cupid's arrow » bill anderson | mamma mia

eight

"Bye, Bill." I whispered, waving the blonde Swede off as the boat sailed away from me. He kept glancing back as if to check if I had remained. When he was out of sight I turned, picking my things up, including a sailor hat. I hadn't brought it with me so it must've been Bill's — but he was too far away now. I could hardly shout into the horizon and hope for the best. I merely had to keep it till he returned; a constant reminder of him. It was nice, in a way, but somewhat taunting. Reminding me of him. Of us.

I returned to the flat just before eleven, flopping down on the sofa instantly. I put the sailor hat on the coffee table in front of me, put my feet up and switched the television on, aimlessly scrolling through channels. I must've fallen asleep as I woke to Angelique slapping me.

"What the hell was that for?!" I exclaimed, jumping up. I was wide awake with no chance of getting back to sleep, much to my dismay.

"Are you not going to work today?"

I groaned, remembering my shift pattern. I'd had the last few days off — and spent them with Bill — but now it was back to reality.

"I can't be bothered." I told her, pouting. Angelique rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Do you want to tell Antonia that?" She questioned. I shivered at the thought — Antonia wasn't known to be forgiving.

"Fine." I huffed.

"So," Angelique began, winking at me cheekily.

"So?"

"Dreaming of lover boy?" Angelique teased, referencing Bill. I felt my cheeks flush red in embarrassment; I'd never been one for such bluntness.

"He said he'd come back for me." I told her, glancing at the sailor hat he'd conveniently forgotten.

"Do you think he will?" She asked in a more serious tone. I sighed, nodding.

"He said that he wants to be with me, Angelique. He says that he wants me to go with him." I spoke. "That I need more spontaneity."

"You do." She admitted, a small grin on her face.

"Excuse me?" I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"You plan your day to the extreme, Nancy. You need to take a chance — preferably with, or on, him."

"People always say absence makes the heart grow fonder." I told her. She nodded, prompting me to speak again. "Do you think it will?"

"How do you feel now?"

"It sounds so odd, I've known him less than a month, but I feel like I've lost a little bit of me. That he's stolen my heart and sailed off in his boat with it."

"Oh, God." She sat up a little straighter, taken aback by my answer. Her tone was harsh, deadly serious, and I expected criticism but she didn't seem to have any. "Do you love him?"

I paused, thinking it over. "Christ, what if I do?" I stuttered, looking to the sailor hat.

"And you let him go?!" She exclaimed, huffing. "You're like every lovesick girl in a teen drama. You should've clung onto him with your claws, Nancy!"

"He'll come back." I reassured her.

"Will he?"

"Yes! He wouldn't have asked me to be his girlfriend if he didn't think he'd ever see me again, Angelique." I scoffed, folding my arms.

"I hope he does, Nancy. I do." She reassured me, but had utterly dismissed my words. Angelique's expression said it all; she thought Bill wasn't coming back and that was that, but I disagreed. He seemed to genuine to be like that, too kind.

"When he does," I began, my tone stern. "Do you think I should do what he asked?"

"What?"

"Sail off with him. Travel." I responded.

"Be spontaneous!"

"That's what he said." I chuckled. "But I can't just abandon my job, Angelique. I can't afford it."

"You literally have a trust fund, Nancy." Angelique grumbled. I shook my head,

"It would be wrong to use that educational-intended money for travel, and it's not just that! I'm due back in England in two months. I don't think I could just abandon my-"

"Spontaneous." She cut me off. "And I'm sure your time with Bill will be educational." Angelique spoke, making euphemisms that elaborating on would make this an R-Rated thought.

"I'll think about it." I spoke. "I told Bill I would."

"See! You'll have to send me a postcard." She squealed.

"If I go." I responded.

"When you go." She corrected me. "This could be the summer of your life. Even if it doesn't work out, summer flings can always be fun, and I'm sure being with a handsome man like Bill could ensure fun."

"Fine." I snapped. "Fine, fine, fine. I'll go. If only to get you to stop nagging me."

"Good." She sat back, picking up the sailors hat.

"It's Bill's. He left it."

"Convenient." Angelique muttered, putting it on my head. "Now, we wait for his return."

The clock struck nine, indicating only half an hour until we had to be at work.

"In the meantime, we go to work." I chuckled, standing up. Angelique groaned, flopping her arms in the air.

"Do we have to?" She mirrored my earlier sentiments. I nodded, taking her hand and pulling her up off of the sofa.

"If I have to be spontaneous and sail with Bill, you have to commit to your job and go to work. Do you really want Antonia trying to kill you, axe murderer style?"

Angelique's eyes widened a little.

"It wouldn't be the first time."

We got to the restaurant on time — thankfully. It was a slow day. Every time I saw a blonde head of hair I felt a glimmer of hope that it was Bill, only for them to turn around and cause disappointment. Nevertheless, I got on with it. It wasn't hard to show up to work everyday and it wasn't as if my life was going to be make or break because of a man.

"Where's your blonde?" Antonia spoke up, calling across the bar. I hadn't spoken to her in recent days and she was under the assumption Bill was still here.

"Gone." I told her. She pouted, taking a different meaning of the word than what I intended.

"Forever?"

"He's coming back." I assured her. Antonia smiled, nodding. She seemed supportive of it, even if I had missed some shifts as a result.

"Is he?" Angelique teased, referencing my doubts.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, throwing my towel at her. "He would need to retrieve his hat."

"Or maybe it's a memento for your time together." Antonia jested, teaming up with Angelique. I groaned and shook my head.

"Bill isn't like that. I had doubts but now I am sure. He wouldn't just up and leave, he did have a reason."

"Which was?" She prompted.

"He had a sailing race." I admitted. "And anyway, you don't know him like I do."

"I feel like I do after that night he spent at the flat." Angelique muttered, avoiding eye contact.

"Excuse me?" I responded. Angelique was unable to keep her laughter in as she spoke again.

"I'm just saying.. He likes to make a lot of noise."

"That's disgusting." Antonia complained, grimacing at the thought.

"I don't wish to discuss that with you two, thank you very much." I responded, walking to the end of the bar. "Though it proves that I do know him a bit better better than you two."

"I don't think I'd want to know him like that.." Antonia trailed off, frowning. "He's not my type."

"He's certainly mine."