First Impression

Chapter 1

Aurora owned a little blue cottage with a picketed fence. The roses climbed up the trellises on either side of the door to her little doorway. She had two bedrooms, but one she used as her studio. She kept it clean and tidy. She often heard her mother’s voice in the back of her mind, “Tiffany Aurora Kensington, this room is not going to clean itself.

Remember, Cleanliness is next to godliness!” She often used the back door to go out and sit on the back porch when she didn’t feel like calling the Agency for a muse. Aurora had two middle aged, nosey neighbors and they were extremely competitive. One on either side of her.

She rarely had to cook because they were always trying to find out what she did for a living. She accepted it graciously and politely said she had to get back to work. She was a little embarrassed, but she made a modest living and she often took jobs that people paid for.

One morning, Charline called and asked her do a piece for a celebrity couple. She always was begging her to do another natural piece, but Aurora tried to keep those to a bare minimum. Especially after that one time. She never spoke about it to anyone, but she complained to the agency that his service was unsatisfactory and that employee was terminated immediately.

Charline asked her to come down to the gallery. Aurora said that she would and she would bring the two pieces that she had been working on with her. “Ok, just let me finish my coffee and I’m on my way.” They hung up and Aurora sat at the table for a few minutes more. She sipped her coffee and finished her buttered crescent roll. She drank the rest of her coffee and finished her last bite of crescent and sighed.

She placed her cup and saucer in the kitchen sink and wiped down the table. She had wrapped the two pieces that night before and placed them in a large plastic bag. She dressed in a beautiful, Cerulean blue embroidered blouse, a black pencil skirt and Mary Jane heels.

She grabbed the bag, her umbrella, her purse, put on her rain coat and headed out the door. It was only sprinkling when she started out for the Art Gallery. By the time she had made it to the gallery the sun had come out of the clouds and she could hear the birds singing.

“Hello Ms. Kensington.” Charline’s secretary greeted her. “Hi.” Aurora said. “Go on in, she’s expecting you.“ she said smiling. “Thank you.” Aurora said setting down her umbrella and heading into Charline’s office. She took off her raincoat and purse and hung them on the coat tree by the door.

Then she hugged her and handed Charline the large plastic bag. “Oh these must be the pieces you’ve been keeping from me.” Charline said with a mischievous smile. Aurora had worked with only two men this last month and she finally finished the pieces that Charline had asked for. Charline loved Aurora’s work, it was tasteful and classy.

The pieces were of two different men who posed in several different poses for her and then she photographed them and painted them afterward. It took about 30 minutes for a photo shoot and then a couple weeks to paint. She used natural lighting and she only did partial nudes. Never full nudity.

Chapter 2

William Collins was a reporter for the Wembley Observer in London, England. Charles Beerman was William’s best friend and comrade in everything. He was also a reporter for the Wembley Observer. William was working on a few pieces. One for the Wembley Statium, one for the Syon House, one for the Boston Manor House & Park and one for the The Mayfair Gallery founded by Richard Saltoun.

He used his own camera for his work and he enjoyed the challenge of searching for the information he longed to find. He always did the footwork in person. His best friend and colleague, Charlie was also working on a few pieces. The Eastcote House Gardens, Manor Farm Library, Health Robinson Museum and The Ruislip Lido Beach & Railway.

They both had extensive pieces and Charlie was a good writer and skimmed through the information on the internet and the library and called the places and asked them a list of questions and then he wrote his pieces. He also chose photographs from the internet to go with his pieces.

William Collins was not the short cut kind of man. When he did something, he went all out. He called the places he was doing a piece on and asked for an appointment for an interview. Then he brought his camera and notepad and pen. He had a list of questions and then just general information.

And he wrote down observations when they gave him an in-depth tour. Then he went back home or to the office and did his report with his photographs included. He was very thorough and his boss never complained except maybe pushing a deadline, but he was never late.

He was paid handsomely for his thoroughness. His boss often commen