WYATT
I couldn’t fucking believe her daughter was here.
I paced the room I used to occupy when I was younger and living here. It still had the dumb posters up with sports cars and half-naked chicks with fake boobs spilling out of very low-cut tops. The bed was still the same one, too fucking small and it creaked every time I turned around. Nothing much had changed, and when I had to leave my place for the renovation work crew that had arrived last week, it brought a sense of comfort. But now… Fuck, now I only wanted to grab my duffel and get out of here.
At first, I thought the chick had been trying to sell something to my mom, but when I saw her eyes after checking out her amazing body, I knew who she was. There weren't that many people with eyes such a color around here.
I ground my teeth and ran a hand through my sweaty hair as I kept on pacing around the bedroom, my sneakers making no sound on the carpeted floor. Now that I was cooled down after my daily run, the sweat coating my skin gave me goosebumps, but I didn’t pay it any attention.
All that’s on my damn mind was the girl downstairs.
She’s my adoptive mother’s biological daughter.
After all these years since my adoption, I’ve been sure her daughter wouldn’t come around. I’ve convinced myself that she wouldn’t step in my family. Shit, I should know being so fucking optimistic was calling for a mess.
I sat gloomily on the bed. It squeaked loudly under my weight and caved in more than when I was a scrawny teenager with barely a muscle to my name.
My phone vibrated on the bedside table making a disturbingly loud noise in the quiet room. I reached for it and glanced at the screen to see a picture of my best friend scowling at me. With the barbell in his eyebrow and the ring in his nostril the guy would be intimidating for the girl downstairs. She looked like a straight-laced one.
I snorted and answered before it went to voicemail. “I’m surprised you’re awake,’’ I greeted him gruffly, a smirk on my face at the memory of how shit faced the dumbass had been last night when I dropped him at his place after we left the birthday party of one of our buddies.
“Shut up,’’ he growled, his words still a bit more slurred than normal. I chuckled, and he groaned again. “Next time you’re hungover I’ll play you one of Tom Morello’s guitar solos so fucking loud you’ll be beggin’ me to turn it off, you sucker.’’
I laughed, and some of the tension left my body. I began to unclench the muscles in my shoulders and then relaxed my abs. “What’s going on, Ralph?’’
“I need coffee. Like really bad. I have a motherfucker of all motherfucker hangover. You in?’’
“Nah, not this time.’’
“Somethin’ wrong?’’
The guy knew me so well he could pick up on my mood. We’ve known each other since before my father abandoned me when I was eight. Ralph was this chipper kid from my school I couldn’t stand, but he was also the only one who stuck by me when it was advertised that my dad left the city without me and relinquished his rights to the State. We’ve always been friends ever since.
“You won’t believe this shit.’’
“I have a pounding headache, and I’m ready to puke, man, so just spill,’’ he retorted in a growl that made me smile against my will. The guy had no patience, and it’s something coming from me considering how my attention span was worse than those of a five-year-old.
“Remember when I told you my mother put her first daughter for adoption?’’
“Uh-uh.’’
“Well, the chick is downstairs with my mom.’’
“The fuck!’’
“Hell, I know.’’ I grabbed the hem of my shirt and brought it to my face to dry the beads of sweat running down my temples. The colder air hitting my bare abs made me hiss. “This is crazy.’’
“What does she look like?’’
“What?’’
“Oh come on, Wyatt! There’s a chick downstairs. What did you think I’d ask? Her IQ?’’
I frowned and ground my teeth again. “I just told you that my mom’s daughter is here and you want to know what she looks like? What the fuck, Ralph.’’
“Don’t be pissy.’’ He sighed down the phone. “I know you, man. You’re mad and ready to lash out like every-fucking-time that someone’s threatenin' the order in your life. But guess what, asshole? She’s not going to steal your spot in your family. She probably has her own family and shit. Just chill and tell me if she’s hot or not.’’
“I don’t give a fuck about her.’’
“Yeah, that’s great, but I don’t. So, is it worth me getting my hungover ass out of bed and visit you at your parents’ or not?’’
I rolled my eyes at his antics, but I couldn’t be annoyed. In his shoes, I’d ask the same thing. When you’re single, and in your twenties, a piece of tail was always going to sound appealing if the chick had a nice rack for example.
“She has a great body.’’
“Can you be any more enthusiastic? No?’’ At my silence, he sighed. “Come on, man. Shake out of this funk. It doesn’t suit your burly ass.’’
“The truth? She has a seriously bangable body with curves where there need to be. But she looks like those damn straight-laced, annoying and judgmental bitches we hate.’’
“I bet you say that because she eyed your ink. Man, maybe she was getting off on watching. Ever thought of that?’’
I laughed at that and shook my head. “Get your ass here. You’ll see that chick for yourself. I need to take a shower.’’
I heard him moving around on the phone, and his voice came from farther. “I’ll be there in ten. I look forward to seein' this chick that has you ready to let out that so sweet temper of yours.’’
“Fuck off,’’ I growled down the phone, eyebrows lowered as my grip tightened on the cell.
“Yeah, love you too, big man,’’ he replied with a laugh and then hissed. I was glad if his hangover was still being a bitch.
I disconnected the call and threw my cell on the bed next to me. I pinched the bridge of my nose and stood up, ready to take a shower. Hopefully, the hot water would calm me down. At least, it should be fun to see the chick’s look when she met my best friend with his piercings, tatts and bleach blond faux-hawk with black buzzed hair on the sides of his skull.
***
WYATT
Five minutes ago, I sneaked out the house to wait for Ralph. Before walking past the kitchen, I stopped a moment to listen to my mom and that chick talking and now I still had a scowl on my face. They seemed to get on well.
I should be happy for my mom. I knew how abandoning her baby was still hard for her and today she had the opportunity to know her first daughter, but...
Fuck.
I didn’t want that girl in our life.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,’’ Ralph said, climbing out of his blue Chevelle. Shit, I hadn’t heard him park, and I hadn’t seen him either.
I rubbed my eyes and shook my head, trying to get out of my damn head. “Nice. You look like you’re about to puke.’’
He flipped me off and ran a hand over the freshly buzzed black hair on the side of his head. “Show me the chick, asshole.’’
He stopped in front of me. He’s a bit shorter and leaner built than me, but the fucker was still big. I wondered how she’s going to react when she saw him. I smirked at the thought, picturing her incredible eyes go wide.
“Are you picturin' her naked?’’
“Uh?’’ I frowned at him, not following.
“The girl. You had that weird look on your face.’’
“Shut up.’’ I slapped him on the back of the head and ignored his yelp and scold as I turned around and opened the front door, this time around not bothering to hide my presence. Anyway, Ralph wasn't one to be quiet, so it’s a moot point.
“Wyatt?’’ My mom called out from the kitchen. I didn’t need to see her face to know she’s trying to get an idea of my mood. She’s probably afraid I’d run out the girl with my attitude. If it weren't for my mom, I wouldn’t have minded. And I’d have probably tried to fuck her until she was really dirty and didn’t look like the perfect young girl she was right now.
“Yeah, Mom. Ralph’s here.’’
I walked to the kitchen, and my eyes immediately found the girl, turned around to face me coming in. She’s frowning at me, her lips dark pink pursed as her eyes landed on my tatts. I bet she hated them. I shook my head and closed my hands into fists.
“Move, asshole. You take up all the damn threshold,’’ Ralph complained behind me in a growl and pushed me forward. I resisted at first because I knew it pissed him off, but then I took a couple of steps into the kitchen to let him in. And all the while I didn’t look away from the chick. She was truly stunning. I leaned against the kitchen island and watched her eyes take in Ralph and…
I didn’t see what I expected to see on her face.
In her eyes, I found curiosity and then interest. Fucking interest? What the hell!
I glanced at my best friend, and I found him smiling big at her, eyes fucking bright as if the idiot had won a damn prize. He moved in the kitchen and extended a hand to her.
“Hey there, babe. I’m Ralph.’’
Babe.
I snorted and crossed my arms over my chest when her eyes landed on me again with the kind of disapproval in them she couldn’t hide, but she wasn’t trying anyway. If her eyes didn't give that away, her pursed lips would have.
“I’m Marissa. Impressive ink,’’ she said and then screwed up her small upturned nose when she looked more closely at a tattoo on Ralph’s left arm. “Though this one’s sloppy.’’ She pointed at it with her delicate finger, real close to touching him and I tensed more.
“Ah, yeah. A friend of mine tattooed me when he was drunk and just starting out at on his apprenticeship.’’
“You can still cover it up,’’ she continued with confidence.
I couldn’t believe that shit.
“And what do you know about tatts, uh Princess?’’ I butted in gruffly, my voice hanging between fake disinterest and pissed off.
Her head swiveled to me sharply. Her eyes narrowed as her delicate jaw worked. I expected her to reply something high and mighty, but instead it’s my mom’s voice that shut me up.
“Wyatt, don’t start please.’’
I stared at her and saw her pleading eyes so identical to her daughter’s it made me uneasy. This Marissa chick looked more like my mom than Ava. It’s uncanny. I nodded shortly at her and shrugged at if I was over all this shit. But all I wanted was Marissa on her way out of here.
“I’m an apprentice to answer your question,’’ Marissa said quietly, politely, as her eyes remained narrowed on me. “I know what I’m talking about.’’
“You’re a tattoo apprentice? No shit?’’ Ralph blurted out and then cringed. He offered my mother one of his bright smiles that had always made her laugh. This time wasn’t any different.
Marissa smiled at my best friend and nodded almost shyly. And fuck me. When she smiled, it brightened her eyes, making them shine in such a way it’s like she lit up everything around her. And her mouth…
Those lips stretched up and slightly parted to let her front teeth peek a tiny bit between them. That was damn sexy.
“Do you know InkSpired? It’s in Midtown, close to Georgia Tech’s campus.’’
“Kamren is your mentor?’’ I asked, unable to keep the disbelief out and keep quiet in my corner of the kitchen.
“I recognized his work when I saw you outside,’’ she said, pointing at my tatted arms. “You can’t find better in Atlanta or Georgia for that matter.’’
“See? She was enjoying your ink,’’ Ralph butted in with a damn smirk I had half a mind to wipe off with a punch.
I flipped him off and ignored my mom as she shook her head at me and probably at Ralph’s antics. Even with a hangover, he could be a little shit.
“I’m not sure I want to know what it’s about,’’ Marissa mumbled and sipped her glass of water until she’s finished. I let my eyes wander to her throat where it worked as she swallowed. But I couldn’t just stop my eyes there. Not when a hot chick had a low cut top, and I could see her tits, a handful or maybe more.
“It’s nothing, babe. This ass thought you were judging his ink or some other shit. It’s true that you don’t exactly look like you’re into tatts.’’
She frowned at me and then shook her head, focusing back on Ralph and making a point not to look my way again. That annoyed me more.
“If there’s something to judge it’s how welcoming he was.’’ Ralph chuckled and took a seat next to her, making sure to flex as he got the chair from under the table. The ass was laying it on thick. As if he had a chance with her.
“Ignore his surly ass.’’ Ralph waved off, and when I ground my teeth and glared at him, he flipped me off. “He likes to scare off people.’’
She arched an eyebrow at that and shrugged. “Maybe it works on others, but I was here for a reason.’’
Mom smiled at her, and I could see a weight off her shoulders. I felt like a jackass for being this harsh. Fuck, I knew how difficult it’d been for her. I should be glad for her that she’s able to get to know her daughter and to see with her own eyes that she’s fine. But I couldn’t help this festering shit inside me that wanted her away from us.
I looked down at my feet.
“Alright, I think it’s time for me to go,’’ she said when the silence got too long for comfort, and that surprised me. I looked up. She stood with her purse in one hand and her keys in the other. “It was good talking with you, Lydia. Thank you for answering my questions.’’ She smiled at her. Such a strange smile. It was as if she wasn’t sure if she should be smiling or doing something else. “I needed these answers.’’
I stared at her, trying to place myself in her shoes for a second. She was adopted as a baby, and she didn’t know anything about her birth parents. It wasn’t the same for me. I grew up with my parents until I was five and my mother bailed. Then I was left with only my father who was an abusive fuck up until I was eight and he left too. I knew where I was coming from; I knew who my birth parents were and why they abandoned me. So yeah, I didn’t have any questions.
“Anytime, Marissa. I’m… I can’t tell you how glad I am for meeting you at last,’’ Mom said, her voice shaking as she looked away, hiding tears I knew were in her soft eyes.
It made my heart squeeze in my chest. I ground my teeth and walked to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to offer her some comfort. I hated that she was sad. I hated that this chick dug up shit from the past. It’s her right to, but still.
My mom put her hand on my chest and gave me a watery smile.
“Thanks,’’ Marissa whispered. “It was nice to meet you Ralph, and seriously, you can’t let this awful ink there in the middle of other good pieces.’’
Ralph laughed. “I can’t say no when you say it like this, and now that I know where you work, I’m dying to get new ink, babe.’’ He winked at her.
She shook her head at him, an amused smile on her face. She glanced at me briefly, but she didn’t pause and turned around, not saying a word. I guessed it’s no surprise and I didn’t give a damn. However, the muscle in my jaw started ticking as I gritted my teeth harder.
“Wait, Marissa!’’ My mother called out before Marissa could take another step. She pulled away from me and got closer to her daughter. I swore I felt a damn tickle of apprehension running down my back when she got away from me to go to this girl. It’s insane. I was her son. This chick wasn’t my mom’s family. “Do you have my phone number if you ever have other questions?’’
Marissa faced my mother again, but her eyes locked with mine briefly and she recoiled slightly. “Hm… Yes, I have it. Thank you, Lydia. I… I don’t know when I’ll—’’
“You don’t have to say anything. Don’t worry. I just… I just want you to know that if you want to reach me, I’d be happy to answer.’’
She nodded, and this time when she turned around and walked out of the house, nobody stopped her. As soon as she disappeared from the kitchen, my eyes landed on my mother, and I saw her shoulders starting to shake slightly as her breathing became more uneven.
“Mom?’’ I asked tentatively. I didn’t know how to deal with women crying. I didn’t know what to do when my mother, the woman who’s taken me and gave me a life, a chance, and love, was feeling emotional.
“I… I need to call your father. I trust you two not to raid the fridge just yet.’’
“Don’t you worry. I can’t picture myself putting food in my mouth right now,’’ Ralph said, this time faking a cheerful tone for my mother’s benefit.
She didn’t notice, and walked away, making sure to keep her face away from me. I knew what I’d find, though. Tears.
“Hey man, you okay?’’
I fucking didn’t know. I could tell myself whatever I wanted and be relieved that Marissa left the house, but I’d be an idiot not to realize that her visit was going to fucking change things.
“This chick is going to be trouble, Ralph,’’ I said somberly, my voice rumbling.
He hit me in the back and leaned against the kitchen island next to me. “If it’s the naked kind of trouble I’d be so damn happy to take your place, man.’’
“Can’t you take anything seriously?’’ I glared at him, and when he shrugged unapologetically, I had to take a deep breath before I snapped at him.
“Maybe your head is too far up your ass, but I’m telling you, Wyatt, this girl? She’s to take seriously. I’d seriously like to fuck her.’’
I growled at him and punched him hard in his shoulder. I found no satisfaction in his yelp and complaints.