BUTTERFLY LADY

My husband Steven came into the living room and handed me a yellow envelope. “What’s this?” I asked.

“It’s from my client Kathleen, the butterfly lady.”

I looked at the writing on the front of the envelope and began to read it aloud. “Kathy, thank you for the butterfly knives. Penny for each point. Thank you!” I had given her a set of knives with butterflies painted on them. I looked back at Steven. “What does that mean?”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “She said she’s very superstitious.”

I picked up my phone and began my Google search. When I found what I was looking for I couldn’t help but sigh. “Oh, man. I had no idea.”

“What?”

I began to read from the site. “It says that when you give a gift of a knife that some people believe it could mean a severing or cutting of the relationship but if you give a penny with the gift, it breaks that meaning.” I looked up at Steven. “I was the one who was suppose to include the pennies with the knives!”

“I’m sure she realized you didn’t know, so that’s why she sent them to you.” Steven started to go into the kitchen. “By the way she left you a present on the back porch.” He called over his shoulder.

“What did she leave?”

“Go see for yourself.”

Steven was smiling as I passed him headed to the back door. Looking through the window I could see several empty gallon milk jugs and a few with dirt in them. “Oh my gosh! She sent us more milkweed!”

“I ordered some milkweed seeds for us too.” Steven opened the cabinet and took out a glass. “They should be here tomorrow.”

“Oh my gosh! This is so exciting!” I looked past the milk jugs out at the bare trees in our backyard. “This will certainly help me to get through this dreary winter.”

I turned around and leaned against the counter. “Remember all the fat little caterpillars we had on the milkweed plants she’d given us last summer?”

Steven nodded. “After I made my coffee I’d go out and check on them every morning.”

“Me too!” I laughed.

I went over to the refrigerator and pulled out some cold cuts. “You ready for some lunch?”

“Sure. What are you making?”

“It looks like you have a choice between ham or turkey.”

“I’ll have turkey.”

I went to the cabinet to get the bread. “I used to love searching for their chrysalises.”

“They did make them in some strange places.” Steven reached into the cabinet and handed me two plates.

“Remember the one hanging off the back of the Adirondack chair?”

Steven laughed. “Yup.”

I looked over at Steven. “You know, I should really pick up a little something for Kathleen to thank her.”

“I think that’s a great idea.” He went over to the refrigerator and took out the head of lettuce. “Just remember she’s very superstitious.”

“I’m way ahead of you on that.” I took a knife out the the silverware drawer and pointed it in his direction. “This time I’ll definitely do some research first.”