Through The Lens PT1
This story is a report from when i was on here under a different username.
A young woman falls in love with her photographer brother.
Growing up I never realised my sister was attracted to me, in fact I didn't realise it fully until I left home. My name is Richard Lester, my friends call me Rick. Growing up I lived at home with my parents and younger sister. My Dad Paul worked at a local foundry, my mum Helen worked as a cook in a school kitchen. My younger sister Sally was just that, my younger sister. Sally was five years younger than me, as a kid she used to spend time with her friends or watching whatever I was doing.
Mum always had time to listen to me or Sally, my Dad not so much. Dad always liked to go for a drink with his mates, Mum stayed at home. Occasionally Dad would take Mum out, if they could get a sitter for us, if not Dad would go out on his own. When I was old enough, babysitting Sally became my responsibility.
From a very young age I was interested in cameras and photography. My first ever camera was a cheap digital camera I got as a birthday gift. I saved any money I earned from doing odd jobs for people to help pay for a better camera. My problems started when I was fifteen, I told my parents I wanted to do graphic design and photography at sixth form. Straight away Dad got pissed off, I think he thought I was going to follow him into the foundry.
"You need to forget that rubbish and get a proper job!" Dad grumbled at me.
"Dad, that is a proper job." I replied, hoping not to anger him.
"No it isn't. Sitting there poncing about with a computer is a job for a woman, men should do manual work. No wonder this world is going to shit, all these fucking poncy ideas you kids have nowadays." Dad got up and went into the lounge. I was going to follow and talk to him, Mum shook her head as if to say no. Sally sat there looking scared and confused.
After that night Dad took very little interest in what I did, he spoke to me only when he had to. We all noticed how Dad was drinking more, as well as going out more with his mates. If Sally needed any help with school work it fell on Mum or me to help her out.
It was just after my eighteenth birthday that things came to a head between Dad and me. My grandparents had got me a new camera, Mum got me some accessories for it. I was sitting in my room sorting out my old camera when Dad barged in. I could smell the booze on him. He took one look at me and shook his head. As a parting gift he kicked my old camera against the wall, before turning and walking out. The camera was smashed beyond repair, that was the moment I decided to move out of our home as soon as possible.
Sally could see how pissed off I was, she hugged me and said she was sorry for what Dad had done. Mum apologised for him as well, I think she was more relieved it wasn't the new camera that got damaged.
I finished sixth form and found a job almost straight away, three months later I moved out of the house. Mum and Sally were sad to see me leave, they both understood my reasons for leaving. By this time Dad was spending more time out drinking than he was at home. I moved into a grotty little flat close to where I worked, it wasn't much to look at but I felt safer there, away from my Dad.
Sally visited me most weekends, she let me know that Dad was hardly ever at home. It reassured me that he wasn't treating Mum or Sally the way he treated me.
The downside to living away from home was money, specifically the lack of it. My job only paid an entry level salary, most of that went on paying bills and buying food. All of my furniture was second hand, except the bed. My lack of money meant I spent most evenings organising and editing my collection of photographs, sometimes Sally would call me. Our chats broke the monotony of being on my own, it also gave me a chance to keep in touch with Mum as well.
I really enjoyed my job, the people I worked alongside were nice. Luckily there were very few women working there, the few that did were either married or too old for me. I say luckily as I didn't have the money to be able to afford to date. I was in my second year when the company employed another trainee, Denise was nice to look at and she liked to learn. We had been working alongside each other for a few months when Denise threw me with a question.
"Rick, how come you haven't asked me on a date?"
Initially I was shocked, but I struggled to find an answer. I went with the truth. "Simple really, Denise. I like you and would love to take you on a date, the problem is I don't have the money to spend on a night out."
Denise looked at me, and smiled. "Sorry, I didn't realise I was going to be so expensive."
As we worked I explained my situation to Denise. I gave her credit for listening as I told her everything. I hoped as I learnt more I would get a raise, my first task would be to get out of the grotty flat I was renting.
Denise sat and watched me as I worked. "Rick, can you cook?"
I nodded. "Yes, I can. It's hardly gourmet cooking but it's edible, most of the time."
"Okay, well how about you cook me dinner one evening? We can treat it as a date, I'll bring a bottle of wine. How does that sound?"
I agreed and we set the date for Friday night. My culinary skills were not the best, but I managed to cook a nice chicken risotto with a salad. Denise arrived at 7pm, she handed me the bottle of wine before removing her coat. At work Denise was always dressed conservatively, knee length skirts and blouses with no cleavage on show. Tonight she was wearing a short skirt and a t-shirt, she also had on a little make-up. We talked as I served up the food. As we sat down I hoped the food was okay, if I cooked for myself and screwed it up I didn't mind that much.
"This is nice, Rick. You are a better cook than you led me to believe."
"Thank you." I nodded and smiled. "It's nice to cook something different for a change."
We talked as we ate, I learned that Denise was the youngest of three children. Her older brother was in the air force, her older sister was married and expecting her first child. Denise told me her father left home a few years ago for another woman.
