The Butcher's Wife

Over the water and across the sea...

on a little island

off the Carolinas...

there once lived a young girl

with a great gift...

who thought she knew it all.

That's me.

Folks call me Marina,

and I'm a clairvoyant.

I've always known what people desire

long before they do...

and that's just a gift

I was born with.

Of course, I was always

on the watch for my other half...

what Grammy d'Arbo

calls your split-apart.

Mind you, I had my suitors...

but I was waiting for the signs

to let me know the right one...

a zigzag rainbow...

a bolt of lightning

ripping through the sky...

the usual things

that tell you love's at hand.

As the years went by,

I grew fevered with anticipation.

Grammy told me it was hormones.

But I knew love

had to be on its way...

and I could hardly wait

for my journey to begin.

First, a twin-tailed comet

crossed my path...

and I was sure

love could not be far behind.

Next thing I know,

a magical gift washed up on shore...

promising travel

to a faraway place.

And then thejumping mullet fish

yielded up a wedding band...

an undeniable sign that

I'd soon meet my mate.

And then one night,

I saw him in my dream.

Well, just part of him, actually...

but what a part.

It was a lustrous, glowing smile.

Grammy d'Arbo said you

can tell nothing from a smile...

unless, of course, you're a dentist.

Truth be told, I'd had

just about enough of her wisdom.

I knew what I had seen

in my dream...

the smile of my split-apart.

And he'd be coming over the water

and across the sea...

the man of my dreams.

My Adonis.

My Poseidon.

No. No, my Zeus.

Which is why I must admit

I was a mite surprised...

when the tides washed in

my husband-to-be Leo Lemke.

Grammy d'Arbo always said love

is the leap that won't be denied.

And what a leap I made...

from my little island to his.

Kids, don't waste the water!

You little bastards!

I'll make sausage out of ya!

Ladies, could you help me, please?

Molly, Gina,

this is my bride, Marina Lemke.

Bride?

Welcome to the neighborhood.

Leo. You'll get a hernia.

Love's made a young man of me.

No peeking, now.

No peeking.

It's for wrapping the meat.

That's right! You always got to

wear an apron. Always.

And you'll be working here,

behind the counter.

- It's fragile.

- Sorry.

The most important

part of the business...

keeping the customer satisfied.

Oh, Leo, you're back.

Hey, Harper, you're holding me up?

Oh. This?

The writers decided that Harper's

gonna kill somebody next week.

Of course,

they haven't decided whom.

But I decided I'd start

working with the weapon...

so I'd be more in-the-moment

when it comes.

Honey, this is Robyn Graves.

She's Harper on Our Daily Bread.

- Big TV star.

- Well, hardly.

And this is Marina Lemke...

my wife.

Pleased to meet ya.

Your wife?

I mean, my God.

Congratulations.

That's wonderful.

Leo, you sneaky devil.

You didn't even tell me

you were seeing anybody.

So...

I was just showing Marina

around the shop.

- We're not really open.

- Oh, no, Leo.

You got to help me, please. Please?

I got some stuff

in the freezer if you want.

- Just something for the barbecue.

- Let me see what I can do ya.

So Leo married.

And you too. That's great.

- When did you two meet?

- Two days ago.

You're kidding.

Oh, that's so brave.

I mean, it's just

that it seems so sudden.

- How did you know he was the one?

- I dreamed about him.

Oh, God.

I wish I got some answers

when I'm asleep.

All I ever dream about

is being on stage naked...

which is so textbook I'm embarrassed

to tell my boyfriend about it.

- He's a shrink.

- Shrink?

Psychiatrist.

And I know that he wishes...

I had more complicated dreams, so...

I make 'em up sometimes.

Maybe I could borrow yours.

"Honey, I dreamed

I was at my wedding last night...

and you were the one.

The one and only."

How will I ever know for sure?

Oh, you'll know.

There's love waiting for you

behind a friendly face.

There'll be big changes...

and a nice surprise...

but don't be scared of it.

Just stand up to it.

Destiny has a way

of working itself out.

That's what Grandma

d'Arbo always says.

Then Alex is it.

I think you're right.

I think we've both been

just fooling ourselves...

with all this talk

about shared independence...

when basically at heart...

I am an old-fashioned girl.

- I could just die...

- Here you go, sweetheart.

A couple of London broils. You can

defrost them in the microwave.

Thanks, Leo.

You know, your wife...

Is something special, all right.

Robyn, we've been driving all day...

and this is our first night

home together.

We got to close up now.

Oh, God.

How insensitive of me.

Okay.

- Leo, what do I owe you?

- You can pay me next time.

- I don't got any change.

- Oh, hey.

Thank you. We'll talk?

Looking towards it.

- See you later.

- Bye.

Honey...

how come you told her

all that stuff?

Just thought she

might want to know.

Welcome back!

I hear congratulations are in order.

Hey, Doc!

Meet my new bride, Marina.

- You all right?

- I'm fine.

I was just careless.

Yeah.

- I hope you have enough space.

- Oh, plenty.

You know, I wasn't expecting

to bring home a new wife.

That thing's awful loud.

I got a brand-new

digital alarm clock from the bank.

Want me to put this

in the living room?

Oh, no. This clock's been

with my family since heaven started.

- It's a perpetual motion clock.

- There's no such thing.

Well, sure.

Grandma d'Arbo says those ticks

are the heartbeat of a marriage...

two hearts beating as one.

That's nice, honey.

Don't you go anywhere.

You can't beat Bessie.

Who's that?

Oh, Bessie Smith...

the empress of the blues.

- How come it sounds so scratchy?

- It's an original pressing.

Very rare.

No one's ever wanted me

to dance with them before.

- I can't believe that.

- Well, it's the truth.

This town is just

crackling with current.

I'm never going to get to sleep.

I was thinking...

maybe you could take me out

to meet some of the neighbors.

We got to get up early tomorrow.

We got a big delivery coming.

I think it's going

to be late arriving.

Something... Cracked axle.

- I'm getting good at this.

- You sure are.

So what do you say?

I say I'm one lucky butcher.

I'm sure glad I found you.

I found you.

I'm sorry. It's just,

you took me by surprise.

I thought our next decision

is living together, not marriage.

Where did this come from

all of a sudden?

The butcher's wife.

What?

Leo's wife.

I've been to a lot

of clairvoyants in my time...

and this one is the real thing.

She's a very wise woman.

I could tell.

Leo's married to a clairvoyant?

And she told me...

"Love is waiting for you

behind a friendly face.

Don't be scared of it.

You can stand up to it."

Where the hell did Leo meet a gypsy?

Alex, do you want to

get married or not?

- Before we answer that question...

- Oh, God.

Sit down.

If she's going to have

such a profound effect on us...

I'd like to know more about her.

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