Chrysalis Days & Butterfly Nights [Wattys 2023 Shortlist]

36

36

She watched as the removal men struggled with her sofa, Toby sat, waiting patiently beside her. The house already looked empty, bereft of any of the warmth it once held, but she had to stand by her decision. The house was Luke's and Elaine's and now Lucinda had to start a new chapter. She could never forget Elaine, not to her dying day, but she had to move on. Whether that included moving to Manchester or not was a different decision to make. One for the future.

A glance to the side showed a twitching curtain, Graham watching the fruits of his threat in more ways than one. Lucinda stood, as proud as she could, dressed in a smart, business-style grey dress that came to her mid-thigh. Three inch heels dig in to the gravel of the driveway. Her hair, her own hair, given volume and height, drifted in the light breeze. The removal men had given her several looks but had said nothing. Looks she could handle.

"Bold move." Shoes on the gravel made grating noises as Helen approached. She ran a hand down the clinging grey dress. "A statement? Or just because you can?"

"Because this is who I am now." She almost laughed as one of the removal men stumbled upon seeing the giant form of Helen. "Where've you been? You were supposed to be here an hour ago. Then again, if you're only late by an hour I'm taking that as a win."

"I have been pursuing my twisted revenge. Muah-ha-ha!" The fake laugh made the removal men glance again, but they continued on with the sofa toward the big van. "Are you done yet? Shopping, darling! Must. Go. Shopping!"

"Soon, you impatient bitch." She wrapped her arm around Helen's waist. "Revenge on who, may I ask?"

She looked again toward Graham's house and Helen caught the look. With both hands, Helen raised middle fingers toward the still-moving curtains, then grabbed her crotch with one hand while miming taking a cock in her mouth with the other. A few weeks ago, Lucinda would have felt horrified about that, not wishing to bring attention to herself. Now it felt like the new normal. Once finished with her display, Helen turned back around as though she hadn't done anything.

"No, not to that filthy bastard." She leaned down, whispering in Lucinda's ear. "It's a secret. Besides, that dirty scumbag will get his one day. He'll proposition someone else who isn't as soft-hearted as you, or his wife will find out. That's revenge enough."

Lucinda narrowed her eyes at that. It could happen. Graham had shown little restraint when he had come to the house. Maybe fate had something in store for the older man, or maybe it didn't, but she couldn't help but wonder what scheme Helen had cooked up. Who she had exacted revenge against. It could be anybody. Helen had a way of truly not caring who she upset. Still, it was nice to see her almost back to her normal self.

After the last night of Butterfly, Helen had disappeared for more than a day. Krystal hadn't seemed too bothered. It appeared Helen had done that before, but Lucinda had worried until Helen returned, full of life. She had, apparently, gone to Manchester to test the waters and had ended up in, what she called, the threesome of the decade. If nothing else could prove to Helen she had made the right decision, sex would do it.

As the last items became carried from the house, Lucinda closed the door and locked it. She didn't want one last look, to imprint fading memories in her mind, to remind her of what she had given up. All the memories she needed were indelibly written in her thoughts. Moping around an empty, echoing house would serve nothing but regret.

The removal men had Lucinda's spare keys for the house she had rented and didn't need her to stand and watch as they filled that place with her belongings. Everything was clearly marked for the rooms they needed to go in and they would post the keys through the door when finished. She and Helen had other things to do.