The Cries of the Butterfly - A LOVE STORY (15 page)

She looked around her room for a moment. There were six sets of bunk-beds in all, and her bed was the lower one on the far left side of the room (her best-friend Moon-Moon’s was above hers). She liked it near the windows and away from the main door. She could look at the stars as she slept and she could feel the breeze. Without further ado, she lay down on the bed now and as usual Stripey cuddled up to her. As Robin began pulling the blanket over them, Stripey gave a sudden leap of alarm and disappeared under the bed.

“Hey, come on now!” Robin whispered fiercely. “Enough of it, yes? Come back!”

But he didn’t heed her. Robin sighed.
The stupid is behaving like his sister now.
And then she felt it. Something cold and soft pressing into her back, as if she had lain on jelly. For a second, she lay very still. Then she felt the wetness on her skin and she sat up sharply. For an instant, she thought
Stripey
, and her heart cramped. She flung the blanket away and vaulted out of bed.

A dark object lay in the middle of the bed. A dark object that was leaking, the leak spreading slowly across the mattress. A small button-like thing at the head of the object shone dully. It wasn’t Stripey, she could tell that, and felt a weird sense of relief. She looked down and saw Stripey at her feet. He was very still, as if scared, as if seeking reassurance from her.

Robin peered at the object closely, her heart in her mouth. The dim light in the room didn’t make it any easier. She shoved her hand under her pillow and pulled out a pencil torch. She fumbled for a little while, finally managing to turn it on. She realized her hand was shaking as she tried to point the beam.

And then she screamed, recoiling violently, the torch dropping from her hand. A large adult chipmunk lay smashed in the center of her bed, its flesh spread out like red, watery pudding. And she screamed again.

“
SAVANNAH
and I have decided to get married.”

A stunned hush fell over the Butcher dining room.

Wolf inhaled deeply and took Savannah’s hand under the table and gave it a little squeeze. He knew she was as nervous as him...he could feel it.

They were all there this Sunday afternoon, the Butcher clan, gathered around the family dining table, lunch just consummated, and there couldn’t have been a better opening to make the most important announcement of his life.

Grant was the first to react. “Well, that is very nice,” he said. But Wolf knew exactly what he was thinking.
Rather abrupt, do you not think, son?
“Our boy has been an undercover operative. Did not give us a whiff.”

Wolf shook his head. “Not what you think, sir.” he said, rather embarrassedly. “We met...like...and it...it just happened.”

He glanced at Robin, on his right. She was blissfully feeding the baby chipmunk she had brought with her this morning. She looked up then, their eyes met, and Wolf winked at her, and she winked back.

Suddenly, Grant got to his feet, and he made his way to Wolf. Wolf stood up hurriedly and Grant opened his arms and lavished his boy with a mighty bear hug.

“Congratulations. I am truly glad this happened, son,” he said, looking deep into Wolf’s eyes. “About time too... She seems a fine woman.” He went to Savannah, who hastily fumbled to her feet. He took both her hands in his and kissed her cheeks. “I am pleased, really pleased,” he nodded. Savannah blushed like a new bride.

Then it was Art’s turn. Though characteristically reserved, he too seemed happy at the development.

Estelle got up now. She, though, went to Savannah first. After she was through with the hug-kiss routine, she looked Savannah up and down and nodded slowly.

“Welcome to the family,” she said. And Wolf gathered she was genuinely happy.

She came to Wolf now and gave him such a fulsome hug, he nearly toppled over. She kissed both his cheeks, then held him at arm’s length and gazed at him, her eyes awash with fondness.

It went better than I thought,
Wolf was thinking. They had a zillion questions, he knew, but they kept it to themselves, and suddenly warmth filled Wolf’s bosom for these beautiful people—his family...
my wonderful, wonderful family.

He glanced at Rochelle. Here was the odd one out. She had forced a smile and nodded dully at the two of them from her seat.
Something’s cooking with this woman,
Wolf thought.
She’s been off the past whole week and it’s so unlike her. I need to find out.

He turned to Robin again. She was gazing at him now, her florid face beaming.
She
, in fact, is the happiest person today,
Wolf told himself.

He had told her about it earlier in the day while fetching her from the Home.

“So I will have a mom?” she had said, her eyes lighting up.

“And very soon you’ll be coming home to me forever.”

“REALLLLLY?”

“Uh hu,” he had nodded and patted her head.
In a matter of days now,
he thought. Nothing could keep his daughter away from him anymore. Everything had clicked so beautifully into place. Finally,
oh finally
, his life had become worth living again.

“So can I call her Mommy then?” Robin had asked, and the eagerness hadn’t been lost on Wolf.

He had smiled. “Not right away, but soon enough.”

“Oh.” Wolf knew she wanted to ask,
why not right away?
After all,
I could call you Daddy right away, so why not her?
But she let it lie.
Wise girl,
Wolf had thought.

The Butchers shifted to the living room now, and for the next hour they chatted. Nothing in particular, just the usual family chitchat—this and that. It was a holiday, they had fed on a lavish meal, a momentous event had just taken place, and they were happy and contented. All except Rochelle.

But there was still one matter to deal with, although Wolf knew it was a mere formality. After the family retired for a siesta, he took Savannah’s hand.

“Feel like a little walk in the garden?” he said.

“Sure. Where’s Robin?”

They looked around and spotted her at the waterfall in the back garden, playing with the baby chipmunk called Stripey. Savannah waved to her.

“You be careful, alright? Don’t go too close to the water,” she shouted out.

“Ah, she’ll be just fine,” Wolf said, but thrilled she was already playing
mom.
Like a bird to sky, she seemed to be soaring into it naturally, instinctively, without being told.

“She’s the sweetest kid I’ve known,” Savannah said.

Oh, yes, with that he had no arguments whatsoever. “I know.”

They were now in the front garden, strolling westward and Wolf kicked off his shoes, so he could savor the grass on his soles.

“Wow, how exhilarating!” Savannah exclaimed in wonderment.

“Who, me?”

“Not you, nutty,” she laughed. “These flowers...the colors, the smells...the whole atmosphere. You have some place here.”

“Oh,” he said with mock disappointment.

She glanced around swiftly, then wound an arm around his waist and cuddled up to him. “You too are exhilarating, you know. But in a different way,” she whispered.

In reply, he hugged her to him. A fresh surge of warmth pervaded his being, making him feel blissful.

“I’m completely blown away by it all. I still can’t believe I lunched with the President himself. Mary! It seems so unreal,” she said.

“You are overawed by him, a mere President of a nation, and not by me, an international moviestar? A superstar who has girls the world over falling over each other just for a glimpse, who swoon the moment they see him?” he said with mock disbelief.

“Hold it, mister!” She put her hand up. “Although I enjoy movies immensely, I don’t get carried away by them. I love the characters, not the pretenders who enact them. I am not one who gets conned by illusions.”

He saluted her. “But tell me one thing honestly though: it’s not twenty-four hours since we first met—face-to-face, that is. Aren’t you awestruck by who I am...at least a little? I mean, it would be perfectly natural for anyone to be awestruck, at least in the beginning.”

“My God, you are so vain, aren’t you?! … But honestly? No. ... I guess I’m made a little differently that way,” she said. “Except for President Butcher, I’m not awestruck by anyone, not even your brother, the richest man in the world. And President Butcher mesmerizes me only because of his faultless character—the most powerful man in the land, yet one who is so uncompromisingly honest and simple. Rarest of rare.”

“Wow.”

“Wow?”

“Wow,” he grinned. “But coming back to the President, well, get used to it. He’s going to be your pa-in-law soon and you’ll be calling him
Dad
.”

She shook her head. “I guess.”

For a while they fell silent, ambling around aimlessly, Savannah’s head on his shoulders.

Then Wolf stopped abruptly. “There’s something I need to tell you,” he said.

She looked up, slightly surprised.

“It’s about Robin,” he said. “I’ve decided to adopt her once we get married.”

To Wolf it seemed as if a black curtain had suddenly plunged down before her face—Savannah’s countenance went blank.

“Oh,” she said and quietly pulled away.

“Is that a problem?”

She thought for a moment. “You never told me this before.”

Suddenly defensive, he said, “I intended to...at the right time.”

“And now’s the right time?”

“Well...as good as any.”

“Shouldn’t you have mentioned this before proposing to me? We’ve been together practically all morning and yet you didn’t pitch a hint.”

Wolf gawked. Why was she making such an issue of this?

“Well, I’m sorry. Perhaps I should have...”

“Perhaps?”

He nodded soberly. “I should have told you earlier.”

She began to stroll again and he joined her. But they didn’t touch each other now. In fact, Savannah kept a little distance from him.

It was only once they had reached the shade of a coconut palm near the western boundary that she turned back to him.

“It’s a monumental decision, to be taken by both of us together, not unilaterally by you,” she said.

“Yes, I know, and I’m sorry. But I thought you’d be fine with it. After all, we both love Robin immensely.”

“You think you can decide for me too? Is that how your mind works?”

Sweet shit!
“Look, Savannah, there’s no need to get so upset over a minor thing like this.” He was a bit miffed now.

“Oh, Mary, you’re doing it again! It’s still a
minor
matter with you?”

“I didn’t mean it that way. Please don’t misunderstand me.”

She was shaking her head. “Perhaps we’re rushing into this. We don’t seem to know each other well at all. At least I don’t.”

“What!” He was genuinely taken aback.

“Like you said: it’s not twenty-four hours since we first met—face-to-face...in the flesh. Life isn’t lived on the Internet, you know.”

Wolf stared at her hard. Then he exhaled. “I think we should drop this for now. You are angry and I don’t seem to be getting through to you.”

She started walking again.

“Hey!” He grabbed her hand. When she looked at him, he smiled. “Friends?”

She nodded, her face softening.

“Say it, dammit,” he laughed.

“Friends,” she said and now smiled back.

They had circled the big house and now reached the swimming pool. Robin was under one Gulmohar tree. The baby chipmunk was running all over her—up her legs and to her head, then down her back, and over and over, and Robin was scolding him and laughing and shouting. Watching her, Wolf thought how very happy she was. It filled his chest with great satisfaction. He knew he was going to spoil her rotten once she came to live with him; there would be no more holding back, the way he’d had to so far given the constraints of the Home. And he also knew Savannah was going to be a super mom. There was warmth to this woman, but tempered with maturity, a maturity that offset his own sometimes-impetuous ways. With Savannah around, Robin would have a stable and solid, besides a beautiful life.
Dad was right, I needed to have a woman first before bringing Robin home.
And could he have got anyone better than this wonderful lady beside him? He was especially happy that he had found a real, normal woman from the real, normal world and not someone from the counterfeit, synthetic world he professionally belonged to…and especially a common, ordinary woman who was plainly so not overawed, or even impressed, by superstar celebrities—who could so cleanly see through the illusions. Honestly, what was the chance of such a thing happening to a person in his position?
Man, what a blessing!

Impulsively he put his arm around Savannah and gave her a hug and a buss on the cheek.

“I love you, baby...I love you very much,” he said.
I’ve somehow loved you the moment I met you on the Net.