By Linda Boulanger (Stormy/Family/Holidays)
Lilly groaned at the sound of the doorbell. Her mother cheerfully welcomed guests she’d complained about less than an hour before. Her father called from the bottom of the stairs. Lilly groaned again and, with a longing look at the photography magazine with the article on her favorite photographer, pushed herself up and began a dramatic death march toward her destination. Her thoughts divided themselves between wishing there’d been a photo of Maxwell Canton in the magazine to thinking she should not be forced to come home and endure these gatherings now that she was in college.
At the top of the stairs she stopped to paste a mandatory welcoming smile on her plain but passably pretty face before gliding toward the crowd below. The holidays had begun.
“Lilly!” Her cousin Emerald wobbled toward her in heels that added at least five inches to her height. Lilly wondered how anyone could possibly stay upright in shoes like that. Emerald couldn’t! She lost her balance and threw herself into Lilly to keep from falling then conveniently turned the faux pas into a hug.
Lilly inwardly rolled her eyes. Emerald! What kind of people named their child Emerald?
Bert and Eleanor, that’s who. Uncle Bert was her father’s brother by his dad’s third wife or something like that. According to Lilly’s mom, they were barely blood enough to be considered relations, though Bert had inherited well from his maternal grandfather – which afforded them audience at family gatherings. Other than the fact that they had produced Emerald, Lilly didn’t really mind them all that much. Bert had a dry sense of humor that Lilly totally got. She thought it was hilarious when his remarks went straight over everyone’s heads. They’d also provided her first camera for which she was forever grateful.
And they’d graced the world with Clay. He had to be the most perfect male specimen in all creation. Of course, he had the big “cousin~hands off” label stamped right across his hard, broad chest managed only by too many hours a day spent in a gym.
“Hey ya, Lil!” Clay winked and shouldered her. “Brought you an early Christmas present.” He pointed to another boy who’d been lost in the sea of bodies before they’d filed past Lilly on their way into the living room.
“Hey.” Lilly had to force herself to contain a laugh as she took in the young man. She glanced back at Clay to see if she was missing some kind of a joke. This guy looked nothing like Clay’s usual crowd. From the tips of his cowboy boot clad feet, to the bill of his baseball cap clutched in his hands, to the most unruly blond hair, this was one oddly put together fellow. Lilly raised her brows and smiled. Well, he was intriguing to her artistic side, if nothing else.
“Show him some of your pics, Lil.” Clay was already moving off toward the living room, leaving Lilly and the odd man to stare at one another. Neither moved … they just stared.
“So…” they said at the same time then laughed at what they’d done before lapsing again into the silent stare.
“You really want to see my photography?” Lilly felt a bit shy about sharing her work – especially with this eclectic stranger. Even after several wins in local events, she was still uptight.
“Yes ma’am. Clay’s told me all about your work and, uh…” He glanced toward the crowded living room, “It’s the only reason I agreed to come. I’m not much into family gatherings; though I’m sure your family can’t be nearly as stormy as mine.”
“Then we’d better escape before you learn the truth.” She turned to head back up the steps, paused for a moment thinking about whether she really wanted to spend her time with this strange fellow, and then darted upward before either of them could change their minds. How often did she find anyone interested in her photos?
“So, you’re into photography too?” she asked, turning the doorknob.
“Just a bit. If you have a computer, I can show you my website.”
A website! Lilly’s adrenaline rushed. This guy really was into it!
“I like people pictures the best –the ones that show real life.” She swooshed away the magazine she’d been looking at earlier and opened her desk drawer to pull out a file of her best.
“These are amazing! Your compositions are unique...”
Just like you, she wanted to add.
“Here.” Lilly pulled up another chair and pushed her laptop toward him. She was anxious to see his style.
After a few clicks and key tapping he motioned for her to move closer. “It will take a moment to load.”
She hoped it took a lifetime. No, she didn’t! My but he smelled nice. Lilly, stop!
“Here it comes.” He sounded as excited as she felt. “I think you’re going to be surprised.”
“Oh, I think you typed in something wrong. This is Maxwell Canton’s site. You know of him?”
Most photographers did – along with millions of other people only too happy to pay big bucks for his work, especially for his people pics depicting women in real life. Supposedly extremely private, there were no known photographs of him.
“Huh.” He ran a finger along the URL as he spoke. “Yeah, I know him.” Then he shook his head. “No. It’s right.” Lilly’s mouth fell open and he laughed. “Clay said you’d be surprised.”
“Yeah.” Lilly’s heart swelled and she made a mental note to tell Clay he’d always been her favorite. She was glad to be home for the holiday, even if her family probably wouldn’t realize she hadn’t been around. Or maybe especially because of that. She smiled at Maxwell Canton, glad as well that she’d decided to give him a chance. He’d seemed quite odd to her at first and it had almost put her off. Almost… She wondered how many others turned away because of the cowboy boots and baseball cap. Great strategy!
Judging books by covers was something one shouldn’t do. Lilly wondered briefly whether there was an equivalent saying that pertained to the world of photography … and then promptly got swept away by her guest and the passion they shared for life taken one click at a time.
Lilly groaned at the sound of the doorbell. Her mother cheerfully welcomed guests she’d complained about less than an hour before. Her father called from the bottom of the stairs. Lilly groaned again and, with a longing look at the photography magazine with the article on her favorite photographer, pushed herself up and began a dramatic death march toward her destination. Her thoughts divided themselves between wishing there’d been a photo of Maxwell Canton in the magazine to thinking she should not be forced to come home and endure these gatherings now that she was in college.
At the top of the stairs she stopped to paste a mandatory welcoming smile on her plain but passably pretty face before gliding toward the crowd below. The holidays had begun.
“Lilly!” Her cousin Emerald wobbled toward her in heels that added at least five inches to her height. Lilly wondered how anyone could possibly stay upright in shoes like that. Emerald couldn’t! She lost her balance and threw herself into Lilly to keep from falling then conveniently turned the faux pas into a hug.
Lilly inwardly rolled her eyes. Emerald! What kind of people named their child Emerald?
Bert and Eleanor, that’s who. Uncle Bert was her father’s brother by his dad’s third wife or something like that. According to Lilly’s mom, they were barely blood enough to be considered relations, though Bert had inherited well from his maternal grandfather – which afforded them audience at family gatherings. Other than the fact that they had produced Emerald, Lilly didn’t really mind them all that much. Bert had a dry sense of humor that Lilly totally got. She thought it was hilarious when his remarks went straight over everyone’s heads. They’d also provided her first camera for which she was forever grateful.
And they’d graced the world with Clay. He had to be the most perfect male specimen in all creation. Of course, he had the big “cousin~hands off” label stamped right across his hard, broad chest managed only by too many hours a day spent in a gym.
“Hey ya, Lil!” Clay winked and shouldered her. “Brought you an early Christmas present.” He pointed to another boy who’d been lost in the sea of bodies before they’d filed past Lilly on their way into the living room.
“Hey.” Lilly had to force herself to contain a laugh as she took in the young man. She glanced back at Clay to see if she was missing some kind of a joke. This guy looked nothing like Clay’s usual crowd. From the tips of his cowboy boot clad feet, to the bill of his baseball cap clutched in his hands, to the most unruly blond hair, this was one oddly put together fellow. Lilly raised her brows and smiled. Well, he was intriguing to her artistic side, if nothing else.
“Show him some of your pics, Lil.” Clay was already moving off toward the living room, leaving Lilly and the odd man to stare at one another. Neither moved … they just stared.
“So…” they said at the same time then laughed at what they’d done before lapsing again into the silent stare.
“You really want to see my photography?” Lilly felt a bit shy about sharing her work – especially with this eclectic stranger. Even after several wins in local events, she was still uptight.
“Yes ma’am. Clay’s told me all about your work and, uh…” He glanced toward the crowded living room, “It’s the only reason I agreed to come. I’m not much into family gatherings; though I’m sure your family can’t be nearly as stormy as mine.”
“Then we’d better escape before you learn the truth.” She turned to head back up the steps, paused for a moment thinking about whether she really wanted to spend her time with this strange fellow, and then darted upward before either of them could change their minds. How often did she find anyone interested in her photos?
“So, you’re into photography too?” she asked, turning the doorknob.
“Just a bit. If you have a computer, I can show you my website.”
A website! Lilly’s adrenaline rushed. This guy really was into it!
“I like people pictures the best –the ones that show real life.” She swooshed away the magazine she’d been looking at earlier and opened her desk drawer to pull out a file of her best.
“These are amazing! Your compositions are unique...”
Just like you, she wanted to add.
“Here.” Lilly pulled up another chair and pushed her laptop toward him. She was anxious to see his style.
After a few clicks and key tapping he motioned for her to move closer. “It will take a moment to load.”
She hoped it took a lifetime. No, she didn’t! My but he smelled nice. Lilly, stop!
“Here it comes.” He sounded as excited as she felt. “I think you’re going to be surprised.”
“Oh, I think you typed in something wrong. This is Maxwell Canton’s site. You know of him?”
Most photographers did – along with millions of other people only too happy to pay big bucks for his work, especially for his people pics depicting women in real life. Supposedly extremely private, there were no known photographs of him.
“Huh.” He ran a finger along the URL as he spoke. “Yeah, I know him.” Then he shook his head. “No. It’s right.” Lilly’s mouth fell open and he laughed. “Clay said you’d be surprised.”
“Yeah.” Lilly’s heart swelled and she made a mental note to tell Clay he’d always been her favorite. She was glad to be home for the holiday, even if her family probably wouldn’t realize she hadn’t been around. Or maybe especially because of that. She smiled at Maxwell Canton, glad as well that she’d decided to give him a chance. He’d seemed quite odd to her at first and it had almost put her off. Almost… She wondered how many others turned away because of the cowboy boots and baseball cap. Great strategy!
Judging books by covers was something one shouldn’t do. Lilly wondered briefly whether there was an equivalent saying that pertained to the world of photography … and then promptly got swept away by her guest and the passion they shared for life taken one click at a time.
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