all of the slutty acts that she did with that man had the effect of reversing the polarity of our relationship.

"I was always strongly attracted to her. Then after witnessing what she did in that hotel room I was just as strongly repelled.

"Worse, she was so contrite and remorseful afterward that I found myself being drawn back into her orbit. And I would have lost all respect for myself as a man if I had allowed that to happen.

"So I decided to build a firebreak between the two of us by going somewhere different. Someplace where I could get my head back on straight.

"That other version of me was the person you encountered down there. I was Island Bill, the happy beach bum.

"I had pretty much decided that a life of celibacy would be preferable to the pain that a woman in your life can cause you. And the simple world down there was very appealing to me.

"Then I met your sister. There was something about her that cured all of my trust issues. It was a totally inexplicable reaction. It wasn't anything I thought about. It was instantaneous.

"She is just so real, unpretentious and kind. It was like a miracle.

"Down there I was acting like a little child, hiding from the facts of my real life. Then I met her.

"Suddenly I wanted a woman to respect me again. I wanted to live up to the standard that she set for me. I could believe in her and her fundamental integrity and honesty.

"And for the first time in 14 months my life had direction and purpose. I was strong again. And I could face anything including Janet's betrayal.

"That all came tumbling down when your husband outed me and she left.

"I just hope Milly understands that I was not trying to deceive her for any dishonorable reasons.

"I only wanted some time to try to convince her that even though I am older I could be a good match for her, if she would ever consider letting me into her life."

Maddie snorted. She said with sarcasm, "Seriously??? For such a smart guy you are really dense.

"I can't believe that you weren't able to see that Milly was totally in love with you.

"And she has been since the moment she laid eyes on you and that smelly mutt. I am convinced that your gender are ALL totally brain dead.

"Milly saved my marriage when Bill was suffering from the same kind of dementia. And now it is time for me to save hers.

"YES, she was a little upset when she found out that you are not what you appeared to be. But she expected you to call the next day and explain it to her.

"It just destroyed her when you up-and abandoned ship without another word.

"You must have some very serious confidence issues, Pilgrim.

"I would not be here if she wasn't suffering so much. But she has been a basket case for the past five weeks. And I am getting tired of waiting for you to get your head out of your ass.

"So I decided to kick-start this thing. Milly will be in town tomorrow and I expect you to make it right with her."

That was said in a tone of voice that brooked no insubordination from the peanut-gallery.

I said, "But she is the most stunningly attractive woman I have ever known. She is gorgeous, a perfect specimen of feminine beauty.

"She is an MD and sixteen years younger than I am. She must have a million better looking and more eligible suitors?"

Maddie shook her head and laughed bitterly, "Like I said, DENSE!"

She said, "Women fall in love with men. Men have nothing to do with that decision. None of you have the slightest idea about how intimacy works. If it were up to you, humans would have died out eons ago.

"It probably has something to do with a woman's responsibility to bear children. But our decision to be with someone is a complex choice. And we make that choice solely on our own.

"When a woman finds the right person she knows it. It is some atavistic ability that we have.

"It's a combination of chemistry and probably your upbringing and inclinations. It is also partly instinctual.

"You just see that you can share your life with this man. And a smart woman recognizes that right away.

"And the only way a woman can fuck it up is if she doesn't listen to what our instincts are telling her.

"When a woman like Milly makes the decision to love a man, the only requirement is that the man have the balls to step up and cement the connection.

"You have been the typical male idiot so far. You are overthinking everything and you have no self-confidence whatsoever.

"But then again, given your history with women that is understandable.

"Let me assure you that there is nobody with a greater sense of loyalty and devotion than Milly.

"She is the baby in the family. I basically raised her. I know that she would NEVER betray you, as that other woman did. It is simply not in her DNA.

"Milly wants to share her life with you. So, you have to pick her up at DCA tomorrow and take her someplace where you can iron this out.

"You need her in your life, just as much as she needs you. Just get it done."

Okay! Maddie is really bossy! But she is also a true force of nature. Her strength of mind just radiated off of her.

Nonetheless, she meant what she said and I believed her.

She handed me the arrival information.

She added, "If I don't see her this weekend it will be perfectly all-right. In fact I would prefer not to see her because it will mean you are getting this fixed.

"And let me assure you that you will never be sorry that you did, because Milly is the best woman that you, or any other man for that matter, could ever hope for in his life. She will make you happy."

With that she stood up and said. "I hope to see you at all of the family functions." And without another word she turned and left.

I was sitting there flabbergasted. The roller coaster had hit bottom and was now rocketing to the top of some yet unexplored pinnacle.

And I was not going to fumble the ball this time.

-----

Accordingly, the following day I was standing at the place where passengers pass through the final TSA check point in Terminal Three at Reagan.

It would be a gross understatement to say that I was nervous.

I was probably surer of myself going up to Susie Franklin's door the night of my Junior Prom, pimples and all.

The last time I had seen Milly she was walking out of my life.

So as far as I knew it was even odds that she might decide to tell me what she thought of me right in front of all of her fellow passengers. Or she might take one look at me and walk right past without acknowledging me.

I frankly didn't know why I was standing there. But as the song says, "Faint heart never won fair maiden."

She came through the passageway dragging her little roller bag. She was a perfect picture of feminine beauty, wrapped in the lethal grace of a big hunting cat.

Every male behind her was checking out her ass and legs. All of the ones watching her approach couldn't take their eyes off of her superb chest.

The image of another beautiful woman dragging her roller bag up the platform to the train flashed through my mind.

I was overcome by searing pain.

My little voice snickered and said, "You really are a hopeless pussy."

That pain was blown completely to pieces by the events of the next several seconds.

When she saw me standing there the emotions that passed across her lovely face were crystal clear and totally eloquent.

In approximately five seconds Milly went from bored traveler, to not believing her eyes, to pure unadulterated joy.

She is just like her sister though, totally confident and self-contained. So she didn't come running to me and throw herself weeping into my arms. Instead she calmly walked up to me and said, "Where's the car?" Like she had expected me to be there all along.

I politely offered to take her bag. She declined just as politely. The Wilson women drag their own bags.

It was a long walk to the car. She strode along next to me in her four inch heels, the ones that show off those marvelous legs.