Coffee and Love

I stayed in the computer booth while Caleb and Luther worked. The little girl was the easiest to work with, more than willing to do any pose Luther had her do. The son was giving the most trouble.

“That’s stupid,” he said when Luther told him to put his hands on his mother’s shoulders.

“Just do it, Ron,” his father snapped. “And try a real smile this time.”

“Bring that chick back out and I will,” he said snidely.

“That’s it,” his mother snapped. “You’re going home after this.”

“But-”

“No buts! Now pose for the picture!”

He rolled his eyes but did as Luther said finally. Caleb was glaring at the son behind the camera and I could repress my smile at his protectiveness. I wondered what it was like for him to be in a relationship now. I also felt a little nervous, though. What if he got tempted? If he really had as much sex as he claimed, he’d surely start to want and need someone. Would he wait for me?

When the family left, Caleb came in and plugged the memory card into the computer, whistling through his teeth. I moved out of his way while he moved the pictures onto the computer and then cleared the memory card for the next appointment. He finished just as they walked in and he kissed me lightly on the lips, winked, and went back out.

It was Jenny and her family. She was dressed in a Sunday dress with pretty heels. Her brown hair was in pigtails and she blushed when she saw Caleb come out of the computer booth. I smiled, remembering what it was like to crush on older men.

“Good to see you again,” Caleb said, shaking her hand. “Are these your parents?”

She nodded and Caleb pulled out the paper they had filled out. He and Luther switched to the green screen that they had received two days ago. It was nicer than their older one and they were both very careful with it. Caleb wiped his brow.

“Jeez that’s a pain in the neck!” Luther joked. “Let’s see…. You want a custom background?”

“If you can do that,” Jenny’s father said.

“Caleb can do pretty much anything,” Luther said. “Did you bring the picture on a thumb drive like I asked?”

“Yes sir,” her father said.

“Can you come get it, Mirela?” Caleb asked, fiddling with his camera.

I hurried out and Jenny’s eyes widened when she saw me. I took it and went back into the computer booth. I put it to the side and saw Jenny staring at the one way mirror. I frowned. Why did she look… angry?

“Okay, lovely family, let’s get you posing,” Luther said and they went through the same motions as the first family.

“Jenny, come forward a little bit,” Caleb said. “That dress is too pretty on you to have you hiding behind your dad.”

She beamed and did as he said. Her eyes flicked back to the one way mirror and my jaw dropped. Was she-?

“Er… it’s a Sunday dress,” Luther said. “You probably shouldn’t ride it up.”

“Oh!” she said and giggled. “Sorry. I had an itch.”

She was! I stared in shock. I didn't think she'd be that kind of girl.

Caleb snapped a few more photos and flipped through a few of them.

“Let’s do the one where she’s sitting on her mother’s lap again, Lu,” he said with a frown. “It didn’t come out like I wanted it to.”

“Okay,” Luther said cheerfully. “You heard the man.”

Jenny sat down on her mom’s lap and put her arm around her mother’s shoulders, resting her head on her mother’s.

Caleb looked over the top of his camera and said, “Let’s get a smile on that pretty face. Smirks just don’t look good on you.”

She giggled but did as he said. I arched a brow. When they were done, Caleb stood to the side and looked through the pictures he took while Luther spoke with the family.

“So, I wanted to make Jenny an offer,” Luther said and she looked up excitedly. “We have a spot open for an intern here in the studio. I know you start your fall semester next month for photography. Would you like to come work with us?”

“Oh I’d love to!” she said, clapping her hands.

He beamed. “Great! We’ll get you started on the 19th and we’ll look at the date and times for you to come in based off you class schedule.”

“Thank you!” she cried and hugged Luther.

Then she hugged Caleb who looked taken aback. He looked down then patted her awkwardly on the back.

“Er… gotta go to the computer now, Jenny,” he said. “It’s time to get these pictures in the editing process.” He looked at her parents as she let him go. “I have someone helping me with the editing now so we’ll have it done sooner than I estimated. I’ll give you a call when they’re done.”

They shook hands and left. Jenny smirked at me as she left.

“What’s that look for?” Caleb asked as he put the memory card in the computer and the next group walked in.

“Did you not see what she was doing?” I asked and he frowned at me.

“What do you mean?”

“Jenny was totally flirting with you,” I snorted.

“Was she?” He shrugged. “I was busy.” Then he smirked at me. “Are you… jealous Mirela?”

I rolled my eyes. “No. She kept smirking at me, though.”

He bent down to hug me. “You’ve got nothing to worry about,” he said. “She’s too young for me.”

“Oh, Caleb!” Luther called. “We’ve got proposal pictures! Get Mirela out here!”

I gasped and followed. “Proposal pictures?” I said and clapped at the couple. “Oh, congratulations!”

“Thank you,” the woman said and beamed at her husband-to-be.

She was in a red dress with black heels. Her brown hair was curled. He was in a suit and I tilted my head while the men switched screens.

“I am jealous of your hair,” I sighed. “I can’t get mine to stay curled.”

She laughed. “It takes an hour and copious amounts of hairspray.”

I laughed, too. “I’m Mirela.”

“I’m Shelly,” she said and shook my hand. “This is my fiancé, George.”

I shook his hand, too, smiling at the bubbly way she said fiancé. He looked nervous at the black screen and I passed the brush for them to wipe their shoes on.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” George admitted.

“It’s easy,” I insisted, “especially when you have Luther Banks as your instructor.”

“I’m not going to be their instructor,” Luther said with a smile. “You are.”

“Me?” I repeated and he nodded. I laughed anxiously. “You sure?”

“Yep. Have at it, Mirela!”

He sat down in the director’s chair and I smiled at the couple, incredibly nervous. I tapped my chin.

“Let’s start with the cliché,” I said. “Get on that knee, George.”