Exposure & Shutter Speeds

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I followed Lana into our usual hang out spot, an awesome bar/restaurant that sold amazing food, great coffee and unique cocktails. The atmosphere was cozy, yet classy. The lighting was my favourite here - they had large light bulbs hanging from the roof at different lengths. You know those Edison bulbs, the ones that have the exaggerated filament that glows orange? I used to dream about bring a client here and capturing the atmosphere, with the white leather couches and bar stools with gold accents, the walls made of wine racks and of course, those lightbulbs.

We grabbed two seats at our usual table, a spot we could people watch and check out everyone who came in. Lana grabbed a menu and started pouring over it - even though we both knew what we already wanted.

I expressed that thought out loud to Lana, who rolled her eyes at me, but said nothing.

The waitress came up to us, smiled and greeted both of us, "Hi you two! It's been all of, what? 24 hours since you've been here?" She laughed at us. "what can I get for you? All though, I shouldn't have to ask by now," She smiled at us.

I smiled back, "I'll have a Diet Coke and the chicken carbonara, please"

Lana, ordered the same thing, except with a Coke, and handed over the menu.

"How was work today?" Lana asked me

I giggled at the memory of one of my customers earlier today.

"I had this customer come in looking for a USB cable for her printer. When I asked her how long she need it it - meaning length of course, she said only for 2-3 weeks!" I laughed again.

Lana laughed with me, "I swear Beth, you have some of the funniest stories, you know, like when you used to shoot weddings - they where always my favourite!"

I sobered at the last words, trying to avoid the flash back memories to my past, my eyes searching around the bar. Just as Lana was about to probe further, the door opened and in walked a rather tall man.

I saw the opportunity and ran with it, pointing him out to Lan with a carefully placed smirk on my face.

"There you go! He looks as if to fit your future parter checklist! Tall, and wears expensive suits!" I giggled, not giving the man too much of a once over.

Lan's eyes looked him over and I saw her tense up - not her usual reaction, I looked at her puzzled.

Lana lowered her voice, which was a once in a blue moon thing. Lana was almost always too loud. She looked at me, "you don't recognise him?" She asked

I shook my head, "No? Do you?"

"That's the guy that burst into your apartment earlier today" she said

My eyes went as wide as saucers and I swallowed loudly.

"And I wouldn't look now, but he appears to be heading over this way" she now whispered back.  

I stood up abruptly, nearly knocking my chair flying. "I, er, have to go to the bathroom" I said in a rush, getting ready to practically run to the safety of the ladies bathroom.

I stepped out from behind the table, and whirled around to start off in the direction of the bathrooms. What I didn't see was our waitress carrying our drinks over. As I whirled around, I knocked the tray of drinks out of her hands, and as we both went to catch them, the cokes tipped in my direction. I was now standing in a puddle of brown, caffeinated liquid, not able to move for all the broken glass at my feet.

"I am SO sorry!" The waitress exclaimed, with a face as red as mine probably was right now.

"No, no! It was my fault! I should have been watching where I was going" I apologised, wincing as I felt what I assumed was ice slip down further into my bra.

"I'll go grab the mop and broom" she said, and hurried out the back.

I stared back at Lana, as neither of us could really do anything for fear of tracking Coke and glass through the restaurant.

"Here, use these" a deep voice said from behind me.

A handful of napkins was thrust in my face, and I quickly grabbed them.

"Thank you so much! You're a life - " I froze as my eyes locked onto the eyes that had burst through my doorway this afternoon. Not able to take my eyes off him, or move to try and blot what felt like was 4 litres of Coke off my chest, I just stood there.

He stared at me curiously, yet so intense I don't know whether it was his gaze or my fear that held me there.

He let go of the napkins, and broke eye contact to look down at his shoes. The same ones he was wearing earlier. Stepping back from the puddle he was standing in, he cleared his throat.

"I feel that seeing as I forcibly entered your home today, it was only fair I introduced myself, though I imagined this going a bit smoother." he said, humour dancing in his eyes.

I looked down at the napkins in my hand and started using them to dry off, whilst trying to disguise the fact I was trying to fish out the ice cubes that had nestled so snugly in my bra.

"Yeah, well, I am a total klutz, except when I'm working that is," I mumbled to myself "there was really no hope of anything going smoothly if I'm involved"

"Oh really?" He asked "and what do you do?"

"I'm a professional photographer." I inhaled sharply, I hadn't said that in months. Eyes wide, realising he was staring at me curiously, I spoke again. "I mean was, a photographer" I replied

"What do you mean was?" He asked again  

I froze, yet again, and it had nothing to do with the partial Antartica buried in my dress. I shook my head, trying to clear it, and continued to dab at my dress, hoping to move on from this line of questioning. I know I was being rude, but I couldn't get my body to react any other way. Frustrated at myself, I exhaled, hoping to clear my head a bit more.

"You didn't mention your name, did you? Hardly an introduction?" I said, trying to change the subject.

"Oh, forgive me," the very tall man said back, "My name is Henry."

Thankfully the waitress has returned, cleaning supplies in hand, and pushed him out of the way.

I looked over at Lan, who looked back at me. I conveyed to her I wanted out of here, and surprisingly she didn't try and argue back - it must have to do with the drowned rat look I probably had going on right now, and the edge of fear from meeting up again with this man.

"Well, nice meeting you, err, Harold but we need to go. There's only so much napkins can do" Lan stated, and grabbed my hand, both of us now able to move thanks to the waitress.

"My name is Henry!" He mentioned again, as Lana was dragging me out of the bar. She brushed passed him and we exited out the front door, leaving a confused Henry staring out the window as we walked back to my apartment.