The Tattoo Guy (MCR FIC)

Chapter 14- Age 26

Chapter14

Age 26 

“Frank.” I say and turn to look at him, I notice the wedding ring on his left hand and the engagement ring I left him on his right hand, he’d gotten a few more tattoos on his arms shown off by wearing a black shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbow, his hair was longer and had blonde highlights ran through it. He looked happy but something in me made me wish he wasn’t and I didn’t like the way I was thinking.  I hadn’t seen him in 3 years and yet he hadn’t aged, he was still small and skinny compared to my fat and average frame. That described me though- average. But just being around him make my whole body sag, made my blood pump slower, made my brain hurt and my mood turn sour.

“Hey Gee, hey V look how grown up you are! Wow and so pretty too.” He says to me now shy and then smiling at Ivy, she looks away from him with a frown on her face; she climbs onto my lap and he takes it as an offering to sit down.

“It’s been 3 years, Frank.” I state almost as if I’m reminding him of what was.

“I know. I have tried and tried to get you but every time you shut me out, so I did the next best thing. I needed to come see you guys, I missed you.” He says and for a few seconds my hazel eyes meet his greeny brown orbs firing that feeling deep in my belly. Stop! Stop! Stop! I scream internally. I pull Ivy to me and hug her like she’s my security blanket.

“We weren’t ready. We were just managing fine. How did you find us?”

“I saw pictures of Ivy and Lyn-z on Facebook, I contacted her and she told me your usual routine, it was here or the house.” He says pushing Ivy’s coffee towards her noticing how she was staring at it with dreamy eyes for the past couple of minutes.

“Oh. Yeah Lyn-z has been in our lives for a while now; I think it’s best for us both- right Lady V?” I say to her and she nods.

“Yeah I love my mommy; she is really cool and pretty, we dance and she’s teaching me how to backbend!” she says excitedly swinging her legs and jiggling on my lap.

“So she’s back huh? After what- 8 years? She must be good seeing the way she treated you.” He scowls at me and I suddenly feel a rage fire within me powering me to defend one of the only women in my life to see me as I am and accept it… even if it did take a while.

“You know, how dare you say that, she deserved to prove to us that she was worth being in our family. We learnt to not be so naïve.” I snap back at him tempted to grab our stuff and just leave but instead I grab a pen and clench it tightly to stop myself. He would leave not us- we were not only here first but we were part of the furniture you couldn’t move us the longer we stayed.

“I’m sorry. I really am and if you want me to leave just say because I know how hard it is… I’m dying to hold your hand right now.” My eyes meet his hand the one with my engagement ring closest to me but then to the wedding band.

“How is your wife?” I’m scared to say her name in case it came out as venomous as I had pictured her.

“She’s good, pregnant actually- we will be expecting twins in a couple of months, I guess it’s my turn to try the parenting thing.” He says and I’m shocked, I could see Frank as a dad just like how he acted one with Ivy, I could see him being active and involved in their upbringing; protective over girls and sporty with boys.

“Well congratulations, parenting isn’t all it shapes up to be y’know? Sometimes you wanna kick and scream back at them but then come times like these where it all doesn’t matter anymore.” I say as I offer my hand to give his a shake, it lingers a little longer than usual but when my cold hand leaves his warm ones I feel everything disappear, no more connection- a closure of sorts.

I kiss Ivy on the side of the head as she picks up my hands and starts playing with them.

“If I’m half the dad you are I will be happy.” He says and my eyes widen.

“You’ll be great…” I look away for a moment trying to think of something to say, and end up with something I never thought I’d say. “I’m glad you found us, I mean I didn’t think I was ready but I realise I was just putting off confrontation and I’m sorry for ignoring you for so long.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry for the way things ended, I should have told you from the start, I’m not sure what was happening at that time but all I know is all that time together was real for me and it killed me when you left but I deserved it. I’m so sorry.”

I go to reply but I’m interrupted by Lyn-z. “Hey baby girl!” I hear her say as she walks through the door and over to us, she picked up our daughter from my lap and I stand so she can sit down in my place.

“Hey sweetie.” She says and I lean down to kiss her. I don’t feel awkward like I usually do kissing her in public instead I feel proud even with my guard up a little. “So you two finally made up yet? I was beginning to think of ways to trap you in a room and make you duel it out.”

“I think so.” I smile and watch at Frank does the same.  But something within me still screams NO!