Darcy, Come Home & Find a Bride

"Here comes Cleo now...why don't you ask her yourself?"

Darcy handed Cleo his card and she autographed it. As she handed it back Darcy said, "I want to take your photo for your mom's birthday?" Cleo flipped over the card and said in surprise, you really are a photographer."

A couple of hours later Darcy talked to Cleo during the lunch break and as a result he took a photo of her ice-skating at Galleria Dallas and she absolutely adored the result as her mother would a few weeks later when the big photo arrived by courier. Cleo had said he mom had spent hours and hours with her at the local skating rink when Cleo was a young girl and had made her a white costume with stars on it. Darcy insister Cleo get a similar costume made for her and spent more than an hour on a small platform on the rink, with Cleo skating towards him. The crowd grew and more skaters took to the ice, pleasing the rink manager. Finally Darcy was satisfied and Cleo yelled at him, "You beast, look at me...I'm turning blue." She didn't speak to him again and disappeared while Darcy packed up with a big grin. He thought one of those shots just after they started the shoot would be the one, and so it was. He sent a 10 by 8 proof to her and she called back two hours later weeping.

"I've just opened your package. This will bring my mom to her knees, crying, bringing back all those memories. You are a genius."

Cleo kept the photograph secret until after her mom received it on her birthday with a bouquet of flowers. Her parents were living in a small town in British Columbia and as the show was on a tight schedule to finish the series final Cleo was unable to attend the birthday party. She then handed a copy of the photo to her agent who was no jerk. He swung into action and the photo was published in newspapers and magazines and Cleo was invited back to the 'Entertainment This Week' show where she obliged and lifted her skirt up to her panties to show what the interviewer called, 'Your fabulous legs that none of us who watch you each week knew you had'. No one complained of course but the TV station received almost two hundred letters in praise of Cleo and a day after the TV station announced that response her current production company had signed her up and had contracted a male and female script writing duo to write the story of a young girl rising to become a famous skater, Cleo to play the adult lead.

Darcy appeared everywhere with Cleo for almost two months before they parted. He enjoyed it but quickly came to believe she was a great actress faking orgasms. She liked the event over quickly and only doggie and he was not to squeeze her breasts or suck them because she wanted to keep her figure and her skin perfect. They parted because Darcy had become bored with her and used the opportunity of finding her in bed with one of her girlfriends to say goodbye Cleo.

Not that it was a waste of time. Cleo was actually a very entertaining, warm woman and in the weeks to follow after the much-publicized split Darcy knew he'd not only acquired the reputation he sought, but it was growing. High profile women were calling him to photograph them. It really hit Darcy when he returned to Chicago to visit his parents. Someone on the aircraft must have recognized him and used a special purpose 'air phone' to call airport media in Chicago. A small group of photographers and reporters were there to meet him to claim the guy who'd broken up with Cleo Jones was a Chicagoan. His waiting parents and sister Dallas were hugely surprised at the attention he received as when the media finished with him strangers approached to shake his hand.

His mother Diane kissed him and said in awe, "My son you are famous" and Dallas kissed him as if she were kissing a film or ice hockey star.

"Guys this will die," he said, knowing that to be true.

"We've seen you on TV and pictured with Cleo in magazines," said Dallas. "Bonnie will have too."

A tug pulled at Darcy's heart. He'd not thought of Bonnie in weeks. Well obviously it was over.

* * *

Happiness had returned to Bonnie's life. She was on the last leg to completing her masters degree and had a little affair going with a junior doctor but knew he was also seeing a little of another nurse who was married. The jerk but at least she had the enjoyment of sex again.

Her mother was on stronger medication for depression but Bonnie no longer minded; it was just a fact of life. She knew she'd lost Darcy because she'd seen him in magazines escorting the lovely Cleo Jones. When the magazines screamed the break up of that relationship Bonnie had been aware she'd felt no emotion beyond initial interest. She'd accepted long ago her mother had destroyed her relationship with Darcy.

One afternoon when out on her afternoon walk her, mother was attacked on the sidewalk by two dogs. They pulled her screaming to the ground and tore at her face and throat. Horrified witnesses drawn from their homes by the screams were quoted in the media as saying it would have been over in seconds for the victim before local resident Mr Mattock arrived with a baseball bat and killed one dog and drove off the other that was later handed in by the owner to be destroyed.

Bonnie was upset of course, her mother having such a terrible death. Although she realized she was free, emotionally that meant nothing to her, at least not then.

Her father began bringing his mistress home for a drink soon after the funeral and that callowness resulted in Bonnie resigning from her job. She had been granted bereavement leave so used that time to intensifying her studying. Kevin arrived within six hours of the death and stayed on and rowed with their father almost daily, although Kevin wasn't aware of the mistress. She only showed up the day after Kevin and his wife Louise, Dallas and Mick and the women's mother Diane returned to Chicago together.

The woman Elizabeth was married, without children, and her brazenness made Bonnie feel almost sick at times, sitting on her father's knee when Bonnie was in the room, fiddling with him, acting like a whore. Her father appeared indifferent to both women. Bonnie endured the display, making a stand because it was her family house and she had more right to be there that Elizabeth and the bitch was probably attempting to drive Bonnie away.

She did drive Bonnie away. A week after the funeral Bonnie packed up and moved into a rented room and stayed there until she'd worked out her time at the hospital. Out of all that bleakness came one bright spot -- she was given a lovely farewell on the Friday evening. She'd always been aware she was very popular in that hospital environment that had become her refuge. Her best friends then took her out to dinner and the cab ride home to near emptiness was almost too much to bear.

The next day, already packed, Bonnie went to the airport to head for Dallas. She had leased her friend's apartment for four months by which time she ought to have graduated with her higher degree and could begin to hunt for a job. She'd always planned to go to Dallas to advance her career. The fact that Darcy resided in Dallas didn't change anything. Two days later she found the type of job she was looking for -- a senior nurse educator for pediatric critical care, five year's clinical experience and a masters in nursing preferred. She worked out the estimated salary and her eyes watered. She filled out her details in applying for an interview.

Three week's later Bonnie was short-listed and three weeks after that won the position, to start in 30 days. Coincidentally she would have finished her final exams by then.

Bonnie went home and that night got drunk, alone, celebrating, believing she was a new woman, having broken through the pain and despair barriers and now had a new life ahead of her.

She woke up next morning groaning with a split headache and knowing there was vomit spewed during the night on the bathroom floor to clean up.

"Welcome to my new life."

Bonnie cackled in laughter, quite amazed. "I've cracked a joke!"

A couple of months later on a Saturday morning Bonnie stopped in her tracks, ignoring an inner voice urging her to run. The caller had said, "Bonnie...Bonnie is that you?"

She turned and faced Darcy Farnsworth.

* * *

Darcy couldn't believe his luck. Fancy running into Bonnie and he had the full day and night free. Whoa boy, be Mr Cool. She might not even like you after what she's been through.

"Hi, how are you?" he said inadequately and making no attempt to clutch her. She was thinner but her tits...Whoa boy! She looked healthy and robust.

"I'm fine."

"You look robust."

"There's a gym where I work and I use it twice a day."

"You're living in Dallas?"

Connie said yes, for a little over three months.

"I was sorry to hear about your mother's death."

The reply was a firm, "That's all behind mw now."

Darcy couldn't help himself. "Are you dating?" He cringed. "Oh Bonnie, please disregard that."

"No it's fine," she said flashing a smile. "I'm not going steady with anyone."

"I'm popping in here for breakfast," Darcy said. "Please join me."

"I've had a muffin at home." Then she eyed him. "Do you live near here?"

"Yes, I've purchased an apartment just along from that apartment we stayed at. Please don't get mad at me but I thought you might return here one day and we might run into each other. It was a long shot and the real truth is I like the neighborhood."

She smiled and said she'd join him for a cup of coffee.

Darcy fussed over seating Bonnie as if seating a princess.

"You work in advertising I understand?"

"Did. I was fired. I run my own photography studio now, working for clients who are prepared to pay expensively for top results and I'm now know to deliver to expectations or even exceed them."

"And your romance with Cleo Jones?"

"Who? Oh yeah," Darcy grinned. "She would have frustrated another dozen guys since them. She dropped me when I was not longer useful to her career."

Bonnie smiled. "You know there are few guys around who are as honest as you are. Why did the advertising agency fire you?"

Darcy wriggled uncomfortably and pulled at the next of his yellow polo. "It's embarrassing and would only disgust you."

"I know you'd never steal or be involved in a corrupt practice or take a woman by force. Tell me. Me embarrassed -- I'm a nurse remember."

"I had a photo contest for my team of film and still photographers and I took part. It was a photo of a match to dominate its environment."

"And you were fired for that?

"If you knew about photography you would appreciate that was an awesome challenge, inviting some pathetic results. But everyone tried and submitted their print to our Girl Friday who wrote their name on the back of the print and file them away until it was time to post them. We left them on the notice board and everyone voted and when the winning photo was turned over it was mine. A notice was place under it proclaiming it as a winner with a caption: A matchstick coated in green phosphorus on a mushroom placed on a mushroom, photographer: Darcy Farnsworth."

"Oh how clever and innovative."

"Um that's not the embarrassing part. I was too clever for my own good. A week later I foolishly posted the full photograph and there were plenty of laughs and some serious outrage. A group went to the big boss and lodged a complaint and not all of them were women. Robert the boss demanded I apologize but I refused and he thought that was the end of that but then one of the women said unless I apologized to everyone individually she'd make an employment misconduct issue of it. Robert demanded I apologize on the terms she demanded. I refused and he fired me. You see the photo showed the photo was taken in very dim natural lighting and the matchstick was stuck in the clipped pussy of a dark-skinned young woman who lives in my apartment block."

Bonnie slapped her hand over her mouth and when in control managed, "That was disgusting Darcy" and then burst out laughing.

"I was ready to leave, as advertising photography is all about what the client wants, with artistry very low down on the list. If I had fought I may have kept my job. So I dropped from a good salary down to zilch. I called Cleo's manager who promised he'd send some young kids with money who were hoping to make it big in the entertainment business to me and he did, and is still doing that. I now pay him a commission. I then approached my former advertising clients about their photography requirements and got a few but accepted a check for $20,000 from my advertising company boss to stop doing that. Now people are just calling me up and I'm back into making good money again so can keep my apartment."

"That's good. I am very pleased for you."

As they were leaving Darcy asked, "How about a movie some time?"

Bonnie shook her head.

"Um what about we meet here on Saturday's for breakfast."

Bonnie hesitated and then said okay; she'd like that. They exchanged phone numbers.

Late the next week Bonnie called Darcy. "Our chief surgeon has submitted an article to 'Nursing Review' about the importance of good team nursing and the magazine wants a quality photograph urgently. Can you come and do it for us?"

"Yes, I'm on my way. Give me the exact location and have a draft of the story for me to read and then I want complete access throughout your department."

"Not acute critical care. A photographer would agitate the already upset parents."

"Then the theatres."

"We haven't time to get the approval through administration."

"Fuck Bonnie, you have me cut off at the balls. How else can I use creativity?"

"Your language hasn't improved since you used to date me!"

"Bonnie, let's not divert. Just have your chief surgeon gowned up and waiting for me."

Darcy took a medium format camera and two remote flashlights on stand and cursed at the distance he had to lug the equipment from the public parking lot. He was refused closer parking because he was without authorization.

Darcy greeted him calmly, looking sexy in her very modern nurse's uniform. He silently fumed when finding the chief surgeon was a woman and looking far too pretty and made up; he was hoping for a square-jawed, tired eyed male.

Darcy read through the résumé. No help there. He looked up and saw what he wanted: Three nurses, two with blood on their gowns, standing over a gurney looking at a little kid, out to it. The nurses were smiling. He pushed the surgeon over to join the group. She protested that the child wasn't her patient.

"Who cares?"

He pushed the surgeon between the two nurses with soiled gowns. The surgeon pulled up her mask and Darcy order her to take it back down.

"My lipstick will be smeared," she wailed.

"Who cares?" Darcy said and asked the third nurse to stand away.

"You can't take that photo until those nurses are in clean gowns," Connie shouted.

"Shouldn't this wee patient be heading for post-op recovery?" Darcy snarled.

There wasn't time to set up remote flashlight.

He took three exposures and then growled -- only the surgeon smiles. He took that exposure and grinned. "I have your pic Doc. You nurses get this kid to post-op. Doc come over and take a look. This is a digital camera.

"Oh my," said the surgeon.

Bonnie pressed against Darcy to take a look. "Oh Darcy, that's wonderful."

For a moment Darcy thought she was about to kiss him.

They met for breakfast the next two Saturdays, and Bonnie was back to her careful self. No way was she going to give an inch.

On the Wednesday after their last breakfast, Bonnie called him sounding highly excited and asked could they meet at a bar at 6:30. Dr Mason-Fuller wished to buy them a drink.

"Why?"

"Can it wait?"

"Yes."

Bonnie gave him the address. When Darcy entered Bonnie kissed him and then stood aside to allow the surgeon in her early fifties to kiss him. The surgeon said, "You have made me a very, very happy woman."

They were no further explanation. Darcy gave Bonnie a raised eyebrow. She pulled out a magazine and that final shot he'd captured was on the front cover of 'Nursing Review'.

"That the first time anyone in our hospital has made front cover."

"That's good."

Bonnie frowned. "You don't seem to realize the significance. This magazine circulates nationally."

"Oh, that's good."

"Exasperated, Bonnie said, "Our hospital has been deluged with calls."

Dr Mason-Fuller leaned over and clutched Darcy's arm. "That photo drew everyone's attention to my article. Callers have said it is the most realistic photo to ever appear on the magazine's cover and the expressions showed our triumph over adversity as one caller was reported as saying. As a result of this Bonnie and I have been recruited to address a huge medical convention in Houston in September -- not one of the optional presentations but a plenary session. The importance of having a nurse educator attached to a surgical team has been elevated to that importance."

"We're told some 8000 to 10,000 delegates will attend that convention," Bonnie said in awe.

Dr Mason-Fuller left after an hour.

Bonnie said softly, "Do you want to go to a movie?"

"Yeah, a dinner after?"

"Well, providing we split after dinner."

Although tormented, Darcy put on a brave face and said warmly, "That's fine."

He returned home that evening with a huge desire to shaft a woman, but that wasn't going to happen, was it? Darcy went down to the pool half an hour before closing and found the only other people using the amenity were the cute Manson sisters.

"Hello Darcy, come and join us, but off with that swimsuit. We're swimming bare."

Adopting a wolfish smile Darcy leapt into the water and pulled off his swimsuit. The sisters converged on him, wearing huge smiles but remaining absolutely silent and he knew that must be difficult for a females.

On night, two weeks later, Darcy was on TV as the guest of the presenter who said he'd taken the best portrait shot of her she'd ever had taken, and she'd had commissioned more than a dozen.

Julia Barron said to the live studio audience, "Just look at this will you?"

Pushing fifty, Julia looked like a sexy 40-year-old in the photo and yet had nothing exposed.

The audience clapped and she said, "Even my mom loves it. He went against all trends, making me remove most of my make up. Darcy took it in my home, rather than his studio. My husband was hovering ever so suspiciously and almost had a seizure when Darcy said I was to change into my tightest bra and not to wear stockings or even panties. He then asked Owen for a beer and I returned and I can tell you I have difficulty ever recall seeing Owen looking so relaxed. 'What's all this about Darcy?' I asked."

"I didn't want your husband in the room but he was so uptight and refused to go. So I got him relaxed knowing that would make you relaxed. Too much make up conceals facial character and even women who'll look at your portrait will check out your boobs so I wanted them to look powerful."

Julia had the audience screaming in laughter when she said, "Powerful looking boobs? I wanted my husband out of there because I wanted to take Darcy like an animal. But Owen just sat there and I knew I couldn't get him to leave us."

When the laughter abated she said, "Powerful boobs? I heard the ancient cry of a man and although I have obeyed my marriage vows I felt weak at the knees and felt very vulnerable, too vulnerable to avoid panting. And then my handsome photographer said, 'Get your butt over here where I want you. So I dragged my plump butt over to where he indicated and said to myself, 'Dream on girl'.

"Why don't you want me wearing knickers?" I asked. "And he said, 'Because I want you moving fluidly and without elastic digging in down there."