“Wake up, girls. Last day of school.” Rachel gave a perfunctory knock on Lark’s door before pushing it open to poke her head inside. “Rise and shine.”
Standing with her back to the doorway, hair damp from a recent shower, her daughter wore nothing but a pair of panties and a bra. Soft light from the bedside lamp highlighted the small blue tattoo on the white skin of her left shoulder.
Rachel gasped and closed her eyes. Surely she was seeing things. When she opened them, the tattoo was still there, a delicate bird perched on a leafy branch.
“Oh, my God.” She started to speak again then stopped, struggling for words. “What have you done?”
Lark spun, eyes defiant as she stared at her mother. “It’s just a tattoo. It’s no big deal.”
Stomach churning, Rachel shook her head. “You’re wrong. It’s a very big deal.”
Don’t yell. Stay calm.
She took a breath. “Cutting and dyeing your hair was bad enough. Hair will grow out. That tattoo is permanent.”
“Lark got a tattoo?” Jade peeked around the doorframe wearing a pair of pajamas with Girls Rule emblazoned across the front. Her red hair hung down her back in tangles. “Wow, do you have a death wish or something?”
Ivy floated up in a long white nightgown. “I want to see. Can I see it?”
“Get lost, both of you.” Lark’s voice quavered.
Neither of her sisters moved an inch.
“Turn around, Lark. Let me see what you’ve done to yourself.”
Slowly her daughter turned, presenting her back for inspection. Rachel examined the tattoo. Thankfully the skin around it appeared to be healthy.
“At least it’s not infected. Why did you do it?”
“Don’t be so dramatic, Mom. It’s just a little bird. Rose got a rose, and I got a lark. Get it?”
“Cool.” Jade’s voice held awe.
“Can I get a tattoo of some ivy when I’m older?” Her youngest flipped her long, blond hair over her shoulder with a mischievous smile.
Rachel turned to glare at them. “Shouldn’t you two be getting dressed for school?”
“We have to miss all the good stuff.” Jade pushed her sister in front of her as they headed back to their rooms.
Rachel forced her hands to unclench. “When did you have this done?”
“Last weekend in San Francisco. Rose’s brother drove us.” Lark dropped her gaze and ran a toe through the carpet.
“You didn’t ask me first?” The final word ended on a screech. “You said you were spending the night at Rose’s house. You didn’t think I needed to know where you were?”
“If I’d asked, you would have said no.” A spark of her usual defiance surfaced. “Anyway, Rose’s mom knew where we were going.”
“She knew about the tattoos?”
“Maybe not, but she knew about the haircuts. She likes them. She said they rock. She’s not stuck in the Stone Age like you.”
Mentally, Rachel counted to ten before she spoke again, trying to regain some control. “I don’t understand how this happened. No reputable shop would tattoo a couple of fourteen-year-olds. There are laws against it. You could get in trouble. I could get in trouble.” Her voice grew louder. “Did you let some deviant on the street poke you with a dirty needle? For God’s sake, Lark, people contract HIV that way.”
Her daughter’s eyes widened. “It wasn’t like that, honest. Rose’s cousin did it at his house. Everything was very clean, I swear.”
“Why would her cousin do such a thing? He’d lose his license—”
“I don’t think he has one. It’s just a hobby.” Lark stared down at her feet.
“I should press charges.”
Her daughter’s head snapped up. “Mom, you wouldn’t! It isn’t Rusty’s fault. He’s only a little older than Gavin, but he’s an artist.” She touched the tattoo. “His work is amazing, and we told him we had our parents’ permission. I’ll die if you call the cops. Rose would never forgive me.”
“I don’t care what Rose thinks. You let some little punk stick you with a needle. It doesn’t look infected, but—”
“I swear I’m not going to get a disease. He’s Rose’s cousin not some stranger. Rusty made sure we knew it was safe.”
“Illegal, Lark. Getting a tattoo is illegal.”
“So’s underage drinking. Kids do it all the time.”
Rachel massaged the back of her neck. “Unfortunately, we don’t have time now to discuss this further. Get ready for school.”
“What’re you going to do to me?”
“I don’t know yet. You’re a little too old for a time-out or a spanking. This is serious.”
“It’s just a little tattoo. You have to admit it’s adorable.”
Rachel didn’t smile. “You drove into San Francisco with a sixteen-year-old boy and got a tattoo without my knowledge. Don’t kid yourself. There’ll be consequences.”
“Are you going to tell Grandma and Grandpa?”
“Probably not today, but they’ll find out soon enough. It’s the beginning of summer. You can’t keep your shoulder hidden forever.”
“Grandma’s going to freak.” Lark’s head drooped. “I guess I shouldn’t have done it.”
“You shouldn’t have done a lot of things. Get dressed. We have a long day ahead of us.”
* * * *
Somehow, Rachel got the kids to school on time. Balancing a tray full of banana bread and a bag of muffins in one hand, she unlocked the rear door of her shop, went inside then pushed the door closed with her foot. After setting her load on the front counter, she glanced around the store she’d worked so hard to create. The Book Nook was her pride and joy. Opening the shop had restored her self-esteem after her divorce and given her life purpose beyond mothering her girls. A coffee bar and sitting area occupied the front with the remainder of the large space filled with books. In back were a supply room and her cubbyhole of an office. Up a set of spiral stairs, she displayed gift items and office supplies.
A short time later, the coffee was brewed and the espresso machine steaming when she opened the front door to let in her first employee.
Chandra entered on a wave of perfume and trailing skirts. “Wow, you look great.” She eyed Rachel’s hunter green dress and matching jacket. “What’s the occasion?”
“Jade’s fifth grade promotion ceremony is this afternoon.”
With gorgeous brown eyes, toffee-colored skin and high cheekbones, Chandra Jabeaux was nothing short of stunning. Today her black hair was braided into dozens of tiny cornrows.
“That’s right. This is the last day of school, isn’t it?”
Rachel nodded. “Lark’s eighth grade graduation is this evening.” She took a deep breath. Just thinking about her eldest daughter sent her blood pressure soaring.
“What’s wrong? Are you sad your little girls are growing up?”
“I wish motherly sentimentality was all I had to contend with.”
One brow lifted. “What’s Lark done now?”
Rachel grimaced. “She and her friend got