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"We’re at the tattoo parlor"
"Is Travis getting branded with your real name this time?"
"Not exactly"
Travis eating "Baby" he said, frowning
"I can do this," I said, focusing on spots on the ceiling I juertip’s touched eon," Travis said, his voice tinged with desperation
"All right," I said, shaking my head dismissively "I’ from both the pain, and the inevitable lecture
"I’ to kill you, Abby Abernathy!" America cried "Kill you!"
"Technically, it’s Abby Maddox, now," I said, s at Travis
"It’s not fair!" she whined "I was supposed to be yourwith you and throw a bachelorette party and hold your bouquet!"
"I know," I said, watching Travis’s sain
"You don’t have to do this, you know," he said, his eyebrow pulling together
I squeezed his fingers "I know"
"You said that already!" A to you"
"Oh, you’re talking to oing to hear the end of this, do you hear ive you!"
"Yes you will"
"You! You’re a! You’re just plain hed, causing Griffin to pull back He breathed through his nose
"I’m sorry," I said
"Who was that?" America snapped
"That was Griffin," I answered matter-of-factly
"Is she done?" he asked Travis, annoyed
Travis nodded once "Keep it up"
Griffin just sain
"Who the hell is Griffin? Letand not your best friend?"
I cringed, fro intoin a breath of air
Travis sighed and shifted nervously in his chair, squeezing my hand He looked miserable I couldn’t help but s your hand, remember?"
"Sorry," he said, his voice thick with distress "I don’t think I can take this" He opened his hand a bit and looked to Griffin
"Hurry up, would ya?"
Griffin shook his head "Covered in tats and can’t take your girlfriend getting a simple script I’ll be finished in a minute, mate"
Travis’s expression turned severe "Wife She’s h-pitched as her tone "You’re getting a tattoo? What is going on with you, Abby? Did you breathe toxic fumes in that fire?"
"Travis hasdown at the smeared, black ainst ether "We’re , too"
Travis shook his head "You didn’t have to"
I narrowed my eyes "Don’t start with azed at me with the sweetest adoration I’d ever seen
Aone crazy" She should talk "I’et home"
"It’s not that crazy We love each other We have been practically living together on and off all year" Okay, not quite all yearnot that it ive America more ammunition
"Because you’re nineteen, you idiot! Because you ran off and didn’t tell anyone, and because I’uilt and second thoughts crept in For one second, I let the tiniest bit of panic that I’d just e mistake simmer to the surface, but the moment I looked up at Travis and saw the incredible amount of love in his eyes, it all went away
"I’o I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"I don’t know if I want to see you toain!"
"I’ll see you to"
"And your tat," she said, a smile in her voice
I handed the phone to Travis Griffin ran his thousand tiny knives of pain and anguish across rippingdown to touch his forehead towhat to expect helped, but the pain was a slow burn As Griffin filled in the thicker parts of the letters I winced, and every time he pulled away to wipe the excess ink aith a cloth, I relaxed
After a few more complaints from Travis, Griffin made us jump with a loud procla ainst the chair
"Thank God!" Travis cried, and then sighed in relief He pattedthe beautiful black lines hiding under the smeared black mess
Mrs Maddox
"Wow," I said, rising up on my elbows
Travis’s frown instantly turned into a triumphant smile "It’s beautiful"
Griffin shook his head "If I had a dollar for every inked-up new husband who brought his wife in here and took it worse than she did--well, I wouldn’t have to tat anyone ever again"