“You’re getting a tattoo?” He asked, surprised and not at the fact that she would get a tattoo. From what he remembered, she had a bunch. But he also knew that every tattoo she had, Jake had done for her. Maybe he was reading into it too much, but the fact that she still would get a tattoo by the hand of someone else made him wonder if that was a sign of her moving on. Yeah, he definitely thought he was reading into it too much.
“Yes, on my ribcage.” She shut the door once Benny was loaded into the car and reached up on her tip toes to tousle Luke’s hair. “You really are tall.” She said as if was the first time she noticed. “I’ll see you later, Sugar Plum.” She hurried to get into her car before she let the grin claim her lips.
*
Cara pulled into a parking lot directly in front of Riverdale Ink and remained perfectly still once she turned the car off. She stared at the shop, the familiar pang of heartbreak gnawing at her. She had walked into the shop a dozen or so times since Jake’s passing, each time to score pills, most of the time already high. It was then that she realized she had never stepped foot inside the tattoo parlor consciously aware, Jake, who was the heart and soul of Riverdale Ink, was gone. She let out a heavy sigh and prepared herself for the loss.
The door chimes sounded, signaling her entrance and her eyes immediately went to Jake’s station. Sadly, he didn’t look up from the piece he was working on to glance at her. Nor did his eyes light up at the sight of her, and there definitely was no grin from him that stopped her heart or a wiggle of his eyebrows that made her smile. She swallowed the lump in her throat and stared at the empty station until she felt an arm on her shoulder, pulling her out of her trance.
“Cara.” Pete said softly and she turned to face him, concern etching his face.
He was heavily tattooed, even more so than Jake. There were some similarities in their build, as they were just about the same height. Pete didn’t have any piercings, at least none that were visible. She looked up into his green eyes and offered him a sad smile.
“Sorry, I got lost for a moment.” She whispered and then shook her head. “I guess that’s what I get for coming in here high all the time. When you’re sober shit tends to hit you a lot harder.”
He nodded slowly, understanding. “Sober is a better look on you, doll.” He motioned towards Jake’s empty station. “My boy would be proud.” His eyes traveled down to the carrier she was holding and he bent his legs slightly to take a peek. “This little guy yours?”
“He sure is, his name is Benny.” She said with a smile and lifted the carrier. “Benny was a gift from Luke and Ava.” She said with a smile, still reeling at how thoughtful it was to surprise her with a puppy.
“Cute.” He murmured, and rose to his full height, clapping his hands together and rubbing them eagerly. “So what are we doing today?”
She diverted her attention from the sleepy puppy in the carrier to Pete. When she called Pete that morning to schedule an appointment, she had done it spontaneously, not realizing once she had stepped inside the shop she’d feel an overwhelming sense of loss. Pete must’ve sensed her apprehension, because he took her hand and led her towards his station, which was adjacent to Jake’s.
“Jake told me you had a love for ink. He wouldn’t shut up about it when I did that piece for him on his chest.” Pete said and stopped walking when he realized she stood frozen in Jake’s cubicle.
“I loved it because it allowed me to be his canvas.” She admitted as she stared at the chair that she had sat in when he had inked the band of strength to her finger. She turned around and looked at Pete. “Would you mind doing it here?” She knew it was a selfish thing to ask of Pete. He and Jake had been real tight and seeing as how nothing of Jake’s had been touched in months she knew she was probably asking for Pete to cross a line, he wasn’t quite sure he was ready to cross.
Pete stared at Jake’s station, taking in the fact that every piece of equipment had been exactly the way Jake left it. His eyes fell onto Cara’s. “Can I ask you why?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m learning to make it on my own, for the first time… well in forever. I miss him, and I don’t know it’s silly, but I thought if I sat in that chair I’d feel him again. I’m not crazy Pete. I’m just trying to make it without him and hold onto the times I shared with him, and still go on with my life.”
He took a deep breath and pulled out the stool Jake had sat in time after time. He grabbed a pair of latex gloves that sat on his counter and straddled the stool. He looked up at the ceiling and shook his head, before moving his eyes to settle on Cara. “Alright, let’s do this.”
Cara placed Benny’s carrier on the floor before she took a seat. She was about to lift the hem of her shirt and have Pete get down to business, but then she paused and turned around to face him. “Thanks Pete and thank you for taking care of Riverdale Ink. You’ve done Jake proud.”
He smiled at her and grabbed Jake’s needle and hoped she was right.