Page 80 of Butterfly

Knuckles tapped on the cell door.

Ollie’s heart clenched. It was too soon. It was always going to be too soon.

“Teddy,” Ollie whispered. He hung his head.

Teddy hooked Ollie under the armpits and lifted him to his feet.

“I don’t think I can—”

Teddy kissed him. He walked Ollie backwards, pressing him to the door, which was still being tapped on. His mouth didn’t leave Ollie’s, and there were tears on both of their faces.

“Linton,” Seinfeld shouted, bashing a fist to the cell. “You’d better not have barricaded yourself in there. That will not go down well.”

Teddy pulled back, but Ollie grabbed his face. “Listen to me, I am never going to look at anyone the way I look at you—” He gripped Teddy harder when he tried to pull his face free. “I mean it. This isn’t the end of us. It’s a change, that’s all. It’s a cycle, right? A metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. I’m your butterfly until the day I die.”

“Out of the cell right now!” Seinfeld barked.

Teddy wrapped his arms around Ollie’s waist, pulling him away from the door. He let go when Seinfeld pushed it open.

“Finally,” Seinfeld hissed. He gestured for Ollie to leave the cell.

He didn’t move. Teddy gave him a shove.

He should’ve said it then, those three words, but Seinfeld stood behind him, huffing on his glasses so he could wipe them on his shirt.

As soon as Ollie was out of the cell, Seinfeld slammed the door shut and locked it.

The sound ricocheted around the wing. It echoed in Ollie’s chest. It slapped against his heart.

It was too final.

Too real.

He took a few deep breaths, tightening his hold on the plastic bag.

It was early morning. Everyone was still in their cells.

Ollie pointed to the top floor. “Can I at least say goodbye to Captain?”

Seinfeld sighed. “I know what you’re doing right now. You’re not the first, and you won’t be the last.”

“To what?”

“Drag this out.” He took Ollie by the elbow, guiding him to the gate.

Ollie glanced back over his shoulder. “Teddy!”

Teddy thumped the cell door in reply.

Murmurs went around the wing, then inmates began to shout. He picked out Green, Jack, Jonesy, even Einstein, all wishing him luck.

Then Captain’s voice boomed down from the top floor. “You’ve got this, Ollie.”

Seinfeld only let go of his arm when they got to the van.

“Inside,” he ordered.

Ollie sat down in the small cubicle with his bag of Teddy’s words on his knees.

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