Celeste looks past me and promptly introduces herself, hand extended, ready to meet and mingle. She is such a bright beacon that all parties begin chatting away like old acquaintances catching up. Nadine is showing her the sketch she’d been working on while Olly runs off to his station to grab his own.Rick sits at his station showing her his stencil with her nodding approvingly, and then there is Vic, looking at me.
Victoria is our matriarch, and for some reason this approval feels heavy. She regards me with a warm and knowing smile, then glances over to Celeste. This girl is special. This girl means something to me and to have her fit so well with the rest of the few people I care for, it truly means the world.
Vic looks at me pointedly now, like I’m missing something. At first, I don’t understand. I do a double take around the room, meeting Celeste’s gaze briefly before she turns back to her discussion with Rick. Little bubbles of joy burst in my gut. Then everything clicks. I know it.Vicknows it.
The realization is like a bolt of lightening but then like honey, slow and sweet, this whole time I’ve been undoubtedly falling for Celeste June Pinkfordt. And I’m her goddamn matchmaker.
The parlor’s chimes at the arrival of Nadine’s frequent customer, pulling me from my thoughts just as Rick clears his throat and asks Celeste if she’s ready to start. She glances at me with a question in her eye, as if I’d leave her here alone. So many emotions flood my system all at once, threatening my knees to buckle. I steel my nerves at my newest realization and try to focus on how Celeste needs me in this moment.
“Ready whenever you are,” I say.
“You’ll stay?” Celeste asks. I hope I’m not imagining the slight pleading tone in her ask.
“Well there’s nothing more exciting happening, I suppose. I could always go pick up another shift at Biblio & Brew?” I tease. I can’t help it. I’m a man in love.
She laughs and hops on to the sterile but incredibly plush reclined chair, the plastic wrap crinkling beneath her hourglass frame. “Now I know you’re lying. You would never voluntarily take a weekend shift,” she muses.
“All right, where are we getting this?” Rick asks as he pulls his tray of ink cups, machine and ink glide into position. I try to peek at the stencil but he’s strategically covering it with his palm.
Celeste turns and tries to reach for her shoulder blade, “Right here, like where you’d give yourself a pat on the back.” Rick nods his understanding and gestures for her to turn around so he can apply it.
After moving the stencil once and having her double check the final placement in the mirror, to which I’m asked tocover my goddamn eyes,Celeste is laying down and they’re ready to begin. Rick turns the machine on and the buzzing sound fills me with a sense of comfort. Celeste’s hand darts out to grab mine, clearly not feeling the same bliss that I am. The contact is abrupt. I try to hide it but a small smile plays on my lips. Her hand is warm and soft. I run my thumb over the back of it and swallow down the fizzy feeling in my gut. I can’t deny that I fucking love holding her hand, but this moment is for me to comfort Celeste asherfriend. The thought is sobering and I refocus on my task of helping Celeste, my friend, through her first tattoo.
I give her a couple gentle squeezes and a reassuring smile as she looks at me with rounded deer in headlight eyes and she bites her lip but keeps her cheek flat to the reclined chair. I inch a little closer from my position on the ground. It’s not the comfiest seat in the world but Celeste really wants her tattoo to remain a surprise, so I stay put.
“All set there, Celeste?” Rick asks, waiting for her confirmation.
Celeste takes a deep breath and nods. She winces as Rick does a couple test dots and lines to let her know how it will feel. To my shock, her mouth spreads into a huge grin.
“Oh, this is totally fine!” Celeste exclaims.
Almost two hours later I’m still holding Celeste’s hand. Her palms are slick with sweat but she’s doing so well for her firsttattoo. She chats easily with Rick around bites of the snacks I brought for her, telling stories about her and Delaney and making the big burly tattoo artist cry with tears of laughter. I’ve never seen him so jolly, I’m about to start calling him Santa Claus. Even Nadine and her client have chimed in on the conversation. I’m so enthralled by her stories, I accidentally poke her in the eye with the straw of her juice box at one point. I soak in this experience of getting to know her in a new way, like learning she has a scar above her left knee because she fell off a bike in eighth grade. Every intricate detail I commit to memory. I long to know everything that makes her smile.
Rick never pushes the conversation but adds his little hums and haws where needed. When conversion shifts toward family however, I notice Celeste stiffens slightly and quickly changes the topic. It’s not the first time she hasn’t wanted to talk about family. Frankly, it’s none of my business. I don’t like talking about it either because my family history is a quick and depressing story that no one wants to hear. Who am I to judge Celeste for also not wanting to talk about it? The only difference is that I found a new family, here at the parlour. Between Rick and Vic’s mentoring and taking me in, and Nadine and Olly treating me like a little brother, I have all the familial love I can ask for.
“Annddd, she’s done. I’ll put the second skin on it once you have a look,” Rick gruffs out. “Take your time, go slow. Dom, go get her some more water, would you?”
Rick looks to me like I should have already had it in hand. I grab a bottle from the mini fridge as Celeste sits up, rolling her shoulders out and cracking her neck. I twist off the cap and hand it to her. She takes a few small sips and nods at me to help her hop off the chair. I hold her hand all the way to the floor-length mirror on the other side of the open parlour room. She takes adeep breath and turns, looking over her shoulder with the tattoo, her dress strap pulled down and tucked inside.
I barely even register what her finished tattoo looks like because the glow of happiness radiating from her smile fixes me to the spot. My heart pounds in my chest because that smile, so true and authentic, is the most beautiful thing I think I’ve ever seen.
“What do you think?” Celeste’s voice is barely above a whisper. I direct my focus to her shoulder and smile back.
It’s stunning. Intricate black and white lines weave together to create a clock tower with small flying figures dotting the sky behind it. Illustrated below the tower are two sunflowers, and just below those are scrabble tiles that spell out “sunshine.”If someone had told me they wanted all those things in one tattoo I’d never be able to envision it, but Rick pulled it off. The artistry and cohesiveness of all the parts of this tattoo are a true show of talent.
I clear my throat and look into her awaiting eyes, “It’s beautiful, Celeste.” Her smile deepens, warming her features. I turn, breaking our connection, “You did amazing work Rick, as per usual.” I tip an imaginary hat to him.
“That fine line work is going to age like a two thousand and eight Chantilly Merlot,” Olly adds with a nod of approval, then noticing our confused faces asks, “What? That’s a fine wine. Get it? Fine line, fine wi—never mind.” He turns waving a hand at us, rolling his eyes and muttering something about “uncultured swine” before turning back to his own sketches.
After covering the tattoo delicately and walking Celeste through the aftercare, Rick sends her upfront to the cash register where Vic is waiting.
I go to follow but Rick holds my shoulder, “You make sure she’s all cared for, m’kay kid.”
I laugh a little, “Of course. But she’s a big girl, she can take care of her tattoo.” I give him a playful grin, one he doesn’t return.
“No, I mean take care ofher.”He lets go of my arm and begins to clean up the station. “She is special and not just in her own right, but it’s obvious she’s special to you. Which means you’re probably special to her. So don’t fuck it up.” He narrows his eyes at me.
“Rick, we’re just…” I glance quickly to see if Celeste has heard any of this.
