Note: Just a small chapter in-between.
chapter 2 - Picturing my dreams
Minutes later, still his card in my hand, I arrived at my destination. The building in front of me, which was completely covered by red clinker, had six floors and our studio was directly located on the ground level. Very handy for gaining new customers, because we easily could exhibit our pictures in the windows which were towards the street, so everybody, who went by, had the chance to see our pictures showing what we were capable of.
Camille and I found this little admired jewel directly after our arrival back from France to where we had moved five years ago to study photography at the local university of Paris after my father had finally passed away. But half a year before we had the chance to write our finals, we had to move back again, because of, well, we had our reasons.
Actually, I had my reasons. Camille had just followed my path as like she always did. Never even thinking of leaving my side. Like she was a lighthouse guiding me through the rough sea I called life. And she never judged neither me nor the situation I got myself in. Instead she always comforted me whenever I needed a warm embrace or the feeling of being loved.
So we went back to New York last fall. With no money, no degree and no idea of what to do now. Just the two of us and that was all what counted in the end.
And on a Wednesday morning the chance waved at us and we instantly grabbed it by the hair.
As usual, we were sitting in our favorite coffee shop in Brooklyn, sipping on our drinks and reading the local newspaper, hoping to find a job, so that we could at least afford the rent for the upcoming month. On the table behind us there an older woman chatting with a man, who seemed to be her grandson . First they talked about her health. Apparently she wasn't doing well. Her heart got weaker. Poor her. After some time the topic changed into something what caught my attention. Molly, the name of the friendly looking woman was, seemed to have a little flower shop not far from here which she has to give up because of her heartproblems. Now she wanted to find someone who will rent the shop. Her grandson wanted to help her and that was the reason why the met in here. I looked at Cammi, grabbed her by her arm and pulled her with me to the table behind us.
"Excuse me ma'am, I'm sorry to interrupt you but, uhm, my name is Magnus Bane and this is" I pointed at my best friend next to me "is Camille Belcourt" I directly began to talk to the both of them in front of us. It was now or never. This had to work.
She appraised us with her dark brown eyes. Her face showed every single year of her age, but her eyes were spraying with curiosity like a small girl.
"Well, hello dear, my name is Molly Kyle and that is my lovely grandson Jordan Kyle. Nice to meet you two. What may I do for you?"
"So actually, I have to admit that I overhear your conversation about you shop and I want to… kind of … drop in on you so you will give us the chance to rent your place." The words came rushing out.
"Your mother didn't tell you that it is impolite to monitor another conversation?" I flinched slightly at the refer to my mother but I tried to cover my sobbing heart as best as I could.
"Hadn't enough time with her so that she could have taught me that, I guess." I honestly told her. She should see that I'll be plain with her. I felt Camilles hand at my shoulder. The comforting action, she always did, when my parents were mentioned.
The vision of Mollys eyes turned into a sympathetic glare and she told us to sit down. We chatted through the whole morning and by noon we really had the' yes' of Molly. She really gave us a chance and I couldn't be more happy. I joyfully hugged first Camille and then kissed the cheek of the old lady across me.
Everything, which came after this special meeting, was history.
Three days later, Camille and I signed the contract. We could now live our dream - opening up our own photostudio. I would be the one taking the pictures and Cammi did the whole advertising and promoting thing.
And from the first minute, we had opened our little business, everything worked just fine. We really didn't redecorate the rooms much, just some new colors on the walls, nothing more, and that saved us a lot of money. Money we could instead put into getting public.
Some days went by and there, we had our first customers. Proud parents wanting to get pictures of their newborn babygirl. I did my magic and of course they were happy by my work I had done. They recommended us and by that the landslide began. It was stunning. Within a month we made a name. Our awareness level sprang beyond the border of New York. "Rainbow Pictures" was in everyones mouth.
A smiled apeared while going through the memories. Cammi and I really made it. I was proud of that. For the first time in my life, everything seemed to work out just the right way.
I stepped into the entrance area of the studio calling for Camille and I instantly got an angry anser.
"Where the hell have you been, Bane?" Damn, calling my lastname was never a good sign. I heared footsteps coming nearer. "You *do* realize what time it is? And more importantly what day it is?" The echo came now from the room next room where we normally took the pictures. Seconds later Camille stormed through the door, opening his mouth again to yell another sentence at me, but stopped, wildly blinking at me.
"You look like shit." There she was, Camille at his best….
"Well thank you darling. Always loving your empathy." I gave her a faked hurt face.
"Hipster would call it *used * and they pay a lot for looking like that on purpose. " she grinned "Besides I called it muddy-look already and I think it damn suits me. Mud is the new green this season so I've been told!"
"By whom? Chairman?"
"Well this little furry of hell is at the moment non-available."
"What?!"
"Just don't ask…." I shrugged and she immediately came closer for a hug. She knew me so well. There were no needs to say that my morning didn't went well. She just knew and stopped being mad at me.
"But honey, don't get me wrong, but you can't take pictures today while looking as if a barista vomited on you." Well, she had a point.
"Go home Maggie, and chance. I can handle the preparation until then and the band won't be here before 2 pm. And later on Ragnor will come to work too." He was our first employee, because nowadays, we had too much work to do and therefore we just needed another helping hand.
"But the damn water." I whimpered like a baby.
"What?!" She was confused, sure she didn't know that I was referring to the icy water at my flat. But babbling like a toddler won't help me aswell. I had to think.
"Well, why don't you take the shower at Woolseys apartment?" she suggested as if she is capable of reading my mind. But she got the definitely wrong name in her sentence.
"Camille, we're done. Remember?!"
"So what? By that you could at least get your cloth back. He didn't bring them to you as you had asked him."
"I'll choose the icy water coming directly from the northpole!" and with that I turned around and heading back home again.
Told you it is pretty short. Just a climpse of Magnus' working background. Got the chance to intruduce him a little better.
Please tell me, what you think. Still very unsure if my work is worth the afford...