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I can’t help the wide smile that forms on my face and now I feel like a child. “Oliver,” I say. Only his name needs to be said for I know it conveys everything I’m feeling - my excitement and how much this means to me.
“Well? Are we going to stand out here forever or do you want to go see some butterflies, my little caterpillar?”
“Caterpillar? Seriously?”
“What?” He raises a brow, “It seems fitting.”
I can’t believe the giggle that comes out of my mouth. I seem to do that a lot around him. “Let’s go!”
From the moment we walk inside Butterfly Haven my continued excitement maintains my childlike giddiness. We stop inside the doors so Oliver can buy our tickets then once they scan our tickets we walk through and begin our visit. There’s a large circular room with different entrances to various parts of the haven. The ceiling is a glass showstopper. Hanging in various places from the ceiling are beautiful glass butterflies. The light that shines through the ceiling hits their forms and makes vibrant prisms bounce around the room almost making it look as if the lights themselves are butterflies.
Then there’s the entrance to the garden – the butterfly’s habitat, a restaurant, a theatre room that has butterfly educational videos and even a gift shop. Aside from the glass butterflies and the prisms of light, there are other butterflies hanging in various places and even mechanical ones mounted on the wall flap their wings. Mounted TVs educate guests with various butterfly facts and even trivia in locations and at a volume that only enhances the experience.
“How in the world did you find this?”
“You know, I’m aware that my incredibly good looks make it hard for people to remember that I’m also incredibly intelligent, but I thought you were different. I’m hurt.”
“You’re hilarious.”
“I know. It’s another one of my great attributes.”
“Seriously, how did you know they had a place like this here?”
“When conducting my research on activities for us, I happened upon a recommendation for this attraction. I couldn’t believe the luck and of course I had to bring you. It was just meant to be.”
“I can’t believe this,” I smile and try to take it all in.
Oliver can add patience as another one of his attributes because he is amazing as I take my time looking at, listening to, and reading everything available. When we finally get to the double doors that lead out into the garden, I’m practically jumping out of my skin in anticipation. I mean, yeah, I’ve seen butterflies before, but not like this. Not all different kinds and so many at once. Now I understand why Oliver told me to wear a bright color too – it’s what attracts them.
Walking through the double doors, we stand in a vestibule and listen to the instructions before we can enter the second set of doors. Among the rules, we’re told to be careful where we step while visiting as sometimes butterflies rest on the ground and we want to avoid crushing them. They also make suggestions of how to respond should they light upon us.
Once we carefully walk through the second set of doors, the change in temperature hits us immediately. A butterfly habitat is warm and humid. My eyes immediately dart around and I look for the little insects I love. They are not hard to find. Immediately, my eyes settle on one perched upon a bright pink flower. Its wings are electric blue and black and they open and close in a steady rhythm.
“Oh, look at that one! Look how pretty!” Oliver obediently looks where I point and we watch it for a few minutes before we continue on. We take our time, point out various ones we want to focus on, even stop and read about the different plants and flowers throughout the garden.
“Look at those two,” Oliver points. “Are they… they aren’t…”
“Mating?” A member of the staff says. “Yes. That’s exactly what you see.”
Oliver almost looks embarrassed and I can’t help it, I laugh. Loudly. “Don’t look so shocked. Even butterflies mate, you know.”
“Lucky bastards,” he says making me laugh.
“Oh, look at this one,” I point out and stare at one flying through the air. I’m startled when I feel a flutter against my cheek and almost bat at my face before I think better of it.
“One is trying to get a closer look at you,” Oliver points out. “Keep still.”
I do and smile when it lands on the tip of my nose and another on the front of my shirt. I wiggle my nose hoping to dislodge it since it tickles too much to stand for long. It flies away but before I can move, Oliver touches my arm, “I’ll take a photo.”
He moves around me so that he’s in front of me. I see him take out his phone to capture the photo but I’m too distracted by a butterfly so beautiful I almost can’t believe my eyes. Pinks, purples, reds and even a little green are found in its wings. It has to be one of the most beautiful ones I’ve ever seen.
“Why do you love them so much?” Oliver asks me quietly.
Looking away from their beauty to yet another, just a different kind, I smile at Oliver. “I’m sure even you’ve heard all the beautiful things they say about them. But for me, something I’ve always struggled with is change. Butterflies are a reminder that just like the caterpillar that undergoes a transition, it doesn’t happen without change. Without it the caterpillar never would have learned to fly. I have something along those lines on a picture hanging in my room. My mom got it for me.”
“I did some of my own research about butterflies before we left,” Oliver clears his throat. “I wanted to know more about them before we came here. In part so I could impress you with my vast knowledge.”
I laugh, “Is that so?”
