A Tattoo for Lex - 29. Chapter 29

At Lex’s panicked looked Ian had to step in and said “Lex calm down. Cassie knew that this meeting was going to be intense, she’ll be OK and you won’t have to wear pink, I promise. Why don’t you Facetime her and introduce her to everyone. She won’t be mad at you when she sees the girls.”

Lex settled down and muttered “Yeah, she’ll see them as minions to mold into her own mini-me’s. Two more Cassie’s. That’s all I need.”

Ian just reached in Lex’s back pocket and pulled up the app and hit the prompt to connect. Cassie’s face popped up on the screen within ten seconds. Yeah, she had to have been waiting. Ian was rethinking the pink option, praying that she’d get over it.

“LEX! IAN! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN! I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR FUCKING EVER!” was the first thing they all heard. Luckily the girls were engrossed in their game on the swingset. Ryan and Seth both started snickering.

Ian quickly butted in “Cass! Cool it. We’re not alone. So do you want to meet the ‘rents or what?”

Cassie’s eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. “Rents? As in parents? Dad and stepmom type parents? Holy Shit! Lex! Get your face in here!” she yelled.

Lex grabbed the phone from Ian and knew he had to seize the moment and as he looked at her in the screen said “You only get to meet them if you promise to forgive me for not calling you sooner and you can’t make either of us wear pink or ANYTHING outlandish at the wedding. We have our outfits and we love them and you can’t change it. Understood?”

Cassie could read Lex like a book and decided to let this one slide. She knew how nervous he had been and she was now anxious to see the outcome. “OK Nemo, you win this round, now introduce me!” she demanded.

Lex motioned to Ryan and Seth. He pointed the phone at just Ryan and said “Cassie, meet my dad, Ryan Carson. Ryan smiled and waved at her, but didn’t say anything

Priceless! The only word in the entire English language to describe Cassie’s expression was priceless. Her silence, however, did not last more than a few seconds.

Once she was able to move her jaw back up from the floor the four men heard “Holy Fucking Hell!” Then, “Lex! Get your goddamn face back in the screen so I know you’re not pulling some kind of elaborate prank on me! Oh. My. GOD!” Shocked was putting it mildly. When Cassie showed true emotion she went all out. Lex saw her aura flashing so many colors he couldn’t keep up.

Lex put his head next to Ryan’s and pulled the phone back so they were both on the screen. Cassie’s eyes darted from one to the next so fast Lex thought she would pass out. He laughed and told her “You are sitting down, right Cass? There’s a couple of more bombshells and I don’t want you hurting yourself.”

Cassie nodded and as she leaned back from the screen Lex could tell she was sitting on her bed with her back against her headboard. “OK, I’m ready. If I pass out call 911. You are just full of surprises today aren’t you?”

Lex laughed as he swung the phone around and focused on Seth. “Cassie, this is Dr. Seth Beckett, my dad’s husband.”

Once again Cassie’s face morphed into an incredulous expression as she squeaked out “You ARE trying to give me a heart attack aren’t you?” So what else is up your sleeve and don’t think I’ve forgiven you for not calling sooner. Holy Shit!”

Lex looked at her again and firmly told her “Put the profanity back in your mouth now. The next surprise does not need to hear that.” He panned his camera over the back yard until the two girls and Lucky were in view and told her “Those are my sisters. Mia and Shannon and their dog, Lucky. Stop thinking what I know is going through your head. You will NOT corrupt them. No if, ands, or buts, got it?”

As he looked at Cassie he saw that she was truly shocked. He had never seen his friend like this. She literally did not know what to say so she said everything,

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Lex! I’m going to Boston, you told me. I’m going to meet my father. Cassie, I’m gonna puke. Cassie, am I doing the right thing. Cassie, help me! Do you remember those conversations Lex, DO YOU?! Because I do! You went to find a father and holy shit you found an whole family! Jesus, Lex, since when do you go all out when you finally decide something? That’s my thing! I think all that ink has gone to your brain!” Cassie barely took a breath as she ranted.

Ryan and Seth were cracking up. So was Ian and even Lex had to smile. Typical Cassie.

Ryan mock whispered “Does she have an off button?”

Seth added “Has she ever had a psych eval?”

Both Lex and Ian answered “NO!”

Cassie was still rambling and finally realized they weren’t listening when she had said Lex’s name four or five times and he didn’t answer her. It was the silence that finally got their attention. The look on her face meant business. Lex knew that whatever came out of her mouth next he would not say no to. If she told him to run naked through Harvard Square, he would do it. If she told him to chop off his big toe, he would do it. You did not mess with that look.

Instead of some outlandish demand, Cassie’s whole face morphed into a completely calm countenance. Lex saw bright yellow happiness engulf her. Her eyes softened and they all saw the tears shimmer as they threatened to fall. Cassie, totally out of character, merely whispered “I am so happy for you right now.”

Lex felt like the world had stopped spinning uncontrollably and everything settled into place where it rightly belonged. He gave a sigh of relief and asked Cassie “So, when are you coming?”

Cassie looked pensive for a moment and told him “I’ll see if I can get on an early morning flight Monday if that works for you? Those red eyes are a bitch, they throw me off too much.”

Lex told her that would be fine and to text him her fight info and to make sure she booked first class. She deserved it.

Ryan and Seth both told her they were looking forward to meeting her in person and they would warn the girls first as well. Cassie just giggled.

Lex and Ian made kissy noises at her which she returned and then ended the call.

Seth was the first to speak “You have some live ammunition with that one don’t you?”

Lex merely said “We’ve been friends almost our entire lives, she knows me. She’s been there every step of the way. Cassie is fiercely loyal and once she accepts you, you have a friend for life. I’d do almost anything for her.”

Ryan looked at Lex and told him “You are lucky to have each other, not many people have a friend like that.”

Before anything else could be said the girls and Lucky came running over and scampered up the stairs to the deck, the dog’s tail swinging furiously. They were both laughing and Lex smiled at their exuberance.

Mia climbed up on Ryan’s lap and ever so sweetly asked “Can we ask them to stay for supper?”

Ryan kissed his daughter’s head and countered “Why don’t we take them to Abe and Louie’s? I’m sure if you ask them nicely they might say yes.”

Mia turned her big brown eyes to Lex and Ian and in the most polite tone asked “Would like to have supper with us at Abe and Louie’s tonight?”

Ian took the lead and winking at Lex replied “We would love to, on one condition. You lovely ladies will be our dates for the evening.”

Both girls giggled and there was a chorus of “Yay’s!” from both of them. Ryan told them Abe and Louie’s was a steakhouse they took the girls to on special occasions and this definitely qualified as a special occasion.

Seth’s phone buzzed and looking down at it he excused himself. When he returned the girls scampered back to whatever imaginary game they had started, the dog following loyally. Seth’s face wore a concerned expression and Ryan asked if he was alright.

Seth explained to the boys that he specialized in burn treatment at Shriner’s and yesterday they had a particular hard case come in. He told them “We had an admission come in yesterday, a young guy, just turned 18 a few weeks ago. He has a full scholarship to MIT and had just started working at one of the local fast food restaurants to help with everyday expenses. The restaurant had just been renovated and had only been reopened a few days. This poor kid was in front of the fryers when the front of the whole unit dropped. It must not have been installed properly, I don’t know, Hot oil basically washed over the lower half of his legs. He has third degree burns over roughly 40% of his legs. A few of his coworkers have second and third degree burns as well, just not as extensive. He’s got a long road ahead of him. I’m worried about infection more than anything. That was the resident on call wanting orders for more pain medication.”

Ryan hugged Seth close, comforting him. Doctors saw so much trauma and when we see them it’s easy to forget that they are human too and can be deeply affected by what they see. He looked at Lex and said “Lex, you told us yesterday that Ian covered your scars with a tattoo, can we see it?”

Lex smiled and pulling Ian with him, stood up. He faced Ian, with his back to Ryan and Seth and instructed “It’s your creation, you get to reveal it.”

Ian put his lips close to Lex’s ear and as he pulled on the hem of his shirt whispered “You just want my hands on you.”

As the shirt cleared his head Lex looked at Ian with a shit eating grin and answered “You know it!”

Ryan and Seth both gasped when they saw the beautiful mural covering Lex’s back. Seth stepped closer and the doctor in him had to ask “Can I touch?”

Now while Lex normally didn’t like to have his back touched, the transformation that Ian created made him more comfortable with it. He slowly nodded and then felt Seth gently probe the various ridges and bumps. It did have a slightly clinical feel to it.

Seth remarked “I would have liked to have seen it before so I could get a real sense of the changes.”

Ian looked at Lex, who nodded slightly. Ian pulled his phone from his pocket and showed it to Seth. He had taken a few pictures of Lex’s back before he started. It helped when he was working on the mold as a reference tool.

Seth took the phone and compared the image on the screen to the image in front of his and finally spoke “Ian, you are fantastically talented. I have never seen such detail and the way some of the images seem to jump off his back is stunning. I’ve met with a few tattoo artists who do this sort of work on scars, but you make them look like amateurs. Have you ever considered working with a hospital and offering your services?”

Ian looked at him and replied “No, I’ve never thought about it. I do scar cover up occasionally but it’s not really a big part of my business.” He looked quite pensive for a few moments and then turned to Lex, a huge grin breaking out across his face. “I know what to do with the money! Let’s set up a foundation and fund tattoos for victims of burns and other injuries that result in extensive scarring. We’d have to find out what the laws and such are regarding minors in these situations. The current law is 18 for tattoo consent. I’d like to set a minimum age restriction anyway, like maybe 16 as long as there is parental consent and proper documentation and we can do it legally. Young kids develop too quickly and go through way too many changes in size. Hell, I grew six inches in seven months when I was fifteen. Drove my mom crazy. I’m rambling like Cassie now aren’t I?” Ian turned several shades of red as his enthusiasm went into overdrive.

Lex looked at him with nothing but love and said “That is the perfect solution. I think I know who would be the perfect person to help set it up and run it.”

Ian nodded and agreed, “Cassie.”

Lex confirmed his thought and added “She is such a people person. She’s smart too. She can definitely handle the logistics, we’ll need help with the legal end of things. My financial guy can point us in the right direction and help figure out what we’re going to need to do. You’re a genius you know? I can’t think of anything else that is so close to us. Wow.”

Ryan looked over at Seth and offered “Our firm specializes in family law so I’m not sure how much help we can be, but I do have a really good friend who is a corporate lawyer and he’s done this kind of thing before. I’m sure Seth can help you set up a referral network of doctors who work with patients that would benefit from this kind of thing.”

Lex looked at Ian again and said “This could really work. It will take a little while to get everything in place, but we can pull it off. Maybe we can even open up a shop here in Boston or maybe in the suburbs? There’s a lot to consider and I suggest we table it for a little while so we can concentrate on the wedding. Once we’re hitched then we can give this our full attention.”

While they were engrossed in their discussion no one noticed that the girls were back. They were staring at Lex’s back and it wasn’t until they started giggling that any of the men realized they were there.

Shannon, ever the bold one, still giggling, asked Lex “Does that tail cover your butt?”

Lex, thankful that he had only removed his shirt for show and tell, replied “Yes, Miss Sassypants it does, and no, you can’t see it.” That was too weird for him. He drew a thick line as to who he would drop his pants for. He didn’t think he would be comfortable showing Ryan or Seth the rest of the tattoo and so, wisely, kept his pants on.

The girls moved on and dragged everyone into a game of freeze tag. That led to red light/green light which turned into Red Rover. Lucky generally stayed in the thick of things. She had a strong herding instinct making Lex think there was border collie in her. She was constantly trying to herd her humans and failed miserably. Lex couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer determination of the mutt.

Seth had somehow managed to break away and went in the house. When he came back out he had a pitcher of lemonade and some cookies for everyone to snack on. Ryan was sweating just a little, not used to running around so much. The dog, finally worn out way laying down, panting, her tongue freakishly long like her tail. Seth had refilled her water bowl as well.

When the cookies had been devoured Ryan asked the boys if they wanted to go back to their hotel before dinner. He had made reservations for six o’clock and it was going on four now. Lex, was a little sweaty and knew that any restaurant you needed reservations for also meant needing nicer attire than the jeans and t-shirts he and Ian were currently sporting. He agreed and Ryan said he would give them a ride. Saturday afternoon traffic usually wasn’t too bad and he was right. After telling the girls and Seth they would see them soon they set off for the hotel.

They were lucky and made it there in fifteen minutes. Ryan dropped them off and told them he would pick them up at five forty-five. They assured him they would be outside waiting. Quick showers, sans any playing, had them ready and waiting outside at five-forty. Lex had changed into dark, chocolate brown chinos and a short sleeved, cream colored button up shirt. Ian had stuck with black pants and short sleeved light blue shirt.

Ryan pulled up right on time driving the family’s minivan. “Just get in. I know, minivan, but hey, it works when we need to haul around a gaggle of giggling eight year olds.”

Not saying a word, Lex and Ian slipped into the middle row, the girls were buckled in the back. Snapping their own belts into place, they were off. It wasn’t a long drive to the steakhouse and taking advantage of the valet parking Ryan pulled up to the front. The new family of six entered the establishment and Ryan gave his name to the hostess who smiled at them and politely asked them to follow her.

They were seated at a round table covered in white linen. Ryan and Seth sat next to each other and as their “dates”, Lex and Ian ended up with the girls in between them. Menus were placed in front of each person and Ryan took the offered wine menu. The restaurant had an extensive cellar and had the reputation of being one of the best steakhouses in the city. Lex opened his menu and seeing the prices knew they had to be more than just good to justify the cost. Ryan did say that it was a special occasion and Lex considered sneaking off on the pretense of needing the men’s room and arranging to pay for the meal, but decided against it. He didn’t know Ryan and Seth well enough to predict their reaction and he knew if the situation was reversed he would not want them paying.

When their waitress returned Ryan ordered two bottles of wine, a pinot noir and a nice Merlot. He also ordered a Shellfish Tower appetizer which was an assortment of several variations of shellfish appetizers, and would be enough for all of them. Conversation was dominated by the girls wanting to know everything about their two new big brothers. They had apparently decided that Ian was now a brother too. They were sweet kids and Lex and Ian were enjoying the banter. The waitress returned with the wine and Seafood Tower and took their dinner orders as well. The girls both ordered Lobster Mac and Cheese and Lex told them that was one of his favorites. All the adults ordered their favorite cut of steak, Ian and Lex choosing the Rib Rye, Seth got Prime Rib and Ryan went for the Filet Mignon. Lex enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and Ian looked over and smiled at him.

The girls had finally ceased their continuous questioning of their brothers allowing the adults to dominate the conversation. Ryan told them stories about Lex’s mom when they were growing up and Lex found out about a whole different side of her. When he was growing up his mom had always seemed so serious. He guessed that as a single mom she had to be. When Ryan spoke of some of the mischief they had gotten into Lex heard of behaviour that reminded him of Cassie and himself when they were kids.

Overall, everyone enjoyed their dinner. As the evening progressed Ryan and Lex became more comfortable with each other. Ryan took care of the bill and Lex was actually alright with that. Yes, he had come a long way letting other people take over some of the things that he usually liked to control. Ian had been such a huge part of that and he was thankful.

As they prepared to leave Ryan asked them “Are you heading back to Western Mass tomorrow?”

Ian was the one who nodded and replied “Yes, now that Cassie is coming on Monday we need to get back. You are more than welcome to come as many days before the wedding as you can. I’d love for you to meet my parents and we have to introduce Cassie to you as well. That may take up a whole day. She can be a little high maintenance.”

Lex snorted “You think?”

Ryan smiled and said “I’ll have Jen rearrange my schedule. She has a few weeks notice to clear up a few days for me. She’s always on my case about not taking enough time off anyway. I’m sure Seth can arrange coverage as well. I’m thing we can head out that way the Tuesday before the wedding if that’s alright with you. The girls can miss school for a few days. How much can you really miss in third grade?”

Seth nodded his agreement and reassured them “I should have no problem getting coverage. My secretary is just as bad as Jen, always telling me I need to take more vacation. We’ve both gotten better since the girls came along. They made us realize exactly how important family is.”

The group departed the restaurant and made their way back to the hotel to drop off Lex and Ian. Ryan parked the vehicle and everyone got out to say goodbye. The girls hugged and kissed Lex and Ian making them promise to call at least twice between now and when they arrived for the wedding. Seth hugged both men and told them he was really looking forward to the wedding.

Ryan hugged Ian and then pulled Lex in for his own hug. As he was wrapped in the warm embrace Lex heard Ryan softly tell him “I am so happy you are in my life now. I am extremely proud of you and I know your mom would be too.”

Lex hugged him back and managed to utter “Thank you’” softly before stepping back. Ian took his hand as they watched everyone pile back into the minivan and pull out into the light traffic.

Ian looked at Lex and commented “I think we can consider this weekend a success.”

Lex turned to him, kissed his cheek and replied “Yes, we can.”