Sweet Children Come Out And Play

“You want another tattoo, already? Weren’t you people just here?” Tom said at the front counter of the usual tattoo parlor on Telegraph Avenue – one of many. They were calling the place Zebra now.

“Ah, yeah. Well, no, that was like a month ago. I got a good one.” Billie reached into his pocket and pulled out the photo strip of his wife from the other day. “Can you draw this?”

Tom took it from him and looked at it for a moment. “Yeah, sure. I’ll work on that.”
“Also, I want to get something here,” he pointed to the spot on his arm above the angel wing and below the ring of ivy that went around it. “I want to write her name.”

“Well, ok. You sure about this girl? It’s sorta permanent remember.”

“We tried to talk him out of it,” Mike shook his head. “You know you’ve only been married to ‘er for six months.”

“Seven now. And yeah, I’m pretty fucking sure or I wouldn’t be doing it.”

“Ok, whatever you say. Sit down and pick a font,” Tom said walking over to one of the chairs.

“Something pretty like that.” Pretty. A-huh.

“Ok. And you are sure this is how you spell it?”

“Yes! I think I fucking know how to spell my own wife’s name by now.”

Tom was setting up the ink. “Well, one guy who came in here didn’t. He wrote her name down, said that was it and he was positive. Dumbshit didn’t read it until it was inked on him,” Tom laughed. “We had to make the E a flower.”

“I see,” he half laughed. “Well, I’m sure now just don’t change it.”

“There,” Tom said after he was done with the sketch and laid down the first ink outline.

“That’s great. Hmm…” he looked in the mirror. “Maybe a little lower though.”

“Ok,” Tom rubbed off the blue and reprinted the outline.

“That’s good.”

Tre walked back in with a sandwich. He had just been in the vintage thrift store across the street. Didn’t find anything interesting though. Mike stood in the front looking at the flash art. “I like that one,” he pointed taking a glug of Sprite.

“That’s gay,” Tre said most helpfully.

“Good, then I’ll defiantly get it,” he rolled his eyes.

“Really.”

Mike looked at the skull design again. “Neh.”

“How about this one,” Tre pointed to a can.

“That’s just stupid.”

“Oww!” Billie whined.

“I said I was starting,” Tom rolled his eyes.

“Well, I wasn’t paying attention to that. Ow!”

“I didn’t do anything that time.”

“It hurts now.”

“Billie, next time don’t drink coffee and then come and get a tattoo. Now sit still and shut-up.”
~
“Hey, look, I got a surprise. Another one,” he pointed to the bandage on his arm as he pulled up the sleeve of his shirt.

Delphine smiled, “Again, awesome. She leaned over and looked. Through the clear plastic bandage, she could clearly see her name spelled out in scrolly letters. “Aww, Billie, it’s for me,” she smiled and kissed him and stared at it for another second. Really, she had always thought putting your boyfriend or girlfriend’s name on you permanently is not a very good idea. What if you break up later down the road? It was the top reason for getting a tattoo removed. But seeing her name on Billie Joe’s arm made her all the more happy for that reason. He meant it when he said he still loved her. But she already knew that. She thought silently while looking over the beautifully done photo strip tattoo. It really made her want to cry. “Billie, I love it. Thank you.” She kissed him. Still, it gave her stomach a flutter all the same. Speaking of stomach; she was fucking starving.
~
Brites was standing alone in the hallway of her new little home admiring the lonely tree out the window. She had just gotten out of the shower and the only thing covering her was the thin towel around her waist. Then there was a tug on the bottom of the towel and it fell easily to the floor. She screamed and flipped around to find a guilty horny Mike staring at her and going for a kiss. For the first time, they had the whole house to themselves. Really, they didn’t even have to wait until they reached the bedroom.

“Ah, FMike, is fthe door locked?” she said through full lips.

“Umhm.” That meant yes.

“mOk.”

He pushed her gently against the wall and started kissing down her neck. He wasn’t wearing any clothes either. She stopped worrying that someone would see through the window and was just getting into this. That was why she never heard the knock at the door or when Delphine, Cody and Tre walked straight through the front door; making Tre first to turn around in the hall.

“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame! You give Love… a bad name!” he was singing Bon Jovi until he turned around and “AH!” he just about screeched, and the girls looked their way as Mike and Brites scrambled to pick up the one towel and ran into their room with Brites yelling, “MIKE! I thought you said you LOCKED THE DOOR!”
“Wait! Can I join you!” Tre called after them.

“Oh, the door. Like the front door? I thought you meant the refrigerator,” they heard Mike say dumbly back.

“Why on earth would I tell you to lock the refrigerator?”

“Well, I CLOSED the refrigerator. I wasn’t listening to that part.”

“And why are you people here!?”

“What were you doing it in the hall for?” Cody replied. “You’ve blinded us all!”

“Not me!” said Tre.

“Well, it is our house!” Brites called back through the door with much rummaging inside.

Mike walked out hurriedly throwing on a shirt and sweatpants in
annoyance. “You people ruined the moment you know.”

“We did knock. Not our fault,” Delphine said crossing her arms. “And you two do it thirty times a day anyway, so I will assume you will find another chance.”

“I heard that!” Brites said, still inside. “What are you doing here?”

“We just wanted to see what you guys were up to.”

“We can see now.”

“Well that’s just great!”

“Are you coming out?” Cody said.

“Wait! Don’t put on clothes yet!” Tre cried.

“I have clothes on thank you and no.”

“We’re sorry, now come out.”

Brites slumped through the door of her bedroom wearing a yellow bathrobe. “You’re pretty hot when you’re naked,” Tre smiled smugly.

“Aren’t most girls?” Mike added.

“Oh shut the fuck up Tre!”

“Tre, you’re not helping me out here, man.”

“You look sexy when you’re mad too.”

She hit him in the shoulder and crossed her arms before marching back into the room again. “Will you stop being a Jackass!”

“Ouch, don’t hit me!” he whined.

“Dude,” Mike punched him in the same place and went after Brites.

“Ouch, ok seriously man, that one really hurt.”

Mike walked in and sat next to Brites on the bed. “Sorry.”

“Mike, they all practically saw us naked,” she rolled her eyes again.

“I promise I will lock the door next time.”

“Good, because that was a dumbass thing to do.”

“I know…” he started leaning over the bed towards her.

“No. Mike! How can you still be turned on after that!” she whispered.

“Baby, I’m nineteen. Looking at linoleum turns me on.”

“What are they doing in there?” Cody asked from outside the door.

Delphine sighed, “Um, I think they’re going to be busy. Let’s go.” She knocked on the door, “Guy’s we’re leaving now!”

“MOk!” Mike called.

“Oh, dammit,” Tre grumbled as they left. “I’ve gotta go find Richelle.”