CHAPTER FOUR
Marina was looking to the door every few minutes. She stood at her work station, carefully cleaning her lenses again, just in case she'd missed an errant grain of sand from the day before.
"What time is it, Van?" she asked.
"It's two minutes later than last time you asked. 4.13."
"Oh." Marina said and returned to her equipment, breathing onto the lens and wiping the micro fiber cloth in gentle circles.
"What's up?"
"Nothing's up."
"Uh-hu and I'm now dating a man. Seriously. What's up?"
"I just hope that Clara comes today."
Vanessa rolled her eyes. "Why wouldn't she?"
Marina didn't respond at first but when Vanessa just stood there she said;
"Clara said she'd model for the earth element and I'm afraid she's changed her mind."
"What do you mean she said she'd be a model for the earth element?"
"I said I would love to use her even though I figure she'd never say yes. But after we found our model last night, she sent me a text and said she'd do it."
"Oh my god, Marina..."
"What?"
"Are you crazy? Do you get how fucked up that is?"
"What!? She'd be perfect."
"Yes, she would probably be perfect...but using her when there's this...thing between you, are you completely crazy?"
"Why is that an issue, I have a job I want to do."
"And you're using that to what? Get her naked? To seduce her from behind your camera lens?"
"Don't be vulgar, how dare you!" Marina said, turning to face Vanessa, her face thunderous, "This has nothing to do with seducing her, I want to shoot the best photos I can and don't tell me that the model we've settled on would be better. You know she's not. Clara is exactly what I wanted from the start, I just never thought I could have her."
"Fine... you know what, fine, you do this...thing..." Vanessa replied "but don't expect me to be handing you your lenses while you make love to her from behind your camera."
"I don't imagine she'd want you there."
"Crazy, bloody, fucking crazy." Vanessa said as she marched away "I'm going to check the food."
She almost ran into Clara while exiting through the studio door and Clara watched as she disappeared. Then she turned to look at Marina.
"Hi."
"Hi."
The tension of the room dissipated instantly and they smiled shyly at each other from across the room. Marina thought Clara looked so beautiful in the half-light of the studio.
"Everything okay?" Clara asked, gesturing in the direction Vanessa had just taken as she moved closer.
"Yes. Vanessa is..." She said, shaking her head and taking a breath. "But more important – how are you?"
Clara smiled and dipped her head.
"Scared."
"You're really going to do this?"
"I can't believe I'm saying this! But yes. I'm really going to do this."
"Because once I cancel our model, there's not changing your mind, okay?"
Clara screwed up her nose. "Okay." she said and exhaled with a laugh.
"What changed you mind?"
"I realised I can't live my life with fear." She said and stepped in close. She looked at her, her eyes a deep liquid brown, and studied Marina's face. "I want to be brave for once."
"You are brave, so very brave." Marina said and intertwined their fingers.
"I want to be." Clara said. Marina felt the heat from Clara's body and it sent goosebumps up spine. She was so close, all she had to do was lean forward those last few centimeters and kiss those lips but she held back. She bit her lip instead and she saw Clara's eyes dart down and for a moment, her breath sucking in. And then she pulled away.
"But enough!" Clara said, "Let's not talk about it! it'll only make me think too much and I don't want to think. I want to do."
She turned to pick up the the check list and went to see the car was loaded properly.
Xxx
Vanessa had organised for them to be allowed up Corcovado mountain at 4.45 and were escorted up the dark winding road that lead to the imposing statue of Chris the Redeemer. The area was deserted, unlike the bustling daytime hours when thousands of tourists flocked to see the man made wonder overlooking Rio de Jainero. The birds were yet quiet in the trees and the dawn of the day hung breathless just around the corner. The scraping of their feet on the ground amplified in their ears and they shouldered camera equipment, lights and a generator in silence. They made their way up the stairs to the balcony that extended out along the cliff beneath the Chris. They had about an hour and set to work setting up for when the sun would rise, a red ball of fire above the horizon. They had some lights to illuminate the models face and reflectors to bounce the rising sun's rays. Their twenty-something model, Sonya was wrapped up in her robe, ready to go and Marina spoke with her at length to ensure they captured exactly what they wanted. At 5.45 she had Flavinah do a last make up and hair check and then had Sonya take up her position and began to warm her up, testing the fan to get the exact effect of the orange and red chiffon that was the element of fire flying up as she arched on the stone barrier.
"Perfect, perfect!" Marina cried.
Then it was 6.16 and it was all hands on deck. The sun was rising and it was the sound of the clicking camera,the hum of the generator and Marina's laconic instructions, asking for a little more light here, a tilt of a reflector there. Before they knew it, it was over and when Marina declared she'd gotten the shots she wanted they all laughed and hugged with relief.
By 8am they were headed to helicopter pad that was to take them to the top of the Pedra da Gavea. Marina had fought Vanessa hard on this one. The cost of helicopters would normally be prohibitive, but her heart was set on capturing this image from there and it was only once she had secured them a substantial discount – on account of her family having been regular clients for so many years - that Vanessa had okayed the expense. Clara had not been thrilled to find out she'd be taking another helicopter ride and clutched Marina's hand as they made the journey up into the sky.
Marina's choice was vindicated. The element of ether was to be the center piece of the exhibition and there could be no more stunning a view than from the summit of this dramatic mountain. The ocean stretched 180 degrees out to the horizon and to the back ranges of tree covered hills and peaks fell away . At 844 meters high,the flat-top peak towered precariously above the shoreline and the buildings of Rio de Janeiro dotted the landscape.
Clouds approached progressively on an easterly breeze. Marina had their sixty-something model sit cross legged before them, a frosted glass Earth the size of a football cradled in her lap. The snow white chiffon material shrouded her, her eyes lowered meditatively as she gazed on the world in her hands like a deity watching over humanity. Marina had Clara and Gissell hold up the light diffuser to soften the strengthening sun and framed the model is such a way that it looked like she perched on edge of the heavens.
It was only once they had touched back down on solid ground and that Marina turned to her and said 'you ready?' that it hit Clara what she was about to do. Pose naked for Marina.