Page 27 of Butterfly 6, Phase 1

The sound of Eazy stampeding down the steps pulled his attention briefly.

“Morning, Dad!” Eazy shouted.

“Big Man,” Ethic greeted, opening his body so that Eazy could fit in his arms for a hug. “Sup, boy? You ready to go?”

“Yup!” Eazy said. “All packed, but I wish we could stay.”

“Nannie will be over to visit soon, Big Man, no worries. I got to take me a spin or two up to Soaring Eagle first. I’ll come see about you when I get back,” Nannie snickered.

Ethic shook his head but smiled at her fervor for slot machines. Limp or no limp, Nannie was going to hit the casino, and he knew he was going to fund it. He went into his pocket, pulling out the bank envelope he had purposefully stopped to get. He set it on the table.

“You’re a good man, Ethic,” Nannie said, giddy. “I ain’t got to touch my Social Security.”

Ethic chuckled because he knew Nannie hadn’t touched that check since the day Alani had moved into his home. Nannie’s bills had been on autopay ever since.

Alani and Bella came down the steps slowly, and he abandoned his plate to assist. “I’ve got it, Daddy,” Bella said. “Mara showed me how.”

“Where’s her walker, baby girl?” Ethic’s anxiety spiked as he saw them struggling.

“I don’t need the walker. I can manage just fine. I just need a little support. We got it.” Alani was winded, but he held his tongue because he knew all he could do was let her try and be there to catch her when she fell, because as hard as she was pushing herself, the fall was inevitable.

Ethic stood watch dutifully until Alani was safely on the first floor.

Bella kissed his cheek quickly and then took her place at the table. Ethic embraced Alani.

“Stunning, baby,” he whispered, as he pulled her into his arms.

“Ezra, please,” she shot back, annoyed. “I’m so not.” She was so hard on herself, always had been, but her confidence had taken a significant hit since she had come to. This healing was hell. Her hair was uneven from being shaved for surgery. She couldn’t do anything about it until the wounds healed completely. She wore a Hermès scarf to cover the damage as she rehabilitated. Her brown skin was pale, to the point where her olive undertone shone through, making her seem ill. She needed sun, but she was bedridden most of the day, and that alone was doing something vicious to her mood. Her nails were raggedy and in desperate need of maintenance, and she didn’t even want to talk about the forest growing between her thighs. Even her natural curves were lost. She was frail from being bedridden. She felt like a shell of her former self. She had never been high maintenance, but she had always kept herself up. The inevitable level-up when she married Ethic had been out of her control, and somehow, Alani was very much so kept. She desperately needed some self-care and to slide her husband’s credit card to get back to her routine. She felt ugly and sickly, and like a human cow because of the baby attached to her nipple most of the day. Postpartum and recovery were whooping her ass. None of it mattered to him. She could do the absolute most, or the least, and he would see her the same. She was Black. She was authentic. She was coded to nurture and command with ease. Her DNA crafted for him. Her pheromones were designed to allure him. Ethic was on Alani bad. He had been from the first time he had laid eyes on her. He would always see beauty, but he understood her need to be feminine, and women valued aesthetics. He melted into the groove of her neck, kissing the delicate skin there. She smelled so damn good.

“Who’s better? I ain’t seen one yet,” he shot back. “Mrs. Okafor,” he said it like he was forever indebted. Like he was trying the name on her to make sure it still fit. Like he was announcing her to a crowd awaiting her entrance to a grand ball. Alani blushed.

“You do too much when it comes to me,” she whispered. “I’m not even worth all the fuss you give.”

“I could never do enough, baby, so demand more,” Ethic whispered, briefly locking his forehead to hers.

She caressed his face, while closing her eyes, enjoying the feeling of just being loved. How lucky she was. Some women never experience the honor of a real man cherishing them. Ethic was a man who valued her for more than the roles she served in his life, for more than the duties she performed. For more than the ease she brought to his life through chores, meals cooked, and errands run. His love was rooted in more than the sexual pleasure and availability to give. It was her being. It was in the privilege to be in partnership, to walk through life, to pull her close and find companionship every single day with her. It was the most genuine thing she had ever felt in another human interaction. Connection like that wasn’t easily discovered, and somehow, even without memory of how it began, she found it in him. “I love you.”

He reveled in that sentiment proudly because he was afraid that one day soon, she might not feel the same. “I’m in love with you, Alani. Forever and always, until they cover me.”

“Okay, Dad, let her breathe! Her legs are getting tired!” Ethic shook his head and bit his bottom lip before giving her a quick peck on the lips.

“Boy, get you some business; this right here is mine. You’ll understand when you’re older,” Ethic chuckled, wrapping an arm around Alani’s waist and resisting the urge to grab her ass and pull her into his body. Eazy loved Alani, and he stayed hating on Ethic whenever he hoarded her attention. Ethic loved that his children got to witness love under their roof. Alani had brought so much light to his home, so much tradition, so much mothering. Eazy would know how to honor a woman, and Bella would know the effort that a man should give, just by watching the way he and Alani loved one another.

“You’re still my favorite guy, Big Man,” Alani called out, giggling, but never taking her eyes off Ethic. “Leave him alone,” she whispered, tapping Ethic’s nose with her finger and beaming. “I know it’s a lot going on and you’re busy with Mo, but thank you for coming to get me,” Alani said softly, her words existing between the two of them.

“You’re always a priority, baby. I’ma make sure you, Mo, and everybody else is taken care of,” he promised. “Including you, Ms. Pat,” he said louder. “Before you go to the casino, I’ma have somebody stop by here to take a look at that hip,” he said.

“They better catch me while they can. This money gon’ burn a hole in my pocket,” she said, giggling.

“I’ll have someone stop by in a couple hours,” he promised.

“True’s upstairs in her bassinet,” Alani informed.

Ethic led Alani to a chair as Nannie put a fresh plate in front of her. “None of that low-salt, bland-diet, mess that lady be talking about. Food is healing. Get you some grits and eggs in you, put some strength back in them chicken legs.”

Alani smiled because Nannie had been teasing her about her legs since she was a little girl.

“Thank you, Nannie,” Alani said. She picked up the fork, which was progress, because when she had first awakened, even her hands didn’t seem to remember how to function. Today, she was upright on her own, feeding herself, and walking, not without struggle, but still walking. God was real, and she was breathing proof of His glory. Ethic made his way upstairs and found True sleeping peacefully.