Page 69 of Mistaken Intention

I stop walking, and she does, too. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

“No. I’m asking a question.”

A weighted one, but a question, I’ll grant her. I raise the camera, holding it in both hands. “It feels okay.”

“Take a picture with it, then.”

I remove the lens cover, which hangs from a short cord, and lift the camera to my face, looking through the viewfinder directly at her. The sun is shimmering off of her hair, and although there’s still that sadness behind her eyes, she’s too beautiful for words. Except behind her, in the distance, is the building on the far side of the grounds. There’s nothing wrong with it. As buildings go, it’s quite attractive, but even though it’s out of focus, it spoils the composition.

I lower the camera and grab her hand.

“What are you doing?”

“If we’re gonna do this, let’s do it properly.”

I glance around, spying a nearby tree, and pull Josie over to it, standing her in front of the wide trunk. I step away, but there’s still something wrong.

“Lean back.”

“Against the tree?”

“Yes.”

She does as I say and I look at her through the viewfinder again. The sunlight is dappled now, gentler, but she’s still the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. I take a single picture, clicking the shutter.

“Now… tilt your head.”

“Which way?”

“Your left… no, not that far.” She adjusts the slant of her head and I snap two more photographs before I lie down on the ground.

“What are you doing down there?”

“Getting a different angle,” I say. “Don’t look at me.”

“Okay. What should I look at then?”

“Whatever you were looking at before.”

She smiles. “I was looking at you, Drew. You’re the one with the camera.”

“Okay. Look at the place where I was standing.”

“Even though you’re not there?”

“Yes. And don’t smile.”

“What do you want me to do, then?” She looks confused, but just as that fades to something a little more enigmatic, I take the shot.

“Perfect.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I do.”

She shakes her head, and I click the shutter again. “That one’s even better.”

“Can I see?”

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