Catching Butterflies Read online

  “Are you okay?” Charlie asks, looking at me out of the corner of his eye. “She will be fine. Henry’s with her.”

  I continue to stare out the window. I can’t talk, nor even move. I feel completely numb as the feeling of helplessness overtakes.

  He reaches across the car and squeezes my hand. “It will be okay. She’s not alone, and neither are you. I’m here for you Faye.” He said smiling at me. “What you tried to do for your friend was unbelievable,” he says still gripping my hand.

  I want to be holding his hand, but I can’t even bear to be near him right now. I wriggle my hand free and return to staring out the window. When the car comes to a stop I jump out as quickly as I can, not even saying goodbye.

  “Wasn’t that Charlie? What were you doing with him? Where’s Gilly?” My mom asks, her usual questioning self. She’s the type of person who always needs to be kept in the loop. If you try to keep anything from her, she already knows, and the longer you keep it from her, the worse the punishment.

  I burst into tears and run to her for a hug. She gives the best hugs. “Oh, Mom! We went to that party and Gilly got drunk, and someone was pushing her, and she fell into the fire! I wanted to help her, but Charlie tackled me and wouldn’t let me help her! I tried to stay with her, I tried, but Henry sent me home! Please Mom, I don’t know what to do,” I blurt out, bawling into her camisole top. My mascara had covered it with smears where my tears had created pools.

  “Right. Let’s go. You need to call her mom on the way and tell her what happened. No blubbering, it will make her worse. Stick to the facts and tell her we are on our way to pick her up. Then we will call Henry and see which hospital they went to.” By this time, Mom is already grabbing he coat and her keys. She writes a note for dad to tell him where we’re going and not to worry.

  As we walked to the car she was digging through her handbag. “Mom, your keys are in your hand,” I say, gesturing to her hand. She pulls out a packet of baby wipes.

  “These are for you my dear. Mascara is for the eyes, not the face.” She hands me the wipes. “Calm down, honey. You don’t know how she is until we get there,” she says, squeezing my hand before pulling hers away.

  As I’m listening to the dial tone whilst calling Gilly’s mom, I feel the dread in the pit of my stomach. Her mom is never going to let me see her again. She’s pretty much the same as Gilly. She’s confident, overdramatic, but very protective of her family. She’s pretty, but at that age where women want to feel young. So many times Gilly has caught her mom in her clothes. She answers and I tell her what happened not missing out a single detail, and by the time I finish, we are right outside her house and she is by the car already.

  “Did she say anything before you left? Why did you leave her?” she asks, starting to cry.

  “I’m so sorry. I wanted to stay but my brother wouldn’t let me. He’s with her. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Please don’t hate me!” I say, rambling.

  “I understand, Faye; I just wish she wasn’t so wild! You’re a good influence on her when she lets you be,” she says touching my shoulder. I grab her hand comforting her.

  After I spoke to Henry, I told my mom she was at the Memorial Hospital, where my mom worked. When we got there, we rushed through the halls to where Henry had told us she was. As we enter the room, she’s there sat on a chair laughing and joking with Henry, like she was never hurt. I didn’t know whether to be pleased, or grossed out that she was enjoying my brothers’ company.

  “Oh, my baby! Are you okay? I thought you were going to be in a coma or worse! Come here, honey.” Gilly’s Mom grabs her, pulling her close and kissing her repeatedly on the forehead.

  “Mom, I’m fine. Well, mostly. My hair looks like the aftermath of a forest fire,” she says pulling the matt in her hair. “Well, and these.” She said holding up her hands that were now wrapped in gauze. I’ve never been so relieved in my life.

  “Thanks for trying to help Faye. I’m so sorry I got myself into that mess. I would have never forgiven myself if you had got burned as well! Thank God for Charlie. It would have been so much worse if he wasn’t there,” she says, eating the sweet her mom was putting in her mouth like a baby bird. I raise my eyebrow at her quizzically.

  “What do you mean?” Henry asked. Mom picked up Gilly’s chart, and started discussing the Doctor’s notes with her mom in an upbeat voice, showing she was on the most part, fine.

  “Charlie grabbed Faye and pulled her away from the fire and pushed me out of it as well. It was amazing. How is he?” she said looking at me.

  “What do you mean? He’s fine,” I said looking confused. Why was she asking me this?

  “Well to keep you from getting burnt he got pretty close. I’m almost sure he would’ve got burnt. But hey, I was drunk. There could have been a pumpkin in a wig and I would have thought it was Donald Trump,” she says laughing. Her mother heads back to her and hit her across the arm. “Ow.”

  “Just because this has happened doesn’t mean you’re not grounded, Missy. Drunk?! Your 17! Act your age! What is it with young girls wanting to grow up so fast? If you carry on the way you’re going, you’ll be pregnant in a year, and I’m not ready to be a Grandmother,” she says flicking her hair over her shoulder.

  “MOM! Please stop! I promise I have learnt my lesson. I will NEVER drink again. And what do you take me for?” she said, and the room went quiet.

  “Thanks guys.” she said.

  “Right, Henry, Faye, it’s time to go.” Mom said, clapping her hands together to hurry us up.

  I went over to the bed and gave Gilly a hug. “I think Charlie likes you,” she whispered in my ear, so no one would hear.

  “As if”, I replied.

  “How many boys do you see diving into fires for girls?” she said, releasing me from the hug.

  Chapter 2

  I lay in bed thinking about the events of the night before. I can’t shake Gilly’s words. Why did he? It must be because of Henry. He wouldn’t want his friend’s sister to get hurt.

  But what if he did like me? I can’t even think about that. I need to really apologise and thank him. I wonder when I will see him next.

  He sometimes helps on the farm if he comes home with Henry, so maybe he will come by this weekend, seeing as how Henry’s secret is out. He’s studying the same course as Henry, ‘Intro to Business’ and got in on a football scholarship. They have been friends all through high school so it’s just luck that they managed to go to college together as well, or very well planned out. He would always come over and say how he wished he lived in a place like this and how much he loved the work. Especially with his football training.

  “Faye, the vet will be here in an hour! You need to get down here and have breakfast if you’re going to be useful,” my dad shouts up the stairs.

  I crawled out of bed and climbed onto the stool of my vanity table. It was old. Everything in this house was basically antique. My dad always said, ‘Nothing is built to last anymore,’ so he always sticks to antique shops and garage sales. It was made of mahogany with a three panelled mirror. I loved it. It seems like everything that is old has so much more character and looks so much better in a farmhouse. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and saw my marshmallows that I called eyes. I cried a lot last night. I try to calm them down with a little concealer.

  When I eventually head downstairs, my Dad has already laid my breakfast ready for the day.

  “Back to your old self again? The coveralls suit you better, Sugar,” he says, kissing me on the head as he passed. I was wearing my coveralls, folded down to my waist with a white t-shirt. “Feeling better, I hope. I’m proud of you, Honey,” he says, smiling at me as he sits down opposite me at the table.

  This makes me feel like a total nerd. Who gets an ‘I’m proud of you’ for going to a party? This family is so weird.

  Henry heads down the stairs and sits next to me, taking the bowl from in front of me.

  “I’m so glad you surprised u
s and came home to help, Henry.” Mom says, smiling at him, like he’s the golden child.

  “Thanks,” he replies, tucking into my cereal. I glare at him. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. I helped your friend. You’re welcome,” He flashes a cocky smirk at me.

  “Exactly. You helped her, not me, so I owe you nothing,” I say, snatching the bowl back. He doesn’t let go and the cereal covers us both.

  “Nice one, Liza!” he says, jumping to his feet. He knows I hate being called that. I used to love the wild Thornberry’s growing up and everyone said I looked like her.

  “Me? You shouldn’t have stolen my cereal in the first place!” I say, trying to pull my t-shirt away from my skin. My t-shirt had gone completely see through.

  “Hello! Who’s ready to test some cattle?” I hear a voice coming from the direction of the back door.

  “Oh no!” I say, trying to make a break for stairs. I run through the kitchen and run straight into Charlie, knocking me flat. Charlie on the other hand, still standing, didn’t even flinch, like a small pebble had hit him.

  “Faye! What are you doing?” My mom shouts, coming into the hallway.

  “What the hell? Why are you wet?” Charlie asks, wiping a damp patch where I had hit him. He was wearing a black shirt with his trusty leather jacket in his hand, an old pair of jeans and boots. His hair was dishevelled like he had had a rough night’s sleep. As I look at him, I see one arm is wrapped in a bandage. How didn’t I notice the burn yesterday? He puts his hand out to help me up. As he does, he looks down at me and his eyes widen. Why did I wear a neutral bra?

  I grab his hand, covering as much as I could with the other and run up the stairs. God I am such an embarrassment.

  I get to my room and close the door. This time I’m wearing black. I grab my black t-shirt. Where are my jeans? Oh god, they’re in the wash. All I have is shorts. Damn it, they will have to do.

  “Jesus, Faye! We are sorting the cattle not going on Project Runway! Hurry up! And put on something dry on this time,” my father shouts up the stairs. He has always been a joker. I am going to be the butt of his jokes all day now. I need to stay under the radar today.

  I go downstairs, and find the boys are waiting for me at the door. “Finally! Should we bring a towel just in case?” my father says, elbowing Henry. “Right, we are missing a pair of hands this year, so we will have to rally. The horses are ready outback. Henry and I will round the cattle into the corral. Charlie you’re going to make sure we don’t have any stragglers, and Faye, you’re going to make sure they don’t head down the path for the house,” he says, and as if he was the coach at a football game had finished his pep talk, they all clap their hands and run to the horses. All that was missing was a ‘Go Team!’ I do a mock cheerleader clap behind their backs and laugh to myself.

  I had been given the easy job. The cattle are well trained after all these years; they usually head straight to the corral expecting a feed anyway. I suppose it gives me some time to relax and bask in the sun.

  I watched the butterflies in the field. They loved the meadow close by. That’s my favourite place. I love to run through the long grass and lose time there. I know it’s so cliché. Everyone runs through meadows and lies in the long grass, but there is a reason they do it. It’s because it’s so damn fulfilling. I love to sit there, right in the centre of the field, and just watch nature happen. It’s mostly rabbits, butterflies and other insects but I have seen a few wolves there one evening running on the opposite side of the meadow. Luckily. I love this time of year. The start of summer. I’ve always loved the way everything is so full of life, especially after a good rainstorm. And summer break is just around the corner.

  The meadow is my favourite place to think. I think about life, my future, nature, love and sometimes I just come out her for a good scream. All I need there now is a little lodge for me to live in. I would love to spend all my time there. After yesterday’s events, I need the meadow. The meadow listens the way people can’t.

  “Faye! Wake up! They’re in the corral now. Let’s go!” Henry shouts, knocking me out of my little world.

  I ride over to find the vet ready and waiting. “I hope I have good news for you Peter, you deserve a good sell after all you have been through,” she said getting the vials out of her bag and the syringe gun she uses to inject the herd. “Look like a great bunch you have here.” She said gesturing to the cows.

  “Dad, you’re selling them all?” I ask.

  “Yes, Honey, we have to. We need to take a break from having cattle for a couple of years, to try and repair the damage this place has done to our wallets,” he says, not looking me in the eye.

  “Well, what would we do to get the funds up?” I ask.

  “We are going to lease some of the fields but work them as normal. Bill, my friend from the market, he’s looking to invest in more cattle and is willing to pay for the lease and the work we do to help us get back on our feet. He may even buy our cattle,” he says stroking the neck of the first cow in the queue.

  It took about 2 hours to get through all the cattle. “Right I will see you in a couple days,” the vet said, taking off her mud boots and getting into her jeep. “I’m sorry I’m rushing off like this, I have surgery on Mrs Halliwell’s cat in about an hour and need to prepare.”

  I headed straight for the meadow. I really needed to clear my head. But instead of thinking I just sat there in silence. Watching. Watching how the butterflies danced with each other and kissed every flower with their flutters. I listened to how the wind swept through the grass like the distant roar of a lion, and how the birds sang like a mother would sing to her new-born child. It was a place you could get lost. It took me a while to realise someone was sat beside me.

  “l understand why you come out here now,” Charlie said.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask, feeling a little invaded.

  “I just wanted to make sure you were alright,” he said, staring out at the meadow.

  “Me? I’m fine! How is your arm?” I ask, gesturing to the bandage.

  “Ah, it’s fine. Just a scratch,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t say thank you yesterday. I would definitely be in worse shape if it wasn’t for you, so, thank you,” I say, touching his shoulder in appreciation.

  “I couldn’t really just let you do that could I? Henry would have killed me if I didn’t get involved.” Just as I thought. He did it for Henry. “And I wouldn’t have forgiven myself. Definitely a bruise I don’t mind having.” He smiled.

  “I haven’t really had anyone out here with me before,” I say, to fill the void in conversation.

  “I can see why. It’s such an amazing spot. Those butterflies are beautiful. I wish I lived in a place like this.”

  “It’s an American Painted Lady,” I say. Damn! That came out before I could stop it.

  “What are you talking about?” he asks, confused. His brow furrows.

  “The butterflies you’re talking about. That’s what their called.” I say.

  “How do you know that?” he asks.

  “I just like butterflies. They’re kind of my thing. I suppose coming out here just gives you an appreciation of them. That one over there, the green one? It’s called a Malachite. I know, it sounds like something off Star Trek,” I laugh, basking in my glory.

  “You know Star Trek too?” he smiled, inquisitive.

  “Umm, no. Just that it sounded other worldly,” I reply with a little giggle.

  “I knew it was too good to be true.” He pretends to be disappointed.

  “Sorry to disappoint. You’re not exactly a Star Trek buff anyway,” I reply. He has always been a hard nut. He never really shared much personally but he is fast and furious, sports channel on constantly and all round bad boy. He drives a souped up jeep, leather jackets galore, and has always shown up to the house with a bruise or two. He always play-fights with my dad and brother, and he’s here whenever Henry is. He’s basical
ly a member of the family in my parents’ eyes. Like an adopted son.

  He holds his hand up separating his fingers like Spock. “Live long and prosper,” he says, trying to keep a straight face.

  “Nice try. You don’t fool me,” I say, laughing at his bad impression and giving him a little shove. “I think we should head back now. Mom will have lunch ready soon and I’m starved,” I tell him, as if in tune with the rumble of my empty stomach.

  “Oh, yeah of course. Don’t want you to get hangry again.” He jumps to his feet offering me a hand once more.

  “I know. A hangry Faye is never a good one to be close to.” We headed back for the house. It felt a little awkward. I knew I needed to address the elephant in the room... “Sorry about earlier as well. Henry was an ass and I, well, you saw what happened,” I said, feeling a little embarrassed.