Three Little Birds

New Beginnings Pt. 2

I gasped as I walked into the shop two days before it officially opened. It was a beautiful setup. The front door opened into a large space with a desk that sat upon it a telephone, a lamp, and a large calendar that would be used to make appointments. On the left wall were plastic-clad, hanging posters that you were able to see design samples. Further into the shop was a piercing room and bathroom and directly to the right as you enter was the building, to the right of the desk, Mykel would be doing his tattoos. I looked around, my mouth agape but smiling. "Its beautiful, Mykel."

Mykel smiled an electric smile that made my heart flutter. From behind me he wrapped his arms around my chest, his arms coming over my shoulders, kissing my cheek. "I'm glad you like it." Mykel nuzzled into my neck. "Though I have to admit, I'm going to miss spending the days with you."

I grinned in spite of myself. I loved Mykel's small attentions, his nuzzles, his small kisses against my neck. The looks he sent and still sends me from across the room. Full of adoration and love. Something that takes me by surprise and steeling my breath each time it was delivered. I love the peace of safety and trust I felt when I relaxed into Mykel's arms. Though still new in my lifetime at that point of darkness, fear, and pain, I knew deep within myself that this feeling would never fade. "You'll be so busy you won't have time to think about missing me," I said, still having trouble accepting Mykel's viewpoint, caught a wave of melancholy at the thought. Mykel sighed, though not in annoyance, and disentangling himself from me, slowly spinning me around.

Placing his fingertips against my cheek, I looked up and met his gaze. Mykel looked at me with a serious expression, his gentle touch in contrast to the look in his eyes. "You're wrong." He kissed me again. "I always miss you. I always think about you. Whenever we're apart I feel this ache here," he put my hand over his heart, "until finally I'm able to take you in my arms again." I smiled even as my eyes pooled. "I love you, mon bonheur." Mykel smiled a slow, sultry smile and kissed me again, padding away the moister gathered on my cheeks.

"I love you too." He smiled again, his eyes roaming the start of a future he'd worked so hard to launch.

"You really like it?" He looked almost bashful as he looked at me and I couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped me. I kissed him gently, a smile still adorning my cheeks.

"I really like it. Its beautiful. And so very much you." In decoration he had geasha women paintings displayed behind their fans in some sense. Also in decoration one wall was painted in a mural was a scene of good versus evil, where Native American spirits of Earth with whom were engaged in a heavy battle with their enemies. I touched a river spirit lightly wishing I could seep some courage through his fierce eyes into my heart. My heart fluttered. Mykel gently grasped my hand and kissed the knuckles he held there.

"Are you hungry, my love?" He pulled me into him and I came into his arms willingly.

I nodded against his chest, my arms circling round his waist. I listened to his heartbeat, allowing it lull me into a calm serenity; my shoulders relaxed.

He kissed my temple as he held me swaying in his shop. "You okay, baby?"

I shrugged. "Yeah. I just woke up weird this morning." I smiled at him. "I'll be fine." I didn't want to mention it to him then, but when I had woken up that morning I had been dreaming of my sister and it had plunged me into a private tailspin where all my fears and anxieties became hightened and boiling out of control. "I could use some food, I'm sure. I haven't really eaten yet." Mykel narrowed his eyes disapprovingly. While my eating habits had improved at this point, whenever I become too overwhelmed, my appetite is the first thing to disappear on me.

"Come on. Let's get you fed." He locked the shop door behind us, a smile still solidly on his face and we walked to his car, his hand lightly guiding against my lower back.