The Cries of the Butterfly - A LOVE STORY (58 page)

.

“
S
o did you find out why Cass changed his mind? You said Savannah had something to do with it,” Wolf asked over the line. It was later that morning, Tuesday, May 20th.

“Yeah, I did find out,” Maddy said.

“Come on, don’t play with me. Unload.”

“Can’t, honey. Privileged info.”

“I didn’t see anything in your rag today.”

“It’s too hot to publish.”

Wolf shrugged. He knew he wasn’t going to glean anything more from her on this. So instead he asked, “You were working on a feature on Dad. So what dirt did you dig up? You promised you’d come up with something at least.”

He heard her exhale heavily. “Nothing. He’s another sinless saint… Yuks!” she spat sourly.

He sniggered.
Didn’t I tell you, Witch?
“Didn’t I tell you, Witch?”

.

T
his Tuesday morning, while Wolf talked with Maddy on the phone, Savannah paid Ian Cass another visit. This time, she didn’t call beforehand.

He stood there in the living room before her, looking at her. There was a sad haunted look in his eyes.

She sat on the settee, her back straight, and hardened her face.

“There was something I forgot to mention yesterday,” she said in a levelly cold voice.

He didn’t say anything.

No point hesitating,
she told herself. “I want you to facilitate Wolf’s adoption of Robin.”

The sad, haunted look flushed out in a flash and naked fury gushed in. His eyes suddenly blazing, he took a step forward and gesticulated wildly with his pointing finger. His lips trembled like a Yasser Arafat, and Savannah instantly cowered.

“If…if…if…if…if…you think…” he stuttered. Then he clutched his throat and began coughing crazily, dropping down on the sofa.

Savannah’s face went white.

The big woman came rushing in. She sat next to Cass and placed a hand on his back, then began stroking it vigorously. But it didn’t help—the coughing got worse. The big woman shot Savannah a murderous glance, then jumped to her feet and rushed to the kitchen. She was back in five seconds with a glass of water. She pushed it to his lips. He resisted for a second, then swallowed a mouthful. The coughing subsided, and he leaned forward, panting mightily, his eyes crimson.

But almost immediately a fresh wave of crazy coughing erupted. It lifted him clean off his seat and he grabbed the big woman. With a lunging gulp of air, he fell back on the sofa again and doubled up. His nose and eyes ran in torrents. The big woman screamed in panic, then threw herself on him, clasping him despairingly.

Savannah leapt to her feet and rushed out of the house in great haste.

.

“
W
e need to talk,” Wolf said to Savannah. It was two pm and post-lunch they were alone in the living room of the ground floor apartment. For some reason, Rochelle hadn’t shown up as yet this day.

“Alright,” she said.

“You went to Cass yesterday,” he stated pointblank.

“I did,” she returned matter-of-factly.

“Want to tell me about it?”

“I went to reason with him.”

“About?”

“Can’t you guess?”

“I don’t believe he’d change his mind no matter what. He wouldn’t listen to
me
. How would he ever listen to
you?
”

“I’m a woman, Wolf. Often a woman, by her very nature, is more persuasive.”

He shook his head.
Not in this scenario.

“He was never against me. He was against
you.
Vehemently against you. And you tell me you still managed to convince him?”

“I persuaded him. Like only a mother can.”

Wolf felt his hair bristle.

“What’s it?” she said.

“What?”

“Why have you suddenly gone so pale?”

He swallowed. Then he pulled out a letter from his pocket.

She squinted up into his face for a second, then quietly took the sheet.

Wolf observed her—studied her very closely, very intently, not daring to blink lest he miss something, the slightest hint.

At first her face was impassive, then a mild surprise came over it. She waved the paper, an amused smile in her eyes.

“What’s all this? Who’s this Mary?”

You tell me.
“Don’t you recognize it?” he said.

She looked back at the letter, studying it more closely. Caution jumped into her eyes.

“Do not say it! The handwriting’s just like mine,” she said.

Wolf’s eyes didn’t leave her face for a nanosecond.

“You don’t recognize it?” he repeated.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Suddenly animated, he stood up, went to the bedroom, and returned with the cardboard box and the jewelry. He laid the stuff before her on the table.

“What’s all this now?” she demanded.

He picked up the platinum bracelet. He pointed to the inscription. “Know this?”

“Wolf, what’s going on?”

Wolf exhaled and told her. His hawk eyes were riveted on her, for the slightest expression, for the slightest change that would be a giveaway.

When he had finished, her hand went to her mouth. She was silent for a moment. Several moments, in fact.

Then she said, “Mary! And you think
I’m
Robin’s biological mother?” There was genuine shock on her face.

His face was grim.

“I don’t believe this! How can you even think… Oh, Mary!” she said. Her voice was a dry crackle. “If Robin
was
my child, wouldn’t that be the most beautiful thing in the world? So if that were indeed true, why would I ever deny it? Why would I abandon my own baby in the first place? So what sort of thinking is that?” She shook her head vigorously. “I don’t believe you’re even thinking this way!” She stood up. Then she turned around and stomped off.

Wolf lunged and grabbed her wrist.

“I’m not thinking that way, Savannah, please don’t make such an issue…”

“Oh, yes, you are! You absolutely are!” She yanked her hand away. “What do you think I am? Yes, I was a damn whore in my dark days, but that I would descend to this level…” Tears swamped her heart and she couldn’t speak further. She ran to the bedroom.

Wolf went after her, but she locked herself in the washroom.

“Savannah, hey!” he shouted, thumping on the door. “Savannah, for god’s sakes!”

But it was useless. He may as well have been imploring a tomb.

.

H
e was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring vacantly at the floor between his feet, when the washroom door finally opened.

“I want a DNA done,” she said. “Today.”

He looked up sharply. Her face was set and cold. He thought maybe she had been crying within. He sucked in a lungful of air and slowly rose to his feet.

“Look, Sav, there’s no reason to get so upset.” He tried taking her in his arms, but she hastily moved away.

“No!” she shouted, her eyes flinging angry shards at him. “I want this goddamn thing resolved. Now! And I want the DNA done in an accredited lab.”

He regarded her and realized it was useless talking to her, at least for now.

“Okay,” he said. “We’ll do it if we find a way to smuggle Robin to the lab.”

“Oh, you can! You’ve been seeing her on the sly for a hundred years now. You can easily arrange this too.”

“Right.” He moved toward her again.

But again she stepped back hurriedly. Then her back hit the wall and there was nowhere to flee. He seized both her arms.

“No, you…don’t you touch me!” she yelled, wriggling violently away. Her lashing right arm caught him flush in the eye.

He yelped, seizing his left eye.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” she cried. “I didn’t mean to…” She grasped him.

He dropped to his knees. She went down with him.

“Oh, Wolf, I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

His face was contorted in agony.

“Please allow me…” she said, taking the hand he was holding to his eye.

“Keep away!” he barked, pulling away.

She looked at him helplessly.

He raised his head then, took his hand away from the injured eye and winked at her. He was alright—there had never been anything the matter with him.

“You fake!” she shouted, lunging at him. But he evaded her niftily, got back to his feet and slunk away to the living room. Cussing, she went after him.

He didn’t go far—she tripped him with an ankle tackle. But in doing so she lost her own balance, and the two went sprawling to the floor in a frenzied tangle.

“God have mercy!” a familiar voice echoed down to Wolf and Savannah, freezing them in mid-pose. They screwed their heads around simultaneously.

Standing at the main door was Rochelle.

Savannah flushed with mortification, hastily jumped to her feet, and escaped to the bedroom. Rochelle shut the door and slowly walked over to Wolf. He winked at her from the floor as she hovered over him.

“Are you going to stay down there all your life?” she inquired nicely.

He cleared his throat and said, “Sounds good. One should always remain down to earth no matter how high and mighty. That’s what I was taught. Why don’t you come join me?” He patted the floor beside him.

“No, thanks.”

He extended his left arm to her. She took it and tried to pull him to his feet. A sudden pain seemed to rush through her and she grimaced and let go.

“What?!” Wolf cried, quickly getting up.

Her face was contorted in agony and she clutched her ribs.

“What’s wrong, Roch?”

“Nothing.”

“Hey, tell me…what happened?”

She shrugged. “I hurt myself. Just a small accident. Nothing to worry about.”

His eyebrows arched. “Accident? How?”

“Last night I had to go to the loo and didn’t want to stir Art up. So I didn’t put the lights on. I banged into the wall and hurt my ribs a little,” she said. “Now quit fretting, big boy.” She gave him a little tap on the cheek.

For some reason, Wolf didn’t believe her. He stared at her hard, but she ignored him now and went to the bedroom, seeking Savannah.

It didn’t occur to him then that if she had indeed banged into a wall, she would have hurt her head as well.

Now, as he went to the bedroom after the two women, he felt enormously light in the soul. The burden he had been carrying had lifted. Savannah’s shock at being virtually charged of being Robin’s biological mother had been so genuine, so heartfelt, Wolf was now totally convinced that he had indeed made a terrible mistake in his assumptions.
That’s what desperation does, Holly-boy,
he told himself. All doubts, all misgivings, completely evaporated from his mind thereafter.

.

“
Y
ou free tomorrow, Witch?” Wolf asked Maddy over his cellular later that night.

“What for, Prick?”

“She wants a DNA done.”

“Still?”

“Yes, she won’t relent on this. Now she says it’s for
her
peace of mind.”

“Silly cow.”

“Hey, easy! You’re talking of my wife here.”

“You aren’t married yet. So don’t count your chick prematurely,” she said. “Okay, I’ll make time. Anything else, Holly-boy?”

“How was last night?”

“Last night?”

“The lay.”

“God, you
are
a horny prick, aren’t you?! You act so bloody straitlaced, so bloody virtuous, but there
is
a hot little devil lurking deep inside, that so desperately wants to burst out.”

“Okay, forget it.”

“No, no, why forget it now that you have raised the subject? Did I say anything this time? It was you who raised it,” she said. “So about the lay—I’ve videotaped it. I’ll bring a copy along tomorrow.”

“NO!”

“Why, what happened?”

“I don’t want to see your kinky stuff.”

“Hypocrite!” she said. “But honestly, don’t you wanna see two girls screwing? It’s every man’s fantasy.”

“Not mine.”

“Hypocrite.”

“Whatever. … Goodnight.”

“Night, babe.” She smacked her lips. “And do not disturb me now. Just when I’m getting into the drift, you boys have to call. … Unless of course you want to join us for a threesome. Then I promise you the greatest screw of your life. Have you ever been laid by a couple of lesbians, Holly-boy? I tell you it’s an out of the world exper…”

He hurriedly sliced the line.

.

H
e wrestled with it long and hard.

Finally, just past two am on this Wednesday, May 21st, insomniac in bed, Wolf’s mind was made up.