The Photo shop
by Candyman666©
Although each chapter is a story on its own, you might enjoy it more by starting with chapter 1 as there may be references to characters or events that happened in previous chapters.
Previously at the Photo Shop: Lew, the main character of the story, after being made redundant, bought an old photo shop in his village, and had a big photo studio built behind it. As a young adult, the subjects of his hobby photos changed from animals and landscapes to the female nude form when he met a young Italian waitress. He helped fulfil her life's dream and develops a life time friendship with her. His gift is to talk women out of their clothes so they pose nude for him. In previous chapters, he became amorously involved with several women in the village, who in different ways, helped him to develop the modelling career of his first nude model.
Chapter 11: Dinner chez Grace
Aside from the deposit of three hundred Euro commission I received from Nancy a few weeks after our last encounter, I hadn't heard from her or her mother Grace in a while. I presumed I would never be invited for a nice meal there, but how wrong I was. Thursday evening the phone rang and believe it or not it was Grace.
"Hi Lew, Grace here, you probably thought I had forgotten all about you but I haven't. The past few weeks it was a total circus at work, I didn't know whether I was coming or going, however now things have finally slowed down a bit and I can breathe again. It was as if everybody wanted to sell their house or buy another house at the same time."
"Oh, are you in the business of buying and selling houses Grace? I had no idea."
"Yeah I have my own realtor firm, for ages but the past weeks were absolute hell... So how are you, Lew?"
"Good, good, I can't complain now. During the summer, when people go on vacation, they tend to take far more snapshots and upon returning they want prints or to have them turned into a photobook, instantly, so I am rather busy as well, but nothing spectacular. Unfortunately no photo sessions with gorgeous women like yourself or your daughter though!"
"Oh you poor man, you must really feel lonely then, no nude women in front of your lens?"
"No, no babies either, just the odd sports event or festival they want me to take pictures at. At a festival, if you are lucky, you get to shoot a few bare boobs, but that's about the extent of it, how would you feel then to come over for another round of portraiting?"
"I guess I am going to pass on the offer for the moment, but I want to make good on my promise of serving you a wholesome home-cooked dinner."
"Alright, I can go for that as well, after all it is still true that a man's love goes through his stomach, isn't it?"
"Great, how about Saturday evening, are you free?"
"Yes by all means Grace and if I wasn't, I would have made myself free for such a treat."
"Excellent shall we say sevenish? You know where I live?"
"No Grace not really."
"OK I'll text you the address then, shall I?"
"Wonderful, oh will Nancy and the baby be there as well?"
"Yes they will, Nancy wants to thank you again for selling her photos."
"She did pay me for it through my commission, which I received the other week; would you thank her for me, please. Before I forget, allow me to bring a nice alcohol-free aperitif and a bottle of wine for Nancy, and a normal one for you and me?"
"Excellent, I heard from Nancy that you have a good nose for wine, so cheers now, see you Saturday!"
I was really looking forward to the evening and extremely curious if I was going to get that triple dessert Grace suggested the last time I saw her. Friday and Saturday really dragged on but I was finally able to close the door to the shop on Saturday at six o'clock. That gave me about forty-five minutes to get ready. Quickly jumping in the shower, I shaved everywhere I deemed necessary and got dressed. To be on the safe side I took one of my magical blue pills with me. Arriving at the address I was given, I was seriously surprised by the size of the house, it was free-standing with a very nice garden around it, but unfortunately the gate was closed. Always trying to be punctual, I rang the bell at precisely seven o'clock and as if I had uttered the magic words 'Open Sesame', the gates swung apart and I could drive in.
I parked the car in front of the garage door, next to what I recognized as Nancy's car. The front door was already open and Nancy, holding baby Emilia on her hip, was waiting for me.
"Come in Lew."
"Hello Nancy, great to see you again, and you too Emilia, how is my favorite baby photo model?"
I tickled her under her chin which made her laugh out loud. I followed Nancy inside and was led straight through to the living room, well room was a diminutive, it was huge, with a big window, ceiling to floor overlooking the back garden, sun deck and swimming pool. Grace came over from, what I expected was the kitchen, with open arms and gave me a big hug.
"Hey Lew, welcome to my home, good to see you, how are you holding up?"
"I can't complain, especially not today, being invited by a gorgeous woman like yourself."
"There you go again with your flattery, if you keep that up I am really going to start to believe you."
"It is true, you are absolutely a sight for sore eyes, every time I see you, you look younger!"