A Song for Butterflies

Chapter 6: Like a Kiss From a Butterfly

Mick sends my newest track over a few days later than expected but as soon as I hear my voice come over the speakers and sing the first line, I understand what he meant the day I recorded it. I do sound different. The words are coming from a deeper, more honest place--a place I haven't opened myself up to since those days with Nate and for the first time in a long time, I think there's something there, something people could connect to. Even as a woman who writes love songs, to me love is still impossible to describe, to define, to capture. But somehow, Nate's presence has brought the breath of life to my lyrics again. And now, on my way back to the studio, I have inspiration in my grasp.

As I pull into the parking lot of the nondescript building, my phone rings and it's Nate's name on the Caller ID. Even though I'm expecting his call, my heart skips a beat.

"Did you make it back okay?" I ask when I pick up the phone.

"I did. I just wanted to give you a call and make sure you didn't give me the wrong phone number."

I laugh. "I thought about it...but then I realized if I had, you'd be pouring your heart out on YouTube again and I didn't want to put all those poor girls through it."

His chuckle is music to my ears. I get out of my car and walk toward the studio door.

"Listen," he says, "After I left yesterday, I realized something."

"Yeah?"

"We never really went out on a date. Not an official one."

"Having my dad drive us to Homecoming didn't count?"

He laughs. "Will you come see me?"

"Come see you? Where?"

"I'm in Florida now. But I'll be in New York tomorrow."

I stop walking. "New York?"

"I'll fly you out here, of course. If you have time, you could stay the weekend. We could...get to know each other again." His voice is bashful and it creates that familiar fluttering feeling in my heart.

I'd tried to walk away from Nate yesterday. It probably would have been the best thing for both of us. He could have gone on with his career, knowing I was sorry for letting him go all those years ago. He could have moved on. He could have told me he'd forgiven me and released me from the guilt I'd been holding onto. I never would have forgotten him, but maybe I would have found someone else to make me happy.

Instead, he'd asked me to take a chance.

"Okay," I say.

"Really?" he asks.

"Yes."

The line is quiet for a moment, nothing but movement and static. Finally, he says, "I'll have my assistant send you the details."

"Okay," I say, biting back a grin.

"And Katie?"

"Yes?"

"You asked me yesterday if I was mad at you and I didn't have a good answer."

My stomach is uneasy as I wait for him to continue.

"Unresolved. That's the word I was searching for. Not mad...unresolved."

***

I walk into the studio with stars in my eyes. I'm humming the song I wrote for Nate, the one that already has over a million hits on Youtube. Mick looks up from his mixing board with a questioning smirk.

"I have my last song," I say.

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Thank you for reading A Song For Butterflies! This is as far as I have planned at this time. If it is something you would like to see continued, please let me know!