The Cries of the Butterfly - A LOVE STORY (41 page)

“I’m helping her.”

“Let me help too.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“It’s got nothing to do with you.”

“Everything to do with you is to do with me too.”

“Drop it, will you!” she snapped.

He shrugged. Then he said, “I won’t be living at Butcher Garden much longer.”

It was her turn to go
oh!
“Oh? Where will you go?”

“At a secret house. But I’ll let you know.”

“But why?”

He shook his head unpleasantly. “I don’t want to put the family in peril because of me. What’s more, the atmosphere at home is asphyxiating. It makes me ill.”

“Can you really blame them? I mean, think…what would happen if the heir to the British throne insisted on marrying a woman who was once a whore? How do you think the Royal family would react? How do you think the public would react? How do you think the whole world would react? You’re in the same position, Wolf.”

“But I don’t want to be royalty! I just want to be a normal man in love.”

“Tough,” she said pitilessly. After a brief pause, she asked, “Wolf, does your vow of celibacy preclude a long deep kiss?”

“I guess not,” he answered, doubtfully.

“Can I have one then?”

She was ardent. She grabbed him around the back of the head and her tongue darted into his mouth. She explored him fervently, and when the roles changed, when his tongue ran into her mouth, she sucked on it desperately, sucked as if her very life depended on it, his fluids flowing into her mouth and down her throat.

When they broke, she sat back, breathing hard. “I needed that so badly! Thank you so very much,” she said, her voice throaty. Her eyes were clouded and she took massive breaths to snip her passion. “Let’s get married soon, Wolf!” And she covered her face with her hands.

Wolf sighed. He could feel the blood, hot and furious, racing through his veins. His groin was flooded…he couldn’t breathe.

“Let’s end this now,” he said.

“How?!”
Oh, how?

“I’ll tell them I won’t be seeing you ever again, that I’m through with you. Then I’ll get Robin home permanently through either Roch or Estelle. A month later, we’ll get married.”

“That’s deceit.”

“That’s the only way to defeat these people.”

“No,” she said firmly. “We’re not going to base our marriage on a trickery.”

“You have a better idea then?” he demanded.

“No. But in any case if you marry me, they won’t allow you to legally adopt Robin. You’ll be back to square one and you can kiss Robin goodbye forever thereafter.”

He threw up his arms. She was right of course. He needed to find a less bovine plan.

They talked for a while more, Wolf filling her in on other things and especially on his trip to Robin earlier that night.

“Next time will you take me with you?” she said. “I really want to see her.”

“Can you climb a twelve feet wall?”

“I don’t need to. You can push me up.”

“Can you jump down twelve feet then?”

“I don’t need to. You go down first, then I fall into your arms,” she smiled.

“So simple,” he said with mock sarcasm.

He looked out again. The first light of day had broken on the horizon on the east. He checked his watch and it said five-thirty-five. In the distance, on the west side, a man appeared, walking briskly. Wolf guessed he would be the first of the morning walkers. As the man strode toward them, Wolf thought he had a familiar gait to him. And then he stopped breathing. It was Grant Butcher. Savannah noticed him too and she stilled as well.

As Grant approached the jeep, the couple ducked low. Grant suddenly seemed to notice the Gypsy, paused for an instant, as if the vehicle had a familiar ring to it, then walked past.

Wolf slowly straightened. He stared through the windshield at Grant’s back, looked at the familiar graying hair on the back of his head, watched him as he moved away. And his eyes fogged and there came into them a profound wistfulness. Savannah placed a soft hand on him. Soon, Grant turned a bend and disappeared, and Wolf’s shoulders slumped. For a long moment he looked down, his face inexpressibly poignant. Savannah quietly took him in her arms and pressed his head to her chest, truly feeling for him, blaming herself for being the cause of his separation from his beloved family.

.

W
olf spent the rest of that day locked up in his room, not venturing out at all.

The newspapers were thick with it on the second day as well, typically led by The New Halcyon Tribune and Maddy Witcher.

The Nation Weeps For Little Robin. But Wolf Butcher Unmoved.

and…

Wolf Butcher Hides, Leaving The Women Of The House To Face Protestors.

A True Hero Indeed.

and…

Pride Of New Halcyon Becomes Its Shame. Little Robin Critical As Wolf Butcher Keeps Shunning Her.

and…

The Prostitute Decamps. Yet, Wolf Butcher Wallows In Infatuation. Won’t Yield.

They had even managed to get pictures of a sickly and depressed Robin and plastered it prominently on the front page. Under her were smaller black-and-white images of the villains: Wolf Butcher and Savannah Burns. Somehow they had managed to make the two look sinister and evil. They didn’t have to do much tampering with the little girl’s picture though.

Thankfully, Wolf had sounded Robin about it earlier on the phone.

“Look, baby, I need you to understand something,” he had said. “People are going to say and write all dirty and nasty things about us—about me and Momma and even you, okay? You should
not
believe
anything
that they say. Do you understand? They are doing all this only to hurt us, so that you and Momma and I never get together. I say again: DO NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING ANYONE SAYS OR WRITES. Yah?”

She had nodded wisely (Wolf had sensed it over the phone). “Yes, Daddy, I understand. I won’t believe anyone. Only you.” And then she had added, “I will be strong, Daddy. I will be your hero.”

Now, Rochelle came in with a tray of breakfast. “Eat up before it gets cold,” she said.

“Take it back. I’m not hungry,” he said curtly, not looking at her, glaring down at the rags.

“Hey, be decent to me! I’m not your goddamn servant!” she exploded.

Wolf was startled. “What…what’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing’s wrong with
me
.
You’re
the one who needs evaluation,” she shot. “Where were you the whole of last night anyway?”

It just popped out of his mouth. “Out screwing,” he said dismissively.

The slap to his face was instantaneous and stinging, and left white marks where her fingers had struck.

“Don’t you ever talk to me like that! EVER!” she glowered.

Wolf held his left cheek. It smarted. He looked away.

She let out a low moan, then she reached forward and softly removed his hand from his face and began caressing the wounded cheek.

“I’m so sorry!” she said in a half whisper. “God have mercy, what did I do!” And suddenly she leaned over and kissed him.

They looked at each other, their faces six inches apart. Her eyes shone strangely and her lips had parted a fraction.

Then she gave a little shudder and turned away, letting go of his face.

“Have your breakfast. It’ll go cold,” she said rigidly.

He didn’t dare say
no
now.

.

I
t got far worse this day. There were three public demonstrations that came a calling to Butcher Garden. One around eleven am. Another around three pm. And one more just past six-thirty in the evening. The last one was the biggest of them, what with people having finished in offices and schools and colleges or whatever else they occupied themselves with over the day.

Thankfully, come morning and the Presidential security had finally laid siege around Butcher Garden. Indeed, demonstrators were now corked well short of Butcher Street itself. Yet, that didn’t prevent them from creating a hell of a racket, using hand-held loud-speakers and all. Abuses against Wolf and Savannah were rampant, as was sympathy for ‘Little Robin’. Scuffles broke out intermittently between the more zealous demonstrators and the cops and casualties were rushed to hospitals. Countless effigies of the two villains were violently burnt. All they wanted was the blood of Wolf Butcher and Savannah Burns.

There was even a demonstration at the St. Teresa Children’s Home. Purportedly in support of
Little Robin,
it swiftly turned into another gutter-gob orgy. More effigies were set ablaze.

The city subsided only around nine pm. The citizens had done their duty toward the community and now it was time to fall back and put their legs up self-righteously. They had earned it. Tomorrow would be another day, but right now it was time for a few drinks and prime time TV.

It was after a late indifferent dinner that Wolf at last broached it with Rochelle.

“I need the keys to your old house,” he said calmly. “I’m moving out.”

Naturally, she was taken aback. “What for?”

He repeated the reasons he had given Savannah earlier.

At the end of it, Rochelle reluctantly concurred with his logic.

“Okay, give me an hour and I’ll be ready.”

He had anticipated it. “No, Roch. I’m going alone. You don’t go with me.”

“What do you mean?”

“You need to remain here with the family, girl. They need you more than ever.”

“Don’t be silly. How can you manage on your own? You need someone to be with you, to help you out, a person you can trust. And right now, I’m that person. In fact, the only person. You cannot do without me, boy.” Then, as an afterthought, she added, “Besides, I don’t want you taking a stab at suicide again. This time around you might just succeed.”

Wolf glared at her. “I’m over all that now.”

“Thanks to me.”

He nodded earnestly. “Yes, thanks to you. Entirely.”
Unequivocally
.

“Alright then, give me an hour and I’ll be ready to go with you,” she repeated.

He shook his head. “I must do this alone, Roch. You know the state of the family—they are greatly disturbed and vulnerable, especially Dad. You’re the only one who can hold them up,” he said gently, but firmly.

Her eyes narrowed. “Are you throwing me out of your life then?”

“What! Now don’t be so dramatic,” he laughed. “You can always visit me anytime you like, you know that.”

“But I can’t be a part of your life anymore.” It was a statement, not a question.

You are a part of your husband’s life, woman.
“You’ll always be a part of my life, Roch, no matter where I am.”

“I see.” Suddenly she got to her feet and in a flash had left the room.

“Hey, where are you…!” he shouted, but the words evaporated behind her.

She was back in thirty seconds.

“Here.” She tossed a bunch of keys. “Anything else?”

Wolf sighed. He didn’t like it this way—not one bit.

“Don’t be like that, Roch. Please!” he pleaded, then added, “You’ll come to see me, won’t you?”

“If I find the time.” Her face was like stone.

“I’d love to see you, you know. You are my Rock, my Hero…my true inspiration.”

She studied him for a moment. “How long will you be gone?”

“How do I know? … As long as it takes, I guess. Do you think I like this? Do you think I like being away from my own home? But there is no other way.”

“So you don’t need my help at all?” An open hurt had come to her face now and Wolf cringed.
Why are you making this so hard for me?

“I’ll always need your help, Roch, please don’t say that!” Oh, how he hated to see her like this. He stepped over to her and placed both hands on her shoulders. Frankly, he didn’t know how he was going to cope without her. He had got so used to her.

“But you don’t want me
there
with you?” she persisted.

He straightened his back. “No. And that’s because I can’t be selfish anymore. Or my conscience wouldn’t let me have any sort of peace.”

For the first time she smiled. She took him in her arms. She held him for a while, then kissed both his cheeks.

“You’re a good man, Wolf Butcher, and I’m proud to have you as my relative and friend.” Then she turned to leave.

“You going?”

“My husband might want me,” she said archly.

Wolf smiled to himself.

.

W
olf was finally settled in the ground floor maisonette of Dias Apartments and it was two am on this Thursday, April 24. He lay on the bed in the dark and stared at the ceiling and felt awfully lonely.