Beginning of the end

Part 8 [July 4 '21]

It was not nice to keep secrets from one's fiancé, but Blake couldn't bring herself to tell him. She was so worried about a negative reaction. Would he lash out and distance himself like he had the first time? Would he be supportive instead? Keeping the secret was gnawing at Blake, but anytime she tried to plan to tell him she became too anxious to function. Stress and negative emotions were toxic to a pregnancy. That wasn't even mysticism, it was biology. Blake found herself half numb, half overly emotional at any given time. She went downstairs with Zelda to the shop. Maybe she would manage it if she did not plan. If she just... said it. Blake was resolved to go down and see where the mood took her.

They had plans to go look at fireworks that night, but in the meantime Kiefer was working down at the shop. It was warm, even for the brief walk down the steps from the apartment to the shop. Blake wore a black sundress with an astrological design in pale gray stars. Her legs were shaved and clear, no longer looking gray and pale, but nicely bronzing up. Her arms were exposed as well, leaving many of Blake's tattoos visible. She didn't feel very cute, but she looked cute. She had on her moderate amount of makeup in browns and black, and she was letting the unnatural color grow out of her hair, giving her roots a distinctly black look. Zelda was much sunnier in her appearance and disposition. Tanner than her father, lighter than her mother, with blond curls she somehow inherited from her father. She looked like a doll in her pink shorts and firework shirt. Her curls were short, but she was still precious. Blake held Zelda's hand as they slowly traversed the steps down, and then through the back door heading into A Taste of Ink.

Blake and Zelda were familiar faces at both. Body Image and A Taste Of Ink. More so at A Taste Of Ink, given proximity to their living quarters and frequency of Kiefer working on the premises. They walked in and turned toward Kiefer's office. Zelda stopped suddenly as someone stepped out of Kiefer's office. Shorts and strappy roman sandals showed off fair legs and two pretty tattoos. One of the tattoos, at the ankle, along with a shoulder one were covered in clear wrap, showing that they were exceptionally fresh. Blake liked the pieces that she saw, the two now and the two others she could spot. She also liked the metallic red halter and blue tips on dark blonde hair. She was a pretty girl, but strangers meant stop for Zelda, and so she did.

"Oh, em, gee, aren't you the cutest little thing!" she exclaimed with girlish delight.

Zelda stepped back and hid behind Blake's leg.

"Oopsie. Sorry," she apologized, still smiling. "I'll just bounce. Nice meeting you, cutie. Ma'am," she added with a nod to Blake before heading out toward the lobby.

Odd.

Blake lifted the newly apprehensive Zelda and carried her into her daddy's office. As soon as Kiefer was visible sitting at his desk, Zelda was squirming to get back down.

"How is Daddy's girl?" Kiefer exclaimed as the blond sprite was passed over to him. They conversed in enthusiastic broken sentences for a minute while Blake looked over the visible pages of a new art portfolio.

"Muy bien, Chico. Are they new?" She flipped a page as Kiefer tickled their daughter. The pages were good, but all sketches, and only a dozen pages. At the back she found a handful of photos of tattoos, but they were evidently done in a garage and simpler than the sketches by far.

"Yeah, those are Mary's," Kiefer answered once Zelda had settled in his lap.

"Mary?" That wasn't a name Blake knew.

"Yeah, the girl that just left. She's a new hire. Applied after I inked a couple of pieces on her yesterday."

Oh. Blake bit the inside of her cheek for a moment as he continued.

"She's very inexperienced but I think she'll rock it once she gets more bodies under her belt."

He sounded confident and enthusiastic. He smiled more when he got excited. Blake smiled too. She wasn't invested in the novice career of a new employee, but if it made her future husband happy then it made Blake happy. Irrational hormones aside.

"I guess you two want to skip town and get to Grandma and Grandpa's house, huh?"

"Si, Chico. Are you ready?"

Kiefer needed a few minutes to wrap up, so Blake and Zelda waited in the lobby. Zelda spinning in circles until she fell down giggling. Blake perusing photos of A Taste of Ink's most recent pieces in the logbook. She took in each work, already familiar with each artist, before they headed out to the Carter family home. Blake lamented not being able to dull her anxiety with a drink. Campbell was always easier to endure slightly dulled. She resolved to stay near Myla and ride it out.