Photographing at the Pond Ch. 03

It was a bright, sunny morning and Linda and I had decided to go to Panera before my first appointment at 10:00 am and her going to work at the department store, teaching people how to do makeup properly so it didn't look like makeup. She was fantastic at that and, also very valuable to me as she helped me at the studio about every minute that she wasn't working

We had been drinking coffee and munching on two cinnamon crunch bagels spread with honey-walnut cream cheese. We really enjoyed dropping in here every chance we got and just indulging ourselves with anything gooey and tasty. Now that the photography studio was humming, I could afford to do that more often and today was a little more special since I had been thinking about some things and wanted to discuss them with her since she was often (read that as usually) more logical, reasonable and down to earth than I was.

"You're thinking about something," she said, daintily licking some of the cream cheese that had dripped onto her fingers from the warm bagel. "And if you keep bringing me here, I'm going to get big and fat."

"As long as I'm not brain dead, I'm usually thinking about something, and fat isn't even a faint possibility with you," I replied, trying to temporarily deflect her question until I was totally ready. Now she was really looking at me.

"Clever answer, professor, but it ain't gonna work." She slid a foot closer to me on the bench seat. We always sat next to each other so we could both see the door. It was just something we'd always done. I guess we both had that Wild Bill Hickock syndrome, never wanting to sit with our back to the door. Unlike Bill though, we didn't have any gunslingers trying to get us so it was just something weird that we did due to our mutual curiosity. This morning though, it did let her get up close to me, and I knew she had no qualms about using her hand to her advantage, even in here, which would immediately loosen my tongue if not something else that I might be wearing. She leaned toward me and I felt her tongue touch my ear.

"Okay, okay, I give up." I tried to keep my voice down although it was hard to do with her tongue in my ear. I gathered myself and looked at her, a big mistake, as she was licking her lips as sensuously as she possible could and I could feel the pressure building in the brand-new pair of Levis I had put on this morning. "I've been thinking about some things."

"That's how this conversation started," she said very quietly, eyeing me again.

"Stop looking at me that way, please." I was fairly pleading with her now. She knew exactly how to torture me until she got her way, which was, basically, always.

"No problem," she replied, coyly, putting her hand on my thigh under the table.

I was wedged in the corner with nowhere to go. "Don't worry, you're going to hear it all. I rely on you so I have to tell you everything." She gave my leg a quick rub with that hand, then moved it.

"Let's get started then." She turned a little sideways so she was facing me, pulling her knee up on the bench. "Should I order more bagels? We still have plenty of cream cheese left." More decisions. That's why I was thinking so hard, because of the decisions that had to be made, and she was giving me one more to add to the load. Very perceptively she said, "Sorry, go ahead," and took my hand and gave it a gentle kiss. How had I survived all these years of my life without her?

"Well, you know that things are going great at the studio, and the money lately has been really good and I see no reason for that to change. All the high school things are really money makers. The senior pictures, the athletic team and individual pictures, the musicals and the plays. In fact, it's almost getting to be too much so I'm thinking of teaching a class at the school for wannabe photographers so that they can do some of the "event" photography that's really just for the year book and maybe a little advertising that they do for those events." I looked over at her and shrugged.

"I knew most of that and the classes sound perfect. Most days we have almost more than we can handle at the studio - I really don't know how you keep up."

Linda did all of the makeup around the studio and had cut back her hours at the store to keep up. I paid her for it of course, but the way she said "we" gave me kind of a warm feeling. It was "we" and she was way, way more than an employee based on what had happened in the recent past. But I couldn't let my mind wander to that or I'd really have a fight with my Levis.

"But that isn't all? she added with a little smile.

"Of course not. But that's the background for the next thing. You know the boudoir stuff, and other stuff as well, has gotten going pretty well, and it pays pretty well too."

"And it's fun," she said in a sexy whisper, giving me a jab on the shoulder.

"Yeah, that too." Geesh it was easy for her to distract me, without even trying. "Here's the dilemma. Do we keep doing it just the way we have been, just letting ladies wander in because a friend showed them pictures or talked to them, or do we go ahead and advertise? Maybe create a website with prices, galleries, etc.

"Yeah, I see. Does mama send her tender high school senior to a photographer who photographs women, in their undies, who knows, maybe even naked. Eeeekkk. Does Mr. school administrator keep using a photographer who may get the cheerleaders photos mixed with some big boobed braless ladies? Know what I think? I think you let it go. If you advertise, and suddenly that gets bigger, and say you keep all the school business, you're going to have to hire another photographer to help out, and you're getting into a bigger business. Is that what you want? Or, just like you say, you could end up shooting only the boudoir stuff when the rest of your business crashes in around you." She paused and I could tell it was her turn to think. "If you keep doing it on the side like you are now, people may find out about it, some people anyway, and there may be whispers and rumors but I'm guessing nothing else will happen. If you "advertise", then there's evidence to convict you. I vote to just keep going like we are, but it's up to you, of course." She settled back and gave me a smirky smile.

Just like I said before, she's so reasonable and so logical she's hard to argue with . . . but very nice to have helping you out. "You're right, of course, like always," I ventured, giving her a big smile and a squeeze of her hand. I don't need to be a big business."

"Is that all you've been thinking about?" She was often way too perceptive, or maybe I was just too easy to read. Probably both.

I took a deep breath. The first part had been easy really. The next was a little harder, just because of how I am, and it shouldn't be at all. "Now that we've decided on that, let's continue a little with part of the idea. Remember a while ago when you said we should turn my little apartment there in the studio into a frilly, well, kind of a boudoir for those shoots?" I paused here on purpose, waiting for her.

"And I suggested that you move in with me?" Her face was suddenly beaming.

"You sure did."

"And you're going to do it?" She'd actually scooted a little closer to me so that her knee was against my leg and I could tell her breathing had changed a little.

"Sort of," I added, to a quick frown from her. "I was thinking, with things going so well, and the future looking kind of rosy, that we could settle some things between us." A nervous little cough from me and now her face had a really puzzled look - she certainly wasn't used to me talking like this. But neither was I. "Instead of me moving in with you I was thinking of something a little more permanent." I cleared my throat. "I'd like to buy a house and you move in with me and, well . . . " My voice left me with a fumbling stammer, but I think I was very easy to read, particularly by her and her response filled in what I hadn't said.

Her eyes were wide and she leaned in toward me, her eyes holding mine and I couldn't have looked away even if I'd wanted to. "Are you saying what I just heard you, in your very unique and Larry-esque way say, with what you didn't quite say but what I think you meant?" She took a huge deep breath, and I was sure I could see a tear in her eye. She took my hand in both of hers and squeezed. Another deep breath. "Did you just propose to me?"

I hadn't really thought of it in that word, but the idea was surely what I had been thinking. I was never good with words, particularly with Linda, who I had come to adore without measure, and couldn't imagine living even part of my life without her anymore. So, I guess I knew the answer to her question. "I think I did. At least that's what I meant and I want."

"But you were afraid to ask?"

"Terrified," I said simply. And as I watched her face, she looked away from me and I could swear her cheeks were turning pink. That didn't seem right until I also turned, and just a few feet from our table was Peggy, and I can never remember her married name, so she's always Peggy Lambert to me. And what was she doing here?

"Hi guys," she said, a huge smile on her face. "Just stopped in to get a coffee and doughnut and who should I find but two of my favorite people." She looked from Linda to me and then back to Linda. "Am I interrupting something?"

Linda squeezed my hands again and turned to Peggy. She took a deep breath. "He just proposed to me," she gushed out to Peggy's eyes opening wider and wider.

"Oh-my-gosh," Peggy exclaimed. "And you said yes?" she questioned, looking at Linda. There was a pause.

"Not yet, but I'm saying it right now." Again, that look and that tear in the eye. "Yes," she said quietly with another hand squeeze as Peggy leaned across the table and gave her a huge hug. And I was next with a hug from Peggy as well.

"I think I was there to hear the first I love you as well, wasn't I?" Now that comment from Peggy brought about the reddest checks I'd ever seen on Linda, even though she blushed very easily.

"Yes, you did, and that was quite a day."

"But speaking of that day, let me share a little . . . " she trailed off just a bit and giggled, "about what sluts Lana and I have become. When our husbands go off on a business trip, we've each discovered that we get out the video from that day, and we have a little private session. That's why I have such a supply of little devices." Now, after her confessional, it was time for Peggy's face to glow just a little. And I could see that Linda was learning a lot from this lady.

"Anyway, I was going to get ahold of you very soon and I sure hadn't expected to find you here, even though this is where everything got started as I remember." I smiled and nodded. "But this may not be the best time given the, ummm, tenderness of the situation today."

"Listen, you go ahead and talk to Larry and I'll just sit here and hold on to him and let my thoughts wander a little." Another squeeze. I did know that, while her thoughts might wander, she would also be listening carefully as she certainly knew she was big part of the studio, particularly now. And I was guessing that's what Peggy wanted to talk about.

She settled back comfortably in her chair on the far side of the table from us. "First of all, some good news. I have two friends who approached me quietly about the album they saw at our house, and that they were interested in maybe having a few pictures taken as well. I talked to them a little but told them they'd have to contact you themselves and work out the details. Now, here's the interesting part. The first one is somewhere in her middle 50's I'm guessing and she said that marriage and sex is sometimes like a bonfire. It's really, really hot at first, and then it burns down and the glowing embers keep you warm but, if you don't do something to rekindle the fire, it can go completely out."

"Awww, that's sweet," Linda broke in.

"I know, and she's a wonderful friend so I told her probably more than I should have but I think she'll just want some nice pictures to get hubby warmed up again."

"We can handle that. I'll wait for her call."

"Her name is Nancy Wharton. Now the other one is a little different so let me just tell you what I know. She actually lives in our neighborhood and I'm good friends with her mother. Name is Angie Goliday. She was at our house one day with her mother and picked up the photo album which had been left out somehow. I need to watch that a little more carefully. She didn't say anything to her mother about it but caught me before she left and asked some questions. She's in her early 20's I'd say, probably her very early 20's and she's about as shy as anyone I've ever seen. But, she's really cute and now she has a boyfriend and I think she wants to "encourage" him a little and she thinks some of these pictures might give him the idea that she's ready for a little more. She's so shy it's really hard to imagine her doing that but she seemed very serious. I actually met him after she and I talked and he's as shy as she is. But, they're both in their 20's and should know what they want from life. One problem is that I'm sure she doesn't have much money and she's certainly not going to ask mom or dad for any either." Now I got a hard look, straight in the eyes. "I actually feel like I still owe you some for that first shoot so I might contribute a little to her cause depending on what you work out."

"Let's wait for her to call and then meet with her and see what happens."

"Sounds good," Peggy added, then got a serious look on her face. "I still check that website for the Mr. Martin's Mrs. pictures but I haven't seen too many lately." A questioning look came my way.

"Well I've chopped and cropped and otherwise manipulated photos until everything, despite all the pictures we took, are all used up and anything more that I'd do would be pretty much duplicates of things already posted. Now a thoughtful look from Peggy as she smiled at Linda.

"Guh," she began. "I have to admit that I like going there and seeing those photos and knowing they are me but no one else does, except you two. And I even enjoy some of the comments, even the more gross ones sometimes and I can't help but wonder what the poster of the comment looks like. That's probably kind of weird." Now she looked back at me. I'd like to do some more." She turned to Linda. "You can hold your ears for the next few things I'm going to say if you'd like." Of course, there was no way that would happen. "I now have two dildos, one butt plug, two vibrators, one set of nipple clamps and three of those little suction devices for, well, you know where. Those are the devices I mentioned earlier."

I think my eyes got a little wider as I suggested, "Whoa, that sounds like BDSM." And Linda was pink again.

"A little bit, and maybe a whole lot more one of these days. My husband, of course. I told him we could get the stuff and do that if he'd like but I think its way more exciting for him to think of seeing me in pictures with someone else doing it to me." She shook her head and appeared to shiver. "We're getting to be way too kinky I think. But I'm not going to stop it." She looked at me again. "Could you handle that. The pay would be excellent because if the old boy wants that, he'd going to have to pay for it."

"Wow!" I looked at the pink faced lady I'd just proposed too, and was now wondering if she'd like to be involved in a BDSM photo shoot. Life has a strange way of twisting around sometimes.

"Whatever you do, I'm with you," she answered, not waiting for the question.

"Peggy wrinkled her nose. "Keep her," she said, gesturing toward Linda. "I think you got a good one."

A little more chatter about dates and times and we all stood up. "My treat," Peggy said, "and congratulation." We each got another hug.

Work had really piled up at the studio and even with Linda helping I was working hard to keep up. I was finishing up a wedding, moving along with the usual senior pictures which stretched out over the whole year the way they were done now, was trying to get things ready ahead of time for the school yearbook and then just the general run of family things. I'd forgotten all about the two ladies Peggy had talked about until one morning when the phone rang and I answered with the usual, "Baxter Photography, Larry speaking and how can I help you this morning?"

Just about the quietest voice I'd ever heard on a phone said, "Mr. Baxter, my name is Angie Goliday and I'm a friend of Mrs. Hollister." Ah, there was that last name I could never remember. "She said I should call you to make arrangements about some pictures."

"Oh yes," I said very quietly, then realized I was almost mimicking Angie. "She mentioned something to me about that. How can I help you?" What a silly question I thought immediately. I knew exactly how I could help her.

"I'd like to stop in sometime and talk to you about," I could hear her take a deep breath, "some special pictures I'd like to have taken."

"That sounds fine to me," I answered quickly, not so quietly this time and also hoping to sound, well, a little confident and business as usual since I could tell she was so nervous she could hardly talk. And she hadn't even said anything outside of a normal conversation yet. I was wondering what her visit might be like.

"When's a good time for you?" she asked hesitantly.

"Just about any time - just give me a jingle so I can be sure I won't be tied up with a customer."

"How about this morning?" came the surprising question.

"This morning would be fine," I answered and thought about what I had to do. But, talking with Angie shouldn't take too long so that should be fine.

"I can be there in about 10 minutes. Is that okay?"

"Perfect," I answered, said goodbye and hung up. "Angie Goliday will be here in 10 minutes," I called to Linda.

She came out to the front of the shop. "What did she sound like on the phone?"

"Terrified," was my one-word answer.

"Oh, gosh," Linda replied. "I better stay right here."

Actually, it was 11 minutes and when she came in, I was rather amazed that she matched her voice perfectly. She couldn't be more than five foot tall, and that might have been stretching it. A very, very cute face but the timidity was very obvious in just the way she looked at me. And she was wearing a very large and baggy sweatshirt with equally baggy flannel sweatpants so It was extremely difficult to evaluate anything but her face and her height.

"Are you Mr. Baxter?" Still that very soft voice.

"I'm Larry and this is Linda," I said, gesturing.

"I'm Angie," she said, and smiled at Linda. Then she just stood there, nervously looking from one of us to the other and back again.

"Peggy Hollister mentioned that you might like to get some pictures." We needed to get the conversation going here but I sensed that this wasn't going to be easy. As Angie's cheeks reddened just a little, I knew I was right.

"Yes," she said quietly, stilled looking from one to the other.

I decided to suggest a possible solution to the, not exactly a stand-off we were having, but at least a slight impasse. "Would you be more comfortable just talking to Linda about the pictures?" I realized instantly that I had said something wrong and her expression changed totally, from meek and uncertain to defiant and almost angry.

"No!" she said sharply and very sternly. And she was looking at me with eyes very alive and filled with almost fire. "If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it just like everyone else does. I'm not afraid. If I was like that, I shouldn't be doing it at all."

I wouldn't have been at all surprised if smoke had shot out of her nose. Timid and shy perhaps, but very determined and probably stubborn with some glowing embers just under the surface. This could get very interesting after all. "Why don't we go to the back room where we won't be bothered if someone comes in." She nodded and followed us back. We could hear the front door opening if anyone came in and Linda could take care of that. We all three picked chairs and sat down.