She Only Speaks to Butterflies (16 page)

“She don’t speak, huh,” Lee commented. “I wondered. I thought she was awful quiet for a seven-year-old.”

“She ain’t spoken a word since her daddy died two years ago.” There was a trace of warning in Ned’s tone.

Lee swallowed, shaking his head in disbelief. “Poor little thing. Her momma’s awful strong though, you can tell right away.”

“Sherry? Oh yeah, she’s tougher ‘n nails.” He looked at the fireman directly, speaking as though he was winning an argument. “The good Lord’s lookin’ down on her all the time.” His eyes darkened. “You’d be wise to remember that.”

Tilting his chin downward like he’d just been punished, Lee said respectfully, “Yes, sir.”

Interrupting their intense exchange, Kate walked over with two plates of food in tow. She handed a fruit and cheese platter to Ned. “You best be eatin’ or yer blood sugar’s gonna get low,” she advised. Kate spoke behind her free hand to Lee. “He gets grumpy when his sugar’s low.”

The food table was swarming with people filling up their paper plates. Sherry and Leon were standing behind the table, helping serve. The lineup was growing by the minute as the hour struck eight o’clock. It seemed like once the waltz was over the guests appetites were whetted. Sherry looked up for a flash and caught Lee’s glance. The look on her face said ‘please rescue me’. He capitulated.

“Excuse me,” he said to the old couple as he walked away.

“How y’all doin’ over here?” Lee asked Sherry as she rearranged some of the empty platters. A couple of the platters were empty, so she replaced them with full ones from behind the table. “Need a hand with anything?” Lee asked.

“Naw, that’s okay. Thanks,” she said as he took the pile of platters that had accumulated and set them by the garbage bin beside the table.

He wanted badly to get to know Sherry more but didn’t have a clue how to break the ice without seeming desperate. After all, he knew little about the woman, aside from how beautiful she was and the fact that she was a single mother. He wasn’t even sure if she was interested in dating.

“Listen. I wondered if I could take you and Denise for a tour of the fire station next weekend.”

Hesitating, Sherry emptied a container of chip dip into a bowl. Lee was about to retract the invitation when her face brightened. “Sure, but on one condition.”

He was intrigued.

“I’m comin’ over this week to start fixin’ the stuff on your to-do list.”

“Sounds like a fair exchange.” He frowned, trying to hide his delight. Suddenly the music changed to another slow ballad. Both froze and looked at each other.

Lee got up the courage to speak first. “Care to dance again?”

“Sure. I could use a break,” she said, watching Leon’s mouth drop open as she walked away from the busy table, leaving him to serve the throng of hungry people.

Lee grasped her hand with a little more tug than before, and led her to the dance floor. Trying for nonchalant, the fireman was careful to leave ample space between them as he caught two sets of eyes glancing in their direction. “Oh boy, I hope I’m not causin’ any trouble for ya, Sherry.”

“Whaddya mean?” she asked warmly, pulling her face further from his to get better eye contact.

“Seems we’ve got ourselves an audience.”

Scanning the room casually, she offered Lee a knowing look. “The way it works ‘round here is yer damned if ya do and yer damed if ya don’t,” she said matter-of-factly. “People got a way of judgin’ people no matter what they do. I learned a long time ago to live my life and do what makes me happy.” Raising her eyebrows towards the spectators she added. “And the rest can take a flight.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Lee held her closer. “Amen to that.”

The look of disappointment mirrored both their faces when another slow song didn’t follow. Sherry lifted her head from Lee’s shoulder as the song ended. “Thanks,” she grinned. “Yer a good dancer.”

“It takes two to tango,” Lee winked. “Thanks.”

When the chicken dance song came on, Lee quickly took hold of Sherry’s hand, helping her exit the dance floor before they were forcibly joined into the humiliating tune. Martha was off to the side, holding a hand over her reddened, smirking face. “Whatsa matter? Ya don’t like that song?” she teased.

Sherry rolled her eyes and Lee nervously pinched his nose with his index finger and thumb, forgetting for a moment that he still had Sherry’s hand.

“Seems my Luke can still sleep through anything,” Martha commented.

Sherry’s brow furrowed as Martha pointed to Luke, lying under a table, fast asleep. Denise was sitting next to him, playing with Rainy Day bear. “He got his hearin’ aids in?” Sherry asked.

“They work fine. He sleeps through fourth of July fireworks and hunter’s gunshots, too.” She laughed in disbelief. “Do ya want me to take Denise back to my place?”

Sherry scanned the room from her vantage point, looking for Kenny and Gertrude. In the corner lit by the entrance lights, a group of people including Sherry’s parents, Alan the fire marshall, and Reverend Tellly plus ten other townspeople, were chatting. A beat later they all roared with laughter as if someone told a joke.

“Sure. It looks like momma and daddy aren’t ready to leave yet.”

Kneeling down under the table, Sherry asked. “You wanna go have a sleep over with Luke?”

Denise’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Her lips curled at the sides. Sherry kissed her on the nose. “I’ll come pick ya up after breakfast tomorrow.”

“I’ve still got pajamas, spare clothes and a toothbrush for her since last time,” Martha assured, walking away with Denise’s hand in hers. Martha’s husband Henry scooped Luke up off the floor and they walked out. Sherry watched Kenny lift Denise up and gave her a big bear hug before the four of them exited the building.

“Precious things,” Lee commented, searching Sherry’s face.

“They are,” she admitted. “I love ‘em both to bits.”

People were mopping the sweat off their foreheads as the Chicken Dance ended. Sherry pulled her lips inward, stifling a grin as she watched the dance floor empty. For a second the room was silent save for the din of chatter in the background. There was a squeak of feedback before the DJ bellowed that a line-dancing competition was about to start.

“Oh Lord, my momma’s been waitin’ for this!” Sherry beamed. Gertrude and Kenny suddenly gyrated past Sherry to the dance floor; Gertrude’s brows wiggled at her daughter.

“Joinin’ us darlin’?” she asked.

“I need a partner!” Sherry shouted over the music.

“Ya got one,” Lee shouted back, surprising himself. “I may not be a good one, but I’ll give it a go.”

“I’ll take it.”

Ignoring the butterflies in her stomach, Sherry pulled Lee by the hand, taking her place beside Gertrude. Kenny was on the opposite side of Gertrude. Jenny Martin and Alan were beside Kenny when suddenly Sarah waddled in beside Lee.

“If my water breaks, don’t stop me!” Sarah joked, shouting to the row of line-dancers behind her.

Boasting their weekly lessons, Kenny and Gertrude began moving to the exact pace of the music. Sherry was no slouch, either, she’d joined them many times while they practiced at home. Often, during backyard barbecues and other events, the family would whip out the ghetto blaster and dance in tune to country music, while their guests watched, sometimes joining in.

The steps were pretty simple at first. Lee was able to easily follow Sherry’s lead. She watched him, nodding encouragement as she exaggerated the steps for his benefit. Jenny and Alan were pretty good but poor Sarah struggled, having lost much of her coordination with pregnancy.

During the chorus, the dancers turned so their backs faced the person next to them as they grasped their neighbor’s shoulders from behind. Lee gently slid Sherry’s hair off her shoulder to avoid pulling it, giving her a shiver up her spine as his finger grazed her skin. As they turned back to face their neighbor, Sarah relented, having lost her partner since Lee was now facing Sherry.

“I’m done,” she admitted, blowing her hair out of her face.

“Good try, honey!” Gertrude shouted.

In the second chorus, the partners had to swing around, holding each other from the side at the waist, then lean in and sway from side to side. When they turned to face each other, Lee followed her lead, finding himself holding her gaze a moment too long. His eyes quickly moved down to her lips and back up again. She swayed her hips and turned, grasping him by the neck as his heart skipped a beat.

Sherry’s moves complemented his as they danced in unison, naturally, as if they’d been dancing partners all their lives. “Have ya done this before?”

“Never. I swear,” he laughed breathlessly.

Those not on the dance floor began clapping to the rhythm, and as the dancers swayed and moved their hips again in time, there were some whistles and shouts of encouragement. Sherry moved in, stepping to the beat, holding Lee’s hands in hers as the song came to a close. When the song ended, the screams, shouts and whistles were loud enough to wake the dead. As they stopped and the room was silenced, all partners were face to face. Sherry watched Lee’s chest heave up and down in time with hers as they smiled brightly at each other.

“That was amazin’!” Sherry gasped delightedly. “I don’t think I’ve ever danced that well with a partner before.”

Lee’s hand rose as he ran his index finger down the side of her cheek.

“Alright, alright let’s vote on who was the best line dancin’ couple now,” the disc jockey bellowed. He scanned the room. “By way of applause, tell me who was yer fav’rit.” Pointing the mike at each couple, the DJ received mediocre claps. Even for Gertrude and Kenny. As the mike reached Sherry and Lee, the whole room exploded into applause and whistles.

The DJ lowered his head, laughing. “Well, it looks like a win by a landslide, folks!” Pushing his hand behind the sound equipment, he pulled two brightly colored pins out of a bag. They had two ribbons hanging down, like the ones you’d see at a baking contest or a pageant for the best dressed pig. Round with frills. The disc jockey sauntered over to Lee and Sherry while many whistled and remained clapping beside them. Sherry’s face was beet red while Lee’s nose was so focused on the polished floor nobody could tell he had a huge, stupid grin.

The music returned although the dance floor thinned. It was slightly past ten o’clock. Senior citizens and older children were making their way out after the line dancing, as expected. Chattering was quieting down in the background and thus the DJ lowered the volume to a conversational level.

‘We’re headin’ home now, darlin’,” Kenny said as he found his daughter helping herself to a bottle of water. “You can catch a ride home from someone, right?”

“I’m sure it won’t be a problem. Sarah’s still here.” Sherry leaned in so Kenny could peck her on the cheek.

“I’ve got my car here, too. It’s no worry,” Lee offered, mopping his forehead with the back of his sleeve.

“Have fun, love,” Gertrude winked as she walked, hooking her arm inside Kenny’s as they exited the lodge.

“Here.” Sarah wobbled over to Sherry, carrying a beer in her hand. “Yer parents are gone. You need to drink.”

Taking a long sip of beer, Sherry caught Jenny at the corner of her eye, walking over with a circular platter full of tiny plastic containers, like the ones they use in the hospital to bring patients their medication. Glancing inside the plastic cups Sherry noticed that they were all filled with different colors of jello.

Sherry lifted a brow. “Jello?”

“Jello
shots
,” Jenny clarified. “They got vodka in ‘em.”

Wasting no time, Sarah grabbed one and shoved it in Sherry’s other hand. “Drink.”

Sherry’s brows knitted together. “What the hell?”

“Well if I could have one I would, so you might as well drink for both of us.” Sarah rationalized. She placed a hand on Sherry’s arm, speaking matter-of-factly. “I tell ya what, I’ll
eat
for both of us…fair?”

“You look like you could use one,” Leon observed from behind, handing Lee a beer.

Lee accepted the bottle with a thin smile. “Just the one. I’m drivin’.”

Glancing at his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, Sherry watched as Lee heartily drank. Shrugging, she hesitantly sniffed the green colored substance inside the cup, tipped her head back, and squished it into her mouth.

“How is it?” Jenny studied Sherry’s twisted face. “It’s my first time makin’ ‘em.”

Sherry swallowed hard. “Pretty good. Strong, though.” She closed one eye, looking like she just ate a lemon.

“Hey, let’s go sit here.” Leon gestured toward an empty table close to the nearly empty dance floor. “Looks like all the old bitties have left now so the party can start.”

Leon’s face was flushed from the dancing and alcohol and his eyes were glassy.

With a bottle in his hand, Steven walked over to the table the gang was now occupying, nodding hello. “There’s a ton of alcohol left. Nobody hardly drank anything.”

“No worries. The lodge only charges for what’s used.” Sarah shifted over so she could see Jenny. “You best be keepin’ them things hidden. Word gets ‘round you brought ‘em shooters and there’ll be hell to pay.”