In a cryptic social media post that’s sent the internet into a frenzy of heart-eyes emojis and frantic DMs, William Bumpus – the high-powered attorney and ex-husband of broadcasting icon Gayle King – has ignited the wildest reconciliation rumors since Bennifer 2.0, declaring, “I need to be with her during this final stretch.” Fans are losing their minds over what could be the ultimate second-chance romance, especially as Gayle, 70, navigates a whirlwind year of space flights, swimsuit covers, and the joyous chaos of new-grandma life.

The message, posted late last night on Bumpus’s rarely used Instagram account (which boasts a whopping 347 followers, mostly family lawyers and one very confused golden retriever), was tucked into a carousel of throwback photos from the couple’s 1982 wedding. There they are: a beaming 28-year-old Gayle in a lace gown that screams “elegant ’80s,” arm-in-arm with a dashing 30-year-old Bill, both oblivious to the tabloid storm that would one day erupt over infidelity allegations. The caption? A single, loaded line: “Through every launch and landing, I need to be with her during this final stretch. #SecondActs #ForeverCoPilots.”

The timing couldn’t be more electric. Just weeks ago, Gayle returned from her historic all-women Blue Origin spaceflight – a 10-minute rocket ride to the edge of the cosmos alongside Katy Perry and Lauren Sánchez – where she floated weightlessly in a custom CBS-branded jumpsuit, declaring it “the ultimate high.” But whispers from insiders suggest the “final stretch” isn’t about Gayle’s next career pivot (rumors of her 2026 CBS Mornings exit are swirling like exhaust fumes). No, sources say it’s a deeply personal nod to Gayle’s ongoing battle with a private health scare – a “benign but pesky” condition she’s kept under wraps to avoid derailing her Luca-grandma glow-up.

“Bill’s words hit like a gut punch because they’re so raw,” a close friend of the family told this outlet, on condition of anonymity because, well, Oprah-level NDAs. “Gayle’s been a rock for everyone – her kids, Oprah, the nation during pandemics and elections. But this? It’s her turn to lean. And Bill, after all these years, is stepping up like he never left.”

For the uninitiated (or those who skipped the ’90s gossip columns), Gayle and Bill’s love story was pure fairy tale turned Lifetime movie. They met in the early ’80s when she was a rising news anchor in Hartford, Connecticut, and he was a former cop turned prosecutor with a jawline that could cut glass. Sparks flew over late-night case files and shared dreams of public service; they tied the knot on October 16, 1982, in a ceremony that had zero celebrities but all the heart. Within four years, they welcomed daughter Kirby (now 39, a public health powerhouse married to Virgil Miller and mom to the internet’s favorite baby, Luca) and son Will Jr. (37, a low-key creative who’s mastered the art of staying out of the spotlight).

But paradise cracked in 1990 when Gayle walked in on Bill in a compromising position with one of her closest friends – a betrayal that played out in screaming headlines and therapy sessions that could fill a TED Talk series. “It shattered me,” Gayle later confessed in a rare vulnerable moment on her Oprah Daily podcast. “But we chose the kids over the wreckage. Divorce wasn’t the end; it was the rewrite.” The split finalized in 1993 amid “irreconcilable differences,” but what followed was co-parenting gold: joint Thanksgivings at Oprah’s Montecito manse, Bill cheering Kirby’s Stanford graduation from the front row, and Gayle sending him Father’s Day cards that read like rom-com scripts.

Fast-forward three decades, and their “amicable exes” vibe has evolved into something suspiciously sparkly. Bill’s effusive praise for Gayle’s 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover – “My teenage fantasy come true! You look fantastic!” – had fans screenshotting like it was the Unabomber manifesto. Then came the spaceflight shoutouts: while Gayle was prepping for launch, Bill reportedly sent a care package to mission control with monogrammed “King Bumpus” space blankets and a note: “For the woman who always reaches higher.” And don’t get us started on the family vacations. Last summer’s Turks and Caicos trip – the one where baby Luca stole the show in tiny linen rompers – allegedly had Bill “casually” joining for sunset walks, trading inside jokes about Kirby’s terrible taste in board games.

Now, with this “final stretch” bombshell, the speculation machine is in overdrive. Is Bill, 72 and still practicing family law at his Waterbury firm (specializing in, ironically, collaborative divorces), angling for a sequel? Insiders say yes – or at least, a “what if” dinner that turns into more. “He’s been single forever, focused on the kids and grandkids,” the friend reveals. “But watching Gayle conquer the world? It’s reignited something. That post? It’s his white flag. Subtle, but for Bill, it’s a billboard.”

Gayle’s camp is playing it coy, as expected from the queen of composed. When pressed during a CBS promo spot yesterday, she flashed that megawatt smile and quipped, “Bill and I? We’re like fine wine – better with age, and always there for the pour. As for the rest? Tune in to life; it’s the best show.” Oprah, ever the oracle, liked Bill’s post with a single eggplant emoji (decoding: phallic symbolism meets “you’re cooking, boo”), while Michelle Obama commented, “Rooting for all the stretches ahead. ❤️” Even Reese Witherspoon piled on: “If this is the plot twist, I’m here for the sequel!”

Social media is a battlefield of memes: Photoshopped wedding cakes with rocket toppers, TikToks lip-syncing “Ex-Factor” over Bill’s throwbacks, and a viral thread titled “Gayle & Bill: The Divorce That Wasn’t?” racking up 2.3 million views. One user nailed it: “They built an empire from the ashes – kids thriving, grandbaby slaying, careers unstoppable. If reconciliation’s the encore, sign me up for tickets.”

Of course, skeptics abound. “It’s just co-grandparenting,” snarks one Reddit royal (sorry, wrong family). “Gayle’s got suitors lining up – remember that billionaire from the TIME Gala?” But those in the know dismiss the noise. “Gayle’s not one for games,” the friend insists. “If Bill’s hinting, it’s because she’s listening. And after 32 years apart, ‘final stretch’ sounds a lot like ‘happily ever after 2.0.'”

As the world holds its breath – and refreshes Instagram every 30 seconds – one thing’s clear: Gayle King doesn’t do half-measures. Whether this is a heartfelt support post or the opening line of their next chapter, Bill Bumpus has reminded us that love, like a good broadcast, thrives on timing. And right now? The clock’s ticking toward something extraordinary.