Lesley sat in her comfy armchair in the living room, relishing in the tranquility of the day. The sun's rays spiraled through the open curtains, casting a gentle glow into the room.
A soft breeze of air drifted in through the screen door, causing the sheer curtains to wave back and forth delicately.
It was the most relaxing day Lesley had experienced in quite some time. She had consciously thrown out the thoughts of the previous day's event and wanted nothing more than to enjoy her day.
In her hands, she held the highly acclaimed book "The Proverbial Life of a Photographer." Her eyes were glued to the pages as she flipped through each one, taking a keen interest in learning new skills for her soon-to-be Photography business.
She paused when her eyes landed on the word "passion," and a soft smile tugged at her lips as her memories floated back to the eighth grade. She had been in Mrs. Longmire's class, where a single photograph had changed everything.
***
"Capture the beauty of the world through your lens," Mrs. Longmire encouraged, placing the small black camera in Lesley's hands.
Lesley knew the world was now her playground. The camera hung around thirteen-year-old Lesley's neck as she scoured the neighborhood, searching for the perfect scenery and backdrops. She was fond of nature and found it one of the purest forms of beauty.
Lesley could effortlessly hear the bees buzzing nearby as they pollinated the wildflowers near her grandparent's home. A giggle spontaneously escaped her lips.
As she grew older, Lesley knew without one doubt that photography would be her career of choice. But when she graduated from Stony Brook University, the reality of her financial situation hit hard.
Excitement coursed through her veins as Stony Brook bestowed upon her a freshly minted BFA in Photography.
"We did it!" Lesley cheered, jumping up and down while hugging her best friend, Denise. Decked out in their caps and gowns, they snapped photo after photo. Happiness emanated from the smiles woven across their faces.
Reality soon set in like a ship sinking into the depths of the ocean when Lesley received her first student loan bill. Sitting at the kitchen table, she stared at the daunting numbers, a swell of nerves caught in her queasy stomach. With her Mom sitting across from her, she expressed her concerns about life post-graduation, "Mom, the bills are piling up, and I don't think I can keep up anymore," she said, her voice heavy with sorrow.
Her mother glanced up from her cup of tea, wrinkles etched across her forehead and her hands shaky, "It doesn't sound like photography is practical for you anymore, Les. You're only twenty-one and have a lot of time to pursue more realistic opportunities. Something I never had the chance to do, given my addiction to alcohol."
Lesley nodded, and the weight of her mother's words sunk in. She didn't want to follow in her mother's footsteps. Addiction and stripping as a career was not in Lesley's future. Determined to find a stable career, she buried herself in books about the tech recruiting industry. Each page she turned felt like a step toward a promising new future.
Months later, she sat confidently in an interview with Millers Tech Recruiters Inc. After each question asked, Lesley was able to answer with surprising sophistication. The manager, a woman with brown frizzy hair, listened intently as Lesley spoke.
"We'd like to offer you the job now," the manager said, a smile forming. "On the spot, as a first-level tech recruiter. What do you say?"
Lesley's heart raced. "Yes, I'll take it!" she replied, excitement bubbled within.
Nick had been one of Lesley's first candidates in her new recruiting gig. When she came across his resume, she was impressed, showing off his resume to a co-worker.
"Look, a software engineer who graduated at the top of his class from NYU. I'd love to date an intelligent guy like him." She gushed, and they both laughed.
Lesley was able to secure Nick a position with one of the top tech companies in the world, but she didn't know that she would manifest him as her future husband.
Nick had a slight crush on Lesley, but she was unaware until he called her up one day. Nick proposed less than a year later.
Lesley was the photographer at her wedding; she refused to have another photographer come in and do a job that she did so well. Her mother told her she looked ridiculous taking the photos at her wedding, but Lesley didn't think so.
After their wedding, she realized how much she missed photography and desperately wanted to pursue her passion again. And once she realized they both could survive off Nick's salary, she proposed the idea to Nick.
"Nick, can we talk?" Lesley gazed into his eyes as she stood in their bedroom doorway, cradling a cup of coffee.
Nick was waking up for another day in the office. "Sure," Nick replied as he covered his mouth and yawned, "What is it, babe?"
"I'm not happy anymore," Lesley admitted with a hint of sadness in her eyes.
This announcement jolted Nick fully awake. His heart skipped a beat, and his eyes widened.
"What do you mean, Les? I've always been here for you." He leaped out of bed, abruptly standing on his feet. His eyes gazed desperately into Lesley as he waited to hear her out. "What have I done wrong?"
Lesley stopped leaning against the doorway and walked further into their bedroom. She set her cup of coffee on the nightstand. A smile wove across her lips, "I should be more specific. It's not our marriage, Nick. You've been the absolute best husband. It's about my career." Lesley shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I'm not happy being a tech recruiter any longer. I've been thinking and decided that I want to start my own photography business."
Nick felt the release of tension dissipate from his shoulders as his muscles relaxed. He laughed, "Oh boy, you had me for a second there, Les," Nick shook his head. He peered into Lesley's eyes. "Les, I'm here for you. I will support you in any way I can. Whatever you want to do, I'm all in!" Nick encouraged as he grabbed her hands and held them in his.
Lesley wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips.
"I love you, Nick! I knew you'd be supportive!"
***
Nick called out to Lesley, curious as to where she was. He ventured through the house, looking for her. However, Lesley was slumped on the couch, lost in thought, reminiscing on her many cherished memories.
"Lesley?" Nick's eyes curiously wandered.
He stopped in the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge. Twisting open the cap, he brought the bottle up to his lips and gulped down the spring water.
He waited for Lesley to respond, but he didn't hear her. So he made his way into the living room, where he found her reading while she lay on her armchair, looking particularly intrigued as she flipped the page.
"Les."
Lesley jumped, startled by Nick's sudden appearance. The book slipped out of her hands and tumbled onto the floor. Her heart jumped inside of her chest as she abruptly sat up.
"Nick! You scared me." Lesley's eyes widened as she glanced up at Nick with her hand over her clavicle, "My heart is racing, Nick."
"Sorry, babe," Nick started, his eyes glimmering with a sense of compassion. He gently rubbed Lesley's back, "I'm heading out to New York to visit Dad. I'll be back later tonight. Around 9:00."
He bent down, giving Lesley a peck on the lips.
"Will you be alright without me until then?" He inquired.
She nodded, "I'll be fine, Nick." She replied, "Just don't sneak up on me again."
"I won't. I promise." Nick agreed, "Call me if you need anything."
"I will, Nick. But don't worry about me. Have a good time with Dad." She encouraged with a smile.
Lesley took Nick's departure as an opportunity for her to finally sneak away from home. She was well aware that Nick would be upset if he discovered she wasn't taking time to relax, but it was only because he genuinely cared about her well-being. After all, he always had her best interests at heart. And it wasn't as if she disregarded the doctor's discharge orders.
Lesley vividly remembered the words penned by Dr. Benson on her discharge papers - "yoga." From her perspective, she was diligently adhering to the doctor's advice.
As Lesley entered her yoga class, she saw her old friend Denise again.
Lesley reminisced when they were both new undergraduate students wandering the campus of Stony Brook University. They drew a deep connection to one another, initially based on their majors. But then Lesley realized Denise's passion for photography was as strong or stronger than hers. She was so enthralled to meet another human being whose entire life was solely focused on the art of photography, which helped their friendship to blossom. But sadly, they had lost touch soon after they both graduated.
When their yoga class had ended for the day, Denise asked Lesley to join her for a few cocktails later in the evening at the local bar in Arcaden. Lesley obliged.
That evening, Lesley kept her promise to Denise, arriving at the old, Western-themed bar in downtown Aracaden. Her sleek BMW coupe glided to a halt as she maneuvered into a parking spot. She stepped out of the vehicle and took a moment to appreciate the dwindling night. Looking up at the sky, it cast a peachy hue, signaling the impending sunset.
"Hey, Lesley! Over here!" Denise stood up from the barstool she sat on while waving her arms in the air, hoping Lesley would spot her.
Lesley's eyes scanned the bar, and once she spotted Denise, a smile spread across Lesley's face. She hurriedly approached Denise, hugging her, and then placed her purse on the seat beside her before she sat down.
"Hey, Les! It's so good to see you." Denise smiled widely, revealing a mouthful of pristine white teeth.
"You too! I've missed yoga class the last few weeks due to exhaustion." Lesley explained with a hint of sarcasm.
Denise and Lesley both laughed joyously. Denise was well aware of Lesley's suspected condition, so to cheer Lesley up, Denise had a surprise for her.
Denise suddenly held up a pink gift bag. Lesley gazed at the bag, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"What's that for?" Lesley asked inquisitively.
"It's for you, Les!" Denise handed her the bag. Lesley grabbed it and set it on her lap. Reaching inside, she removed the white stuffing paper.
Lesley's eyes widened, and her mouth agape in astonishment, "You've got to be kidding me! Is this a joke?!" Lesley scanned the bar, waiting for someone to scream, "April Fools!" but they weren't in April. Nor did she see any hidden cameras while she anxiously waited for someone to come out yelling, "You've been Punk'd!"
Denise bent forward, clutching her stomach as laughter spilled out of her like a broken water faucet.
"No, Les, it's not a joke. It's a gift from me." Denise wiped the happy tears from her eyes after all the laughing she had done.
A tear streamed down Lesley's face, "Oh my! I don't know if I can accept such an exquisite gift."
"I have one of my own. I don't need another." Denise argued.
Lesley stood up from her chair and wrapped her arms tightly around Denise, embracing her warmly.
"Thank you so much. I have so many wonderful things planned for this camera." Excitement swarmed in Lesley's chest. The new camera she was gifted would be used for her new photography business, and she couldn't wait to use it.
"So, what cha gonna name it?" Denise asked playfully.
Lesley's eyes veered up toward the ceiling as she thought about it.
"Hmm.." Lesley still couldn't think of anything, so she laughed and responded, "The Camera."