AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Surrounded by the innocent whimsy of the Littles’ Wing, the tables set up for snacks and the art projects waiting for Littles’ laughter as they ran fingers smeared with paint across their surfaces, Rebecca felt a shift. It was subtle, a gentle loosening of the tight knot of fear and betrayal that had seized her chest. The vibrancy of the room, the care of her friends, and the unexpected normality of their chatter wove a tapestry of comfort around her.
“Why don’t you tell us what happened?” Erika’s question was gentle. Her role as Master Derek’s assistant gave her a knack for handling sensitive information gracefully.
Rebecca’s throat felt tight, a physical manifestation of the words stuck within it.
“Did you and Master Dante fight?” Erika’s voice was soft and probing—not matching the thundering in Rebecca’s ears.
Her head shook, an involuntary twitch as her voice eked out, muted by the lump of anguish lodged firmly against her vocal cords. “I... he told me something upsetting.”
Her fingers twitched, restless against the colorful blanket she held. Though seated, her feet shuffled in a dance of distress on the bright carpet, the soles of her shoes whispering against the fabric as she fought against the urge to run.
Sadie’s hand was warm on her back, a firm pat meant for comfort. However, it couldn’t shake the cold deep in her bones. Rebecca’s gaze was fixed on a spot on the wall, the colorful patterns of butterfly wings seemed to mock her grounded state.
Her eyes stung as unwelcome tears prickled. A sniffle broke through the silence. She breathed in deeply, shuddering, trying to stave off the sob that threatened to break her composure.
Her voice, when she spoke again, carried a raw edge, sounding far away even to her own ears. “It’s not just what he does... it’s that I’m not sure I know who he is anymore.” Her words hung in the air, a confession of the disconnect she felt.
Blake nodded from his spot beside her. “People are complex, you know? Sometimes love is too,” he offered.
Erika sat down next to her, her eyes full of the calm that always seemed to radiate from her. “He’s still Dante, Becca. The same man you fell for. Maybe you need to talk to him, see past the job to the person he is with you.”
Rebecca traced the pattern on a bean bag chair with her finger, not looking at her friends as she spoke. “Dante defends... the worst kind of people,” she said, her voice trailing off as she avoided eye contact, focusing on the vibrant fabric beneath her hands. “Embezzlers, rapists, murderers.”
Sadie leaned in, her brow furrowed in concern. “But those people, they make victims,” she said softly.
Rebecca’s lips trembled as she nodded, sending a lock of hair into her eyes. She brushed it back with a shaky hand. “Exactly. And he’s just so... detached about it, like it’s all just another day at the office.” A tear slipped down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand.
Erika’s hand found Rebecca’s, and she squeezed it. “And you feel like the victims are forgotten in all this?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Rebecca sighed, her shoulders slumping. She pulled the blanket around her tighter, a physical shield against the cold dread that settled in her bones.
Sadie piped in. “We could always make him understand,” she suggested, a spark of her prankster spirit shining through.
Rebecca managed a weak smile, a small huff of laughter escaping despite the turmoil. “I don’t know,” she said, chewing on her bottom lip, a classic sign of her indecision. “I just... I still love him. But I wish I didn’t.”
Erika, the voice of reason among them, brushed a comforting hand along Rebecca’s back. “Love isn’t always straightforward, Becca. Maybe it’s not about what he does, but how you both work to solve the maze and make it out together.”
Rebecca tilted her head, considering, then let out a long breath that seemed to carry some of the weight she’d been holding. “I need to figure out where I stand with all this,” she admitted, and her friends nodded, their expressions a blend of understanding and readiness to support her through the uncertainty.
The talk meandered. The room’s cheerfulness was a stark contrast to the conversation’s gravity. As Rebecca listened to Sadie’s outrageous ideas and Erika’s pragmatic insights, the knot of confusion loosened. It wasn’t a solution, but in the sharing, there was a sense of the burden easing and a flicker of clarity in the chaos of her feelings.
Their warmth and understanding enveloped Rebecca, giving her the comfort and perspective she needed. They didn’t diminish her feelings but validated them and offered solace.
In the haven of the Butterfly Room, with the compassion of her friends and the levity of their presence, Rebecca could feel the first threads of humor weave through the fabric of her distress. With Blake’s quietly offered ideas, Sadie’s light-heartedness and Erika’s sage advice, she found the strength to consider her next steps.
CHAPTER 25
Dante’s hand hovered over his barely touched whiskey as a ringtone sliced through the silence. The firm set of his jaw relaxed as Derek answered the call, his posture straightening with a tinge of anticipation.
“Hi, Jared,” Derek spoke into the phone, his voice even, betraying none of the concern Dante felt bubbling beneath his calm exterior.
“Good. That’s very good,” Derek continued, nodding at the responses only he could hear. A subtle uptick in his brow suggested relief.
Dante’s fingers twitched around the glass. The urge to interject, ask, demand information were only restrained by the principles of privacy and respect.
“Okay. Yes. Yes.”
Derek’s affirmations soothed Dante’s fraying nerves. The room held its breath with Dante as he listened, the air charged with the weight of each spoken word.
