“Yea, where do you want to go?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“What kind of surprise?”
“A surprise, surprise. I’m not supposed to tell you.”
“Rubbish, you must tell me everything. I want to know. I have to tell the driver a destination. Security has to know something.”
“It’s not far. It’s right here in Beverly Hills.”
Jagger leaned back in his chair. “In Beverly Hills? Is this a surprise for my birthday?”
“Sort of.”
“From you?”
I shrugged.
“I specifically told Matt to tell you not to buy anything for me. You flying down here a few days before Thanksgiving, that’s my birthday gift. You’re my bloody present. I don’t want or need anything else.”
“Don’t be weird. It’s not anything grand. I just want to take you somewhere.”
He was quiet as he peered into my eyes. “If I refuse.”
“Stop being stubborn. You’re not going to refuse. Tomorrow is your actual birthday and I promise I have no surprises for you tomorrow.”
“Fine. I will agree to this, whatever it is.”
“Thank you.”
Jagger made a call and he secured a driver for us. We showered and dressed in jeans and t-shirts. We both wore baseball caps. Jagger was in disguise. I was just copying his I’m a regular person attire. A black Range Rover with the darkest tinted windows was sitting outside. The Rover was toward the back of the mansion and parked a few feet by a side door. We got in the back seats and buckled up. The driver was a bodyguard and the man that sat next to him was security too. I felt safe with both of these men. They had the height, weight, muscle and stoic mugs to scare a ghost.
I gave the driver the top-secret address. I was sure Jagger wouldn’t recognize it. He didn’t live here. After only a few minutes we arrived at the rear of a new tattoo shop called Enigma. The shop was the first Black female tattoo shop in Beverly Hills. It was owned and operated by Katrina Jackson the beautiful young tattoo artist from the reality TV show Black Ink Crew Chicago. Jagger and I watched a few episodes of that show together.
Katrina and I shared a first name but she went by Kat Tat. Back in Chicago, Kat on more than one occasion had given my daughter a tattoo. This was before Kat moved to L.A. I was able to set it up for a private tattoo from a reality TV celebrity. Hopefully, Jagger would like my wild birthday gift. I wanted to do something special for him.
The owner led us inside. Kat Tat was very generous and gracious. She was even more beautiful in person. She hugged me and she shook Jagger’s hand. She gave us a tour of her workplace. I was impressed. I’d met Kat when I took Kennedy to get one of her first tattoos. She was going to get one regardless. I talked her into letting me go. I needed to see the place and I needed to make sure I asked the artist a thousand questions before she put a needle with ink in it on my firstborn child. Kat Tat actually remembered meeting me.
After the tour of Enigma, Kat Tat led us into a colorful tattoo booth that was more like a posh office. The space was clean and sterile. Her instruments looked shiny and new. I didn’t know much about tattoos but I heard getting them was addictive. Jagger had that huge cobra, the heart tattoo, and a few others that were usually covered by his clothing.
“So did you figure out your gift?”
He poked his lips out. “I think so.” His eyebrows raised.
“I’m going to pay for you to get a tattoo from Kat Tat. Whatever you want.”
“Huh, I love it. No one has ever given me a tattoo for my birthday or any other occasion.”
“I wanted to give you something unusual for a gift.”
“Well it’s bloody incredible. It’s very thoughtful.” Jagger reached out and pulled me into a hug. He kissed me on my lips. He let me go but held my hand. I thought we weren’t doing public displays of affection.
Kat Tat stood idle and watched us. “So, Jagger do you have anything in mind?”
“I do.” His eyes left her to look over at me. “It’s my birthday, correct?”
“Yes.” I answered the obvious.
“It’s my birthday, and for my birthday, I want you to get one too.”
“Get one what?” My voice went into high pitch.
“I think we should get matching ink.”
“I’m getting you a tattoo to commemorate you turning twenty-one. This has nothing to do with me.”
“You don’t have any tattoos.”
“I know and I want to keep it that way.” I couldn’t hold back my agitation.
“Do me this huge favor and get a tat? Get a small one.”
“Jagger twenty-one is a big deal. I don’t have any reason to get one or do I have any design in mind.”
“I’m sure we can come up with something. It’s my day. Do this for me.”
“Really?”
“Pretty please.”
“Jagger.”
“Katrina.” One of his eyebrows took a hike up closer to his hairline. “I small one. You can do a itty-bitty one right?” He asked Kat Tat.
“I can do any size. Whatever you guys want.”
It seemed like two against one even through Kat Tat wasn’t pressuring me either way.
“Sweet, love, please.” He put his hands together like he was praying. “I’m begging you.”
“Okay, but it has to be small. Like you said itty-bitty.”
Jagger pulled me into his side. “This is a bloody good birthday gift.”
I really did want him to have a good birthday. I had no idea that would mean I had to mark my body up. Why was I doing things to please this man? I knew why. I was crazy in love.
It was painful getting a tattoo and totally against my character. Childbirth still held the number one spot on the physical pain meter of my life. I couldn’t believe Jagger talked me into getting permanently inked. I went forty-five
