Lemon Cake

Chapter Twenty-Four

Two hours later Tulip and Sidney's time was combined with Neisha and Lachlan's once they arrived at Mustang Island State Park. The adventure started as soon as the greetings were complete. Paddling to Shamrock Cove gave way to a mini struggle when Tulip and Sidney failed to get their paddling in sync. Tulip's biceps began to burn and her eyebrows furrowed at the ease of which her friend and Lachlan instantly locked into a seamless pattern.

Despite a couple of tries and lagging behind, Tulip and the little girl finally got it together and made it to the cove to partake in the next activity. Fishing. Poor Lachlan tried but his lesson wasn't well received. It was partly his own fault for bringing live bait. Sidney's scream no doubt scared all the trout, flounder, and redfish away. They spent the rest of the day combing for seashells, visiting the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center to see an array of birds and a few alligators in their habitat while keeping safe on the sturdy boardwalk, they rode the ferry to Corpus Cristi and Tulip told them all she rode one before in New York.

After the meal they went back to the island and before they knew it it was late in the afternoon. Tents were erected while the sun was still brilliantly shining. Sidney insisted that reading the directions was needed but Tulip had just watched Lachlan set up a tent with the ease of a Park Ranger. It looked easy and she had confidence. Fifteen minutes later she realized her confidence was inflated and held out her hand for the little pamphlet Sidney had in her grasp. However, the first step had been so much of a hassle for her that Lachlan took over and completed the task so they wouldn't be sleeping under the stars, no matter how fun Tulip said it was be.

"Sharing a tent." Tulip said, playfully bumping Neisha's shoulder as they sat on the blanket covered sand. "As friends, I suppose." Neisha's contented smile as she matched her eyes with Lachlan running away from the incoming tide with Sidney was all the confirmation Tulip needed as she started to happily shake her friend. "I knew it. I knew it."

"Okay. Okay.." Neisha chuckled, clutching her friend's arm stopping the swaying of her body. "You know."

"I did." Tulip shimmied a happy dance. "So, tell me what happened."

"It's not that much to tell." Neisha said, reaching behind her for a blanket as the warmth began to wane as the sun started setting and the ocean breeze picked up. "After the baby shower, we went to get something to eat, went for a walk and when we got back to the car he just told me how he felt and I...kissed him."

"No." Tulip gasped, clutching Neisha's arm in shock. "You, made the first move, Ms. 'I can't be that forward'."

"I know." Neisha shyly covered her face with her hands. "I don't know what got into me. He was just going on about how beautiful I am and how much he likes me, wanted to kiss me with that accent and I'm telling you the man could be a poet and he had his glasses on looking debonair and handsome and I couldn't control myself." She peeked at Tulip. "Intelligence is my kink."

Tulip nodded peering ahead at Lachlan and Sidney playing in the water. "He's not hard on the eyes either."

Neisha smiled even more then bumped her shoulder against Tulip's. "So, is Austin."

"Austin is sexy, fine and all that but..." Tulip paused taking in a deep breath then let it out. "I'm releasing him back to the wild."

"What?" Neisha turned to her. "Why?"

Tulip combed her hand across the sand knowing the precise reason why she and Austin couldn't go on that date he asked her on. It hurt for her to admit but wasn't stating your problem the first step to getting better.

"Esha, I'm..." Tulip started but emotions burned her throat and tears threatened to fill her eyes. What was it about being honest with your best friend that made you get in your feels? She cleared her throat and kept focused on her happy place. "Seeing Jasper made it clear. I'm damaged."

"No, you're not." Neisha clenched her shoulder probably fighting the urge to shake some sense into her but Tulip knew she was right.

She was damaged. She felt it every time a man got too close to her. The walls went up. Fear flushed over here and she pushed them away. Sex was easy. Relationships are difficult. They relied on the one thing she couldn't commit to; trust.

"I am." She placed her hand over Neisha's. "And I won't be able to move forward until I heal myself. Until, I can be in the same room as Jasper and not want to punch him in his eye and makeout in the corner."

"What?" Neisha sang with a tilt to her head and no judgement.

"You see. It's all a confused complicity over here." Tulip danced her hands around herself. "And he's blowing me up. I don't want to see him but I know I have to" She glanced over at Sidney writing something on the damp shore. "I'm trying to be strong for her...go talk to him but I don't know if I can."

"You want me to come with you." Neisha said. "I'll punch him for you."

"So, we both can have an assault charge."

"Why would we both have charges?"

"Cause..." Tulip smirked. "If you make the first move I'm gonna have to strike too."

Neisha laughed. "You, right." She wrapped her arm around Tulip's shoulder. "But you're not damaged. You had your heart broken. You have scar tissue and sure it makes you hesitate but anyone would flinch if they had to encounter the same thing that hurt them. Jasper hurt you. He was your first real boyfriend. It's understandable."

"I loved him." Tulip rested her head on Neisha's shoulder feeling a dull pain in her chest. "I thought he felt the same way."

Neisha rested her head against her's. "I love you, though."

"Aww." Tulip playfully gushed. "Ain't I just the luckiest girl in the world."

"You are." Neisha chuckled and Tulip joined in. "You very much are."

Tulip settled her sight on Sidney as the humor faded and her smile became a shadow. She knew her words were true. She was more than lucky. She was given a blessing. Her baby girl was back in her arms and this time she wasn't going to let her go. The lover she loved with everything she had was also back but this time she was going to give him all of her like she did before. Back then she was an elder teenager and now she was a grown woman. Jasper Young had a lot to answer for and plenty to prove.

Ten years matured her although the pain still lingered. She didn't trust him. She didn't trust any man that wasn't her brother. Maybe that was wrong but when your boyfriend promises you happily ever after and vows to stand by your side through every obstacle only to disappear when you're nine centimeters dilated it has a bad effect on you.  

Do you think Tulip's 'damaged' as she says?

Is Tulip right to want to break off things with Austin?

Do you think Tulip's lack of trust is reasonable? Will she be able to get the ability back?

Was Neisha right for making the first move on Lachlan? Are you surprised they're sharing a tent?