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The café has finally slowed down after the lunch rush.
I look over at the mermaid tattooed on my right arm, her tail curling around a pile of skulls.
I remember the look on the tattoo artist’s face when I told her what I wanted to get.
I simply told her the tattoo was a reminder of where I’ve been and what I’ve survived.
Not only that, but it signifies so much more to me.
A woman struggling between two worlds—the land and the sea.
That’s how I felt for a long time, like I was struggling to make a decision until the day it was made for me.
The moment my husband laid his hands on me in a violent manner was the day I knew I was walking away.
I didn’t even know if I was going to make it out alive, but thank God I did.
I shut my eyes for a split second when the bell on the door dings.
I take a moment to suck in a deep breath and ready myself for the next customer who comes into my café.
I round the corner and notice a woman with long, vibrant dreads. There’s a bulky man behind her, but I don’t pay too much attention to him.
I furrow my brows and wonder if this could be the eccentric artist I’ve been expecting.
She whips her head around to look at me. “You must be Astra.”
There’s my confirmation.
I nod and plaster on a smile. “Yeah, that’s me. You must be Oakleigh. It’s great to finally meet you.”
The second you look at her, you can tell she’s an artist.
She’s got a goth/bad girl/emo sort of energy to her. Her clothes give me that vibe anyway.
“I’m so happy to be here. I’ve been working on a new collection just for your store.” Oakleigh pauses to look around the space. “It’s absolutely gorgeous, by the way.”
I smile softly, humbled by her words. “Well, thank you. Can I get you anything to drink, a coffee, smoothie, tea?”
“Can you do an iced matcha?” she questions.
I giggle lightly. “For sure. You and just about everyone have wanted a matcha today. It must be the good weather. I havebeen creating this lavender cold foam. Do you want to try that on top?”
“Oh, that sounds delicious.”
I walk behind the coffee bar and gather all of the ingredients. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
Within two minutes, I’m handing Oakleigh her iced matcha with lavender cold foam.
“So, what’s the inspiration behind your new collection?”
I don’t know too much about Oakleigh other than what I’ve seen on her portfolio.
She’s a newer artist who’s only been painting for a few months, but her work is very good.
Oakleigh’s abstract paintings are like vibrant emotional landscapes.
No matter how much chaos and pain explodes across the canvas, you can practically feel the heartbeat of her creation.
