Flawless

That Familiar Tattoo

"Where am I?"

A strong hand pulled me back to the narrow bed. "You're fine. Do you still hurt?"

I opened my eyes to see a beautiful young woman. "No. Who are you?"

She blinked her artificial lashes and sighed. "Doctor Sarah. I am-"

My screams cut her short. "I was shot... I was shot at. Where's Josh? Oh"

"Karleen!"

I looked up. He was standing there, arms akimbo. He looked so disheveled and his hair looked like it hadn't been touched with a comb for days. He was dressed in ripped jeans and faded T-shirt. His stud was gone too.

"Josh," next thing I did was run over to him and hug him, tight.

He was taken aback. "You should be resting," he patted my back softly.

Sarah walked over to us and shot Josh a told-you-so look. "When will your big head have enough strength to trust my skills? She's as good as you. And you, go and shower. " she hit him hard on the head and he groaned.

Josh shook his head as she watched him walk away before cupping my head in his hands. "Let me quickly shower while she's still asking nicely."

He released his grip on me and I nodded. "Okay."

I  was walking back to the bed when I heard him call me back. I turned back to look at him. "Yes?"

"I love you," and he winked.

I didn't know how long it took me before I could drag myself back to the bed but I laid there for minutes, replaying his words on my mind.

"Love night be unhealthy for you," F grunted.

I was now used to the way F went on and off. For our safety, I had to understand.

"I'm just so confused about it really," I sighed.

"About what?" It wasn't F this time, it was Sarah.

She was holding an aluminum tray that contained two mug cups. I shook my head. "I was talking to myself actually."

She dropped the tray on the table. "Coffee?..." She waited for me to join her before continuing "He's been so worried about you," she sipped her coffee and scrunched up her elfin face.

I was about to say only-God-knows-what when she spoke again. "I love my coffee black. It reminds me of life... black."

I sipped my coffee and wondered if I was supposed to reply or not when she suddenly laughed, startling me. "It's funny, isn't it? Growing up with no direction. Sometimes, I wish I could be close to what he wanted but... We don't always get what we want. I'm Sarah, " she smiled.

I was puzzled. "Yeah. I'm Karleen Coker." The coffee was getting cold because the woman before me looked more interesting.

She laughed and flung her hair to the back gingerly. "You might want to talk with him, he's in the room. You go through the hallway, the second room."

I processed her words and muttered a shaky thank you but she was too busy playing with her mug to answer me. I shrugged and made my way to the hallway.

The house was magnificent and unusually dark. There were dark curtains everywhere making it look like some haunted old house. Quickly, I made my way to the second room and knocked gently.

"You shouldn't have opened the door," I protested when he opened the mahogany door seconds later with a white towel hanging loosely on the waist of his wet body, exposing his muscular chest.