Flutter by, Butterfly

Chapter 28

I am the owner of my own estate now. As a woman of privilege, I had no need to get a job. I had enough cash I didn't have to worry for the rest of my life. I had enough possessions that I didn't really need to leave the house unless it was my personal choice. I hired the men I called "Batman" and "Superman," from the boat, to work with me in Alejandro's absence.

I did not see Alejandro for another three years. I dreamed of him all the time. In my dreams, he was changing, but in a way no one else could see. The tortured soul never left. He was determined to stay. It was more difficult for his soul to blend in with Hugo and the rest, at least on the inside; but he was a chameleon. He had a way of acting the part, fooling the audience of whomever they may be.

Somewhere in those many months, Alejandro sent me a ring. I never took it off. I was making changes too. I began to forgive myself for the blood on my hands. I made peace with the fact that I was always going to have to be on my guard. I began to make preparations on how to subtly fight back. I hired a private secretary. She was to take all of my phone calls and inform me of any strange messages. Unfortunately, Superman found her snooping, and I never saw or heard from her again. He took over her job with the books, as well as continuing to be my bodyguard.

I hired a private doctor that would come to visit me so I wouldn't have to go to a public facility or hospital. Both Batman and Superman helped me oversee carefully who was in my employ. I did not want anyone, not even by accident, to be hired that was secretly working for the Monarch Project. Twice, we had somebody come in false pretenses. "Your doctor couldn't come today. I will be the stand in." They were never able to get past Batman. I hired him to be my butler, and bodyguard as well. Both he and Superman screened the staff carefully of who would come in to clean. We never hired the same maid twice. It would have been dangerous for the woman if we would. Aside from my staff, the doctors, and Sandy and Bruno, nobody was allowed to come inside my home without my personal permission.

It was fun to be young and care-free with Bruno and Sandy, but I could not afford to stay young with them for long. Alejandro gave me a precious gift before he had to leave, two in fact. I named them Miguel Alejandro Jones Jr, and Maria Jani Jones. Most of the time we called her M.J. They were born slightly premature on the 4th of July. I allowed them to sleep in the same bed together, with Ferdinand. They both adored him.

I would sit in the recliner with them for hours. It was a large, one-and-a-half chair. This was where I did most of my feeding time, and where I would sing Spanish lullabies from once upon a time. Even after I was no longer nursing, it was our favorite place to cuddle.

It was in this very chair he found us on Christmas Eve. I woke up to the feel of his warm lips on my forehead.

"You're here!"

I kissed him as passionately as I possibly could without waking up our babies. He stared at them both, in awe of each of them. He gently kissed them, nestled beside us, in that giant recliner, and we all fell back asleep in one another's arms. We were whole again.

We awoke to the sounds of "Daddy?" "Daddy!" I had a picture of him in every room. They knew full well who their father was. We would say a prayer for him to come safely home every night. They did not even care about the Christmas presents at all. I don't even think they noticed them, but our Batman and Superman did a great job of quietly putting them down as we slept through the night. I watched their father with his tear glistened eyes, staring at them, kissing them, loving them. I never wanted to leave this chair.

Miguel was the first one to climb down.

"Mama? I'm hungry."

Superman came in with a tray of food for us. He and Batman were pretty good cooks when they had a mind to. It was something they insisted on doing, along with firing my original staff. I trusted them. I only felt their need to protect me, but in an impersonal, "this is my boss's lady" kind of way. They never told me if they found anything suspicious. I never asked. I didn't want to worry of living my life any more than I had to.

While we were eating, the little ones finally noticed the gifts under the tree. They were happy. I was happy. Alejandro looked like he was in a dream, just taking it all in. I wondered if anyone had even told him of us while he was gone.

I could feel how much he had changed. The old Hugo had merged with the tortured soul and Lobo, and even the "master." They were one now. I wondered what would happen if Carlos or Romeo showed up. Would either one of them know they were a father?

We spent the day with our children. We rocked them to sleep, and bedded them down. I anticipated for this night for so long... It was like three years had never passed. Afterwards, we just lay still. I could feel something heavy on his mind.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I should have married you the moment I met you on that boat."

"It's okay. We both waited for so long, and there were unique circumstances we were working out."

"We still are." He looked deep into my eyes, baring his soul. "I want to be whole again, Jani. I don't want to miss a moment from any of us."

"I want this too."

He held me close. "Come away with me. Tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Marry me."

"Yes," I said, "but let's wait until tomorrow." I began stroking him, feeling his entire body respond. "Our babies are sleeping, and Mama cita has been starving for so long."

"I shall abide."

He kissed me long and slow....