Pins and Needles

My straight blonde hair laid perfectly on my pale freckled face. Not that the sun induced marks could think of showing with the amount of make-up I artistically applied. Had even learned how to cover the scar under my chin I had received as an infant. My leggings and long sweater kept me warm in the oddly spring like February daytime. Even my green eye make-up matched my green sweater as if I was in early anticipation of St. Patrick’s day. I came from Irish blood. I could pull it off. Or at least I had grown up thinking that was at the case. Never received an answer on the matter.

The unique facade of the Wooster Street Social Club was within sight. Why I had thought of walking in that day instead of taking the train was beyond me. Maybe it was the need of enjoying a nice NYC afternoon or it could have been an attempt to walk off my hangover. Either way I felt fine as I walked up the steps and into the tattoo shop I had started working at solely to pay off my ink. After a month of good work, I was offered a permanent home at the shop and with how much I felt at home there, a yes had literally flown out of my mouth followed my some slightly embarrassing squeals of excitement.

“Hey AC!” the dark skinned, dark haired, yet wore red contacts receptionist called out as I entered the shop. Tonya only called me by the show's name when they were filming. “You have your first appointment in three hours, here early?”

Oh. Thought I was almost late. “I'm going to work on some sketches for clients.” Saved it! “I'm going this way...” Pointing as I walked in the direction my finger led too, I saw a smile start to form on her heavily pierced lip. It also meant I wasn't watching where I was walking.

My finger collided into a guy with a tie and blazer thing on. “You might want to watch where you are walking.” Ami James, famous tattoo artist, and shop owner that was suppose to be down in Miami still.

“Hey! Look Ami is back early guys!” starting to clap a few other artist joined it. And by artist, I mean my partners in crime. Tim Hendricks was the first to join me while attempting to hold back his laughter.
Ami's very own twin, as I usually referred to him since he was his apprentice, Billy Decola smiled widely and even Tonya joined in. It was when I noticed the shop was missing a few people that were suppose to be working already.

Stopping my hands from colliding in claps, I walked around my boss and over to the drawing table. I had sprayed perfume enough to cover the liquor smell and hopefully it hadn't warn off on the long walk across town. A girl had come in a week before to get a vampire kitten creature tearing out of her ribs and I had the sketch almost done already. The sheet of paper next to it was a different story. It held the vague beginnings of a dragon's body.

“Alison.” the show's producer tapped my shoulder softly to keep me from screwing my my work. “It's time for a short interview down in the basement, dear.” the man with graying hair asked softly.

Entering the dark room, I sat on the chair and positioned myself in my usual manner. One leg over the other, leaning to show as much as my lock and key chest piece as I could and still show a hint of my sleeves. “So.” the producer asked from behind the camera man. “Tell us about your family.” is face seemed as though he was expecting a happy story. It was far from that.

Sighing I grasped at where to actually start. “I don't really participate in my family life much.” I confessed feeling some wounds resurface. “It hadn't been exactly the best of time when I did. Mostly after certain lies came to light. It created this … this kind of void between us and now the only person I talk to his my half brother Jordan.” feeling myself almost choke a bit, I took a few moments before continuing. “I've had to recreate a family of friends that I love so much and most of those people work right under this roof.” the statement was true and pained me that I had to pick a new family in my life. I was only twenty-five and I had already been through too much.

After wiping the single tear from my eye, I took a few minutes to gather my emotions before returning to the design I had been working on for my appointment that was only a few minutes away by that point. Sketching the beginning of the creature's head, which had a noble position to it, I jumped with Tonya called for me. “AC! Your appointment is totally waiting for you!” her sweet, near valley-girl voice didn't make it any better.

I had to get it done and over with. I had promised Jordan the tattoo as a birthday present. Damn him turning eighteen already. Standing up, I pulled my sweater into place and strolled over towards the desk. His black hair had grown over his face, nearly covering his face. Not to mention he wore a dirty looking Finder Shirt and crappy jeans. Was probably just a phase. The woman next to him caused my blood start to boil and if not for the extreme amount of concealer on my face, I would have been red-faced with anger. I told him not to bring her. “Hey Jordan!” I faked what little happiness the woman hadn't sucked out of me. “Can't believe you are eighteen! Is this a real ID?” Tonya snickered next to me after passing the New York State driver's license to me. “You have someone make this? Though you were like thirteen still!”

“Think you are just getting old sweetie!” Tonya placed her hand on my shoulder for support. “You can't freeze people ages.”

Damn her for pointing that out. I would have laughed if my mother didn't start snickering. “Mom stop.” Jordan warned her.

“So, Jordan. Let me show you the drawing I have and we can take it from there.” Turning to fetch the design I had left on the drawing table like an idiot, I cursed under my breath the whole way there and back. “This is a very rough idea an-”

“It's perfect!” the new adult smiled. Didn't know he was capable of doing that. “Can we have icy around him? Like he's breaking out of it?” Liked where he was going with this.

Nodding I saw Tonya even getting excited. The only one not happy was the venomous so-called mother. “You can go chill over on the couch while I draw this up the rest of the way.”

Jordan started walking over while our mother remained in her stance. “Can't even say hello?”

“This is a professional setting that you know you are not welcomed in. I told you years ago I never wanted to speak to you again, and I wasn't bluffing.” I kept my voice down to keep it so only the few people right in that area could hear it. “You can leave now.” Turning to get back to work, I sighed out of frustration when I saw she hadn't moved at all. I wouldn't be able to remain calm for long and the future of Jordan's arm depended on me keeping a cool head. Otherwise his kick-ass ice-breaking dragon may have turned into a portrait of our mother hanging from a noose.