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Chapter 1 - The Phoenix

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THE BED SHE MADE

CHAPTER 1 - THE PHOENIX

"Please, Brandon," Marcus Garrett begged. "We're not going to tell anyone."

Brandon Stockport shook his head and pointed to the sign by the cash register. "Eighteen," he grumbled again. He pushed his thick, black rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose before leaning back over the skull he was etching on Marcus's shoulder.

Kara Robertson smirked from where she sat with her long legs crossed on a bar stool. "Man, Brandon, for a tattoo artist you sure are a goodie two shoes. Her birthday is in, like, ten hours."

"And that's the way it's going to stay. I've got the most successful tattoo shop in town. I'm not jeopardizing it by putting ink on a kid," Brandon griped.

Journey Durant laughed. "You've got the only tattoo shop in town."

Brandon stuck up his middle finger and wiped some oozing ink and blood from Marcus's skin.

Stockport Tattooing was one of many surprising new businesses for the quaint but growing town of Emerson, Georgia. Situated on Main Street in the heart of downtown, if there was such a thing, the shop seemed to be a block from everything important: the city high school, the police department, the courthouse, and the town's one and only bar, Barry's Bar & Grill. In a town where the biggest news story of the year was the county's ban on sagging pants, Brandon Stockport had every right to be worried about being put out of business.

Marcus looked over to where Journey was examining the tongue rings. "Do we have plans tomorrow?" he asked.

Kara's brow crumpled, and she tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Oh, I don't know. Just mine and Journey's graduation."

Journey raised her hand half-way into the air. "And my birthday."

Marcus craned his neck to watch Brandon work. "I know that much. I mean, do we have plans for afterward? I know you guys don't want to go to that lame party that the school throws."

"We're going to Journey's lake house," Kara said. "Her parents are leaving for London tomorrow morning."

Marcus looked up with surprise. "London?"

Journey shrugged her shoulders and plopped down onto the barstool beside of Kara. "Business," she said.

By American Southern standards, Journey's parents were perfect: they were staunch Republicans, successful small business owners, and devout Southern Baptists. Their busy schedules, combined with the increasing disconnection they had with their youngest daughter, allowed Journey freedoms that they didn't necessarily want to give but were forced to. They deeply loved her, and she knew it, but their customers needed their attention and Journey didn't want it. She hadn't been the least bit surprised that they were missing one of the biggest days in her life, and truth be told, she didn't really care.

She looked up to see Brandon and Marcus both looking at her with so much pity she wanted to run out of the shop. "Your parents are going to be in London on your eighteenth birthday and your graduation?" Marcus asked in disbelief.