“Yes, that’s me. I wanted to surprise you.”
“Wow.” He stared at the painting several long moments before shaking his head. “I didn’t know you were famous. First I find out that you’re a prince, and now this.” I wasn’t sure that famous was the right word to describe me, but I knew Izzy meant it as a compliment, so I treasured it. “I’m so proud to be with you.”
“Thank you, little one. It’s true that I’ve done much in my long life, but the thing I’m most proud of and thankful for is being your Daddy.” He captured me around the waist and gave me a fierce hug. I kissed the top of his head and suggested, “Let’s go get this over with so that we can get to the snacks.”
“That’s a very good idea.”
We made our way up to the teller, and I informed her of the transactions I needed; to deposit a check into the business account, and to move around some funds in my personal accounts.
As she worked, Izzy continued to inspect his surroundings until his eyes locked onto a basket of suckers on top of the teller stand. He slowly licked his lips in a way that was totally innocent, yet sent my blood racing.
My boy tugged on the sleeve of my sweater, and I leaned down so that my ear was next to his mouth when he whispered, “Can I please have a sucker?” He’d already had enough sugar to last him a week, but I couldn’t deny him a damn thing.
“You’ve been waiting very patiently and politely. I think you’ve definitely earned a sucker.” He kissed my cheek and excitedly grabbed an orange lollipop, unwrapped it, and stuck it in his mouth, humming at its flavor. I pretended not to notice when he stuffed a few more into his pockets for later.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?” the teller asked.
“No, that’s it for today. Thank you.”
“Thank you. Have a nice afternoon.”
Izzy gave her a wave goodbye, and I tried my best (and failed) not to smile at the way his pockets crinkled with his stolen goodies as we walked back to the car.
But a pocketful of suckers was nothing compared to the treats Izzy picked out at the grocery store. Each new aisle we went down, he found something else he wanted to try. By the time we finished, we had a cart overflowing with cookies, snack cakes, pies, and candies.
He also chose things he’d like for me to make him for meals, like macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, and Spaghetti-Os. Along with my selections of fruits and vegetables, I was confident I could give him the nutrients he needed while offering plenty of treats.
I loaded our shopping bags into the trunk while Izzy danced happily in the front seat, snacking on a bag of bite size chocolate chip cookies. He hadn’t had lunch yet, but I had one last stop in mind and I didn’t want my boy to get hungry.
“Where are we going?” Izzy asked when he saw that we were heading in the opposite direction of the coven house.
“I’ve got a little surprise for you.”
He clapped and anxiously watched out the window until I pulled into the lot of a tattoo parlor which I knew had an excellent reputation for cleanliness and customer satisfaction.
Izzy gave me a confused look. “Are you getting a tattoo, Daddy?”
“I’m not against the idea, but I had something else in mind for today; it’s your decision and I’ll be happy with whatever you decide-”
“I don’t want a tattoo,” he cut in, looking terrified. "I'm afraid it will hurt."
“No, no, baby; this place also does piercings. I thought you might want to get your ear pierced again. I know you loved the way it looked, and if it would make you happy-”
He cut me off again, but this time in the form of a crushing hug when he threw himself over the console. “Really, Daddy? Oh yes, I’d love to!” When he pulled back, I saw moisture dancing in his eyes. “I know it’s silly to be emotional; it’s just an earring, but...this means a lot to me.”
“I understand.” It was part of his identity that was taken forcefully from him in the past. I wanted him to be happy with his body and the way it looked, and would do anything to give him the confidence he deserved. “Are you ready to go in?”
“Let’s do it.”
I led Izzy inside the building which looked nothing like I expected; I don’t know what I was picturing, but it wasn’t the lounge vibe of the leather sofas and modern decor. Along the far wall, a young blonde woman was standing in front of a mirror, holding her shirt up a few inches and admiring a jewel in her navel. Izzy studied her curiously for a moment before taking a timid step forward.
“Excuse me,” he said quietly, and the woman gave him her attention. “Did you just get that done?”
“Sure did,” she answered with a smile. “What do you think?”
“It’s very pretty.” I swallowed down my jealousy and anger; I knew Izzy had no interest in the woman. He was just a sweetheart who was kind to everyone. “I really like the pink gem.”
“Pink is my favorite color and it’s my birthstone, so I thought it was perfect.”
Izzy nodded his agreement before asking, “Did it hurt?”
“Not really; it was just a little pinch. Are you thinking of getting it done?”
My boy’s cheeks flushed. “I really like it, but I don’t think it would work on my belly button; it’s an outie.”
“I think an outie would be adorable with a piercing.” Just as I was about to lose my shit, the woman bumped her elbow into mine and asked, “Don’t you think your boy would look cute with a pierced belly button?”
Her declaration of Izzy being mine washed away any lingering jealousy. “I think he’d be beautiful.”
She smiled and yelled, “Hey Ross, can you come out here for a minute?” She explained to us, “Ross is my brother; he owns the shop.” She flicked the ring in her navel and added, “This was my gift from him for my eighteenth birthday. I’m Mandy, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you,” Izzy and I both replied. I added, "My name is Nikolai and this is Izzy."
Just then, a tall man dressed in all black came around the corner. “What’s up?”
“I was just talking to this little cutie about getting his navel pierced,” Mandy told him. “It’s an outie; can you do it?”
“Can I take a peek?” Ross asked my boy. Izzy’s cheeks turned a little darker, so I squeezed his hand in support as he raised his shirt up a little. “Sure, that won’t be a problem. I’ve got time now if you’d like.”
Izzy turned to me. “Is that okay, Daddy? Can I do both?” At the sound of my name, Mandy clasped her hands over her chest with an adoring expression and Ross smirked at his sister.
“Absolutely. I can’t wait to see how pretty you’ll look.”
“Thank you!” He gave me another tight hug as I chuckled.
“Aw, I wish I could stay and see how pretty you are too, but I’ve got to get to my birthday lunch with my boyfriend,” Mandy said with a pout. “I’m already running late.”
“It was nice to meet you,” Izzy told her. “Happy birthday, by the way.”
“Thanks, buddy.” She gave her brother a hug and my man a wink before she flitted out of the shop.