Bill and his date seemed to have really hit it off and had seen each other several more times as the summer went on. Bill was incredibly smitten, and not in his usual blindly obsessive way. Boomhauer could really see something was different about this girl with the way Bill spoke of her.

"She's so smart, and funny, and-"

"Pretty?" asked Dale plainly.

"Beautiful!" Bill smiled dreamily. "And she's always so interested in what I have to say…"

Hank decided to throw a barbecue, not that he ever needed a reason to grill something, but wanted to use that as an opportunity to invite Bill's new girlfriend over.

"Please don't embarrass me," pleaded Bill. He was speaking mostly to Dale.

"You embarrass yourself plenty," he pointed out.

Hank spoke out in Bill's favor. "He must not be doing too badly if she's been seeing him regularly for the past couple of months."

"Exactly," Bill nodded, "and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Bill, I'd never dream of ruining your chance at a long term, fulfilling relationship," Dale said.

Bill looked at him skeptically. "Need I remind you of Charlene? Where you enlisted John Redcorn into sleeping with her while she was still dating me? While she was still living in my house?"

Dale waved it off. "The circumstances there were different."

"I agree with what Bill is getting at," Hank said, "Keep any grand plans or schemes to yourself. Don't say anything to embarrass Bill. Better yet, maybe just stay away from his girlfriend entirely."

Dale scoffed. "I'm offended that you think so low of me. I'd never try to ruin your happiness, Bill."

"Thanks, Dale," he smiled.

Dale nodded and lit up a cigarette.

Leah was also excited to meet Bill's girlfriend. She, too, could see how different Bill was lately. He was clearly happier, his aura brighter, and he moved with more purpose, and it definitely looked much healthier. Leah was curious to see what his girlfriend was like, if she was so special to Bill that he was changing from the very depths of his being.

Peggy, Nancy, and Minh sat with Leah at the Hill house the morning of the barbecue. It was a sunny and clear day, perfect for grilling, and perfect for speculating on Bill's love life.

"I've got to say, Bill has brought around some pretty colorful characters, but for the most part they weren't too bad. He just can't seem to keep anyone around," Peggy sipped pensively on her cup of coffee.

"The governor was an interesting one," nodded Nancy, "And so was Reverend Stroup, in a… different way."

"Kahn still won't get over his dating his mother," Minh told them, shaking her head.

"Charlene was very pretty," Peggy added, "Shame she cheated on him with John Redcorn, but, well, she's only human and Bill is… Bill."

Leah tried to say something positive. "Bill is looking much healthier and happier lately. Even his aura is less muddied."

They all nodded in agreement.

"You're right, he does look less… how he usually does." Peggy switched her focus onto Leah. "Boomhauer looks different, too, you know. I don't think I have ever seen that man smile and I've known him for twenty-five years. But since he's been with you it's like looking at a whole new person."

"A person who emotes," concurred Minh.

"Still doesn't talk much, though," Nancy said. "Does he talk more when it's just the two of you?"

"Oh, yes. He's incredible."

Peggy smiled warmly. "I knew you two would be good together."

And she was right…they were good together. It was almost laughable that Leah had to go all the way to Texas to find him. It was too coincidental to be a coincidence; it couldn't have been anything other than cosmic fate.

The barbecue was kicking off as Hank lit the propane tank. Most of the usual guests had already arrived: the Gribbles, the Souphanousinphones, the Kleinschmidts, Boomhauer and Leah, and of course the Hills.

Bill had arrived to Hank's backyard with his new girlfriend. Boomhauer's eyebrows raised, both from being surprised and impressed. She was very pretty, prettier than he would have expected from Bill, with thick, curly dark hair, big brown eyes, and warm, golden skin. She was on the shorter side, couldn't have been more than five foot even, if not for her heels.

"Come on," Leah beckoned, and tugged him across the yard.

Bill looked pleased, even excited, to introduce them.

"This is Boomhauer and Leah," Bill told his girlfriend.

"Hi," she beamed, "I'm Mia."

Boomhauer nodded hello.

"Hey, our names rhyme!" Leah noticed with excitement.

Mia grinned. "Yes! I think we're meant to be best friends."

Octavio approached them now. He was Dale's friend, usually hired to bail Dale out of some harebrained scheme gone wrong.

Boomhauer noticed Bill didn't exactly rush to introduce Mia to him, but he went ahead and introduced himself anyway.

Octavio looked Mia over with a glint in his eye. He muttered something in Spanish, to which Mia snapped back a Spanish reply of her own, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. Octavio looked amused, but didn't say anything further.

"Who are you?" Leah asked him.

He turned to Leah, also looking her over with a smirk. Boomhauer wanted to tear that handlebar mustache off of his face.

"Octavio. Dale's bodyguard."

"Bodyguard?"

"Come on," Bill said to Mia, "You should meet Hank's niece."

He led her away to where Luanne was sitting with Gracie.

Boomhauer was thinking up a quick excuse to leave with Leah, but Hank called them all to eat before he needed to.

Leah and Boomhauer made their plates ended up sitting across from Mia and Bill. Everyone was deeply interested in Mia, and kept peppering her with question after question, all of which she answered amicably.

"Bill said you're Colombian?" Peggy asked from across the picnic table.

"Well, my mother is from Colombia. I was born in Texas."

"How did you and Bill meet?" wondered Nancy.

"My sister's husband," she smiled sweetly as she looked at Bill, "He set us up on a blind date."

Leah asked her something, too. "What do you do for fun?"

"I like hiking, going to the gym, and-"

"Shit, Bill," Dale laughed, "Have you told her that your idea of an extreme sport is eating a microwaved pizza before it cools down?"

"Shut up, Dale."

"And I like painting, too," she finished to Leah.

The two of them excitedly began discussing their hobbies, like Leah's running and drawing, and Mia's hiking and painting. Boomhauer was pleased they were hitting it off so well. He was even more pleased with how nice Mia seemed, and how she genuinely seemed to like Bill. Bill certainly deserved to be with someone so friendly and sweet, and who was just as infatuated with him as he was with her.

The sun was setting, leaving behind a stretch of soft lavender above the tepid air. It was a pleasant evening, peaceful and fun.

Leah was feeling energetic, from being around her neighbors and from meeting a new friend. Across the yard were Bobby, Joseph, and Connie, who were dancing to music playing on a Bluetooth speaker. Leah felt they had the right idea.

"Come on, Mia," she beckoned, "Let's go dance!"

Boomhauer sat at the picnic table with his friends, Alamo beer in hand.

"Mia seems great, Bill," Hank said heartily.

"Yes, I'm having trouble finding something wrong with her," Dale mused, rubbing his chin.

Bill scowled. "Nothing is wrong with her."

"Well, she's dating you, so…"

"Dale, I know you think you're being funny, but could you knock it off?" Boomhauer scolded him.

"He's right, Dale. Try being a little more supportive of your friend for once. Bill has a nice girlfriend, let's be happy about that."

Dale resigned with a sigh. "Sorry, Bill. I really am happy for you."

Boomhauer watched as Octavio began talking to Mia, which made Bill scowl.

Bill spoke quietly, still giving Octavio a dark look. "That's the worst part-everybody else."

"Don't tell me you're jealous of Octavio?" questioned Hank.

"No. I mean, not really. It's not him, per se, it's anyone."

Hank tried to reassure him. "Hey, you're a great guy, Bill. Mia can see that. You have nothing to worry about."

"I hope not. I haven't been this happy in a long time. Maybe even my whole life. I know I've only known her for a couple of months, but she's really special to me."

"I'll drink to that," Boomhauer said, and raised his can of beer. Hank, Dale, and Bill raised theirs and clinked them all together.

"What are you guys toasting to?" Leah asked. She and Mia had returned to the picnic tables, and she slid in beside Boomhauer, gazingly tenderly up at him.

It was moments like these where he could really feel what was between the two of them, that connection, that energy, and the full weight of how much he loved her would break over him like an ocean wave.

"Oh, just to how happy we are to have you and Mia here," Hank answered with a grin.

"I'm going to make like a fetus and head out," Octavio announced. "Later, gringos."

"Bye, Octavio," waved Dale.

Octavio gave Mia one last look before leaving. "Adios," he smirked.

The now quiet backyard was softly lit by the string of lights hanging above the patio, casting everybody in an ambient glow. They spent much of the evening talking and laughing together. It was a union of neighbors and friends, something Leah had grown to be part of over her life on Rainey Street, and something Mia would hopefully stay to be part of, too.

Boomhauer saw the way Mia looked at Bill, sparkling eyes full of devotion and affection, and Boomhauer knew that was the same way Leah looked at him.

So whatever was between Bill and Mia, it had to be something real.


Leah and Mia spent a lot of time together over the summer. Mia was spending more and more of her days and nights over at Bill's house, giving her and Leah plenty of opportunity to get together. They liked sitting either in Leah's backyard, or sometimes in Bill's backyard, to draw and paint together, and some mornings Mia had even joined Leah on her run. Mia had great stamina for running; she clearly was just as athletic and outdoorsy as she had mentioned.

One sunny afternoon they joined up on Bill's patio while Boomhauer, Bill, and the rest of the guys hung around the alley. It was relaxing to sit out in nature, under the warm sunlight, and put pencil to paper and create something new. Leah was sketching out a fox with slender legs and a fluffy tail, bounding through a field of wildflowers. Mia was beginning to map out a series of shapes that would take eventually take the form of people as she kept working on them.

Leah glanced over and noticed the people in Mia's drawing looked an awful lot like the ones standing along the fence across the alley.

"Wow, that's so good!"

"Thanks! I didn't really intend to draw them at first, but looking at them out there all the time gave me inspiration."

Leah understood what she meant by that. Hank was tall and amiable, Dale was slight and impetuous, Boomhauer was, of course, handsome and reserved...and Bill was different now, changing more as his time with Mia went on. He was healthier than ever, and his jawline was more defined, and he certainly lost much of the sadness he carried within him. Mia was bringing out the best in him, transforming him for the better.

"You know, it's so great to see how well Bill is doing. I can tell he is very happy with you. His aura is the clearest green I have seen it."

Mia smiled, still faintly sketching on her paper. "I'm glad you're able to see that. I really like him, a lot. No one has ever treated me so well before."

Leah knew what that tone implied.

"Crappy ex?"

Mia chuckled. "That obvious, huh? Yeah...I was with him for a long time. He was pretty awful to me. He always put me down and belittled me. Then he cheated on me, which was enough of a wake up call for me to finally leave."

"That's horrible, I'm so sorry."

"Thank you. But at least it's over now. I'm just so glad I met Bill, I didn't think I would ever be happy again, let alone as happy as he makes me now. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me, you know?"

"Yes, absolutely...I feel that way about Boomhauer. Well, Jeffrey. I can probably call him that when it's just you."

"I was wondering if you called him Boomhauer when it's just the two of you," Mia laughed.

Boomhauer and the other neighbors all really liked Mia. She was nice, she was funny, and she made Bill happy, which was at the top of everyone's lists. It was as if Bill's perpetual raincloud had dissolved and had left only sunshine in its place.

"I like that they're friends," Bill motioned to where Leah and Mia were sitting. "Mia is really becoming part of Rainey Street, isn't she?"

"That she is," Hank agreed, "You sure picked a good one, Bill."

"I don't know about that...it's more like she picked me."

"You've really changed the way you handle relationships. In the past you would rush right in, but with Mia I can tell you're letting things happen organically."

"Yeah...I'm trying to be the opposite of how I used to be, I guess. I really want this to work."

"Well, it's working. It's great to see you so happy and taking care of yourself."

Bill looked pleased to have Hank's notice and approval.

"Yeah, you're not a fatass anymore!" Dale proclaimed, "But you are still bald, so at least I have that to hold over you."

Boomhauer watched as Leah and Mia kept talking and laughing together in Bill's backyard. The two of them really seemed to hit it off as friends, which Boomhauer was very grateful for. Peggy, Nancy, and Minh were fine and all, but Mia was less nosy and more humble, which was more Leah's speed. But most of all, he was happy that she made Bill happy. He knew the two of them were meant to be... just like him and Leah.