Tink
Over the past couple of weeks, my life has been good; I spend most of my nights with Markus. We've become a very domesticated couple, and it's been great, work has been busy, and my designs are in more demand. I'm making a name for myself, and I'm happy, Lilly is so excited for the wedding which is in a few weeks’ time. It's just after the boys get back from their annual run to Sturgis. When Lilly told me about the run, I thought of Jaxson, and the day he came to Markus’s and seen me in his shirt. I cried myself to sleep that night holding everything in until I was in the privacy of my own room. The way Jaxson looked at me broke my heart, I know it didn't look good well I know it didn't look good. Markus had been so sweet, touching me all night holding me. He kissed me again after the first little kiss and we fooled around heavy petting was all we really did.
I'm just not ready for that next step, and Markus was fine with that, so to calm down we make ice-cream floats, mine chocolate his strawberry. As I sat on the couch though, I'd split mine all over my shirt bra jeans and knickers. Markus had been the complete gentlemen and offered me a shirt to wear while he put my clothing into the wash, as I showered I'd washed my hair. As I went to put my hair back up my headband broke, so I just left my hair out. I'd even slept in the spare room, but when I saw the look on Jaxson's face. I didn't correct him, then Markus wrapped his arms around me kissing my neck. I think Markus did it to get his own back, but I didn’t say anything, I knew what I had done was wrong. I went to the clubhouse to explain, but he and Jordan were gone “When's he coming back” I asked Oki, who was sitting at the bar.
“Don't know darlin’.”
“Will he be back before you all head to Sturgis?”
“Darlin’ I don't know, he'll be back when he gets back.”
“What's he doing?”
“Darlin’ don't bust my balls, you know I can't tell you.”
“But”
“Listen, the second I hear from him, or he gets back I'll get him to message you ok” I nod.
“Ok, Oki thanks.”
“Darlin’,” he says, and I turn back and look at him “You ok” I nod.
“All good Oki” he smiles as I make my way outside, I like Oki he may look like a huge scary black guy, but to me, he's a sweetheart. I go through the motions of life wake up work sleep is all I seem to do lately even spending time with Markus seems to becoming a chore.
*
“Tink you ok,” Markus asked me as we were sitting down for dinner, he’d picked me up from work. I looked up at him, and he was smiling at me, I wanted more but just not with Markus. Jaxson was always on my mind, every time I sat down to draw these days Jaxson's face always came to mind. His piercing blue eyes to his strong square jawline his lips (god his lips) I'd day-dream of kissing his lips sucking on them devouring him, he consumed my every waking hour, and I knew just looking at Markus that it's not going to work out. Jaxson is what I wanted and no matter how hard I tried my hearts just wasn't in this relationship with Markus, and it wasn't fair on either of us and even though I knew Jaxson didn't want me, I couldn't do this with Marcus anymore.
“Markus,” I say placing my knife and fork on my plate
“Tink will you meet my parents this weekend, they're coming into town, and my Mom is really excited to meet you.”
“Your parents.”
“Yeah, I've told them so much about you, Mom can't wait to take you shopping.”
“Markus look,” I say but he stops me by standing up and kneeling in front of me
“Look Tink I know you’re having second thoughts about us, but I really like you can't you just try” I instantly feel like shit, but I know that Markus isn’t the one
“Markus look.”
“Please Tink, just have dinner with my parents and me” (goddammit)
“Ok,” I say feeling like shit, just this one more thing, I owe it to him
**
By Thursday I was feeling sick, Markus’s parents were coming into town, and I'd been so sick, Lilly even thinking that I might be pregnant. I hadn’t told her that Markus and I hadn't gone that far in our relationship “Hey Tink” Lilly says as she walks into my room as I'm hunched over a woman who has come in to get a peacock tattooed on her back
“Yeah” is all I say
“Um, Markus and his parents are here” I frown at her.
“Now” she nods her head (fuck) I look down at my shirt today, it's cookie monster and black jeans and my usual black and white chucks “Give me a minute.”
“Sure” I finish the shading I was doing and tell the women to go into the break-room for a tea or coffee. I fix my hair wash my hands and head out front to meet Markus’s folks. As I walk out Markus smiles when he sees me, Lilly is talking to Markus’s parents their backs to me as I approach. Markus walks to me kissing me on the lips; I feel instantly embarrassed
“Thanks for doing this” Markus whispers to me, and his parents turn and look at me, his mother’s face is of shock his father just smiles.
“Oh my, aren't you a tiny thing,” his mother says, and I look at my feet and then up at her again, she's smiling, but you can tell she's assessing everything
“Tink this is my mother Maria Carter and my father Arthur Carter” it's all very formal, and I can tell instantly these people have been brought up with money, the way his mother keeps looking at me she thinks I'm a gold-digger.
“Hello” is all I say, but Markus’s Dad holds out his hand
“Tink is it.”
“It's KC; Tink's just a nickname.”
“Well KC it's lovely to meet you, we've heard a lot about you, Markus here is quite smitten” I'm surprised by his statement, I'm mean who says that quite smitten. I smile, as Markus places his arm over my shoulders holding me tight.
“Ok so let’s leave Tink to finish work, and I'll pick her up later for dinner,” Markus says
“Sounds good,” his father says, his Mom still giving me the evil eye in a very subtle women kind of way, that if you weren't a woman, you wouldn't see it. I watch as they leave the shop, but just as Markus gets to the door he lifts a bag that was on the ground and hands it to me
“I got this for dinner tonight, I hope you don't mind” I smile and take the bag not even looking inside, he kisses me on the cheek again and leaves, Lilly's still standing there as I hold the handles of the bag tight.
“Tink you ok,” she asks me
“Did you see the way his Mom looked at me,” I say
“Yeah, I did.”
“Fucking bitch thinks I'm a gold-digger or some piece of scum on her shoe.”
“Tink, you’re overreacting,” she says, and I look at her
“Overreacting”
“Yes, she just isn't sure about you yet, give her a chance” I roll my eyes at her “So, what's in the bag,” she says, and I slowly open it, and there are two boxes inside.
I go over and sit on the sofa pulling the first box out, inside is a dress, so I lift it up and hold it to me, Lilly just stares at me. As I'm standing there, Chelsea comes in and stops “Holy shit Tink where’d you get the dress.”
“Markus,” I tell her
“Wow” is all she says shaking her head.
“What?” I ask her
“Tink that's Floral Brocade mini dress from Christian Dior,” she tells me
“A what?”
“It's just a fancy way to say that all of the silk on the dress is woven into flowers.”
“Silk,” I say, and she nods her head at me.
“Tink that dress is worth about two thousand dollars” I look at the dress and cringe.
“This is worth, two-grand,” I ask her, and she nods
“Yep”
“But it's ugly and heavy and come on look at it” they both laugh.
“What's in the other box,” Chelsea asks, and I feel nervous about opening it
“Just open it like ripping off a band-aid,” Lilly says, and I throw the dress on to the sofa. I take the lid off of the box and move the paper out of the way; I lift one of the heels up and Chelsea whistles.
“What?” I ask knowing she's going to tell me the price of them
“Damn Tink,” she says
“How much are these,” I ask
“There the So Kate pointy toe pump by Louboutin.”
“Are they expensive too.”
“Tink don't you know anything about fashion,” she asks me
“Not really the only shoes I own are another black pair of heels I got at Walmart and my chucks that's it”
“Well, now you own a pair of red souls you, lucky bitch,” she tells me.
“Please tell me they're not as expensive as the dress.”
“Not as much as the dress, those are only worth about seven hundred bucks.”
“Not expensive, I think seven hundred dollars is a huge waste of money for a pair of shoes,” I tell her and she laughs.
“Tink I love you, your so down to earth, never change,” she tells me.
“So, dinner with the folks,” Lilly says, and I roll my eyes “Are you not looking forward to it” I look at the dress and shoes
“Do you think Markus is embarrassed by who I am?” I ask Lilly
“Why would you say that?”
“Hello,” I say holding up the ugly dress, and she smiles
“No Tink I think Markus wanted to do something nice for you, so don't make this out to be anything than it is ok go out with your boyfriend and have fun” I sit looking at the dress.
“Yeah, your right.” even though I have every intention of breading up with him, hopefully, he can get a refund on the dress and shoes