Her Journey Begins (31 page)

  
“
Yeah, that should be okay, I need to call Sue though and let her know not to come pick me up yet.
”

  
“
Oh sure, the phone
’
s right in here.
”
Linda leads her into the front hallway and Chris gives her an embarrassed smile.

  
“
I don
’
t have her number.
”
Linda grins and opens the address book sitting next to the phone to Sue
’
s name. Chris whispers into the phone when Sue answers.
“
Linda
’
s brother Charlie is here and he wants to take me to his studio to develop the pictures, is he safe?
“
Chris hears Sue chuckle.

  
“
Yes, he
’
s safe. Charlie is a big pussycat. He couldn
’
t hurt a fly if he wanted to. Now go and have fun.
“

  
“
I am. I
’
m having a great time.
“

  
“
Okay, well call me when you want to be picked up.
”
Coming back into the living room Charlie smiles at her.

  
“
You ready to go?
”
Chris nods and they leave.



   As they go into the darkroom Charlie asks her,
“
You know how to do this?
”

  
“
Well, I
’
ve been learning at the school, but it looks like you have things set up just a little bit different here.
”

  
“
Well, I
’
ll tell you what, I
’
ll supervise and if I see you are going to make a mistake, I
’
ll stop you and head you back in the right direction, okay?
”
Chris smiles and nods, and takes a deep breath.
“
Oh and I have to lock the door.
”
Chris gives him a weary look and he chuckles.
“
Don
’
t worry, I
’
m usually pretty safe. Linda
’
s son, Steve, my nephew, works for me and even when that red light is on out there, he will open the door, ruining my photos, so I have to lock the door.
”

  
“
Okay
”

They are just about finished when someone tries to open the door. Chris looks over at it and sees the knob jiggle. Charlie nudges her in the ribs.
“
See, what
’
d I tell ya?
”
And Chris can
’
t help herself, she laughs out loud. Done with the last of the negatives, Charlie flips off the light and opens the door.
“
They won
’
t take too long to dry.
”
He points to the bathroom.
“
You can wash your hands in there and I
’
ll go get us a soda while we wait.
”

Coming out of the bathroom Chris glances into the darkroom, but Charlie
’
s not there. She sees another door that
’
s open, peeks inside, and tells herself.
This must be where they do their in house portrait sittings.
She
’
s back at the front counter and sees an open office door behind it, but as far as she can tell it
’
s empty also. Looking around she spots sliding glass doors that look like they lead out to a patio area. Chris peeks out and sees Charlie and a younger gentleman sitting at a table
.
Chris slides the door open and walks out. Both men stand up and she smiles.

  
“
Chris this is my nephew Steve, Steve this is Chris a friend of Sue
’
s.
”
Steve shakes her hand and tells her hello.

Chris smiles while looking up at him,
“
Wow you
’
re tall.
”
He blushes. She
’
s guessing he
’
s maybe a couple of years older than her, with brown hair and brown eyes.
“
How tall are you?
”

  
“
6
’
3
”
he tells her.
”

  
“
I
’
m sorry. I didn
’
t mean to be nosy.
”

   
“
That
’
s okay
”

Charlie pats the bench.
“
Chris sit down and relax for a bit. I didn
’
t know what kind of soda you like so I brought out a diet cola, and a root beer.
”
Chris takes the diet cola and tells him thank you. They
’
ve been sitting there about 15 minutes when Charlie looks at his watch,
“
Well, we better go get the proofs printed up, so they can dry, because Linda will be getting antsy and calling here pretty soon, wanting to know where we are.
”
Just as they go to get up the phone rings and Charlie looks at Steve,
“
Go talk to your mom and tell her we will be there in about an hour and a half.
”
As they walk towards the dark room Charlie tells her,
“
We will get the proofs printed and then while they are drying, I think we
’
ll get some lunch, because you sound like you are starving.
”

Chris blushes and smiles at him,
“
Yeah, I am getting a little bit hungry.
”



   Printing up the last of the photos Chris points to one with Linda sitting in the chair with Princess on her lap and Sir Peter lying at her feet.

  
“
Can we blow this one up?
”

  
“
You mean like an 8x10?
”

  
“
Bigger
…
.
”

Charlie smiles,
“
15x17?
”

  
“
Can we go bigger?
”

  
“
Well, how about an 18x20, will that work? Because that
’
s the biggest photo paper I
’
ve got.
”

  
“
Yeah that will work. Linda said she wanted a portrait to hang above the fireplace and I think this one will look great. All she needs is a beautiful frame.
”

Charlie smiles and putting his arm around Chris
’
shoulder he gives her a squeeze.
“
You have a good eye for the details.
”

Chris gives him a bashful smile,
“
Thank you.
”



   Linda opens the door.
“
So how did we do?
”

Charlie grins,
“
She is a natural.
”
And he hands Linda the proofs.
“
In fact she has a special surprise for you.
”

Linda opens her eyes wide.
“
Really
”
Chris is holding the portrait behind her back and pulls it around in front of her holding it up by the edges for Linda to see.
“
Oh! Chris it
’
s perfect! It is just what I had in mind. Pay her Charlie.
”

Charlie laughs and pulls a $100 bill out of his pocket and holds it out to Chris.
“
Oh, I don
’
t have change. Maybe we can stop somewhere on the way, when you take me back to Sue
’
s.
”

  
“
No, you earned it. Think of it as your first bonus. I know my sister and she is going to be showing off these photos and telling everyone just how great you are. I
’
ll have people lined up at the door wanting you to come do their portraits. Right Linda?
”

Linda smiles,
“
Oh you bet I will. Chris are you as good with kids as you are with dogs?
”

  
“
I guess.
”

  
“
Do you like kids?
”

  
“
Yes, I do.
”

  
“
Well there
’
s an opening for a health clerk at one of the elementary schools, if you go take the test at the district on Monday and you pass, I think I can pull some strings and get you hired. That is if you want.
”

  
“
Yes, I
’
d like that very much, thank you.
”

  
“
Hey don
’
t go putting in too good of a word or she won
’
t have time to work for me.
”
Chris swallows trying to keep the lump down in her throat.



   Charlie pulls up in front of Sue
‘
s apartment.
“
So what do you think? Would you like to come and work part time for me? Maybe two days a week? A few hours a day
”

  
“
I
’
d like that.
”

  
“
Okay, how about you come in Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. Will that work for you?
”

  
“
I
’
ll be there with bells on.
”
Chris grins and shakes his hand.
“
Thank you.
“

Chris walks into the apartment and before she can even sit down, Sue wants to know everything.
“
So
…
How did it go?
”

Chris hands Sue the $100 bill.
“
I think it went well.
”

  
“
Whoa a $100? That
’
s cool, but you need to keep half of it.
”

  
“
No, you have done so much for me already.
”

  
“
Chris, all I did was buy you some necessities and they didn
’
t cost that much, besides you
’
ll need more clothes.
”

  
“
Thank you. You
’
ve been great. I don
’
t think I can ever thank you enough. And I have a question.
”

   
“
What
’
s that?
”

  
“
Where
’
s the school district?
”



   Monday morning Sue walks in while Chris is scrambling eggs. 
“
Good morning, you are up early.
”

Chris smiles.
“
I couldn
’
t sleep.
”

  
“
Are you nervous about the test?
”

  
“
A little.
”

   
“
Don
’
t be, it
’
s a pretty easy one.
”

  
“
But I haven
’
t taken a test since high school.
”

   
“
You
’
ll do fine.
”