Visiting my parents is different than when I was living here. They make more of an effort when I come over, and it’s weird. The table in the dining room is set with perfection. Place settings in front of three of the four chairs surrounding the table. When I still lived here, the plates were stacked next to the stove, so we could serve ourselves in the kitchen and then bring our food to the table.

There are bowls and platters shoved together in the middle of the table. I glance over them trying to see what they’ve cooked up tonight. Some of my favorite foods, red potatoes, corn on the cob, and grilled pork chops fill the space. I have a feeling they want to have a serious talk tonight. Even though I doubt I’ll want to hear what they say, I’ll suffer through it because I never eat as well at home as I do here.

Mom walks into the dining room, carrying a bowl filled to the brim with salad. She even added bell peppers and bits of bacon to it. “Hi, honey. You’re here early.”

“Yep,” I swipe a pepper from the salad before she sets it down. “Uncle Corey let me leave before my shift was up because we were slow.”

“Well,” she replies. “That’s nice of him.”

I know she loves Corey, but she doesn’t agree with him helping me fulfill my dreams. I think deep down she blames him for my love of tattoos. Even if I hadn’t spent my time at the shop as a child, I think I still would have loved them.

“Mh-hm,” I mumble, and quickly change the subject. “How have you and Dad been?”

She smiles with a little twinkle in her eye. I know they miss having me home, but I also know they are enjoying every second of being empty nesters. “Great.” She says. “My garden is finally starting to produce some vegetables. I actually have some to send home with you.”

“That’s awesome,” I exclaim. “Though, I don’t know why you worry. You’ve always been able to grow anything.”

She shrugs. “True, but it seems like summer is starting earlier every year and it ends up killing off my plants.”

It’s the price of living in Texas. I’ve never lived anywhere else, but geez…the weather could be a little more consistent.

“Where’s Dad?” I ask. “He’s usually in here as soon as the food is on the table.”

“He’s cleaning off the grill,” she rolls her eyes. “He is obsessed with keeping that thing clean.”

“Ah.” I shouldn’t be surprised. “Speaking of the devil.” I point toward Dad just walked in from the backyard.

“Only good things, I hope.” He walks straight toward me and wraps me up in a hug. “How are you, sweetheart?”

“I’m good.” I murmur into his shoulder, trying not to grimace at the slight dampness of his shirt from sweat.

I pull back and take a look at him. He seems more at ease than I’ve ever seen him. Alone time seems to be doing him and Mom some good.

“Can we eat now?” I ask. “Smelling all this food is making me hungry.”

Dad goes around and pulls Mom’s chair out for her. Chivalry isn’t dead. At least, not in this household. Seeing them still very much in love gives me hope that one day, when I’m ready, I’ll have someone to do the same things for me.

We pile food on our plates and I don’t even wait to dig in. The potatoes are the first thing on my agenda. I take a bit and nearly moan. They are soft but slightly crisp all at the same time. I taste a hint of basil. “Wow, Mom. These are really good.”

She grins, “Thanks. I’ve been on the computer looking for recipes.” I can tell she’s really excited about this. “I got this one from The Pioneer Woman.”

“It’s definitely a winner,” I shovel more in my mouth. “I want these every day.”

I’ve already cleared half my plate when I see Mom not so subtly signaling Dad. Uh oh, I guess they figure now is the time to harp on me for whatever reason.

“Charleigh,” Dad begins, waiting for me to look up. “Your mom and I have been talking. And, while we fully support you following your dream at the tattoo shop, we really think you should go back to school.”

They haven’t brought this up in a long time. Why now? I’ve finally done my first tattoo, and hope I’ll be doing more soon.

“I can’t do both,” I respond. “I told y’all that when I decided to take this path. It was too hard trying to get in all my hours as an apprentice and keep up with my schoolwork.”

“We know, honey,” Mom interjects. “But, it’s been two years and you still aren’t doing any tattoos.” Sighing, she continues. “We just don’t want you to keep down this road if it isn’t going to be a lucrative career for you.”

“That’s not true,” I argue. “I did a tattoo last weekend.”

“That’s one in two years, Charleigh,” Mom says feeling like she’s made a point.

“But, I know Uncle Corey is going to give me more clients. I can feel it in my gut.” I hear the whine creep into my voice, and I don’t want to sound like a bratty child. But…this is my dream. This is what I’ve worked so hard for the past couple of years. “It just takes time, like any other trade.”

Dad nods accepting the last part of my argument, at least. He steps in before Mom and I get into a fight about it again. “At least think about it.”

I nod. There’s nothing else I can do. I don’t want to disappoint them, but I’m not giving up who I am or what I want to appease them.

* * *

The rest of dinner and dessert went well. We talked about the ridiculous tattoo I gave Jake. Dad thought it was pretty hysterical. I’m happy he found the humor in it. Mom thought it was mean. Eh, he should have known what he wanted and not taken permanently inking something into his skin as a joke.

Now, though I’m sprawled across the sofa in my tiny apartment watching reruns of Project Runway. I have no desire to be any sort of fashionista, but I love seeing what they come up. Even if the designers make something I would never in a million years wear, I applaud them for their creativity and confidence in their design.

I also let the conversation with my parents run through my head. While going to back to school would be hard, it’s not impossible. The shop doesn’t open until two in the afternoon, and during the week we close at ten. That would give me time to take at least some online classes. Who knows, maybe I could go to school for marketing. It would definitely help with finding clients for myself, as well as bring in more customers for the shop.

Even though Life in Ink has been around for decades, we don’t get the traffic that some of the newer, flashier shops receive. I want to do more to contribute to the place that is giving me a shot, and this may be the way to do that.

I still have time to make a decision. The Fall semester doesn’t start for another two months, I’ll decide by then. The last thing I remember before my eyes close and I drift off to sleep is a skirt that I would totally wear made completely out of polaroid photos.