Souls ReAligned (31 page)

“Well, guess what? I’m not coming straight home tonight. Your sisters and I are going shopping, and then we’re going out on the town.”

Ethan’s voice is disturbingly calm, “I have to go. Go shopping if you want. I’ll meet you at home afterward.”

The girls spend the afternoon shopping in Dublin’s high-end dress shops. Complaining the entire time about men, it’s ironic that the girls spend their money on things to please them. When they’re done, they’ve all purchased the perfect outfits for the upcoming gala. Sitting down for dinner, the wine drinking begins.

“I’m hoping that everybody is so busy looking at that dress, that they won’t notice how horrible my dancing is.”

“Is it that bad?” McKenna tips the wine bottle to refill her glass

“It’s not that bad,” Madison defends.

Olivia giggles, “I’ll embarrass the hell out of your brother, I’m sure. If I’m talking to him by then.”

“Have you heard from him at all?” Kaylie asks, “Is he home?”

“Yes, he’s home. He’s sent me a million text messages.”

“Wow! That’s a lot,” Kaylie says in wonder.

McKenna rolls her eyes. “She’s exaggerating, Kaylie. And don’t be repeating any of our conversations to him.”

“I won’t!” offended, she scowls.

“You say that now,” McKenna says filling Olivia’s glass, “but when he starts asking questions, you’ll squeal.”

“Guess who?” Olivia rolls her eyes as she opens a new incoming message. “Oh, great.”

“What’s going on?” Kaylie asks concerned.

Olivia sighs, “He’s sending sad face emoticons already. He’ll send me a sad face every 20 minutes until I think I’m going to go out of my mind.”

“Don’t you hate it when you’re pissed at them, and they go and do something all cute like that?” McKenna smiles.

“Oh, and you have no idea just how cute your brother can be,” she complains. “What am I going to do? I’m not ready to talk to him yet, but I can’t handle an entire evening of sad face messages.”

She scrolls to a new incoming message, opens it, then closes her eyes, and groans.

“What did he say?” McKenna refills everyone’s glasses again, determined to lighten the mood.

Olivia hands the phone to her and then covers her face with her hands. McKenna’s eyes open wide, and then she starts to smile. “Seriously?”

Ethan: I’m sorry, please come home. I’ll make it up to you. Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

“Welcome to my world,” Olivia says. “I’m not sure if I should laugh or cry.”

“Olivia, I think you better reply to Ethan texts,” Madison suggests.

“Why?”

“Because he’s texting
me
now, wanting to know where you are.”

“Me, too,” McKenna adds.

Kaylie’s phone beeps, all three girls watch her as she checks the notifications. “Me, too.” Reluctantly, she places her phone down on the table.

“Please don’t tell him anything, Kaylie,” Olivia pleads.

By the time dinner is done, enough wine has flowed to ensure that everyone is feeling a lot more relaxed. They’ve moved to a small pub down the street for a few drinks, when her phone rings.

“Hello?”

“Why haven’t you been answering my messages?”

“I’m busy. I told you I’m with your sisters, and we’re having a girl’s night out.”

“I think you should come home, so we can talk.”

“I think you should stop bossing me around!”

“Careful, Olivia,” he warns, “We’ll talk when you’re not angry.”

“That just might be a long time from now, Ireland.”

She ends the call and then looks up to meet Madison’s look of shock. “Did you just hang up on him?”

“Yup, I did.”

“You know he’s going to freak out, right?” Madison advises.

“Yup, he’s going to have a total melt down.” The look of terror on her face makes McKenna snicker.

Her phone rings. She knows better than to ignore it this time. “Hello,” she says, cautiously.

“I’m going to pretend that you didn’t just hang up on me. You need to come home. NOW!”

“Sorry, Ethan. I’ll be home later.”

“You’d be wise to come home right now! By the time you get here, you better have a really good reason why you don’t deserve a lesson… written across your ass.”

Olivia’s eyes nervously skirt between the three girls. How is she is going to handle this one? “I love you too, Ethan. I’ll text you when I’m on my way home. Good bye.”

Everybody physically relaxes. Olivia grabs her next shot of tequila, downing it like a champ.

“Hey! I know what I want to do! Wasn’t there a tattoo parlor up the street?” Getting down from her bar stool, she sways a little.

Madison starts to panic. McKenna, on the other hand, smiles. “Yes, there is. What are you thinking?”

“Don’t encourage her, McKenna,” Madison warns, “You know that’ll send him over the edge.”

“Now hold on. He doesn’t get a choice,” Olivia slurs, slamming down one more shot, “What objection could he possibly have to one little, teeny, tiny tattoo?”

Kaylie types something into her phone, glancing nervously at the girls.

McKenna and Madison exchange a knowing look.

Olivia slides off the bar stool and heads for the door. All three girls follow behind as she crosses the road and enters the tattoo parlor.

“Do you want to look through a catalogue of pictures?” McKenna asks.

“Nope, I know exactly what I want.”

“Olivia, I don’t think you should do this without getting Ethan’s permission.” Kaylie frowns.

“Permission? Kaylie, sweetheart. This is
my
body; your brother has no say in it.

Approving the artwork, Olivia positions herself in the chair and waits.

When Ethan calls again, she just about loses her mind. “What do you want?” she snarks into the phone.

“I want you to come home, now. You’re being a brat.”

“Yeah? Well… You’re a controlling asshole!”

“Jesus Christ,” Ethan curses, “You’ve been drinking tequila!”

Olivia looks up in time to see Kaylie slide her cell phone back into her pocket.

The sound of the tattoo equipment starts to hum.

“What the fuck is that noise?” Concern starts to put him on edge.

“Nothing.”

“Where are you?” Recognizing that sound, Ethan grows more anxious. “Olivia?”

“Stay perfectly still,” the tattoo artist says.

Angst washes over Ethan, when he hears those words. “Olivia, PLEASE don’t do anything stupid. Tell me where you are, so I can come and get you.”

“I have to go now. The guy says I have to be still.” She giggles, “I forgot to tell him that I don’t know how to be still.”

Rage pulses through his body, washing away any hope of being calm. “Tell me where you are. RIGHT FUCKING NOW!”

“Shh, don’t yell. I’ll be home soon.”

Hanging up the phone, she looks over at the girls. “How did he know I was drinking tequila?”

Kaylie shrugs when they all look at her suspiciously. “Maybe he just figured it out by the way you were acting?”

“Stay still,” the artist reminds her.

Sounds of phone notifications continue non-stop as Ethan desperately tries to get answers from any one of the four women. Still wound up on tequila, the girls chat up a storm, becoming well acquainted.

“Hey? Where’s Kaylie?” Madison looks around the room, noting her absence.

When Kaylie reappears, all eyes turn to her. Guilt flashes across her face.

“Kaylie? What have you done?” McKenna asks.

“He’s really concerned,” she apologizes

“KAYLIE!” everyone scolds in unison.

“I’m sorry.” Tears form in her eyes. “I couldn’t stand it anymore. He just kept sending me messages, pleading with me.

Before long, the front door flies open. An extremely pissed off Irishman enters the room at top speed, followed by his trustworthy head of security. Everybody jumps when the door makes a loud thud.

Frustrated the tattoo artist curses, “Would you just stay still so I can finish?”

Ethan makes his way across the room. Kaylie moves toward him, desperate for his forgiveness. He acknowledges her need, with a quick smile, giving her shoulder a squeeze as he passes by.

Stopping in front of McKenna, he begins to say something. He changes his mind when she crosses her arms, meeting his steely glare with an intimidating look of her own. Shaking his head, he glances over at Maddie and points at her, “You and I. We’re going to have a long talk later. Right now, John is going to take you three partners in crime, home.”

As they engage in further conversation, John makes his way to Olivia, crouching down so that he’s at eye level. Olivia grimaces as the artist finishes his work.

“Are you okay?” John asks amused.

“Yes, I’m fine. I was thinking if he hurts me again, I might have to show him my Kung Fu moves!” She glances up at the artist and finds him staring, unimpressed.

John chuckles, then leans in and whispers, “Shannon wants you to send a picture when you can. I have to take the girls home now. Good luck with O’Connell.” Standing he clears his grin. “Ladies! The car is out front, let’s get you home.”

Ethan, storms over to Olivia, clenching his jaw when he see’s that she’s gone through with it.

“Are you done?” he asks the artist, impatiently.

“Yes.” Not intimidated by Ethan at all, he takes his time and covers up his work.

“Go wait in the car, please. I’ll look after this.”

When Olivia stands, she wobbles, needing to put her hand on Ethan’s chest to steady herself. He reaches for her, giving her a look of regret. “On second thought, I’ll help you to the car first.”

Looking up at him, she sighs and then frowns. “I love you, you know.”

“I know.” His muscles relax a little, as he steers her toward the car, making sure she gets in safe. “I’ll be right back, I need to go back in and deal with that guy.”

“Hurry,” she begs, “I don’t feel so great.”

“Just awesome,” he mumbles as he walks back into the store. Taking his wallet out of his pocket, he counts out some cash and lays it out on the counter. As the artist tries to pick it up, Ethan grabs his arm, pinning it down to the counter. “Perhaps, in the future, you might want to think twice about accepting clients who are obviously drunk and not in the best frame of mind to make decisions.” Ethan doesn’t hold back his anger.

“Oh, don’t worry.” Pulling his arm away, he keeps eye contact. “I won’t be doing any more work for that one.”

“Good, I’d hate for rumors to start that people who got their tattoos here came down with horrible infections.”

Rounding the counter, he stands in front of Ethan. “Are you threatening me?” Standing firm, he moves closer, nose-to-nose.

“No threats, I’m just saying. It would be a shame.” Ethan gets closer, tensing his jaw.

“Then keep your fucking fidgety, high-maintenance woman out of my shop.”

“Did you just call the girl who’s going to be my wife a fucking fidgety, high-maintenance woman?” Ethan snaps. Reaching for him, he tangles his fists around the man’s shirt, pulling him closer. Tense muscles twitch and flex. Ethan struggles to take calming breaths, trying to stave off the blind rage that’s about to take over. Relaxing his grip, he pushes the man away from him, making him stumble backward.

“Take it easy, man. I don’t want any trouble. Those chicks just walked in here and asked for service. I was just doing my job.”

Stepping back, Ethan’s nostrils flare. “If she get’s one bump, one red mark, or any sign that something’s not right… the least of your worries will be that I’ll keep your ass tied up in court for a very long time.” Turning on his heel, he stomps away, slamming the door behind him.

They manage to arrive home without Olivia being sick. Something that Ethan is extremely thankful for. Opening the passenger door of the Zagato, he helps her out. The affects of the tequila have started to wear off, he assumes, since the giggling ceased several minutes ago.

Dragging her hand along the wall, she makes her way down the hallway, then plops herself into bed.

“Ethan?” she calls out

“What’s wrong?”

“The bed is spinning.”

“Put one foot on the floor, Love.”

“Does that really work?” She slightly lifts her head and squints at him.

“Worth a try, don’t you think?”

Rolling on to her back, she grimaces.

Ethan shakes his head. “Tender?”

“Yes,”

“Here. Let me look. Roll over on your stomach.”

Sweeping her hair off to the side, he peels back the adhesive to get his first glimpse of her tattoo. He stares, speechless for quite some time, giving Olivia cause for alarm.

“Ethan? Is everything okay?”