Roommates

chapter 28

"I wanna eat, mama, you gone deny me?" 

I eagerly shook my head and watched him pull the thin straps of my tight romper down.

"Of course not, it's yours."

Lee gently tossed my small body onto his fluffy bed and climbed on top of me with a wink.

I watched Lee get comfortable in the leather chair and smiled.  

Lee was very serious about me giving him his first tattoo, so serious that he was willing to get it a week after he made it back to Philadelphia.  I made an appointment for him on my day off and spent a few days sketching the beautiful tattoo.

"Okay, I won't lie to you.  It's gonna hurt and it's probably gonna feel like it's taking forever, but it'll be worth it."

"I know, I trust you, mama." Lee smiled and leaned back as he offered his exposed wrist to me.

I adjusted my nitrile gloves and pulled the cart holding all of my equipment closer to me.  Lee stuck his lips out for a kiss and I gave it to him.  I've learned that Lee has a high pain tolerance, but the first tattoo can be rough for anyone.

I took one more look at the sketch and turned the needle on.

"Okay, we're done." I cleaned the tattoo and watched Lee look down at his wrist.

To my surprise, he took the pain well.

I followed his inspiration tattoo as closely as I could.  I tattooed an active wave with vivid blue watercolors raging through it, under the biggest crest of the wave, I clearly wrote Healani's date of birth in Roman numerals. 

Lee lifted his wrist and stared at it with amazement dancing through his eyes. 

Tattooing holds a special place in my heart, I love drawing and expressing myself through art, but seeing someone's positive reaction to your passion is truly uplifting.  I was especially nervous to tattoo Lee, I wanted to make him proud and appreciate Healani perfectly.  

Well, as perfectly as I could.

But, judging by the looks on Lee's face, I might have done that. 

"Zola... I might cry.  This is beautiful." Lee pulled me into a hug with his other arm and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you, I'm glad you like it."

"Man, like it?  I love this." Lee lifted his wrist higher and continued to stare at it. 

I wrapped his wrist and went over cleaning and caretaking procedures, even though I'm sure I'll be taking care of the tattoo during its first weeks.

Once Lee wrote it all down on his phone, he called Healani, who cried once she saw it.

I'm beyond proud.

I told Lee to wait in the car while I cleaned up after myself.  Shortly after he left, I finished up and turned the lights of the booth off.

"Your boyfriend refused to leave without paying." I took the small stack of money from Amber with a laugh.

Lee's too stubborn for his own good.

"Thank you, Amber, have a good one." I exited the shop and stopped once I felt a presence behind me.

Ryan smiled once I faced him and pulled his signature red notepad out of his pocket.

Shit, Lee can't see him here.

"Ryan, you have to go-"

"I can't, you haven't heard your poem yet," Ryan cleared his throat and flipped to a scribbled page, "Our children would be lightskin, curly hair, light eyes. Our children would be lightskin, a boy or girl, by surprise."