In bloom

1

The phone rang for the umpteenth time that day. Awsten half heartedly picked up the phone, trying his best to sound enthusiastic.  "Texas Ink, what can I do for ya?" He suppressed a sigh as the very clearly freshly eighteen year old girl asked for their hours for the day. Google did exist after all. "It's, what, Wednesday? So, noon to nine."

Did they have any openings today?

Awsten grumbled out a, "hold on a second," before pulling out the appointment book. Geoff, the owner, was booked til next Thursday but Jawn had a couple of openings tomorrow. "I could maybe fit you in tomorrow depending on what you're wanting to get."

Just three small trees on her arm.

"Jawn should be able to do that. Does two work?"

Yeah, that's great!

"Awesome," Awsten smiled, penciling her in. "Just bring your ID and we'll get pricing worked out tomorrow. Can I get a name?"

Charlotte Bowin.

"Okay Miss Charlotte. I have you down for two tomorrow... Mhm, thank you, bye."

He put the phone down and turned to Jawn who was currently tattooing a moth onto a young woman's thigh. "You have a two o'clock tomorrow, Jawn."

He pulled the needle away from his client's leg before looking up at him, an eyebrow raised. "What're they gettin'?"

"And I quote, just three small trees on my arm ."

Sighing, Jawn nodded. "If they're wanting what I'm picturing, shouldn't take more than twenty minutes."

Geoff scoffed, as he exited from the break room. "You get to eat tomorrow?"

Chuckling, Jawn resumed tattooing. "If I'm lucky."

Awsten turned back to the windows of their storefront to watch a man painting the brick of the building across the street a soft pink. "What the fuck store do you think is goin' up there?"

Geoff took this seat next to him and let out a thoughtful noise. "Sex shop," he said, making Awsten snort.

"Windows would haveta be blacked out for that," he replied, brain thinking what could require the old brick building to be painted pink. "Gotta be somethin' girly though."

"Guess you'll have to wait and see."

The next day, around two o'clock, a pale yellow awning was going up right as a nervous young girl and her father walked into the shop.

"Hi," the girl said, a cautious smile on her face. "I called yesterday... About the trees."

Awsten smiled, trying to put her at ease. Her skin was a clean slate from what he could tell, much like his own. Odd, given he worked at a tattoo shop, but Geoff was a good friend and he needed a job, so here he was. "Charlotte, right?"

Her smile turned a bit more genuine at the simple question. "Yeah, that's me."

"Cool. Let me grab Jawn for you. Grab a seat wherever." He hopped out of his seat and wandered into the break room to find Jawn and their piercer, Lucas, laughing over their lunch. "Your two o'clock is here."

He nodded, telling Awsten he'd be out in five minutes. He dutifully carried the message out to Charlotte who just nodded and proceeded to anxiously bounce her leg. Awsten sat back at his desk, watching as a man with curly hair in pink paint stained overalls watched the awning go up. He wondered if the man owned the shop or if he was just in charge of the design of the small brick shop. He wondered what would go into the pale pink brick building.

Jawn greeted the young girl, talking to her about what she wanted before directing her over to Awsten to get her information. Turns out he was right. She'd turned eighteen a week ago and it was her first tattoo. He took a photocopy of her ID, got her signature on some paperwork, and sent her back to the lounge area.