Black Butterflies

Chapter 31: Sage Montero

Andes

Blue balloons filled with helium float all over the ceiling of the hospital room. Our relatives and cousins crowd around the bed. Greetings and congratulations were heard from everyone. Guess what it is.

That's right. Rochelle and Dad have a son. Sky and I have a baby brother. I picked out the name for him. A name which reminds me of my friend's best friend. A name which makes me remember how they look like. A name I got from CJ's name, Sage. Sage Montero.

"Look at that tiny little creature," I cooed and waved a finger in front of the wide eyed baby.

"Andes. He's gonna grow taller than you," one of our aunts pointed out.

"Huh. We'll see about that," I proudly said then looked at Sage with a confused look. "Can he see me? I mean, he just came out of the womb, his eyes shouldn't be that big and open right?"

Dad cleared his throat. "Some things that couldn't be explained," he said in between fake coughs, earning a playful punch from me.

"So, who picked the name?" Grandpa asked. All eyes fell on me. Why didn't anyone tell him I was the one who picked the name? I slowly raised my hand and shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "Sage sounds like sewage." My smile fell. Judge me all you want old man, I don't care what you think.

"Sage came from a friend's name," I sarcastically explained. "You can change it if you want. Or add something. Maybe a city or a place. Sage Floris? Sage Calliria? Sage Austin?"

"Sage Austin sounds awesome!" Sky cheered, fist pumping up in the air. Murmurs of agreement floated around. I smiled to myself, happy of my task that went well.

"Great!" I clapped my hands, getting everyone's attention. "We can now get ready for endless crying at night and littered toys all around the house!" I cheerily announced.

"And diapers and feeding mushy food that looks like puke," Sky added.

"Don't get started on the walks," Dad pointed out.

Rochelle laughed. "You will be in charged of what you've mentioned," she said, earning groans from me, Sky and Dad.

"Babies are creepy," I mumbled under my breath. Babies really are creepy.

Three and a half months later

"Where are you little Sagey?" I heard Sky call out in a high pitched voice. She just finished bathing Sage and the little rascal — who learned how to walk last week — ran away and his from her.

I looked down at the blonde haired, brown eyed boy hiding behind the pile of toys I stacked up. He's still wearing his turtle bathrobe. I smiled at him and made funny faces, earning giggles from the tiny creature. In the midst of me having fun, the door flew open and Sky holding up a Batman onesie.

"Sage," Sky called out in singsong form, eyes darting here and there. "Where are you?"

I looked at her funny and snorted. "Sagey isn't here," I lied. Sky stared at me for like an eternity and shrugged then left.

"Saved ya right there, young man," I whispered. The door flew open again, startling me and Sage who froze midair as he was about to stand from his hiding place.

"Aha!" Sky shouted, pointing at our little brother. "I knew you're here!" She charged for the blonde, who ran away again, giggling. "Why did you lie to me Andes?" She asked once she picked Sage up. He wouldn't stop wriggling and giggling.

"Because I want to?"

"Bastard"

"Uh. Sage and I are the originals. You're the illegitimate"

Sky zipped up the front of the onesie. "How so?"

"Mom and Dad are married. My Mom and our Dad are married. I may not be able to meet her, but Dad always wore a wedding ring even before he started officially dating Rochelle. You were born when I was five. They're not married then. And you're the result of a drunken party night. Now, they're married. Sage is born. That makes him not illegitimate. He's not a bastard and so do I. But you are. Top that?"

"I don't get it"

I let out a heavy sigh and hung my head up, staring at the blue ceiling. "Never mind," I said. "Let's tuck Sagey to bed."

Ten minutes later

"He wouldn't fall asleep!" I sobbed, Sky snickering near me. I threw a baby powder bottle at her and it hit her directly at the face. "Shut up."

"Try singing to him," Sky suggested, picking up the bottle and rubbing her reddened nose.

"Huh. Good idea. Like what song?"

"I don't know maybe—"

"Sshh. I got an idea"

"—a lullaby"

"Hush little Sagey don't you cry
Andes is gonna beat the head of a fly
And if the fly wouldn't die
I will throw it in the fire
And if the fire doesn't burn
I'll just freeze the frickin fly"

"Don't be violent," a voice from the doorway of Sage's nursery. Rochelle.

Oh. So they had come home from the adult party they went to earlier. I instinctively looked at the Saturn clock Sage have in his room. 10:12 pm.

"Enjoyed the party?" I asked, rocking Sage in my arms.

"Hmnhmn. It was good," Rochelle smiled.

"Mom!" Sky suddenly stood from her seat she almost fell over. "Andes called me illegitimate!"

I gave her an 'of-course-I-did' look and she glared daggers at my direction. I silently snickered and continued whistling a tune to Sage.

"You are," Dad interjected before Rochelle can say something.

I tried not to laugh out loud causing a snort to come out instead. I feigned innocence by looking at the wallpaper in Sage's room.

"Unfair!" Sky stomped out of the room. From the hall I heard her say, "you'll pay for this white haired witch!"

"Don't talk to yourself! You'll go crazy!" Dad called after her. He headed the opposite direction she did so she didn't have any excuse to beat him up with her tiny little fists.

"Will y'all be quiet?" I asked in a soft voice. "Sage Austin is asleep."

Surely, Sage's eyes fluttered shut and he shrunk in my arms. Rochelle helped me put him in bed slowly and carefully. When our job is finished, we sighed to ourselves and went out the room, shutting the door carefully behind us. I exhaled out loud, Rochelle glared at me like my exhaling would wake Sage up. I shook my head and followed her down the hall.

"So, we better be getting ready for your new school," she said and I froze in place.

School. The thought of starting education in a new school never crossed my mind. It is August already. I miss Hills. I miss Black Butterflies.

I'll be fine.