The Grass Isn't Greener- Chapter 7

Tulip

November 19, 2022,
21:16 local time,
Boreal Hotel,
Yellowknife District, Borealis Bay, Republic of Sǫ̀mbak’è

Bruce McCrain could barely sleep. The news blindsided him with fury, and Bruce himself became a torrent of emotions.

So, with Thomas and Kyle asleep in Mogadishu and Norah Anam working late, Bruce turned to another friend for solace.

Even though she was an ex.

“Oh, hey Bruce,” said Tulip Errons, sitting up on her bed while talking to Bruce via the hotel phone. “Yeah, I saw the news…the Dallas Revolvers traded for you…the talking heads won’t stop talking about it.”

“I figured it would be all over ESPC,” said Bruce, trying- and failing- not to cry over the phone. “I can’t bring myself to watch…I’m still stunned. Even Carly was blindsided.”

“Not even your agent knew?” said Tulip. “Wow…usually they’re the first to know.”

“I know I had my problems in Atlanta,” said Bruce, “but I…I thought…”

Bruce let out a sniffle, then he went silent.

“Sports is cruel,” said Tulip, breaking the silence. “The talking heads are saying that since you’re not committing to either football or baseball that Atlanta had to make a decision, and they decided a haul was better than losing you for nothing.”

“That’s the thing, Tulip,” said Bruce. “I gave Atlanta my word before leaving for Mogadishu that I’d play baseball next season. I know getting drafted into the WFL would be a longshot, and I thought Atlanta would know that too.”

“Seems to be news to ESPC,” said Tulip, “because they don’t think you’ve made a commitment.”

“I thought telling Atlanta management that it would be enough,” said Bruce. “I guess I was wrong.”

Tulip let out a measured sigh.

“Didn’t you want to leave Atlanta anyway?” said Tulip. “Going to Dallas could be a blessing in disguise.”

It was Bruce’s turn to let out a huff.

“Yeah,” said Bruce. “I wanted to leave…but I also thought about giving Atlanta another season. I had a rough patch but…it was only three months. I was under the Dawgs’ control for another three seasons…I was prepared to wait for free agency and see if things got better.”

“Well Bruce,” said Tulip, “if management is bad to you from day one, things don’t usually get better. They usually get worse. Atlanta is doing you a favour.”

“I guess,” said Bruce.

“I know,” said Tulip. “It stings. It should sting. Getting traded is never easy. You go from the lows of knowing a team doesn’t want you to the highs of another team that does. It’s quite the rollercoaster.”

“You have a lot of wisdom for someone who’s never been traded,” said Bruce.

“I watch a lot of sports,” said Tulip, “and ever since I started the World Tour and my album went platinum, I’ve met a few sports types. So I know more than you think.”

“How is the tour going,” said Bruce, hoping a different subject would ease his mind.

“It’s a grind,” said Tulip. “I never thought it would be this tough. The music videos, the movies, TV…they all present the glamorous side of it…they don’t show you all the tough parts like the dress rehearsals, the costume changes, the brutal travel schedule…I mean, I wouldn’t trade this for the world, but…man, is it tough.”

Bruce let out a little chuckle, starting to relax a little.

“You deserve the success,” said Bruce. “I’m glad your hard work is paying off for you.”

Tulip smiled. A video of her impromptu stage performance at a small Irish benefit concert in Marian went viral in August 2020, prompting her to record the song she sang that night, called “Child’s Play”. Tulip then played a number of small bars, cafés and lounges with a setlist of old Irish folk tunes and “Child’s Play”. The more she played, the more her crowds grew and eventually a few musicians offered to help her out.

Together, they formed a band and together they wrote and recorded an album. They didn’t have a name, so when the producer mistakenly thought “Tulip” was the name of the band, the name stuck.

Which was fine for Tulip, who revelled at doing all the work of being “the face of the band” while her bandmates stayed in the shadows, where they felt more comfortable.

Despite the dynamic and even after “Child’s Play” eventually became a chart topping single worldwide, Tulip was adamant that the band was a collective and that they deserve as much credit for Tulip’s success as Tulip did. Pundits often thought it was just PR, but Tulip’s love for her bandmates was genuine.

Bruce knew that too.

“You have a good group, Tulip,” said Bruce. “I hope they are doing well.”

“Oh,” said Tulip, smiling, “my sisters are doing great. They’re sleeping in their rooms…we flew in a few hours ago…it’s a rare off-day so they’re taking advantage of it.”

“Why aren’t you?” said Bruce.

Tulip breathed out and slumped her shoulders.

“Do you remember Greg?” said Tulip.

“Parker…the star centre for Toronto,” said Bruce. “Yeah, I remember.”

“Do you remember Greg and my dad never got along?” said Tulip, “and that we broke up because Greg couldn’t be bothered to even try to get my dad a Christmas gift?”

“Yes, I recall,” said Bruce. “Greg said he’s dating you, not your dad…and you were understandably upset.”

“Today is the one-year anniversary of that breakup,” said Tulip. “I go back and forth thinking I made a mistake. Greg was a great guy…and, yeah, I love my dad but I know he can be prickly. I shouldn’t have dumped him because Greg didn’t impress my dad.”

“You know what I would say to that,” said Bruce.

“I know,” said Tulip, “if Greg and I really had a future…we’d figure something out. Not just the two of us…but Greg and my father as well…but still…what if I sabotaged that future?”

“You didn’t sabotage anything,” said Bruce. “You just hit a hurdle that neither of you were willing to cross.”

“…but Greg doesn’t have to impress my dad,” said Tulip. “He is right about that.”

“Maybe so,” said Bruce, “but if your dad means something to you- and he does- then Greg should have at least tried to impress him or at least be cordial enough to have a relationship with him. If your dad never warmed to Greg, that’s on your dad and not Greg’s fault…but Greg…he dismissed even trying.

“Not trying is worse than trying and failing.”

Tulip smiled, breathing out with the tension dissolving.

“Sounds like you could use that same advice too,” said Tulip with a wry smile. “You’re sad that Atlanta didn’t want you? Well, feel happy they decided not to try.”

Bruce chuckled.

“That’s true,” said Bruce. “I’m happy you put things into perspective.”

“Anytime, Bruce,” said Tulip. “Take care of yourself…and hopefully our paths can cross again.”

The two of them said their goodbyes as Tulip got off the phone.

She then decided to get off the bed. She didn’t feel like sleeping, so she slipped on a night gown and decided to go for a walk.

Tulip then passed a man who was shaking the vending machine. He was dark-skinned, slender but muscular, with braided shoulder-length hair. He was wearing simply his shorts and his sandals, meaning the muscles he was using to coax a soft drink out of the machine were in full view.

“I guess it ate your dollar, huh?” said Tulip as the man was getting angry at the machine.

“You could say that,” said the man. “I had a craving for Lucy’s, but the bottle is stuck in the machine. The stupid thing didn’t get off the ledge.”

“Let me try,” said Tulip, reaching into her pocket and pulling out her credit card.

Tulip saw the stuck bottle and decided to make the same selection.

The machine whirred into action, slowly and methodically, which built the anticipation within both Tulip and the other man. Time seemed to move still as the machine worked, the whizzes and the clanks of the machine the only noises as it dutifully picked up a bottle of Lucy’s and tried to dispense it.

Fortunately for both Tulip and the man, the machine managed to jar loose the stuck bottle and dispense the other bottle that Tulip paid for, doing it effortlessly.

Meaning now both of them had a soft drink.

“Maybe I should have done that,” said the man, picking up his bottle.

The man then took a longer look at Tulip and made a realization.

“Wait a minute,” he said. “You’re Tulip, aren’t you? I didn’t recognize you without the makeup.”

Tulip chuckled and smiled warmly.

“Yeah,” she said, “that’s me all right. I look far different than the pretty thing you see on stage.”

The man then gave her a look.

“Oh come on,” he said, “you look absolutely gorgeous. Even without the makeup. Heck, I think the natural look suits you.”

Tulip blushed, lowering her head unsure of what to say. The man had a charm to him that Tulip couldn’t deny and she sensed that his words were more than just an attempt to be sweet.

Still, Tulip was not one to boast or gloat, so, in her humility, she always sought to deflect compliments instead of acknowledge them.

“You’re a kind man,” said Tulip. “I’m sure your wife feels the same way.”

This time the man demurred, lowering his head momentarily and letting out a melancholic smile.

“I got no wife,” said the man. “My high school sweetheart dumped me midway through my rookie season…ever since, I’ve just been so focused on football that I just don’t have the time to date.”

“Oh,” said Tulip. “You’re in football, eh? I’m playing the halftime show at the game tomorrow. I assume you’re playing?”

“Eamon Archer,” said Eamon. “I’m the running back with the Chicago Caribou…you probably know about our quarterback, Sqweebz…he gets all the press while I do all the work.”

“Doesn’t sound like you two have a harmonious relationship,” said Tulip.

“Nah man,” said Eamon. “Sqweebz and I…we’re brothers. I’d die for my teammates and my team…it’s just…the press and the fans, you know?”

“Yeah,” said Tulip. “No one wants to give my bandmates any credit for our success either. They think I’m doing all the work…truth is, they don’t like being in front of the camera but I do. So I just do all the interviews. I didn’t plan for that, nor did I plan for our band to take my name…but we’re so far along and everything’s working, so why stop?”

Eamon smiled, and then he looked at his bottle and at Tulip’s.

“Say,” said Eamon, a nervous hesitation creeping into his voice that he was trying hard to suppress. “We both got our Lucy’s…you want to drink them together over a movie or something?”

“You’re shooting your shot now with an international pop star,” said Tulip with a playful smile. “I should have known…you running backs are fearless.”

Eamon shook his head, smiling awkwardly and looking rather embarrassed.

“Nah,” said Eamon, “I didn’t mean it like that…I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to bed and you seem cool…cooler than I could have ever thought. I mean, real talk…your album is my favourite…I haven’t told the guys because they’d clown me all day if I admitted to it.”

Tulip smiled and took Eamon by the hand, which sent a jolt of electricity into both of them.

“Well,” said Tulip, “if I do your room, I’m picking the movie.”

“I can do that,” said Eamon.

“You also better score me a touchdown tomorrow,” said Tulip with a smirk, tightening her grip on his hand.

“I’ll do my best,” said Eamon with a smile.

The two then walked hand in hand back to Eamon’s room. Neither knew what the future held but they could sense that tonight was going to be the first of many.