Buds? Are you planning on bringing people?
No. My buds… My taste buds. They tell me what they’re thinking for food. I’ll consult them and let you know.
I stared at his text.Even though Chase had been hurled into a dark world that forced him to grow up, when he made comments like that, I sometimes wondered if he ever grew up… Like he’d always been pain free and stuck at twelve years old. And I liked that. It was comforting to know that he was okay.
I spent the rest of the morning helping my mom put things away in the kitchen that went on the top few shelves in each cabinet. Even though there was a step stool, she still wasn’t able to reach the highest shelves. I made sure to help her put stuff up there that she didn’t need often. After cleaning myself up and putting on black pants and a white button-down shirt, I headed to Club Oxygen. There was a level of excitement that I couldn’t quite describe as I drove in the stop-and-go traffic to the upscale club.
Club Oxygen was rich in history, and in all the time it’d been opened there had only been two owners. This meant stability for the members, which was probably one of the reasons it was known worldwide and had a stellar reputation. I’d always hoped that the club I attended in San Francisco would be like Oxygen in those regards. But ownership was constantly changing, and it didn’t have the vibes that Oxygen had. I was honored to be invited to do some private photography sessions there. Recently the owner, Andrew, purchased a ton of my photos specifically for the club, so I was eager to see where they ended up or if they were even hanging in the club yet.
Once I parked, I picked up my portfolio and headed into the club. Since it was the afternoon, I wasn’t expecting many people to be there, especially since the club wasn’t even open to the public during the day. But there were more cars in the parking lot than I expected.
I opened the doors that led into the club’s lobby and was surprised that what would be considered the club’s house lights weren’t on. Instead, the lobby was lit just as I expected it would be during regular evening hours. Dim lights glowed softly from the candelabra chandelier that hung from the ceiling, and the matching sconces on the wall were alight too. Back in San Francisco, if the club I belonged to, Friction, was open during the day for a class or a meeting, the regular house lights were on rather than the lighting that was on during the club hours. I loved this club.
“Hello, Professor Hawkins.”
I turned my head in the direction of the chipper voice. A young woman with jet black hair and a black tank top waved at me from behind the check-in counter.
“Hello,” I replied and stepped toward her. I set my portfolio on the counter, offered my hand for her to shake, and said, “Please, call me Morgan.”
She nodded and took hold of my hand, wrapping her fingers with purple polished nails around my hand.
“I’m Ali.” Ali let go of my hand and walked around the counter. “Andrew is waiting for you in the bar area. Please follow me.”
I collected my portfolio and followed Ali as she pulled open the heavy door that led into the club. We walked down a short hallway that was dimly lit and ended up in the main room.
It was a feast for the eyes. Dark seats were arranged throughout the room in a way to give a couple or a small group of people some privacy to negotiate a session or settle down together after a session. There were plenty of couches, loveseats, and comfy chairs to accommodate a busy club, without people feeling as though they were right on top of one another.
As I followed Ali to the bar area to the right of the main room, I noticed my photographs were framed and hung on the walls. I was so proud of the fact that my work was displayed in Club Oxygen.
“Hey, welcome, Morgan,” Andrew said as he stepped away from a high-top table.
“Thank you. It’s great to be here, and I’m very excited for these next few weeks.”
“Can we get you something to drink?” he asked.
“Some water would be just fine, thank you.”
“I’ll grab it,” Ali said and headed behind the bar. Oxygen’s bar area made the one at Friction look like an afterthought.
“So, how was your drive down?” Andrew asked.
“It’s a beautiful drive, and I enjoy the quiet time in the car. My favorite part is cruising along the coast. It takes a little longer when I go that route, but the view is incredible. Absolutely worth it.”
“Coastline is beautiful. You’re staying with your folks, right?”
“Yes. They’ve recently done some home renovations, and I’m going to help them in the evenings to get some things put back in place. I’m going to visit with my younger brother while I’m here as well.”
“That sounds great. Please let me know if you need to adjust times so you can maximize your time with them. You were in high demand, so this week I have you scheduled to meet with members to discuss and arrange their photo shoots.”
Ali returned with a bottle of water and handed it to me.
“Thank you,” I said to Ali. “No need to adjust any times on account of me. My family knows I’m here to work and that I won’t be available for anything until the evenings.”
“Very well. Let me show you around the club so you’ll have a good idea of the surroundings available to you for the shoots,” Andrew said. I set the portfolio down on the table and followed him.
“The photos you emailed to me of all the rooms were most helpful, and I have some good ideas for positioning,” I said to him.
We stepped into the first room, set up with a wingback chair and a loveseat with a glass coffee table separating the two.
