She Only Speaks to Butterflies (25 page)

“Ya wanna tell that to him?” Sarah argued, pointing at her swollen belly. “I don’t think he cares and frankly I’ve been wantin’ to evict the little heffer for months now.”

Sherry tried not to smile.

“Well don’t just stand there!” Sarah yelled. “I need to change my clothes and get to the goddamn hospital!”

Kate rose. “I’ll go wake Doug.”

“I’ll call Mark,” Sherry offered.

“Um…I’ll…boil some water?” Lee added hesitantly.

“Never mind that.” Sarah was irritated. “Get me somethin’ ta eat. The damn hospital won’t feed me until after this minion comes out and I’m damn well starved.”

…

Reverend Telly stood at the pulpit, making announcements.

“Ned Baker has been released from hospital. He’s resting comfortably at home in the care of his son, Doug.” He glanced over at a smiling Kate. “Sarah and Mark Rothman are happy to welcome Jason William Rothman to the world. He was born yesterday afternoon. Mom and baby are healthy.”

Sherry beamed, remembering the experience, as quick as it was. Baby Jason literally came out an hour after her water broke. Dr. Baker said she’d apparently been in labor a day or so and didn’t know it. Lee came to the hospital; driving Sarah, Sherry, Kate and Doug while Mark met them at the hospital. Thankfully Kate had a pair of maternity pants that fit Sarah from a bag of donated clothes she was going to sell at the next church bazaar.

“Remember that the Lord is always with us,” Reverend Telly continued. “And those of us who pray and serve God will be blessed.” He grinned at the room. “We’ve all been touched by God recently and owe him deep gratitude for the miracles; both small and large, that have happened.”

“Amen.”

After the service, Lee approached Sherry, pouring her a cup of tea from the snack table. “Ya know anything ‘bout settin’ up a VCR?” he asked.

“I set up my own if that’s what yer askin’.”

“I just bought one of ‘em new ones…err…before the fire. Got a movie for the night of the fire, actually. But never got to watch it.”

“My folks are takin’ Denise out after the service. Ya want me to come by then?”

“Sure.” Lee gazed at her a moment too long. “Lookin’ forward to it.”

Denise came to her side with two cookies on her plate. She gave her daughter a knowing look. “I told ya one, sweetie.”

“This one’s for Lee,” the blushing girl said.

Lee bent down to her level. “Why thank ya, darlin’. Them’s my fav’rit.”

“Ya think you can take me for a tour of a fire truck sometime?”

“Well sure, darlin’. Anytime ya want.” Lee feigned stealing her nose with his index finger and thumb. Denise giggled, running away to play with Luke.

…

“Hey there pretty lady.” Lee opened the door for Sherry. “I’ve got a pot a tea on, ya want some?”

“Sure. Where’s this VCR that’s givin’ ya trouble?”

Lee tilted his chin, gesturing to the living room, where the large machine sat atop a small television.

“Yer gonna have an avalanche ya leave it on there. We should put it on the floor; it’ll be safer.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Sherry winced trying to lift the VCR and Lee sprinted to her. “Here, let me help ya with that.”

Grabbing hold of the other side of the machine he helped her lower it to the floor. Their fingers brushed. Sherry looked into Lee’s eyes as they remained crouched on the floor. Instinctively, they rose together. With only a small gap between them, Sherry gazed nervously at Lee. He sensed her reluctance, but despite that, he stole a quick glance at her lips.

“Ya know the town’s gonna be all over us pretty soon. They think we’re together…and we’re not.” Sherry’s voice was hesitant and soft, like she was testing the words first before saying them out loud.

Taking a step toward her, Lee closed the gap between them. His hand snaked around her waist. They were nose to nose as his hooded eyes searched hers. “So let’s give ‘em somethin’ to talk about,” he murmured, looping his other hand behind her neck as their lips met.

Chapter 21

Two years later

“Now hand me that shirt over there, or so help me!” Sherry shouted at Denise, who was making faces at Lee instead of helping her mother.

“Oh, don’t be so hard on her darlin’, it’s my fault.” Lee rubbed his wife’s back. “Here, let me help.” He handed her a little shirt that said,
“I only cry when ugly people hold me.”

“Thanks, hun,” Sherry smiled. “I’m sorry, I guess I didn’t get enough sleep again last night.”

Sherry slipped the tiny shirt over her little daughter’s head. The toddler gave a toothless grin when her mother’s face appeared again. “Ya feel like playin’ hide-‘n-seek, do ya, little Leeanne?”

Setting Leeanne down on the floor, Denise grabbed Sunny Day bear, Rainy Day bear’s cousin, and they played together. Lee kissed both his daughters and then his wife. Sherry put her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly.

“I love ya, baby. Sorry I’m so grumpy this mornin’.” She felt his warm breath on her neck.

“That’s okay, sweetie. The baby’s a handful, I know.” He kissed her neck, sending delicious shivers down her spine. “Why didn’t ya wake me when she gave ya trouble last night?”

Sherry raked her hands through Lee’s hair and kissed him softly on the lips. “Because you’d only been sleepin’ a coupla hours, and I know how hard you’ve been workin’ lately, fire season ‘n all.”

Suddenly the phone rang, interrupting their intimate cuddle. “I’ll get it,” Sherry said, giggling at her husband’s frown.

“Givens residence.”

“Mornin’ Sherry,” Dr. Baker greeted. “Hope I’m not wakin’ ya or anything.”

Sherry scoffed. “Are ya kiddin’ me? These kids have been up for hours already.”

“Well that’s good,” Doug said warmly. “Your blood tests came back from the lab just now.”

“Oh yeah?” Sherry was interested. “My iron low like ya thought?”

“Not exactly,” Doug said flatly. “It seems you’ll be needin’ a much stronger multivitamin…for about the next nine months or so.”

“Watcha talkin’ ‘bout, Doug?” Sherry’s brow furrowed. Lee noticed the concerned look on her face and embraced her from behind.

“Sherry, yer pregnant,” Doug announced. “Congratulations.”

She laughed, feeling tears prick the backs of her eyes. “Are ya serious? Another one?” She turned toward her smiling husband.

“That’s right.”

“Well, we weren’t even tryin’ this time,” Sherry blurted, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Thanks Doug, I appreciate the call.”

“My pleasure. See ya in a coupla days.” Doug hung up.

The knowing look on Lee’s face said he’d already figured it out. “Seems our family’s ‘bout to grow by one more,” Sherry said.

Kissing Sherry, Lee looked down at the girls, still playing with their bears. “Ya hear that, girls? Seems yer gonna have a brother or sister pretty soon.”

“I want a brother,” Denise said.

“Oh yeah? Well, we’ll see what happens.” Sherry laughed, still crying joyfully.

Denise looked up at her mother. “Momma?”

“Yes, darlin’.”

“If we have a boy, can we name him Chris?”

Sherry’s eyes darted to Lee’s, who pursed his lips warmly and nodded assent after a beat. She glanced down at her daughter, bending down to her level and grasped her chin gently in her index finger and thumb. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, darlin’.”

The End

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Shocked by the untimely death of his wife, Saul finds himself in the unwelcome company of his son, David. 

Saul’s new neighbours, Mary and young Suzie, befriend both men.  But David and Saul pick up on subtle hints that the young mother and child have a dark secret. 

With no husband and an abrupt move to a street full of retirees, Mary is soon swayed to confide in Saul about her past, and days later, Suzie is suddenly kidnapped.

Among few clues, no answers, and an injured girl missing, Saul is frantic.  And just when a lead presents itself, the only person who can help is nowhere to be found.

excerpt

Chapter 1

Saul sat in his bungalow. The drapes were shut tight even though the sun was brighter than it had been all summer. Picture windows with crank panels remained sealed. Stagnant air and dust particles danced each time Saul would inhale or exhale. No other movement was present in the one-storey home. Old newspapers lay stacked on the table and on the floor by the table, waiting to be used to start a fire that would likely never see flame.

Margaret’s clothing was hung in the closet. Her skirts and pant suits were long outdated and moth-eaten. His bed remained unmade on his side; her side always lay smooth and unscathed. Flower-shaped soaps and dusty bath beads waited on the back of the toilet tank for a bath that would never be drawn. Mildewed towels hung on the shower curtain rod, as did Saul’s hand-washed underwear and socks.

The landscaping on the perimeter was overgrown and choked by weeds. He paid a young boy ten dollars a week to mow the lawn; the same boy that delivered his newspapers. His four-door sedan was hardly driven; it still had the plastic on the back seats. Saul only went out to buy food on a bi-weekly basis. His medications were delivered to him. He attended church each Sunday by rote.

Old photo albums were piled in the spare room, where an old Singer sewing machine collected dust on an oak desk. Ten years’ worth of paid bills and correspondence were stuffed inside the upper shelf of the closet in that room. The lower part of the old closet held Saul’s work uniforms, unworn for more than fifteen years, and fishing equipment.

Saul and his father would fish every Sunday after church, rain or shine. The San Bernardino air allowed for year-round fishing. The tradition continued when Saul’s son David was old enough to walk. He taught him to bait the line, cast off and reel his catch in, just the way Saul was taught.

Most of Saul’s family had died long ago. He was the youngest of three boys. His only sister died shortly after birth. His aunt, at the ripe old age of ninety-seven, lived in a home for the aged. She and his son David were Saul’s only living relatives. Aunt Bea was fifty-percent deaf and eighty-percent blind, but her mind was as sharp as a tack, and she was as mean as an angry bull. Yet Saul preferred the company of Aunt Bea over his son on any given day.

Grumbling, Saul pulled the lever on the side of his La-Z-Boy chair and lifted himself up. The clock on the wall by the window chimed eight thirty. Walking over to the spare bedroom, Saul entered. He chose to leave the drapes closed and instead opted to switch the lights on. In the room, right where he left them, was an organized pile of unpaid bills. Shuffling through, he made sure that they were completed properly as he separated each by the provided perforation, and placed the remittance slips into an envelope.