bird-of-paradise buds not opening

Last year I was given a potted clump of bird-of-paradise which had been neglected. It was too big to re-pot easily so I stripped off all the dead material and fed it well. In the fall I brought it inside and put it in a room with very bright light but little direct sun. (The only room it would fit in.) About two months ago I noticed that it was producing two flower buds, but they haven't opened yet. The older one is getting yellow at the tip, but the newer one is emitting a sweet scent. Does it normally take a long time for the buds to open, and does it normally bloom in late winter?