THE SONG OF JULIET ROSE AND LOVEBIRDS (l.s)

Prologue

Louis' life is pretty simple, and he loves it. So, let's explain what that means.

He was born in England, more specifically to a couple who bought a nice cottage farm house in the Lake District. This cottage was big, probably too big for a couple with one son, but his parents managed. The cottage, located near the Ennerdale Lake, was gray-rock, two-stories high house, with huge living room, library and kitchen downstairs, and three rooms and two bathrooms upstairs. The whole house was decorated by his mother into a warm, cosy aesthetic, with dark wood flooring, vintage furniture and neutral nature colours. Except that one ugly red carpet she put inside the guest room.

The garden was not too big. They owned just a few sheep, pigs, cows, horses, chickens, gooses, an old dog called Mustard and a cat called Mayo. Louis was the one who named the animals when he was just five. All the animals had their space, and there was still a bit of property selected for both flower gardening and grow vegetables and fruits every summer.

As a child, his parents taught him everything about domestic animals, gardening, work around house, and nature. His father taught him how to take care of their animals, and Louis loved it, especially horse care. On the other hand, mother taught him gardening, which brought Louis to a deep passion towards flowers. As a child he loved it, instead of playing with toys he was playing big boy character and took care of the property with his parents.

He was twelve when he broke his arm for the first time. It was also the first time he tried to ride a horse. He was a big scared of horses for a while, but after a while, he forgave the horse and life went back to normal.

During his teenage years, his mother died. The big property was left to just Louis and his father. They both realised how hard it is now, without their hardworking mum and wife. The cottage always required a lot of work, but with less hands, Louis' father started feeling weaker and weaker each year that passed. Louis saw that on his father, and each year he got older, he became more and more of a man his mother would be proud of.

He could do pretty much everything around the house. But, as much as he was needed at the property, his father couldn't let him to stay and not attend university. So, Louis went.

He left to attend University of Edinburgh, but only under one condition. Louis' father wouldn't hear about selling the farm, so he compromised and put their cottage online to a website that allowed people to apply to live in their home for free, if they worked around the house. So when Louis was away, his father was home, with some backpacker who was willing to take care of the property for a stay at the Lake District National Park. Through this website Louis -when he sometimes came home during someone's stay- met many people from around the world and listened, dreamed about the life outside the rainy, foggy England.

He heard about clear water on Bali, majestic turtles on Maldives, beautiful forests in Amazon, big buildings in America, surfing in Australia, or peaceful nature in Thailand. He silently envied every person that came to their home and he envied them even more when they opened that big gates with their big backpacks on their backs, waved them last goodbye and never returned. Louis couldn't do that. His father needed him.

It's been two years since he graduated university, and two years since he came home. While they didn't need backpackers help, they needed money. And Louis came up with an idea how to achieve that. Right after his graduation, he convinced his father to rent the guest room on Airbnb. Ir was not a long convincing since they have done the backpackers hosting before.

And luckily, the guest room was almost always rented. The Lake District National Park is a hot spot for hikers, or people who like to escape city life. Everything was going alright, yet Louis had no idea this summer is going to change his life.

'Morning, son,' Louis was greeted immediately as he entered the kitchen on an early February morning. It was still dark outside, and very cold and wet for his liking, but he needed to go and feed the whole lot.

'Morning, dad. Slept well? How's your knee?'

'It's fine,' his father replied and scrolled through his tablet, 'We've got a really interesting booking request in the middle of the night.'

Louis perked up at that, since the renting has been going shitty since November. It is to be expected, of course, it is winter, Christmas holidays and ski trips to mountains. It is not the worst, but people do not usually come during winter season. So naturally, every booking request is like a honey on a tongue.

'Ah, tell me more,' Louis demanded, preparing himself a bowl of cereals.

'It is a summer booking.'

Hearing that, Louis deflated a little bit. Summer is a whole lot away. But his father is right, they don't usually get summer bookings this early. It is truly interesting. 'Ah, peculiar.'

'No, that is not it. Read the request,' his father put the tablet in front of him and took off his glasses while standing up to get another cup of tea from the already hot kettle. He quietly hissed when he stood on his left leg, his knee probably still in pain. Louis chose to ignore it this time, knowing if he scolded him for lying about his well-being, they would start another banter and it's not even seven in the morning.

Instead, he reached out for his own black rimmed glasses, and read the message on the Airbnb app;

Dear James,
I was scrolling through this app for hours and found this beautiful cottage you own. Not only it looks like a little piece of heaven on earth, but it feels like it would be a crime not to ask for a stay that you so generously offer. I would love to stay the summer with you on the farm, if you'll have me. I am young male from New York City, who currently lives in Los Angeles. I work as a journalist for a local papers. I hope you would consider this offer and say yes.
Thank you,
H

Louis raised his right eyebrow. No one really messages like this when they ask for a stay. When he looked at the details of the stay itself, that's when his throat let out a little squeak, 'Three whole months?!'

'You see what I mean?'

'Our accommodation is not even the cheapest, that will cost the guy a fortune,' Louis couldn't believe someone would have that much money and wanted to stay in their house. 'Wouldn't he rather go somewhere, like, Soho Farmhouse?'

'We are definitely not as expensive as Soho Houses, son,' Louis' father chuckled and sat down on his designated chair with his fresh hot cup of tea.

'Yeah, but he might as well invest and go there, then.'

'We are gonna accommodate him, won't we?' The father asked.

'I mean, that is entirely up to you, dad.'

'I am not going to say no to such a money, kid.'

Louis nodded. However, he couldn't help, but doubt, 'But three whole months, dad. If he is gonna be that annoying American average citizen, we will lose our minds. It's a hell of a long time.'

'We always managed, didn't we? I have a feeling it will be alright.'

With that, Louis returned tablet back to its owner and stood up. After washing the bowl and spoon from his morning meal, he sighed and ran his fingers through his messy hair, 'Right, accept the offer, and I am going to feed the animals. Please start a fireplace for me, it is getting horrible cold here. And take out those chicken breasts out please, I will cook them after I come back.'

'Yes, thanks, son,' Louis' father smiled and looked at him through his glasses.

Louis just nodded and left kitchen to put on layers to face the cold outside for approximately another three hours.