by Mells, J. C.
“Oh, Bellamy,” I sighed. “I know you want to see him happy, but you have to know that he’ll never want me involved with Thaddeus – no matter what kind of amazing chemistry he and I have. And, I can understand that. I think it’s best that I just ride off into the sunset so you guys can get back to your normal routine.”
“But, that’s just it. The routine isn’t working for him, no matter how much he refuses to admit it. His distrust of women is going to spread over into Thad, and that just kills me. You’re the first woman I’ve ever seen him interested in and yes, while I get it, he might not think you have it in you to change, but Heavy, he hasn’t been around you long enough to see in you what I do. If you disappear from his life now, he’ll never know. Stick around a bit longer. A week at the most. Mo-Mo’s wife has a friend that might be interested in taking the shop manager position. Can you at least stay until she can start?”
“You just want to put me in a situation where I’ll be seeing Thatch on a daily basis, don’t you?”
“I’ll confess, that is my main reason, yeah.” Bellamy smiled. “But come on, Heavy, you aren’t going to quit on me just yet, are you?”
“Damn you Reston men and your twinkling eyes.”
{11}
Thatch
“How could you let this happen, Dad?” I asked my father later that night after Thaddeus was in bed.
Dinner had been a little on the awkward side. When Thaddeus and I had returned home that evening, California was already gone. I hadn’t asked my dad if she was planning on coming back or not. I hated the fact that I wanted to know in the first place. I suspected the phone call my dad had answered right before dinner might’ve been from her. I heard something about a meeting tomorrow and then my father hung up before I could hear any more.
Thaddeus had been unusually chatty during dinner. His primary topic was California and her fucking pool that he wanted to go swimming in. Damn my father for allowing her to infiltrate our lives like this.
“Let what happen? Allowing a perfectly nice young woman, who is obviously nuts about Thaddeus, into our lives?”
“A drug addict and promiscuous, self-absorbed socialite, you mean.”
“If I thought you meant those words, I might have to knock some sense into you, my boy.”
“Okay, so maybe the ‘self-absorbed’ might have been too strong – but the rest fits.”
“Pfft. Did she even tell you about her disorder?”
Disorder? What the fuck was he talking about?
“Tell me everything you know, Pops.” God, I hate the fact a little pleading tone had crept into my voice there.
My father smiled. “I think that you and California still have a lot to talk about. There are a few things she’ll need to tell you herself. There are also quite a few things you need to tell her, too.”
My dad was referring to Charity – Thaddeus’ mother.
“If you’re not careful, you’ll end up losing her, you know. Trust me, you don’t want to let that one get away,” my dad added.
I looked at him with reproach. “I can never leave her alone with Thaddeus – even you have to understand that. How can I even think about getting involved with someone I can’t even trust to be alone with my son? And what the hell is this nickname you have going on for her? Heavy?”
My dad chuckled. “That’s something else you’ll have to ask her about. Take a deep breath and spend some time with her. All three of you spend some time together. Maybe it’ll turn out there isn’t anything between you guys more than friendship. Or maybe the strong physical attraction you seem to have going on might burn out eventually, and it’s just a temporary thing. From what I can see, you both need each other right now, whether you want to admit it or not. We can provide her with the support group she needs to overcome her issues – and you and Thaddeus would benefit from some female influence in your life. You don’t trust women, and while that’s understandable, you have to get over it at some point for your son’s sake. Your mom and Charity both let you down, but not all women are like them. Do you want Thaddeus to grow up thinking it’s wrong to trust?”
“I never talk badly about Charity to Thaddeus; you know that, Pops.”
“Yeah, I know. But, that kid worships you. He wants to be exactly like you. You don’t want him to develop a fear of commitment too, do you? Have you also noticed how much he’s come out of his shell in the last week or so since that young lady came into his life? That kid is surrounded by men. The two of us here, the guys downstairs – even over at the gym. It’s no wonder he’s so drawn to her. She’s the first female to show him any real interest. You know Lisa never gave two shits about him when she worked here.”
“Maybe it’s the new preschool bringing him out?” I suggested hopefully, even though I suspected my father was right.
“Maybe. He’s one of many kids there though. There’s a difference.”
“Look, Pops, it’s not my fault Thaddeus doesn’t have a mother.”
“I know, I know,” my father said calmly. “What you’ve done for that kid is nothing short of a miracle. You’re an amazing father, Thatch. I know you didn’t get that from me and you astound me every damn day. It kills me that you had to go through all that stuff back in New York on your own. I should’ve been there for you.”
“You were here for me in the end and that’s really all that counts.” I gave my dad a small but appreciative smile.
He reached over across the table and gave me a pat on my shoulder.
“Is she coming back?” I finally asked, kicking myself on the inside for doing so. I didn’t need to say who I was referring to.
“She’s only going to be working here for a little more than a week. Mo-Mo has someone interested in the job. I meant it when I said it would be up to you if she stays. Stays in Las Vegas I meant.”
“Who are you, fucking Cupid or something?” I asked with some sarcasm.
“Has a day gone by since you first met her where you haven’t thought about her at all?” My father raised a questioning eyebrow in my direction as he posed the question in that all-knowing tone of his.
I sighed and pushed myself up from the table.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Pops, goodnight.”
“Goodnight, son.”
***
After I left my dad in the kitchen, I headed into the large room at the end of the hallway that had become my studio. I didn’t get the chance to paint as often as I’d like to, but I still had a fair amount of work hanging around, or piled up against the wall on the floor of the room.
I went over to the back and rummaged through a stack of canvases until I finally found the one I was looking for. I pulled it out and placed it on top of the nearest vacant easel.
I looked at the painting I’d done over two months ago. I always thought that I’d never quite got the color of her eyes right. After seeing her in person today, I was now sure of it.
California Huntington’s face looked out from the canvas at me, in all its perfection. She was sitting on that hotel-room couch, a blanket partially covering her lusciously long legs, her bare shoulder peeking through the neck of her shirt. One hand was resting on the back of the sofa while the other was covered by the throw. I wondered if anyone else would be able to work out what that hidden hand was doing. I knew it was a moment I’d never be able to forget.
For all my problems with getting the exact color of her dark blue eyes, I had no problem at all with her hair. Using artistic license, I depicted it as I’d seen it later on during our encounter, when it was cascading over her shoulders, wild and untamed and unforgettably beautiful.
This temptress had weaseled her way into my son’s life – all while I’d been out of town. It was under-handed and conniving and she had no right to do that.
Unfortunately, it didn’t make me want her any less.
{12}
Cali
Over the last week and a half, I’d developed a comfortable routine that involved starting my day by
having breakfast with Zak after my morning swim. It was a way to make sure I had breakfast every day. Today was going to be my first one working at Reston’s with Thatch, and the temptation to skip breakfast had been overwhelming. As that could potentially lead to bad things down the road, I dragged myself next door as per usual.
“So, today’s the big day then?” Zak asked as he watched me force my oatmeal down.
“I guess. I just have to make it through this next week until my replacement arrives.”
“Or, as Bellamy puts it, you just have a week to convince Mr. Hottie that you’re worth taking a chance on.”
“Hmmm. That’s probably not going to happen. You should’ve seen the look in his eyes when he stormed out of there yesterday.”
Zak frowned at me. “Did your heart go all a-flutter when you saw him yesterday?”
“In a manner of speaking, yeah.”
“Was there still that chemistry between you two that you felt when you first met him?”
“Definitely. But his reasons for wanting to stay away from me are perfectly valid, too. I completely understand where he’s coming from.”
“Pfft. He hasn’t even had a real conversation with you yet. He really doesn’t know a thing about you other than what he’s read on the Internet. I mean, hey, you’re the girl who worked out how to use a washing machine on her own, for Petunia’s sake!” Zak teased.
I laughed at him. “You’re right! I did, didn’t I? Although I’m not sure I should lead with that fact in any discussion involving my small list of accomplishments.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Cali,” Zak said, his tone getting serious. “You’re a wonderful, kind, smart, caring, and beautiful person on the inside. You just need to show him that.”
Zak grinned before adding, “Oh, and you ain’t too shabby on the outside either, girly. He’d be a complete idiot to keep resisting you.”
“Resisting each other isn’t the real problem though, Zak. I mean it is in so much as we can’t seem to resist each other when we’re in the same room. I can’t help myself from being drawn to him and I’m sure it’s the same for him. The real problem is the self-loathing and hate he feels afterward. It’s just his version of bulimia. Euphoric high when we touch, followed by self-hatred after the fact. It might be a different story if I was on year two or three of my recovery… Three months is just not long enough of a time to show him I’m serious.”
“Well, you’re just going to have to prove him wrong then, aren’t you?”
***
The one great thing about working in a tattoo parlor is that apart from Bellamy’s early morning appointments, the shop was usually quiet and I wasn’t required to come in until eleven. On the days Thaddeus wasn’t at school in the mornings, I came in early to spend some time with him while Bell worked. Now that Thatch was back, this was all going to change.
When I arrived at Reston’s at ten-thirty, Thatch and Mo already had clients in their chairs. This unusual early morning start was probably the overspill from being down a man for two weeks. Thatch’s station was at the back, across from Rufus’s now-empty one.
“Morning everyone,” I said in the most cheerful voice I could muster. “I’m doing a coffee run. You in for the usual Mo?”
“You betcha. You need anything?” he asked the woman currently sitting in front of him.
“I’ll take a black coffee, no cream or sugar if you don’t mind, hon,” she said to me with a smile. It looked like Mo was doing a colorful New School tat on her thigh.
“Sure thing,” I smiled back. “You or your client need anything, Thatch?” I called to the back of the room, holding my breath for a response.
“We just had one, so we’re all good for now.” Thatch answered me without pausing on his work or looking in my direction. “My dad probably wants his usual though. I assume you know what that is.”
Oooo, he was still a little pissy.
Fine.
“I sure do,” I replied with an extra dose of faked cheerfulness.
I hurried out to grab the coffees. I brushed all thoughts, well nearly all thoughts, of Thatch from my mind. Bellamy was due to be finished in his private room in a few minutes, and I wanted to be there when he was done. Seeing the look on these cancer-survivors’ faces once Bell had finished working on them was one of the highlights of my day. As the only girl in the shop, many wanted to show off his three-dimensional tattoo work right away and I was usually the one they wanted to show their new ‘nipples’ to. Lucky me. I mean that sincerely, I loved to see Bellamy’s work and how it transformed his client emotionally and psychologically, as well as physically.
Bellamy was just coming out of his room when I walked back into the shop with the small tray of beverages.
“Oh good, you’re here, Heavy,” he smiled. “You’re up,” he added, pointing with his head towards the room behind him.
I gave him a delighted grin and handed him his coffee as I walked past him and toward the private room.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Thatch direct a questioning look at his father.
“She likes to hang with my clients after they get their work done,” Bellamy responded to him with a shrug.
I knocked lightly on the door and waited for the woman inside to invite me to enter.
I closed the door behind me and sat down next to the forty-something year-old brunette sitting in Bellamy’s chair. She held the hospital-type gown closed over her chest as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I brought you a coffee, Terri,” I said in a soft voice, placing the cup on the workstation next to her.
“Thank you,” she stammered. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess. I just needed a few minutes to compose myself before I get dressed.”
“Come on,” I smiled, “stand up and let me show you something.”
She looked at me questioningly and followed me over to the built-in cabinet on the other side of the room.
Close your eyes for a second,” I whispered.
She hesitated, and then obeyed my command.
I opened the door and revealed a full-length mirror.
“Okay, open them now and open your robe.”
Terri gasped when she followed my instructions and saw herself – all of herself – for the first time. Her reconstructed breasts, which this morning had been just two soft, mounds of white skin with the remnants of her surgical scars, now had perfect, realistic-looking, pink nipples tattooed in the center of each one.
“Oh my God. He showed me in the hand-mirror, but I didn’t take in how real they looked!” Her smile was contagious and her tears were joyful and full of relief.
“They’re amazing, Terri,” I smiled, my own eyes glistening at her happiness.
Terri hugged me tightly and then I stayed and chatted with her for a few minutes as she kept looking at her reflection.
“I’m going to let you get dressed now,” I said, making my way back to the door. “Take all the time you need in here. Leave whenever you’re ready. Did Bellamy give you the instructions about when to remove the plastic wrap and how to clean the tattooed area?”
“He sure did, Cali, thank you.”
I gave her a wink as I left the room.
Bellamy was waiting for me just outside the door. “Nice job, Heavy. She had her procedure over five years ago. She only just found the courage for the tattoos recently and she was really nervous about everything,” he said, as I headed over to the reception desk while trying to not look in Thatch’s direction.
“You did a beautiful job, Bell,” I smiled as he came over to lean on the counter. “You’ve given her back a sense of self she lost along with the double mastectomy.”
I knew Bellamy didn’t like too much praise, so I changed the subject quickly so he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.
“What else do you have planned for today? That’s it for morning appointments, right?”
“Yeah, I’m going to head over to pick up Thad in about an hour. Or are you going to do tha
t today, Thatch,” Bellamy added, turning to his son who was evidently listening to us as he worked.
“I’ll do it after this, Pops. I want to spend some time with him before my next appointment at two,” Thatch answered.
“Okay, I’ll make sure I’m around at that time then to take him from you. You going to be around tonight, Thatch? We have a meeting.”
“I’ll be done before six. Is that okay?”
“Perfect,” Bellamy answered before focusing back on me. “The meeting’s at eight, Heavy. Don’t be late.”
“Yes sir,” I said as I gave him a mock-salute.
Bellamy chuckled as he left the shop and made his way upstairs.
About thirty minutes later, Thatch came up to the desk with his client.
“It’s going to take at least two more sittings, Greg, but I made good progress today and we’re definitely past the halfway mark,” Thatch said, as the client began to pull several one-hundred dollar bills out of his pocket. “Speak to Cali here about your next appointment, but let’s give your skin at least a month to recover, okay?”
“Thanks, Thatch, will do,” Greg replied as he paid Thatch for his work.
“No problem, man,” Thatch smiled again and then went back to his station to clear up his gear.
I made Greg another appointment three months away. It was the first available slot Thatch had and Greg didn’t seem to mind too much.
“Seeing as how you’re going to need two more sittings, do you want to go ahead and book another sitting for a month after that?” I asked. “May as well before he gets booked up again.”
“Great idea,” the young man agreed. I passed him a card with the two appointment dates written on it. “See you in a few months,” he called over his shoulder as he left the shop.
I answered a couple of calls and got into my receptionist groove for a bit. When I looked up I was surprised to see Thatch leaning against the counter watching me.
“Can I help you with something?” I asked.
