The Sweet Encounter (Completed)

Chapter Nine - The Stranger

Brie spent the evening with Trey and his mother. They enjoyed a meal prepared by Rebecca who was an amazing cook. It reminded Brie of her mom's southern cooking. Even the pecan pie was made to perfection.

As Rebecca and Mrs. Bryson turned down for the evening, Brie and Trey relaxed in the living room. He kept teasing her hands with his own and managed to not let go of her hands.

"Come on." He got up from the sofa and pulled her hands to follow him. He led her up the stairs and down the hallway.

"Where are we going?"

"To my bedroom, but it's not what you think it is." He gave her a reassuring smile which she bought into.

"What do you have planned in your room that can't be done out here?"

As they stopped in front of his bedroom, he looked down at her with the brightest gleams in his eyes.

"Brie, promise me that whatever happens going forward that you won't tell anyone."

"You're making me nervous, Trey." Her head pulled back with a puzzled look.

He let out a small laugh, "Don't be. I promise it's not as dramatic as you think."

Brie squeezed his hand and let him lead her in. When he opened the door, she noticed the massive room. It was almost the size of her apartment. His bed was heavily influenced with the bachelor stamp of modern sleek lines but still very charming. She noticed he had a desk at the corner of his room, but his room had a partition that separated what looked like another entrance to another room. But what caught her attention were all the large black and white photos of his mother.

Mrs. Bryson was in her most natural form. She was kneading dough in one photo; the other she was sitting on the front porch staring out to the garden. Another had her smiling and even though it was black and white, you could tell her eyes were a light shade of blue. Her gaze was directed at the camera and her dimples were just as warm as Trey's.

She then saw all the camera gear at the open desk. They were vintage cameras and not the digital ones that were popular as of late.

"Trey. These are stunning. Did you capture these photos? Why would you not want to share these?"

She studied them closer, and she couldn't help but smile at the images.

"Why film?"

"Maybe because it becomes a craft because you have to focus more on what you're capturing since you're limited to how many films you have. But I do this to keep memories of my Mom. Knowing she has Alzheimers influenced my thirst for photography."

She then heard a camera shutter. He was taking her photos with one of his cameras. She blushed and placed her hand in front of the lens to block it.

"Please, Trey. I'm simply ordinary compared to your photos."

"That's what I love about you, Brie. Your modesty. Your simplicity."

"I don't know how to be anything else."

She extended her hand out to him and grabbed his camera. She looked into the camera viewer and focused on him. She started to snap away, and already knew he was naturally photogenic.

"Alright, that's enough of me. And how did you know how to use an analog camera?"

"My parents use to own one similar to yours. They were notorious for following my brother and me everywhere. We use to get so annoyed with them, but then I realized it was their way of keeping memories so that we would always remember those moments."