Epilogue

I'm determined to finish this series. This is the seventh story in the series that started with the story "Cassie" (

https://www.literotica.com/s/cassie-12

, 9/21/2024) and continued with the stories "Sage" (

https://www.literotica.com/s/sage-3

, 9/27/2024), "Mareen" (

https://www.literotica.com/s/mareen

, 10/4/2024), "Checked Out" (

https://www.literotica.com/s/checked-out-2

, 10/15/2024), "Mom" (

https://www.literotica.com/s/mom-139

, 10/23/2024) and the most recent narrative, "James" (

https://www.literotica.com/s/james-9

, 11/4/2024). In each of those stories, the ending left too much untold and forced me to write another story. The title of this story was chosen to force me to make it the last in the series.

James was sitting in the living room on Saturday morning, digesting his breakfast and scanning his latest copy of Professional Photography when the doorbell rang. His mother, Connie, was in the kitchen, wearing a long, sheer nightgown and cleaning up after breakfast. His sister, Cassie, was in her bedroom changing into a long t-shirt and removing her panties and his father, Ralph, was in his office catching up on the household bills but probably viewing internet pornography.

The sound of the doorbell brought Connie and Cassie out of their lairs and James got up to answer the door. Grace was standing on the stoop.

James is a professional photographer and Grace, and her husband Norman, were recent clients. While James frequently worked weddings, parties and other celebrations, his passion was photographing the human body, especially the female human body, in private, and for the enjoyment of mostly married couples.

"Hi, Grace," he said. "What brings you here on a Saturday morning?"

"I was hoping you had the copies of our latest session for me," Grace said. She lowered her voice. "And I could use your help."

James knew what that meant. When he worked with a woman, he didn't pose them for photos. He worked with them to achieve their natural state, the real woman, the person they were hiding from others, frequently even themselves. One of the benefits of working so intimately with them was they frequently pursued a sexual relationship with him.

"I haven't finished sorting them out," James told her.

"I'd really like to have them today," pleaded Grace. "I could help."

"I have a birthday party tonight to cover so, I usually don't work on Saturday mornings, James explained.

"It won't take long," said Grace. "I promise."

James looked behind him. His mother and sister took the hint and retreated to their rooms. James led Grace downstairs to his studio. He offered Grace a seat at his desk. "Have a seat while I bring up the photos on the computer," he told her.

They had reviewed about two dozen pictures with James putting aside those Grace wanted to take home when Grace stopped him. "The last time I was here I was sitting in this chair naked," she said.

"You were," James agreed.

"And then we were over there on the chaise lounge naked."

"We were."

"And you made love to me," Grace said.

"If I'm not mistaken, you asked for something else," James reminded her.

"I did," she confessed. "But you didn't fuck me. You made love to me. Last night, Norman fucked me."

James let her statement hang in the air. "Could you do it again?" she asked quietly.

James stood up and took her hand. Grace stood up and handed him the camera. "This time, take the pictures," she whispered.

They walked to the love seat and undressed each other. James wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. He felt her relax into his arms. "We don't have a rose," he said.

Grace took his erection in her hand. "We have this," she said.

He lay her gently on the sofa, she spread her legs and he entered her. The room filled with her joy and his emotion. The moved together as if they were meant for each other, a forty-four-year-old woman and a twenty-six-year-old man, abolishing the differences between the generations. Grace pulled him tightly against her chest, her breasts perfect pillows between them. "Let me turn over," she asked.

Grace knelt on the sofa. James got behind her and entered her again from behind. He slid further into her than before. That small distance made all the difference. Almost immediately, the nerve endings in his glans began to send emergency messages to his primitive brain and his primitive brain sent back a strongly worded reply, "Fire at will."

He began to pump his first semen and millions of happy sperm of the day deeply into her. Grace gasped. Her body tensed and her orgasm quickly followed. James sat back on the sofa. Grace turned around and kissed him. Then she lay on her back and spread her legs. He took the picture.

They spent the next half hour sorting the pictures naked. James copied the choices to a USB memory and gave it to Grace.

They got dressed. Grace kissed him again and they headed upstairs. They said a polite goodbye at the door and Grace was gone.

When James turned around, Cassie was standing behind him and Connie behind her. "What was that all about?" Cassie asked.

"Grace wanted copies of the pictures we took yesterday," James told her.

"That shouldn't have taken that long," Cassie said. "She looked as if she got more than just pictures."

"We had to sort them out before we could copy them," James explained.

"Did you take more pictures?" Cassie asked.

"Just one," James answered.

"Something that required foreplay?"

"No foreplay," James insisted.

"Straight to fucking, then," Cassie stated.

James didn't answer. "James, unlike Cassie I'm impressed with your empathy for others," said Connie. "Come with me, both of you."

They followed mom across the living room. On the way, Cassie commented. "Oh, I love his empathy for others as long as he has empathy for me."

"Is that what you call it now?" asked Connie. She pointed to her bedroom and stopped at Ralph's office. She opened the door. Ralph startled and looked sheepish. "I'm going to take a short nap," Connie told him. "Try not to bother me."

"That's fine," said Ralph. "I told the manager at the club I'd come by this morning to help him with reorganizing the club filing system. I was just getting ready to leave."

"Perfect," Connie thought. "Fine. Take your time," she said.

Cassie and James sat on the side of the bed waiting for Connie. Connie walked in, closed the door and sat next to James opposite Cassie. They waited silently for Ralph to leave. Connie was stroking James' right thigh and Cassie his left. When the front door closed and the car started, Connie turned James' face toward her and kissed him. Her hand drifted up to his lap only to find Cassie's hand already there.

Connie laughed. "How are we going to do this?" she asked.

"I'm usually first in the morning," said Cassie.

"Well, that ship's already sailed this morning," commented Connie.

"You were first," interjected James.

"When?" asked Cassie.

"You spent the night in my bed," he reminded her. "I emphasized with you after midnight."

Connie laughed. "He's got you there," she said. "It looks like it's my turn." She started to pull off James' pants.

"That doesn't count," Cassie complained. "Today starts after the sun comes up.

Connie mouthed James' partial erection. "Taste's like he's already been up and cumming," she said. "Grace?"

"Has to be," James agreed. "I showered early this morning."

"Nice," slurped Connie. "I may have to introduce myself to Grace."

James had spent significant time naked in bed with both of them and things over the next hours followed a familiar pattern. By lunch time, he had emphasized both women, Connie twice, and shared oral indulgences with each of them, sometimes he indulged with one while emphasizing with the other.

Afterward, they sat at the kitchen table eating sandwiches and drinking beers. "That was fun," said Connie. "Ralph should go to the club more often."

"It was," agreed Cassie. "But can we skip the indulgences and emphasizing and just fuck and suck from now on?"

James and Connie laughed. "Fine. We'll keep it serious in the future," Connie agreed.

James' photography business had taken off. The number of requests for his signature "Water Flower" series of pictures was increasing daily. Cassie was his agent and business manager. James usually did one series of pictures each week and Cassie already had him booked out for the next six weeks. She scheduled extra time in case the clients wanted empathy from James.

They had frequent business planning sessions. Cassie never wore panties around the house and she usually sat in his lap, with him inside her, when they talked or watched television. Cassie didn't consider it sex. She insisted it was her preferred position when she was with James and it wasn't sex unless she had an orgasm.

Over the next two years, James established a photography studio in an available space in a line of stores near the center of town. He had the windows blacked out, created a reception space in the front and an expanded photo space with chairs, sofas, a bed, a private changing area for his clients and a small private office for James' computer and database server. For water pictures, Cassie had negotiated with Grace and Norman to use their pool. The rental was nominal but Grace had insisted on special attention from James. Cassie added herself to the agreement with Grace. Norman's participation was unsettled.

James continued to have special relationships with Sage, Mareen and Donna, his first clients. When he included Connie, Cassie and now Grace, his dance card was almost full, limiting empathy time with some of his new clients to a single session.

Robin, a recent high school graduate, was working as James' receptionist during the week. She didn't have a lot to do and had seen some of his work. She didn't ask many questions but she was intelligent and both Cassie and James figured that she knew most of what was going on besides photography.

Robin was at the reception desk when a stately blonde woman walked in and wanted to talk to James. James met her in the front of the studio. Her name was Diana and she was getting married. James was already interested

"Diana, huh?" asked James.

"My mother was in love with Princess Diana," explained Diana.

"Okay, Princess. What can I do for you?" James said.

Diana giggled. "I like that. Like I said, I'm getting married and I'd like you to be my photographer."

"Okay," James said. "When. Where? How many?"

"Three months. The Mayo. Thirty to forty," Diana answered.

"The Mayo. Posh," said James.

"Not my money," Diana revealed.

James laughed. "I like you," he said. "Let's drop the phony image stuff and talk like real people."

Diana laughed. "Deal," she agreed. "You started it."

"Stand up," James said.

Diana gave James a sly eye but she stood up.

"Turn around," James ordered.

Diana turned around.

James nodded in appreciation. "You started it when you walked in here in that outfit," James told her.

Diana laughed and sat down. "This old thing," she commented.

James laughed. "I thought we were going to drop the attitude."

"That was the real me," Diana insisted.

"Money? Right?" James concluded.

"Like I said. Not my money. Daddy's money."

"Enough already," James said. "Let's get serious. Come with me."

They went back to James' office. He sat at the desk and Diana sat in a chair in front of the desk."

"Not very impressive," Diana commented.

"This is the real me," James said. "I save the good stuff for my pictures."

"That's why I'm here," Diana said. "Grace said you're the best."

"Grace, huh," he said. "The Grace that's married to Norman?"

"She is," confirmed Diana.

"The Grace with the swimming pool?" James asked.

"Yep," said Diana.

"She's an incredible woman," James said honestly, recalling his many liaisons with her.

"She says you're an incredible photographer," Diana related.

"Okay. Now that we have the warm fuzzies out of the way, what is your idea for the photos of your wedding?" James asked.

"The usual, I guess," said Diana. "You know. Pictures of the ceremony, some shots of the wedding party in the park or somewhere and the reception."

"I have a more inclusive suggestion," replied James. "I prefer to document the process, not the events. For example: I suggest covering every step of your wedding, from the seamstress working on your wedding dress to the honeymoon and every event in between."

"The honeymoon?" reacted Diana.

James laughed. "Well at least the non-intimate portion of the honeymoon."

Diana relaxed somewhat. "That's a lot to cover. How much would that cost?"

"I can't be exact," James said. "But a good guess would be around ten thousand dollars."

"That's a lot of money," she countered.

"I guarantee you will be happy with the results," offered James. "If not, I'll be glad to discuss what you think it was worth. And, it's not your money."

Diana laughed. "I need to think about it."

"You should," agreed James. "If you decide in favor, you should know that some of the pictures will be revealing, even intimate."

"What does that mean?" Diana wanted to know.

"I'll want pictures of you trying on your wedding dress, you and your bride's maids dressing before the ceremony as well as similar pictures of your fiancé and his groom's men doing the same. There are times during the process that you, or others, may not be fully clothed," James explained.

"Naked?" Diana questioned.

"Possibly," James confirmed. "You don't have to agree now. Think about it. Even better, Grace is someone you know. Talk to her about her experience with me taking pictures of her. Even get her to show you some of the pictures."

"I'm overwhelmed," said Diana.

"Think about it and let me know," said James.

Diana left with a lot on her mind.

She was back Monday afternoon. The lights were out in the studio and there was a "Closed" sign on the door. She knocked and, when she didn't get a response, she went back to her car to decide what to do next. Five minutes later, the lights came on and someone turned the sign around. A woman exited the studio, turned right and walked to her car without noticing Diana.

Diana waited another five minutes and then entered the studio. A small bell rang as she entered. Within seconds, James appeared.

"Hey, Diana," he greeted her. "Do we have something to talk about?"

"Hey yourself," Diana said. "We do. But first, was that Grace leaving?"

"Grace is following a process with me that includes photos," James explained.

"Oh," said Diana beginning to understand more about how James operated. "I talked with Grace over the weekend," she said.

"Great," said James. "What did she say?"

"It's not necessarily what she said," explained Diana. "It's what she showed me."

"Ah. Pictures," said James.

"Specifically, naked pictures," said Diana. "Of her."

"What did you think of the pictures?" James asked.

"They were beautiful. Grace was beautiful. I can't remember Grace ever being so beautiful," Diana related.

"What did you think about the nudity?" James asked.

"I didn't focus on the nudity," Diana admitted. "I was almost as if being naked was necessary for her to look beautiful. The cause of her joy not the result of it."

"That's an excellent way to describe it," James said.

"She told me there were more pictures. More intimate pictures that she didn't show me," revealed Diana.

"I can understand that," James said. "Not everybody can see the beauty in some photos."

"Is that why Grace comes to see you? To take pictures of her naked?" asked Diana.

"Sometimes."

"Will you take pictures of me naked?" Diana asked.

"If, during the process, you happen to be naked I'll probably get a picture or two," James answered.

"I've got that," Diana said. "I was thinking about how you took pictures of Grace."

"That's a different process and a different discussion," James said. "First, we should concentrate on your wedding."

Then, let's work out a plan and a schedule," she said.

They sat in James' office. James laid out a program that he suggested be collected into four volumes of pictures. First, all the preliminaries, from the dress making, the fittings, the baking of the wedding cake, the preparation of the church and reception venue and finishing with a studio shot of Diana in her wedding dress. The second volume would be an all-inclusive documentation of the wedding day from the dressing rooms to the wedding, the usual posed pictures in the park, the reception and preparing to leave for the honeymoon. He proposed volume three to be the same as volume two without the more intimate pictures that she could show to her family and friends and volume four would document the honeymoon up to the first time together in their home as a married couple."

"Are volumes two and three that different?" Diana asked.

"Maybe. Maybe not," James said. "It's up to you. It depends on the number of what others might call " shocking and inappropriate" pictures. Certainly, volume three will not include those pictures and might include others not in volume two. They're intended for different audiences."

"And the honeymoon pictures?" she asked.

"Again, as much or as little as you want," James told her. "Some brides get very excited about being photographed with their new husband. Others are less so and some husbands object. Some books contain many photos and some none at all. If it eases your mind, we sometimes take pictures of the newlyweds undressing each other for the first time and may some gentle foreplay. Nothing more intimate."

"I see," Diana thought out loud. How much would that cost?" She asked.

"You need to sit down with Cassie and work out the details. I'll need names and addresses for everyone involved and a letter of introduction from you for each of them. The cost depends on such mundane things as travel time and distance. Cassie can give you the best estimate," James told her.

"Who's Cassie?"

"Cassie's my sister, my manager, my accountant and my assistant. She'll work out an agreement with you with as much detail as she can."

Cassie and Diana worked out a schedule. They agreed on a base price of $12,000 and a deposit of $2400 with the stipulation that the total could move up or down as necessary. Cassie took Robin to the seamstress to take pictures of the wedding dress in progress and give her a basic introduction to the camera. Robin got the bakery assignment and a return trip with Diana to the dressmaker for a fitting. Cassie's pictures were suitable. Robin's jumped off the screen with life.

James scheduled a Saturday morning with Diana for the Bride's portrait in her gown. Diana arrived at ten am. She was wearing denim shorts, not quite Daisy Duke length but close, and an untucked man's white dress shirt with the top three buttons unbuttoned. Her hair was coifed nicely, she probably had it done that morning, and she finished her outfit with a pair of Birkenstock leather sandals. She carried her wedding gown in both arms in a huge plastic zippered bag.

They hung her gown on a clothes rack in the client changing area while they discussed the plan for the photo shoot. Diana headed for the client room to get into her gown while James got the lights and camera ready.

Diana came back to the set, barefoot and wearing just her white bra and navy-blue bikini panties. "James, I can't do this myself," she said. I need your help."