CHAPTER 12: BUTTERFLIES
- brandon0251
- May 25
- 4 min read
She rolls effortlessly down the two-lane street of the quiet Brookwood neighborhood, her dark brown hair scattering in every direction as the warm spring air rushes past her slightly freckled cheeks.
She stands and pedals once, hard, then two more times before settling back onto the seat, letting the bike coast again as she leans side to side, snaking down the empty road.
She absolutely loves this time of year. It’s warm, but not blistering yet. The pollen is finally under control, its yellow coating nearly washed away by the recent rain. And at this time of day, the neighborhood is so quiet that she feels like she might be the only person left on the entire planet.
She rides with no real plan, drifting wherever the road takes her, taking in the natural beauty of the small town she calls home.
She hears it before she sees it. The all-too-familiar sound of the four-cylinder Mitsubishi Eclipse comes rolling over the hill ahead.. The engine revs as the car downshifts, slowing before turning left across the two-lane into the Tanner driveway.
She slows her bike, watching as the passenger door of the red two-door swings open.
She sees his face—eyes red and puffy—and immediately knows something is wrong.
She pedals harder, skidding to a stop behind the car, dropping her bike as she runs to him.
He sees her coming, and even though he tries, he can’t hold himself together. Before asking a single question, she wraps her arms around him and pulls him in tight.
“Mouse?” she whispers. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”
He doesn’t respond, but he squeezes her back. She hears him sniffle, fighting to hold it in.
After a moment, he pulls away and looks at her. He brushes his shaggy hair back away from his eyes and wipes his tears with his fingertips.
She swallows hard as his eyes lock onto hers. Her mouth goes dry, a lump rising in her throat.
“Sam…” he says, his voice cracking. “Everything is falling apart. She’s dying. The doctor doesn’t even think she’ll make it to the weekend. How am I supposed to do this without her?”
Shea steps out from the driver’s side and closes the door. Her eyes meet Sam’s, and the look she gives her says everything she can’t say out loud..
Sam offers a small, steady smile before turning back to Miles.
“Look, is this going to be easy? Absolutely not,” she says, matter-of-fact. “This is probably going to be the hardest thing you’ve ever gone through.”
She reaches down and takes his hands in hers.
“But I promise you this—you won’t go through it alone. I’ll be here. Jonathan will be here…”
She glances back at Shea.
“And now that Shea is your guardian, I guess she’s pretty much stuck with you.”
They all crack a smile, the weight of the moment easing just a little.
“Well, at least for five more years,” Sam adds. “So she’s stuck for a while, right?”
“There’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be,” Shea says.
Sam nods.
“So that’s how you’re going to make it. One day at a time. Together, with all the people who love you. We’ll be here as long as it takes to get back to some kind of normal.”
He looks at her again and smiles.
“Thank you,” he mouths.
Her stomach flips as warmth rushes to her face. It comes suddenly and unexpectedly, though it’s been happening more often lately.
She quickly throws an arm around his shoulder, hoping he didn’t notice. “Just don’t take too long. It’s really hard to make fun of you when you’re all Corey Matthews. You know that’s going to be tough for me if I have to hold that in too long.”
He laughs and nudges her arm away.
“Gee, Sam. I sure am glad you were riding by… You were just riding by, right? You’re not out here like… stalking me?”
She punches him in the arm.
“Okay! Okay. Just checking.”
They smile at each other.
Her stomach flips again.
“Sam?” Shea asks. “Would you want to ride back with us to the hospital? We’re just running inside real quick, and then we’re heading back.”
She looks at Miles.
“That okay with you, Mouse?”
“Yeah,” he says. “That would be nice.”
She looks back at Shea. “Count me in.”
“Okay. I’ll call your mom inside and let her know.”
“Perfect. If she doesn’t answer, just leave a message. She checks that machine religiously.”
“Will do. Why don’t you move your bike? I don’t want to back over it. We’ll be right back.”
“On it!” Sam says, a little too enthusiastically.
Her cheeks flush again.
Miles grins, shaking his head, as he and Shea head inside.
Sam walks over to her bike and picks it up. As she rolls it toward the yard, her ears suddenly begin to ring, and a the hair on the back of her neck stands up.
She turns quickly, looking toward the woods behind the neighborhood.
Something feels… off.
But a moment later, the feeling is gone.
Or at least, almost.
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