“I’m pretty sure you’re the woman of the hour,” Drew chuckled.
She looked out over the group. Everyone smiled back at her. When her eyes landed on Emily the woman gave her a short smile before glancing away. Drew supposed that reaction was fair.
“How does all of this work, Drew?” Vera asked.
Drew snapped her focus back to her job and the women lined up for tattoos.
“Who here is nervous about the tattoo?” Drew asked.
Scarlett, Emily, and Cora immediately raised their hands. Drew gave them all what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
“Let’s do y’all first. That way you’re not waiting in worried anticipation the whole time. Who’s willing to volunteer to go first?” Drew asked. Cora immediately raised her hand with a smile.
“Cora it is,” Drew announced.
Drew watched as Cora straightened her shoulders. Cora’s wife, Ayden, patted her arm as Cora strode forward. Drew gave her a reassuring smile and showed Cora to the station she’d set up earlier. She pulled out the stencil of the tattoo design they’d all chosen. A heart that was made up by an infinity symbol on one side.Love that keeps ongoing, that’s what Vera had said it meant.
“What placement are you thinking?” Drew asked.
“My right wrist,” Cora answered with a nervous smile.
Cora placed the stencil and had Cora check it. When Cora was sure that the placement was correct, she sat on the tattoo bench. Ayden stepped forward and held Cora’s other hand. The gesture was sweet. Drew felt what was becoming anall too familiar pang of longing. She missed Brooke more than she’d care to admit. Drew simply didn’t know how to bridge the gap between them. That didn’t make it any less painful of an experience.
Cora stared at her tattoo, admiring it once she finished. Next up was Ayden, Skylar and Leigh. Of all of them Skylar was the one who seemed the most excited. She took a picture of herself with Drew and then of the tattoo. Skylar also tagged Drew and the shop, which meant the shop was in for an influx of interest.
When it was Emily’s turn she gave Drew a nervous smile. Drew could only give her the same smile in return. She placed the stencil and allowed Emily to check it out in the mirror. She sat back down and turned to Drew.
“Have you and Brooke talked yet?” Emily asked.
“Do you really want to start that conversation before I start giving you a tattoo?” Drew smirked. Emily paled but Drew offered a reassuring smile.
“I care about my friend. I want her to be happy. I know that you’ve made her very happy,” Emily smiled.
“I know. She just doesn’t understand why I’m upset. She couldn’t understand me at a moment when I needed her to,” Drew pulled herself back. She knew too many emotions were leaking through. Emily sat quietly for a few minutes before speaking again.
“Sometimes when Brooke is overwhelmed or confused or hurt, she lashes out. I’m not saying she’s doing herself any favors. But sometimes when she’s pushing, it’s because she’s afraid. I don’t think she knew how to handle you leaving her behind. I think it brought up a lot of things for her. And she wanted to pull you closer but instead she pushed and stuck her foot in her mouth. I know she regrets how she left things with you though.”
Drew was at a loss for words.
“I need to hear that from her. Instead of from you.”
“Her saying that she was willing to stay and work through something was her saying all of those things. You just have to speak the language of Brooke to understand that.”
Drew put the tattoo gun down.
“You’re all finished,” Drew smiled at Emily.
“Think about what I said,” Emily pleaded.
Drew doubted she’d be able to avoid thinking about Emily’s words no matter how much she tried. Scarlett walked up next, and Drew tried to hide her dread. She placed the stencil on Scarlett’s left forearm right above her wrist.
“I suppose you want to tell me to forgive Brooke too?” Drew groaned.
“Nope,” Scarlett said with a smile.
Drew eyed the woman suspiciously.
“Why not?” Drew asked, her eyebrow raised in blatant appraisal of Scarlett.
