Lemon Cake

Chapter Forty-Three

Was that a French Fry next to the front door? Tulip squinted with a tilt of her head as she handed the bag of frozen veggies to Jasper. No, it wasn't. It was a straw from one of the milkshakes that flew out of Jasper's hand when Will's fist made contact with his eye. By the time she reached the foyer, her brother had already committed to the act and she only had two choices; push Jasper out of the way or shield Sidney with her body obstructing her view of her bio-dad getting punched. She chose to later for obvious reasons.

"I'm fine." Jasper winced as he spoke the lie. A purplish discoloration painted the skin around his eye which was usually smooth with his copper hue.

He reached up from the space on the floor that he landed in once Will expelled his anger onto his face. The trio of cups and liquidity ice cream concoction that was near him was no longer there. Will grabbed a roll of paper towels and Lysol from the kitchen while she had Sidney on the front porch. The girl had asked what was happening on the other side of the door and Tulip told her they were talking which might have been considered a lie to some but she didn't feel that it was. They were talking, just with actions and not words.

Tulip nudged that bag away, "Put it on your eye and stop being belligerent."

"I'm not ten." He started to chuckle but the pain radiated through his face ended it as promptly as it started.

He set the frozen bag over his face without protesting further. She claimed the space next to him and for a couple of beats, music contained the only voice that passed between as she studied him slumped against the wall peering at the wall ahead of him.

"Maybe we should go to the hospital." She broke their embargo with verbiage. "You could be concussed."

"Concussed?" He asked.

"Oh, God." Her voice went up her butt rose off the floor. "Are you confused? How many fingers am I holding up?"

He gently pushed her hand down with a curve to the side of his mouth she could see. "You still do that?"

"What?" She frowned.

"Go into overdrive when other people's health is concerned."

She sat back down. "I don't do that."

"So, you didn't rush me to the hospital for a minor cut?"

"That cut wasn't minor." She insisted, remembering the time he accidentally grabbed the wrong end of a knife when he was cooking dinner for their eighth date which was probably her fault to begin with since it was her lips that stole his attention from the task. "... and you would have needed stitches if that doctor didn't have a big enough band-aid but that's what I get for caring about your ass."

"It was surface level." He quipped even though she glowered at him. "Just like this."

She rolled her eyes, not saying anymore. She glanced over at the clock in the living room checking the time and wondering when Will and Sidney would be back from getting ice cream. His treat since he was the reason her milkshake was no longer edible.

Another lapse of silence passed between then he spoke. "I deserved it."

Tulip pressed her lips tightly together wondering if he developed the talent of mind reading. She wasn't going to apologize for her brother's action since he had already done so before he left.

"The thing I love about Will is...he doesn't hold grudges. He moves on inhumanely quickly. He's a logical thinker." She shrugged, a little sad that she didn't have such a talent. "Don't expect him to be your friend because I am his baby sister but he won't hit you again."

She smirked.

"Thanks." He dropped the bag from his face and his skin looked a little less angry. "Are ya'll kin to Mike Tyson cause...damn."