By a Thread

by R. L. Griffin

  “I can too keep it in my pants,” Cory said like a toddler.

  “Whatever, man, I found the used condom that one time. That was enough for me.”

  Stella laughed, “Gross, Cory. You didn’t bother putting it in the trash?”

  “Stella this is going to be tight. I like the location you picked too. I think the off-centered script is going to look amazing.” Richard worked for another thirty minutes and then said, “Okay, this is perfect. Really good. You ready to see it?”

  “Sure.” Stella blew her bangs out of her eyes and pushed herself up. Walking to the mirrors she closed her eyes and let Richard position her, when she opened them it was there and exactly what she wanted.

  Positioned midway up her back, just to the right of her spine in script read, “I’m the hero of this story.”

  “It looks great, exactly what I wanted.” She turned and hugged Richard, “Thanks.”

  “Just doing my job.” Richard rubbed salve over the tattoo and then covered it. “You know the drill.”

  “Yep.”

  A couple of weeks later, Patrick pushed the door open and yelled, “Hey fellas? Where are you?”

  Stella and Patrick had gotten the first morning appointment for her to get a new tattoo, it would be her third. Richard headed out of the back of the parlor and made his way to Patrick. They embraced with back-slapping and then he looked at Stella.

  “I can’t believe you are getting another one already.” Richard moved to his area of the shop and started pulling out all his tools.

  “What can I say, I guess I’m addicted.” Stella pulled off her shirt to reveal a very small sports bra.

  “I told her she was getting too many, but as you can see she doesn’t give a shit what I say,” Patrick was walking around the shop and looking at the recent additions to the pictures. Both of Stella’s tattoos were on display on the wall. Both were in black and white. Cory had taken both pictures from behind showcasing Stella’s muscular physique and her profile with her hair cascading down her back. They were gorgeous.

  “This is really not a new one, just kinda modifying the hole of heart one...” Richard’s eyes snapped to her when she said she was modifying that tattoo.

  “You didn’t tell me that,” Richard looked at her and then at Patrick.

  “Um... I realized you may have a strong reaction to what I want and wanted to talk to you about in person.”

  “This is going to be good,” Patrick muttered, rubbing his palms together.

  “Which tat do you want to modify?”

  Stella turned her back to Richard and explained, “Okay, I want a half of a heart added, like it was drawn with a sharpie.”

  “Fuck no.” Richard pushed his chair back, glaring at her. “Do you know how long it took me to design and complete that shit. I’m not fucking with it.”

  “I kinda thought you would say that,” She pulled her shirt back over her head. “I guess I’ll just run down the street and get it done.” Smiling, she turned her back to Richard waiting for him to give in.

  “No. Fucking. Way. Are you getting my tattoo fucked up with at that place,” Richard growled. Then he slumped on his stool.

  “I was hoping you would see reason… I want it to look like a red sharpie.” Stella smiled at Patrick, he’d told her he thought Richard would refuse to do it.

  “This is so fucked, man.” Richard looked at Patrick, “She can’t be serious.”

  “Oh, she’s serious. Seriously stupid,” Patrick laughed.

  “Whatever, it’s my tattoo. I want what I want. Now get it done.” Stella pointed at Richard’s sketch pad.

  “Don’t really need to sketch what you’re talking, Stella,” Richard started pulling out all the materials he would need. “The least you can do is tell me why you are doing this.”

  “Because she loves a dude,” Patrick replied.

  “Then get his name somewhere.” Richard looked at her hopefully.

  “Not going to happen.”

  She only had one real month left of law school and it would be taken up with writing papers. She’d be so busy she wouldn’t even know her name. She’d finally landed a job. Things were falling into place. Running down Cameron Street with Coop, she saw a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye. George was walking with a tall gorgeous brunette woman. Shit, she thought. She almost turned around. Stella took the next right and then a left to be parallel with them, but running toward the Potomac. Witnessing George with his new girlfriend was not on her priority list of things to do, but maybe this was good. Closure was necessary to help her move on.

  Taking a left on North Union, she ran until she hit the dog park. She let Cooper off his leash but she unconsciously kept looking toward where they would be coming from.

  Stella was looking out at the river when she heard her name, her back was to him exposing her new tattoo. Fuck, please don’t make me do this, she thought. Turning, she faced him. He was trotting through the park, leaving his new girlfriend walking toward the dog park.

  “El,” George was wearing a green and white striped v-neck T-shirt that showed his lean muscles in his torso. She wondered if one of his sisters got him v-neck T-shirts in every variation.

  She looked away and tried not to picture him naked. “Hey,” George said, but it sounded like a question.

  “Hi, George.” Stella blew the bangs out of her face and leaned on the fence, praying that George would leave soon. She turned one of her diamond earrings he had given her, which she did now when she was nervous or worried or thinking about George.

  “You look great,” he said giving her his 100-watt smile, his eyes going to her earrings.

  “You do too.” She looked down self-consciously at her racer-back tank and spandex. Stella looked over to the gorgeous brunette that was almost to them now. “I can’t do this,” she whispered, looking at the woman. “Coop, come.” She opened the gate and ran back toward the opposite end of the park, Cooper at her heels.

  “El, wait,” George yelled at her back.

  Stella took one quick glance back, George looked heartbroken and the woman was irritated and talking with her hands, pointing toward Stella. Lunges when she got home, the most punishing exercise for the thoughts that would enter her mind on the way home. She was turned on just by seeing him, even though he had moved on.

  Her phone beeped, she slowed. It was George, she could tell by the area code.

  WTF. You can’t even talk to me now.

  She turned up LMFAO and ran back to the house with Cooper in tow.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Stella emailed her last law school paper EVER to her law professor and fell back on her bed. She closed her eyes, exhausted, but her mind was buzzing. Cooper nudged her hand, demanding her attention and she rubbed his head mindlessly. She’d stayed up all night editing and finalizing her paper in her International Law class. If she never drank another cup of coffee again it’d be too soon. All the coffee she drank in the last three years had probably caused permanent damage of some sort. Cooper jumped on the bed and put his head on her stomach.

  Millie, Patrick, and her had plans to go out tonight and celebrate. Her graduation was two days from now and her plan was to stay drunk until her parents got there. She was giving herself a week off of everything and heading to the beach with Millie after graduation.

  “Coop, I think life is easier when it is just me and you.” She rubbed his head and only saw love in his eyes. Cooper moved his head from her stomach to her chest, so that his tongue could reach her face. Her mind drifted back to the brunette with George, her heart ached. A wet nose nudging her hand reminded her to continue to pet him.

  “Hey... What about me?” Patrick walked down the stairs. “Done?”

  “Finally.” Stella sat up and looked Patrick’s way, “The bar is going to be a bitch too. I just want to get through all the hoops.”

  “You’ve got a job all lined up,” he walked over and sat next to her on the bed. Dropping his arm around her, �
��I’m proud of you,” he told her.

  “Wouldn’t have done it without you,” Stella said sincerely, leaning her head on his shoulder.

  “Sure you would’ve.” Patrick sighed. “Where we going tonight?”

  “Have you talked to Millie?”

  “She said it’s your party.”

  “I’m going to run, then hopefully take a nap. I’ll think of something.”

  “You doing okay after seeing George?” Patrick rubbed his hand over his shaved head.

  “I’m going to kill Millie.” Stella stood up and huffed. “I’m fine. As a matter of fact, I feel like dancing tonight. Celebrate the new chapter, which means getting the fuck over George, or whatever the fuck his name is.”

  Patrick looked into her eyes. “Nothing helps like getting laid.”

  “That’s a good idea.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

  The dance music pulsed and she moved to it, instinctively letting the man in front of her pull her in his arms, leg in between hers and move with her. She threw her arms up and head back, dancing never felt so good. She needed it. She and Millie had just graduated from law school and she was about to start studying for the bar. She needed the release.

  Stella, Millie, and Patrick had gone to a bar for awhile to celebrate her new job and their graduation, but ended up at this dance club in Clarendon. She opened her eyes and saw a very attractive African American man keeping up with her pace. The edge of a tattoo peeked out the neck of his black T-shirt, his biceps were covered in tattoos as well. Nothing like a bad boy she thought. She felt an arm on her waist other than the hot dancer and looked behind her, Patrick was glaring at her. Stella peeled herself off the very handsome man, struggling to look away from him. Holding her finger up, she requested her dance partner to give her a minute.

  Patrick motioned they were leaving, she pulled her phone out. It was 3:50. Good call, she thought, so they could get a cab before the road was flooded. Moving back toward her dance partner, she leaned into his ear and yelled, “My friends are leaving.”

  His arm snaking around her waist, he pulled her closer to him and put his head close to her ears. “Let them.” He bit her ear lobe and smiled.

  Giggling she looked at him, it was nice to feel wanted. His eyes were deep chocolate and brimming with sex. She shook her head, “Can’t.”

  “I’ll make it worth your while. Come home with me.” Something told her he wasn’t used to having to ask a woman for anything twice.

  “Sorry, gotta go.” Stella turned and followed Patrick out of the bar. When they got on the sidewalk, Millie pulled her in for a hug.

  “That was so fun. Why don’t we do this more often?” They waited on the sidewalk as Patrick attempted to grab a cab.

  “No idea.” Stella was sweating, her white tank top was soaked through, the details of her black bra clearly visible. It was impossible for Patrick to get a cab, so Stella walked to the street and saw a limo idling a couple of blocks down. Walking that way, she signaled for Patrick and Millie to wait. She leaned into the driver’s side of the limo. “Hi.”

  The guy looked up from his smart phone and didn’t make it to her eyes, but stayed on her chest. “Hi.”

  “You waiting for someone.” Stella leaned giving him the best view of her very sweaty cleavage.

  “Yep.” He looked around.

  “You got time to take me and my friends home?” She attempted her best flirty look.

  “No.” he eyed her one more time then went back to Facebook on his cell.

  “How can I change your mind?” She stood up straight and looked around, about to head back toward the bar. As she stepped back, he grabbed her wrist.

  “Take your shirt off.” He smirked at her knowing she wouldn’t do it.

  Stella pulled her white tank top off, “What else?”

  His mouth dropped open and said,” Give me your number.” He took a picture of her with his phone.

  Stella motioned for Patrick and Millie to come and leaned down giving him her phone number. Just as he was entering her number in his phone it went off. “That’s my client. Jump in the back.”

  She walked around the front of the car, putting her tank back on and meeting up with Patrick and Millie. “What’s going on?” Patrick’s brow furrowed.

  “Just get in the fucking limo.” Stella opened the door, quite proud of herself, as she looked back toward the club and saw her dance partner making a beeline to the limo. She jumped in the limo and waited for it to take off. Instead, her dance partner got in the back and smiled at her.

  “So I hear I’m taking you home and my driver has your phone number. It must be my lucky night.” His eyes roamed her body and then went to Patrick and Millie. “Where are we taking you two?”

  Patrick’s face was hard. “We’re going to Old Town.”

  Millie looked at Stella and mouthed, “Oh my God.” Stella looked back to her dance partner. “I’m Millie, this is Patrick, and that is Stella.”

  “My driver just sent me a picture of your boobs Stella.” His smile was genuine and he had the whitest teeth she had ever seen. He turned his phone to show her the photo. She scooted next to where he was sitting on the back seat. He draped his arm around her shoulders. “So Stella, I’m going to take your friends home and then get Jimmy to take us to my hotel. You on board with that?”

  “Sure.” “No.” Stella and Patrick said at the same time. Her dance partner laughed as she glared at Patrick. She hadn’t had sex since George and maybe this is what she needed. She definitely need a release, sex with this guy would be a good one.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Stella walked in her house and was met by a grinning Millie and a scowling Patrick. She didn’t even get to the kitchen before Millie started asking a million questions.

  “Where’s Coop?” Stella asked, interrupting Millie’s questions.

  “Billy took him to the dog park to pick up chicks.” Patrick answered. “He needs all the help he can get.”

  “So you are really going to make me wait to hear about Jesse?” Millie literally squirmed in her chair where she was sitting eating cereal. “I’m going to strangle you. OUT WITH IT.”

  Stella smiled, “I like him. Sex was good. The end.”

  “No way. You know who that is, right?” Millie asked incredulous.

  “It came up last night ... After awhile. He’s testifying on the Hill about football and concussions. He’s a pretty cool guy.” Stella opened the fridge and got a bottle of water.

  “And...” Millie pressed.

  “He definitely knew his way around the bedroom. That’s all I’m saying, other than he tried to get me to be his ho in this area code.” Patrick spit his coffee out and Millie busted out laughing. “I politely declined,” she smiled. “Then he reminded me he already had my number and he would call me when he was in town.”

  “Oh my shit, El,” Millie looked at her, inspecting her.

  “Yep. It was good, but I hope he doesn’t become a hassle.” She sat at the kitchen table and rolled the bottle between her hands. Jesse had the hotel bring up breakfast this morning before he would let Stella leave.

  “Oh my shit. You had sex with Jesse McIntyre from the Atlanta Falcons?”

  “Fuck, Millie, are you upset you came home with me?” Patrick asked, annoyed.

  “Don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to.” Millie smiled sweetly.

  Her parents were coming up for a week before her graduation, she was going to take them to all the Washington tourist traps, the memorials, and her haunts. She couldn’t wait, she’d given them hell in the past couple of years and she was going to show them how she had been living. They’d been so supportive, even when she wouldn’t let them. Letting her push them away until she was able to have a normal conversation, was a blessing. It was something for which she would be forever grateful. She knew this wouldn’t make up for her behavior, but it was something.

  Her parents were staying at the Westin in Old To
wn and she was meeting them there once they let her know when they were settled. The doorbell rang and, puzzled, she walked to the door. “Stay,” she said at Cooper. Opening the door, Stella saw an enormous bouquet of dark pink peonies. They were gorgeous. “Hi,” she said to the deliveryman.

  “El Murphy?” The man didn’t look up from his clipboard.

  “Yes.” She grabbed the vase of peonies out of his hands and put them on the floor. She looked for her purse. “Hold on,” she said and shut the door on him. Running into the kitchen she grabbed a few bucks from her bag and hurried back to the door. She ripped it open and gave the money to the deliveryman. “Thanks.” Shutting the door, she looked over at Cooper. “Coop, you shouldn’t have.”

  Bending down she picked up the vase and carried the peonies to the kitchen. She pulled the card from the bouquet.

  I’m so happy for you. Congrats on graduating to a different sort of hell. I miss your face.

  G

  Stella smiled in spite of herself. George remembered she was graduating, she thought. Then she frowned. She missed him, damn it. She did ten lunges on each leg.

  Her phone dinged, her parents were at the Westin. “Coop, outside,” she said as she walked toward the back door. Opening the door, her phone dinged again. It was Millie.

  I need drinks. Where and when?

  She replied.

  Parents here. I’ll be occupied until after dinner. Drinks in Old Town somewhere?

  Millie confirmed she would wait for Stella to text her.

  After meeting up with her parents that night, she met Millie for drinks at a bar in Old Town. Stella told Millie about George sending her flowers and the card. Millie told her she needed to text him. While Stella initially refused to even discuss text-messaging George, after seven drinks she agreed.

  I got my flowers today. It was so thoughtful, thank you.