Chapter 9: Lights, Camera, Action!

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   In New York City Prince is on the set of the big Nikon photo shoot with me. He is looking over the rack of clothes "No, no, no...oh hell no! These won't work!" He exclaims. 

"Hopefully, they'll look better on." I calmly reply. I'm embarrassed. This is a very important moment professionally and Prince is being critical in front of the stylist! 

 "They could hardly look worse" 

 "Most things look better on" the stylist says. 

 Clothes are pulled for me and I'm sent to hair and makeup . Prince follows. The hairdresser does my hair and leaves. "I think we can fix this" Prince says, grabbing a comb. Sometimes with hair one must quit while they are ahead.My hair falls out of place as soon as he touches it. Vidal Sassoon he is not. 

 "Please go get the stylist. You don't have to tell her you messed it up." I request. 

 "Fine." 

 He leaves and the makeup artist comes in. She does my face and finishes as Prince comes in "Penelope never wears lipstick that bright. She should look like she does normally. " he insists 

 Truth be told I'm not fully on board with the lipstick. I'm more comfortable with my neutral shades. But I was too chicken to say anything. 

 "Do you like it?" the makeup artist asks me. 

 "Maybe something more subtle would be better." I say, trying to be diplomatic. 

 Finally, I go out onto the set. My hair now looks great (no thanks to Prince), the makeup is nice and my outfit is going to photograph well. This shirt needs one thing:I unfasten the cuffs and roll the sleeves up to my elbows. My forearms are really nice, if I do say so myself. I might as well show them off. Joe, the photographer smiles at me and tells me how to pose with the camera.

"Let's have the lighting darker and moodier!" Insists Prince.

 Joe laughs," This is a product shoot. The camera needs to be clearly visible in the ad" 

As Joe snaps away Prince make comments about how I should pose. Not wanting to ruffle any feathers, I just smile and shake my head. The whole shoot goes this way-Prince sharing too many opinions and me politely shrugging it off with a smile. 

 This feels like I'm living the life I watched Sabrina live. Hair, makeup, professional photo shoots. In her teens and her college years she did beauty pageants and won many of them. Of course her life made me feel ugly and jealous. I never told Prince because I feared he'd think I was petty. What a change though, I'm the one living a jet set life! Who'd have thought? It feels like a dream I'm about to wake up from.

 Prince Narrates:

 After the shoot, I take Penelope to Brentwood Galleries, the gallery owned by Margaret's finance, Oscar Brentwood. I haven't met the guy yet, but he makes Margaret happy. Admittedly if I wasn't with someone I love so much, I'd be jealous of the relationship . Most relationships still had me dreaming Margaret and I would somehow get back together-not this one. Oscar and Margaret greet us. Oscar looks like one of those heartthrobs in a Spanish soap opera.

 "If it isn't the future Mrs. Brentwood!"I exclaim when I see Margaret. 

 "Ha! I've been Margaret Charles for over twenty years and am not going to stop now!" she replies with a laugh, "How are you?"

"We just got back from Penelope's Nikon photo shoot. She's their new spokeswoman." I say. I love bragging about her. 

 "He had so many opinions he didn't know what to do with himself." Penelope laughs. 

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