The Speech: Part 2

For the integrity of this piece, please read yesterday's post for part one of "The Speech" before continuing on  with part two found below. Thank you!

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The first time Mac met Matty face to face she knew she was going to marry him. It was admittedly cliché, and completely cheesy, but when you know, you know.
    It was at a campus picnic, senior year. She had seen him around before, even talked to him on occasion, but she'd never really gotten to know him. But when she put her hand in his that night to introduce herself, something sparked. Time stood still as she looked into his dusty blue eyes, standing out in the open under a fresh buzz cut.
    "Hi," she'd said, dumbfounded.
    "I'm Matt," he replied, smiling a gap-toothed grin while he held her hand just a second longer than was socially acceptable. He'd still gone by Matt then; it was more dignified.
    "Louise," she'd responded, allowing his bear paw of a hand to swallow her own until The first time Mac met Matty face to face she knew she was going to marry him. It was admittedly cliché, and completely cheesy, but when you know, you know.
    It was at a campus picnic, senior year. She had seen him around before, even talked to him on occasion, but she'd never really gotten to know him. But when she put her hand in his that night to introduce herself, something sparked. Time stood still as she looked into his dusty blue eyes, standing out in the open under a fresh buzz cut.
    "Hi," she'd said, dumbfounded.
    "I'm Matt," he replied, smiling a gap-toothed grin while he held her hand just a second longer than was socially acceptable. He'd still gone by Matt then; it was more dignified.
    "Louise," she'd responded, allowing his bear paw of a hand to swallow her own until all she felt were the calloused hands of a working man. His toasted tan skin contrasted with her milky complexion. The moment was captured in her memory like a Polaroid picture, slightly faded around the edges with time. No one had called her Mac until Matty came around. It started out as a playful poke at her horrendous middle name, and of course it stuck.
    Mac's mother was a huge literature fan. She had majored in English Literature at NYU, where she immediately fell in love with the dramatic arts. Mac's middle name came from her mothers favorite play: Macbeth. Mac hated her middle name growing up, lying about it on forms by writing 'Beth' or just putting an initial. Matty had coaxed it out of her one night after they had shared dinner.  Mac would have kept it from him, if she hadn't had so much wine. She wouldn't tell you if you asked her, but she secretly loved the nickname Matty had created.

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