Love In Her Eyes

7

The week after my birthday, I found myself heading to Sapphires Modeling Agency to take my first ever professional headshots.

I was a bundle of nerves, to say the least.

Mum came along with me, and we chatted the whole ride into London about what it was going to be like.
She was just as excited as I was.

I realized then, from my vantage point in the passenger seat, just how much we resembled one another.

The blonde hair, the thin, slightly turned up nose, big eyes, cherubic face, and full, almost pouty lips.... If it weren't for those sweet, crinkly age lines around her eyes and lips, we could probably pass for sisters.

Perhaps the only real difference was the colour of our eyes. Hers were a lovely dark green, and mine were bright blue, just like my fathers.

Once again the Beatles serenaded us through the radio on the remainder of our drive, soothing our nerves.

When we arrived at the agency's studio, we were greeted inside by Nancy, the sweet secretary who I'd first spoken to. She came around from her lavish front desk, gave my mother and I a hug, and led us down the hall.

"Here you are," She said, taking us into a medium sized room.

My eyes were instantly drawn toward the fancy, spinning leather chair that faced a mirror framed with light bulbs, it looked just like a celebrity's dressing room.
I half expected Elizabeth Taylor to saunter around the corner and powder her nose in that mirror.

"I'll leave you two in here, and Mr. Bessone, your stylist, will be here any moment to get you all ready for the camera!"

"Wonderful, thank you," my mum and I both said at the same time, causing us to laugh.

Not a minute later, this "Mr. Bessone" appeared in the threshold, and what a sight he was.

He was handsome in a striking and peculiar way, but was very lean and wore clothes I might consider wearing myself.
He wore dark ray-ban glasses and his hair was deeply parted to the side in an abrupt cut;
he could almost be the brunette brother of Andy Warhol.

I was intimidated to say the least.

He removed his sunglasses, chiffon scarf, and leather jacket.

He approached me with a smile and said "Miss, Guinevere, darling, what a pleasure it is going to be to work with you. My name is Raymond Bessone."

"Hello Raymond," I said, giggling when he picked up my hand ever so delicately and planted a kiss on it.

"Now, they told me you were stunning...but here you are, not a stitch of makeup, and still you are an absolute vision!"

My cheeks flushed pink at his compliment.

"Oh tha-"

"So, once we do apply some makeup, tease the hair a bit, oh you will just be that much more fabulous! Are you ready darling?"

"Yes sir, quite ready!"

Taking my hand, Raymond led me to that smooth black swivel chair, tied a hair dressers cape around me, turned on some background music, and immediately got to work.

"You're very naturally beautiful," he murmured a few minutes later as he applied some cream to my face.

"And that is what we want to showcase today. So we're going to be subtly highlighting your features, letting you really be the star."

An hour later, Raymond was done with his part, and I slipped on a beautiful blue dress they loaned me.

Mum cried when she saw me, and I smiled as they whisked me away for the photo op.