Page 8 of Until the Ink Dries

Once we were outside, I released my hold on her.

“I’m not going to keep telling you this! Unless you want to get the help you need – and that means going to a rehab center – then you need to stay away from here. I’m not going to keep playing these games with you. Don’t you think your daughter deserves more than this? Because I sure as hell do.”

“Fuck you! You don’t get to judge me. You don’t get to tell me what to do. Ben, please. I just need ten dollars. I haven’t eaten in a few days.”

Her personality always switched up when she wanted something. I hated to see a once vibrant and sassy woman reduced to this. It pissed me off every time she popped up, begging for everything but a relationship with her child. Charlie wasn’t someone she thought of, only the one thing she figured she could play on to get things out of me.

I released a sigh, then looked back towards the window of my shop to see my daughter standing at the door with wet, wide eyes. That shit broke my heart every time.

“Look what you did! You know what, you want ten dollars, you’re going to earn it,” I said.

Tierra leaned forward with a smirk as she reached for the waistband of my shorts. I knocked her hands away with a lift of my brow.

“Fuck out of here. Nah, you’re going to talk to our daughter. She misses you.”

Tierra’s eyes widened as she stared at Charlie, then back up at me. She slowly backed away from me.

“Don’t do this, Tierra. I will give you fifty.” I pleaded.

But she kept moving away. She glanced once more at our daughter, then back at me.

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” she said.

She turned and ran soon after.

“Fuck!” I yelled.

I knew what would be left behind after she ran. I turned and my heart broke into pieces as my daughter cried. I stepped back into the shop and lifted her into my arms. This was the same song and dance any time her mother came around. I figured this time, I could have at least convinced her to talk with Charlie, but I should have known better.

The day I planned was over faster than it started.

* * *

LATER THAT NIGHT… CHROME BAR

I sat in the booth in the back of the bar. I needed a drink after the day I had, so I ended up taking Charlie to my parents. I couldn’t get that anger off me and I didn’t like being in my daughter’s presence when it came over me.

“Can I get you another drink?” the bottle girl asked.

I glanced up from my phone and nodded just as my phone vibrated. I picked it up and my boy Jordan was calling, so I answered. He was the only person outside of my parents who knew the ins and outs of this situation with Tierra.

“What’s up?” I answered.

“Just checking in to see if you’re going to this ten-year reunion.”

I chuckled at the thought. I hadn’t thought about East Rose High since I went there, so I damn sure didn’t have plans on chilling with folks, reminiscing about times I didn’t miss.

“Nah, I’m gone pass on that. I have more than enough going on and I don’t need to add on old high school shit.”

“Aww shit, Tierra showed up and fucked up your day, huh?” he asked.

The bottle girl had just placed my drink in front of me, so I took a drink before responding.

“Man, Charlie cried for hours, asking me why her mom didn’t want anything to do with her. We had a full day planned, and she didn’t even want the ice cream anymore.”

“Charlie, not wanting ice cream. Yeah, it had to be bad. What the hell happened?”

I shook my head and ran my hand over my waves.

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