Nick applauded her and then said, "I'll take this over legs behind your ears any day of the week." Tatum freed her mouth and then leaned in and kissed her husband, too long for anyone's comfort, too hotly for anyone's comfort. I tossed a potato chip at her to break them up. Long time apart or not, it was the equivalent of watching my sister-maybe even more so-and I didn't want any part of it.

"Sure 'bout that, Sergeant Petros?"

He squinted as if to think. "Eh, the Tequila wants the fist and the beer wants the legs." He touched her cheek and eyed her head-to-toe. "Your legs."

Everly laughed at their interaction. I leaned in to her ear. "Where's my wild Farfalla?"

She glanced at me and smiled timidly. "Okay, I've got something."

I drum rolled on the table, and then waited.

"I can predict the future."

They liked this one. I loved it.

"Do me!" Nick said. "What's in my cards? What's my next mission?"

She thought for a moment. "Conquering a mouth without a fist."

Nick rested into his chair, nodding as he smoked his cigarette. "So far this girl wins. She can have my money." He tossed a twenty dollar bill on our table.

Noelle and her never empty wine glass were up next.

Everly rubbed her temples. "I'm seeing porcelain. Lots of white porcelain."

"Do Amelia!" Noelle laughed. "That should be a bumper sticker. Or your ring tone!"

"Ha-fucking-ha."

"Do her," Noelle repeated.

Everly looked down, but then lifted her eyes to Amelia. "I see you with a boy named Peter. He's your one true love."

I took a long sip of Coke to hide our secret joke.

"What about Callum," Tot said. "What's his future?"

Everly looked at me, shy and beautiful, on our first 4th of July weekend, and told me as if we were alone, "He's going to save someone's heart." But then she squinted, rubbing her temples. "But . . . I'm also seeing farm animals longing for his expert touch . . . it could really go either way."

Nick lurched forward, choking on his beer. "Oh shit," he coughed. "She wins. This little peach puff girl Cal conjured out of thin air wins!"

I looked at her, leaning forward on my elbows. "She's not a peach puff. She's a Farfalla."

"Good," Amelia chided, "Because dumb fucking butterflies die soon after they're born."

I tipped my glass to her. "Congratulations on passing the second grade."

Everly mused, "Butterfly."

Nick stood. "Why don't we jump in the pool and play some goddamn Marco Polo so I can chase my wife around while seeming like I'm interested in being around my friends."

Tatum smacked his arm. "Be nice. You'll hurt Callum's feelings if he thinks you don't want to chase him around the pool."

"Oh I DO want to chase him around the pool. Look at him in those little black shorts. Who wouldn't wanna chase him?" He leaned across to pinch my face but I punched him away.

I shook my head. "Thought the military made you hard?"

"Oh I AM, Cal. JUST FOR YOU."

"God I wish you came home with PTSD and just rocked quietly in the corner or something equally as silent."

"Never gonna happen," he said with a thump on his chest. "I am all that is man."

"Well in case you forgot, so am I. Go chase your wife around the pool and stop flirting with my black shorts."

He laughed and pulled Tatum from her chair, slinging her across his back.