Page 101 of Time for Change

“Oh!” BJ chimes in. “What about this?” she blurts out, setting down her tattoo gun and ripping off her gloves. She grabs her sketch pad and starts to doodle. It’s amazing to see a basic circle transformed into a work of art. Inside the circle is a phoenix, but not like one you see on the internet. This one is dainty and delicate. It’s feminine and beautiful.

And it’s perfect.

“I like it,” I tell her before she’s even finished drawing.

She glances up and smiles. “Good thing this big ogre is my last appointment for the day.” She throws me a wink before returning her attention to what she was originally working on. After washing her hands, she dons fresh gloves, and gets back to work.

I feel Jameson’s eyes on me, but I keep mine glued to his tattoo. He doesn’t even flinch as she inks his skin. The outline of the jet and the roses comes to life, and soon she’s switching to pink. I take in my brother’s skin. Most of his tattoos are black and gray, so to see the pink roses brings a smile to my face.

“What are you going to do if you have more kids?” I ask.

He just gives me a look. “I’m forty years old, Stevie. I’m done having kids.”

“Says the man with a six-month-old at home,” BJ teases.

“Nope, we’re done. Two is the perfect amount.”

She nods in agreement.

“What about you? Is two your perfect number?”

BJ shrugs her shoulders, starting to work on the shading of the fighter jet. “Yeah, I think so. I’m thirty-eight and Numbers is forty. I think we’ll just enjoy our two boys.”

“I mean, you could always try for a girl,” I say.

“Or we’ll just wait for Aunt Stevie to have a girl,” she says with a laugh.

“But not right now,” Jameson adds gruffly.

“Uhh, no,” I confirm. “Not right now.”

Kids have never really been in my plan. I wanted to get away from my parents, put myself through school, and then maybe settle down. But that is in the distant future.

Then, I met Jack, and even though we never entertained the idea of anything more than dating, I realize how easily I could have considered more. Again, down the road, but still. I could actually see myself waking up in his bed, helping him make breakfast for Gianna and Christian, and doing little mundane things like grocery shopping, enjoying game night, and picking the kids up from daycare.

The buzzing stops, and I quickly push all thoughts of Jack and his kids out of my head. Despite the fact he’s bought up all the real estate in my brain, I’m determined to enjoy this time with my siblings.

“Ready?” BJ asks.

I don’t even have to give it a second thought. I nod, not caring that this tattoo isn’t in my budget right now. There’s buzz in my veins, an excitement at getting another tattoo, despite the fact I wasn’t looking to get another one so soon.

BJ takes the time she needs to clean her instruments and the chair. She goes through the process of setting up for another tattoo, and while she does that, I can’t help but look at mybrother. “What?” he asks, leaning against the wall with his shirt back on and arms crossed over his chest.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” I ask, noting his arms are crossed right where his new tattoo sits.

“No. My skin is used to it,” he states, the corner of his mouth curling up.

“Do you want to make any changes to the design?” BJ asks, getting ready to put it on transfer paper.

“No. I love it as is.”

She grins widely. “Okay.” The room is silent while BJ does her thing. When she has it ready, she asks, “Where are we putting it?”

I point to my ankle.

“Really? That’s gonna hurt,” she informs me, but I just shrug.

“Anything worth having is worth dealing with a little pain.”

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