The Tears of a Tulip (epilogue)

An optional epilogue/alternative ending to the story

You can read the previous parts of the story in the link:

The Tears of a Tulip (3)

Reprise (an optional Epilogue)

He went on and on and on, and Erin wasn’t listening. Eric said all the right words. He had all the right ideas. He would make such a great dad for Percy. He was ridiculously handsome. So much, that Erin genuinely thought he was gay when they first met. As it turned out later, his interest toward Erin wasn’t just a friendly one, he liked her. As a woman.

Erin smiled and nodded to whatever he just said. That was enough. Eric wasn’t a deep-diver. He kept things simple. He had been a male model, but now that his modelling days were over, Eric worked as a manager for young male models. He knew the trade, and his good looks opened many doors for the charming thirty-year-old.

“Hang on a sec’!” Eric reached for his phone, “yaalloo! Yes, Sungi! No, I’m busy tomorrow night. No, it’s important…. Yes…”

Erin smiled, because Eric winked at her while talking to his assistant.  They were having dinner tomorrow night at his place. Big night. They hadn’t slept with each other yet. Made-out a couple of times, like two dumb teenagers. Erin was to blame. She couldn’t warm up to Eric. She blamed her hectic schedule - running a publishing house and raising a feisty four-year-old on her own was no joke. All she wanted at the end of the day was to fall flat on her bed and pass out until the morning.

Until she was waken up by Percy holding her phone.

“It was ringing. You didn’t hear. Again.”

There he stood like a little ghost with his huge hazel eyes. Sometimes her own kid scared the crap out of her.

“I’m sorry, sweety!” Erin took her phone.

“You should get another ringtone. This one sucks,” Percy said seriously.

“Language, Perc!”

He was the most mature four-year-old she had ever seen. He was Dustin in everything but size. Every time Erin realized that, a pain of loss stung her heart. After nearly five years it still stung. Even Eric’s stunning pearly smile couldn’t heal Erin. She dreaded the thought of dinner at his place. But the date and time was set, and she had to move on. Maybe she’ll warm up to Eric after an intimate dinner without the constant stressing over her business or her kid.

“You have to be present, Erin! Be with me, that’s all I ask,” Eric said, kissing her softly as they parted after lunch. He was an unbelievable kisser.

Everything was arranged for the dinner. Erin left her office early to get herself ready. The nanny arrived to look after Percy.

Erin’s heart raced. She should’ve been ecstatic, but it felt like going to the dentist instead of a date.

Eric greeted her on the porch of his penthouse apartment with the top buttons of his white shirt undone. His hair was perfect, everything was perfect. The dinner he ordered and the cool champagne. They talked about her work, her joys and her troubles, Eric was so easy to talk to. They moved smoothly from the dining room to his bedroom. They even danced. Eric unzipped the back of her dress.

“Erin, relax, babe! You’re so tensed,” he rubbed her shoulders and let her dress slip down.

Erin tried hard to convince herself she was enjoying it. Even though her thoughts kept returning to Percy, to her office, to the rumours about Dobson planning to sue her, to… a pair of hazel eyes she wanted to see instead of Eric’s grey ones.

Erin tried to loosen up while Eric kissed her neck and caressed her back. She was an adult, a mature woman, she could stop him anytime, yet she did not. It was time to move on. Maybe this would help her get over Dustin.

Just as Eric grabbed her thighs and was about to fall into bed with her, Erin’s phone rang. Only the nanny could reach her tonight. Erin scrambled to grab her phone momentarily, leaving Eric sitting in bed.

“Hello, Jenna?! What is it? Is it his asthma again?” Erin asked nervously.

“It’s me, Mommy.”

“Percy, sweety, are you alright? Where’s Jenna?!” Erin’s heart sank.

“Jenna’s okay, but I think she drank too much alcohol. Alcohol does that to people.”

“What? Why?”

“She yelled at her boyfriend Josh on the phone. Then she took a bottle from the kitchen and drank it aaaaall out.” Percy hummed a tune from a children’s show.

“Perc, sweety, where is Jenna? Can I speak with her?”

“Nope. She’s sleeping on the couch.”

“Okay. Okay. Hang in there, I’m coming!  Don’t go anywhere. Just wait for me. Okay?”

“Ooookaaay Mommy, B-bye!” Percy hummed.

“Unbelievable!!” Erin pulled her dress back on. The perfect night was ruined.

“Should I come with you?” Eric asked politely.

“Oh, no, thanks! I’m so sorry! Should’ve called another nanny, Jenna was kinda depressed lately.”

Erin gave him a quick smooch on the lips.

“Call me when you get there, babe, okay?”

Erin didn’t answer, running to the elevator as fast as she could.

Erin shook the unfortunate babysitter.

“Jenna! Jenna! Wake up!”

“Mmm…. Oh… Erin…. I must’ve…. I’m so sorry!”

After a coffee Jenna was sensible enough to go home on her own. She hadn’t drunk all that much, a half a bottle of red wine. She hadn’t eaten any lunch either, that explained her passing out so fast. After Erin called a cab, the nanny went away with a thousand apologies.

Erin closed the door and went to Percy.

“It’s very late sweety! You should be going to bed.”

“Just one more, Mommy! Pretty please!” Percy was watching cartoons on his tablet.

“Okay, I’ll have a coffee and then you’re going to bed.”

Erin kicked off her high heel shoes and slumped to the kitchen. She pressed the button - a red dot flickered; the water needed refilling. Strange, Erin had done it first thing in the morning. Maybe Jenna had some.

“Percy, did Jenna have coffee while I was gone?”

“Nope.”

Percy sat by the table, staring into the screen and giggling.

Erin made herself a coffee and searched the bread box for the fresh cinnamon rolls she bought on her way home.

“Perc, Jenna ate all the cinnamon rolls?!”

“Nope… it was Mr. Friend.”

Erin gave a heavy sigh; Percy had an incredibly lively imagination. He had many imaginary friends, he had mentioned Mr.Friend before.

“He needed something to go with the coffee,” Percy added.

Erin was sure Percy ate the cinnamon rolls, she decided to play along.

“Well, next time tell Mr. Friend that your Mommy would like a cinnamon roll too. He could’ve left me one.”

“I did. He said he was veeeeery hungry and he will buy you more rolls later,” Percy replied with his eyes glued to the screen.

“Okay, Perc! Off to bed!”

Erin tucked him into the blanket, gave Percy a kiss and took a moment looking lovingly into his hazel eyes.

“Mommy?”

“M?”

“I like Mr.Friend.”

“That’s good, sweety. Is he a nice guy?”

“He looked after me when Jenna slept. He took her phone and put her finger on it, cause I couldn’t unblock it.”

Erin blinked nervously. Was her kid just super smart and a bit weird or…

“What…? And… um… where did Mr. Friend go?”

“Nowhere. He’s right here,” Percy said and closed his eyes. It was very late; he fell asleep momentarily. Erin got up and swallowed hard. Suddenly she felt uneasy in her own home. All these four years she’d been living in Dustin’s apartment, she had always felt right at home here. Erin searched for her phone. Just in case. She crept to Dustin’s room. Ever since he disappeared, she didn’t dare to move a thing there. Erin turned on the lights. Everything stood untouched. Afterward she inspected the apartment, switching on the lights. She smirked at herself, Percy and his imaginary friends! Erin went to her own room. She took a shower. She sat by the desk and opened her laptop to do some work.

Just then when she sat quietly Erin felt somebody staring at her. The feeling was so intense, it was almost tangible.

“I didn’t lie. I will buy you cinnamon rolls for the ones I ate,” a  hoarse voice behind her said. Erin sat quietly for some seconds before she turned back very slowly. There in the bed, lo and behold! sat Mr. Dustin T. Hill. Erin held her own mouth shut; a muffled shriek broke the silence. She reached to grab scissors from her drawer and jumped to her feet.

“Who are you?! How did you get in here?!” She grunted, holding the scissors before her.

“It’s my place, Erin, I took the spare key with me when I left. And… I sat here all along! You didn’t even see me!” He laughed, “you’d be surprised how people don’t see things right in front of them, hidden in plain sight.”

“Who are you?!”

“Come on, I even shaved this morning! Sure, I have lost a bit of weight. I see you’ve gained some, but…” Dustin eyed her curves shamelessly, “I don’t mind, Erin. Or should I say “babe”?” He grinned.

“I’m calling the police!” she threatened.

“Okay, business first, pleasure later. Let’s start with the bureaucratic shenanigans of proving I’m still alive. Or…” he got out of bed and walked to her, “we could start with something more pleasant? Hm? Since your date flopped, maybe I can make it up for it…. somehow?”

The scissors shook in her hand.

“You’re a psychopath,” she whispered staring at him.

“Maybe. I am definitely not normal, unlike your… loverboy. Although can I really call him that? Technically he isn’t because you haven’t fucked yet,” Dustin smiled playfully.

“Get out of my house!” she grunted.

“I don’t think you want that, Erin. Besides, it’s my house as well. Yes, you have questions. No, I didn’t die. I tried, but… Let’s just say I was washed ashore. I thought I was done with stories, turns out the stories were not done with me.”

“Cut the crap! Who are you?!”

“Erin, it’s still me. And…” he took the scissors from her hand slowly, while Erin stared at him, hypnotized by his hazel eyes, “I’ve missed you. How I’ve missed you, Tulip…”

“I hate you! You fucking idiot! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?! YOU LET ME BELIEVE YOU DIED! ALMOST FIVE YEARS! I HATE YOU!” she yelled in Dustin’s face.

“Mommy are you okay?” A tiny voice asked from behind the door.

“I’m… I’m okay sweety, go back to bed,” Erin braced herself to sound calm.

“Mommy, who are you yelling at?”

“Oh, nobody, sweety!”

“Tell Mr. Nobody I like the comic book he gave me. I like comics.”

“Okay, Percy!”

Erin heard his tiny steps stomping away.

“He’s a smart kid. You... um… did a good job raising him,” Dustin looked at his feet.

“How could you?! You left me. You probably knew I’d be pregnant, and you still wouldn’t come back!” Erin said with tears of anger popping from her eyes.

“It was done for the best, Erin. The money from selling books of a dead author is incomparable to the one the live ones earn.”

“I didn’t want your money. I wanted you.”

“I’m here now… babe!” Dustin’s opened his arms wide, with his face full of ridicule.

“Fuck off, Dustin! Why did you come back?” Erin retorted.

“Something has come up. I’m not some fortune teller. I can’t choose what I see. And not so long ago I saw something else. Dobson’s about to sue you.”

“Rumours.”

“No, he’s been scheming behind your back, or should I say… right under your pretty nose… babe,” Dustin winked.

“What are you even talking about?!” Erin shook her head, “You know what?  I don’t want to know!”

“You’re right! We’ll deal with it later. We have more important things to do. I still love you, Erin.”

Dustin moved closer to her. Despite Erin’s anger the sight of his hazel eyes soothed her soul; he was alive.

“Really? You seriously think I’ll jump on you just because you finally decided to show up and say you love me?” Erin smirked hatefully.

“No, but if I said - I lived on my old and half-dead uncle’s farm, where I grew tulips every spring and cried for you, I have two cats called Zeus and Danaë and a dog named Suzanne, whose a real bitch, that… that should do the trick.” Dustin’s lips had moved dangerously close to Erin’s while he spoke.

Erin inhaled his scent - he smelled like the farm she grew up in, he smelled like home. The scent mixed with his cologne; it ignited the memories of the time they spent in this bedroom. Erin succumbed to his lips like a thirst-ridden desert traveller to a water source. Dustin replied with equal thirst. He unwrapped Erin from her white silk robe, while she slid her hands under his shirt. They held each other close and fell into bed. The fiery reunion proceeded in almost complete silence; they didn’t want to scare Percy.

“Five years… how could you…” Erin half-moaned half-whispered as he swayed gently, lying on her.

“I… was an idiot…” he replied showering Erin’s lips and neck with kisses. Erin enjoyed every second of his nearness; his warm body enveloping her, his rapid breath in her ear, nothing bothered her, not a single thing. It felt like her body was built to respond to him, she never felt this close to Adam, or Eric.

“Like a flower,” as corny as it may seem, Erin thought lying in his arms after they’d made love, “like a tulip opening to the sun.”

“No!” she said out loud sternly, “don’t you dare writing that down! You know what I was just thinking, didn’t you?”

“Mhm,” Dustin hummed approvingly, “but I would’ve written “like a tulip opening to a golden shower”.”

“Don’t flatter yourself! Besides, what’s the point in living if you have seen it all before?”

Dustin chuckled.

“First of all - I don’t see absolutely everything. I have to fill in a lot of blanks. And secondly - haven’t you ever wanted to live out your favourite book?”

“Only the fun parts.”

“I think,” he pulled her closer, “this is the fun part.”

They kissed the minutes away idly, until Erin’s phone buzzed.

“Shit, it’s Eric,” Erin hesitated.

“Oh, just ignore your loverboy. He’s too immature for you anyway,” Dustin took the phone from her and threw into the pile of pillows.

“Jealous?”

“No!” Dustin squeezed her tight stubbornly, “okay, the visions of him touching you made my blood boil. That alone would be enough to make me return.”

“Why didn’t you return then?”

“I called Jeremy, my father’s brother, before I tried to end my life. He was like a father to me when my old man was finally put behind bars. Jeremy had a stroke. A proud man, he didn’t want me to pity him. He couldn’t take care of the farm anymore. Let’s call it a plot twist. I had to choose. I still carried on with my plan. The thunderstorm washed me ashore. I got on a bus and went to Jeremy’s.”

“How come nobody saw you?”

“I told you, people don’t notice something hidden in plain sight,” Dustin smirked, “I’m glad I went to Jeremy. As I went, I saw… I knew he’d be dead after two months if I wouldn’t take care of him.”

Erin laid thinking silently, feeling his warmth.

“Tell me - what did you see? Why… did you say we would only hurt each other?”

“You really want to know? Because that future is still possible, under certain circumstances.”

“Tell me, please!”

“If I would go on living like I did - here, hiding from the stories in my apartment, I would have developed a dementia in five to ten years.”

Erin raised her head to look into his eyes.

“You would be shackled to an old mad man. You’d never leave me, your heart is too kind.” Dustin kissed her hand.

“I never wanted Percy to grow up with a demented father, locked in a dark apartment. He deserved better.”

“So, you thought - no father would be better?”

“Yes, trust me. I know all about growing up with an aggressive old man. My son deserved better.”

“What about now? What changed? Or… are you going away again?”

“Now I came to warn you about Dobson. And since I moved to the country my mental health has improved. Living on a lonely farm far away from people and the city… no, I couldn’t take you with me. You had to live your own life. “E. Ross publishing”, huh?” He gave a chuckle.

“Yeah, pretty cool, right?” Erin laughed with him, “Dobson can’t really do anything.”

“Well, actually, he can, and he will,” said Dustin, “and you’re giving him all the information he needs.”

“What? How?”

“Dobson wants the rights to “The Tears of the Tulip”. He’s guessing it was meant as the second book of a duology.”

“He can’t know that!”

“He knows how to get it out of you, babe,” Dustin smirked.

“What are you saying? Eric is his spy?”

“Let’s just say your loverboy and Dobson are old friends, and Dobson promised him so much money, that your guy will be able to start his own modelling agency.”

“But… I thought…”

“Don’t get me wrong, Eric likes you, he really does, but he likes money more.”

“Oh…”

“Now, my dear, you’ll have to play along, just to mislead him.”

“What are you saying? I have to pretend and lie to him?” Erin exclaimed.

“Well, you’ve been doing it all this time, he didn’t seem to mind,” Dustin smiled and kissed her.

He was right. Erin deceived both herself and Eric; she didn’t really want to be with him.

“Dobson wants revenge. He thinks you betrayed him, when you claimed the rights to Tulip. He’s gathering information to damage your business.”

Erin sighed. Oh, to forget herself in Dustin’s arms! Whatever would come next, she wished to enjoy the night of bliss before the unpleasant reality of the dawning day sets in.

“Good morning, Perseus,” said Dustin, whilst cooking breakfast. Percy stomped into the kitchen and scrambled upon his chair. Erin was surprised to see - Percy wasn’t shy about Dustin’s presence at all. Especially considering the latter had spent the night at their place and now stood in their kitchen wearing a robe.

“Hi, Mr. Friend,” Percy said and grabbed a toast, “did you and Mommy have sex at night?”

Erin spat out her coffee, then she chocked, and coughed.

“Yes, we did, Perseus. That’s what grown-ups do sometimes,” Dustin explained calmly.

“Where did you hear that, Perc?” Erin asked after regaining her breath.

“Aiden said it, at school. Aidan said comics are lame,” Percy scoffed.

“Well, in that case I think Aidan is lame,” said Dustin. Erin gave him a reproachful stare.

Percy laughed.

“I like you, Mr. Friend. Are you my Daddy? You look like my Daddy from the pictures. Mommy showed me,” Percy said nibling on his toast.

“I am your Daddy, Perseus,” Dustin couldn’t help but smile.

“You can call me Percy. And I’ll call you Daddy,” he announced in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Okay, Percy,” Dustin’s smile grew wider as he saw Percy giving him a very serious nod of approval.

The three of them had a very cosy breakfast, and Erin couldn’t help thinking - those two were soulmates. It seemed they understood each other without speaking. So much for the special bond between a mother and her child, Erin thought.

“I’ll walk Percy to his preschool group,” said Erin, “will you still be here when I return? I’ll get Percy in the afternoon. Please, be here, no matter what future story… you may see!” She begged quietly, while Percy went to brush his teeth.

“I’ll be here,” Dustin grabbed her waist and pulled Erin close, “we’re not done yet.” He kissed her.

“By the way, you’re meeting your loverboy today,” he stated.

“Am I?”

“He’ll invite you to have lunch with him, as usual. Your job is to mislead him. If you’ll succeed, Dobson will be sat back for a while, but he’ll still sue you. I’m afraid it’s inevitable.”

“Does it matter then? I could just… ignore Eric and keep you company today. I don’t want you getting bored,” Erin said, and gave him a long, sensual kiss.

“Hm… very tempting,” he replied, “but time is essential. Trust me. And…” Dustin kissed her, “I won’t be bored. I’ll be writing. I’m never bored when I’m writing. It’s pure pleasure.”

“Even more than…?”

Dustin wouldn’t let her finish, they kissed, until a tiny voice chirped,

“That’s yucky. Grown-up kissing is yuck. Aidan said grown-ups let their tongues touch.”

“Okay, don’t hang around with Aidan, Perc, alright?” Erin said, releasing Dustin.

“Okay, Mommy! Let’s get me ready for school!”

Dustin chuckled at his serious tone.

As they parted, all Erin wished was to stay. It was just too good to be true; Dustin was alive and well. Erin couldn’t stop smiling. She was afraid it might be an illusion, she’s finally lost it and Dustin was never there…

She couldn’t focus on work, and when Eric called to invite her to lunch, she felt genuinely repulsed.

Still, she agreed to meet him. Eric was charming as always, handsome, lovable, easy to talk to, and as fake as a plastic Ken doll. Dustin was real with all his flaws and quirks, while Eric seemed flawless, therefore incredibly boring.

“Didn’t get enough sleep last night, huh, babe? I didn’t. Couldn’t stop thinking of you,” he chattered away, while Erin yawned. She tried to talk about her work to mislead him, according to the plan. Dustin had instructed her what to say. She noticed, Eric was listening very carefully, absorbing every bit of information she revealed about her publishing business. The scum! Erin couldn’t stand a second longer in his company. She was truly relieved when the lunch was over.

“Dinner at my place tomorrow? What do you say, babe?” He weaved around her like a sly fox.

“No, Eric! Just no! This is over! You can tell Dobson to go fuck himself!” Erin snapped and pushed Eric away.

“Hey, Babe! Come on!” Eric yelled as she walked out of the restaurant.

“I couldn’t pretend anymore, Dustin! I’m such an idiot,” Erin cried in his arms as soon as he greeted her and Percy with a warm dinner.

“So, you made that decision. It’s okay, we’ll manage,” he consoled her, “it will be a bit messy, but we’ll get through it together.”

Together was the sweetest word she had heard in these five years.

From that moment Erin’s private life became a bliss, while her career, well… it went downhill. Every night tumbling in the sheets with Dustin made her forget that terrible lawsuit. Dobson sued her. For obtaining the rights to the Tulip story, and for a number of other nonsensical issues. It was revenge, as petty and while as it could be. Dustin couldn’t participate in the court, he wouldn’t want to lie, because the Tulip indeed was meant as a part of a duology. Plus, the tedious process might cause him to lose his mind. All those people around… Dustin spent most of his time in the apartment with occasional trips to his uncle’s farm. Though he had found somebody to look after the old man, every time Dustin returned more and more concerned. After a year of court both Dustin and Erin were exhausted. He - from the restless pulsing city around them and she - from constant stress. Her business was on the brink of bankruptcy; Dobson used every bit of information he got from Eric to make Erin’s life harder.

“We can’t go on like this, Erin,” said Dustin one evening, sitting by the dinner table.

“What are you saying?” These were the words Erin was afraid to hear. He wants to leave again, but this time he won’t come back, she dreaded.

Percy, on the other hand, looked completely calm. He had become a much happier kid since the arrival of Mr. Friend.

Dustin covered Erin’s hand with his large palm.

“I’m leaving, Erin. I can’t stand this city anymore. I’m going back to the farm.”

Erin shook her head.

“But this time, you’re coming with me,” he added with a shameless smirk.

“But… the publishing house and… Percy’s school and…”

“My school sucks, Mommy. Dustin says, there’s a good school in the country. I’ll get to ride on a yellow school bus,” Percy’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“A yellow school bus, huh? You two had planned this all along, right?” Erin eyed her two men, who had the expression of  an innocent lamb on their faces.

“Your business is dead, Erin. But… there is absolutely no problem to start a new one.”

Dustin smiled.

They moved to the country. Dustin’s uncle died not long after, and Dustin was forced to go through the annoying process of proving that he is Mr. Dustin T. Hill, just to inherit the farm legally. The press went wild, he gave only a single interview to a decent literary journal. Erin lost the lawsuit and the rights to The Tulip story.

But, after another year a promising new publishing house took New York by storm. “Tea Hill Publishing” owned by the prolific author Dustin T. Hill and his charming wife Erin Ross-Hill. His own new works, published by their own publishing house became bestsellers almost overnight. They published both successful commercial fiction and excellent literary fiction. Every new release was praised by critics and loved by the readers. Despite the fact that their office was in the NYC, the Hill family had no problem managing it from their country residence.

The hot spring afternoon laid over the farmlands, the green grass and the tulip field. The sun shone through the fresh, green leaves, turning them into tiny gems. Erin laid on the picnic blanket, resting her head in Dustin’s lap. She observed the leaves whispering with the fresh breeze, the patches of blue sky revealed by the wave of green, she saw Dustin’s hazel eyes moving intensely, as he jotted down notes in a journal laid beside him on the blanket.

“Mom, Dad, look!” Percy had finally got his kite to fly. The ten-year-old was growing up to become a Dustin’s copy, with his hazel eyes and brown hair. Dustin’s own hair was turning grey, but it only added to his mysterious charm. At least in Erin’s eyes. The baby stirred in Erin’s round belly. Not long now, she thought. Their little baby girl Dilan would arrive in a few weeks.

Suddenly the pen fell from Dustin’s hand. Erin looked up. Her smile faded because Dustin’s face was more than grim.

“What? Did you see something new?”

Dustin kept seeing their ever-changing future options, but so far everything was going smoothly.

“What? Is it the baby? Or Percy? Is it me?” she asked.

“No,” he replied seriously.

“So, it’s you. Please, don’t tell me! Whatever it is, we’ll get through it together. Don’t you dare walking out on me again! You’re going to this childbirth! I’m not squeezing another baby out without you holding my hand!” She said sternly. Dustin chuckled and both ended up laughing out loud, and the blooming tulips in the colourful field near them shook their blossoms happily in the wind.