My Butterfly

eventually rescued her phone and pulled it from her purse.
    “Oh, it’s just my mom. She probably wants my recipe for those blueberry muffins I made the other night,” she said, still staring into her phone’s screen.
    Rachel’s narrow eyes flashed back to Janette. I quickly cleared my throat and garnered Rachel’s attention again. She met my eyes and gave me a pleading look but then eventually forced another counterfeit smile.
    “By the way, Will, where’s Julia?” Janette asked, after poking a button on the phone and throwing it back into her purse.
    Rachel’s eyes fiercely darted back toward Janette, and this time, there was nothing I could do to stop her. Instead, I just swallowed hard and uncomfortably shifted in my chair.
    “Uh, Janette,” Rachel said, regaining Janette’s attention. “I heard that Ben, uh, knows a guy who went to Northwest and might know your boyfriend.”
    I furrowed my brows at Rachel. She caught my gaze and shrugged her shoulders.
    “Does he really?” Janette asked.
    She sounded excited.
    “You know, I bet they were in the same fraternity,” Janette said. “They’re all so close, you know?”
    Rachel smiled and lifted her shoulders again.
    “You know, that’s probably it,” Rachel said.
    “Where is Ben?” Janette asked, as she pushed herself up from her chair and craned her neck around.
    Rachel pointed to a burly-looking guy across the room, and just like that, Janette was gone.
    “Thanks,” I softly said.
    “Don’t mention it,” Rachel said.
    There was a silent moment then as Rachel and I both watched Janette run over to Ben and say something and then Ben look at her as if she were crazy.
    “Priceless,” Rachel said, proudly smiling.
    “So, how is everything going?” Rachel asked, planting her eyes on me again. “What do your parents think about the band and everything?”
    I smiled.
    “They seem to be getting used to the idea,” I said. “I really don’t think they knew what to think of it at first. But you know them; if I’m happy, they’re happy.”
    Rachel shook her head and smiled.
    “I bet your mom’s ecstatic,” she said.
    I chuckled a little to myself.
    “Yeah, I guess it was Dad that I had to more or less convince,” I said.
    “Oh, I’m sure it didn’t take much convincing once he heard you guys play,” she said.
    I smiled, bashfully. Then, it was quiet for a moment again.
    “So, have you talked to Julia lately?” I asked.
    Rachel found my eyes and gently smiled, kind of like a mom would smile at you right before she told you that your hamster didn’t make it through the night or something.
    “She’s doing well,” she said, slowly nodding her head. “She has a test or something and couldn’t make it tonight, but she’s doing well.”
    I nodded my head too as my eyes turned down and searched for a spot to rest on the table’s surface in front of us.
    “Can you believe Janette?” Rachel asked, quickly changing the subject. “I mean, you’re practically a rock star, and she’s sitting here talking about her accountant boyfriend like he just found some medical cure.”
    I lowered my head and laughed.
    “I’m not a rock star, Rach,” I said.
    “Well, you’re gonna be, and Little Miss Tickin’ Blueberry Muffin is going to drop one of her two kids into her perfect recipe’s batter when she sees you on television someday,” she said.
    I chuckled some more.
    “Rachel, you’ve got a wild imagination,” I said.
    Rachel laughed, found my gaze and then rested her hand on mine.
    My eyes darted to her hand and then met her eyes.
    “Call her,” she said, softly. “There’s no reason you guys should be strangers.”
    I forced a smile and nodded my head. Then, I felt her hand slowly pull away from mine again.
    “Rachel,” I said and then stopped.
    I glanced around us. Nobody was within an ear’s shot, so I continued.
    “It’s been five years, and it just doesn’t seem like we’re ever in the same place,” I said. “There have been times when I’ve wanted to say things to her.”
    I paused and looked around again.
    “But it just never happened,” I went on. “There’s a part of me that feels like she might prefer that we just be strangers.”
    Rachel softly smiled.
    “Her dad was a cop,” she said.
    My eyes instinctively narrowed. She had said the words as straightforward as you could say words. I cocked my head and furrowed my eyebrows. Then, I watched her close her eyes briefly and nod her head.
    “St.