Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100202 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100202 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“What is it?”
“What does your schedule look like for coming home?”
“You’re kidding, right?” I could almost see him rolling his eyes from here.
“Nope. Reed is getting married.”
21
Callie
* * *
I bent low and captured the picture of Sutton running through the surf with a couple other kids. The lighting was gorgeous this time in the afternoon.
Then again, everything about Ecuador was gorgeous.
Paraguay, Brazil, and Peru had been the same. Breathtaking views. Rare wildlife. Exquisite florals.
“Do you ever take a break?” Carmen asked, a slight smile on her lips as she watched our kids in the water, her sandals clutched in one hand with a manila folder.
“Did you get where you are by taking breaks?” I asked, clicking another shot.
Carmen was everything I wanted to be. Well, everything eighteen-year-old me had wanted to be. She was a wildly successful photographer on the full-time staff at World Geographic, and in her forty-four years had taken some of the best landscape shots I’d ever seen in my life.
Including the lemur picture I’d had on my wall back in Colorado.
“I didn’t have Milo back then,” she said, waving to her son as he ran beside Sutton.
“I just have to balance both.” I shrugged, crouching in the sand for a better angle and taking another series of pictures. “I never thought I’d have this opportunity, so I have to make the most of it.” This experience had to be worth everything we’d gambled, from my savings account to my job back at Madigan.
And losing Weston.
My chest tightened. If he were here, he’d be out there in the water with Sutton, throwing her into the ocean, playing in the waves while I swallowed my protests that they were out too far.
If Weston were here, Sutton would be grinning, not just smiling. She loved the way he pushed the envelope because, as much as I hated to admit it, she was just like him. Always looking for the zip line, for the harder route to hike, for the biggest waves to bodysurf.
“You’re good at the action shots,” Carmen said as I stood again, grabbing for my sun hat so it didn’t blow away. “It’s something I’ve noticed when we’re in camp.”
Camp right now was a series of houses World Geographic had rented for the twenty of us who traveled to get the shots the magazine needed.
“Thank you.” I lifted my lens to grab another shot, then lowered it, letting my camera hang from its neck strap so I could watch Sutton for a few minutes without the lens between us. “They’re some of my favorite to take, actually.”
“I can see that.” She studied me for a second before turning her gaze to her son. “You’ve grown remarkably over the last few months.”
“Thank you,” I said again. Coming from her, the compliment was priceless.
“But there’s an element you’re missing in your landscapes. You don’t enjoy them, do you? The stills? The nature shots?” There was no judgment in her voice.
“I…” What was the right thing to say to the woman who was mentoring me? “I prefer the action shots,” I admitted. “There’s something riveting about capturing a moment that won’t happen again.”
She nodded. “I’m glad you’re honest. You know I don’t have much to teach you here about action shots. We primarily focus on nature photography. And honestly, from the shot you won with, there’s not much for you to learn. You’re a natural.”
“Thank you.” God, why couldn’t I think of something else to say?
“George needs you to sign a few releases for some of your Peru shots for the September issue.” She handed me the manila file.
“No problem. I’m just honored there are some shots worth publishing in there.” I took the file and twisted the tie on the top so it wouldn’t blow open in the wind.
“Is it what you thought it would be?” she asked, looking over her sunglasses at me. “Working for the magazine?”
I thought about the incessant travel, the beautiful locations, and the assignments that hadn’t quite held my interest like I thought they would. Sure, a hillside in Brazil was breathtaking, but I found it way more rewarding to photograph people and animals…anything that moved. “It’s exactly what I dreamed of,” I said quietly.
And it was all happening because Weston had submitted the picture.
I picked up my camera and snapped another shot of Sutton.
Sutton offered me a smile, but the light had dimmed in her eyes about a week after we’d gotten to Paraguay. The first month had been almost magical.
But then the novelty had worn off. Even getting her cast off in Peru hadn’t made her happy, though she’d stopped complaining about the constant itch. Humidity was horrible in a cast and our treks through the jungle hadn’t helped.
We’d been in so many different locations that I’d stopped counting. And while Sutton had finished fifth grade through her online program, her grades had tanked. Turned out my girl was an in-person learner. But that didn’t matter, right? It was only a year, and we could make up anything she didn’t quite grasp once we were back in the States.