Still Image

by Allie Parker

  Avery set the glasses down on the old school desk and sat with her legs out in front, crossed at the ankles. ‘What have you got for me today, Meg?’

  ‘I think you’ll like these.’ Opening the portfolio of autumn leaf images, Meg set the folder in Avery’s lap.

  ‘Oh, they are perfect. Just look at that colour depth, there would have to be fifty different shades there, more!’

  ‘I think you can bring them all to life,’ Meg commented, cupping her juice. She stood and took a few paces towards the paintings resting up against the wall. The vibrant oil paint was worked into layers with a mixture of brush strokes and knife scores. Meg could always count on Avery to bring her own still images back to life.

  ‘So any work on lately,’ Avery enquired casually.

  ‘Just bits here and there. Maintenance on existing jobs, you know how it is.’

  ‘How about that design agency who wanted your services again?’

  ‘Mmm, not sure. I’ll see what they have in mind. I’m interested to see what you have in store for these leaf shots,’ Meg said enthusiastically, hoping to turn the subject from her back to Avery.

  ‘Pure indulgence. With all those colours, I’ll add to my ever growing gallery inside.’ She nodded toward the house. And with that, Avery let them slip into their usual, easy conversation of the art world.

  Sometime later, when they were perusing takeaway menus, Avery contemplated her friendship with Meg. She had decided Meg would soon need to have a proper conversation about what had happened to her six months ago. And also what would happen next, if Meg continued to bury her head in the sand and ignore her ever-growing reclusive behavioural tendencies.

  Avery desperately wanted to find Patrick Heathcliff and find out exactly what his motives were, and shake some sense into him. How could he let Meg deal with all of this mess on her own? How could Avery truly help her friend, when she didn’t know the extent of Meg’s problems? Only what she’d read in the official documents, which Meg didn’t know Avery had read, and as it was they left wide gaps big enough to jump to numerous conclusions. One of the reasons for her hesitation was that Avery knew Meg had shied away from her other friends, who had asked too many questions. She wasn’t even sure Meg had told her parents about it all. As they lived in a different state, and didn’t have the strongest relationships, Avery didn’t think they could offer much support anyway. Patrick Heathcliff was the reason for Meg’s depression, but what was the key to her happiness?

  Chapter Three

  Two days later, Meg was trying not to think about her bank balance or her business’s future, which was teetering on the edge of non-existence, as she waited for Byron and his business partner. When Byron had called, Meg was so distracted by work that she forgot to check the number and automatically answered the phone. She couldn’t seem to escape from him, just as she couldn’t think of one single excuse not to meet him to discuss the new project.

  As Byron turned into the car park, he saw Meg deep in thought at the entrance of the cafe. He parked and sat for a moment. Meg’s shoulders were slightly hunched in defence of the cool breeze and her shiny brown hair tussled around the collar of her jacket. She had a frown on her face that Byron couldn’t resist thinking looked very cute on her. Her bulky jacket and jeans were a bit casual for a work meeting, he thought, yet so was meeting at a café at six o’clock in the evening. He suddenly felt over dressed in his suit and decided to lose the jacket and tie. The sound of his door shutting made her glance over in his direction.

  Meg suddenly felt self-conscious when Byron walked towards her. His casual work demeanour suited him, she thought. The tailored pants and fitted waistcoat looked professional yet relaxed. A tie and jacket would have been too much.

  ‘Hi Byron, nice to see you again,’ Meg said, while asking herself why am I here?

  Byron took Meg’s outstretched hand and returned the greeting. There’s that smile he remembered from their first meeting, he thought as her face lit up, yet the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes this time. ‘So, should we go in and wait for the others?’

  ‘Sure, I wasn’t sure if I should get a table or a lounge, I didn’t know how many of us there would be.’ She had hoped more than just the two of them. Two was too intimate.

  ‘Simon and Bella should be along shortly.’ Byron held a chair for Meg.

  Meg took out her note pad to give her hands something to do. ‘So, how long have you and Simon been in business together,’ she asked to fill the silence.

  ‘About four years now. We ended up working at the same agency after uni. While Simon was happy just to have money coming in and a career establishing, I was determined to get out of the corporate, uninspiring place.’ Byron noticed a moment of recognition on Meg’s face, so he continued. ‘We actually got drunk one night and I put the idea of owning our own agency to him. I detailed the concept I had been developing for months, probably years, now that I think of it. He played along and wasn’t really taking me seriously, until I pulled out some sums I’d worked up and a brand I’d already started developing for us. Then he just laughed and asked if I was crazy.’

  Byron’s smile was genuine and warm and Meg wanted to know more. ‘How did you win him over,’ she asked, relaxing into her seat.

  ‘It took months of convincing him that we could actually do it. I even played dirty and got him thinking of all the negatives of working with the firm we were with at the time. The fact of the matter was they were a good firm and had solid clients,’ Byron said, getting lost in his own thoughts. ‘But they were boring corporate clients, not a lot of creativity and flare was needed. I started pulling together a portfolio and potential client list but he still wasn’t sold. Then our father died and Simon found all the incentive he needed.’

  Before Meg had a chance to say anything in response, Byron looked up and waved a very attractive couple to the table. On their first meeting, Meg hadn’t realized Simon and Byron were brothers, but now that he had pointed it out, she could see the similarities. They both had dark eyes and hair like silk chocolate, which was quite short and fashionable on Simon and longer and classic on Byron. Both cuts suited them well. Simon was dressed casually in dark pants, a grey plaid shirt and a baseball hat, which helped Meg not feel so under dressed. However the smartly dressed woman, who Simon was guiding with one hand on the small of her back, was groomed perfectly with a shine that only money could perfect. Meg rose as the introductions were made.

  ‘Meg, this is my brother and business partner, Simon.’

  ‘Of course, how are you?’ Meg was a little taken aback with the flirtatious kiss Simon planted on her cheek.

  ‘It’s a pleasure to meet with you, Meg.’

  ‘And this is Bella,’ Byron continued. ‘She and her husband own a number of clothing boutiques around town as well as countless restaurants in the wider bay area.’

  Not a couple, after all. Meg took the hand Bella offered and smiled at the perfectly made up face and somewhat expressionless eyes. Meg couldn’t decide whether Bella had indulged in too much Botox, and couldn’t express much, or if she just didn’t have a lot going on behind her smooth brow.

  ‘I hope my brother hasn’t been boring you for too long. Bella and I got held up in traffic,’ Simon said, after the waitress took their orders. Meg noticed a look pass between Simon and Byron but couldn’t quite figure out what it meant.

  ‘Not at all. Now that we’re all here, what’s this new concept you would like to discuss?’ Meg took charge with the hope of getting to the point so she could graciously decline their offer and go home.

  ‘Well. As Byron mentioned,’ Simon began, ‘Bella owns a number of lucrative businesses and is developing a new range of skincare products to sell through her boutiques. She’s a very busy and imaginative woman.’ Simon and Bella smiled at one another.

  Byron knew Simon’s intro wouldn’t capture Meg’s attention or creative interest. ‘The products are made from all natural and organic ingredients. The idea is affordabl
e top quality products with therapeutic properties and an eco-conscious feel. We need photographs for all collateral, websites and labels. Including close up macro shots of flowers, plants and other ingredients as well as long, sweeping landscapes and peaceful outlooks.’

  ‘Naturally, we thought of you right away.’ Simon turned his charm on Meg.

  ‘We loved the mock-up work you did for the Belmont brief and have every bit of faith in your work,’ Byron said.

  You don’t know how much that means right now, Meg thought. She sipped the last of her chai and pondered the idea seriously for the first time. A skincare range, she mused. She didn’t think she’d ever end up doing anything like cosmetics. Pretty safe project though; flowers and scenery.

  ‘You can have as many free samples as you like to drive your inspiration.’ Bella spoke for the first time since her arrival.

  They continued to talk business over the next half an hour and Byron was relieved when Meg agreed to discuss the concept further over the following days.

  Because Meg knew she had some stock photographs on file that she could use, she didn’t think the job would be too demanding. Plus, the figure Byron put on the table would keep the bank at bay for another month. So when she stepped out of the café, Meg was surprised to find she was glad that she had taken the meeting, glad that Byron had persevered. A small knot shifted from her stomach and she realised she was starving. She was retrieving her car keys from her handbag and wondering where to go for takeaway on her way home, when the others came out the door behind her.

  Byron stepped out first. ‘It’s still early, we could all get a bite to eat and discuss this further, while we’re on a roll?’

  ‘What a good idea. We’ve had a few late starts this week, haven’t we Byron? We haven’t clocked up a full week’s work yet.’ He winked at his brother.

  As Meg was musing over the fact that she was up very early in her darkroom every morning, Bella said, ‘I’ll be getting along, I’ve got a prior engagement. You have all the information you need, Byron.’ Bella smiled politely from Byron to Meg and then Simon walked her to her BMW, leaving Byron and Meg standing in the shine of the café’s lights. She hoped she might be off the hook now.

  ‘What do you say to a beer and pizza, Meg?’

  Meg was shocked to realise that the sincerity in Byron’s voice actually made the idea sound appealing. She hesitated for a beat and then thought out loud. ‘Why not?’ She just hoped she wouldn’t regret it in an hour. She hadn’t socialized much in the past six months, but pizza and beer sounded too good to refuse, company or no company. Plus they had work they could discuss; they didn’t have to talk about their personal lives. Byron seemed like a nice person and Simon was definitely a charmer. She might even have some fun.

  Chapter Four

  Byron, Simon and Meg settled into a cosy booth, in a crowded Italian bar and pizzeria, with three bottles of beer in front of them. Meg thought that from the outside, they all looked very much at home. ‘I thought you’d be five-star-restaurant men.’

  Simon laughed. ‘And I thought you would be a Sav Blanc kind of girl.’

  Byron breathed a silent sigh of relief that this wasn’t a bad idea after all. ‘I was filling Meg in before about our rise to fame and fortune.’

  ‘Oh?’ Simon pretended to choke on a mouthful of beer. ‘Have we risen lately and I missed it?’

  ‘Very funny. But seriously, we are doing ok. Dad would be proud.’ They all raised their bottles and clinked to that.

  Meg saw Byron physically relax and realized that she too was reasonably relaxed and enjoying the friendly banter.

  ‘So Meg, what’s your reason for freelancing,’ Simon asked in his usual direct fashion.

  ‘I’ve always freelanced,’ she said, wearing her independence like a badge of honour. ‘I guess I was lucky enough to get a good placement in uni and kept the momentum going. The agency I was with at the time let me gain external clients in my last six months. So, I just worked hard and stayed focused. And here I am.’ She finished, as if it was that simple.

  ‘You never wanted to join an agency fulltime,’ Simon asked.

  ‘Nope, it never appealed to me. This way I can choose what I do and, more importantly, when I do it. You two must be the same?’ She liked it better when the conversation revolved around the brothers.

  ‘Well, I know what you mean, but Simon, here, may feel differently.’ Byron seemed to be goading his brother good naturedly. It was obvious they were close.

  ‘You see, Meg, Byron pretty much runs this operation, I just bring the charm and charisma to the table.’ Simon threw Byron a very cheeky grin then winked at Meg.

  ‘So what’s the lowdown on this Bella?’ Meg asked after the huge pizza arrived. She noticed a subtle glance pass between the two brothers, but continued anyway. ‘She seems like the stereotypical trophy wife allowed to run her own shops. Am I right?’

  ‘Well,’ Byron started carefully, ‘she is privileged, yes, and the boutiques were her idea. But she’s been a … client of ours for years now, even before we left the agency. So we’re very grateful for her business.’

  ‘Wow, she stayed with you when you went out on your own? That must have been a great starting point for you.’ Meg mused, watching Simon who was suddenly ravenous and stuffing pizza in his mouth. ‘She could have easily stayed with the larger and more established company. That’s a great feather in your cap.’ She finished, hoping they would elaborate more.

  ‘Yeah, we’re proud of our work. At the moment our biggest client is an up and coming tourist firm. They operate all year round and, lucky for us change their tours and subsequently their collateral regularly.’

  Meg gave Byron points for the clean topic diversion. She didn’t pursue the subject of Bella any further. ‘Simon, you’re the main web designer of the duo, aren’t you?’ Meg wanted to bring Simon back into the conversation. ‘That’s always been so fascinating to me, getting the right balance of creativity and functionality.’

  ‘I enjoy the challenge. We tend to work up the main branding, colour pallet and creative together, sometimes engaging external services like yours to complete the profile. Then Byron runs with the print collateral and I tackle cyberspace. It works well, doesn’t it By?’

  When Byron gave Meg a grateful smile, she definitely wanted to find out more about Bella and Simon’s history, but now obviously wasn’t the time.

  ‘Yes, we make a good team. Do you ever get lonely working by yourself, Meg,’ Byron asked, even though he thought he already knew what the answer would be.

  ‘Nope, I’ve always enjoyed the solitude,’ she answered without hesitation. Meg wondered if she should worry that she was becoming a fluent liar. It was just so easy with people who didn’t know her. The boys seemed happy to accept the fact that she enjoyed solitude. Avery would be rolling her eyes and telling Meg she was worried about her, and that Meg wasn’t herself these days. Who was Meg these days, anyway? Besides lost.

  When Meg excused herself to use the bathroom, Simon said to Byron, ‘Now I know your game plan. You want her on the books fulltime, don’t you? I can tell by the way you’re studying her. Now it makes sense why you were chasing her so persistently.’

  Byron considered Simon’s observation. ‘That wouldn’t be a bad thing, would it? Maybe not a partner or an employee, but just a steady contractor. She is a very good photographer.’

  ‘Good luck with that, bro,’ was all Simon could say as he got up and made his way to the bar.

  As Meg weaved through the crowd back to the booth, she saw she had a text message from Avery. Well??? was all it said. Meg smiled and wrote back. Went well, doing photography for some skincare range for bored, rich wife. Decent paying job. Even having beer and pizza with the boys! That should make her happy, Meg thought. She was smiling as she approached the table and Byron caught her smile and matched it.

  ‘So tell me,’ he asked, ‘what have you been working on lately?’

  ‘I’m actually doing
a bit of work with a friend. She’s an artist and she’s been doing a series of oils, with the focus on intense reds and greens. So I’ve spent a bit of time lately photographing flora and fauna for her.’

  Byron raised an eyebrow at his brother as he returned to the table with three more beers.

  ‘Did you hear that Simon? Meg was just telling me she’s been in the bush lately, photographing leaves.’

  ‘Is that so,’ Simon smirked, remembering their earlier conversation. ‘Do you go bush often, Meg,’ he asked, as if it was the most natural question.

  He certainly can play, Meg thought recognising the game between them, and she bet he rarely lost. ‘Only when I need to clear my head, or when I have a job that requires it of course.’

  ‘So is this the reason you didn’t take the Belmont job a few months back? You needed to go bush?’

  Meg was caught off guard. She took a long slow swig of her beer. They wouldn’t know that the photographs for Avery were not an actual paying job. She swallowed hard. ‘Yeah, I’d already committed to the project, so I really shouldn’t have submitted a tender for your job.’

  ‘Probably a good thing, they’re very time consuming clients. What should have been a simple web re-fresh turned into a three month slog. We’ve only just received sign off,’ Byron said. ‘Now we’re working on a pitch for a real estate agent. Sometime in the bush would be nice, let me tell you.’ Byron watched Meg squirm slightly. ‘Though we are hoping to get a little creative with this one. I think we’ve convinced the client to think outside the square, don’t you Simon?’ Byron stopped when he realised he was starting to ramble.

  ‘Definitely.’ Simon wasn’t convinced at all. ‘I’d love to give this firm a really fresh vibe. Hey, maybe we can talk about some images for the web mock-up?’