Character Relationship Map: Tulips

Characters

• Leland Irving (played by Gabe Kaplan) — protagonist

  Leland is a depressed, lonely man who has survived suicide attempts and hires Maurice Avocado to kill him, with “Tulips” as the agreed code word. After he saves Rutanya from a suicide attempt, their i...

• Rutanya Wallace (played by Bernadette Peters) — protagonist

  Rutanya is an outgoing, unconventional woman who is suffering after being rejected by a lover and attempts suicide. Leland saves her, and although the two are initially wary of one another, they fall...

• Maurice Avocado (played by Henry Gibson) — supporting

  Maurice is a professional hit man hired by Leland to kill him, with “Tulips” serving as the code word for when the time is right. After Leland and Rutanya fall in love, they try to cancel the arrangem...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Leland Irving → Rutanya Wallace (Romantic Partners) — Their relationship develops from crisis and conflict into marriage.

  Leland saves Rutanya from an attempted suicide, and their lives become intertwined before they fall in love and marry.

• Leland Irving → Maurice Avocado (Professional Client And Hit Man) — Avocado is hired to carry out Leland's requested killing.

  Leland hires Maurice Avocado, a professional hit man, to kill him.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Rutanya Wallace → Maurice Avocado (Conflict Target And Killer) — Rutanya is drawn into the danger created by Avocado's contract.

  Rutanya becomes involved in Leland's attempt to cancel the hit and helps him deal with Avocado's refusal.

Story Analysis

A suicidal man finds love and struggles to escape the death contract he made before meeting his future wife.

Plot Progression

1. A Contract With Death — Leland's depression and failed suicide attempts lead him to hire Maurice Avocado. The code word "Tulips" marks the expected approach of the killing.
2. An Unexpected Rescue — Rutanya attempts suicide after romantic rejection, but Leland saves her. Their contrasting personalities create wary yet increasingly meaningful contact.
3. Love Changes The Terms — Leland and Rutanya fall in love and marry after their difficult courtship. Their new relationship makes Leland want to cancel the death contract.
4. The Killer Will Not Wait — Avocado refuses to cancel the hit, turning the couple's romantic future into a survival crisis. Leland and Rutanya begin seeking guns and other means of resistance.
5. Survival Without A Death — The couple attempts to turn the planned killing against Avocado. The final danger passes without anyone dying, allowing their shared life to continue.