happiness is a butterfly

part 1

The house looked slightly rusty on the outside, but he didn't care. He just missed them. And yes, he was terrified of how they'd react because it had been seven years since he actually picked up the phone or answered any of Hayley's many letters.

She came out of the house to see him still standing beside his parked car, the same man that was diabolical to the point rumors about him going insane resurfaced, and yet he looked extremely nervous.

Her feet bare, her hair wild and wavy. He missed everything about her but stood waiting for her reaction; he wanted to hug her but knew she'd much rather beat him senseless. She was wearing denim shorts and an off-shoulder black shirt that showed off her cleavage. Her full lips were crimson red, and maybe that's why he still hadn't moved, too fixated on every detail of the woman he spent countless nights fantasizing about, even when his brother or her obnoxious late husband were fucking her in the room next to his own.

The woman he loved and resented with equal measure.

She smiled at him, and he felt like it was the first time he could actually breathe in ten years. She quickly descended the stairs and threw herself into his arms. He breathed in her sweet scent and held her like she'd slip into oblivion if he ever let her go. He only let go of her at the horrific realization that he was showing her some affection, as if he didn't wish she was with him every day for the last decade, as if her letters weren't the only thing keeping him from turning his switch off.

"I missed you," her voice more of a whisper. She kissed his cheek before quickly rubbing off the lipstick stain, and oh, how he wished she was staining his lips instead.
But no time for such thoughts, any chance at something better with her had been lost long before those ten years, which is why he acted like that gentle kiss didn't make his heart skip a beat.

"I know it's not much, but," she said, leading him inside by his hand. "I'm pretty proud of it."

"Declan helped me settle in. He's coming for dinner tonight if you'd like to meet him."

He shrugged. Of course, he'd never be rid of her many lovers.

"And who's this lucky Declan?"

He tried to sound nonchalant, and she mistook it for him being tired and not in the mood for her tedious love life.

"Only the world's best chef," she said his name with so much love and the biggest smile. He already wanted this Declan crucified.

***

They spent hours catching up; she still hadn't brought up the topic of his abandonment, which surprised him. She wasn't usually the avoidant type, and it only unsettled him more, but he was curious about whatever it was she had in mind, how and when she'd bring it up.

The doorbell rang, and she jumped, excited to answer it. Her face lit up the moment she saw her boyfriend. He thought it would be easy to make this man's acquaintance, yet he couldn't stop glaring at the way Hayley was beaming when she saw him, how he kissed her, or the way his hand moved to grab her ass, or whatever comment he whispered in her ear that made her blush.

Maybe this would be way more difficult than he'd first thought.