“
Oh, she worries too much. Jono, I need to speak to you,
okay?”
“
Yes, but I am going to meet Jackie at the Craft Centre in
about two minutes. Why don’t you join us? We haven’t seen you there
for quite a while.”
“
Sure, I will be there a little later. I am meeting Brad for
drinks there, so I guess that is perfect. Let me go and sort out a
few things first.”
He went
to his office, where Lorraine gave him an earful about not telling
her where he was going, but he was not listening. He told her to go
home and that seemed to keep her quiet. She was caring, but
sometimes it got to him, because she treated him like one of her
four kids.
*****
At
the
Craft Centre,
Jonathan and Jackie had clearly been talking about him. They had
that guilty look he knew so well.
“Hello
Clay,” Jackie hugged him tightly. He liked it when she hugged him
like that, because she only did it when he needed it. She had
always understood him and had taken care of him and he loved her
for it.
“
So, who is the lucky fish who gets you to play
hooky?”
“
There is no-one, I promise Jackie. The problem is that your
husband only thinks about sex. I spent the afternoon with
Rebecca.”
They
were flabbergasted.
“
Our Rebecca, the one who refuses to speak to you?” Jackie was
surprised.
“The
very same. I went over to her office to apologize, but we got
talking and then we went out for lunch. We talked for a while and
before long, the afternoon had slipped away. Don’t look so shocked.
I was completely civil and it was quite pleasant.”
“Pleasant, Clayton? Don’t give me that. Nobody spends hours
at a lunch which is ‘pleasant’. Come on, give us the
details.”
“No, it
was nothing like that. I admit it was different, but not in the way
you are thinking, Jono. She is a very unusual woman and I like
being with here. I like who I am when I am with her, you
know?”
“
Clay, what is going on?” Jackie was not to be
side-tracked.
“
Okay, I don’t know. I can’t really explain, but, there are
these things that excite and disturb me about her.”
They
were silent as he spoke about his desire to touch her, protect and
how he sometimes felt her pain. They were too stunned to interrupt.
Clayton was not a romantic man, so they had no comprehension of the
way he was speaking about Rebecca.
“It is
all disturbing and strange. I don’t really know what is going on. I
do stupid things. By the way you will be having your anniversary at
some sexy getaway with a couple of friends.”
“
Clayton, you have lost your marbles? What are you on
about?”
“
It sort of came up in conversation, while I was plotting how
I could get to see her again without being pretentious. We
discussed it and that’s what we came up with.”
“Clayton, while I do not accept your sex-driven motives, I
think you are on to something. Jackie, why didn’t we think of that
before? A lovely getaway. You get away and I get to keep my
friends. Clayton, you and your girlfriend are very clever. Hmm, I
like it very much.”
“J
darling, keep quiet. Let Clayton finish his story. Will she agree
to come with us Clay?”
“My
dear. That is where you come into the picture.”
“
Ah... a woman’s work is never done. I am to convince
her?”
“
Yes, but I think she will come anyway.”
“I doubt
that Clayton. She is a closed, elusive person. She is not big into
parties and social events. Anyhow, she called you an arrogant man
and such like things. She was not pleased with you.”
“Yes, an
arrogant swine that must get a life. I know. She told
me.”
“
No. no. It is worth a shot, Clay. After all, you just spent
the whole afternoon with a woman who told me she would never speak
to you again. Why did she agree to go anywhere with you? Clayton,
did you threaten or blackmail her?”
“
Oh Jackie, don’t be so melodramatic.”
Clayton
laughed. “I simply asked nicely. I admit I was surprised by her
response. I expected her to have me removed from the building. But
she was very sweet and polite.”
“
Yes, I wonder why she even spoke to you. She is a calm,
rational woman, you know.”
“No
darling, not where he is concerned. There is nothing rational about
talking to a man who accuses you of having his imaginary butterfly.
That is completely strange. Also, Clay didn’t you accuse her of
having an affair with Jono?”
“
Well, yes, it was a misunderstanding….”
“No,
there is nothing rational about her at all. She should have given
you the boot. You have behaved poorly. She must feel so
intimidated.”
“She is not the type to be intimidated. She is very strong
and professional. Every
fool has tried that with her in
cross-examination and she simply talks, as if she is discussing the
weather. Pompous Paul really hates her. He tries to push her,
frighten and threaten her and she just looks at him like he needs
help.
He
is the on
e who leaves
the court room feeling intimidated. So your accusations would not
have bothered her much.”
“But, it
was
my
butterfly. I am sure about that. It really shook me when I saw
it.”
“
Clayton, have you ever considered the possibility that it is
just a common species of butterfly that anyone might
have?”
“
Yes, of course I did. I went onto the Internet to try and
find it. It does not exist. Anyway, it is different because it has
one small colourless patch. I tell you, it was the same butterfly.
It was a complete shock to me that my butterfly on some woman’s
butt. I wanted to know where she got it from.”
“
Did she ever tell you about it?”
“
No, because I was being rude and offensive and she swore at
me. That is where it ended.”
“
Why don’t you simply ask her? She might know about
butterflies and can tell you where to find them.”
“No. I
am not telling some psychologist about my ‘communications’ with a
non-existent butterfly. She will have me committed.”
They
laughed at the description of his dilemma.
“Clay, you did
say it was
your
butterfly just now. But I guess it sounds crazy when you
say it like. I am seeing her tomorrow. I will ask her about the
butterfly, okay Clay?”
“
Yeah, okay. I really want to know about it.”
“
But Clayton, what does it mean? You think you saw a butterfly
a few years ago and she has the same species. What does it
matter?”
“
My friend, I don’t know. I just need to know.”
Clayton went home feeling light-hearted about being able to
talk to his friends about these disturbing events. They had not
cleared the issues for him, but it was good to at least talk
without them ridiculing him. His drinks with Brad had him laughing
and joking, and enjoyed the causal banter of Brad’s colleagues who
took his mind off Rebecca for a few moments. Brad was watching him
cautiously a lot of the time, but he never mentioned their
conversation about Rebecca. Clayton was not ready to have that
discussion. He was beginning to think he had lost his mind. She had
that effect on him. He was stronger in his conviction about one
thing: that was
his
butterfly he
had seen and it meant something. Anyway, he was glad that it was
with her. It had been kind to him and it would be kind to her. He
went to bed, warm with feelings of her, her dancing eyes smiling at
him.
~ ~ ~
~
When they left, they were a little concerned about their
friend. This butterfly business was surfacing again. Jonathan
thought it came up when
Clayton felt stressed or trapped, and it made him feel
better.
“I don’t
even know if she has it on her butt as he says. Think about it
Jackie. We were there when it happened. Why did we not see
it?”
“
Oh Jono, because you are not in lust with her. Clayton would
notice any part of her body. Don’t you remember how you would peek
at my breasts every time I leaned over? That is lust. You miss
nothing.”
“
Fair enough, we might not have noticed. But you must accept
that there is a possibility that he was just hallucinating, that he
was associating her with the butterfly. He said it had comforted
him. He also said he liked being around Rebecca. Do you see? There
is no butterfly. It is in his head.”
“
But if she does have the butterfly, what does it
mean?”
“
That it is a common species, of course, or even a rare
species. It does not matter. It means nothing. This is all crazy.
What about Rebecca?”
“
Yes?”
“
What must she be making of all this?”
“
Yes, dear, but she has not resisted him. That is the most
interesting part.”
“
Poor Rebecca, what she must be thinking!”
*****
Rebecca could not concentrate on anything. She packed her
bags and went home. On the way, she thought about how she wanted
him, how sexy he was and how he made her laugh. She had been
completely mesmerised with the passionate way he spoke about his
work. She truly liked him, with all his contradictions. She smiled
when she thought how he had a small splat of blue ink inside his
hand. Here he was, neat, tidy and precise in his style, but
he
never noticed that he
had ink on his hand. But she worried too, because he did not touch
her or try to touch her. Most men would at least find some excuse,
but he did not. It had been so strange, the way his eyes would
change from icy blue to dark blue when he spoke. She wished she
could read his mind, or his eyes. She wished so many
things.
But by the time she got home, the cold really of her
situation dawned on her. It was only 4.30 in the afternoon and she
could feel The Darkness. It was definitely getting stronger. It had
never appeared before dark before. She went inside and tried to
banish it, but it took her two hours before she felt its power
weaken.
What
has sparked this sudden brave strength?
She
phoned her parents, wanting to be comforted.
“Sweetpea, how are you? Your mother has being going crazy.
She is worried about you. What is the problem,
Sweetpea?”
“Oh Dad,
you worry too much. I am fine. I just wanted to chat. How are
things with you two?”
“We are
fine. What is going on with you?”
“Dad, I
am fine. I have been a bit busy and concerned about one of my
children. Dad, I am curious. Where does my butterfly come
from?”
“
Why, Sweetpea?”
“
Just curious, I guess. I haven’t seen one like it and a man
saw it on me and recognised it.”
There
was a long silence.
“
I don’t know, baby, but ask your mother. Here she
is.”
“
Mum. Are you alright? Dad says you have been
worrying.”
“Yes, of
course. It’s just that I have had an odd feeling lately. Also, Nana
keeps coming to tells us about a white tiger. I was afraid for
you.”
Rebecca
recognised her mother’s fear and guilt. She could never forgive
herself for bringing a child into the world to carry such a
burden.
“
Oh, Mum, don’t worry about that. I asked her to help me find
out who he was. She also told me about the white tiger. I have no
idea what it means. Also, I did have a weird experience today. It
came to me in the afternoon while I was coming from work. It seems
to be getting stronger. It took me hours to get rid of it. That’s
what must have been worrying you.”
“
Oh, my baby. Get a pen. I will give you a recipe for a
special bath. It should keep it at bay for a while. What’s this
about your butterfly?”
“What
country is it from? I met a man who recognised it, so I just
wondered.”
“That is impossible, dear. He could not have recognised it
because it does not exist. Theresa made it up especially for
you.
It had to be unique, so It could not identify it or
figure out its magic.
He must
have seen something similar. Okay, take down this recipe. You must
use this bath every night until it gets weaker,
okay?”
Rebecca listened to the instructions and
felt a lot
better. She had been starting to believe that Clayton was on to
something about the butterfly.
Okay, so he is not from The
Darkness.
Great. But what?
She went
to bed feeling a little sad. She would have been very happy with
him, if things were different. That night, there was no Darkness
and she slept peacefully after a long time.