“Oh Father, please let me remove one human! It’s just one!” I laughed. April hardly ever thought of violence. You see… the vampire in her makes her a kind and romantic creature. She never watches love stories, afterwords, she cries for days. “Father you don't understand, they hired another photographer, his name is Charles Harding, and he is absolutely awful!” she complained.
“What did he do?” I asked. I was ready to buy a gun and shoot this guy. My daughter is incredibly beautiful, has lightening speed and incredible strength, but this is still my baby, and nobody will touch my baby.
“He doesn't listen to me. I am the head photographer, I'm the one who gets the assignments, I am to overlook his work, and yet, every time I turn around, he's taking my picture and telling me that I’m in the wrong career.”
“April, you cannot call your Father complaining that you want to kill a man, and then tell me it's because he took your picture. Honey, I was coming to kill him for touching my little girl,” I grumbled in relief.
“Oh Father, you know I can take care of myself. Just give me permission, one little human… that's all I ask for. It's just one, little, insignificant human. Please Father, I'm begging you!” she pleaded.
“April… you're his boss, tell him that enough is enough, and if he doesn't concentrate on his work, you will have no choice but to request a new associate photographer. And if you’re serious, you must make it clear that it’s either that or you will take one of the other jobs that you've been offered. How many times have you considered that job in Paris?” I asked with a chuckle. It is her dream job.
“I miss you Father, I'll be home after I have dinner tonight.” She giggled and then added, “Besides, he would probably taste as bad as his attitude.”
“You're probably right,” I said with laughter. My little girl will always find humor.
My April calls every night and comes home every weekend. She writes in this book whenever she’s home, so please don't think that I suffer from split personality disorder. She wants this book written in case there are others out there. To date we have not found another half Vampire, but it's not like we could put an ad in the paper.
**********
My father has no idea how hard it is to work with this Charles Harding, he is absolutely ridiculous! On Monday, I flashed into the studio (like I usually do) at seven am. Depending on the days schedule, our models could arrive up to two hours earlier, for make up and wardrobe. This was a simple magazine shoot for a local shoe store. Let me tell you, that day, I was just a little annoyed. I flashed in and not ten minutes later, this jerk walks into my studio, takes one of my cameras, and then he began taking my picture!
“Please, I don't know who you are, but you should not be in here! Sir! I ask you to put the equipment down and leave,” I said in a low and clearly, demanding voice.
He stopped and smiled. “Come on Cutie! I love that angry expression, and that fire in your eyes… now, sell me sexy!” he said with an English accent.
The accent was nice, but there are some male models that can get a little too cocky. I actually thought that's he was one of them. I marched up to him, took the camera from him and very gently twisted his arm around his back, before I began to push him out the door.
The baby whined, “Ouch, Ouch! Cutie, let go! I'm THE Charles Harding, your photographer! Now let me go!”
I gasped and let him go. “I'm sorry Mr. Harding, I thought you were a playful model, and I've had my share of those. Please accept my apology,” I replied, fully embarrassed.
