Ink

"I still can't believe you fuckin' did it!" Connor called out as he and Murphy walked in the apartment and Murphy had his head lowered.

"What did you two eejits do now?" Annabelle asked as she walked out of the kitchen and she wiped her hands on the small towel tucked in her apron. She still couldn't get over the fact her sons were now seventeen and they had only graduated from school a week ago.

"Nothin'," Murphy grumbled. He headed for the bedroom he shared with Connor and Annabelle looked at Connor.

"Don't look at me. It was his fuckin' idea," Connor said while he walked to the black and white television, pushed the power button then he sat down on the couch.

Sighing, Annabelle walked down the hallway then she stood in the doorway and she looked at Murphy looking into the mirror over the dresser. She didn't like the idea of her son looking so upset, but she understood why.

Two weeks before graduation, his best friend, Norman, had moved away after his parents' divorce and she knew he was missing him.

"Murphy," she said, softly, and her son turned to look at her. He brushed his dark brown hair out of his face as she walked closer and she placed her right hand on his left shoulder. "It's alright, Luv. Tell me what you did."

Slowly, Murphy unbuttoned his shirt as she looked at the piece of gauze taped to the left side of his chest and she arched her eyebrows up. He peeled back the tape then he moved the gauze back and she saw Norman's name tattooed on his chest near the spot over his heart.

"You got a tattoo?" she asked as she tried not to laugh.

"It was summit Norman an' I wanted t'do before graduation," he said as he looked down at the tattoo.

"Where did you get th'money t'pay fer it?"

"I used my birthday, Christmas an' money from my pay."

Murphy and Connor had gotten jobs at the local fast-food restaurant and she thought he was saving up money to buy a motorcycle. Norman had a motorcycle and he had taken the motorcycle with him when he moved away.

"I'm amazed they let you get one. You have t'be at least eighteen."

"I went t'Norman's uncle's place. He doesn't check IDs."

"Why did you get his name on yer chest?"

"You always told us that we keep th'people we care about close t'our hearts. So…"

"I see."

Annabelle gently placed the gauze against his chest as he sighed and ducked his head down.

"Now what's wrong?" she asked.

"This wasn't th'tattoo we agreed t'get," Murphy said, glancing at her.

"What were you gonna get?"

"It was summit demonic."

"Then I'm glad you didn't get it."

"Uh… Well… I did have some money left over. So….," he said as he removed his shirt and she saw the piece of gauze taped to his right bicep. He moved the tape back as he lowered the gauze and she looked at the demon tattoo.

"At least you can cover it with yer shirt," she said with a smile and placed the gauze against his bicep.

"Aye," he said with a nod when he turned around and she saw the large piece of gauze on his back on the right side.

"What did you do yer back?!" she asked and he lowered his head.

"Ok. He was havin' one of those buy two get one free things and I…," he said while she walked to him, gently untapped the gauze and she lowered the gauze. She looked at the two demons when she placed the gauze back and lightly patted his back. "That's th'one we were gonna get."

"Well… Norman's ma always said you two were little demons," she said with a small laugh and Murphy snorted a breath of air.

"You're not mad?"

"No. But I hope that's th'last of 'em," she said then walked out of the room and she sighed, shaking her head.