Fixing Her

Part IV

Part IV

"So you want a tattoo huh?" Taylor's voice spoke from behind me, startling me. I didn't even hear him come in from behind the curtain that led to my destiny. So engrossed was I in the stupid magazine that I dropped it from hearing his voice. He actually smiled, a nice mind blowing smile, or was he laughing at my klutzy-ness.

"Hey. Sorry..."I said awkwardly, picking up the magazine.

"No problem. Wanna come with me?" He was so cool. Like, he was so calm and friendly. You'd mistaken him for an angel for sure, a badass angel. He didn't even wait for me to reply, he just waltzed away.

I smiled politely at Meghan, who was tending at the reception and thanked her as I disappeared behind the curtain. I was a ball of nerves, so nervous that I tripped my way into the corridor behind the curtain. Taylor laughed at me again, not out loud. But from the crooked smile on his face, I could tell he thought I was ridiculous. I was mortified.

I wished for the umpteenth time I had said yes to Amy's offer to come with me. But she wanted to bring Kase along and the thought was just unsettling. She'd probably scream throughout the entire session. I was not geared to withstand that. But now, I wish they were all here to keep my nerves at ease.

The place was rather scary. Nothing like I imagined it to be, although I'm not quite sure how I had envisioned it. It was a wide open space, kind of like a hospital ward with four tattoo beds lined up to face each other. Each section with its own chemicals and props.  There were endless tattoo pictures on the wall, all signed his name. He was insanely talented. Needles, colorings, and some weird looking utensils I've never seen in my life lay waiting for me on one side of the big room. There was only one open door, which I assumed led to the bathroom area and Taylor was standing next to it, holding the door open for me. There was no one around, which made me even more nervous.

Then again, it was a Monday evening, seven pm. Nobody really wants to be at the 'office' on a Monday, but Taylor was...for me, or for cash. I had promised to pay double the amount I was going to be charged, so I guess that was a good incentive.

The portraits of my mother lay everywhere, all in varying sizes. There was one in every color on some 'board' and there was an enlarged version of the color I wanted spread on the bed where I would be sitting for the next six hours or so.

"Nervous?" he asked, pulling on gloves and getting all the stuff he would need to use. He was so relaxed, then again he was not the one getting a tattoo.

"Yeah, totally. Thanks" I replied nervously, for the first time looking at him. He was so beautiful. Right there in front of me, just a few inches away from me, he was just standing there with all his tattoos and a beautiful face. He was flawless and he was not looking at me as I was looking at him, he was not seeing me like I saw him, I was just another client.

"You can just hang your bag over there."he pointed to a bag hanger by the wall. I walked over to hang my bag, and decided to hang my jacket as well. Suddenly feeling a little too warm.

"So where do you want it?" He asked, looking at the portraits sprawled over the bed.

"Uhm...right here." I pointed at the spot on my back, just below my right shoulder. Feeling a little awkward when his hand touched where I was pointing. Just for confirmation purposes, I think.

"Do you want it directly on your shoulder blade or just below?" He ran his hand over my back as he pointed to the spots he was speaking about.

"Just below, a little to the right," I corrected and he finally got the spot, patting me lightly before moving to the bed.