29. The Bust Was A Must
Chapter twenty-nine
The Bust Was A Must
Albany
I grip Sal's hand tightly as we walk through the front doors of Behind the Lens. The familiar warmth and professional atmosphere help to settle my nerves. Nova waves from the front desk, her eyes lighting up when she spots the covered chocolate sculpture we're carrying.
"Is that what I think it is?" she asks excitedly.
"You'll have to wait and see," I tease. "Is Lorna in her office?"
Nova nods and buzzes us through. As we walk down the hallway, Sal squeezes my hand reassuringly. We'd spent hours perfecting the chocolate bust…a whimsical interpretation of Lorna as a 1950s pin-up girl, complete with victory rolls and a cheeky wink.
I knock on Lorna's door, and her warm voice calls us in. She looks up from her computer, her face breaking into a bright smile.
"Albany! And you must be Sal. I've heard wonderful things about your work."
"We brought you something," I say, carefully setting the covered sculpture on her desk. With a flourish, I lift the dome to reveal our creation.
Lorna's eyes widen as she takes in the details: the perfectly sculpted chocolate curls, the subtle shading we achieved through different cocoa percentages, and her playful expression captured in dark chocolate.
And then she throws her head back and laughs, the sound rich and genuine. "Oh, my goodness! This is absolutely incredible!" She leans in closer, examining the fine details. "You even got my beauty mark right! This is...this is just perfect."
I glance at Sal, seeing my own pride reflected in his smile. Lorna’s delight makes all those hours of careful work worth it.
I settle into the makeup chair as Celeste starts unrolling my hair. "I want to go full Marilyn today," I tell her, watching her face light up in the mirror.
"Oh honey, yes! Your bone structure will be perfect for that iconic look," she exclaims, running her fingers through my platinum waves. "And your natural color is already perfect."
Ginny wheels her makeup cart over, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Marilyn-inspired makeup with that gorgeous alabaster skin of yours? Dream client alert!" She starts laying out her products, examining my face thoughtfully. "We'll do a classic red lip…really make it pop against your complexion. Especially with the chocolate element."
"That's exactly what I was thinking," I say, relaxing as Celeste starts working on my hair. "I've always loved how Marilyn owned her curves. My hips and thighs are similar to hers, though my chest is smaller."
"Trust me, with the right styling and angles, you're going to look absolutely incredible," Celeste assures me, expertly crafting those signature blonde waves. "The contrast of your pale skin against the dark chocolate is going to be stunning."
Through the mirror, I catch glimpses of Sal and Nova moving equipment into the studio. My stomach flutters with anticipation, but the nerves from earlier have settled into excitement. Ginny starts working on my face, her brush strokes gentle and precise.
"Close your eyes for me, sweetie," she instructs, and I comply. "We're going to do that classic Marilyn eye…soft but glamorous. And then that perfect red lip that'll make everyone stop in their tracks."
I can't wait to see the final product of this shoot. Maybe Lorna will let me buy some of the pictures. I have a great idea for one of them that might sell a truckload of calendars.