Alliances

Part 9

Sue Ellen closed the cover on her laptop computer. Mission accomplished, she mused. She was finally caught up, and could work out of Southfork tomorrow, if she needed to. She pulled her handbag out of her desk drawer, and grabbed her store keys. She walked out of the stockroom door at the boutique when she saw a panel truck pulling into the private parking lot, behind the boutique.

Sue Ellen quickly unlocked the door to the stockroom, and stepped back inside the boutique. She wondered what the two women in the panel truck were doing in a private lot, after business hours? She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the female photographer's name on the side on the panel truck.

The female photographer stepped out of the truck, and walked toward Sue Ellen with her outstretched hand.

The slender blond photographer, with her hair in a long braid, introduced herself as Kelsey Pemberton. Sue Ellen smiled and shook her hand. Her assistant's name was Kimber Donnelly.

Kimber had shoulder-length, straight black hair, with a bright red steak on one side. She smiled at Sue Ellen, and proceeded to pull photography equipment out of the panel truck.

Kelsey said, "Your husband, Mr. Ewing, told you about our arrangement, didn't he?"

Sue Ellen said, "Yes he did. I was so involved with other business items I had to take care of today, your appointment completely slipped my mind. Please forgive me?"

Kelsey smiled and said, "Nothing to forgive. Most women shy away from this type of photography, but I understand from your husband that you used to model when you were younger, is that correct?"

Sue Ellen rolled her eyes, and said, "Yes, that's true, but that seems like a lifetime ago."

Kelsey said, "This will be a breeze for you then, Mrs. Ewing."

Sue Ellen smiled, and said, "Please, call me Sue Ellen."

Sue Ellen propped the stockroom door open, while Kimber and Kelsey brought in the photography equipment. Within minutes, the Valentine lingerie stockroom was magically transformed into a miniature photography studio, complete with tri-pods, umbrellas, filters, fans, backdrops, tents and lighting fixtures.

Sue Ellen glanced around the stockroom, impressed by the vast array of photography equipment, and the speed the two women were able to set-up the equipment.

Kelsey said, "Whenever you're ready, Sue Ellen."

Sue Ellen blankly stared at Kelsey, and said, "I'm sorry, ready for what?"

Kelsey said, "Whenever you're ready to change into lingerie for the photo shoot."

Sue Ellen said, "Oh, of course. I have been so distracted lately. I'll be right back. Do you have any color choice you'd like me in?"

Kelsey said, "Why don't you pick for or five different colors and patterns, and we'll take it from there?"

Sue Ellen said, "Of course, I'll be right back."

Kelsey and Kimber made adjustments to the lighting, and the backdrops while Sue Ellen changed into her choice of lingerie. She opted for a dark rose-colored drape neck silk shantung chine' negligee, with a matching sheer, rose-colored shawl.

Sue Ellen re-applied some make-up to her face, and walked back into the makeshift photography studio.

Kelsey beamed at her, and said, "That is a gorgeous ensemble, Mrs., … I mean, Sue Ellen. Why don't you come over here, and stand next to this window shade?"

Sue Ellen walked over to the window shade, and waited while Kimber checked the lighting with a gage.

Kelsey said, "Okay, can I have you lift your head, as if your looking out the window, like you're waiting for your lover to come home from a long journey."

Sue Ellen thought to herself that wouldn't be difficult at all. She was anxiously waiting fro J.R. to return from his helicopter trip to the Gulf. Her mind wandered to thoughts about J.R., and she closed her eyes.

The straps of the negligee would fall off of her shoulders, while she absently toyed with the drapery panel. The look on Sue Ellen's face was a look of longing, true to her feelings at the time.

Kelsey started clicking the shutter, taking picture after picture, while Sue Ellen thought about her lover, J.R. Ewing.

Kelsey interrupted Sue Ellen's train of thought, and said, "Brilliant, Sue Ellen. Let's have you change into another piece, and we'll take a few shots of you when you come back."

Sue Ellen quickly searched a hanging rack of various pieces of lingerie for the next gown she might want to wear. She selected a black, silk jacquard gown with straps that formed a latticework design on the back of the gown. The silky fabric delicately clung to Sue Ellen's figure.

Kelsey grinned and said, "This is going to look incredible, Sue Ellen. Let's have you stand on this platform with your back to me, and slowly turn your head over your shoulder."

Sue Ellen stepped onto the platform, and clasped her hands at her chest. She slowly turned her head over her left shoulder, and gradually lifted her head to gaze into the lens of the camera.

Kelsey clapped her hands together, after snapping a series of shots of Sue Ellen in the black gown.

Kimber said, "I need to grab that grey sheer panel from the van, I'll be right back."

Kelsey said, "Sue Ellen? Why don't you see if you have a gown or something in either white, or silver, and we'll take a few shots of you in that, when Kimber comes back?"

Sue Ellen stepped out of the stockroom, and searched the hanging rack for a white negligee. She grinned when she discovered a white voile gown with a plunging neckline, and deep-v back.

The shoulder straps of the gown fell to the waist in the back, allowing for maximum skin exposure.

The sides of the gown were cut almost to her hips, and offered a scintillating view of her long, slender legs. Sue Ellen slipped the gown over her head, and fluffed her hair with her fingers.

Sue Ellen walked back into the stockroom, and Kelsey grinned at her.

Kelsey said, "Kimber? What do you think? Pinned up, or hanging down?"

Kimber nodded her head up and down, and said, "Up, definitely…"

Kimber walked over to Sue Ellen, and asked her to lean her head back, while she pinned Sue Ellen's hair back with some jeweled bobby pins.

Sue Ellen lifted her hand to the back of her head, and smiled when she felt the intricate gathering of loose waves of hair pinned against her head.

Kelsey smiled, and said, "This is going to look fantastic, Sue Ellen. Let's have you stand with your leg resting on the platform. I want to see some skin, damn it!"

Sue Ellen giggled, and tried not to blush at Kelsey's enthusiastic comment. She lifted her leg up, and onto the platform. The gown slipped over her thigh, and Sue Ellen was temporarily overcome with modesty, as she tried to cover her exposed leg.

Kelsey tried to ease Sue Ellen's nerves, and asked, "What kind of modeling did you do, Sue Ellen?"

Sue Ellen said, "Runway, mostly. Once upon a time, I was a former Miss Texas."

Kelsey said, "Well then, come on Miss T, show me some leg."

Sue Ellen stretched her leg over the platform, while Kelsey snapped shot after shot, as Sue Ellen turned and twisted her body on the platform.

Kelsey said, "I'd like to do a couple more shots, if you have the time, Sue Ellen?"

Sue Ellen asked, "What time is it? I've left my watch in the other room."

Kelsey looked at her wrist, and said, "It's just after seven-thirty. We can come back tomorrow, if you have to leave?"

Sue Ellen said, "No, I've got time. We might as well get this over with before I lose the few nerves I have left."

Kelsey loaded more film into her camera while Sue Ellen searched the hanging rack for another gown. Kimber changed the lighting, and threw a couple of different colored sheer panels over the lights.

Sue Ellen couldn't find a long gown, so she looked for the butterfly ensemble she recalled J.R. admiring. She couldn't possibly wear that, could she? Oh well, what the hell. If J.R. didn't like the picture that was his problem, she mused.

Sue Ellen slipped on the two-piece ensemble, and loosely tied the front tie closure. She slipped off her high-heels, and walked barefoot into the stockroom.

Kelsey said, "Now you're talkin', Miss T."

Sue Ellen felt a sudden rush of embarrassment, and turned to go back into the other room.

Kimber said, "No, come on, Sue Ellen. It'll turn out great, I promise. We'll leave your hair down, if you'd like?"

Kelsey winked at Kimber, as Sue Ellen stopped, and turned around to walk to the platform.

Kimber removed the pins from Sue Ellen's hair, and fluffed Sue Ellen's hair into loose, flowing waves with her fingers, and some spray-on hair gel.

Sue Ellen moaned, and said, "Can we please make this quick? I'm freezing in this skimpy thing."

Kelsey aimed the camera at Sue Ellen, then, she lowered the camera from her eyes.

Kelsey said, "Kimber, turn on the fan for me, please?"

Sue Ellen rubbed her hands over her arms to try to warm up. She whimpered out loud at the thought of the fan, adding cool air to the chill she felt from wearing next to nothing.

Kimber flipped the switch on the industrial fan, and Sue Ellen braced herself against the blast of cold air that blew into her face. The fan caused the fabric of the baby-doll top to flare out around her legs, leaving her standing bare from her waist, to the sheer panties that rested just below her hips.

Kelsey said, "Turn around for me Sue Ellen. I want to see some movement into this shot."

Sue Ellen moved as Kelsey instructed. She fought back the urge to giggle like a young girl, as she speculated what a woman her age must look like standing in front of an enormous fan wearing this get-up.

The more the camera flashed, the more relaxed Sue Ellen felt. She stopped feeling self-conscious, and started posing, the way a lingerie model would. She leaned forward, and revealed a generous amount of cleavage.

Kelsey said, "Yes, yes! That's the money shot!"

Sue Ellen rolled her eyes, and asked, "I hate to have to ask again, but what time is it?"

Kimber said, "It's just after eight, Sue Ellen. Do you have time or one more?"

Sue Ellen nervously bit at her bottom lip, and said, "Why not? I'll be right back."

Kimber placed a filter over the lamp, to give the backdrop a cloudy, ethereal appearance.

Sue Ellen returned to the stockroom wearing a nude Charmeuse negligee with a beaded sheer empire bodice. The form-fitting gown fit Sue Ellen perfectly, and accentuated her firm breasts.

Sue Ellen asked Kimber if she could borrow the bobby pins, again. Kimber handed her the pins, and Sue Ellen quickly transformed her hair into an elegant chignon, allowing a few stray tendrils to fall loosely around her face.

Kelsey said, "Wow, Sue Ellen, this is going to make the best photos, yet."

Sue Ellen post for the camera like the well-trained model she used to be. She was graceful, poised and statuesque. The gown highlighted her exceptional figure as if it were deigned exclusively for her. Kimber took photo upon photo, pose after pose of Sue Ellen, and the expensive gown.

Kimber said, "Thank you very much, Sue Ellen. I should have the proofs for you in a day or two, and I'll have them delivered here, when they're ready."

Sue Ellen thanked the two women for their time, and waited until they were just about ready to leave, before asking if they would stay in the boutique, while she changed into her suit, then they could leave together. It would be safer for the three of them that way.

Sue Ellen waved to the two women, as she started her car, and drove out of the parking lot. She turned onto Noel Road, heading south for the Lyndon B. Johnson freeway, Interstate 635. Sue Ellen changed lanes before the exit, when she heard her mobile phone ring.

Sue Ellen reached for her phone, and said, "Hello?"

J.R. said, "It's me, Sugar. We're on our way back to Southfork. Where are you?"

Sue Ellen's voice sounded much less tense to J.R., than it had earlier in the day.

Sue Ellen said, "I'm on the LBJ freeway, I should be at the ranch within the hour."

J.R. said, "I can't wait to see you, Honey. I should be there before eleven."

Sue Ellen started trembling, as she thought about how she would welcome J.R. home.

She said, "I'll be waitin for you, J.R. I love you."

J.R. wore a broad grin, and said, "I'm countin' down the minutes, Sugar. I love you, too."

Sue Ellen placed her phone back inside her handbag, and licked her dry lips. She stepped on the gas pedal, as the car increased its speed. She had an hour or so, to get ready, before J.R. would arrive at the ranch.

That should give her plenty of time to shower, and freshen up, and surprise him, when he came into their bedroom. She had every intention of giving J.R. a welcome home he'd remember for years to come…