#sims content

A ring. A simple ring, catching the rays of the morning sun as Isa twirls it between her fingers, the black stone sparkling before her eyes. Isa bites her lip when she sees it. She tried to forget it, to hide it in a box at the back of a drawer, and yet here it is again, right in front of her.

She thought about it for a long time. Taking off her wedding ring had been difficult but putting it back on is an even tougher task. However, she discussed it at length with her therapist. She spent hours talking about her situation and working on herself. It’s time for things to get moving.

But it also means making peace with his past, finally coming to terms with his loss.

Jasper can't even remember the last time he visited his mother's grave, if he's even been there once since the funeral. He kneels down and runs his hand over the grave. The grave is in perfect condition, adorned with flowers. Obviously, his father continues to tend to it.

Sitting down in front of the grave, the words start pouring out on their own. Everything he’s kept to himself all this time. Everything he would have loved to say to his mother if she were still here. Nothing comes in order but recounting life isn't easy, especially for someone like him.

Pouring out the words from his heart, Jasp realizes that all his problems could be easily solved if he finally focuses on what really matters. Even more so if he would talk about all this not only at his mother’s grave but to the ones alives that need to hear this. And maybe to a therapist.

If Alexander had noticed the new tattoo Jasper was proudly displaying on his chest, he didn’t even bat an eye. No, what Alexander had noticed was Jasp's passionate, sometimes obsessive interest in cinema. He would spend hours locked in his room teaching himself about editing and how to shoot films.

He made a lot of mistakes with his son, but not this one. Once high school was over, he encouraged him to enroll in filmmaking school, while also pushing him to visit film sets, starting out as an assistant but taking on a more prominent role as people began to notice his presence and skills.

But he kept going down that path anyway. That’s how he met Val. X was the only tattoo artist who had agreed to his project without asking too many questions. So, he went back there. He didn’t expect to find a girl barely older than him, with her feet up on the counter as if she owned the place.

Two grieving, angry teenagers—probably the most explosive combination that could have ended badly. And yet, once the initial insults were exchanged, neither of them looked away or lowered their heads. And they both respected each other for that.

The tattoo was therapeutic for both Jasper and Val. And on both sides, the conversation began to flow, and over the course of a few hours, they opened up to each other. Val has tattooed many people since then, but Jasper will always be one of the first people who put their trust in her.

Ending up in his room after an argument with his father was something Jasper hadn’t done for a long time, and yet the bitter taste remains the same. He can still picture himself pacing up and down in that very room, cursing under his breath.

He knows he wasn’t the easiest child; he feels he’s paying the price for it with Elliot now, in any case. The number of times he snuck out, smoked in secret, or even straight up lied. It’s hard to remember it all. Perhaps it is better this way.

He did everything he could to get his father’s attention even if it meant making him angry, but to no avail. It’s hard to get the attention of someone who buries himself in work to forget his own grief anyways. A note on the fridge was sometimes the only form of contact Jasper could get from him.

When Jasper walks into the kitchen of his childhood home, Alexander is very surprised to see him there. Their relationship has always been tumultuous; Jasper even considers Aria and Luke to be his own parents, much more so than Alexander, but lately, their relationship has become entirely estranged.

Jasper had expected it, and sure enough, the moment he mentions his mother, Alexander tenses up and his eyes become distant. Just like every time Jasper brings up the subject. He can almost predict the words that are about to come out of his mouth.

The moment Jasper questions his past actions; Alexander becomes even more defensive—if that’s even possible. He tries, but as far as Alex is concerned, the situation is clear: talking about Katya is out of the question, and things will likely never get better, for a reason Jasp has no idea about.

CHAPTER THREE : Grief and growth

The buzzing of the tattoo gun fills the studio, accompanied by the soft humming of Val. Jasp isn’t quite sure what made him book an appointment at his favorite shop to continue inking his body. Probably that need of a fresh start whilst remaining true to himself.

Every tattoo, every design has a meaning, a special importance. His left arm, dedicated to his wife and his daughter, and his ring finger, featuring Isabelle’s initial, serve as prime examples. For some reason, he was saving his back for a special occasion. Today, the reason feels obvious.

Val interrupts his train of thought and snaps him out of his daydream. With her tattoo pen raised and an eyebrow arched, she waits for Jasper’s reply, but he grumbles and rolls his eyes, clearly in a bad mood.

As for Val, she’s holding back from giving him a piece of her mind… for now.

Val has always been Jasper’s favorite tattoo artist. Well, sort of. He’s always liked her bluntness; she’s never been afraid to tell him exactly what she thinks. Even though, at times, he would have preferred her not to confront him so directly with his problems.

In many ways, her life was similar to his. One parent deceased, the other a complete wreck. Val knows all about that too. But unlike Jasper, things have changed for her. She changed. He can even tell by looking at her. He no longer sees that anger she used to carry around with her everywhere.

Silence falls once more as Val switches her machine back on, but her last words hang in the air and, above all, keep going round and round in Jasper’s head. He’s carrying a lot with him, that’s true. But perhaps it’s time to unpack it all and deal with what he’s been holding onto for far too long.