Hate Me, Love Me, Protect Me.

(a month later.) I got out of my truck and walked up to open the door to my tattoo shop. I opened up the window shades and left the door open. I flicked on my lamp on my desk and powered up the company's laptop.

my co-worker, Jazz, walked in and went straight to her work area. "Hey, Zar. Do you still have a 6 pm open?" Jazz asked. "Yeah why?" I asked looking at my schedule that was on the computer. "Do you think you can retouch up the tattoo on my shoulder?" She asked. "Yeah of course. James and Kimmie work today right?" I asked. "Yup." Jazz said.

"You look just like a little angel baby
But I know you love a little danger, baby
Everything about you girl is just my style
You got some wild in your smile" My phone rung. "Hey Leland. What's up?" I asked answering my phone. "Hey Zar, Do you have time to do a tattoo?" He asked. "We accept walk ins Le." I smiled. "I know but I want you to be doing this tattoo." He said. "Yeah come on in. Walk back to my work area when you get here. I'm bout to finish up a tattoo now." I said. "Okay, bye Z." "Bye L" I smiled.

"Zariah! we're out of that foam blue and dragon red." James said walking into my work area. "There is 3 new cases of all bottles in the back of my truck. If you wait untill Leland gets here, I'm sure you and him can get all 3." I said, not looking up from finishing the tattoo of a lion I was doing. "Okay." James said walking back to his area. "What about until Leland gets here?" Leland asked from behind me. "Will you help James get those cases of color from the back of my truck. My keys are in my desk." "Yes. Why don't you go and pick out a tattoo Maui?" Leland said. "Okay." She said. "Okay, your finished. I said before gradding the covering for the tattoo and lightly putting it on. "I love your work." Mike said. "Thanks. You paid me last week so we're good." I said. "Thank you." Mike said before walking out. I took off my gloves and took the needle out of my tattoo gun throwing both of them away.

I walked up to the front to see Leland with his arm around who I guess to be Maui. "Leland, come on back when your ready." I said. Maui got up and followed me. "I'm Zariah, Have you picked out a tattoo or have any ideas?" I asked. "I would like a rose on hip." Maui said. I drew it up and she liked it so I started to get to work on her. Leland came back and sat on the other side of her. He smiled at me. I smiled back.

"Hey baby...yeah I got that tattoo you wanted....yeah I love it.... You'll be able to see it to night baby but I gotta go, Leland's coming. Love you bye." Maui said into her phone as I wiped down my work area. I know I shouldn't have ease dropped but I couldn't help it.

"Hey Zariah, there is a couple here saying that they are your parents." Kimmie said walking into the supply closet, where I was restocking our colors. Leland looked at me. "I'll be right there." I said getting up from the floor. I walked out into the front. "Oh my baby!" My mom said, coming towards me for a hug. "I don't like being touched." I said. "Where did you go? Oh my god look at you! How far along are you?" "I went to Colorado, If you read the letter that I left you would have found that out. I'm 27 weeks. What do you guys want?" I asked. "We finally found our daughter. How old are you know? 19?" My father asked. "I'm 23." I said. "It's been how long now?" My mom asked. "Look I know this is just a huge act to get me to come and visit you. So why are you really here?" I asked. "What happened to you? The sweet innocent you? The little girl we raised?" My dad asked. "You fucking killed her. I raised my self so don't even take anything from calling me your daughter. I stopped being your daughter the night you said you rather find me dead in a ditch than share the same last name." I said. "Who's the father. Do you even know?" My mom said. "Yeah I do and he is in jail for abusing me." I said. "Zariah." Leland said. "So what? You came back here to be with Leland? He has a family you little home wreaker." My mom said. "I know." "We're about to get a divorce." Leland said. I looked at him. "What. See, I bet Zariah doesn't even love Leland, but she will be more than happy to ruin a marriage." My mom said. "I don't love Leland? Why else would I come back here? To see you guys? You're fucking funny. I didn't know that Leland and Maui were going to get a divorce." I said. "Little home wreaker. If you love Leland so much why don't you kiss him?" My dad said. I turned and grabbed Leland by the collar of his shirt and kisses him hard. I let him go. "There. Now stay the fuck out of my life." I said. Before grabbing my keys and putting my sunglasses on. I got in my truck and left my shop.

I sat on top of one of the cliffs at the beach with my feet hanging over. My phone played music. "Leland said you would be up here." Beth said from behind me. "Hey Beth, Hey Duane." I said looking over my shoulder at them. They sat on either side of me. "Leland told us what happened to day." Duane said. I nodded, not sure what all he told. "I think it's good that you came back here. Strong. Just shows how much of a fighter you still are." Duane said. "I knew that they would find me. I just made it easier when I opened the shop." I said. "Yeah but you didn't keep running. You face them." Beth said. There was a comfortable silence for a few seconds than Duane spoke up. "Why did you take off?" "When a parent says that they rather find you dead in a ditch than share the same last name as you, you feel like they don't want to even sense that you are around. The feeling you get makes you wish that you were dead." I said. "We didn't know that. We thought you took off just to take off. I never saw that much panic in a town. Everyone knew you and loved you" Beth said. "Yeah I guess I just forgot that I had people to run to, I kinda panicked." I said. "We where in Colorado for a few months at a time. I can't believe that we never saw you." Duane said. "Yeah I know. I was in Denver the whole time." I said. "How about you come and have dinner with us? The whole family is going to be there. Leland's boys. Not sure about Maui." Beth said. "Okay." I said getting up.

I stood next to the pool and watched the boys play. Colbie came up. "Colbie up." He said holding his arms up. "Okay" I said. I picked up the two year old and he smiled at me. I smiled back.

Colbie had gotten down for some toys and brought them back and forth. "That's a fire truck." I said when he picked it up and handed it to me. I sat on the grass with him and played trucks.

"You wore him out." Leland smiled, looking at the sleeping Colbie on my shoulder. "Where do I put him?" I asked handing Leland his towel. "I'll take him and lay him down inside." "Okay" I said as he grabbed Colbie.

"Dakota, play nice." I said when I spotted him playing rough with Cecily. "Okay." He said and went back to playing.

Leland's p.o.v

I watched as Zariah played with Colbie. "She's a good girl." Beth said standing next to me. "I know." I said. "I've never seen Colbie take to a person like this before" Beth said. "He is usually shy." I said taking a bite of my hamburger. "She is going to be a good mom." Beth said before going and grabbing the camera.

Zariah smiled as Beth snapped a picture of Colbie and her sitting in the grass. I looked at Dakota playing with his cousins. Colbie was laughing and was having fun. Maybe Beth is right.

I got out of the pool again and saw that Colbie was fast asleep on Zariah's shoulder. I got out and walked over. "You wore him out." I said smiling at her. "Yeah where do I put him?" She asked. Her eyes are a light blue and took my breath away. "I'll take him and lay him down inside." I said. She nodded and I lifted him from her. I walked into the house and laid Colbie down on the couch.
I knew for a fact that Zariah is going to make a great mom.

My dad was sharing stories. "This one is for Zariah." My dad said. "Oh no." She laughed. "Well it was her 14th birthday party and it was at the beach. It was lightly cloudy and the water was a dark pretty blue. So we did the whole birthday thing and the kids went back and played in the water. She swam out so far that when she realized what she did she screamed bloody murder and of course before anyone jumped out to save her we all turned and look and she does her tense of her body, her fist are up and her eyes are clenched shut and all you can see is Leland and Duane Lee swimming out to save her. When the boys finally get to her she is freaked out and doesn't even care what they do she just wants to get back to the shore. They all get back and when everyone asked what was wrong and her answer was that she couldn't see her feet and something swam by them." My dad said. "Hey, that was a very tragic moment in my life." She laughed. My dad laughed.

"Can you get home okay?" I asked as I held her door open for her. "Yeah. I have to stop by the Tattoo shop and grab the bank bag." She said. "At night?" I asked. "Yeah what's wrong with that?" She asked looking at me. "That's a rough neighbor hood." I said, pulling my arms on her door. "I'll be careful. I promise." She said. "Promise me you'll got through the back." I said. She looked up at me like 'are you freaking serious. "Or you can just go with me. Sit in your car, make sure I don't get grabbed." She said. "Okay. I'll be right behind you." I said. I press the lock door button and she rolled her eyes.

She waved bye as she got back in her car. I waved back and pulled out after her. I looked in my review mirror at the boys and there where still asleep. I turned the radio on low and listened to the music.

I woke up Dakota. "Hey, Kota, were home." I said as he looked at me. He rubbed his eyes and got out of the truck. I unbuckled Colbie and carried him into the house. Dakota was asleep in his bed. I laid Colbie down and took off his shoes. I kissed his head. I walked over to Dakota and took off his shoes. I kissed his head too. "Night boys. Love you." I said closing the door. I went to my room to see Maui crashed out. I stripped down to my boxers and climbed in bed with her. I turned my back her way and slept with Zariah on my mind.

Zariah's P.O.V

I woke up with the sound of my phone going off. "Hmm?" I said into it. "Zariah, where are you? the system messed up and everyone has doubles today. and the power isnt working." Jazz said. "I turn the power off at night, just go and switch it on. What do you mean everyone has doubles today?" I asked. "The comptuer is saying that we have doubles. And there are a bunch of walk ins already." Jazz said. "Okay, I'll be there in 45." I said getting up.

I pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top, leaving my hair in a simple braide. I put on a little bit of eye liner and some blush before locking up the house and driving to work. I parked in the back and walkd to the front. Kimmie and James where tatttooing as fast and as good as possible and Jazz was working on the computer. "I don't know who's next." Jazz said. "Calm down, I have a back up plan." I said pulling out a planner and putting it down in front of her. "Looks like we're going to be doing things old school." I said.

It was around 8 and the sun was setting when we finally got done with all the tattoos. "How about we just lock up and I'll pay for dinner?" I said. "That sounds awesome." They all agreed. We all locked up our stations and I put the laptop computer in my truck and locked up the door. I drove down to a little place down by the beach. "We all look out of place." I laughed. "People are all dressed niced and we are here just dressed for the day." James said. "I don't care, I just want to eat." The girls said.

I paid the bill and we all went our different ways. I had forgotten my phone and sunglasses at the shop so I drove back to the shop. It had gave off that freaky feeling but I shook it off and unlocked the door and turn on my desk lap. I grabbed my phone and sunglasses. When I walked by the desk again I noticed that I didn't do the books so I turned on the radio and started to do the books and get everyone's pay check ready for pay day tomorrow.

I was cleaning up my area when Leland came in. "Zariah, what did I tell you about being here at night." He said. "I know what you said but I'm the boss and I have to be here to do the books and checks and clean up at least my area." I said. "That could have waitied. How long have you been on your feet?" He asked. "I've been on my feet all day because the computer system crashed. So I really didn't have time to sit down and rest." I said as I restocked everyone's needles and put a new box of gloves in everyones area. "Zariah, come on, lets go. The rest can wait untill tomorrow." Leland said. "I want to get it done now." I said. "Zariah." Leland said. "You can leave Leland, I'm safe here by myself." I growled. I saw that I was pushing a button. "Zariah, I already told you that it's not safe being here at night. What happens if youre water breaks early? Than what? Your going to drive yourself to the hospital" Leland growled. "Why the hell do you care? Don't you have a wife to go home to? Dakota and Colbie?" I asked. "Don't bring them in to this?" He said. "I''m just stating the fact that you have a family to go home to." I said before walking to my desk. Leland grabbed my arm. "Don't touch me." I said. I hated being touched when things were tensed between to people. "All you know what love is when you get smaked around. Maybe you should go and bail out Leo. Let him show you how much he loves you." Leland said before letting go of my arm and walking away. "Fucking hate me than." I screamed as he reached for the door. I went back to my work station and got out my black ink and started to tattoo my self.