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“When can I dance again?” Celia didn’t look at me or stop her tiny finger from moving.
“In a few days, but we are going to the zoo this weekend. Have you been to one?” Then she froze, turning slowly to look at me. The force my little girl shook her head with made her hair fly wildly in her face. “Axel and Cori invited us, so it’ll be fun.” She grinned wide, throwing her arms around my neck.
Celia was perfect. My anger for not knowing her sooner was slowly vanishing the more time I spent with her, and knowing she was mine forever lessened the pain. I could spend the rest of my life getting to know her, watching her grow, protecting her. She was so trusting and sweet despite seeing the shit she saw, despite being thrown into my care without even knowing me. When she first moved in, my princess fell into hysterics every time someone knocked on the door or there was a loud sound at all. The poor baby had night terrors and would wake up screaming several times a night. I was followed through the house, even to the bathroom until she was comfortable being left in any room alone. Once she started day-care, two days a week, things relaxed a little, but she never made friends. I was advised to hold her out of kindergarten an extra year so Celia could finish settling in, but I thought she would do better on a school routine. I had no idea what the fuck I was doing with her, but I winged it and Celia seemed almost happy. Her bond with Axel only made me firmer in my decision to keep Cori.
Tank grunted next to us on the couch and Celia rubbed his fat head with her little fingers while we finished her horse show. Anyone trying to say pits weren’t family dogs could kiss my ass. Tank would tear into anyone, including me, for touching Celia. Their bond was instant, strong, unshakable. It was one of those connections that made me feel safe about leaving Celia and Mom home alone at night when I worked late. The dog was getting older, almost ten, but could still fetch with the young pups.
We ate, blew bubbles out in the yard, and walked to the park near the house before I had to go open Needles. Every time I left it kind of sucked. Missing five years with her made me want to put her in my pocket so I didn’t miss anything else, but late night at a tattoo shop was not the place for a little princess. We never knew what we would be tattooing or piercing, so Celia stayed with Mom.
Celia kissed me at least a hundred times before I made it out the door and she was hoisted up on the counter by Mom, who she affectionately called LeeLee. Skipping the car, I walked to work. It wasn’t quite the workout I needed, but if I couldn’t hit the gym, I could walk to work.
Griffin: I’m busy as hell tonight, but feel free to text me anyway.
Cori: Are you asking for naughty pictures?
The woman could read my mind.
Griffin: Oh. Fuck. Yes.
Cori: Too bad. Any super classy tattoos happening tonight?
Griffin: No changing the subject. I want those pictures!
Cori: I’m not fifteen, I learned my lesson on nudie pix a long time ago.
Griffin: Fine. I’d rather have the real thing than a selfie anyway.
Cori: We need to talk about it. If you insist on pursuing this, you should know some things.
Griffin: I more than insist. We can talk at your convenience. About to tattoo tweetie bird on an ass cheek. If you change your mind about the nudes, send away.
I honestly didn’t want to talk about the past with her, but Cori was going to make me. Hell, I was making her spend time with me so the least I could do was listen. Her reaction to being called brave made me see how broken she was, but I was determined to move her past it. I was going to fix her frayed edges, make her trust me. I had two days before I had to act like an upstanding guy and impress her sister. I knew it wouldn’t happen. Up-tight people took one look at me and wrote me off. The tattoo stigma was still strong, and I was kind of an ass about it, but I would put as much effort into it as I could muster. The woman had broken all my rules and just kept going, but I loved it.
I didn’t end up tattooing any birds on asses, but I did do my fair share of generic art that would be covered in a few years after they realized how fucking lame it was. Waylon cranked Ozzy in the work room and the hum of the guns lulled me as I worked. I didn’t create an original piece all night, which sucked. The point in my job was to create, not to replicate, but money was money. My phone lit up several times, but I forced myself to ignore it until I was done, which wasn’t until nearly midnight. Had I stopped to answer a text, I would have spent the night talking to Cori instead of working.
Cori: I know you’re busy but I just met your mom.
Mom: I took Celia to the park before dark. Cori is a lovely girl.
Shit.Not that I didn’t plan on Cori meeting my mother, but on my terms, not theirs, and not after one shitty date. I knew Cori was eating it up too. I could almost see her shit-eating grin while she pumped my mom for information and my mom feeding it to her with no problem. I wasn’t hiding my shitty past from Cori, but after Mom telling her what an ass I was, she would ditch me fast. I already had my fucking work cut out for me without any interference.
Cori was everything I wasn’t, but she was mine, whether she knew it or not. And I was hers.Fuck me sideways, I’m a goner.
SEVEN
Cori
Ax screeched and bolted, mid swing, toward the slide at the park near our place. When I saw Celia running to meet her, I couldn’t help but smile. I was proud to know my kid was helping the girl. The two little girls crashed together into a ball of pink and black, hugging like they hadn’t seen each other in a year. Then the woman with Celia caught my eye. She was tall, taller than me, with stark white hair and a warm smile. Her blue eyes told me exactly who she was, so I walked over confidently tom shake her hand.
“Hi, I’m Cori.” Griffin’s mother gave me a weak hand shake making me think she didn’t like what she saw in me.
“Lily.” Lily tugged her sweater around her tighter. “Griffin mentioned you and your daughter.” I smiled awkwardly, turning to watch the girls slide, squealing. “Celia has been through so much, but she is so strong. My son is doing a good job with her.” Her voice was soft, distant.
Lily’s build was nothing like Griffin’s. She was tall, but thin and lithe where he was bulky. She brought up being a breast cancer survivor and how much Griffin meant to her, not only as a son, but as a provider. He stepped up when she got sick, taking care of her, making her move in with him, and taking her to every appointment. “He wants to think he’s unshakable, but don’t let him fool you.” Apparently, he had done more than mention me, and the thought gave me the flutters.
The girls bounced over to us, and I pulled out a bag of crackers for them to share, telling Ax to make sure she was fair. Celia hugged my legs, letting me pat her hair before she followed Ax to the bottom of the slide. Lily and I talked about the girls and how sweet they were together. I made a point to not ask about Griffin. She tried to volunteer information, but the idea made me uncomfortable. I wouldn’t want someone else telling him about me, so I returned the courtesy.
“I’ve never seen Griffin date a woman.” Lily sounded like she was warning me, or maybe it was a threat.
