The Shape of Things to Come (Hypernaturals 15)

Family

The office that Morgan and I share downstairs is set up very similarly to what we had before at her old office building. The office that predated her moving in, turning, marrying, etc. We kept updating that old space and even went so far as to buy the building before we decided to build the new office for 'Olsen and Sagan' plus Crew near our home. The new office is replete with wood accents without it looking like a pub. More bookcases line the walls. Big desks backed by cabinets. Lots of computer power and state-of-the-art screenage. A work table big enough for four to hash out cases on. An informal conference grouping with a big comfy couch for guests and for love, although Morgan likes using the desks just as much. Where to make love when you are taking a break but don't have time to run upstairs to the roof garden.

As before, at the old office, there is a huge family portrait over the couch. That family portrait takes a great deal of updating. Kids grow up too fast. Fortunately, our friend Bob from Houston is willing to run up here for the weekend all the time. He takes our family stuff, works in some new nudes of Helen or whoever he got an idea for, and runs out to the lake with his wife for a weekend in a cabin at Holly's.

We have a private galley of his stuff. Bob is amazing and he displays copies in his galley in Houston. Not for sale. It drums up amazing amounts of business for him. There is one of Denise, Jessica, Helen, and Morgan. arms around each other, and leaning both forward and into one other. The women on the outside leaning in slightly more. It made a classic triangle of their bodies. Jessica and Morgan in the center positions. Helen and Denise flanking them. Other triangles gave a counterpoint, from the way shoulders tapered to waists. Pubic hair. Hips tapering to narrower ankles. Even flashes of light making star shapes like two overlayed triangles on the water behind them. Very simple. Life-size. You can see every pore on their skin. Every strand of their hair. Almost hyper-realistic. The out-of-focus background is Lake Travis. There is sand on their bare ankles. It is shot in the light of a full moon. Real moonlight. Long exposure. Ultra-high resolution. Vampires can pose for things like that because of how our muscles work. Bob was stunned they all could hold that still. The masterpiece is called 'The Muses'. Each woman brings her own look to it. Their skin and hair colors are muted by the lighting. The moonlight washing out Denise's honey locks, and at the same time making Helen's blonde mane look darker. Semi-matching. Even their hair lengths are in matched sets. Long and dark in the center. Shorter and lighter on the outside pair.

With arms around each other, their rock-hard nipples, and areola bumps, the intent expressions? It is Sapphic, but it is also all of them looking at the viewer with intent. The shapes also evoke them as a wave of physicality, headed right at you. What I see when I look at it is pure radiating love. Love and sex, not sex and love. I know them. Any stranger would probably only see the eros of it. That is part of why it works. It has so many layers to it, even as it is simple.

It was that way the night it was taken. As soon as it was a wrap, Bob and his wife went behind a nearby rock; both of them on fire.

One man offered Bob a million dollars for the portrait. Straight up. They 'Had to have it.'

Bob refused but said he would take a picture like it for them of whoever in his life they wanted to look like that.

Good luck. Some pictures are like lightning strikes and Vampire turnings.

Morgan stood in front of the family picture and smiled. "This, Mike, to answer your question, is my family. I have six children. You already know one of them. Right there: That's Nakoma these days."

Mike was agape at the picture. He seemed to have no idea what to think about that entire swath of faces being Morgan's 'family'.

Janie had the more obvious reaction. "That's Nakoma? She's a young woman now! Look at her... Oh my god! I mean... that little girl? She turned into a beauty!"