Emory

 

Follow the roadmap of my heart, and at the destination you’ll find you…

 

 

 

 

Dillon, not wanting Devon to be in daycare, has used one of the rooms at his practice to place him in. He hired a nurse to play nanny and they’ve agreed to let Shyann come there during our working hours as well. It’s a relief off my shoulders, I know she’ll be well-guarded and taken care of there. Dillon is a fierce protector of Devon and Shyann is now a part of his ‘girls’ to protect from all harm. Ever since the ordeal with Dillon’s dad, he’s shadowed all of us women as often as he can. He’s profusely apologized to me for that day so many months ago. As I sit in the parking lot of Diva’s Ink House I’m suddenly slammed with memories of that day. It’s a day I will never forget for the rest of my life. I wish I’d taken Carson’s paranoia a little more seriously…

 

Walking out the back door to get Ariel’s bag, Carson beside me, we are chatting away about how excited we are for the baby to come. I see Carson’s eyes scanning the parking lot, I know everyone is worried about Ariel’s stalker, but he or she won’t do anything to me. I’m not the one they’re after. I grab ahold of his arm and drag him quicker to the trunk. He stops me and does a quick sweep of the parking lot, seeming satisfied with his findings he comes back over and stands next to me at the trunk of her car.

“Carson, you’re being silly, nothing’s going to happen to us here. It’s too public of a place, even for psychopaths.”

“Psychos have no common sense, Emory. There is no rhyme or reason for anything they do. Private or public, makes no difference to them.”

“That’s ludicrous,” I scoff. I grab Ariel’s bag from the trunk, close it and as we turn around we’re met with a gun in our faces. I recognize him instantly, not only because he’s an officer of the law, but because he’s Dillon’s deranged father. My body begins to shake uncontrollably. I’ve never really been around guns, well— these particular types of guns anyway. To have one pointed in my face is unnerving, to say the least.

“Where’s the bitch who’s carrying my son’s spawn?” the crazy man asks us.

“She…she’s not here,” I sputter out, nervously.

“Why don’t you step away and live to see another day,” Carson tells him. He laughs and slams the butt of his gun on Carson’s head. He doesn’t even stop once he’s down on the ground. Over and over, I see him smashing his head, and I lose my mind with worry.

“Stop! You’re going to kill him,” I scream, jumping on the madman’s back. I don’t know what’s come over me, what’s possessed me, all I know is that I can’t allow him to kill Carson. We struggle, me still clinging to his back, and I hear a gunshot go off. I don’t stop long enough to see where the shot landed, I am on a mission to get this man away from Carson. As we struggle longer, I hear several more shots…I think, I mean who’s counting? Certainly not me, he finally flings me over his shoulder and I land with a thud on my back. He grabs my hair and pulls me up. Once I’m finally on my feet, he places the barrel of the gun to my temple.

“Listen here, you stupid bitch! My boy has cost me everything. So I’m going to take everything he holds dear away from him, are you one of those things?” l vehemently shake my head. I’m not sure if Dillon considers me dear to him or not, I just know I need to get this man away from him and my sister. His hold on my hair tightens as he pulls me to his face, we’re nose to nose, and I want to gag at the closeness. “You wouldn’t be lying to me now, would you?” Again, I shake my head. I can hear Carson stirring, which causes my shoulders to slump in relief. He spins me around to where my back is to his front. “We’re going to walk out front, all nice like, and you’re not going to give me any trouble, or I’m going to shoot this one,” he says, indicating Carson. “In the head, there’s no coming back from a shot like that.” He laughs, and I swear it sounds like an evil villain from a scary movie. As he shuffles me from the back to the front, I can hear Carson getting to his feet and can tell he’s suffering from the moans and groans coming from him. I let this asshole lead me from the back, as soon as we make it to the front, there are police cruisers pulling up and surrounding us.

Me being me, I have to ask him, “What’s your plan now?”

“Shut up, bitch. Let me think.” He still has a hold of me and I’m trying to not let my fear show. I don’t want him to hold or wield any power over me. I stand strong, proud and face my fears of his madness.

“Let the woman go,” I hear one of the officers say. I turn my head and spot Carson easing up behind us. I see blood oozing from him, but I’m happy other than that to see him standing. I feel better knowing he is near.

“Not until I get what I came for!”

“What did you come for?” I feel like a ping-pong ball with the back and forth conversation…that I’m not even a part of!

“My no-good son, and his woman! They need to learn the lessons I have planned for them.”

“Let the girl go and we’ll talk about it,” the cop says to the madman. I feel like I’m part of a really bad soap opera.

“Don’t pull your negotiation tactics with me, Andrews! I am the department’s negotiator, I know all of your tricks! Bring me my son! Now!” he says pulling me tighter against him. If it wasn’t for this gun pointed directly at my head, I’d elbow him and beat his ass myself. He’s a cop, he knows they’re not going to hand over Dillon and Ariel on a silver platter. He might as well end this now. I hear bikes pull up about this time, and once again relief washes over me. If these cops are too chickenshit to do anything about this asshole, then surely Wasp, Tic and the guys will. When I see Dillon come out the front door, my heart stops. Dear God, surely, he’s not planning on giving himself over to his father—is he? I’m relieved when I see him head in the other direction. I get lost in my thoughts and don’t pay attention to the conversation going on around me. I’m planning my own escape since it seems everyone is going to sit around and stick their thumbs up their asses. This is taking forever, and I have a sister in labor inside. I’m getting sick and tired of them trying to reason with him. About this time, I notice Levi has also joined the frey, his gun held out in his hand. I wonder how long he’s been out and witnessing all of this. I’m happy it’s me, and not Rainey, otherwise they would’ve taken action and gotten themselves hurt.

I notice Levi sneaking up behind us, and I try to shake my head no…I don’t want him doing anything to cause this situation to become worse than it already is. I notice Carson take off reluctantly and am glad at least one of my sister’s men will be out of the line of fire. I take in my surroundings once more and notice that not only is Levi standing behind me, but so is Ghost. He’s a force to be reckoned with on his own from what I’ve heard. I close my eyes, not wanting to see what happens next. Luckily, Dillon’s dad’s focus is on the officers to his front and he isn’t paying attention to his back. Some damn cop he is, aren’t they supposed to be observant and know what’s going on around them at all times? Instead of dwelling on it, I thank my lucky stars for his obliviousness.

I let myself go to a place, a happy place inside of my head. I hear multiple gunshots as soon as I’m ripped from his arms. Keeping my eyes closed, I pray that everyone is okay. I know I am, because I feel no pain and am not injured anywhere. I’m not sure how long it’s been since I escaped reality, but next thing I remember is being locked in Levi’s arms and hearing him say, “I’ve gotcha, Em. You’re okay.”

Going to open my eyes, he tells me to keep them shut. I take it to mean that he doesn’t want me to see whatever has happened. I let him lead me blindly to the back of the shop.

 

A knocking on my window brings me back to the here and now.

“What’s wrong, Em?” Levi asks me, with a worried look on his face.

“I was just thinking about that day.” He knows which day, so I don’t have to mention which one.

“Yeah, that’s a day none of us will be forgettin’ anytime soon.” I nod my head in agreement, then ask the question that’s been bugging me.

“How long had you been outside that day? I don’t remember seeing you until right before Carson went to Dillon for aid.”

“I was out here when he took you around to the front. I shot off some warnin’ shots for the cops so they knew to be on guard and not be taken by surprise.”

“You’re a smart man, Levi.” I realize how out of it I must’ve been that day because I don’t remember hearing any additional shots.

“Thank you, darlin’. Let’s get you inside, you’ve been sitting out here for quite a while, I was getting worried about you.”

“Sorry, Levi. I was lost in my head, kind of happy you brought me out of it, to be honest with you.”

“Not a great memory to be stuck in. Changing the subject, how are things going with Shy-shy.” I roll my eyes at the nickname he’s given her.

“Things are great, she’s an easy baby. Barely ever cries and loves openly.”

“I bet she already has Marcus wrapped around her little finger,” he jokingly says.

“Don’t you know it,” I reply.

“I can’t wait for the day that Rainey gives me and Carson one of our own.” That stops me in my tracks. I look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Are y’all trying for one? Does my sister have baby-fever, Levi?”

“No, but I can’t help but think of the future, and any children she’ll be giving us.”

“How’s that going to work exactly?”

“Well, you see when a woman and a man love each other…” I smack him on his arm before he even finishes the sentence.

“I know how babies are made, moron. I’m asking with y’alls particular type of relationship, how it works?”

“Same concept I suppose,” he says laughing at me.

“You know what I mean!” I holler out in frustration.

“One of us will marry her, and the other will have the first baby.”

“How will you decide?”

“I thought we had it figured out, but Rainey is having a hard time picking and choosing which will be which.”

“I can understand her dilemma—how do you pick one of your men over the other to marry.”

“The thing is, neither of us care. We just want to be with her, Em.”

“Then why do you need that piece of paper?”

“Because, we want her to share our last name, and the same last name of any future children we have with her.” I nod my head in understanding.

“Want me to talk to her?”

“Nah, we don’t want to pressure her, when she’s ready, we’ll know.”

“You’re a great guy, Levi. I’m so happy my sister has you and Carson.”

“Not as glad as we are sweetheart,” he replies. We begin walking again, and as soon as we enter the back doors I can tell we already are going to have a busy day. The hustle and bustle sounds I’m hearing let me know that today will keep me otherwise occupied. Tomorrow, I have to go in for more lab work, so I won’t be dwelling on thoughts of whether or not the meds have done their job or if I need to keep going with the treatment. I go to my station and get things ready for the day. I turn on my radio and get lost in the music. Once I have everything ready, I walk into the lobby and call back my first client.

 

 

As I’m laying the outline out on the design I hear, “I’m not piercing that guy’s junk! I told you I’m not into piercing, but I’m definitely not putting my hands on another guy’s dick!” I hear Carson yell out.

“Carson, we’re backed up and need you to pitch in, I don’t have time to fit in the piercing,” I hear Ariel tell him.

“I’ll do it,” I hear Rainey say…uh-oh. That may just push Carson over the edge. Levi left earlier to head to work, so at least she only has one macho-man to deal with.

“The fuck you will,” he says to her. The last time she did a Prince Albert piercing you would’ve thought she was cheating on him. He paced outside the door the entire time. This is why I’m happy I don’t share a workspace with my man.

“It’s a client, Carson, not my sugar daddy,” she replies. I close my eyes, knowing that this is going to lead to an issue, now, and in the future.

“Excuse me,” I say to my client as I get up and walk out the door.

I walk out into a stare-off between Carson and Rainey. Ariel looks like she’s fixing to blow her lid. “Guys!” I holler out.

“What?” Carson asks, never removing his eyes from Rainey’s.

“Let’s take this into the breakroom.” I tell them all. They’re acting like a bunch of children, business is business, this isn’t meant to be anything personal. Which is exactly what I tell Carson once we enter the breakroom.

“I know it’s business, but why do we have to offer piercings?” he asks.

“Because there isn’t another shop around here, and we don’t want to lose our clientele, you moron!” Rainey hollers out.

“No need for name calling,” Ariel tells her.

“I agree, maybe you two working together isn’t such a great idea,” I tell them.

“I’m beginning to agree with you, Em,” Ariel tells us.

“What? No,” Rainey says.

“Well work it out,” Carson says.

“Y’all do that, I left a client sitting in my chair because of y’alls childish antics,” I say, turning on my heels and heading back to my station. “Sorry,” I tell the client who has laughter dancing behind his eyes.

“Can’t say that I blame him, I wouldn’t want to touch another guy’s junk either, now give me a nice set of tits and I’d be on top of that.”

“I bet you would,” I say to him with a chuckle. Typical male response.

“Now, let’s get this done so you can go about your day.” I finish his work, his family crest from Ireland. I really enjoy doing these eccentric pieces, you can only do so many butterflies and hearts before you run out of ideas to make them original.