Charming

by Susie Kaye Lopez

“Thanks, Rylee. This was the best day I have had since Charming disappeared. It was a perfect escape from real life. I didn’t realize how much I needed it.”

  “I’m glad, Sophie. I knew this was the only place that might take your mind off your problems for awhile. I have to admit I am used to you handling my crises, not the other way around. I certainly owe you a few.”

  “I couldn’t have handled any of this without you. You really are a lifesaver, Ry. You knew just what I needed.”

  “The Happiest Place on Earth works every time!” We laughed and she hugged me, making me so thankful for my best friend.

  Chapter 25

  My week dragged by, each day feeling like ten. Classes were attended, homework completed, meals eaten. I slept deeply, no dreams interrupted my slumber. I awoke well-rested and lonely. I made my appointment with one of the two artists that Colin had recommended and my excitement for my tattoo was the only thing that made me feel anything.

  After careful deliberation I had decided on a sketch. It wasn’t as hard a decision as I expected. I chose one I had drawn the day after the night I first dreamed of Charming. The pictures I drew after the dreams began showed a depth of emotion in his expressions that the previous ones lacked. Whenever Charming looked at me his heart had shown through. Charming never attempted to play games or hide his feelings, and I smiled through tears as I looked through the dozens of examples in my sketchbooks. His love was so evident and I was anxious to see his likeness on my skin.

  Colin was enthusiastic about my visit to the tattoo parlor and it gave us something to bond over besides my best friend. He patiently told me what to expect from start to finish and it made the mystery of the process disappear. I was never afraid of the pain, but he explained that it didn’t hurt nearly as much as people imagined it would. He said to keep in mind that the finished product would make any pain I did feel completely worth it.

  Thursday afternoon came along at last and I was happy to once again arrive at the airport to wait for Rylee’s arrival. Having her around had been my lifeline and I was relying more and more on her for my emotional support. If my leaning on her was a burden she never showed it. Kara had been out of town most of the week, she was just getting back today, so I had felt unusually alone. But we would all be going to dinner tonight and I was looking forward to being with them both. Their growing friendship with one another was the icing on the cake.

  For the third week in a row I found myself standing near the baggage area, eyes searching the elevator of travelers for her face. Waving happily when she finally appeared, she smiled and waved back.

  Heading for her quickly I hugged her tight. “Welcome back again!”

  “You mean welcome home. I already think of this as home and Arizona as a business trip I have to get through every week!” We laughed and she met my eyes asking, “You still ready to ink up your body tomorrow?”

  “You bet! Thank you for going with me. It will be so much less scary with you holding my hand. You will distract me from the needles and the blood,” I said, only half kidding.

  “Oh gee, sounds like fun,” she grimaced and we both laughed.

  “Are we meeting Kara for dinner?”

  I nodded my head as we headed out the door, “Indian food. That okay?”

  “Sounds great, I’m starving!!”

  “Good, we’ll meet her there now. Too bad Colin can’t make it. I wanted them to meet each other.”

  “I think he wishes he could be there too, but the rehearsal is important. He is really getting a lot of shows lined up. He wrote a new song for his show Saturday and he says it’s about me!”

  “That is so romantic! I can’t wait to hear.” I unlocked the car and after tossing her bag in the back seat we headed to meet Kara. We found parking quickly, which wasn’t easy downtown, and got to the restaurant just ahead of Kara. When she arrived and we were seated and had our dinner ordered she surprised us when she spoke.

  “So Sophie, are you nervous about tomorrow or is that just excitement I am sensing? The needles don’t hurt too bad, at least mine didn’t.”

  “You have a tattoo, Kara?” Rylee asked.

  “Three.” Her answer made Rylee and I look at one another in surprise. She kept talking, “The one on my wrist was the only one that really bothered me.”

  She unbuckled her white oversized watch and showed us the delicate key tattooed there. “The other two are on my hip and the back of my neck. They are small too. You will love yours Sophie, and it will be beautiful. He will do a perfect job on your sketch. Don’t worry, you will never regret having it done.”

  “Are you sure about that Kara?” Rylee asked, skeptically.

  “Rylee, you are so against Sophie getting this tattoo because it doesn’t match up with your image of her. This means a lot to her, and she will still be the same girl. And so will you, after you get your own tattoo soon.”

  “What? I’m going to get a tattoo? No way!”

  “Yes you will. You and Colin are going to get each other’s names on your ring fingers.”

  “Seriously?” Her face looked shocked and she hesitated, taking the idea in. “That is kind of cute actually.” We could see her warming up to the idea.

  “You will put a ring over it when you are around your parents.”

  “That is crazy, but a good idea. My folks would flip out.”

  “Yes, well, Colin would be disappointed if you mention this right now. He hasn’t even come up with the idea yet,” Kara smiled, and Rylee and I looked at each other and laughed.

  “I won’t say a thing, I promise,” she said, before turning to me. “Soph, I am so sorry that I haven’t been very supportive of this idea. I have a whole new attitude, you’ll see.”

  “Thanks Ry, but it’s fine if you have your own opinion. I know that I would never have entertained the idea even two months ago. I see why the whole thing freaked you out.”

  The conversation turned to other topics and I was able to forget everything but the friendship we shared. I was so grateful for both of them. Kara had fast become a dear and trusted friend and I loved her. As we picked at dessert and were getting ready to leave Kara spoke one last time, her words aimed at me.

  “Tomorrow will be a big day Sophie, one you will never forget.” Her words held a curious weight and I felt that she wanted to say more but held back. The moment passed and I forgot all about them as we all parted ways and headed to our respective homes.

  Chapter 26

  I awoke with the usual let down feeling, an actual ache in the pit of my stomach because once again I had failed to dream. Stretching, I forced my eyes open and focused on the clock next to my bed. It read 7:45 and I sighed. Rylee and I had stayed awake talking until 2:30 and I had hoped to sleep in this morning. Remembering that today was tattoo day I smiled, a bit of excitement nudging the ache in my stomach aside.

  My appointment was not until 1:00 and it would take a couple hours to complete. I planned on eating a light lunch and taking four pain killers beforehand to take the edge off. Since I was having the tattoo done on my torso, I decided on wearing shorts with a bikini top under a button up shirt.

  Sitting up quietly, trying not to wake Rylee sleeping on an air mattress next to my bed, I reached for my sketch book and flipped through the pages just to make sure I had made the best choice. Staring at Charming’s face drawn from every angle in every expression made me miss him desperately. My eyes pooled with tears at the gentle way he always looked at me. When would I see him look at me again? Had Kara not told me she saw him coming back I don’t think I could bear this separation. I just focused on one thing every morning when I awoke. I was one day closer to Charming’s return and I prayed that day would be soon.

  “Sophie, why are you awake already?” a sleepy Riley murmured from the floor.

  “Oh, I’m sorry Ry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I woke up and couldn’t fall back to sleep.”

  “Are you nervous?”

  “No, not really. I thought I would be,
but I’m fine. I just can’t wait to have it done.”

  “Okay, good. I don’t want you to be afraid.”

  There was only one thing that truly frightened me about getting through this day. Once I had my tattoo what would I focus on next? What would distract me until Charming returned? Would he return to the Sophie he knew or a mere shell of a girl who wasn’t strong or brave enough to wait, who let separation destroy her? How pathetic was the girl he loved?

  “Ry, I think we should go take a walk on the beach and then go get breakfast instead of lunch. What do you think?”

  “I’m in. I’m starving.” She stood up and began to fold her blankets while I quickly made my bed and went over to the closet to choose a red and blue plaid shirt to go over my white bikini top. I pulled a pair of white shorts out of my dresser drawer and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. Ry took an even quicker one after me and we were out the door in record time.

  “It’s a perfect morning for the convertible,” Rylee said looking up at the bright blue sky. We walked towards the parking structure, the sun already hot on our skin.

  “We might as well take advantage then,” I said, and we drove with the top down, “Go Radio,” one of our favorite bands, blaring on the stereo. I pulled into a parking space in front of the park where I did a lot of my sketching and studying.

  “This is where I met Colin,” I said, pointing to the grassy area that overlooked the ocean. La Jolla was a favorite with both tourists and locals, and the grass was already filled with people parked on their blankets ready to spend the day in this gorgeous spot. We started walking and when our stomachs couldn’t hold out any longer, ended up at a charming little restaurant with an outdoor eating area looking over the ocean.

  “It’s like paradise here. When I move we should do this every Saturday. We could make it our ritual. We could bring Colin and Kara too!”

  I nodded at Rylee silently praying that Charming would be here also.

  “Definitely, we should plan on it. I love this place and I have been here a lot since school began. I love sketching at the park. Even reading for school is fun when you’re sitting in such a beautiful spot. Although, sometimes I end up studying my surroundings more than my textbooks.”

  “I could totally see how that would happen. Think how tan we will be though. It’s so hot in Arizona that it forces me to stay indoors. If it weren’t for visiting you I wouldn’t have any tan at all.”

  “Well, you and I learned an important lesson. We learned we are California girls and we need to be near the beach. After all, it’s all we have ever known. In this lifetime, anyway.”

  “True,” Rylee replied, smiling. Our conversation was interrupted by her phone ringing.

  “Colin,” she informed me after glancing at the screen, “he’s up, finally.” Her face lit up as she read his text message and I watched her reply, genuinely happy for my best friend.

  “He says he can’t wait to see the tattoo this afternoon.”

  “Tell him he will be the first one I show it to.”

  She continued to text as we paid the bill and walked back to where we left the car. She wanted to go shopping so we went to a little boutique Kara had recommended and shopped until it was time to head to my appointment.

  “I was beginning to worry just a little bit, my stomach feeling queasy, when my own cell phone rang and I read a text from Kara.

  “Deep breaths! It will be beautiful!”

  I smiled and typed back my response. “Thank you Kara! You are always there when I need you. Love you!”

  Chapter 27

  Pen to Skin looked exactly like Colin had described it. Small and clean, with two work stations divided by a partition. A tall, dark haired, heavily tattooed man in his thirties was working on a girl’s ankle and he turned to greet us when we came through the door.

  “Hi, I’m Rick. One of you must be Sophie.”

  “That would be me,” I smiled. “This is my friend Rylee, here for moral support.”

  “Well, I will be with you soon, go ahead and look at our work while you wait if you like.” He gestured to the photo albums that sat on a table between two chairs.

  “Okay, thanks.”

  Rylee and I sat down and opened the top album, marveling at the detailed artwork that had been done on an assortment of body parts. We knew from Colin that Rick and Travis were amazing artists and the best at their craft. Travis had done all of Colin’s work, but when I called and only Rick had an opening for today Colin had assured me that I would be thrilled with his work. If these photos were any indication,

  he was going to be right.

  Opening the second album, Rylee exclaimed aloud at the photo of Colin’s arm. There were several close up shots of each section of his full sleeve. I relaxed with each page I turned, knowing I was in excellent hands.

  When the girl’s tattoo was finished, I waited while she paid Rick and had my sketch ready when he finally invited me to have a seat at his station. We discussed my sketch and exactly how I wanted it placed and he patiently went over his process with me. Rylee, careful to stay out of his way, stood on my other side anxiously twisting a piece of her long, blonde hair around her finger. You would think she was the one lying in the chair. I was prepared to answer questions about Charming, who he was, and was I sure I wanted to wear his likeness on my skin for the rest of my lifetime, but Rick didn’t ask a thing. He just focused on his craft.

  When the tattoo was finally underway I took deep breaths and tried to adjust to the rhythm of the constant sting of the needle, my hand squeezing Rylee’s as she tried to smile reassuringly. I think she felt more pain than I did. It did hurt, but it wasn’t anything that I couldn’t handle. A sick part of me welcomed it. Pain was my constant companion these days, ever since I awoke to find Charming gone.

  Rylee relaxed as she got used to the process and asked Rick questions. He didn’t seem to mind, and answered her in detail. I paid little attention to their chatter, concentrating instead on the needles sting and the warmth of Rylee’s hand clinging to mine. It felt good to connect with someone. I had been feeling completely disconnected to my world and trying desperately not to show it. Rylee was the only one who kept me feeling like myself. Kara kept me connected to Charming and our future. I needed both of them in order to carry on and start each new day. When Charming returned to me I would still be his Sophie, thanks to the two of them.

  Rylee’s phone gave a chirp and she looked at me.

  “Colin? Go ahead and answer it. I’m fine.”

  She looked at me and I could see her indecision. Rick’s voice broke her spell.

  “I’m nearly finished here. She’s been a champ and I’m done with the worst of it,” he said taking a towel and wiping off the blood that had beaded up as he worked.

  “Go!” I dropped her hand and shooed her away towards the door where she slipped outside the tiny shop to talk.

  No sooner had she left but a man nearly covered in tattoos entered.

  “Hey, Rick,” the man greeted my tattoo artist. Smiling at me, he walked over to look at Rick’s progress. He stared, picking up my sketch lying on Rick’s work table and studied it. Putting it down, he spoke.

  “So, you must be Lily.”

  Startled, my heart missed a beat, then raced. I could hear it pounding in my ears.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m Travis. I’m the one who put the lily on Ethan’s shoulder.”

  There was that name again. Ethan. The guy resembled Charming, wrote poems about a girl named Lily, and now a tattoo? I felt faint, the coincidences becoming too great for well…coincidence. I heard Rick break in and say.

  “Nope, this is Sophie.”

  “Oh, hey, I’m sorry. I saw the drawing and thought it was Ethan. Who is this?”

  He picked it up and looked at it in confusion.

  “His name is Charlie,” I replied, my head still trying to sort out the Ethan connection. Maybe I should track him down in person. Once I did and saw the
difference between them I would feel better.

  “Is Charlie a twin?” he persisted.

  “Not that I know of, no.”

  “Wow, the resemblance is remarkable, all except for the length of the hair.”

  “All finished,” Rick interrupted. Travis put the sketch down.

  “Great!” I heard myself say, looking at it in a mirror he handed me. He had captured him perfectly, Charming’s beautiful face a part of me for the rest of my current lifetime. For now, it was enough.

  I could see Rylee pacing the sidewalk back and forth as she talked to Colin, something obviously upsetting going on. I quickly pulled on my shirt, careful not to touch my plastic covered tattoo and hurried to pay Rick so I could leave and find out what was happening.

  “Everything okay, Ry?” I asked. I hoped she wasn’t already fighting with Colin. I needed him to introduce me to his friend Ethan. Today.

  She looked at me, her face pale. “Sophie, something weird is going on. Really, really weird.”

  The alarm in her voice made me freeze. “What?” I asked quietly, somehow knowing it had something to do with me.

  “It’s Colin, he’s freaking out. A friend of his is suicidal. He is telling Colin about this girl, he loves her so much and she is gone and he can’t handle it. He thinks if he dies he can get to her.”

  I froze on the side walk. I couldn’t move. “Why does he think that?”

  “He’s been having these dreams. About a past life and the girl he loved. Her name is Lily.”

  “What is his name?” I asked, knowing good and well the answer.

  “Ethan.”

  “He’s Charming. Rylee, he’s here. Oh my god. I have to see him. I have to see if it’s really possible, if he recognizes me. Call Colin back. Tell him to make sure he doesn’t leave. Tell him we will explain later and not to tell Ethan anything.”

  Rylee made the call as we hurried down the block to where we had parked. When we got there my bug was blocked in its parking space by a sleek black Mercedes.

  Kara rolled down the window and shouted, “Get in! We’ll come back for it!”