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The Photographer's Assistant
By Chris
Shelia was setting up her tripod to put her camera upon when she noticed an auburn hair girl walk by, something about the girl caught her attention but then it faded as she thought about the photograph that she wanted to take. She only had a short time to get the photo as the professor for her sociology class had held them over. She was fussing about that when she went to her bag to get her camera out.
Something out of the corner of her eye made her look up from her camera bad; she saw that the auburn hair girl was now leaning up against a car parked across the street and she seemed to taking in everything that she was doing. Sheila knew that the girl wasn't in any of her photography classes and she was too young to have been in any previous classes that she may have taken over the past three years. Maybe she was photography major too and was trying to pick up some pointers, which was fine with her if the girl would have asked, but just to stand there and stare at what she was doing did kind of pissed her off. She really didn't like to have any distractions when she was trying to get a shot as dedicate as this one was proving to be.
"You know if you'd take a picture it would last longer," Shelia said very sarcastically.
The girl looked behind her to see who Sheila was talking to and seeing no one around, Shelia saw that the girl realizing that she had made the sarcastic comment toward her. Shelia figured that the girl would get pissed off and cause her to storm off or come over and beat the shit out of her. Either way she would be rid of her though she preferred the first option.
"I wish I could but every picture I take comes out blurry or off center. I can't seem to take that perfect picture," she said in response she gave Shelia a shy smile.
It took Sheila a moment to realize that her superior wit and wicked sarcasm went right over the girl's head. She then began to feel that her feeling of distrust of this young girl, who suddenly seemed harmless to her, go away replaced by her love of photography and the need to share it with anyone who was interested in listening.
"You know that may be the problem, you're trying too hard. You just need to relax and I bet your photographs would be better. And by the way there is no such thing as a perfect photo so stop trying to make each photograph that way." Shelia told her in a much friendlier tone.
"Oh..." the girl said as she picked up her book bag carrying it toward her. "Maybe that's my problem or I'm just can't take pictures."
Before Shelia could respond, the girl asked, "So what are you taking a picture of?"
"I want to get a picture of the tower on Hensley's Hall as the sun sets behind it." Shelia told her as she began to lock her camera onto the tripod. Shelia then shifted her concentration to her camera and tripod.
"Oh that's cool, may I help?" the girl asked excitedly.
"No, I believe that I got everything handled," Shelia told her as she really preferred to work alone. However she saw that wasn't what the girl wanted to hear and just for a moment, she saw a bit of sadness in the girl's eyes.
"May I stay and watch then?" the girl asked hopefully.
Even though she would have rather the girl had taken her rather obvious hint, she didn't have the heart to turn the girl down, there was something about her that she couldn't resist, so she gave in saying, "Sure that'll be fine. By the way my name is Shelia, what's yours?"
"Oh I'm Caroline," Caroline said softly.
"Well it's nice to meet you Caroline," Shelia said while still working to get her camera in focus.
"So are you majoring in photography?" Carolina asked.
"Sort of," Shelia told her, being more than a little vague with her just to see what she would say.
"What do you mean by sort of?" Carolina asked with her facial expression showing her confusion.
"Well the university doesn't specifically give out a degree in photography per say, however they do have one of the best photography labs in the nation." Shelia said to her and she saw the confusion in Carolina's eyes increase so she decided to have mercy on her.
"My major is in fashion though I don't do any fashion designing, but there is a quirk in the system that allows me to get my BA in that while taking every photography class that they have. So while my major is really in photography, my degree will be in fashion. I know that is confusing but it gets me where I want to go," Shelia told her.
"No I understand, I just wish I knew what I wanted to major in," Caroline told her wishfully.
"You'll figure it out I'm sure," Shelia said confidently. "What do you like to study?"
"Everything," Caroline said finally smiling brightly and Shelia could see that Caroline was being absolutely serious.
"Oh," Shelia replied. "Well you just started so you got time to figure it out."
"How did you know I was a freshman, do I look so out of place her?" Caroline asked with a worried expression.
Shelia let out a little laugh, "No you just look like I did when I got here three years ago, excited and scared all at the same time."
"Yes that's it, I just want to study everything but I also want to find my place in this world," Caroline said much too seriously for Shelia who never took anything except her camera seriously.
"You will," Shelia said turning back to her camera, seeing the tip of the tower just piercing the edge of the sun.
"I hope so," Carolina replied again wishfully.
"Now give me a minute here, I need to get my shot in focus," Shelia said as her voice lowered to almost a whisper.
"Okay," she heard Caroline whisper back, sounding as though she was much closer to her now but Shelia blocked that from her thoughts.
Shelia looked through the viewfinder of her camera, seeing the setting sun slowly move downward so that the tower began to hide it. For others the time would seem to creep by but for Shelia, it passed by quickly as she waited for the shot that she wanted. Then it was there and she hit the button and the photo was taken with orange light of the setting sun surrounding the tower.
"You're just going to take one picture?" Carolina asked obviously shocked that someone would dare to put everything on just one shot.
"Yea I needed the sun to be perfectly placed and I only had one chance to get the effect that I was after," Shelia said stretching her back to get the kinks out from holding her position so long.
"What if it doesn't come out like you wanted it too?" Caroline asked.
"I think I got it," Shelia answered confidently.
"Oh okay," Caroline said with a bit of a forlorn expression.
For some reason, Shelia felt for the poor girl who she could see was so disappointed that she could get the picture she wanted on the first try. So Shelia decided to throw her a bone, "However if it doesn't come out right then I'll be back here tomorrow evening to try again."
"Cool that makes good sense," Caroline said with her face lightening up. "So you need any help with your equipment?"
"No I got it," Shelia said as she really didn't like anyone messing with her camera equipment. "It's expensive and I've worked long and hard to be able to buy them."
"I'll be careful," Shelia heard Caroline say and when she looked up from her camera bag, she saw Caroline at her tripod.
"Caroline, please..." Shelia said but she saw Caroline smiling broadly as she very carefully pulled the tripod up. "Just be careful..."
"I am, I promise." Caroline said with a big smile.
"Ok," Shelia said giving in figuring that there wasn't much damage that Caroline could do to her tripod.
Once Shelia had her camera safely stored in her bag, she took the tripod from Caroline thanking her for the help.
"Well it was nice to meet you," Shelia said as she put her camera bag onto her shoulder and she began to walk back to the sidewalk to head to her car.
"You too," Caroline replied walking with Shelia stopping only to grab her book bag and then stepping in beside of her. "So you live off campus?"
"Yea, I room with three other girls," Shelia told her.
"I live off campus too but I live by myself," Caroline replied.
"Oh... I thought all freshmen lived in the dorms unless they commute from home," Shelia stated.
"They do but I got an exception to that rule, my father didn't want me living in the dorms. He was afraid that something would happen to me." Caroline replied like wasn't as unusual as it really was.
"And a young woman living by herself is safer?" Shelia had to ask.
"He thought so," Caroline told her but then didn't elaborate on how that made any sense to Caroline's father.
"Okay," Shelia said not pressing it however she was curious as hell now.
"So what's it like living with three roommates?" Caroline asked.
"It's a real pain in the ass." Shelia said with a laugh though she was being serious about it being a pain.
"Then why do you live there?" Caroline asked.
"Because it's all I can afford and it's not too bad most of the time, we all go our separate ways for the most part." Shelia said trying to backtrack a little. "What about you, do you like living alone?"
"I'm used to it," Caroline replied without any real emotion but Shelia suspected that there was more to it but then she didn't want to get into it since she doubted that she would meet up with Caroline again.
"Are you parked near here, I'm parked all the way across campus," Shelia said giving what she hoped was a big hint.
"I don't mind walking, I need the exercise," Caroline replied. "So how did you get the idea to take that picture?"
"I don't know..." Shelia said hesitating a moment to think as they walked. "I've walked by that building for the past three years but I happen to pass by it the other day and the idea came to me."
"That's cool that you can do that, I'm not creative at all," Caroline said.
Caroline then kept peppering Shelia with questions about her photography until they made it to Shelia's old car. "Well we're here, are you parked nearby?"
"Oh no, I walk to campus," Caroline told her.
"Just where do you live?" Shelia asked as there weren't any apartments anywhere near this end of the campus.
"I live at the Sunrise Motel," Caroline said softly like she didn't want anyone to know this. The Sunrise was the most expensive motel in the city and was used by rich and powerful that came to the city to do business or for university events like the university's football games.
Shelia began to get a feel for Caroline and why she went out of her way to walk with her to her car. While most girls growing up rich as Caroline had obviously did was spoiled, Caroline seemed not to be spoiled but rather lonely. Shelia began to see Caroline as someone who needed a friend and someone to talk to. This led Shelia to ask what she never dreamed that she'd ask only moments before.
"So you want a ride," She asked.
"No I can walk back," Caroline stated but Shelia saw that wasn't the answer Caroline really wanted to give.
"It's a long walk back and besides I'm going that way," Shelia said which wasn't completely true.
"Well if you don't mind..." Caroline stated with a shy smile.
"I don't, hop in," Shelia said smiling.
"Thanks," Caroline said with a big grin making Shelia wonder if she had bit off more than she could chew befriending this young girl.
"So did you have a late class?" Shelia asked as Caroline was opening the passenger door to get in.
"No, all my classes are early morning," Caroline told her.
"Then why were you still on campus?" Shelia asked.
"Oh I like to go to the library to study and to read the foreign newspapers," Caroline replied.
"Foreign newspapers?" Shelia asked.
"Yea, that way I can keep my language skills current," Carolina said.
"Just what languages do you speak?" Shelia asked.
"Ah... I can speak and read French, German, Spanish, Greek, and Hebrew fluently and I speak Japanese and Chinese pretty well and read them less well." Caroline stated like it was no big deal.
"How did you learn all of those languages?" Shelia asked, "I can barely speak and write English," she added with a little laugh.
"Do you come from a family of geniuses?" Shelia asked.
Caroline gave out a little laugh, "No just overachievers and I spent my childhood studying with tutors. My father sent my brother to the best boarding school but he obviously didn't see that need for me so I had tutors growing up," Caroline told her.
"All of your childhood?" Shelia asked as she pulled out onto the street.
"Pretty much," Caroline said, "But I love to learn so it wasn't so bad and most of the tutors were real nice."
"I guess that makes it better that you liked it," Shelia said holding back that she thought that would make for a lonely childhood.
"Well how about us keeping to my bad English," Shelia said with a laugh.
"Deal," Carolina replied grinning back.
"So you got any hobbies or anything, things that you enjoy doing?" Shelia asked curious as to what this girl did for fun.
"Not really, I've never had much free time to take up any hobbies... well except taking pictures but like I told you, I'm not too great at that." Caroline replied.
"Maybe it's the camera that you're using and not you," Shelia suggested, "What do you have?"
"I'm not sure what the brand it, but my father got it for me when he was in Japan, it's supposed to be one of the best, you know one where you have to set speed, aperture and those things that I couldn't master no matter how much I studied on them." Carolina told her.
"Oh that's your problem, you have to work up to one of those. You need a simple one that does all of that for you." Shelia said not believing that a novice like Caroline would have such a camera and it was probably one that she would kill to have though she loved her own camera which was expensive enough.
"Could you show me what I need?" Caroline asked and when Shelia glanced over at her, she saw just see the excitement in Caroline's eyes.
"Yea I'd be glad to," Shelia said seeing Caroline's eyes light up as well as a huge grin come across her lips.
"Oh thank you, that'll be wonderful, when can we go camera shopping?" Carolina asked and Shelia could just see that Caroline wanted it to be that very moment.
"Ah..." Shelia said as she came to a four way stop of which there were many on campus. She kept looking up and down the street just teasing Caroline a little before she finally said, "How about Saturday afternoon. I work at the portrait studio at the mall and we can go after I get off at four."
Shelia saw Caroline frown but for an instant but then a big smile came back just as quickly. "That'll be great; I appreciate you doing this for me."
"No problem, I love to go looking at new cameras and lenses," Shelia told her which she really did love to do.
"So you work on Saturdays?" Caroline asked.
"Yea, most weekends, it's the way to help ease the burden on my parents," Shelia said seriously. "I can earn some spending money and also help with the rent on my apartment."
"I see, well I can't wait for Saturday," Caroline said.
"Well hopefully we can find you something that you'll like," Shelia said figuring that it wouldn't be too hard to find a camera that Caroline could handle.
"I know you will," Caroline said confidently.
"Well we're here," Shelia said as she pulled up in front of the motel.
"Would you like to come up, I can order us something to eat," Caroline offered.
"Thanks but I need to get back, I still got some work to do and check out my photograph," Shelia replied though she would love to see what the inside of the motel looked like.
"Well maybe another time," Caroline suggested.
"Yea, maybe..." Shelia said and she was able to avoid any more conversation or invites when the doorman opened the passenger door for Caroline and addressed her by name.
"Well thanks for the ride and helping me get a camera," Caroline said as she got out, getting her book bag from the floorboard.
"My pleasure," Shelia said just before the doorman shut the door thus putting her in her place. Ten year old cars that needed a new paint job didn't drive up to this motel very often.
Shelia started her car up and before putting it into drive she glanced back at Caroline who was walking toward the front door. She stared for a moment looking at Caroline as she walked away from her. With the loose blouse and the plain knee length skirt, she really couldn't get a clear picture of what Caroline's body would look like. She figured that maybe the loose clothing hiding a few extra pounds. But still there was something about Caroline that stuck in her head and she just sat there and stared. It was only when the doorman pecked on the passenger window did Shelia's mind return to reality and she put the car into gear.
The next afternoon, Shelia couldn't help herself but to go by the place she took the photo of the tower just to see if Caroline was there. She was on the other side of the street so Caroline wouldn't see her in case she was there and she was. Shelia was tempted to stop and go talk to her as she could see just how lonely Caroline looked. But she had a paper to finish and she just didn't needed to be tied up the rest of the night, so she walked on but she felt herself feeling more and more guilty with each step that she took.
Since the portrait owner had sent out a mailing with a special package for this week, Saturday turned out to be a lot busier than a normal Saturday. Shelia normally had a half hour between photo sessions but not today, she had one appointment after the other. She was just glad that she had help coming in at noon so that between the two of them, she should get off on time or close to it.
Shelia figured that Caroline would show up early so she had Rachel, the high school girl working the front desk checking the clients in, look out for her and let her know when she arrived. Rachel told her that someone looking like the person she described walked past at two. Then around three, she again spotted her and this time she was sure that it was her. At four, Caroline came on into the shop asking after her. She had Rachel tell Caroline that she was running late as she was just finishing her last appointment.
"Sorry I'm late; the owner decided this week would be a great time to drum up new business," Shelia told Caroline when she finally made it out to the lobby where Caroline was waiting.
"I saw, if you're too tired to go camera shopping, I understand," Caroline told her.
"When it comes to looking at cameras, I'm never too tired," Shelia told her with a laugh.
"Okay, if you're sure," Caroline said giving Shelia another chance to back out that Shelia had no intention of taking.
"I'm sure however I would like to stop and get something to eat; I haven't had anything since I got up." Shelia said and her stomach growling right on clue.
Caroline laughed but then her face turned a dark red, "Oh god I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at you."
"Oh hell honey, you didn't laugh at me, you laughed at my stomach and it was funny, don't worry about it." Shelia said to her with a big grin.
"You sure?" Caroline asked still obviously worried.
Shelia took a hold of Caroline's forearm and began to lead her out of the waiting room. Once she was away from everyone, "Caroline, you can laugh at anything I do or say, I won't care and will probably laugh with you. And I got to warn you, I've got a quick wit so if I say anything to you, you got to just laugh it off because I don't mean anything by it. The only thing I take seriously is my photos, anything else is fair game."
Caroline let a smile come to her face, "I'll remember that and I'll keep that wit in mind too."
"You do that, so where do you want to eat?" Shelia asked.
"Anywhere you want is fine with me, my treat," Caroline told her.
"You don't have to treat," "Shelia said.
"Hey you're going out of your way to help me, the least I can do is to buy you a bag of chips or something..." Caroline said seriously.
Shelia turned her head toward Caroline thinking that she was trying to kid with her but Caroline wasn't smiling and acting completely serious. She was wondering if the saying about rich people being cheap was correct. She wasn't sure what to say when Caroline cracked a big smile.
"Got you!" Caroline said with an even bigger grin.
"Yes you did," Shelia said laughing.
"I did well?" Caroline asked.
"Yes you did," Shelia said still laughing. "So seriously, where do you want to eat?"
"It doesn't matter to me, you're driving," Caroline answered.
"Didn't you drive your car?" Shelia asked.
"No I took the bus from the university; I'd never taken a bus and wanted to try it." Caroline said. "That way we don't have to return here to get my car."
"And I'll be forced to drive you home," Shelia thought to herself. "Actually I took the bus too."
"You did?" Caroline asked stopping suddenly so that the people had to veer around them.
"Yea, I did." Shelia said seriously.
"What do we do now?" Caroline asked.
"I guess we'll have to hotwire a car," Shelia told her like it was no big deal to just steal a car. "You know how don't you?"
"No of course not! That's illegal!" Caroline said all so seriously.
"Only if you get caught and I've never been caught," Shelia told her confidently.
"You've stole a car before?" Caroline asked with a shocked expression on her face.
"Sure hundreds of them," Shelia said before she let the slightest of smiles come to her lips.
"Oh you!" Caroline said before slapping Shelia on the shoulder.
"Got you back!" Shelia said laughing.
"Yes you did," Caroline said with a big smile on her face.
"So where do you want to eat?" Shelia asked.
"You're driving," Caroline told her.
"How about we stop and get a burger along the way?" Shelia asked.
"And a chocolate shake?" Caroline asked.
Shelia laughed, "And two chocolate shakes."
"Mmmm... sounds good." Caroline said with a bright smile.
Caroline then began to ask Shelia about her day and how it went. So Shelia launched into her day describing the kids she had to try to get calmed down long enough to get their portrait taken. She also told her about the elderly couple that came in getting a portrait for their fiftieth anniversary. They were both so sour looking as if they both regretted each day of those fifty years. Shelia laughed as she told Caroline how she gave up on getting them to smile and settled for them not looking like they wanted to kill each other. That got them from the mall to the fast food drive through and on to the camera shop.
"Well there's Sheila!" Nathan, the older gentleman that owned the store, said from across the shop as they entered the rather large store, well rather large for a store that just sold photo and video cameras. "I got those new filters in I told you about."
"Cool, let's see them," Sheila said completely forgetting about why she was there in the first place.
"I think you'll like these," Nathan said when Shelia got to the counter and then he reached under the counter and pulling out a couple of small boxes.
"I'm sure they're overpriced too," Shelia said with a smile.
"Of course, don't I overprice everything," Nathan replied with an even brighter smile.
"Yes you do," Sheila said as she took the offered lens filter that Nathan was showing her.
Shelia was eyeing the lens filter when she heard somewhere in her head Nathan asking, "So who's your friend?"
"What?" Sheila asked coming out of her concentration on the lens filter she was eyeing and wishing she could afford.
"I was asking who your friend was, a photo bug like youself?" Nathan asked hopefully.
Sheila turned to where Nathan was looking to see Caroline standing a few feet behind her, she was smiling shyly and didn't seemed pissed in the least that Sheila had forgotten all about her as soon as they entered the store.
"Oh shit!" Sheila said more to herself than anyone. "I'm sorry Caroline; when I come into this store I forget everything."
"It's okay, I can wait, go ahead and look at those things," Caroline told her.
"Oh no, we came here to get you a camera and that's all we're going to do." Shelia said to Caroline before turning to Nathan, "We're here to get Caroline and simple but good camera, can you help us?"
"Oh I think we might find something that will fill your need," Nathan said with a smile. "Come this way my lovely ladies." Nathan moved around the L shaped counter to where the cameras were stored while Sheila guided Caroline to where Nathan was now standing.
"So what do you want?" Nathan asked directing his question to Caroline however Sheila was the one who answered.
"Mmmm... get that one and those two over there," Sheila told him pointing to the three cameras that she wanted to look at.
Nathan got them out and Sheila picked up the first box turning to Caroline, "Now this one you can..." Sheila was saying when Caroline put up her hand stopping her in mid sentence.
"I'm not going to understand anything that you're about to say so save your breath, just pick me one out that you feel like I can take pictures with." Caroline said.
"Okay," Sheila said now feeling a bit of pressure to get something that she hoped that Caroline could use and more importantly take great photos.
She turned away from Caroline and began to talk to Nathan in the one language that Caroline wasn't ever going to master, but one that Sheila and Nathan was very fluent in. They talked for a few minutes before they both agreed on a camera.
"Get that lens over there and do you have a fully charged battery that we can let Caroline use?" Shelia said to Nathan before turning to Caroline.
"Okay this camera has a lot of the same features that the camera you have has..." Sheila was saying.
"But I can't use my camera," Caroline protested with a bit of a frown.
Sheila just smiled, "May I finish?"
"Yea but..." Caroline said only this time it was Shelia stopped her with a finger to Caroline's lips, which felt soft, too soft...
"But is also has an auto function that sets everything and even focus the picture for you. This way as you learn more, you can do more, if you want, it's up to you." Sheila said with a big grin.
"Oh..." Caroline said grinning now.
"Yes oh..." Sheila said with a little laugh. "Now let's put it together and see what you think.
"Yes please," Caroline said with more than a little excitement in her voice and showing on her face.
Sheila opened the box, pulling the camera base out. She then carefully explained to Caroline how to put the lens onto the camera, showing her and then making Caroline do it a couple of times. Though she was only going to get her one lens to start with but it was something that she thought she should know. She showed her how to look through the lensfinder and not use the digital view. It took Caroline a few attempts to learn how to push the button down partially to get the camera to focus in on the subject and then press further to actually take the picture.
"Okay you think you got it?" Sheila asked.
"Yea, I think so," She replied with more than a little trepidation in her voice.
"Okay, now you're going to take a picture for real but let me have the camera first." Sheila said reaching out and taking it from her.
"What you doing?" Caroline asked.
"I'm deleting all the pictures you just took," Shelia replied.
"Why?"
"Because they were practice pictures or ones you took by accident, now you're ready to take a real one." Sheila said handing the camera back to her.
"What shall I take it of?" Caroline asked.
"Anything you want," Sheila responded.
"Anything?" Caroline asked with a sparkle in her eyes that Sheila should have noticed.
Sheila laughed, "Yes anything."
"Okay stand right there and don't move," Caroline said as she stepped back a little and over to her right to place herself right in front of Sheila.
"I didn't mean me!" Sheila said throwing up her hands and moving to the side to hide behind one of the shelves.
"You said anything," Caroline told her.
"You did say anything Sheila," Nathan said.
"Oh shut up," Sheila said to Nathan.
"You did say anything young lady so let her take your picture," an elderly sounding female said near where Caroline was standing.
Shelia stepped from behind the shelve saying, "This is the one and only picture you'll ever get to take of me."
Then she saw the elderly woman standing beside of Caroline, instantly recognizing the woman's face. "Oh my..." She said not believing who it was.
"Now focus in on that beautiful young woman's face," the woman told Caroline who was doing what she had said, "Relax and take the picture." She then said with a calm sturdy voice.
Caroline did so and she brought the camera down. "Now show me the picture," the woman said to her.
"It'll probably be out of focus," Caroline said as she fumbled around with the camera for a moment before she remembered how to retrieve the picture.
"Oh honey, you captured your friend's beauty perfectly," the woman said praising Caroline who Sheila saw was eating it up.
"Sheila look, she's right I got a great picture of you," Caroline said as she rushed to Sheila's side.
"Thank you ma'am" Sheila said to the woman who was turning to leave.
"Oh yes thank you," Caroline quickly added.
"You're both welcome, just keep taking pictures young lady," She said.
"Oh I will," Caroline replied happily.
"Good," She said, "and Sheila, you keep at it, don't ever let anything or anyone keep you from what you obviously love to do."
"I will," Shelia said not believing that this woman would even know who she was.
"Do you know who that was?" Sheila asked Caroline after the woman had gone out the door.
"No, somebody famous?" She asked.
"She was the first woman the paper here every hired as a photographer and she has won about every award there is for photography, you name it and she has photographed it." Sheila told her.
"That is so cool," Caroline said and Sheila could tell that she was impressed too.
"But how did she know my name," Sheila asked turning toward Nathan.
"She overheard you telling Caroline how to take a picture and she said that she could just hear the passion in her voice. I told her who you were and that you're the finest photographer I've ever seen." Nathan told them.
"Well thank you," Sheila said then she saw Caroline holding her camera. "Let's see how your picture of the ugly duckling turned out."
"You're not an ugly duckling, you're beautiful," Caroline said firmly and then realizing what she had said, Sheila saw just a hint a a red hue come to Caroline's face.
"Thank you but I think your first picture turned out pretty good, even if the subject was me," Sheila said complimenting the picture.
"You think so?" Caroline asked.
"Yes darling, it's a very good picture," Sheila said not mentioning that it wasn't centered but she figured that Caroline didn't need to know that.
"Cool, I'm going to put it on my computer, after you show me how you do that," Caroline said.
"Oh no it isn't, I don't want you to have to stare at my ugly mug every time you sit down to study." Sheila said quickly.
"Well then I'll print it out and frame it," She said then looked over at Nathan, "You got some good photo paper don't you?"
"Why of course," Nathan said with a big grin.
"Okay I'll help you put it on your computer," Sheila said not wanting her picture on the wall where everyone would see it.
"I thought you would see it my way," Caroline said with a cute laugh.
"Okay let me pay for my stuff and we can get out of Nathan's hair," Caroline said.
Sheila got the impression that Caroline wanted to conduct her business in private which she thought was weird but it gave her a chance to look to see if Nathan had any other new toys that she could put on her wish list. As she looked around, she saw Caroline getting out a credit card to pay though she seemed to be doing a lot of talking to Nathan who would glance her way. Shelia smiled thinking that Nathan wanted to be reassured that Sheila's card was good. Sheila knew anyone that could afford to live in a suite in the best hotel in the city could afford a camera like the one she was getting. Nathan did disappear for a moment but when she looked back over Nathan was back with Caroline and it was him that gave her a sneaky grin.
"So did you get everything taken care of?" Sheila asked as Caroline came back to her with the camera now hung around her neck and the boxes in a bag that she was carrying.
"Yes I did, thank you again for helping me out," Caroline replied.
"No problem, so now where do you want to go?" Shelia asked.
"Ahhh.... Maybe some place where I can practice with my new camera..." Caroline suggested hopefully.
"I thought you'd say that, I got the perfect place in mind." Sheila said with a smile.
"Where?" Carolina of course asked.
"You'll see," Sheila said.
"Someplace you've taken pictures before," Caroline asked.
"Yea, it's a park by the river, it's got lots of things that you can take photos of that don't include me," Sheila said as she opened the door to her car to take them to the park.
The park was on the other side of the river from where the university was located. It had a large green field with lots of wild flowers as well as a few trails that people walked for exercise. Sheila did manage to get Caroline to not take any pictures as she drove making her go over the book that came with the camera to learn what each button did. Shelia was impressed as Caroline seemed to have them down pat by the time that she parked the car.
"So what shall I take a picture of?" Caroline asked as she came to the front of the car where Sheila was standing.
"Anything you want," Sheila replied.
"Cool, come on," Caroline said and the next thing that Sheila knew, Caroline had her by the hand leading her down the path toward the park.
"Anything but me that is," Sheila said realizing that she had left herself wide open once again.
"Too late, you said anything so that includes you," Caroline said with an infectious grin forming on her lips.
"Okay one more picture and that's it," Sheila suggested.
"Three pictures!" Caroline countered.
"Two pictures," Shelia countered with a laugh.
"Okay two," Caroline said with a big grin.
"Deal," Sheila replied getting caught up a bit in Caroline's enthusiasm.
"I thought you'd come around to my way of thinking," Caroline said.
"But you wanted three," Sheila reminded her.
"And I'll end up with three," Caroline said grinning.
"Oh... yea you will" Sheila replied realizing that she had been had. "Do you always get what you want?"
Caroline stopped suddenly causing Sheila to almost run into her, Sheila looked at Caroline's face that was just a moment ago was happy and excited turn almost sad and fore loin.
"No... I've never really gotten what I really wanted." She said in almost a whisper.
Sheila was now looking at the shy girl that she had met when she was taking the photo of the tower. Sheila felt the need to change that shy sad girl back to the happy excited one she had gotten a glimpse of just moments before.
She put her arm around Caroline's waist pulling her in, "Well I guess today's you're lucky day isn't it."
Caroline's smile returned along with a slight blush to her cheeks, "Yes it is," She replied with the excitement returning to her eyes.
"Okay, so where do you want me?" Sheila asked getting them walking again.
"By that big oak tree," Caroline said as the path opened up to the park.
"Tell you what, you stand right here and I'll go over to the tree and you can take my picture," Sheila told her.
"But you'll be so far away, I won't be able to see you in the picture," Caroline complained.
"That's the idea," Sheila said with a hardy laugh.
"Oh you!" Caroline said fussing at Sheila. "Come on, I want a good photo of you."
Caroline took a hold of Sheila's hand pulling her over to the tree. She first got her to stand to the side of the tree before changing her mind and putting her in front of it. Sheila tried her best to not look as uncomfortable as she felt as Caroline put her camera up to her face. Sheila watched Caroline's finger on the button to take the picture and she knew what Caroline was about to do before Caroline even did it.
"Fiddle sticks!" Caroline said aloud.
"Fiddle sticks, what kind of cuss word is that?" Sheila said coming over to Caroline's side.
"Nanny Kay would wash my mouth out with soap if I said a real bad word, fiddle sticks was the only word she would let me use and only that one because she used it." Caroline said.
"Is she your grandmother?" Sheila asked.
"No she was my Nanny, she was the one who raised me," Caroline said with a bit of sadness in her voice.
"Oh okay, well I'm going to have to teach you some real bad words," Sheila said with a laugh.
Caroline laughed, "Yes I guess you are."
"You forgot to let the camera focus didn't you?" Sheila asked changing the subject back to picture taking.
"Yes how did you know," Caroline asked and Sheila just looked at her with a grin. "Oh yes you're the expert on photography.
"Well the great thing about digital cameras is that you can just delete any photo that you don't like. Show me the picture." Sheila told her.
Caroline had to fiddle with the camera but for a moment before she remembered how to retrieve the picture. "See you're all blurry."
"I don't know, I think that's a great picture of me." Sheila said with a laugh. "Besides that you're second picture of me so you only have one more to go."
"Oh no! That one doesn't count!" Caroline said as she put that picture in the trash as in she hit the trash can button and the picture was gone. "Now get back over there and pose for me."
Sheila laughed but she did go back to the tree putting up only a little bit of a protest. This time Caroline was a little bit more careful and she got a nice picture of her. Caroline then directed Sheila over to a flowering bush making her stand in front of it. Again Caroline worked the camera slowly getting a good picture that she liked.
From there Sheila took her around the park making Caroline take some close up pictures of flowers and even a stick, just to make her practice. The lens that she had gotten for the camera also had a wide angle view so Sheila made her take pictures using this view. Sheila told her that they could delete most of them since all that they were doing were practicing but Caroline said that she was saving them all since they were the first pictures she had taken with her new camera. When the sun began to set, they headed back to Sheila's car.
"Well I hope you will enjoy your new camera," Sheila said as she pulled up in front of the motel.
"Aren't you coming up, I need you to help me download the pictures," Caroline said and Sheila saw how disappointed Caroline was.
"I need to get back, I got lots of homework to do," Sheila said trying to resist Caroline's sad eyes.
"Just for a few minutes, then you can leave, please..." Caroline asked and it was the please that got to Sheila.
"Well just for a few minutes," Sheila relented not able to resist Caroline and the strange power she seemed to have over her.
"Cool," Caroline said as she slipped from the car and then saying something to the doorman. "They'll park the car for you." She said slipping her head back inside the door.
"Oh okay," Sheila said just as a young man appeared at her door, opening it so she didn't see Caroline take something from her bag and placing it on the passenger seat.
Sheila couldn't help herself but to stare at the opulence of the motel interior. It was even fancier than she had imagined. All the staff were dressed in suits or conservative dresses, for the women employees. Caroline stopped by the desk to ask for any messages and the young woman addressed her by her full name and treated her like she was their best customer.
"Oh this is very nice," Sheila said as they entered Caroline's suite.
"Yea I kind of feel bad living in a place like this when the other freshman have to live in those small dorm rooms," Caroline told her.
"Living in the dorms isn't all bad; you do get to meet a lot of nice people, some bad ones too but mostly good." Sheila told her.
"You want something to snack on?" Caroline asked.
Sheila knew if she said yes, she'd end up staying longer than she intended, "No I'm fine."
"You sure, they have the best nachos around," Caroline said.
"This place has nachos?" Sheila asked wondering how Caroline just happened to hit upon her one weakness when it came to food that was bad for you.
"Well I think they go down the street to that Mexican restaurant to get them," Caroline said.
"Oh god they have the best in town," Sheila said knowing which restaurant that Caroline was referring to.
"Yes they do," Caroline said as she went to the phone, picking it up and ordering the nachos.
"I didn't say yes," Sheila told her.
"No but your eyes did," Caroline said with a grin. "I'm sorry but they won't let me order beer or anything, I'm too young, so we'll have to settle for soft drinks."
"That's okay; I'm not much for alcohol anyway." Sheila told her.
"Yea me either," Caroline said as she got her camera out. "Come on and help me download my pictures."
"Sure," Sheila said as she went over to where Caroline had pulled up an extra chair by her computer.
Sheila noticed that Caroline didn't really need any help to download the pictures she had taken from the memory card to her computer. It was a simple task of pulling the card out and putting it into the slot on her desktop computer. From there they viewed the pictures, discarding a couple that were blurry or really didn't show anything. Caroline fussed a little about these but Sheila assured her that she would get better as she took more pictures and got used to her new camera.
Where Sheila fussed was when Caroline put the second picture of her against the tree onto her desktop. She also transferred the picture to her Smartphone which gave her a excuse to trade phone numbers with Sheila so that she could send them to her. Sheila saw through this but went along anyway. Just as they finished with the pictures, the nachos arrive so they stopped to eat.
"May I ask you something?" Sheila asked.
"Sure anything," Caroline answered as she handed Sheila her coke that she had gotten from her small fridge.
"You said that you were raised by your nanny, I know a lot of children that come from wealth have nannies but you implied that you're parents weren't around much." Sheila asked curious just how the rich lived and specifically how Caroline was raised.
"Hold on I'll be right back," Caroline said getting up from the couch they were sitting upon.
"I'm sorry if I'm prying into something I shouldn't," Sheila said feeling that maybe she went too far into Caroline's family.
"Oh no it's cool, I just want to get something first," Caroline told her with a soft smile.
A moment later Caroline came back carrying a picture frame. She came back to the couch, sitting down before handing the picture frame to Sheila. "That's my Nanny Kay, she was a gem, one of a kind."
"Was?" Sheila asked looking down at an old petite black woman holding a baby dressed in a fancy pink dress.
"Yea, she died the summer I turned sixteen." Caroline said with a sad smile.
"I'm sorry, you must have loved her dearly," Sheila said.
"I did," Caroline said with a soft smile before she put a chip coated with cheese into her mouth.
"Is that you in the picture?" Sheila asked.
"Yea that's me, chubby cheeks and all," Caroline replied laughing a bit.
"All babies have chubby cheeks," Sheila said with a laugh and then she commented, "Nanny Kay looks old in the picture."
Caroline laughed again, "When I asked her how old she was, she would just say 'Three days older than god.'"
"I think my grandmother told me that once too," Sheila said with a laugh. "So how did she come to raise you?"
Caroline took another bite of the nachos and a sip of her coke before she replied, "My father is on the road a lot going from one failing company to another, fixing what is wrong and getting them profitable again and he's very good at what he does, and he is well paid."
"I can see that," Sheila replied meaning the fact that Caroline was living in a fancy motel while attending college.
"My mother on the other hand is a woman who likes to live in the lime life and not worried about marrying a man twenty years her senior. She also knew a good way to keep my father was to produce a couple of kids thus came my older brother and me. Now my father took right to what was to be his rightful heir so my brother was sent to the finest schools to be groomed to take over for him. Now a daughter didn't do my father much good and my mother wasn't the motherly type if you know what I mean." Caroline said stopping to get another bite and a sip of her coke.
"I'm sorry," was all Sheila could think to say.
"Oh no it was cool; Nanny Kay was all the mother that I needed. She made sure that I was taken care of and loved. To me, she was my mother and grandmother all rolled into one. And best of all, she made sure that I wasn't sent off to some boarding school like my brother was. She kept me at home and tutors were sent in to teach me. I got the best education there was without ever leaving home." Caroline told her.
"But you missed out on being with other kids, making friends..." Sheila said feeling sorry for Caroline.
"I didn't mind..." Caroline said but in her eyes, Sheila could see that maybe she did mind a little, maybe even more than a little.
"So did your parents get you another nanny after she died?" Sheila asked not knowing what else to ask or say.
"Oh I never told them," Caroline told her.
"What?" Sheila asked unbelievably.
"The winter before she died, her age finally began to catch up with her so we sort of switched roles and I began to look after her, making sure she had the best doctors and I got a nurse to come in every day to help her. She didn't have any family so I made sure that she had everything she needed and then took care of everything after she died. I knew no one could replace my Nanny Kay so I made sure my parents never knew. They were always gone somewhere anyways so it was easy to hide her death from them. I finished my education and took the tests to get into college." She said.
"You could afford to go to any university, why pick this one?" Sheila asked.
"Because I knew I'd meet you here," Caroline snapped off.
"Yea right, now why here?" Shelia asked.
"I don't know, I really don't. I knew I didn't want to go somewhere that all the students were from wealthy families like mine. So I started to look other colleges and universities and this one just stuck in my head." Caroline stated honestly.
"You definitely had an interesting life," Sheila told her.
"And that is just the short version," Caroline said with a laugh. "So what about your life, I bet it was interesting."
"Not really, I was an only child who was adored by her parents until I became a teenager when I developed a teenager's attitude. But that was when my father bought me a camera for my fourteenth birthday. I was hooked and found what I wanted to do with my life." Sheila said giving Caroline an even shorter version of her life.
"Now there has to be more to your life than that," Caroline protested.
"Nope that's it," Sheila said before putting another nacho into her mouth.
Sheila could see that Caroline was thinking this over and she was determined not to give in and tell Caroline too much detail but she didn't realize just how Caroline could always ask the right question when it came to opening her up.
"Is that what you wanted, a camera for your birthday?" Caroline asked innocently enough.
Sheila had to laugh, "No I wanted to get my belly button pierced and I wanted this cute belly button ring that I had showed my father as a little hint the week before."
"I think it was a big hint if you ask me," Caroline asked. "So the camera didn't get used right away?" Caroline asked.
Sheila laughed again, "No it got put in the corner of my closet to be forgotten with all the other birthday presents that I had gotten over years that I didn't want."
"So?" Caroline asked.
"So what?" Sheila asked playing with Caroline.
"So it obviously didn't stay in the corner of your closet..." Caroline stated.
Sheila laughed again deciding that Caroline already knew that she had fallen in love with photography so she told her how it happened. "It was a month or so later that I was up in my room bored to death. I thought of the camera and decided to pull it out and see what it was like. I began to read through the instructions as the battery charged. Usually instructions like that are like reading Greek to me but for some reason, I seemed to understand them. The camera was much like the one we got for you tonight where it would do everything automatically or you can use the manual controls. Like you I used the auto setting at first taking pictures of things around my room. Then I went out in the yard and started to play around with it. I tried to get our dog to model for me but she wasn't much interested in sitting still and posing. But I still got some decent photos of her. It sort of grew from there, and I began to ask for new lenses and things for my camera. As much as it pleased my father that I had grown attached to the camera that he had bought me, I think he regretted not getting me the belly button ring."
"I doubt that," Caroline said with a laugh.
"So did you ever get your belly button pieced?" Caroline asked a moment later.
Sheila pulled her tee shirt up showing her clean belly button, "Nope, I kind of lost interest in that."
"Well I'm glad that you did or I would never would have met you and become friends with you," Caroline said.
"Yea me too," Sheila said meaning the camera but the smile on Caroline's face indicated she took it as meaning that she thought she was talking about her. She didn't have the heart to correct her and Caroline seemed to need a friend.
"Do you still have the camera, the one your father gave you?" Caroline asked.
"Oh yea, I still use it when I'm home to take pictures of family gatherings and holidays. It seems to make my father happy that I still use it sometimes." Sheila told her.
"The good daughter, I see" Caroline said with a soft smile.
"I guess I am," Sheila said not mentioning the one thing that didn't please them but that they accepted.
They fell silent for a moment as they ate their nachos however that gave time for Sheila to think and also become more curious about Caroline's childhood but specifically about her relationship with her parents.
"You said that Nanny Kay raised you but your parents couldn't have been gone all the time, I mean you had to see them some of the time didn't you?" Sheila asked.
"Oh sure, they were home a lot but I usually only saw them for dinner and my mother made sure that dinner was always a formal affair. So sometime there was just the three of us at a long table with people serving us which I hated." Caroline stated.
"Why?" Sheila asked though she thought she knew.
"Because I knew these people by their first names and I knew all about them and their families. I thought of them as my friends not people who worked for my family and me. I was just uncomfortable sitting there. I liked it better when my mother would hold dinner parties because I could excuse myself early claiming I had lots of homework to do. I don't think my mother believed me but it was fine with her as she could concentrate on her guests and not acting the mother to me. And to tell you the truth, I was glad to see them leave. My father, on his business trips and if it was someplace exciting like Paris, Rome or Tokyo my mother would go alone. If it was someplace boring, she would head to New York to hobnob with the socialites there seeing Broadway plays and such." Caroline said as if this what every girl went through.
"I don't think I could have survived that, I mean as much as my mom and I fought through high school, I always knew she'd be there for me when I needed her." Sheila told her.
"Sure you could have, if that was all you knew." Caroline said.
"I'm not so sure, I think I would have done something to get their attention, maybe some things I shouldn't do," Sheila said thinking about herself in that situation.
"Oh Nanny Kay would have put you back on the straight and narrow real quick. She knew how to get a little girl's attention and keep it." Caroline said with a little laugh.
"And did Nanny Kay ever have to get a particular little auburn hair girl's attention?" Sheila had to ask a grinning Caroline.
"Ahhh... maybe a time or two," Caroline said giggling. "What about you, were you a perfect little angel growing up?"
"Of course," Shelia said and she saw the doubt on Caroline's face so she qualified her answer, "though my mother might disagree."
"I bet," Caroline said laughing.
"ahhh... where's the restroom?" Sheila asked as the laughter died down.
"It just around the corner there," Caroline replied.
"Thanks," Sheila said standing up and heading in that direction.
As she turned the corner, she saw that Caroline's suite had two bedrooms; with the one that Caroline obviously used having a small bathroom connected to it which Sheila could see from the doorway. The main bathroom was positioned between Caroline's room and the spare bedroom that was at the end of the small hallway. This bathroom was a girls dream with plenty of counter space, a large mirror, a separate shower and a large bathtub that two could fit into easily. It was practically a hot tub with holes in the side to circulate the water. Sheila went on over to the toilet to pee and once she was done, she checked out her hair for some strange reason before returning to the living room. She saw that Caroline had gotten them both a fresh coke indicating that Caroline wanted the evening to continue.
"You know I'd give anything to have a tub like that, just to lay and soak in for hours," Sheila said as she sat down.
"You're welcome to use it any time you want," Came Caroline's replied.
"Oh no I didn't mean..." Sheila was saying when she noticed Caroline's eyes and how serious she was in the offer. "Well maybe one day I will," changing her answer in mid sentence.
"Cool," Caroline said smiling. "I'll be right back."
"Take your time," Sheila said as Caroline headed for the bathroom.
Sheila got up going to the large window to see what view that Caroline had from her suite. With her bad sense of direction, Sheila wasn't sure just what Caroline's view would be but she was sure that it would be very nice and it was. Sheila found that she was looking out over the university and with just a glimpse the moon lighted river beyond the school.
"Taking in the view," Caroline commented as she came up beside of her.
"Yea, you got a great view," Sheila replied.
"I could have had a suite on the other side looking out over the city but I wanted to see where I would be going to school," Caroline told her.
"Well I think the university would look nicer than a bunch of bank buildings any day," Sheila said.
"For sure, I like to look of the school at night, it seems so quiet and peaceful," Caroline said softly.
"You haven't been in the dorms on a Friday night have you," Sheila said with a laugh.
Caroline laughed, "No I haven't had that privilege."
"It can get noisy on the weekend, that's for sure." Sheila said from experience.
"I think I like the quiet here," Caroline replied.
"Have you gotten out much, you know with friends?" Sheila asked pretty sure of the forthcoming answer.
"No I'm not much for making too many friends, just you so far." Caroline said.
"Well I'm glad that you consider me a friend but you do need to meet more people, you know there are a lot of nice people over on that campus." Sheila said hoping to spur Caroline into finding more friends.
"I know and I will but I'm not much of a people person," Caroline said softly.
"I am, maybe I can rub off on you," Sheila told her realizing that she was committing herself into becoming more of a friend to Caroline but then she was a nice girl who could use a friend.
"Maybe you will," Caroline said with a big grin.
"Well this friend needs to get back home," Sheila said.
"So soon?" Caroline asked her disappointment showing on her facal expression.
"Yea I got a paper to work on and it's been a long day with work and all," Sheila said turning away from the window.
"Well thanks for all your help tonight, it was nice of you," Caroline told her sincerely.
"Hey you know how I love to shop for cameras," Sheila said deflecting the compliment.
"Well I had fun," Caroline told her.
"I did too," Sheila said and before she knew what she was doing, she gave Caroline a brief but tight hug. When she let her go, she saw that Caroline was blushing ever so slightly.
Sheila grabbed her bag and Caroline walked her to the door where she thanked her again for helping her with the camera. Sheila then went on to the elevator giving a last wave to Caroline before getting inside and hitting the button to the ground floor. As the elevator went down, Sheila thought about how Caroline had blushed when she hugged her and how cute she looked. She wasn't sure why those rosy cheeks were sticking in her head but it was. She tried to think of something else like the paper that she did have to write but Caroline's rosy cheeks were all her brain would allow her to think upon. It was only when she got into her car, that was sitting in front of the front door so Caroline had obviously called down to have it there for her, was she able to think of something else. That thought was how nice it must be to be rich and having people waiting on you. She let out a sigh knowing that she would never know that feeling so she threw her bag into the passenger seat and headed home.
End of Part One.
To be continued...
Please let me know what you think of my story. I welcome all comments good or bad. You can email me at numlfl@hotmail.com