Page 33 of Butterfly 6, Phase 1

“Thanks. I’m glad you like it, Alani,” Mara replied with a warm smile.

Alani let her guard down a bit. “I’m sorry if I’m defensive. I just feel like such a guest here,” she admitted. The sprawling Okafor estate was beautiful, but it felt so impersonal as she looked around the perfectly designed space. The home was like something out of a magazine. It was bright and filled with neutral-colored walls, carpet, and furniture. It was modern, with its top-notch finishes, but grounded with natural woods and stone accents throughout. It looked like the perfect family lived between these walls. A man and wife, with children who went to private schools and attended church each Sunday. It was almost true, except for the fact that a gangster inhabited these walls.

Alani wished Ethic had been able to stay. She didn’t quite know what to do with herself in his absence.

“You’re not a guest here,” Eazy said. “This is your home.”

“You moved in and literally threw all the old furniture out. You redesigned everything. You said you didn’t want anything in here that was left over from somebody else. Daddy let you have your way with every detail. You love this house,” Bella added.

“Yeah, you even changed the dishes!” Eazy added. “We wrote on them, then broke them into a million pieces. It was so much fun!”

“Why did we do that?” Alani asked, confused.

“Because you like to make a memory of everything,” Bella laughed. “We wrote down what we wanted to let go of with a Sharpie marker, then we tossed them onto the floor. The contractors charged Daddy extra for the cleanup.”

Alani laughed and shook her head. “Sounds like we made a mess.”

“We did,” Bella co-signed. “But it was perfect. Everything under this roof is Alani-coded. It’s not even the same when you’re not here.”

“See,” Mara added. “You’re the queen of the castle, Mrs. Okafor.”

Alani scoffed and smiled at Mara’s attempt to reassure. She sensed some sarcasm in her tone, but with Bella and Eazy, she felt nothing but warmth. They were welcoming and loving in a way that made Alani feel needed. Even if she couldn’t quite remember the ways she filled space in their lives. They finished their meal, and then Mara helped Alani into the family room.

“You guys can relax. I’ll clean up this mess and take baby True to her nursery.”

“Can you bring me the monitor, please?” Alani asked.

“Of course,” Mara agreed.

“I think Lily should be here soon,” Bella said.

“Oh, yes, I forgot to inform Ethic, but Lily called before you guys arrived. She won’t be able to start right away, which is why I’m here for 24-hour care for the time being, but no worries. I’ve got it covered. You guys relax while I get this little one settled,” Mara informed.

Alani hated how immobile she was. It was so hard to care for herself, let alone her baby girl. Her heart ached a bit as she watched Mara carry True up the stairs.

Alani sank into the cushions of the couch as Bella and Eazy gathered around.

“Here’s your favorite throw blanket and your fuzzy socks,” Eazy offered. He sat on the floor in front of her and grabbed the remote control for the TV.

“You guys don’t have to sit here with me. I promise I’m okay. What would you normally be doing on a Saturday afternoon?” she asked.

“Sitting here with you,” Eazy answered as he turned on the screen. “We always spend Saturdays with you. You make us breakfast, and we watch old shows from the olden days and work in your greenhouse on Saturdays.”

“Shows from the olden days?” Alani was amused. “What shows might that be?”

“You’ve got us streaming the original Fresh Prince. Bel-Air came out, and you told us about the first one, so we’ve been binging the seasons.”

“And that’s considered old?” Alani protested. “It’s a classic! Classic is different than old.”

“If that makes you feel better,” Bella teased, smiling.

“It’s really funny, though,” Eazy piped up.

“Thank you, Big Man! At least somebody knows good TV around here.” Alani threw up her hands in faux despair.

“But it’s kinda old too,” Eazy added.

“I’ll show you old,” Alani laughed, squeezing Eazy’s collarbone playfully and tickling him. He laughed, and Alani showered him with a relentless finger attack. Eazy flopped around, yelling and howling for dear life. The house seemed smaller with the sounds of laughter filling it.