"Here are your lilies, Uncle Desmond," I said with a small smile and Uncle Desmond smiled back at me warmly, his eyes crinkling.

"Thank you, JJ, and where is your grandpa? That old man has completed seventy-five years and is still working as a young fellow, he deserves a celebration," he said playfully as his eyes twinkled in mischief. "Tell him that his friend's missing him."

"Of course, I'll tell him that."

"Yes, yes . . . Oh, how I miss those old days where we would just go to the bar, discuss women and sports over a couple of beers. War changed us and then marriage . . . How we both became men from boys and used to talk about being a good father to our children and a good husband . . . " he started reminiscing and trailed off, when he knew that he was going the wrong way- the death of my grandma. His eyes were teary as he let out a light laugh and gathered the lilies in his arms. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, JJ. Give my wishes to your grandpa and take care of him, he gets lonely sometimes."

"Sure," I mused as I watched him exit and cheerfully wave at a group of kids in kindergarten walking on the opposite side. He made faces at the kids to make them giggle and then with the widest smile, continued to walk down the lane. Sometimes, I wondered that if my grandma hadn't died of cancer . . . If I hadn't repeated the same cycle and got diagnosed with cancer myself, maybe my grandpa would be just like Uncle Desmond.

Logan who was spraying water on the flowers looked up when I called him, "Logan?"

"What?" he snapped, his back straightening defensively in order to make him look tall, brooding and intimidating.

I sighed. He always went on the defensive mode ever since I noticed the cuts on his forearm hidden under his long sleeve. He was ashamed and wanted to avoid the questions that I was itching to ask so whenever I tried to talk to him gingerly, he flared up. I knew better to keep my mouth shut and not pester him unnecessarily because his facial expressions resembled of when strings were stretched out to its full length tightly, ready to come apart.

"Uh-nothing important," I said with a casual shrug. "Did you bring your lunch?"

"Yeah," he replied curtly, but he still seemed a little agitated, his sea-coloured eyes glassy like there was a storm in there waiting to be unleashed.

"Well, you won't need it today because you can come over at my place for lunch," I said blithely and he stared at me blankly. "We're throwing my grandpa a special birthday lunch, he doesn't know yet. My brother will bring him home from the flower market and we'll surprise him. My mum suggested inviting the workers at the shop, so yeah."

"Who'll look after the shop?" he asked and I tried to conceal my astonishment because he was actually considering the invitation. I thought he would rudely reject it, but guess I was wrong. I had noticed from the past days that he would always bring Macaroni and Cheese for lunch so maybe he got bored with that.

"Don't worry, there's no rush in the afternoon and I have asked one of our friends's in the yoghurt store next to us to look after in case any customer shows up," I elucidated and he nodded. "You'll come?"

"Yeah," he said quietly and I bit back my grin.

"Cool, let's " I was cut off when the bells violently chimed and in came Eliza, her cheeks flushed and breathless. "Oh hey, what's up?"

She held up her hand, indicating me to give her a few seconds to catch her breath and then she fixed her bubblegum pink coloured wig. "I need flowers."

"First you sit," I insisted while dragging a chair and she plopped down on it. "Relax, there's no hurry."

"Yeah, I'm feeling unbelievably weak. I always keep forgetting that I'm not as healthy as I used to be," she said sadly and her eyes darted between a baffled Logan and me

"Me too," I murmured and went behind the counter placidly. "So which flowers do you want?"

"I don't know." She shot up from the chair and tapped her feet. "Anything good will do, I guess . . . The thing is that my sister and her husband had this petty fight and now my sister's at home, refusing to go back to Simon and determined for a divorce."

"But it's been barely five days since they got married," I pointed out and Eliza clasped her hands together dramatically.

"Exactly! They haven't even gone to their honeymoon yet!" she exclaimed and glided over to the roses section. She perused through the colourful roses and picked a white rose, holding it near her nose, she slowly inhaled the fragrance. "So my sister's being silly and Simon wants her back and is trying to woo her with gifts and flowers and that's why I'm here to help him out."

"Hope it gets alright, they're newlyweds. I have heard that the early days of marriage are the most blissful years," I said and smiled wistfully. "Which flowers do you want?"

"I'll just take these white roses, do you have a bouquet of them?" She stroked the rose-like she was stroking a cat.

"Yeah, Logan the bouquet--- " and before I could complete my sentence, Logan had already retrieved the bouquet of white roses from the basket. "Is that alright, Liz?"

"Yep, this will do," she chirped and took a step closer to Logan who was holding the bouquet. "There's a note attached to the pink ribbon. JJ, do you have a pen? Simon sucks at writing so I might as well write a love note for my sister."

"Here." I leaned over the counter and handed the pen to Eliza who seemed to be in deep thought.

"What should I write?"

"Logan will help you, he has written such notes for other customers too," I piped in and Logan glared at me. Eliza handed him the pen and he grudgingly took it. I turned to Eliza and questioned, "What nickname has Simon given to your sister?"

"Basic, Kat for Katherine," Eliza said bluntly and Logan placed the bouquet with the note on the counter. He bent down and then started to write neatly, 'Kat, my love, I'm sorry I was a,' he stopped and started drawing something. I leaned forward to look and noticed that he had drawn a poop emoji.

Eliza giggled childishly and said, "That'll work, thanks, Logan."

Logan grouched something under his breath, but his cheeks had turned the lightest shade of pink.

He wrapped the bouquet in another sheet of glossy paper while Eliza paid. I returned her change and she murmured, almost to herself, "Hope they get over this frivolous fight because it's hard to find true love these days."

"Erm . . . yeah." I shifted uncomfortably since I knew what she was implying by that. Six months ago, when Eliza was diagnosed with cancer, her boyfriend had broken up with her because he had apparently freaked out. It was a messy breakup, right in the middle of the cancer news. Later, he did come and apologise and wanted her back desperately, but it was too late. Eliza was broken and her self-esteem pulverized because she blamed the breakup on her physical transformation and baldness.

"Will you be present at the next meeting? You barely show up these days and we need to catch up. Besides, all the others are missing you." She smiled ruefully and shoved the bouquet in her stylish tote bag, the fresh white roses peeking outside.

I seldom went to the cancer support group these days because I was honestly tired of it. I had been going there for almost over two and a half years and now it was enough. The support group did help me tremendously in the beginning and I would love to give hope to new cancer patients who joined, but each dreaded phone call from my friends there shattered me. I had witnessed so many deaths and I wasn't numb to that feeling yet, how could one even get used to someone dying without feeling a pinch at their heart for that person? I certainly couldn't and the more friends I made there, the more anxious I felt.

"I'll come by one day maybe, it just gets overwhelming sometimes," I said truthfully and Eliza seemed to understand because her eyes softened.

"Alright, I'll go now then. We'll catch up soon over a cup of latte or something," she suggested and made her way towards the exit.

"Sure." I beamed at her and watched her hail a cab through the glass door. "Yeah, so we can go now," I said while turning towards Logan who tucked his phone in his pocket. "It's getting late, I hope the party hasn't started yet."

Since Logan wasn't ready to sit on the bicycle with me, we walked down the cobblestone paths towards home in silence. I was humming some tune while he was following me with his hands shoved in his pockets, his shoulders a little hunched and music blasting through the earphones in his ears.

We arrived at my house within seven minutes and I rang the doorbell. Our two-storey house looked like the typical, suburban family house with a small lawn and a garage. I heard shuffling noises and the door creaked open cautiously, my mum peeping out.

"It's just JJ, people," mum said loudly and my dad and grandpa's few cousins [who were still alive] emerged out from their hiding spots with confetti and loose decorations like glitter and small bits of shiny paper in their hands. Grandpa's cousins laughed merrily and engulfed me into a hug one by one. Mum had quickly pulled Logan and me in the house and firmly shut the door.

"Shaun just called and they're on their way home," dad said in a hushed tone as if grandpa was here and he could hear us.

"I'm sorry, they just make a big fuss over surprises," I mumbled to Logan who was watching the people present with mild amusement and awe.

"Who's he?" mum asked me, her gaze flickering between Logan and me.

"He's uh the staff at the shop, Logan," I introduced Logan who slightly nodded, acknowledging my mum, but didn't smile.

My mum's eyebrows knotted in confusion and she asked, "Only one?"

"Er-yes, others were busy," I lied because my mum didn't know that grandpa, Logan and me were the only ones handling the shop since grandpa had fired so many people over trivial things. If mum got to know, I wouldn't be allowed to work there because I would 'over-exert' myself.

"Where's the washroom?" Logan asked from behind me and just when I was about to open my mouth, my mum did.

"Gemma, show him the washroom. We need Joy here," she told my little sister who shyly appeared from behind my mum.

Gemma peered at Logan curiously and almost suspiciously, her eyes vacant.

"Gemma, show him the washroom," mum reiterated staunchly and I stepped forward.

"It's okay maa, I'll show him," I said softly while tugging at Logan's long sleeve, hinting him to follow me.

"No!" Gemma burst out and everyone around us abruptly stopped talking and laughing, some even flinched.

"Gemma!" mum roared and pulled my sister back when she tried to push Logan. All the others looked at my mum in sympathy while my dad tried to calm mum, but she drove him away with one hard look. "Is this how you behave? Apologise, apologise to Logan right now!"

"No maa--- " I was cut off when mum threw me a dirty look like she did to dad which immediately conveyed me to shut my mouth.

"Apologise to him!" mum demanded and Gemma, after a few seconds, pliantly muttered something close to a sorry. "Louder!"

"It's okay," Logan finally spoke, after standing there dumbfounded. Mum's features softened as if she ultimately realized the commotion being created. Gemma ran inside without saying anything and all the others resumed with their conversations as if nothing had happened. They all pretended that everything was alright even when it was quite the opposite.

"I'll show him the washroom, you guys watch out if grandpa enters. We need to really surprise him," I said and forced a smile, ushering Logan in to which everyone agreed with an enthusiastic 'hell yes!' Everyone, except mum. Mum sighed audibly and rubbed her temples while I squeezed her shoulders lightly in reassurance and lead Logan to the washroom. I leaned towards Logan as we went a little away from the people gathered and whispered, "I'm sorry for how my sister behaved."

"Okay," he said with a shrug like he wasn't bothered the least by what had happened a few minutes ago.

"It's just that my sister she's quite protective of me because I'm the one to always rescue her when maa tries to toughen her up. She knows that I have cancer so she doesn't want to lose me to another person before I actually die. She doesn't generally like my friends except for Jamal because he makes her laugh. Anyway, don't mind her, she's erm going through a lot with mum and the world in general. She's clever, really, but she has autism. Not very high functioning, but she was diagnosed with it. Sometimes . . . somethings can trigger her like new people or loud music. Usually, she's the sweetest person you'll come across," I said in a shaky voice, my sisterly instincts driving me to justify her actions.

Logan didn't have the kind of reaction I had expected him to give because he seemed a lot calmer, unfazed and understanding of the entire situation. "Yeah, everything's cool."