Married and Bright

CHAPTER 1

ANDREW

I'm lucky that I get to do what I love for a living. Ever since I was a teenager and my grandpa gave me his old film camera for my 14th birthday, I knew where I belonged, behind the lens.

Back then I didn't care what I was shooting. And there were no pretty girls who were willing to have me take their pictures. I practiced on our dog, Lenny, on my parents, and on my three sisters too.

I got good at portraits, then I leveled up to taking yearbook pictures, and then senior class photos. And soon I was going to college for it. The next thing I knew, I was a fashion photographer and realizing that I was a sought after one at that.

I like to take pictures and to take something beautiful and just make it pop. I'm lucky in that I get to do what I love and make it my life's work. What I don't love is that a lot of the energy that surrounds me in this business is less than lovely. I wish I was working with lovely human beings every damn day, but that's not the case.

Right now I'm on set, watching these three divas argue about who gets to stand where. The director Allister is only adding to the frustration and I feel like my time is being wasted. It’s two days before Christmas and I wish I hadn’t even taken this job. There is only one reason I did take it – and her name is Angel.

And she isn’t even on set yet.

Annoyed, I decide to return the phone call to my mom that I put off this morning because my sister Naomi kept me on the phone on my whole commute into the city.

I head outside to the coffee bar and I grab myself an Americano. It's cold out, and I feel like it's about to snow. Considering it's nearly Christmas, that seems apropos. Snow is in the air, Christmas decorations are everywhere, and if I can get this job done, I can head home early for Christmas, which is what I want to do.

A few weeks off at my parents' place out in the country. I'll add logs to the fire. I'll watch my sisters and their kids and their spouses laugh, unwrapping presents. I'll help my mom and dad do the cleanup. Be a good uncle, let the kids ride on my back and pretend I'm a pony, all the time wishing I had a kid of my own, a wife of my own, a family to spend this holiday with too.

I love my family, of course I do. I just... Well, the older I get, the more I realize, I wish I had a family of my own for these kinds of days.

Still, I take my coffee, smiling at Tammy the barista and thanking her, too, "Anytime, Andrew," she says. "You're almost done for the day?"

I look at my watch. "Eh, we have another shoot this afternoon," I tell her.

Tammy is the barista who's always working the afternoon shift at this coffee shop. And she reminds me of my mother, nosy but well-meaning.

"What are your plans for Christmas?" I ask.

She smiles. "I'm going to pick up my son, Charles, from daycare when I get off this shift and then my husband and I, we're going to go to my parents. It's going to be great."

"Why do you like going home?" I ask her.

She laughs. "My mom makes the best Christmas dinner, ham, green beans, dinner rolls, the works."

"My mom does the same sort of thing."

"Are you bringing home anybody special for your Christmas dinner?" Tammy asks.

I laugh. But as I do, my eye catches on a woman stepping out of a taxi cab. Tammy sees who I'm looking at.

"You've got to get the guts up and just go talk to her," Tammy says. "Look, now's your chance. I bet you could catch the elevator with her."

I shake my head, "No way. I don't think I could do it."

“What's holding you up?"

I groan and pay for my coffee. "You know how I am," I tell her. Angel is literally the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The nicest, most generous girl, too. And she could have any guy she wants. Me? I run a hand over my jaw before straightening my glasses. "I'm the nerdy guy behind the camera. She's a supermodel. I think–"

Tammy cuts me off. "I think you're wrong. How about you ask me what my Christmas wish is this year."

I chuckle. "Fine. What's your Christmas wish, Tammy?"

"My Christmas wish is that you get some balls and go tell Angel how you really feel."

"Wow," I say, "tell me what you really think."

Tammy laughs. "Well, it's Christmas, the time for miracles, so go be merry and bright."