melancholia. [ ALTERNATE SPIN-OFF ] [ BILLY HARGROVE ]

xix. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

~*~
The End of the Day

     Mary stepped out of the shower, ruffling her hair out with a towel before wrapping it around her body. She glanced from the bathroom to bedroom to see that Billy was buttoning up a white shirt, grabbing a tie from next to him. She smiled lightly, grabbing her robe and tying it around her. She glanced to Billy again to see he was struggling to tie the tie, making her laugh slightly. She stepped out of the bathroom, walking to him slowly. He looked over at her footsteps, a small smile on his face. 

     "I used to use a clip on that my dad had lying around, so I don't really know how to tie this," Billy admitted, lifting up the tie in his hands. "Seems like something I should probably know by now." 

     "It's okay, my mom taught me just in case," Mary told him, taking the tie from his hands. She wrapped it around his neck, beginning to work on the knot. "Besides, I knew the other one was a clip on." 

     "You did?" Billy asked, almost shocked. 

     "Yeah, why do you think I never grabbed you by the tie to kiss you?" Mary asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Billy chuckled at her words, Mary twisting the tie over itself. "Anyways, I don't mind doing this. Makes me feel like I'm getting you ready for something really important." 

     "Speaking of important, you know what next Wednesday is?" Billy asked, a smirk tugging at his lips. Mary knew that it was the anniversary for the first day they met, but she wanted to see how excited he would get to tell her. 

     "Remind me," Mary said, pretending to focus on the tie. Even though she was already done with it. 

     "October twenty-eighth. The first day we met. It'll be the three year anniversary," Billy said, wrapping his arms around her waist. 

     "Right," Mary smiled, looking up to him. She tightened the tie, then pulled him down to her for a kiss. Once they parted, Mary smiled again. "Been waiting to do that since December of 1984." 

     "Glad to fulfill you," Billy responded. Mary stepped back, going back to the bathroom. 

     "I'll be ready in about twenty minutes, so be ready by then," Mary told him, disappearing into the bathroom. She shut the door again, Billy smiling to himself. He turned and grabbed his shoes, sitting on the bed and sliding them on. 

~*~
9:00 pm, October 22, 1987

     Olivia knocked on the apartment door, Jackson rolling his eyes as he knew who was on the other side before even opening it. He'd been waiting for Mary and Billy to get back, but had yet to hear the Impala pull up from outside. He walked to the door, swinging it open to see that Olivia had done her makeup, her hair was curled, and she was in a fairly nice and revealing outfit. 

     "Wow, this is a new low for you," Jackson stated, snickering slightly at her appearance. 

     "Some would define it as a high," Olivia snapped at him. "Are they home, yet?" 

     "No, they're still out," Jackson informed her. He stepped away from the door, going back to the TV. "You are welcome to wait, or you could come back later for a grand entrance." 

     "No, I think I'll wait," Olivia insisted, shutting the door to the apartment behind her slowly. She looked to the TV, eyes narrowing at whatever Jackson was watching. "Is that Wizard of Oz?" 

     "Oh, yeah, it's on the VHS player," Jackson said, leaning back into the couch. "You're welcome to watch, there's leftover pizza in the fridge." Olivia glanced to the fridge, then back to the TV. She walked that way slowly, sitting next to Jackson promptly. He glanced to her, then looked back to the TV.