Page 74 of A Very No Strings Halloween
“What am I gonna do—notbe right about everything?”
I’m not sure anyone has ever been more pleased to see my red hair than Declan Cannavale’s ma.
“What can I say?” she says to Billy’s ma, shrugging. “I know what I know. And I knew your boy would end up with a beautiful ginger. I’m so happy for both of you, even though my youngest lost a bet—no offense. Eddie isn’t used to losing, but all my boys are good sports. Even when they have to wear shirts for the wrong team—no offense. I grew up here and live in Ohio now, so I know how it is.”
“Oh, Mamie knowseverythin’abouteverything’, just ask her.” Billy’s mom winks at me and gives her sister-in-law a friendly nudge. She lowers her voicebefore saying, “But I grew up a fan of the New York team that shall not be named, so I get it too.”
We’re talking football because once we’d all finished dinner and everyone had given their birthday toasts celebrating Billy’s ninety-year-old grandma, Nolan and Eddie made an announcement acknowledging that they lost the bet. Then Nolan, Eddie, and Billy unbuttoned their shirts to reveal that they’re wearing Philly Lightning jerseys underneath and put on Lightning ball caps. They endured a lot of boos and hissing from the Bostonians and New Yorkers in this Irish pub. And they did it in an act of solidarity, because Billy won the bet and because I won Billy.
Billy and I have only been officially dating for a couple of weeks, but already I feel so welcomed into this family’s circle. It’s like they’re forming a big, loud, protective ring around me. A big, loud ring with a lot of great accents and some truly amazing butts. I can’t say I blame Piper for checking out her sort-of uncles’ derrieres, becausewow. Their ancestors must have done a lot of squats.
Billy is across the room, talking to one of his nieces, when we lock eyes and smile at each other. He’s the life of the party, talking to everyone at once, it seems, but he never forgets to check in with me. It’s hard to believe there was a time when the only way we connected was with our genitals. I definitely can’t believe I insisted on pretendingwe were other people when Billy O’Sullivan is more interesting than all of those characters combined. I’m so glad we finally gave up the ghost when it came to pretending we didn’t want strings, so to speak.
So much happened in October that we just eased into everything November has to offer.
When we were at the house last weekend, waiting for a contractor to show up, I asked him if he’d want to live with me there once we fixed the place up. He said quietly, without hesitation, “I want to live with you everywhere, Donna. Especially here.” And that was that.
On Halloween night, back at Billy’s apartment, we’d both dreamed about a man and a woman living happily together on the farm. We’d assumed it was Lars and Lara. But once we were back at the house, I knew…it was us.
Next week there’s a PR event with him for his business. Later this month, he’ll fly with me to Philadelphia for Thanksgiving with my mom and grandparents. It doesn’t make my job any less hard or the end of a patient’s life less sad. But being with Billy reminds me how much more there is to living.
I hope we can do all the living on Olander Farm that the Olanders never got to do together.
“How you doin’ over here?” Billy leans in from behind my chair and rubs my shoulders. “You need another drink?”
“I’m good, thanks.” I tilt my chin up for a quick kiss. “How about you?”
“Maybe later. I’m gonna get up and give one more toast first.” He gives me a little pat on the arm before going over to the little stage and picking up the microphone from the stand. But he forgot to take a glass up with him. “This thing on?” he says into the mic.
Everyone instinctively looks over to Nolan, expecting him to come back with something lovingly insulting, but he just puts his arm around his wife, Cora, and leans back in his chair.
Even I know how unusual that is.
“All right,” Billy continues. “I trust you’re all havin’ a good night—especially you, Granny.”
“Gettin’ a little nervous now, though…” she says, grinning.
“You aren’t the one who needs to be nervous,” he says. “First of all, I may have made this party happen, as none of you have mentioned—which is fine—but none of us would be here if it weren’t for you, Granny. You not only made us happen by marryin’ Grandad and givin’ birth to your fine offspring but by bein’ the kind of wife and ma that inspires generations.” He clears his throat. “As you all know, I was the last of us to be inspired in such a way…” He looks down at the floor, just as I feel everyone else in the room looking over and smiling at me. “But I’m plenty inspired now. So if you’ll permit me to do this at your birthday celebration, it feels right to do this in front of all the people I love.”
My heart is beating even faster than it did when I was running through a haunted house. Ma O’Sullivan and Ma Cannavale reach over to take my hands in theirs.
“Oh my Lord, it’s happening,” Mrs. O’Sullivan mutters. She punches her husband’s arm. “I told you, Oscar! Didn’t I tell you?”
Billy just grins at me from across the room and says into the microphone, like it’s the most natural thing in the world, “Hey, Donna. You wanna get married? I know a guy who wants to marry you. It’s me. I’m the guy.” He places the microphone back on the stand and saunters over to me, smirking, his hands in his pockets.
My eyes are watering and my mouth is dry.
He gets down on one knee in front of me, and his mom squeals as he pulls a small crimson-red velvet box out of one pocket. “Will ya marry me, Donna Fischer?”
I nod with my entire body and heart and soul. “Yes. I would love to.”
He looks so relieved. I can’t believe it would ever occur to him that I’d say anything other than yes. He opens up the ring box, and in it is an absolutely stunning ruby-and-diamond engagement ring. It feels likemy eyeballs are popping out of their sockets. I want that.
“Aunt Mamie,” Billy says to Mrs. Cannavale, “my fiancée is gonna need her left hand back.”
I think both of my hands have fallen asleep because these moms have been squeezing them so hard.
They both pat my hands before letting go.
