Wolf Ways (The Madison Wolves Book 9) (47 page)

“I could get used to this,” I said.

“Best reason to have kids: fetch and carry,” Faith said. I could tell she was kidding.

Monique was back a minute later. She pulled the computer from its bag and handed it to me. I fired it up then brought up a slide show. I turned it around. “I’m going to show you a variety of photos. These are all mine. First, we have landscapes. These are older. They’re good, but they’re not great. However, they continue to sell, so I continue to offer them.”

I let the images move across the screen, then turned the computer around again. “Those are basic, and you can do that with any camera, even a cell phone. But now I’m going to show you some close ups.” I started the next slide show and turned it around.

“Oh wow!” said Faith. “That’s fabulous. Oh, I like that one, too.” I let about a dozen images float past them.

“I have two more slideshows for you. The next are animals.” I brought that up and turned it around. “Some of these could be taken with relatively inexpensive equipment, but I admit that most of them required a very expensive lens. The lens is in the write-up I have for you, but to be honest, I don’t recommend it unless you have a whole lot more money than any one person should have.”

Faith laughed, but she expressed appreciation for the photos.

“The kids aren’t likely to get anything like these unless they get permission to pose themselves. So far, my suggestions for furry wolf and fox photo shoots have been met with resounding ‘no’. These types of pictures take a great deal of patience, far more than expected for a high school photography class. And, as I said, an expensive lens.”

Finally I turned around. “But now, here are the kickers.” I didn’t say anything. I just turned the computer around.

They all stared, their expressions priceless.

“I haven’t seen these,” Portia said. “Oh my god, look at the colors!”

Finally I closed the computer. “The kids are going to learn to do that.”

“No way!” Monique said. “Really.”

“Really.”

Faith looked at her daughter, then at me.

“What is this going to cost me?”

“Well, that depends. Before we go any further, if I said $500, does that end the conversation?”

“Oh, no. Of course not. I was afraid you would say $5000.”

I smiled. “I have a little over $10,000 in gear, but it’s professional grade, and I have one lens that was $4,000. I’m lusting after one for about twice that, but I’ll never be able to justify it. I could never sell enough photos I’d take with it to ever pay for it.”

I paused. “If your family already has a DSLR — Digital Single Lens Reflex — camera, then it will do for the course.”

“We don’t. We have the kind you just point and shoot. No lenses to change.”

I nodded. “Well then, if you have a reason to pick something else, or if you wanted to save a little money, there are less expensive choices. But if you want Monique to be able to borrow my lenses-”

“-I wouldn’t!”

“Don’t say that,” I said. “If we go out together, I might loan you one. So as I was saying, if you want Monique to be able to borrow lenses from me, she needs a Nikon. If you want her to be able to make images like those last ones, it should be a D-5200 or D-5300. With just enough to get started, the price is about $700. If you need to save money, you can get a D-3200 for $200 less. The D-5300 will be about a grand. But then I would strongly recommend a quality tripod. Cheap tripods are cheap, but I have a few I recommend that are about $150 or so. Professional tripods that can take a seriously long lens are a little more. Or sometimes a lot more.”

I slid to her the write-up I had done. “Everything I could think of is in here.”

“So, we’re talking less than a thousand dollars?”

“Yes, at least to get started. I’ve listed options that can drive the price through the ceiling, if you want. The best money after that is spent on lenses. There are also better cameras, but really, the two I recommend are both great.”

Faith paged briefly through my notes then turned to her daughter. “Is this your Christmas present?”

“Um. I was hoping to start sooner. I bet all the kids are getting cameras for Christmas. Mom, you know I study hard, but you also know I need a little more time than the other students here. In a regular school, I do okay, but this isn’t a regular school. I wanted a jump on them.”

She turned to me. “And you would help my daughter?”

“I would,” I said. “You’re daughter is a big share of the reason I am beginning to fit into the pack.” I gestured to Portia. “And she’s the rest of the reason.”

“And my daughter would take photos like those last ones?”

“I am a professional,” I said. “I’ve had a great deal of experience. And those are an advanced technique. But yes, she would present you with some very stunning photos. She needs this camera and a little software.” I turned to Monique. “Do you have a computer? What kind?”

She smiled. “One of those.” She pointed to my Mac.

“The software is inexpensive,” I said. “It’s listed.”

“Where do we buy all of this?”

“Also listed. There are stores in town, or you can order online and save a little money.”

Faith looked at her daughter. “Is there an argument for the more expensive gear?”

“I have never used the D5300. I have used a D5200 and been pleased.”

“Will you be satisfied with the lower cost camera, Monique?” Faith asked.

“Yes, Mom!”

“I will review this material, and I will buy this for you,” she said.

“Thank you! Thank you!” Monique hugged her mom, then ran over and hugged me, too.

“I give a few suggestions, Faith,” I said. “Everything is in there. You can save money over my suggestions.”

“No,” she said. “We will buy what you recommend. I do not cut corners that way. If this is the right camera for what she will learn, this is what we will get her.”

“It is,” I said.

“All right. I believe the alpha is expecting a call from me.”

Portia pulled her phone out, hit a speed dial, listened, then handed the phone to Faith.

“This is Faith Simpson. I understand you have taught my daughter something very startling.”

Then she got up and moved out to the kitchen.

Monique turned to me. “Thank you, Zoe!”

“You are welcome.”

Faith returned right away and handed Portia her phone. “Monique, the alpha wishes to see me in person. I believe that is your bag. You will walk your mother to your home. I will visit with the alpha. And then I would like a run with my daughter.”

“I’d love to run with you, Mom!”

* * * *

“Beer?” Portia asked a minute later.

“Sure.” We moved to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of beers. We clinked necks and drank.

“Would you teach me?”

“Teach you what?”

“Alongside Monique. The HD-stuff.”

“HDR. Really?” She nodded. “I’d love to, Portia.”

“What camera should I buy? The same as Monique.”

“You could borrow one of mine.”

“No. I want my own.”

“I’ll give you another copy of the document I wrote,” I said.

“You told Monique she didn’t need a professional camera. Why not?”

“Because it has features she’ll never learn to use. They have features I never use. But I don’t see a computer around here.”

“I have a Windows laptop I hid before you got here. It’s old.”

“And, well, Windows.”

We talked about computers and cameras as we finished our beers. We finished, and she said, “It’s late. You still owe me one more night of pampering, but if you’re too tired…”

“I’m not too tired. I need to unwind a tiny bit more or I won’t sleep anyway.”

“All right. Get ready for bed then meet me in my room.”

Ten minutes later I knocked on her door and entered. She was standing beside the bed, naked.

“Oh, what type of pampering did you have in mind?”

“Iris gave me her brush,” Portia said, pointing. “She said she has more.”

I smiled. “I’d love to, Portia.”

She crouched down and turned furry. I moved over to her and knelt next to her. “So beautiful,” I said. “So amazing.” She bumped into me, hanging her head over my shoulder, so I took it as permission to hug her. We stayed like that for a minute, then she jumped up onto the bed, turned around once, then settled in with the tip of her nose and toes curled over the end. I grabbed the brush and sat down next to her.

Soon she was grunting and moaning in pleasure.

* * * *

Word got around about Zoe’s roofing job. Kaylee and Ember came over after school on Monday and asked if they could help. But Monique, Iris and Lindsey were with them. “We all want to help,” Iris said.

Portia invited them up after making sure they understood ladder safety. “I only have two nailers,” she said. “I don’t know how to keep more than two of you busy so I could only credit Zoe for the time of two of you.”

The girls exchanged looks, then Iris asked, “May we stay anyway? I’d like to learn.”

“Certainly,” Portia replied. “These are good skills to learn.”

And so we taught the girls what we were doing, and then we let them help. Pretty soon they were taking turns running the nailer while all I did was run shingles back and forth. Portia sat back and supervised, a smile on her face.

“All I need is a beer,” she said.

“I can get you one,” Monique offered.

“Thank you, but I was kidding,” Portia said. “Power tools and alcohol don’t mix.”

Still, we made good progress, and on Tuesday afternoon, we finished.

I stared at the roof. It looked good. I’d never done anything like this before. But it looked good, and if I had to do it again, I could, as long as I had help with the heavy lifting.

Portia moved to stand next to me. “It’s a good feeling, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” I turned to her. “Thank you for letting me be a part of this.”

“You’re welcome. You worked hard, Zoe.”

“For a human?”

“No. You nailed as many shingles as I did, and it wouldn’t have gone any faster if you’d been a wolf. You worked hard.”

That felt good.

“However, we’re going to leave it to the wolves to bring down the remaining bundles.” And she smiled. “And you have a blind date tonight.”

“What?”

“You made a promise to Monique.”

“I didn’t know it was tonight. Isn’t that something I should have known?”

“Oh, did I forget to mention it?”

“So, you’re now the organizer of my social calendar?”

“Don’t be smart or I won’t let you go.”

I grumphed at her.

“How about a swim? Then you have time to get ready. I have to drive you, but you’ll get a ride back here.”

“By my date?”

“Yes.”

“Is Elisabeth going to be here when we get back?”

She laughed. “No.”

“I’m with you 24 hours a day. When are you making plans like this?”

“I’m sneaky.”

“Yeah, I bet,” I said.

“Let’s go swimming.”

* * * *

I had no idea who I was meeting, what we were doing, or how I should dress. So I dressed in what I had, doing what I could to look nice. If she was taking me to a demo derby or football game, someone should have told me.

But I brought a small bag with a change of shoes, just in case. I could leave it in her car.

I finally presented myself in the living room to find both Portia and Monique waiting for me.

“Oh, Zoe,” Monique said. “You’re a hottie!”

“For an old hag?”

“You’re not a hag,” Portia said with a grin.

“Whom am I going out with, Monique.”

“My aunt.”

“And your aunt’s name is…”

“Prudence.”

“Really?” I asked. “That’s a cool name. I’ve never met a Prudence before.”

“If you’re ready, let’s go,” she said. “We don’t want to be late.”

“Are you coming on my date?”

“I’m coming to introduce you, and then I’m coming back here with Portia.”

“You know, if I had driving privileges, you wouldn’t have to drive me, Portia.”

“True. But you don’t. Let’s go.”

I let them usher me out to Portia’s car.

“Tell me about her, Monique.”

“She’s a wolf.”

“I thought she might be.”

“She’s really sweet and kind.”

“That’s good,” I said.

“You want to know if she’s beautiful, don’t you?”

I turned back to look at her. “I don’t like blind dates.”

“She’s not blind! She couldn’t drive you home if she were blind, could she?” She and Portia both grinned.