“Mom, please. She’s right and you know it.”
“I’ll never find anything in here ever again.”
“And dress like you would normally,” Olivia added. “Clean and comfortable barn clothes. Happy clothes.”
“Now you’re talking.” Porter stripped off his tie, shrugged out of his jacket. “I can breathe again.”
“I thought you looked nice,” Carol complained.
“We can go for the formal look on another day,” Olivia said. “Hurry before the sky goes dark again.”
Olivia scouted the barn while Porter ushered their guests indoors and the ladies changed. At her request, Porter opened the barn’s two skylights that had been shut against the storm. The resulting light, she decided, was almost perfect.
When the ladies arrived, she was ready. “Porter, I’m sorry but you need to take off that Stetson.”
“Celia won’t let me have my picture taken wearing the police cap.”
“You need to have your head bare for the pictures. In this gray light your face would be completely masked, and I want to shoot without flash.”
He reluctantly hung his hat from a nail. “Now I’m almost naked.”
Celia and her mom wore jeans, checked shirts, and high-heeled boots. Carol tied a kerchief around her daughter’s neck and said, “I’d pay good money to have a picture of Porter in his altogether.”
“Don’t you even start,” Porter said. “Else I’ll think you’ve been out here with my daughter and her pals, smoking the evil weed.”
“I never,” Celia said. “Mom, that scarf is too tight.”
“It’s perfect. Now hold still while I fix your hair.”
The passion was filling Olivis now. The flame she feared had gone out forever, snuffed from existence by all the hard nights. Instead, here she was in a live action situation, her favorite venue. It did not matter that Porter almost danced in place with nervousness, or how his wife’s face remained shadowed by the storm and her daughter’s pre-Christmas departure. All that was secondary, if Olivia were able to make this work. Which she would. Despite everything.
“Why don’t I start with your daughter and the colt. We can shoot the family portrait when things calm down.”
She actually saw the two parents take an easy breath. Porter said, “Shame the light’s so gloomy.”
“Actually, it’s grand. Carol, untie the colt and bring him up here where I’m standing. Good. See how that puts his head directly in the light? Okay, Porter, take this reflector. Come stand where I’m pointing and direct it at the colt’s head.”
“I have no idea how to do what you’re saying. This reflector thing doesn’t have a scope.”
“Hold it with two hands like you would a steering wheel. Now look straight at the colt and aim it where you’re looking.” She shifted back to where she intended to shoot and looked through the camera. “No, that’s too far over. Back up half a pace. Perfect. Now, Celia, step over so you’re on the colt’s other side. Can you make the animal stop bobbing its head?”
“I can groom the mane. He’ll hold still for hours if I do that.”
“Great. Can you please shift ten inches to your left? Good. Now angle your body, no, not your head. Shift your body without moving your feet . . . Right there.” She motioned to Carol. “Come have a look.”
“Oh my sweet heavens above. Porter, honey, you’ve got to see this.”
“He can’t. He’s busy. He’ll see it later.” Olivia shot a dozen images, then, “Carol, why don’t you go take hold of the reins. Good. Now turn slightly to your right, no, keep your feet where they are. Shoulder down. No, your other shoulder.”
“Why do I feel like a storefront mannequin?”
“Hush now, Mom. The lady’s on a roll.”
“Celia, hold that smile. Great. Carol, why don’t you take the brush and curry the mane between his ears. Excellent.” She shot several pictures, then said, “Porter, set down that reflector and go join the ladies. You need to get in closer to your daughter. That’s it. Just lean in to her, otherwise the shadows . . . Perfect.” Ten shots later, Olivia decided to go with a flash. “Carol, take a firm hold on those reins, the colt may be startled.” She angled the flash straight up, so as to minimize the effect while still illuminating the scene. “Okay, Porter, you can take half a step back. A smidgen more.” Three more shots, then, “Now step over so you’re right in close with your wife, good. Celia, can you lean toward your parents, like you want to hug them but can’t?”
“I feel like that almost every day I’m away.”
Carol’s voice caught. “Oh, honey.”
