"She hated to be photographed. You had to run after her….But she was special."-Gia
He watched as she walked down the street. People screaming her name, people shouting questions, her husband had been resurrected, and she was once again the center of attention. He caught her eye every time she looked back, as if needing reassurance that he was there. She had stopped outside a tall building, a museum of some sort, and being the socialite wife that she was, she had an invitation for the grand opening. It would be in a matter of hours, on the way home that they'd see her face on the cover of a paper. It was incredible how they got it published so quickly, but it happened.
He watched her make her way through the room, laughing and conversing with people she may have liked. May have hated. He recognized the fake laugh from the real laugh, and he never heard the real one. Will wasn't there as her date, he wasn't there because he offered, he was there because she needed someone close by. Why he chose her, besides the fact the they were sleeping together, when she could have chosen Jack or Grace, was completely unknown. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her approaching and quickly ordered her a drink.
"How's it coming?" He asked. She sighed and leaned against the bar, immediately feeling the warmth of his hand. She smiled.
"Slow." She said, as she was handed her drink. "It's unpleasant. It smells of cheap cologne and money," She added money with a whisper. He laughed and lightly traced a circle in her back. "Don't." She hissed through her teeth. He smiled and pushed her away from the stool.
"Come on," He said, slipping his hand to the small of her back, guiding her through the room. She still had her glass in hand, but was gripping it tightly, so she wouldn't do anything she'd regret.
Karen had introduced people to Will as her lawyer, which was the truth even though there was something else behind it. Will endured the same stories Karen had, moments before, which caused her to smirk. She wanted to touch him. She could feel the anticipation build, slowly, but it was coming. They had only been there for an hour and a half, when he realized that the room had gotten less crowded than before. He met Karen's eyes across the room and saw her signal to the small corridor that they learned led to a small park. He gave her a brief nod and drowned the rest of his champagne.
He found her standing by the top of the hill, overlooking the park with her arms tightly wrapped around her. She felt the fabric of his coat over her arms, before she felt his arm wrap around her waist. "Tempted?" He asked, before kissing her temple.
"Always," She said turning towards him and leaning up to kiss him. The warmth of his lips forced her into a smile. She felt the softness of his hand lay against her cheek, causing her to take a step forward. She broke the kiss with a smile and for the moment satisfied. He led them back into the room, and listened to her make an excuse of needing to go home.
He woke up the next morning, alone. As usual. The sun was coming through the gap in his curtains, he could hear shuffling around in the living room, hoping for a moment that it was Karen. It was the opening and slamming of the door that got him to be fully awake. He quickly put on a pair of sweat pants that somehow ended up in his closet and a t-shirt. He didn't even make it to the door, before it swung open revealing a very disheveled Karen.
"Have you seen this?" She asked holding up the paper. "Look who made the front page," She shoved the paper at him and took a seat on his bed. "I can't believe this."
The headline read: Photographic Beauty and Love. The picture was in black and white of Karen and Will kissing on the hill. There were other pictures of them standing together at the party which was included in the article. "Was there one on my doorstep?"
"Not anymore," She said throwing a rolled up paper in his general direction.
"Karen it'll be okay." He said sitting down next to her. He took her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. "I'll deal with this. Call them up and say that you're life shouldn't be fictionalized during a delicate time."
"Will it work?" He shrugged and kissed her. He continued to kiss her through the opening and closing of the front door. And the rather loud conversation their guests were having with Grace. It was the sudden opening of his bedroom door that forced them to pull apart quickly.
"So imagine my surprise when I get a phone call from your Aunt Marjorie saying that I need to buy an issue of the paper because my son was on the front page. So what did I do, I found an issue of the paper to find my son kissing a married woman," Marilyn said, not paying attention to Karen who was failing at hiding her embarrassment.
"She's not married for one," Will said standing up. "Two she can kiss whoever she likes. Mom it was a friendly kiss. She was nervous about making a speech so I tried to help," He lied.
"The picture begs to differ." It was the slamming and closing of the front door that made Karen groan. Then they heard the irate Jack coming down the hallway.
"What is this?" He asks holding up the paper. "I can't believe this! I mean god, Karen you're married! Do you not care about what your kids feel?" Karen's head shot up at Jack's last statement and the glare she gave him, caused everyone to take a step back. She slowly got to her feet.
"I am not married. My husband died and came back to life. Yes the absurdity of that statement is evident. But I am not married. Olivia and Mason will deal with it." She said looking around the room. "Will and I are friends. Nothing more. Now you can all get the hell out of this room so I can discuss this," She said handing up the paper. "With my lawyer."
The door closed behind Marilyn and there was silence. Uncomfortable, tension filled silence, made him uncomfortable. It made her uncomfortable. He slowly sat down next to her; and she didn't flinch. He took her hand in his and she didn't pull away, thankfully. "What are we going to do? We can-"Before he was able to say stop, Karen's lips attacked his. He wrapped his hands in her hair and she placed her hands on his chest.
"I hate photographers," She said, stating the obvious. He lay down on his back, pulling her with him. She laid her head on his chest and draped an arm across his stomach. It was a statement that was voiced frequently. But this made it solid.
She was loved by all. Her face was the image of the company. The bright eyed smile that was in various magazines and papers. She was never a fan of having her image spread. The paparazzi followed her every move, which was why she made it a habit to go to the Palace hotel at night. They didn't dare follow her there and if they did, they never knew she stayed. The pictures that he'd see her in after their relationship started, he could tell the difference between the genuine smile and the fake one. He could tell the pictures where he had been near because of the smile. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkled, and she had his bracelet. A silver bracelet that he had bought for her, a month after they began. She always wore it. No matter where she was or who she was with. If it wasn't him on her arm the bracelet was more prominent in his mind.
She had told him the bracelet was her tie to him. A bond that no matter what man's arm she was on, she was Will's. She promised him that no matter wherever she was, whoever she was with, she was his. And he was hers. That picture told it all. They had fallen in love with each other, but they didn't know. Photographic Beauty and Love couldn't have seemed more of an appropriate title.