The Reveal
Susan's POV
I walked into the house at 18:09 knowing full well that I'll be questioned for my lateness but not punished. As I am staying with my Godfather, Magnus Campbell, for a month as my parents are off working in Morocco. You see my dad is a history professor at the university degree and is writing a paper about Moroccan culture and my mother decided to go with him knowing fully well that if she left him alone he wouldn't take care of himself properly. And with that they left me with their college friend and my Godfather for the time being. I don't mind, he feels more like a family friend and of course he cares about all of my usual business like how I am at school or my mental health but never gets to up in my business. So far staying with him has been going good, it has only been a couple of days but he tells me that he expects me home for dinner and that if I'm going out late I need to ask for permission just to make sure I'm not doing something dangerous. And with that I make my way inside.
I close the door and set my bag on the hook and head to the kitchen for a snack. I notice Magnus leaning over the marble island staring into his phone wearing his usual jeans and dark grey t-shirt accompanied with some sneakers and his usual silver chain. I turn to my left and see that two pots are on the stove, one with spaghetti and the other with some kind of tomato and chili sauce.
"Good evening, Susan. How was your day?" Magnus broke the silence signaling to me that he knows my presence has been acknowledged as he continues to stare at his phone. I can't let him know something is different and changed so I have to make sure I keep a level face. I take a deep breath and start to make my way to put the kettle on.
"Good evening, my day was quite pleasant and yourself?"
He finally turns to face me, switching off his phone, placing it face down on the counter top, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. he looks at me with his very casual face. "My day was quite relaxing," he stated with a shrug.
I turned to give him a bright smile as I replied, "Well that's very good."
I realize the kettle is empty and make my way to the sink. Glancing out of my peripheral vision to see that Magnus is looking at me suspiciously. I decide to ignore it and open the faucet and fill the kettle with water.
"What are you hiding, little miss?" He asked with a slight hint of amusement.
"Why, nothing at all! I'm innocent to the highest degree." Said with the brightest, cheeky smile I've got. I rush over to the other side and place the kettle on and set it going and turn and rest against the counter mirroring Magnus.
"Mmhhhmmmm, and why are you particularly late this afternoon?"
"Oh no particular reason, stop by and chat to a few after school, stopped by for a coffee, took a leisurely stroll and so on and so forth. Everything and nothing at all."
"Is that right?" He does not do a good job of hiding his amusement.
"Quite indeed."
"You do realize, sweetheart, that I am in charge of your care and if there us something important that I need to know... you should tell me now." Gazing accusingly he makes his way to the pots and starts to stir them gently making sure they do not set to the bottom.
"Oh come on, Maggy-waggy. I didn't think you were so cautious of just a stroll." I couldn't help but giggle at the new nickname I came up with for him.
"Haha little Suzie, but let's make it habit to message if we are going to be a little late for dinner." He gives me that parental side glance with raised eyebrows. The annoyance of the parent look causes me to sigh and roll my eyes.
"Yeah, alright." Now that we have done this whole conversation I have lost my extremely bright and cheeky smile as I slowly look towards the floor, with lack of anything to do.
"Thank you. Now I am making pasta Arrabiata and I thought maybe we could watch a movie afterwards, is that alright?"
"Yeah, that's alright. I can't imagine I have something else to do."
"Oh and by the way, your parents asked if you to check in with them."
"Thanks for letting me know, if I don't do it now and I'll forget and then I'll never hear the end of it," I state as I start to pull out my phone.
Magnus let out a throaty chuckle. "Yup, my friends are some real frightful folk. But that's your fault, they got so scared in case something were to happen to you that have never been the same."
"It can't possibly be all my fault, they had to have a bit before me. There is no way that only I made them reach that level of caution."
"I hate to break it to you dear but surely enough it is entirely your fault. But who can blame them? With something as entirely precious as you would make the most laid back people you have ever met turn neurotic."
I scoff, "You have to say that as I am your goddaughter."
"I may have the tiniest bit of bias but I don't think it affects my opinion that much."
I laugh at his joke and then I remember I have to message these so called neurotic parents.
Susan: Hey mom, Magnus said you wanted a check-in. I'm doing well, not causing any trouble and got an A- in my math test. I love you and you don't need to worry about me.
Mom: Oh I know, dear. I just can't help it, you're my precious baby and I'm always worried about you but I'll try and give you some peace and quiet. I love you too, baby.
Now that I have sent my message and now that the kettle is boiled, I can make myself some coffee.
"I've messaged my mom and told her everything is fine."
"Good because I didn't want to deal with her either."
We both chuckled at the idea of my very worrisome mother. "Hey Magnus, would you like a coffee? I'm making some for myself and don't mind making another."
"Yes, that would be lovely," he replied with a genuine smile.
I opened the top cabinet and reached for 2 mugs when a twinge of pain erupted from the spot reminding me of my earlier activities. The pain causing me to hiss, paralyze in a more relaxed reaching position and my hand grasping the pained skin over my ribs and under the breast. I couldn't help but groan in pain and let out an exasperated, "Owww."
Magnus notices this and rushes towards me. "Oh Susan, why can't you just be honest with me? This has something to do with why you are later today, doesn't it?"
I felt so small that all I could do was nod slowly as I bit my lip to try and ease the pain. In response Magnus clasps over my hand on my ribs and his other wrapped around my waist and lifted me onto the counter in the corner of the kitchen.
"Now tell me Susan, what is really going on?"
I didn't want to tell him because I knew he would blab to my parents about it. And yet I couldn't look in his face to scared it would reveal something. "I'm fine, really Magnus."
He grips my face and brings it so that I'm staring into his eyes. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" I can feel that he is not going to let this go and I can feel my will to keep it a secret dissipating. He brushes my cheek. "Hmm, come on tell me princess."
I can feel tears well in my eyes from both the pain and the mild interrogation and I let out a shaky breath before I answer. And so I whispered, "I got a tattoo."
I can hear Magnus take a deep breath. "Susan, aren't you of legal age?"
I couldn't meet is eyes now. "Yes."
"And how were you able to get a tattoo if you are not of legal age?"
I cleared my throat. "I forged my parents signature on a permission form."
"And how were you planning of hiding this from your parents?"
"It is in a place where they won't see it."
"Where is that?"
I swallowed a lump forming in my throat. "From the side of my torso to under my boob over my ribs."
"And is it hurting?" He asked and there was such tenderness in his eyes and voice as if he felt what I was feeling.
A tear slips out of my eye at the same time I also let out a sob as I nod viciously. I couldn't meet his eyes now. I don't know what affect he has on me but suddenly the pain and his gaze makes me feel so vulnerable and child-like. I couldn't help but sob like a baby. He makes me feel like I need him to love me and take care of me, like he'll take away my pain.
He gently rubs my knees. "Hey, it's ok, precious. Just take a breath for me." I do as he says and let in a breath and focus in the feel of his hands on my knees.
"Can I please look at it?"
I thought about his request and ultimately agreed, nodding my head to show my agreement. He grips the hem of my shirt and lifts it up slowly, making sure to stop before he reveals my bare breast. I quickly take a hold of my shirt in his place so he can take the band-aid covering it off. He gently rests his hand on my side under my newly scarred tissue as he slowly removes the band-aid to reveal a stem of one of my favourite flowers.
"Why did you get that tattoo, Susan? What about this picture made the you think to go through all this effort to get it?"
I was a little startled as I was not expecting his question. "Um, well sometimes I forget who I am and lose my self-esteem. So I chose this tattoo specifically for me to remind me that I'm still very much the woman I am in rare fleeting moments. The one who is sexy and free, she is not afraid of her sexuality, she's pure and kind and possesses a beauty that only comes every once in a while. And most importantly, she does not feel underappreciated and unloved. To everyone, I seem to be the object in the background... even to my parents. Nobody cares that I'm there and I need to remember that I'm not just a nothing. That I'm not just an object unable to be recognised."
Magnus face drops to a heartbreaking level. "Do you feel those things, Susan? Do you feel underappreciated and unloved?"
"Yes," her voice cracks as she answers and she lets out another sob. "I don't feel like that goddess of a women, I feel like the weed next to the beautiful flower, the one that doesn't get acknowledged or doesn't compare. And I need a reminder that I am really that flower even though I don't feel like it."
Magnus starts to wipe the tears from my face, his thumbs gently caressing my skin. I watch him as he leans forward and kisses the top of my forehead. He retracts down to reach my eye level and stares into my eyes and says, "Princess, you are so loved and cherished and beyond beautiful. I don't know what has you believing you're not but you need to know that you are, alright?"
I nod my head to his question and take in a shaky breath to try and relax myself and stop the tears.
"Alright then. Now my grandmother always said that pain is your body needing some love and that there is not much that can't be solved with a single kiss. With that, do you give me permission to kiss it better?" He asks me staring at me expectantly.
I know that I should say no because it is crossing a line and stepping over a boundary... but at the same time I trust the man to take care of me and not be inappropriate and that this simple gesture might make the pain go away. I have full faith in Magnus and I would trust him with my life so with that I ultimately agree with his proposal, I trust grandma-Magnus advice.
"I give you permission."
"Ok then."
And with that he slowly moves in towards my torso. He places his soft lips on my tender skin and starts placing loving pecks over my new tattoo. All of a sudden, I receive this overwhelming feeling that I can only describe as a shudder going through my reproductive organs. The movement causing a slipping feeling of lube out of my pussy and my breathing picks up. I can feel goosebumps spreading over all of my body and my grip on my shirt slowly loosening as my body is getting swept up in unusual emotions. Magnus oblivious to my newly found panic places the last kiss that just happens nip the bottom of my breast which sends a new found shiver along my spine, and grips the shirt from my grasp and lowers it slowly.
"Now, I'm cutting you off from coffee. I'll get us some soda out of the fridge." He places a kiss on my temple, grips my hand and helps me down off the counter. He then walks over to the fridge and brings out 2 coke-cola cans and places them on the counter.
I jump a bit as the timer goes off and gives me a fright. Magnus turns to me, eyebrows raised and in a very excited voice states, "That's dinner."
