tattoos || c.h.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜɪʀᴛᴇᴇɴ

mia

"the end." i whisper and look down to find julian already asleep. it was nice taking care of julian today. i was sitting in his room all day with him until june brought over the chicken soup i told her to make. we have my dad's special chicken soup recipe at our place and she made it to then bring it over. julian ate it like it was going to be his last meal.

julian wraps his tiny arm around my torso, as we're laying in his bed and it's almost 9 o'clock at night. i kept texting calum every hour because he was calling every forty or something minutes. calum is an amazing dad and he should know that. julian talked about what he does at school, his friends and his dad, calum. julian speaks so highly of calum and i find it so loving.

i hear the front door of calum's apart open and close to then lock. guess he's home. i place julian's bed time story on his nightstand and slide myself out from under him. once i do, i look up to find calum leaning against the doorway with a smile. not even looking at me, but at julian.

if julian knew he was the most precious and important person in calum's life. i don't know if he does, but if not, he needs to know.

i slide my way between calum and the doorframe to walk out of julian's room, feeling calum soon follow me.

"thank you." i hear calum speak quietly, not too quiet to whisper but not too loud to actually sound like a normal conversation.

"you said that over twenty times today." i turn around to face him. "and like i've said over twenty times, it's fine and i got to take care of my favorite little kid and favorite hood."

"you like my kid more than me." he lets out a low chuckle before looking to his left to find the huge bowl of chicken soup that's now half way empty.

"chicken soup." i answer the question he was thinking. "made june make my dad's chicken soup and bring it over." calum looks at me with a smile.

"yeah, julian's definitely going to make me call you every time he's sick." he looks back to me as his stomach grumbles, making me laugh. "haven't ate today, don't blame me." he defends himself.

"there's still soup if you want to heat it up." i inform calum and he seems to contemplate it. "you can keep contemplating while i leave." saying that i start to walk towards the front door of his apartment.

"hey, uhm, let me repay you somehow." he stumbles on his first few words. guessing he doesn't like taking help and when he does he doesn't know how to respond or act.

"my next tattoo better be free." i give him a smile as i open his door. "see you later."

"see you later."

walking into my apartment sits june on the couch, painting her nails while watching love island. i will never get why she likes that show. as judges say on the xfactor, "it's a no from me."

"someone's back form babysitting." june looks up to me, jumping me from my thoughts. "how was taking care of julian?"

"i absolutely love that kid and i did everything my dads did when i was sick." i sit next to her as she continues to paint her nails. "it was upsetting seeing him sick, so i can only imagine how calum feels julian gets sick."

"starting to think that he's the only person you've become best friends with within less than a week." june tells me. "besides me of course."

"talking about julian or calum? because julian said i was his girl best friend today." i question who she's talking about while i inform her on my friendship with the four year old.

"mm, both." she stops painting and looks to me. "i will never get how you believe you wouldn't make a great single mom, or even a mom in general. kids love you, you love kids, and the way you treat them is like they're the only person who makes you happy and protect and take care of them like there's no tomorrow."

"june." i say sternly. "you know this is one subject i don't really like to talk about." i really don't. it's just a reminder i'll never be able to have my own kids that i've been dreaming of since i was little. though i would love to adopt, i don't think i'd be able to take care of a kid by myself. most guys don't want to be in a relationship with a woman who can't give them their own kids.

"i'm sorry. i know. won't happen again." she apologizes as i lean my head on her shoulder. "but, hey, you get to be my kids cool, single aunt. you can be as cool as you want, but not cool enough to give them drugs."

"i would never." we both laugh. "i'll be the aunt taking the pictures of you guys to then make a whole photo book when you turn eighty and when you die it goes down to your favorite kid."

"eighty? i think you mean i'll be living till 90. world can't get rid of me that fast." she jokes with me and we both giggle. "you have to understand, you won't be the one taking photos at my wedding. you'll be in the picture instead."

"nuhuh," i sit up straight. "i'm the only person who won't make you pay for pictures for your wedding." i've always been the one to photograph events. i haven't been in one since a few years ago and it felt weird because i'm the one behind the photos.

"i need my best friend and maid of honor to be in the photos, not taking them." j bumps my shoulder. "now let me paint your nails." she pulls out the black nail polish. she only has black nail polish because i told her i'd never use any other color due to how my hands have multiple tattoos and i believe no other color or shade would go with them.