Page 38 of Risk Assessment
“I don’t care what you think. I want you to get shots of me and my friends next to these bushes. Make sure you get the butterflies in the background!” She turned to Donna. “I want the butterflies in flight during the picture so keep moving the bushes this time.”
Phil glanced toward Raleigh and relief flooded his face. “Raleigh, perhaps you could help with this?”
“Of course.” She smiled mechanically and dropped her bag against a nearby tree. “Lydia how lovely you look,” Raleigh said as she hustled across the grass. “Phil, maybe you can explain again what the issue with this angle is?”
Phil nodded vigorously. “Of course. I was telling Mrs. Harris that the light is at the wrong angle and it throws her face in shadow because of her hat. So if we removed the hat, it would be great or we can shoot from another angle to get the butterflies.”
“What do you think, Lydia? Perhaps if we remove your hat just for this shot, so we can see your smiling face?”
“Absolutely not! I had this hat made specifically for this outfit and I want it in the shot. He’ll just have to make it work.”
Raleigh stood next to Phil and dropped her voice. “Is it really that bad? Can you lighten it in editing?”
Phil shrugged. “I can try but honestly, it’s just a bad angle no matter how you slice it. It’s an uphill angle which is not flattering and with the hat all you can see is her chins and I say chins because it looks like she had several in these pictures. See?” Phil showed Raleigh the digital images on the screen at the back of his camera.
Raleigh glanced at the display and immediately swore. They were ghastly. All three women looked like pastel zombies with many chins. What the hell was she going to do now? She looked up at Lydia who was adjusting her skirt. Fabulous. These pictures would be enough to get her fired and if they showed up in social media, she’d be banished forever.
Oh shit! She quickly looked around. No influencers in sight. Dylan was leaning on the back side of the gazebo out of Lydia’s sight line for which she was truly thankful. Bill, Clark, and Josh were all heading across the grass in their direction. Maybe one of them could talk some sense into her.
“Raleigh!” Lydia barked her name. “I am running late. This must happen now.”
Raleigh turned to Phil. “Just do the best you can and we’ll think of an excuse later as to why they didn’t turn out.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Phil adjusted his camera.
“Okay Lydia, Phil is going to start shooting.”
Lydia turned to Donna. “Shake the bush.” Then she turned and her two friends flanked her. Their faces morphed immediately into big false smiles. Donna shook the bush, scattering the butterflies. Phil started clicking away.
Donna shook the bush with a vigor that Raleigh was sure was inspired by what she wanted to do to Lydia’s neck. The butterflies milled about looking for a safe place to land. Theygave up on the bush and started flying around the ladies. The flowers on Lydia’s hat in particular seemed to attract them.
Lydia swatted one away that flapped near her face. Then another arrived and she swatted at it with her other hand. Suddenly one landed on the front of her dress and she screamed. She swatted it as well and then more arrived. Soon all three ladies were dancing in circles swatting at the poor butterflies that were just looking for a place to land. It would have been hilarious if it weren’t for the butterfly carnage that was happening.
“Lydia,” Bill said as he stepped forward and pulled her away from the bush. He ripped the hat off her head. “Stop swatting them. It’s fine. They’re only butterflies.” He pointed at Donna. “Stop shaking the damn bush.” She stopped instantly and within seconds all the butterflies migrated over to the bush again.
Phil’s shoulders were shaking with laughter. He hadn’t stopped taking pictures the entire time. “I got some great shots Raleigh. You’re going to die when you see them,” he said in a quiet voice.
“Oh, my God, don’t let anyone see those pictures!” she hissed.
She was doing her best not to laugh, but Clark couldn’t contain himself. He was chuckling away. Josh looked at her and grinned. She couldn’t help but smile back. She looked over at Dylan and he was outright laughing. She glared at him, but he just shook his head.
“I want all those shots deleted! This is all your fault!” Lydia yelled as she started charging in Phil’s direction. Her hair was sticking up in bunches where Bill had pulled it off her head and her dress was twisted from the butterfly dance she’d done. “And you!” she pointed at Raleigh but Bill grabbed her by the arm.
“We don’t have time for this. You need to go talk to your daughter and I need to speak with Andrew.” He practicallypulled her across the grass to the path and their entire entourage followed behind.
Josh appeared at her side. “Don’t worry, Ral, I’m sure Bill will calm her down. She won’t do anything. You’ve got the shots that could make her the laughingstock.”
“But I wou—”
“I know you’d never use them but she doesn’t know that.” He grinned. “She thinks everyone is like her. Just let her. It will make your life much easier. Soon you and I won’t have to run after the Lydias and Calvins of this world.” He winked at her. Clark was disappearing down the path with the Harrises.
“Oops, I’ve got to run. Duty calls. Hang in there, Ral,” he said as he squeezed her shoulder and then started across the grass in the wake of his boss.
Josh was such a sweetheart. He had a tough job. Calvin Clark was a hard taskmaster. Why Clark was getting involved in Bedford Hills politics rather than staying close to home in the Hamptons was the question. Too much competition?
“Hey, Raleigh, I’m all packed up here. That was hilarious! I can’t wait to show you those shots on a big screen.” He grinned.
“You can’t show those pictures to anyone but me. Promise me. Oh, my God, what a disaster.”
