Photo Op

by Coleman, Lynn A.

  “Thanks, but I don’t have to publish the print. I promise to keep personal moments I capture on film between you and me private.”

  Wayne let out a nervous chuckle. “Honey, you don’t have to check with me on every detail, but I would like to see any picture of me, or us, you want to sell or put on public display before it goes out.”

  “Fair enough. You’ll have to sign a release for the photograph to be used anyway.”

  “Thanks. So, now that I’ve spoiled our last day together, how can we redeem some of it?”

  “Well, I need to drive you up to the Portland airport so you can retrieve your car. What time do you want to be home?”

  “I was planning on eleven or midnight.”

  She mentally calculated that he’d need four hours for travel from Portland up to Squabbin Bay. Which meant he’d have to leave Portland by seven—eight, at the latest.

  “What would you like to do today?” she asked.

  He leaned into her and kissed her on the end of her nose. “Show me your city. I’d like to see it through your eyes.”

  Okay, so he has flaws. He’s male; he’s human, she reasoned. But who in their right mind wouldn’t want to be with this handsome, green-eyed man? “History or contemporary?”

  “Huh?”

  “Do your interests lie with history or with modern-day things?”

  “I have a fairly healthy interest in history, but I have seen most of the historical markers in this city on school field trips with Jess.”

  “All right, we’ll lean to your carpenter side and visit some of the architecture.”

  Wayne leaned against the door casing. “Actually, I was thinking in more practical terms. Where do you like to go? What do you like to do? Where do you like to eat? Those kinds of places. What do you think?”

  You’re getting kinda personal. “Sounds like a plan. We’ll start with a little Brazilian restaurant that has the most wonderful hearts of palm salad.”

  “Nothing too funky, I hope?”

  “Funky? Didn’t that word go out of vogue before your time?”

  Wayne laughed. “Things take a little longer to make their way to us Down Easterners, you know. Especially back when I was in high school. Today, it doesn’t seem to take as long.”

  Dena grabbed her keys and purse from the counter and looped her arm through his. “Come on, time’s a wasting. This place is definitely funky. And I am old enough to remember using that word.”

  They departed her apartment with humor. “Bamboa’s is really a mix of Brazilian and French cuisine. There’s a huge fish tank with wonderfully colored tropical fish. The decor is loud with all the rich colors you’d find in places in Brazil.”

  An hour and a half later, they emerged from Bamboa’s. “You were right; it was an experience, and the food was great. Now where to?” Wayne asked.

  “You know, I’ve been wondering that all through dinner. There are so many little places I like in the city, but they are not the kinds of places where you spend time, real time, with someone. Since it’s going to be another week before we see each other, I was wondering if we could just spend some downtime together.”

  ❧

  Wayne sat back on his deck with a tall glass of iced tea. Dena would be arriving tomorrow for an entire month. The past ten days had been the longest in the history of mankind. At least in his history. They’d had such a good time together in New York and Boston, focusing on work seemed futile.

  Jess was now living in Boston at Dena’s apartment. How was it that in a few months his life had so radically changed?

  His phone rang. “Hello,” he answered.

  “Hi, Wayne, I’m home.”

  “Hey, how was your trip?”

  “Miserable. I missed you.”

  His heart took flight at those three simple words. “I missed you, too. How’s Jess?”

  “I haven’t a clue. She appears to have moved in, but she’s not here right now. I’m packing for the month. I managed to get a couple of bags packed before I left, but I need to do laundry tonight before I can come up tomorrow.”

  “The house is ready.”

  “Oh, honey, I appreciate that so much. I’ve been rethinking Jason’s suggestion that I make Maine my residence. While I was away, Amber e-mailed me. She and David are really having a tough time. He’s still not able to find work, and she’s so busy working. Jason’s been talking with David about some possible work in Maine. Amber could easily transfer as a nurse to a local hospital. It just seems my family needs me here.”

  His heart sank. He would have hoped she would have mentioned him in there somewhere. “I’ll pray with you about it.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it. Actually, to be totally honest, I’d like to spend more time with you, too. Is that possible?”

  His heart leaped up and did a somersault. “I’d like that.” He lowered his voice. “I love you, Dena.”

  “I love you, too. Any fears?”

  “Tons, but we’ve been over that ground before. This next month will be a real test.”

  “Only way to find out is to just jump right in and live it.” Wayne grinned and fired a silent praise heavenward.

  “Yeah, that’s why I decided to move most of my lab and files with me.”

  “You’re kidding! Are you serious?”

  “Yes.”

  “Dena, you’ve really given this a lot of thought, haven’t you?”

  “I started thinking about this months ago, when I made the decision to have a darkroom put in the cottage. If I were conservative with my funds, I could live off of my investments now. But I enjoy working. I have to stay active. Is there really enough up there in Maine to keep me busy?”

  “I don’t know, Dena. That’s always been my fear. You’ve traveled the world. You enjoy traveling, and here I sit in a very small town with a very boring life. How can I compete with your career?”

  “If you say it that way, you can’t. But there’s something about being up there that recharges me. I’d like to think it’s the Lord and having more time with Him, but I know it also has to do with a certain green-eyed man who lives up there.”

  Wayne sat down on the old rocker by the fireplace. He should be rejoicing, but something about the entire weight of the state of Maine sat on his shoulders. He couldn’t be responsible for Dena giving up her career. There had to be another way. She was far too gifted of a photographer.

  “Wayne?”

  Her calling his name jarred him back to the phone call. “Sorry, I’m—” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know what to say, Dena. I don’t know what to do. I want you here, but something feels off. Are you sure? Absolutely sure?”

  ❧

  Dena wasn’t sure about anything. She’d been battling herself the entire week about whether or not she was making the right decision. And driving up the interstate hadn’t confirmed her decision one way or the other. David and Amber were going to rent a truck and bring up the rest of Dena’s belongings this weekend. Wayne’s nervousness about her changing her career plans didn’t help her concerns, either. Weren’t they always talking around the subject of making their relationship more permanent? Hadn’t their weekend ten days ago confirmed their desires to spend more time together? What was he afraid of?

  Dena drummed her cherry red fingernails on the steering wheel. She took in a long breath and eased it out slowly. Hadn’t she decided last week that the family needed her? Isn’t that really why she was making this change? Brianne’s health continued to be a concern.

  Yes, the family needed her around—or she needed to be around her family more. In either case, it was the right decision even if nothing developed between her and Wayne.

  Her cottage came into view. The ocean shimmered in the sunlight. She took in a deep breath of salt air. “Home,” she sighed. “When did this cottage become my home instead of my apartment in Boston?”

  She grabbed two bags from the trunk and headed inside. Dropping them on the kitchen floor, she walked ba
ck to the hallway entrance to the addition. For the first time, it wasn’t covered in plastic. Slowly, she worked her way into the new section and traced the edges of the woodwork with her right forefinger. “You do excellent work, Wayne. Thank you.”

  The Jacuzzi in the master bathroom was her next stop. The room glistened. The carpet had been put in and looked wonderful next to the stone floor surrounding the hot tub. She looked up, and there she found a skylight directly overhead. She imagined herself late at night, unwinding after a long day of work in the darkroom, feeling the warmth of the hot jets on her back as she looked up at the sky, relaxing. Totally relaxing. “Calgon, take me away,” she whispered.

  The idea of jumping into the Jacuzzi flitted through her mind. Then reality hit: There were more bags and boxes to unload. Not to mention that the house needed to cool down. She switched on the central air before heading out to the car for another load.

  “Hi, Mom,” Jason said with a box in his hand.

  “How’d you know I was here?”

  “Amber called. Besides, Jenny Thompson called when you got off the interstate.”

  “Jenny Thompson?”

  “She owns a place near the four corners in town.”

  “Ah, but how do I know her?”

  “You don’t, but she knows you.”

  “Jason, how do you stand it? I mean, with everyone knowing everyone’s business.”

  Jason shifted the weight of the box onto his hip. “Most folks don’t pay the gossip no never mind. But there is an upside to the small community, and that’s if you’re in trouble, folks are always there to lend a hand. And notice when you need a hand,” he added with a wink.

  “I suppose Amber told you that I’m going to try living up here on a more permanent basis.”

  “She did.”

  Dena pulled another box out of the trunk and led them back into the house. “What do you think?”

  “I think there’s more to it than what you told Amber. Just how serious are you and Wayne, Mom?”

  Eighteen

  Wayne found Dena and Pastor Russell in deep conversation, and, by the startled stares he received, he could only assume he’d been the topic of discussion.

  “I was wondering if you’d like to go out for dinner,” he told Dena shortly after Pastor Russell left.

  “Actually, I’m beat. But you’re welcome to have dinner with me. Of course, it’ll be some frozen dinner or something out of a can.”

  Wayne smiled. “I’ll take what I can get. Or I could drive to town and pick up a couple of fresh steaks for the grill.”

  “Are you cooking?” she asked, grabbing a suitcase.

  “Sure. I’ll even pick up some corn on the cob and potato salad. How’s that sound?”

  “Wonderful. I’m starving.”

  Wayne chuckled. “Honey, when aren’t you hungry?” he teased.

  “Hey, I resemble that,” she quipped.

  “Oh?” He pulled her toward him. It had been ages since they had shared a kiss. Well, maybe not ages, but eleven days was long enough. The kiss lengthened, and he felt her tension melt in his arms along with his own. He hadn’t been prepared for her just moving to Maine. She’d mentioned she was coming for a month, but to just readjust her schedule and to start plans of living in the area full-time had caught him off guard.

  She ended the kiss first and pushed herself away from him. He closed his eyes and mentally refocused. “I’m glad you’re here,” he offered, slowly opening his eyes.

  “Are you? Last night, I wasn’t so sure.”

  “Honey, I’ve never just up and dropped everything and changed my life around.”

  “Oh, didn’t you? When you were eighteen, didn’t you accept responsibility for Jess and take her in and care for her, giving up on your own college desires to raise a child?”

  “But that’s different.”

  “Okay, then what about the weekend in New York? That was impulsive.”

  Wayne stepped back and turned away from her.

  “Don’t walk out on me now, Wayne. We need to talk this through.”

  “I wasn’t leaving. I was just thinking. You’re right; it was impulsive. But I’m worried you’re giving up too much.”

  She reached out for his hand and led him to the sofa. “Wayne, there’s a lot you don’t know about my business. I can sell and resell photographs for years. It’s simply being aware of what the market is looking for. I can do that far better from here than traipsing around the world.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. And there are other things I can do and still earn a salary. Granted, it won’t be as plump of a salary as I had been making, but I would still earn a reasonable income. But I’ve gone a step further. I’ve started arranging with other photographers to kind of work as their agent, helping them with bookings and scheduling when I’m contacted for a job. And I’d earn a certain percentage of their income for that shoot.”

  “It’s a well-laid-out plan.”

  “Thanks, but I still don’t know where we were headed. Do you?”

  “I know what I’d like, but, you’re right, we are both rather set in our ways. This month will be quite a test for us.”

  “Yeah. Except that David and Amber are arriving this weekend with the kids. They’re bringing up the rest of my stuff for the master suite.”

  “And?”

  “And they’ll probably be staying for a week. The stress has been really hard on them. I might even suggest they leave the kids and go home alone for a week.”

  Dena’s stomach churned loud enough for the entire room to hear it. Thankfully, they were alone.

  “I’m going to get you something to eat. We’ll talk more when I get back.”

  “Thanks.” She kissed him lightly on the lips. “When I was a kid and fell in love with Bill, I didn’t have any fear. I do have serious doubts, Wayne. I’ve liked being on my own. There’s a freedom in it.”

  “I know. I do understand. When Jess was in college, I found myself enjoying having the house to myself. I missed her, but the house was my own. The ‘sound of silence’ filled the air. There was a sense of rhythm in the quietness, somehow.”

  “Exactly. So, can we share our lives with each other?”

  “I don’t know, Dena. I honestly don’t know. I want to, but, as with you, it’s a major step.”

  Dena let out a half chuckle. “Major is an understatement.”

  “Yeah,” Wayne sighed. “All right, I’m going now. We’ll pick this up when I come back.” He tapped her on her knee.

  “Okay.”

  He left the cottage and worked his way back to town. Why was he fighting Dena’s move to Maine?

  You need help, ol’ boy, serious help. Wayne turned into the grocery store parking lot. A few cars were parked next to the building, while a single black sedan in the center of the lot sat under the streetlight. Peter Mayhew, the elderly owner of the store, always parked under that lamp. Precious little happened in the way of crime in this small town, but the precaution had been a wise move.

  “Evening, Mr. Mayhew, how are you tonight?” Wayne asked, pulling a red plastic basket from the small pile near the door.

  “Fine, fine. Heard that pretty Ms. Russell’s back in town. Is that so?”

  “Yes, sir. She’ll be staying for an entire month. You might have to stock up on some of that fancy city stuff for the lady.” Wayne winked.

  Peter’s bushy white eyebrows rose halfway up his bald head. “Already placed an order. Pastor Russell told me she was coming last week. Any truth to the rumors that you and Ms. Russell are moving in together?”

  “Not a word of it. And if you hear anyone speaking such, please let them know Mrs. Russell lives by the same standards Pastor Russell preaches.”

  “Pleased to hear it. Kids today just don’t seem to have the same values.”

  It was time for Wayne to raise his eyebrows. Dena would love hearing herself referred to as a kid.

  “Present company excluded, of course.” P
eter winked again.

  Maybe moving to the city would be a better start for us if we were to get married, he mused.

  “What can I get you tonight?” Peter asked.

  “Two steaks, sirloin or better, if you have it.”

  “Delmonico cut?”

  “Perfect.” Delmonicos were tender, an excellent choice cut from the rib section of the cow.

  He picked up a pint of homemade potato salad prepared by Pete’s daughter, Mable, and a half dozen ears of corn. He paid for the order, walked outside, and slid the bag over to the passenger side of the truck. Lord, I just don’t want to get in Dena’s way. Please give me peace about her decisions regarding her business.

  He pulled out into the street and turned toward the four corners in the center of town. Tires squealed. A black SUV suddenly filled his field of vision and plowed into his left side. Then he saw nothing.

  ❧

  “Mom, there’s been an accident.”

  “What? Who? What happened?” Dena curled the phone cord around her finger. Where was Wayne? He should have been back a half hour ago. Then it dawned on her. “Wayne?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “Where is he? Is he okay? What happened?” She reached for her car keys from the counter.

  “Some kids were driving too fast and ran the stop sign. The vehicle hit him on the driver’s side. He’s been hurt, but I don’t know how badly. They’re driving him up to Ellsworth now. The town doctor couldn’t do much for him here, Mom. I drove up to Mayhew’s Market just as they were putting him in the ambulance.”

  “Which hospital? Has Jess been told?”

  “No one’s called Jess, as far as I know. I was thinking we should wait to hear what the doctors say after they’ve done some tests.”

  “I’m going up there. Where is this hospital?”

  “In Ellsworth; it’s Blue Hill Hospital. I’ll take you.”

  “No, I’ll follow you. There’s no telling how long I’ll be up there.”

  “All right. Meet me at Mayhew’s Market. On second thought, crews may still be cleaning up after the accident.” He suggested an alternate meeting place.

  “Fine.” Dena grabbed her purse and ran out the door. “Oh, Lord, please keep him safe.” Tears threatened to fall. No, I can’t. Not yet. I need to drive. She set her resolve and drove as fast and as cautiously as she could allow herself.