Lemon Cake

Chapter Forty-Seven

Tulip woke up the next morning with a slight spring in her step. There was something about waking up and not having to be responsible for anything and everything that undid the knots in her back muscles and eased the stress upon her shoulders. Although her body naturally woke itself up around seven, it was the rich hearty aroma of fresh perking coffee that lured her out of the room. 

After getting turned around twice in Jasper's spacious home, she finally arrived in the kitchen that had more than java heating. Her nose picked up the sugar, butter, and jalapeno that filled the air as she shuffled passed the expansive island, and the man at the stove flipped something that caused a sizzle to cry out over the small barks of a puppy.

"I see you found your new friend." Tulip jested, lowering herself on the floor next to Sidney.

"He's my best friend." Sidney quickly said, without looking over at her. She was far too busy trying to keep its eager mouth away from the stuffed animal that squeaked every time she pressed its belly making the puppy immediately go into a better downward dog than Tulip could even attempt.

"He made a mad dash out of my room while I was cleaning his cage...." Jasper said, handing her a steaming mug. "...and Ms. Early Riser caught him in the hallway. Surprise ruin."

Tulip reached up, claiming the mug and gifting him with a soft smile in return. She caught sight of the same shine in his eyes that he had last night reassuring her that it wasn't the moonlight that gave his brown irises the glimmer.

"I was surprised," Sidney said playing tug-of-war since the puppy had its little teeth dug into the leg of the stuffed animal. She leaned towards Tulip and said. "But you know what?"

"What?" Tulip asked.

"You can't keep best friends apart." Sidney nodded her head as if she had just convinced herself of that fact even more. "

"You may be on to something." Tulip sounded glancing over at Jasper retrieving plates from the cabinet. Although she and Jasper weren't best friends they did have a connection and there had been times when she felt that connection make a resurgence and last night it was even stronger, like a volt of electricity zap through her.

Before Tulip took a sip of her coffee she asked, "What are you going to name your best friend?"

"Daequan."

Tulip choked on the liquid, thankful she only took a small swallow.

"Dae—what?" Jasper stopped at the dining table with three plates in hand.

"Dae...Quan." Sidney said, emphasizing each syllable as if it was her speech that caused the adults to react so strangely. "It's one of MeMe's favorite names."

Jasper's eyes went to Tulip and she shook her head. "I mean it's a fine name but it's not my favorite. I don't even think I have a favorite name besides Sidney that is." She said pushing herself off the floor, stretching her free arm to the ceiling while not disturbing the coffee mug attached to her other.

"You say it all the time." Sidney relinquished the toy to the puppy and took him in her arms in consolation. "Daequan this...Daequan that. You always say it."

"Because it's my default name," Sidney said meandering to the kitchen to see what Jasper had cooked up. "I use it as a name for guys whose names I don't know or a hypothetical person."

Jasper paused from pouring orange juice into the trio of glasses on the island. "Are you sure you want to name your puppy after your MeMe's fictitious men?"

Tulip playfully scowled at him and he smirked without even looking at her. "Name your friend whatever you want." She turned to Sidney cradling the dozing puppy in her arms as if it was a newborn. "But just know that you'll have to call his name a lot and Daequan is sort of long."