Chapter Six, Taking a Shot
It feels weird being a passenger in your own car. On the other hand, being a passenger allows me take in the beautiful sight of Joyce Price as she drives us to the light house. She looks radiant. A cream coloured, knee high skirt shows off her amazing legs but it's the top half that I can't take my eyes of. The top she is wearing is sleeveless and low cut. Her breasts are quite bigger than I thought. I wonder if she chose purple to match my shirt. Not likely but it's a nice thought.
I have to do something about the huge crush I have. Or is it love? Shit, I can't tell her that I love her! She will freak out. I will tell her I have feelings for her and we will see what happens. I failed to seize nearly every opportunity to better myself but this time I will not back down. My mind is made up. I would rather lose Joyce from my life than let fear win again.
"Not a cloud in the sky. Perfect conditions for taking pictures, don't you think Max?" Joyce seems relaxed given that she is driving a car she isn't used to driving. It doesn't sound right when she calls me 'Max'. She's the only person who I'd rather call me by my full name.
My attention turns to the sky and it seems she is right. "Yeah, it's perfect."
We continue riding in a comfortable silence. Not even the radio is on. I should be nervous about someone I hardly know driving my baby but I'm not. "How does my car handle Joyce? I haven't driven many cars in my life so it's hard to know what's good and what isn't."
Joyce gives me a little smile. "She handles great. One of the nicer cars I have ever driven. I am quite surprised you can drive a stick. I hear most kids nowadays drive automatics. It's a good life skill to have."
Memories of my dad teaching me to drive come flooding back. I drove him crazy for a few days but eventually I made that clutch my bitch. "Yeah my Dad was insistent about teaching me to drive the old fashioned way. Was worth it though." I tell Joyce about learning to drive in the big city and soon enough she has parked in the same spot I was in this morning. I am relieved there are no other cars around. We should have the light house to ourselves. Perfect.
This is your moment Max. Mr Jefferson, my photography teacher tells his students to 'always take the shot'. Perhaps that doesn't just apply to photography. I take a deep breath.
Wait for the right moment and then, take the damn shot.
As we walk up the nature track to the light house, Joyce's face changes. She seems worried, or is it nervous? What's changed? The steady pace we were walking at has slowed down considerably. Something's wrong.
"Joyce?" I say softly to get her attention. We stop walking and lock eyes. "Are you okay? You look worried about something. I hope I didn't say or do anything to upset you."
"No sweetie of course not. I just haven't been up to the light house in a long time. I have a lot of memories of the place, good and bad." Joyce seems most melancholy. "I always found reasons to avoid going up there and now I have a great one."
Oh shit. Was it a mistake coming here? I don't want to upset Joyce just because I want a few pictures. My heart skips a beat as Joyce holds a hand out to me. "Thank you for helping me Max." What? How am I helping her? Isn't she the one helping me? I take her hand and we both smile. "Come on, almost there" Joyce says as her mood visibly shifts to hopeful.
Wowser. Joyce and I are holding hands. It feels so right. Could this actually work? Does she feel the same way I do?
We arrive at the light house and the view is too beautiful for words. The view was amazing this morning but adding the sunset makes it perfect. Joyce and I just stand still and gaze at our surroundings. Her hand is still in mine. I lead her to the bench and we sit in silence.
All I can hear are the sounds of the waves and the local wildlife. There is not a breath of wind. Out of instinct I rest my head on Joyce's bare shoulder. I feel so comforted right now. As if I am immune to sorrow somehow.
Something presses against the side of my head. Did Joyce just kiss me? I blush but choose not to move. I just want a few more moments of peace before I show my hand.
"The last time I was up here was five years ago." Joyce's words pull me back to reality. I take my head of her shoulder and let her talk. "I was here with Chloe and most of Bill's family. This is where we scattered his ashes." A sob escapes from Joyce and I hug her. God she smells so nice.
"Joyce I'm sorry. We don't have to stay." She's so stuck on her husband. This won't work.
"No. Coming here with you was a great idea. Besides, most of the memories I have of this place are wonderful." I can tell Joyce is trying to save the moment which means I have to try as well. "What are the good memories you have of this place? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." I want Joyce and I to be close but maybe I am pushing too hard.
"Well back in 1997, Bill and I broke into the light house just so we could get a better view. I hope they fixed the lock on the door." Joyce and I both laugh. "This happened back when Titanic just came out so naturally we did the big cinematic pose over the railing. It was just us being silly but it was one of the most romantic experiences of my life."
"I haven't seen that movie in years. That night didn't end with any inappropriate drawings, did it?" As Joyce laughs I can see she is enjoying this moment as much as I am. "Not drawings, no." She gives me a little wink.
I blush like crazy and hold up my hands in plea for her to stop. "Okay. I so do not want to know any more than that." I cannot look at Joyce when I am blushing like this.
"I kid you not but another memory I have of this place is when William and I conceived Chloe. It happened in the light house." Oh my God! Joyce bursts into hysterical laughter as my blushing goes to a level I never thought possible. I playfully swat Joyce across her arm. "Joyce! Gross! I can't believe you said that."
Joyce suddenly reaches into my bag and takes out the camera she gave to me. Before I can ask what she's doing, Joyce points it at me takes a photo of me. She takes the freshly developed photograph and hands it to me. As expected my face is the colour of a fire truck. "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are when you blush? Not that you aren't beautiful all the time."
My ability to speak has been suspended. Did she just say that? She called me beautiful. Wowser. "N-no. I-I. No one has." Get it together Max. The way she said it. It was so honest and kind of seductive. She feels the same way, she has to.
Joyce shifts across the bench so our legs are touching. What is she gonna do? "Come on Max, photo time!" Not what I was expecting but being in a photo with Joyce Price isn't something I can say no to.
"Maxine" I say whilst smiling at Joyce. She frowns and tilts her head to one side obviously not understanding what I mean. "Usually I hate it when people use my full name but with you it's different. I like it when you call me Maxine."
"Then that's what I'll call you. Maxine. It's a lovely name and it suits you." Joyce puts her arm around me and aims the camera at us. I rest my head on her shoulder again and give a genuine smile. Joyce takes the picture and after a quick look at it, we agree it's a keeper.
"How about another Joyce?" She hands me the camera and I decide it's time to find out the truth. Let's see how she reacts to this. I put my arm around her and aim the camera. Right before I take the shot I lean up and give Joyce a kiss on her rosy cheek. Gotcha! I giggle knowing that I just made Joyce blush. "I thought you might like a taste of your own medicine."
Joyce looks at me in disbelief as if I have grown an extra head. "You little devil!" She takes the camera from me and gives me a smile that tells me exactly what is going to happen next. "One more Maxine?" I nod shyly and brace myself. Once again she aims the camera but this time has her arm around my slim waist. She plants a big, loud and wet kiss on my cheek and now we are both giggling and blushing like idiots. She didn't even take the picture but I don't care.
No more excuses Max Caulfield. This is the moment. Your moment.
I take the camera and put it down on the bench. "Joyce?" I try to sound assertive but fail. Oh Christ. My heart rate is like a drum solo right now.
She takes my hand and squeezes it gently. "Yes Angel?"
I take a deep breath. "I just want to say that I- well. Umm. Okay, okay. You know that I like you right?" Somehow, I am able to maintain eye contact with Joyce.
This is it. Please don't reject me. Please don't reject me.
She starts caressing my hair, softly and slowly. "Of course I know Maxine and you must know that I feel the exact same way."
Holy shit! Wowser. My eyes widen in shock. "No. I-no. I wasn't entirely sure. This is all so new to me. I have no idea what I am doing." I am speaking so quickly, I can't believe it.
Joyce puts her index finger on my lips to silence me. Her gaze is intense and gentle and highly sexual all at once. "I know you are nervous and that's okay. You're allowed to be nervous. So let me make this easier for you. Maxine Caulfield, do you want me to kiss you?"
I should be blushing or shaking or at the very least looking away but I'm not. "Yes. Yes, I do. I have never wanted anything so badly in my life." For once in my life, I manage to sound confident. I brush Joyce's cheek and then she starts to brush mine. And then, it happens. Joyce kisses me.
The kiss is short but as soon as it's done, I blush, smile and then we kiss again.
"Wowser" I say as I catch my breath. "So that's what that feels like" I giggle and Joyce places her hand on my thigh.
"It's nice, isn't it?" Joyce sounds so flirty. I love it! Nodding shyly in response my eyes move down to her low cut top. I take in the sight of Joyce's cleavage and I want nothing more than to put my innocent hands all over them. "Get a good look Maxine?" Joyce's words bring my eyes back up to meet hers and I can't believe I was staring like that.
"Oh my God. Joyce, I'm sorry! That was rude of me." I sound a bit desperate but she can't be that made at me. Can she? I mean we just kissed. "I couldn't help it. It's just you're so sexy and I really want you… Oh shit I did not just say that!" I am rambling like a lunatic. Stop talking Max.
I listen to myself and take a breath. "Sweetie, I was just teasing. It's flattering to be desired by someone so young and so damn cute. You can look all you want as long as I get to repay the compliment. Come here." Joyce wraps me in a hug. How does she know the right thing to do every time?
The setting sun reflects off her skin so magnificently. Joyce is glowing. I have to immortalise this. Screw the bay. I want a shot of the real beauty up here. I ask Joyce to stand up and face the sun. This way the sun will light her up perfectly and I won't need a flash. She poses with a big smile and looks so flirty. I ask her to hold the pose and I take the shot.
"How did it turn out Maxine?" I hand her the photo and her eyes widen in surprise. I hope she likes it. "Wow. Not bad. I scrub up pretty well for an old gal."
I am no stranger to self-deprecation but Joyce has no reason to talk about herself like that. "Please don't say that Joyce. I put myself down a lot but you shouldn't. You are kind and pretty and sexy. Your smile makes me feel so safe." I know I sound obsessed but I don't care. "You're everything I've been too afraid to let myself want." My words force to the two of us into each other's arms and once again we are kissing uncontrollably. Unlike the last kiss, I move my tongue from my mouth and into Joyce's.
Next thing I know we are smiling at each other with no clue what to say next.
"Are any good at cooking Maxine?" Her question kind of throws me off. That was odd.
I shake my head. "Not really. My Mom taught me a few basics when I was younger but nothing fancy. Why?"
"Well" Joyce tucks a stray lock of hair behind my ear. "Considering what happened today I don't think you going back to Blackwell is a good idea. I don't want to put any pressure on you but I think you should come back to the house with me and we can cook some dinner together. Of course, you are welcome to stay the night as well. What do you think?"
A dinner date with Joyce Price? I am so in. Another thought occurs to me. "It's a date! But ahhh. Well…" Joyce looks at me with concern. "If I stay over, where will I sleep?" I blush like crazy.
"Wherever you are most comfortable Angel. Okay?" Joyce speaks in that loving, maternal way and I am totally at ease. It's like magic.
I nod in response. Joyce holds her hand out and I take it. "Come on sweetie. That meal isn't gonna cook itself."
As we walk back down to my car I realise that all the shitty memories from today have faded into insignificance. I smile knowing that if all goes well tonight, these most recent memories are just the tip of the iceberg.
Author's Note:
Writing this chapter taught me something. It is really hard to write dialogue.