Page 29 of Starving Butterfly
Karter pulled on a set of blue gloves, and Lucas retrieved the cat, holding it like it was a nuclear bomb. I resumed my seat on Summer’s side as Dr. Avery watched from the doorway. He hadthat weird look in his eye, like he was watching some kind of sports match unfold.
“It’s Lidocaine.” Karter murmured, a syringe in his hand. Summer gripped my hand so forcefully that the small needle pricked her skin. I found it odd, her reaction to something so small when the other doctor didn’t even bother with the numbing agent before driving the needle in place.
“Why didn’t you use it Lucas?” Karter directed the question to him.
Lucas shrugged out a reply, “That’s not my area.”
“What do you mean?” I was a bit taken aback by the lack of anesthetic, and yet he was a doctor.
“Sure, an anesthesiologist who doesn’t know how to use lidocaine. You’re lucky you’re holding my cat.” Karter replied bitterly.
“Sadistic doctors enjoy pain.” Summer said flatly, and then mumbled, “Like a rapist who enjoys rape.”
Karter turned away and coughed into his elbow, while Lucas just looked at Summer with a smirk dotting his lips. The way these three acted was strange, like each one was holding a secret I had yet to discover. I watched the tension remain in Summer’s face as Karter finished up the stitches, and Karter stepped away once the last piece of tape was secured.
“How far along are you?” I asked her, and she hesitated. But then relaxed a bit more. I could kill the cop and make it look like an accident. The lawyer… well, he grew on me and he wasn’t that horrible, just so green he sprouted flowers. A better man for her. I caught myself in thought and almost missed how silent it’d become.
“Far enough that it wasn’t an accident. Sex Ed never covered how quickly a body could bounce back after an IUD removal. Right Lucas?” Summer’s eyes landed on him, and he just stared back. Karter coughed and excused himself. What the fuck didshe mean by that? I pinched my nose in frustration but held my tongue. The last thing I needed was to go off the rails and spend another seven years away from her.
“I’ve got to go set that prosthetic,” Karter muttered.
“Well—“ Lucas started.
“What the hell is going on between you three?” I interrupted, “and don’t fucking think about sneaking off again.”
“I really don’t have time for this,” Lucas muttered, set his cat down and walked over to Summer.
“Don’t.” She warned.
“Summer and I are… familiar.” His tone didn’t change. “I provide a service, people with money tend to require discretion.” His eyes flicked to me briefly. “And loyalty.” He glanced at Summer, as if deciding his words, “She’s chosen to remain under my care…” Lucas paused. “For now.”
“Why not have Karter do it? He is a doctor as well. Patched me up just fine in the hospital.” I scratched the back of my head. “What am I missing?”
“My colleague lacks restraint.” His gaze shifted to the door Karter had just exited. “A reoccurring issue.” Then back to Summer. “Decisions were made.”
“So you fucked Karter?” My head was hurting with them dancing around the truth. Thick as thieves, when a few weeks ago she was begging not to be in the same room as him.
“No.” Lucas shrugged and then turned to Summer. “Are we done? I will not be late.”
“Get the fuck out,” I growled, and he grabbed the cat and the bag, then turned toward the door to leave.
“Try not to damage the work.” His eyes lingered on Summer than me. “It would be… inconvenient.”
Her face drained of color. “I don’t remember it. He was so kind in the hospital, I don’t know what happened. One minute I was staring at a puddle of red and the next I was —”
My arms were around her before the thought registered. She cried into my chest as we stayed there. I didn’t understand all of it, but I understood enough.
“Jasper,we need to chat. Bring Clif too, make it a meeting. Warehouse.” I hung up the phone before there was a reply. They would wait at the warehouse all day for all I cared. So long as they were there. I swiped down my face, throwing a glance toward the building. I told them I just needed air, that I would be right back. Another lie on the ongoing list.
I glanced at my phone, contemplating whether this was the stupidest thing I had ever done. No, letting her go was the stupidest thing. Then I dialed the number; there was silence when he answered, like an expected call and a smug smirk. My feet started moving on their own, down the busy intersection and through the streets. No real reason other than the walking killed the anxiety. The further I got away from my little firefly, the better.
“I know you were expecting my call, why else leave the number.” I grunted into the phone.
“My boy, how’s business?” Midas chimed through the phone. I heard seagulls in the background and children playing.
“It’s surprisingly not going to shit, why is that?” I replied. I was walking up Main Street in a crowd of people; the cold bit at my fingertips, but it was manageable. It kept my mind on track.
“How’s my daughter? Still spiteful or did you manage to find the kid yet?” He hummed through the phone.How did he know she was missing?
