Inked In Love

Five

Five

I was early this morning.

Memories of my grandfather were stuck in my mind all night after I spent a lot of time thinking about Theo's tattoo.

My grandfather was royalty in Japan. He had been a serving guard at one of Japan's richest family estates. He was with them for over 40 years bringing up children, and taking care of the families that grew up in that house.

He even protected the woman in that house from the bad men that ruled the house. He was highly respected by many till the day he died.

He was the one that gave me my tattoo. One weekend I flew out to Japan to see him. I had just witnessed my dad raise his hand at my mother many times. She had marks on her body from the violence my father inflicted on her.

My father left the day after and never came back. Believe me I'm relieved that I can call Jai my dad because my real father was an excuse of a man and I was glad that he wasn't in my life.

My mother on the other hand went to Australia to live with her brother as I finished university in the States.

My grandfather taught me everything I needed to know to survive in this life and I respected him and his words to the day he breathed his last final breath surrounded by his children. Not by blood but rather the children he helped bring up into this hard life.

My father, my grandfather's only son, had not shown his face at the funeral. Most likely ashamed.

He was royalty for them and for me. He had always taught us all to have strength and I decided to let him tattoo me. The symbol for strength was placed on the back of my neck when I was only 16 years old.

I never thought of having a tattoo, but I wanted to have something that kept him with me for life. My grandfather was covered in tattoos and he would often give tattoos out. That was his side hustle.

As I swam lengths this morning all I could think about was the same tattoo that was on Theo's neck. It was just too good to be true.

I dried myself off after showering and walked around, I had no idea where I was going but I needed time to think. Through many hard times in my life, this tattoo just reminds me of him. His love, strength, sacrifice he was my guardian.

I had made it to the football pitch and saw one person shouting across the field as a little child kicked around a football.

I smiled as the little kid slipped and fell on his bum.

I decided to walk and get a closer look, but I immediately regretted it because I realised that the man shouting was Theo. He had his crutches sitting next to him as he watched the boy play. Could that be his own child?

I felt guilty. Myself and the girls were drooling over a man who could be married with a child.

The little boy spotted me instantly, he clapped his hands wildly as he locked eyes with me.

"Dillon watch it," Theo said when the little boy turned to sprint over to me.

I met him in the middle and bent down. Dillon stumbled and fell over. Theo shook his head, but I just watched the boy as he started to cry.

"Don't cry buddy, c'mon everyone falls you just get back up," I said calmly to the boy who was staring over at me with interest.

I watched his legs shake before he slowly stood up.

"Now keep going," I said, reaching out to him. I felt a sudden pride for him as he jogged the rest of the way until he was face to face with me.

A few seconds passed before he clapped his hands together, he was proud of himself.