Keeper

Chapter 58

The dining hall wasn't much. All in all, the whole thing wasn't much bigger than a school classroom, with a dozen or so plastic fold-up chairs and a makeshift stage holding a podium and a few microphones and their stands. A giant, over-the-top chandelier hung from the middle of the ceiling, it's fake diamonds glistening faintly in the mellow lights. Of course, it wasn't a huge contest. There were only twenty or so submissions. But the prize was.

I walked-hand in-hand with Harry into the room, my heart racing, as we searched for our assigned seats in the contestant section. If there was one thing I wanted for Harry, it was this. He deserved to win this contest.

I only then noticed that there were enlarged versions of the submitted photographs scattered about the room. Some were gorgeous, of women and flowers and puppies, and some were dark, of silhouettes, cloudy skies, and snowy days. I spotted Harry's to the right of where we sat. It was that photograph of me, the one Harry took at the storage units, where I wore the floppy hat and exaggerated smirk, it's brim casting over my left eye in mock seductiveness. I smiled at the memory.

"You'd think they'd have some refreshments," Harry whispered beside me. "I mean, all these nerves make a guy thirsty, you know?"

"I think you'll live," I said. "And if you feel as if you're going to faint, I have an emergency water bottle in the car. We'll get that."

Harry smiled, then placed a small kiss on the top of my head. "You're a lifesaver, Harley. A true angel. I am forever indebted to you."

I scrunched my nose, my hands reaching out to fix his flannel collar out of pure instinct. "Oh, shut up," I said. "I already know all of that. You don't have to remind me."

More and more people piled into the dining hall as the minutes passed, most of which were older, and some of which were your classic twenty-year-old photographer. A bit intimidating.

An elderly women in a peach sweater and matching earring tapped Harry on the shoulder. Harry turned around, bewildered, but upon seeing the women, shot to his feet. "Judith!" He mumbled into her neck as he wrapped his arms around her. "It's been ages, hasn't it?"

"Oh yes, dear," the woman said, a bit taken aback by Harry's sudden hug. "Four long days can feel like an eternity."

Harry released the woman, but kept his hands on her shoulders, his smile genuine. "I'm so glad you could attend, Judy," he said. "You didn't have to, really. I know things at the shop are pretty slow nowadays, and--"

"Nonsense," the woman interjected with a wave of her hand. "I'm here on your mother's behalf, I am. She would be proud'a ya Harry."

I noticed how Harry's demeanor seemed to change for a second, a wobble of his smile, before he regained its strength. "Thank you, Judy," he said.

She nodded, then proceeded to her seat a few rows behind us. "That was sweet of her," I whispered. "To show up for you."

"Yeah," Harry said lowly with a half-chuckle, glancing down at his upturned hands. "Who would of thought there were still kind people like her in this world?"

I opened my mouth, but quickly closed it, unsure of what to say. "She was best friends with my grandmother," Harry continued, eyes hazy at the memory. "Knew my mum pretty well, too. I know they were pretty close."

Twenty minutes passed before the ceremony finally started. An older man made his way to the podium, his eyes alight with a refreshing wonder, his dark beard showing signs of significant age. "I would like to welcome you all to the Terrance Jones Annual Photography competition. If you do not know, Mister Jones was one of the most acclaimed photographers of our area. He had won many contests himself, and received some of the highest awards a man of his talent could win."