Chapter 10

Tulip

It’s been two days of utter madness. And it’s been brilliant. The Easter weekend went off without a hitch, people turned out in their droves, and, as far as I can tell, everyone had a really good time.

Blossom is just finishing up counting the takings for the day, and I’m waiting nervously – or as she’s pointed out twice already, loitering – in the kitchen where she has everything spread out across the large oak table.

“Well?” I ask.

“Stop being so impatient. It’s not like you’re not enjoying the view while you wait.”

“Huh?”

“Please, Tulip, the whole time you’ve been in here you’ve kept one eye out that window on those front steps.”

“So?”

Blossom stops counting and sighs. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

“Who? Cooper? Don’t be stupid. He’s just not who I expected him to be. He’s … lovely.”

And he is. He’s sitting beside Clover on the top step of the decking out front, sharing an Easter egg with her as she leans on his shoulder like he’s no more than a normal person, and they’ve not stopped chatting and laughing. It’s nice to see Clover so happy. She’s felt it most since our parents passed, been through a lot of changes, had some really nasty comments at school too. But Cooper’s fantastic with her, and once she got over the excitement of having him here, and settled into him being part of the furniture for a fortnight, the two have been the best of friends.

“So, all the sneaking out to be with him every night, that’s not anything serious?”

“Bloss, he’s a megastar, and I live on a farm. We’re just having some fun. Don’t get all judgy.”

“I just don’t think casual sex is the kind of attitude we should be parading around in front of Clo. Mum and dad wouldn’t want her to be exposed to all this sex stuff just yet.”

“We’re adults, Bloss. And have you forgotten who mum and dad were, why we’re all named what we are?”

“Sounds interesting,” Cooper says, all long, lean muscles leaning in the doorway, Clover grinning next to him. The pair of sneaks.

“Our names?” Clover giggles. “Well, let me tell you a story.”

“You do not know this story,” Blossom chimes in.

“Blossom was conceived in the orchards, under the sweet blossoms of the fruit trees, Tulip up in the flower filled meadow, and me, I was conceived in a patch of clover down by the river on a lazy afternoon walk.”

Blossom’s face is a picture. “How do you know that stuff?”

“Mum told me when I was like, ten. Even said you once caught them at it in the kitchen before I came along.”

I can’t help giggling. Yeah, it sounds like the kind of conversation mum would have.

Cooper slings an arm around Clover’s shoulders. “You mean you could have been called Kitchen?”

“Worse,” laughs Clover. “Pantry.”

Even Blossom has to laugh at that one, it’s the matter-of-fact tone with which she delivers the line, and the grin up at Cooper as she does. It’s just funny.

“See, I’m pretty sure mum and dad wouldn’t care at all that I’m having a little fun,” I whisper to Blossom as I walk behind her to place my glass in the sink.

“Did we do it?” Cooper asks, joining me.

“She’s still counti—”

I’m cut off by Blossom. “Yes.”

“We did? Enough to cover the bills? Get something else going?”

She nods, tears filling her eyes. “More than enough. Like two months worth of bills, enough to get the shop built, and the camping up and running.”

Cooper picks me up, spins me around, and kisses me. “We did it, baby, we did it.”

Instantly, I fall apart in his arms. It may not be everything, we might still have a fight on our hands, but it’s a start. We have a way forward. We don’t have to sell yet. There’s a chance for us to do everything we want, to keep mum and dad’s dreams alive.

“Best birthday present ever,” Clover says as she bounces over to us and joins in our hug.

“It’s your birthday?” Cooper asks.

“Next weekend. Sweet sixteen.”

“Are you celebrating?”

“I’ll probably going into town with Nina and Lucy, catch a movie. Haven’t decided yet.”

Cooper grins at her. “Blossom is probably going to tell me off for this, but … how would you like to be my date for a movie premiere next weekend instead?”

Clover’s eyes pop out of her head. “What?”

He chuckles. “It’s the premier to the new Disney one, nothing fancy.”

“As in the new live action one? The one where you play the prince?” Clover asks, mouth dropping open.

Cooper nods. “Yeah. I was thinking you could come down to London on Friday, spend the night in a fancy hotel with all the spa treatments, go shopping for a nice dress Saturday, have your hair and make-up done by top stylists, and Saturday night, you get to walk the red carpet with me.”

“Fuck.”

“Clover!” Blossom warns her before turning to Cooper. “It’s a lovely offer, but I can’t allow her to do something like that.”

“Bloss!”

“Clover, I’m sorry. It’s too much. We don’t have the kind of money for hotels and dresses in that league. Plus, I don’t have the time to chaperone you.”

“Everything would be on me,” Cooper explains. “And I was kind of hoping you’d all come.”

“Again, it’s kind of you, but I can’t do it, she’ll have to give it a miss.”

He ducks his head, rubs at the back of his neck. “Tulip will be with her.”

He knows Blossom has control issues, knows she doesn’t like to let Clover out of her sight, and he’s treading in dangerous territory here.

“Blossom, please,” Clover pleads.

“Clo, no. And Cooper should have asked me first, not just mentioned it in front of you so now I look like the bad guy.”

I see Clover’s face fall, and honestly, although I think I’ll feel totally out of place, although I’m not even sure I want to be involved in the madness that comes along with stepping onto the red carpet with Cooper, I know this is a once in a lifetime experience for Clover.

“I think we can allow this one,” I say. “I’ll go with her, it will be fine.”

“You’re not the most reliable person, Tulip. And you and him will be all sexed up and running off to do it who knows where while my little sister is left in a room full of strangers.”

“First, what happened to not talking about sex around Clo? And second, is that what you really think of me, that I’m so irresponsible that I’d leave Clo alone in a strange place just so I could get laid?”

“Look, look,” Cooper says trying to calm the situation. “I went about this the wrong way but, in my defence, I didn’t know it was Clover’s birthday next weekend and I just thought it would be nice to give her a little star treatment. I was actually going to invite you all to the premiere, anyway, was going to ask at dinner tonight.”

Blossom shakes her head. “I just can’t—”

“Blossom, I know you lost your parents, and I know that hurts like hell, I see how it has affected all of you in your own ways,” Cooper starts as he goes over to her, takes her hand. “You’ve taken on this role, the mother, the protector, and you do an amazing job, but I can look after them, too. Not only that, but I want to. You don’t have to come, have a weekend with that boyfriend of yours, a weekend off. I promise, I’ll protect them with my life, and have them delivered back to you safely.”

Blossom’s jaw is set but trembling, eyes glassy as she turns to me. “Anything happens to her, and I’ll never forgive you.”

Usually I’d snap at her, be annoyed by her controlling behaviour, but tonight, I think I finally see the big sister I used to know. She’s always been bossy, taken charge, but I never really thought about how that’s manifested itself into something more since mum and dad died. We all naturally fell into roles, gave up things, but maybe I’ve been so consumed with my own grief, with helping Clover through hers, that I didn’t really think my rational, logical, and headstrong big sister would need me.

I pull her into a hug. “I’ll look after her better than I did Cyril. I promise.”

She laughs then, a big snort of a laugh.

“Who’s Cyril?” Cooper asks, puzzled.

“He was the class hamster I got to take care of during the school holidays one half term. I was about seven or eight. Let’s just say Cyril roamed wild for the rest of his days.”

“She means she got distracted by the three Harrison boys that used to live on the next farm over and left the cage door open,” Blossom laughs.

“And do these Harrison boys still live around here?” Cooper asks. “Do I need to be worried?”

I give him a gentle punch on the arm. “No. Only Xander still lives in town. Andrew and Adam moved away.”

“And they’re the two she dated,” Blossom adds helpfully.

Cooper raises his eyebrows at me. “Not at the same time,” I laugh. “Anyway, we’re getting off track. Clover would love to be your date, and I’ll tag along, too.”

A quick glance at Blossom and I can see she’s still unsettled by the idea, but I’ll keep reassuring her all week.

We’ll be saying goodbye to Cooper tomorrow morning, so the opportunity to see him next weekend fills my heart with flutters. I know he’ll be back in a couple weeks anyway, there’s filming to do. But he’ll be busy, working. We have tonight though, probably our last night together. And that thought brings with it a heavy feeling in my stomach. And I don’t like it at all.

It’s one that I recognise, one that tells me this isn’t just fun anymore. That maybe it’s never been just about fun. Maybe it’s always been more. But that’s me, the master of deluding myself to protect my heart.