Butterfly Kisses

by Samantha Hicks

  Once she could no longer see any escaping butterflies, she lowered the binoculars and handed them back to Jac. “Thank you.” She wiped her cheeks where her tears had fallen, her voice cracking. “I’m glad I got to see them go.”

  Jac kissed her cheek again. “No problem.” She stood from the bed and stowed the binoculars in her bag then sat back on the bed. She pulled her phone from her pocket and opened her gallery. “I went and looked at the house yesterday evening. What do you think?” She handed the phone over to Molly.

  Molly scrolled through the pictures, her smile growing wider with every picture she saw. The place was beautiful. Jac explained that it was a remodelled farmhouse that sat on a hill overlooking the surrounding farmland. It’s closest neighbour was three miles away and had an acre of land. The view was breath-taking. The inside of the house was just as spectacular. It was completely modernised, with sleek kitchen cabinets and hardwood floors. A wrap-around balcony circled the first floor, allowing each of the three bedrooms access to the outside and the view beyond. Molly fell in love with it straight away. However, it looked extremely expensive and way out of the budget Molly agreed with Jac.

  “It looks fabulous,” she said handing back the phone. “But also expensive.”

  “But do you like it?”

  “Of course I do, but–”

  “Great. I put an offer in before I came here. I should know by this afternoon whether it’s been excepted.”

  “Jac! How could you do that without talking about it with me first?”

  Jac had the gracefulness to blush. She shrugged and put her phone away. “I knew you’d like it and it was going so cheap I couldn’t run the risk of someone else buying it.”

  “That place does not look cheap. How much is it?” Jac looked away, shrugging again. “Jac, tell me.”

  “It was only thirty thousand over what you agreed to.”

  Molly blinked. Jac made it sound as if thirty thousand wasn’t a big deal, but it was a hell of a lot to someone like Molly. She knew Jac had done well for herself but to just fork over so much without batting an eyelid shocked her.

  “I can’t let you do this.”

  Jac pursed her lips as she gazed out the window, deep in thought, arms folded across her chest. “Do you remember yesterday when I said I wanted us to be married again one day?”

  “Of course.”

  “I want this to be our home.” She turned her gaze to Molly, tears clinging to her lashes. “I want us to have the perfect home, Molly. And this is it.” She took Molly’s hands in her own. “Molly, you’re it for me and I want to give you everything you deserve.”

  As Molly gazed at Jac she tried to come up with a reason not to let her do this. It was only the money side of things Molly was having a hard time with. If it wasn’t for that she would grab on to Jac and never let go. She decided Jac was right, it was only money, and she could always pay her back for half of it when she was better and working. Knowing this would make Jac happy she smiled, reaching up and pulling her closer. “Okay,” she whispered and kissed her.

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  Jac stepped back and whooped loudly, pumping her fists in the air with excitement. She came back to Molly and kissed her hard. Molly held on as she kissed her back with as much love and passion as she could. This was going to be the start they both needed. Finally, after all these years, they could look to the future and build their life together once more.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Hey, Tiff,” Jac said as she approached her friend in the office of Bloomin’ Butterfly. “How did the auction go?” It had been a week since the butterflies were let go and the auction was the last of the property to be sold off. The farm looked empty now all the machinery and odds and ends were gone. It looked bereft of life, barren except for the greenhouses that now stood silent witness to the fall of Bloomin’ Butterfly. Jac hadn’t realised how much noise the buildings had made until all she could hear was silence. She was glad Molly wasn’t here to see this. She and Tiffany had put so much work into this place that it was heart-wrenching to see it all gone.

  “We sold everything, which is good. We didn’t make as much as I was hoping but it’ll be enough to pay off the bank and have a few thousand each.” Tiffany stuffed a folder into her back-pack and zipped it up, sighing as she did so. “I can’t believe it’s over.” She gazed at Jac, her lips turning down in the corners. “This place has been like home for ten years and now it’s gone.” Tears tumbled down her cheeks and Jac did the same thing she had done for Molly when she cried this morning over the definitive end to her business, she stepped forward and hugged her.

  “Everything will be okay. New beginnings are tough, but it’ll be worth it in the end.” She felt Tiffany nod her head in agreement. Jac pulled back. “I was going to sneak some pizza into the hospital for Molly. How about you join us, and we can salute the end of an era?”

  “I can’t. I’m seeing Craig tonight. It’s his only night off this week and I promised him.”

  “Another time then. How are things going between you? You both seemed to like each other.”

  “He’s great, he doesn’t even mind when I smell like old mud.”

  “He does seem like a decent guy, and he’s great with Molly. I know he isn’t her primary doctor anymore, but he always makes time to come see her and make sure she’s doing okay.” In fact, if Jac hadn’t known Molly had been switched to another doctor, she would have thought Craig was still her primary carer. He would come see her at the start of his shift just to check on her and Molly was pleased for that, it always made her feel better knowing he was there to answer any questions she had about her recovery. Not that she didn’t trust the other doctors or nurses, it was just Craig had been there since the beginning and it comforted her. “Once Molly is home we’ll need to have you both over for dinner.”

  “How is the house purchase coming along?”

  Jac smiled as she pictured the house in her head. The moment she had seen it on the internet she knew it was the house for her and Molly. Although it was a little pricy, there was no way she wasn’t going to make a bid on it. As expected Molly had been angry Jac was willing to part with so much money, but for Jac, the cost didn’t factor in her decision for the pure fact it was Molly’s dream home. Jac may have been a bit forward in putting in an offer without her consent, but in the end it had turned out well. Molly had agreed to the purchase, with conditions though, one being Molly would buy her share when she went back to work, and another that Jac’s name was added to the deed. Initially, Jac had wanted the house to be in Molly’s name but Molly refused. It made Jac happy because Molly was obviously thinking along the same lines as her, that they would be living in it together, as a couple.

  “It’s going really well. The seller is desperate to sell, his daughter lives abroad and is having some trouble with her husband, so her parents are selling up to go live with her. Because I have the full asking price and don’t need a mortgage, the sale will happen quickly. It should be ours in less than a week.”

  Tiffany grinned and hugged her hard. “I’m so happy for you both. It’s about time you both sorted your shit out.”

  “We have you to thank for a lot of that.” Jac playfully punched her on her shoulder. “You seem to have trouble keeping secrets to yourself.”

  Tiffany waved her off. “Someone had to shove you both together. If it was left to you two you’d both be pussy-footing around the issue still.”

  Jac stared off into the distance for a moment, thinking about Molly and when Jac had first arrived back at the farm. Having Molly back in her life was more than she could ever have dreamed. It was certainly more than she thought she deserved. Molly wasn’t the only one who blamed Jac for Dillon’s death, Jac thought it was her fault too. It was only coming back here and reconciling with Molly that finally lifted the cloud of self-hatred from her shoulders. She vowed she would always do right by Molly. Never again would she want to hurt her. She looke
d back at Tiffany, grinning.

  “She really is the best, Tiff. Thank you for believing in me when I came back. I’m sure if you hadn’t have gone to bat for me Molly wouldn’t have been so forgiving.”

  “Not my doing. I’ve known for years she was still in love with you. It just took you coming back for her to finally accept it herself.”

  “Well, thank you anyway.” Jac glanced at her watch. Molly’s physiotherapy had ended an hour ago. Knowing Molly would need to rest after the session Jac thought it best to give her time to rest, but now it was approaching dinner time and Jac knew Molly would wake up hungry. It was time to get the pizza. “I need to get going. You know how cranky she gets when she’s hungry.”

  “Tell her I’ll come by tomorrow sometime with the paperwork we need to finalise everything.”

  “Will do.” Jac hugged her again and headed to her car. She glanced at the Bloomin’ Butterfly sign as she pulled away, knowing that chapter of Molly’s life was over. She gripped the wheel tighter, feeling a mixture of anger and sadness Molly would never walk through these grounds again. It made Jac all the more determined to make Molly happy in the future. An idea formed in her mind and she smiled, hoping Molly would like it. Jac would need to ask Tiffany for advice on where to purchase the items she would need for the surprise, and maybe help her set it up.

  ***

  “It’s officially ours,” Jac said as she walked into Molly’s room, swinging the house keys between her fingers. Molly’s face lit up, her wide smile showing perfect white teeth. The contracts had been signed yesterday and the funds transferred from Jac’s bank to the sellers.

  “That’s great, honey. Let’s get me outta here.”

  “Molly. You agreed to stay here until I have everything moved in and sorted. It would be also great if you’re in a cast instead of the cage. We won’t have to worry about the bones shifting.” Molly pouted and folded her arms across her chest, clearly not happy about it. Jac sat on the mattress and put her arm around her shoulder, tugging until Molly’s resistance gave way and she leaned into her. “Just a few more days, I promise.”

  “Fine, but you better work your ass off to finish as quickly as possible.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Jac laughed and Molly’s mock command. “I’ll even send you progress photos.”

  “Good.” Molly tilted her head and kissed the side of Jac’s neck. “You always were the obedient type.”

  “Hardly.” She returned Molly’s kiss but on the lips. “I’ll ask Tiffany to help me move everything from storage, maybe see if Gabe could help. I know he hasn’t found a job yet.” Molly frowned, her eyes dimming. Molly found it hard knowing she had put ten staff out of work and no matter how much Jac tried to reassure her, Molly still carried the guilt. “He’s fine, sweetheart. I spoke to him a few days ago and he’s happy having some time off. Don’t worry.”

  “I just wish it hadn’t come to this.”

  “I know.”

  “Anyway, I need to talk to you about something.”

  Jac’s hackles rose at the way Molly said those words. The fact Molly wouldn’t meet her gaze clued her into this being something Jac wasn’t going to like. “Okay.”

  “Your mother heard about my accident through the grapevine. She phoned me to ask how I was.” Molly began picking at the imaginary lint on the sheet covering her waist. “I, uh, kinda let it slip that you were taking care of me.”

  “Oh.” Jac still hadn’t made contact with her mother and she had a feeling she was about to be set up. “Go on,” she said, trepidation causing her pulse to spike.

  “I said you would drop by tomorrow to see her.”

  Jac sighed. Yep, she was being set up. It had been so long since she had seen her she wasn’t sure she was ready for it, but one look into Molly’s hopeful eyes had her agreeing without hesitation. She would do anything for Molly.

  “Fine. What time?”

  “That’s great.” Molly kissed her quickly. “She’s home all day so whenever, but I think first thing before you have a chance to change your mind.”

  A ball of tension settled in Jac’s gut at the prospect of seeing her mother. What do you say to a woman you haven’t seen in years? She glanced at Molly. Saying I love you might be a start. It had worked with Molly after all. Maybe by starting off with that, any tension between them might be broken and the absence in each other’s lives would be forgotten. Jac knew she would be in for a sleepless night. She had been less scared to face Molly after all this time than her mother, but with Molly Jac knew where they had gone wrong. With Karen Colby there was no definitive issue, just time, and sometimes those awkwardness’s were the worst to overcome. How do you reconnect with someone you have nothing in common with and a gulf so wide no bridge could ever cross it? I guess I’ll find out tomorrow. She settled in the guest chair and put thoughts of her mother out of her mind, wanting to enjoy her time with Molly.

  Chapter Twenty

  Jac pulled to a stop outside her mother’s townhouse ten o’clock the following morning. As suspected, she hadn’t slept a wink all night. Looking in the mirror that morning at the motel revealed dark circles ringing her eyes and the fine lines at the corners seemed deeper this morning. The three cups of coffee hadn’t done anything to make her more alert, they just gave her a burning sensation in her stomach.

  The house looked the same as when she last saw it. Neatly trimmed grass, perennials flowers in a multitude of colours edged the border, and a small ornate water fountain trickled in the centre of the lawn. Nothing had changed in eight years. When her father had passed away she would come by every week to see how her mother was, but gradually those visits became less; her mother becoming more distant each time. When Jac had left for London for good it was easy to make up excuses not to come back. She was sure her mother didn’t mind, content to mourn her husband alone. Being here again brought up all the old feelings of loss for Jac, not just of her father but of her mother also. She hadn’t realised how much she had missed her until she sat staring at the blue front door.

  Taking a deep breath and letting it out on a sigh, she opened the door handle and stepped out of the car. As she began her walk up the stone walkway bisecting the grass, her mother’s front door opened and Karen stepped out, wrapping a grey wool cardigan around herself. To Jac, she seemed a little shorter and thinner than the last time she had seen her, but her features were as youthful as always. The sadness in her gaze was still present and Jac wondered if it would ever leave. Probably not. She knew deep down that she too would look the same if she ever lost Molly the way Karen had lost her husband. Watching the life drain out of your partner’s eyes while they were in pain wasn’t a nice thing to witness. How horrible knowing there was nothing you could do but wait for the end. She shuddered at the thought of that ever happening to Molly. But then again, seeing Molly trapped in her truck hadn’t been a picnic either, that was just as horrendous.

  “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming in,” Karen said. “You were in your car for so long.”

  “Hi, Mum.” Jac stood in front of Karen, her head tilted down, gazing up under her lashes. Karen smiled and reached her hand out, cupping Jac’s cheek.

  “My darling daughter.” A lone tear rolled down her cheek. “It’s so good to see you.”

  Jac took the last step toward her and pulled her into a hug. “I love you, Mum.”

  “Oh, Jac. I love you, too.”

  They embraced on the doorstep for a long while, Jac taking comfort from her mother’s familiar perfume. Karen step back. “Come on in. I have a pot of tea waiting. Are you hungry?” Jac nodded then followed her mother through the house. Not much had changed in here either. The same pictures of the family over the years still hung on the hall walls, the same peach carpet throughout the rooms, and her father’s tennis trophy he won in university still sat proudly on the fireplace. The only thing missing was his gregarious presence.

  Jac took a seat at the dining table while Karen fetched the teapot and cups.
She watched her move efficiently, not appearing to have any weaknesses or illness limiting her movements. It eased Jac’s mind knowing she seemed to be in relative health. That didn’t mean there wasn’t something on the inside going on, but outwardly she looked fine.

  “So, Mum, what have you been up to lately?” Jac cringed and drummed her fingers on her thigh under the table. What a lame way to start the conversation. Karen poured the tea then sat opposite Jac and gazed at her, her brows drawn down. Jac looked away. The silence stretched between them for a moment.

  “Jacqueline, I need to apologise to you. I know the distance between us was my fault, but when your father died, I couldn’t cope.” She glanced away for a moment. “I still can’t some days. But that wasn’t’ fair to you. You lost your father and I wasn’t there for you.”

  “Mum, it’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not. We’ve missed out on so much.”

  “Molly tells me you liked to go to the butterfly garden?” Jac was pleased when her mother smiled widely. She didn’t want to talk about her father or the distance between them, anymore. It was in the past and it was time they started to rebuild their relationship.

  “Yes. It’s so peaceful there. Molly would allow me to come when they were closed so I could sit in peace with no one around. It’s such a shame it’s had to close permanently.” She took a sip of her tea. “I went there to be closer to you.”

  “What?”

  “I couldn’t find a way to explain to you how I was feeling, how much I missed you. Sitting with Molly was a way for us both to still have a connection with you, reminiscing about the old days.”

  “Christ’s sake, Mum. I didn’t die. You only had to pick up the phone. I understand why Molly didn’t want to see me, but you didn’t even try to contact me. It was always me who called you. I gave up trying because I didn’t see the point.” Jac hadn’t meant to get so angry, but for her mother to sit there and talk as if Jac were dead was ludicrous. Karen’s eyes teared and Jac closed her own, blowing out a breath. Re-hashing it all wasn’t going to get them anywhere. She reached across the table and covered her hands with her own. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m still a little hurt over it all. Let’s just put it behind us and start again.” Karen nodded, squeezing Jac’s fingers.