Scars

It had been on her mind all day. Stella’s words running through her mind as she drove through Huntington. She was right. She’d been right for the past three and a half years. Luke had gone. Five years he’d been gone and he was never coming back. She needed to move on. She needed to allow herself to be happy with someone again.

She let out a slow exasperated sigh.

But was Brian the person to fill that roll? Should she call him and give him a chance? And then there was Jake to think about. What would he think of her finding someone? Would he just think she was forgetting about Luke or being disrespectful of his memory?

Talk to him about it. a voice in her mind whispered.

Turning onto Warner Avenue, Tonya bit her lip with the thought, knowing that it was a thought that would need a little more attention which was something she couldn’t give to it right now.

Pulling up outside the salon she worked in and part-owned, she stepped out of the car, locking it before heading inside.

“Hey T, thought it was your day off?” one of the stylists, Heather, greeted her with a smile.

“So did I, but Julia called me in about something.” she replied. “She in the office?”

“Has been most of the day.” Heather replied, turning her attention back to pinning up the client’s hair.

She made her way towards the back of the salon, stopping off at the water cooler to fill two cups before heading to the office.

“This had better be good.” Tonya teased as she entered the office, finding Julia sat behind the desk, a pile of paper work in front of her. “You okay sweetie?”

Julia looked up with a forced smile, taking the cup of water Tonya offered her. “Not really, no.”

“Sweetie what’s wrong? Karl still causing trouble?” Tonya asked sitting down opposite her business partner of four and a half years.

“He’s taking me for everything I’ve got, including this place.” She replied solemnly. “I’m sorry T.”

“What for? What do you mean exactly?” Tonya asked slightly confused.

“He’s claiming that because he helped me out when we opened this place, that he’s entitled to half of it, or at least half of my half.” She explained. “So I’m having to sell my half.”

“What? No, that’s not…fuck that prick!” Tonya yelled.

“I’m sorry T, I wish there was a way around this; I’ve spent all day going through everything trying to find away around it, but it’s my only option.” Julia said with a sullen smile.

“Hey, it’s not your fault.” She replied.

“No, it’s my fucking dick of a cheating ex husband’s fault. Of course I’m going to give you first refusal to buy me out.” she said.

Tonya sighed, “Thanks, um, I don’t know what to say right now. I don’t want to lose you as a partner.” She said with a pout.

“I know, I don’t want this either.” Julia said.

“Guess I’ll be paying my bank manager a visit soon.” Tonya replied with a sigh.

“The bastard’s actually getting the place valued too, to make sure he gets the right price for his share.” Julia said.

“That man’s got a fucking nerve, I swear.” Tonya said with a shake of her head. “He best stay clear of me for the foreseeable future or he may find himself chewing on his balls.”

Julia chuckled, “He’ll have to reattach them first.”

“That’s my girl.” Tonya winked. “Right, sorry Hun, but unless there’s anything else, I’ve gotta go pick Jake up.”

“No, that’s it, and sorry for calling you in on your day off but I thought you’d want to know straight away.” she replied.

“That’s okay, but thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Tonya said standing up to leave.

*~*~*

Throwing his kit back into his bag, Brian grabbed his vibrating phone and read the message he’d just received, sighing slightly when he saw it was from Matt. He would never admit it to anyone, but there was a part of him that had hoped that every time it had buzzed that it was a message from Tonya. She’d been on his mind since he and Matt had left the bar the night before. If he was honest, he thought she was beautiful and had loved the way they had been able to talk so easily from the moment they’d met. He was also intrigued by what she’d meant with the comment of her situation being complicated.

“That was some good grappling out there kiddo.” Brian looked up from his cell to see his mate Dan talking to one of the teenagers who was in his Jujitsu group.

“Thanks.” Jake replied smugly packing his kit into his backpack.

“Yeah dude, if you carry on like that, then you’ll walk the competition in a couple of weeks.” Brian added with a smile.

“Really? Thanks.” Jake replied as he retrieved his ringing cell phone from his pocket. “Hi mom, yeah okay, I’m on my way.”

Grabbing his backpack as he hung up his phone, he turned back at the sound of Dan’s voice. “I’ll see you next week.”

“You want another ass kicking off a kid? Sure, I don’t mind doing that to you again.” he replied smugly, watching the grin slip quickly from Dan’s lips.

Brian chuckled next to him, clutching his side, “Jake, I’m liking you more and more each day.”

Jake smiled in reply, “Later’s losers.” He called casually over his shoulder as he turned to leave, smiling as he heard Dan mutter something under his breath followed by more laughter from Brian.

He walked out of the club, aware that Brian and Dan weren’t too far behind him as he made his way through the parking lot towards his mother’s car.

“Hey mom.” He said as he got into the car, causing her to jump from where she had been deep in thought. Since leaving the salon, all she’d thought about was what was going to happen now that Julia was being forced to sell her half of the business. Would she be able to afford to buy her share? Would she find herself with a new partner? What if she was left with no other option than to sell up too? How would she provide for her and Jake if that happened?

“Oh hey kiddo, good day?” she asked with a weak smile.

“Yeah, I managed to kick this one guy’s ass. And there’s this competition coming up and they think I have a really good chance in it.” he replied with a proud smile.

“Really? That’s awesome.” She replied proudly as she started the engine, reversing out of her parking space.

“Yeah, it’s in three weeks.” he replied.

“Cool, you’ve got plenty of time to get even better then.” She said with a smile, not paying any attention to the two guys Jake gave a small wave to as they pulled out of the parking lot.

“Right, now, I’m giving you a fifty dollar limit for the food for your birthday, and we’ve still got your present to buy.” She said. Sunday would see Jake’s fifteenth birthday and she was allowing him to have a few of his friends over to the house on the Saturday evening. When she had asked him what he had wanted to do for his birthday she had been secretly grateful that he had not asked to have a party. Instead he had been content with the thought of having a group of his closest friends over to play video games, watch films and eat junk food. He was even content with the thought of his mom and Stella being upstairs watching films in her bedroom, on the condition that’s where she would stay.

She had also told him that she would take him shopping for his birthday presents, not wanting to disappoint him with something he didn’t want or like and giving him something more than a card with gift vouchers in to open the morning of his birthday.

“Cool, there’s a few new games I want so we can play them on Saturday.” He said with a grin. “Gavin will be so jealous if I get them first.”

Tonya glanced over at him and smiled, the pleased with himself look he wore bringing back memories of Luke when he was fifteen, making her realise that even if she did finally move on, her memory of Luke would never fade thanks to her son.