The Pain I've Grown to Know

Zion was wobbling around the tattoo and piercing parlor, that had become his second home, pointing at pretty much anything that was in his path, his questioning big green eyes looking at either Lea or Sonny, waiting for either one of them to verbalize what he was pointing at.

Sonny was her boss. Well, they knew each other since almost 8 years at this stage, so he always refereed to her as his friend, rather than his employee. Him and two of his friends- Bill and Tony- owned this place and had hired Lea a couple of times in the past to slap together a good few portfolios of their tattoo and piercing work over the years, even take pics for various tattoo magazine publications that the shop or only one of them was featured in. Since she lived here, she had become indispensable with sorting out their daily appointments, taking phone calls and simply, muse customers when they had to wait a little until it was their turn.

Zion had reached Sonny and and held on to his knee, smiling up at him in delight.

"You know, my son loves you just as much as that teddy you got him when he was born, right?"

Sonny laughed his deep laughter and picked Zion up, so that his little feet were standing on his own thighs, before hoisting him up in the air above his head, causing Zion to squeak with excitement.

"No way, he'll never love anyone or anything as much as that God forsaken teddy...apart from you of course! You think it's at all possible to secretly replace it without him noticing? It looks disgusting, if I would have known that a toddler could cause so much wear-and-tear I would have spent more than just $5!"

Lea walked around the counter and towards the couch that he was sitting on, prying the baby out of Sonny's hands.

"Bullshit, there is no way he wouldn't notice! He's crying already when I wash that thing over night every fortnight, terrible saliva-soaked thing. I guess he notices the different smell!"

Zion smiled at her and cradled his head against her neck, as his little arms wrapped around the back of her head, his hands just about touching each other. There was no discussion: her son was loved and adored by all the guys here and all their friends loved him to pieces as well...but Sonny and him had a somehow special bond, above all the others.
Sonny had given Lea this job even before she knew that she was an expecting mother. He was the one person that had been helping her out a lot, coming to terms with her past, the mental battle if Lea should or shouldn't keep this baby. He had always said that he would take care of Lea and the kid, no matter who the father was or if she'd ever tell the real father that he had a kid.

"Yeah, he's pretty clever, just like his mum. Here, pass me that little devil over again and get us some coffee, would you?"

Ah yeah! It was that time of the morning that he would send her on a small coffee run, so that he could slip Zion some sweets.. Lea didn't want her kid to eat too many sugary things he was hyperactive enough, but Sonny and him had this little midday ritual. "Coffee" had pretty much become a sort of code word for the two of them and whenever the word left Sonny's lips, Zions big bright jade eyes would sparkle in apprehension.
Sonny knew that Lea wasn't oblivious to their little secret, but she kept my mouth shut, as long as he didn't spoil her baby too much.

"Yeah, and for some reason I get the feeling that he loves you even more whenever you send me to the coffee shop...I can't put my finger on it yet, but I am on to you two!"

Sonny just winked at her as she passed him her baby boy, who had started squirming around in her arms when the word "coffee" had been brought up, stretching his little arms out to his unofficial father figure in his life.
People that didn't know us always assumed that Zion was Sonny's and Lea's son. It was not only Sonny's adorable hazel green eyes, but the way him and Zion were interacting with each other.

"Stop thinking that I am blackmailing him for his love! Go get your sexy ass out and come back with loads of cappuccino!"

her boss snickered before giving her a kiss on the cheek and slapping her firm behind. She was planning on a come-back to this, but Zion's little arms were pushing her away towards the back door, still on Sonny's chest, and Sonny started laughing that there was no tomorrow.

"That's crazy: he even knows that the way through the back is a short cut to the coffee shop!"

Lea mouthed in mocked shock, kissed Zion good bye and slipped out the back.