Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34
B y the time we’d crawled through the afternoon city traffic and parked at Image Ink, it was after four o’clock.
‘What do you do here?’ Lexi asked once we were in the studio, and she was seated at my workstation.
‘Look after the photography side of things.’ I swiftly moved Sarah’s book to a dusty corner of the room and walked back to Lexi with several sample photos I’d taken for Bush Magic .
‘What happens to the food afterwards? Why don’t you bring it home?’
I smiled. ‘It gets tossed because it’s inedible – we use food colouring and sometimes paint and hairspray to get the food looking appetising and appealing.’
‘But not edible?’ Lexi peered at several photos. ‘You’d never know.’
‘Thanks, I’ll take it as a compliment.’ I thought back to what Dana had said about the standards being more relaxed for the online edition and wondered whether there might be a few perks of the job after all .
‘Are you still going to make a book of photos for Robyn to give her when her baby’s born?’
I nodded. ‘Let’s do it together. You can help me choose the photos.’
Lexi scrolled through her phone while I pulled out cameras and extra equipment, I needed for tomorrow’s location shoot at Palm Beach. I was looking forward to shooting outdoors and being at the mercy of the elements. You never quite knew how the wind, sun and clouds would shape the photographs. There was a degree of unpredictability when it came to photographing in natural light. It would be fun. I gathered all the cases and began hauling them downstairs to the company van in the garage.
‘Did you pack the tripod?’ Graeme barked as I tiptoed past his office, hoping to avoid him.
‘Yes.’ Thanks for helping me load up. No, I don’t mind at all. Three downstairs trips to the garage so far. Good exercise. Loving it. I thought for a moment. ‘I’ve packed the small one. Do you want the larger as well?’
Graeme huffed loudly and followed me to the doorway of the studio. ‘Fuck’s sake! Of course I need the other one. If you want something done right… Jesus. I don’t know what we’re paying you for, Kate. Running off in the middle of the day… you did remember the reflectors, didn’t you?’
Lexi looked at me, puzzled. Dana glanced up from her pastry bowl, caught my eye, winked, and quickly went back to kneading dough. I crouched down and opened a cupboard to retrieve them.
‘Yep,’ I called, my voice cheerful.
‘No need to bellow. I’m right here.’ Beside me, Graeme leered, then turned toward Lexi. ‘This must be the wayward daughter you’re always talking about.’
God, I hated him. I should have quit right then. But I didn’t because I wanted to show Fern I was up to the challenge of the online nativity venture. Screw Graeme Grafton. I would succeed. I refused to fail.
‘Is that man your boss?’ Lexi asked after we left Image Ink and were driving to pick up Angus.
I nodded.
‘He kinda looks like Ryan Reynolds, and he’s kinda loud.’
‘Yes, he is loud.’ I laughed and Lexi grinned. ‘The good news is it’s only for a couple of weeks.’
‘Then what?’
‘Don’t know.’ I slowed to change lanes. ‘After Christmas, I go back to being your mum full time.’
‘You’re working up to Christmas? What about decorating the house and organising Nanna’s wedding? There’s so much to do.’
‘Yeah, there is. And most importantly, you need to catch up on all your missed classes and assignments so you can move up to the next grade in the new year.’
Lexi bowed her head.
‘Sweetheart, why do you wag school?’
She looked up. ‘Because it’s boring.’
‘That doesn’t mean you can stop going. Is everything okay? I mean with Hunter? Your friends?’
‘I guess. Yes and No.’
‘How are Jazz and Issie?’
‘Mum, it’s not about friends anymore. I’m thirteen .’ It was all in the tone. The way Lexi spoke, she could have been saying, I have leprosy or I’m an alien . ‘It’s about your clothes and your boyfriend, and only if you’ve got those, do you get to have friends. Friends on TikTok, Insta… Do you know how many girls have got me as one of their “top friends” on TikTok? ’
I shook my head.
‘Six hundred and twenty-eight! Do you think I’d have that many if Hunter wasn’t my boyfriend? Susie says it’s not important what kind of person you are, so long as you’re the right sort of person.’
‘Why would she say that?’
‘Because she knows everything ! And I’m trying to fit in. Get a life.’ I wasn’t sure whether Lexi was telling me to ‘get a life’ or whether she herself was trying to ‘get a life’.
‘Lex,’ I said in my most sympathetic, motherly voice, ‘you can tell me anything, darling, and I’ll understand. Really, sweetheart, anything at all. I’m always here for you.’
‘Great, Mum… I’m thinking about having sex with Hunter.’
I almost crashed the car.
‘Joking.’ Lexi laughed. ‘See? Things could be a lot worse.’
We cruised to a stop at the traffic lights, and I breathed deeply, trying to regroup. I looked around.
I loved this area, the artisan cottages, the community feel. I could easily set up a studio here. A couple of weeks before Fern’s call, I’d even inquired about renting space and setting up a photography studio. But I thought it too indulgent, my skills being what they are. However, now I had a renewed passion for the craft, it was certainly worth keeping in mind.
I glanced across the street and saw Matthew standing outside a café. I was about to honk when I noticed he wasn’t alone. He was with a blonde, shapely woman. What was Matthew doing with an attractive woman several suburbs away from our home when he was supposed to be so damned busy at work?