The Cries of the Butterfly - A LOVE STORY (21 page)

“And on the Monday thereafter, we bring Robin home for good,” she said. “Now, I’m really famished. Do you have any food in this house…or do you guys only eat money?”

The glare he gave her would have killed anyone instantly. But Savannah only cackled raucously, then rushed out of the room, in search of the others.

WEDNESDAY
morning, April 9th.

If there was one time Wolf truly regretted being a famous person, it was now. He peered into the mirror in disgust as he stuck the last piece of the beard to his face.
Sweet shit, why do I have to do this over and over?

Oh, how he yearned to take his bride and saunter around some public park, arm-in-arm, then cuddle up under some shade tree. How he longed to go with her to some beach. How he craved to hang out with her at some road corner joint and have ice-cream. How he hungered to loaf the city streets and window-shop with her. How he pined to go to a simple restaurant and enjoy a quiet meal. Oh, how he just lusted to do all these things, to be a normal man in love, and not have to put on a camouflage every time he left home.

Instead, he could meet her only at Butcher Garden or her place. When she came to him, they would walk the garden, or swim, or watch some TV in his room. Sometimes they would sit on his bed and he would hug her from behind, her back to his chest, and they’d watch a movie. He would feel her warmth flow into him and a strange stirring would rise in his groin. He so ached to make love to her and he knew she badly wanted the same. But somehow he was holding out.
Just a few more days,
he would remind himself.

It was a pledge to himself he was not going to violate. It ran in the family. As far as he was aware, his father Eric, his Dad, Grant, even his siblings, Sage, Art and Olivia, had been steadfastly celibate until their marriage, and Wolf was proud of his family’s character, although in the contemporary world people would regard them as freaks. There had been temptations aplenty in Hollywood, but Wolf had never really been allured. For the simple reason that he had never really felt a part of that world beyond his work. His soul had remained solidly anchored at Butcher Garden. The world he worked in held no magic for him, for from the very beginning he had seen through its phoniness and shallowness. And for the zillionth time, Wolf was thankful he was born in a family such as this.

He put the shades on, then the baggy green Aussie cricket cap (sneakily gifted to him by a close friend, an ex-Aussie cricketer of great repute), and he regarded himself in the mirror.
Will this ever freaking stop!
He felt even worse for Savannah. What had the poor girl got herself into! But today he was determined to take her to the beach. He wouldn’t be able to shed his clothes and go in the water with her, but at least she could have some fun. He would watch her, and in watching her find his happiness. He put on the denim jacket and picked up the car keys from atop the study table.

As he came out of his room, he saw Rochelle vanish into her bedroom down the passageway.
Something is seriously wrong with this woman,
Wolf thought. She had been behaving almost like him. For a few days she was up and about, and then inexplicably she was down and out. What was weird was that while he at least had some excuse for his mercurial twists of temperament, she had none…well, at least none he could put a finger on. And she wouldn’t talk about it. Bizarre still, however, was that there almost seemed a pattern to it—when he was low, she was a beauty, his biggest support, always by his side, taking care of him in every possible way…almost like a mother would her helpless child. But when he was well, she seemed to hit the darkness. He regarded her bedroom door for a second, and his eyes narrowed a tad. He had a growing suspicion that Rochelle didn’t want him to marry Savannah. Indeed, she didn’t want him to marry at all, period…that as if in some way he would be snatched from her. She had become very possessive of him for some time now and it sometimes scared him.

***

On
this Wednesday morning, Robin finished her breakfast and got to her feet. As if on cue, Stripey leapt up from her lap and sprinted to his perch on her shoulder.

Back in her room, Robin collected her school bag, and a small cotton pouch, given to her by Mom. The latter was for Stripey—he would stay in it while she studied in class. But at least she could now keep him with her all the time and not secretly locked away in a cupboard. Again, it was all thanks to Dad. He had spoken to Sister Blessing and of course she had permitted Robin to keep the little chipmunk. The Butcher name, after all… Robin put Stripey inside the cotton pouch together with a few nuts. Then she looked around the room one more time before leaving for school.
Just five more days to go,
she thought,
and next Monday I’ll be with Dad and Mom. Forever!
She felt a wave of exhilaration wash over her.

But the very next instant the thought that she would be gone from this place for good, a place she had lived in all her life, the only place she really knew, hit her, and suddenly her eyes became moist.

“What’s wrong?” It was Moon-Moon.

Robin inhaled. She quickly wiped her eyes on her sleeve and looked at her best friend. Although Moon-Moon was in her class, she was two years older to Robin and looked six years older still. For, Moon-Moon was a big girl. She towered over Robin by six inches and looked twice as big. Her eyes were dark and astute and her face tubby and pale. Physically, she was an antithesis of Robin. Not very bright at academics, Moon-Moon though was Robin’s fierce protector, and woe betide any girl or boy who ever tried to mess with Robin.

“Missing us already?” Moon-Moon smiled.

But despite the smile, Robin could see there was something in her best friend’s eyes, a vague sadness. Robin understood and felt sad herself as a result.

“But I’m going to miss
you
the most,” Moon-Moon added and her eyes mist-up. She took Robin’s hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. “But you’ll visit me, no?”

Robin nodded earnestly. “Yes, yes, I will. Many times,” she said. “And you visit me also, yes?”

“But will they allow me?”

“Yes, they will. You are my best friend, so they will never say no. Dad and Mom are very good.”

“Okay. … And then perhaps I’ll also get a dad and mom just like yours one day.” Moon-Moon laughed, but Robin could see the longing in her. She took a step forward and gave the big girl a spontaneous hug.

Just then, Sister Toynette entered the room.

“You girls haven’t left for class yet?” the Sister demanded. Then she saw the teary faces, desperately trying to hold back, and she didn’t say anything anymore, but turned around and left.

***

Lianne
hugged Savannah tight.

“I’m so happy for you, honey,” Lianne said, smacking Savannah’s cheek with a kiss.

Savannah’s face sparkled and she nodded.
Four days more…just four!
she thought. She imagined her wedding day and felt a tremor of thrill. Mary, she was so nervous—already. Nervous and excited, all together. She looked at the mousy twenty-nine year old before her, at her light gray eyes and short brown hair and thin, long nose, and felt an uncharacteristic gush of affection for her best friend…her only friend.

Lianne took Savannah’s left hand.

“Jesus of Christ, what a ring!” she exclaimed. “It still sort-of knocks me flat, you know. Wolf Butcher of all people…Oh, Jesus of Christ!”

“Hey, do not say it!” Savannah snapped. “You well know I’ve never seen him in that superstar light ever. In fact, I’ve never been much of his fan.”

“Such a rare commodity. … As for me, you know I’ve always been a huge, huge fan of his.” She raised her face to the ceiling and whistled. “Hey, can I sort-of get a little peck on the cheek from him?”

“Perhaps,” Savannah laughed.

Now a spark came to Lianne’s eyes. “Perhaps a little more than that?” she winked.

Savannah’s face froze.

“Hey, just sort-of joking, hon,” Lianne quickly said.

Savannah shook her head. This friend of hers could be insufferable sometimes. But then Savannah also knew how to quickly put her in her place.

“Don’t ever joke about a thing like this! It’s not funny.”

“Okay, okay…peace!” Lianne put both her hands up. “But promise me one thing though, Sav. You won’t sort-of forget me after you hit big-time. Uh?”

“You know me better than that,” she said coldly.

“Yeah, but thought I’d sort-of have it…sort-of confirmed.”

“Alright.” Savannah glanced at her watch. It was nearing nine am and Wolf would be here any moment.

“Okay, okay, I sort-of get the message,” Lianne said with a little giggle. “I’m gone, baby…gone…”

Savannah smiled.
Oh, thank you so much, dear.

At the door, Lianne suddenly paused. She turned back to Savannah. Her eyes narrowed.

“On second thoughts, perhaps I can hang around a bit till
he
comes… Perhaps I can watch the two of you from behind the kitchen door…for just a little bit? I’ll be very discreet, I promise you. Uh?”

The look Savannah gave her made Lianne rush out of the house on the double.

***

Not
in a very long time had Savannah felt so fulfilled. Fulfilled in such a pure, rich way. Indeed, she had never felt so fulfilled in her life before. What a magical day it had been, this Wednesday.

After breakfast at ‘Coffee Musketeers’, they drove to the highway leading to the airport. Savannah insisted on driving Wolf’s Hummer, and he sat beside her, listening to Stevie Wonder’s ‘I just called to say I love you’, his long legs stretched out before him, his head thrown back, eyes shut.

“What an oldie you are. That’s such an antique number,” Savannah ribbed.

“There’s no such thing as old and new,” he snapped, without opening his eyes. “There is only good music and not so good music. And this is a beautiful, beautiful song. Timeless.”

“Uhhhhh…touchy!” she mocked.

Twenty-two miles into the highway, he suddenly stopped her.

“Hey, wait! … Take that road.” He pointed right, eastward. The highway cut onto a narrow gravel path. “If we’re in luck, it could lead us to an uninhabited beach.”

“Your call, old man,” she returned chirpily.

The road wasn’t too good, but the Hummer is a Hummer. Moreover, there was no traffic, no sign of human life at all. They were in the Greenhouse District of the Long Tongue, and after about five miles, the farmland gave way to palm trees and the path became suddenly sandy. The tires began to slip and Savannah had to truly work the wheel. Then they reached a huge dune and Savannah stopped before it. They got out to the smells and sounds of the ocean and walked up the dune…and the rolling waves and a deserted beach came into view.

“Yahooooo!” Wolf exulted, leaping in the air. “I thought so.”

She grabbed his beard. “No need for this anymore…off it goes.”

“Hey, easy! It hurts, dammit!” he cried, pulling away from her. He tripped over his own foot and landed heavily on his back on the sand. The shades and cap were tossed off and half his beard dangled from his chin.

“Oh, you pretty!” Savannah grinned and stepped forward. “Let me finish it.”

“Don’t dare!” And he crawled away hastily, before clumsily getting back to his feet.

“Mary, this is so god-sent!” she said, looking in awe at the light blue waters and the uninhabited coast with its unsullied white sand. “I’m getting my swimsuit. You better change too.”

“Didn’t get my swimming trunks,” he said.

“Does it matter?”

He looked at her and she winked.

Five minutes later, they stood in the shade of one coconut palm. She had changed into a florescent blue swimming costume that had multi-colored stripes on it.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she said wonderingly, waving at the waters and the waves and the sand. It seemed a lifetime since she had last visited a beach.

He nodded, not looking at the ocean at all.

“What’re you gawking at?!” she demanded.

He didn’t say anything, just kept staring at her outfit.

“You like it?” she said, her eyes narrowing.

He exhaled and looked away.

For a long moment there was silence, the air suddenly charged.

Eventually, Savannah spoke again. “Let’s go into the water. Come...”

“You go…I’ll watch.”

“You can swim in the nude, you know. There’s no one besides us on the beach,” she said, her voice slightly husky.

“Only if you take off your clothes too,” he said soberly, turning back to her.

She thought for a second. “Alright,” she said. And in a flash the flimsy wear came off and was tossed to the sand. “Your turn now.”

But he didn’t move, his gaze fixed on her nudeness. Savannah felt herself flush. Something stirred in her bladder and she felt a buzz in her nipples. Automatically, she glanced down at her breasts and she flushed more.

When she looked up again, he was taking off his attire, slightly turned away from her. Slowly…almost reluctantly. A sudden gust of wind hit her bare flesh, making her cross her arms across her chest. She was shocked at the poke of her stiff nipples on her wrists.
Mary!