Surprise Photographer

Sarah really hated weddings, especially ones she is in. Her sister Annie married the “man of her dreams.” Sarah knew there was no such thing as a dream man. There was always a agenda for men. A trophy wife, someone to support him while he “finds himself.” 

 “Sarah please try and smile, your ruining your sisters pictures.” 

By they way their mothers brow furled, Sarah knew a lecture would be coming if she didn’t comply.

 If anyone cared to really look, they would see the curl of her lips was more a snear than a smile.

 Ben took a few more pictures, the click of his camera was fast and furious. “God, I hate weddings!” If they could only hear his thoughts, they would fire him on the spot. Bright blue eyes shone with disgust, his mouth turned down at the corners.

“I think I got it ladies, I will see you all at the group photo” Ben hurried away before they could stop him. In his rush he left his backup camera on the table.

Sarah stomped off, grateful to be done for now. A flicker of light caught her eye. The lens of a camera had caught a dapple of sunlight coming through the skylight. “Well damn, how stupid can the photographer be leaving his camera behind.” She looked around to see if she saw the man. When she saw him standing on the back, almost hidden from view behind the table piled high with gifts.

A small groan escaped her lips as she grabbed the camera, heading to give it to him. 

Ben saw one of the bridesmaids heading his way. Once he was sure she was making a beeline for him, he rushed to get out the door. As he tried to round the end of the table, a loud ripping sound got his attention. He had got the tablecloth caught on his shoe buckle, with a small jerk trying to shake it loose, it caused the gifts to come tumbling down.

The sounds of glass breaking, got everyone’s attention. In horror they watched as half of the gifts fall off the table.

Annie's shriek tore through the wedding hall. Along with her mother they furiously rushed over to Ben.

“You clumsy idiot, look what you have done! You have ruined my wedding!” Annie's face was flushed a bright red, her shrill voice cutting through the muffled whispers. 

“We will not pay one dime for those pictures. This is all on you, Mr. Gaines. I expect every single picture to be perfect and all on you.” Dorothy’s voice was a shrill as her daughters. She jabbed her finger into Ben's chest as she spoke.

Sarah felt sorry for the poor man, she had been on the receiving end of that jab and that condescending voice her whole life. Since Sarah was responsible for hiring Ben, her mother turned to her. Sarah stood steadfast waiting for the blame to now shift to her.

“This is your fault too Sarah, you have always been jealous of your sister. You’re an old maid, no man would ever want you, so you ruined your sisters day!”

Sarah hide her pain well, she smiled graciously at her mother as she stomped over to Mr. Gaines. “Ben you forgot the camera. I hope you forgive my mother, she can be high-strung. I will make sure this uiss cleaned up.” She turned back to her sister

 “Annie darling let’s take the group photo while this is being taken care of.”

 Sarah just wanted today over, the dress was pinching into her sides, the silky corset, she was forced to wear was killing her.

As soon as the groom and his side of the family heard what happened, it was over for Ben. 

“You stupid, clumsy, horrible man. Not only will you comp the photos but you will pay for the gifts that were broken.” Mr. Jenkin was one of the richest men in Port Xandi, yet here he was trying to make a poor photographer pay for gifts he could never afford.

Sarah was fuming, her hands shook with rags. When she reached Ben he seemed resigned to his fate. She wouldn’t let them do this.

She went and stood beside him, “go with it!” She whispered quietly as she slipped her hand into his. At first he tried to pull it away. Sarah gripped it tighter.

“I didn’t want to do this now, today is about Annie. Yet I cannot allow you all to harass Ben. He is my fiancé .and only agreed to do this for me. You all know his work, its everywhere. How did you think we got an award winning photographer on such short notice?” 

The death grip Sarah had on Ben’s hand, was hurting hers. She needed him to agree with what she said.

Mother scoffed, the a shrill laugh came from her perfectly paintrd lips.

“Your telling us that the most sought after photographer and a very handsome man is your date too? Oh Sarah you always reached higher than your dumpy self could obtain. There is no way this man is your date.”

Ben quit trying to remove his hand, instead he gripped hers back gently.

“I assure you Mrs. Kline, I am not only your daughters date, but a man who cares deeply for her.” Ben smiled down at Sarah, hoping to show he was willing to play along.

“Prove it, kiss her. No man would kiss frumpy Sarah if he didn’t have feelings for her.” Annie had a vicious gleam in her eyes, she was going to prove it all a lie.

Ben looked at Sarah, she wasn’t the most glamorous woman there. Yet her small round face with her large periwinkle blue eyes, full natural pink lips, made her look like a pixie, a very pretty one. Ben pulled her into hin, gently brushed her lips with his. When Sarah didn’t move away he deepened the kiss.

After the initial shock of this gorgeous man kissing her Sarah's soft moan escaped her as his kiss deepened. 

After what seemed like an eternity he finally lifted his mouth of hers. His beautiful smile made her heart flutter for a second. “Now, I will gladly pay for the gifts that were ruined, finish taking the pictures. But after that I will leave with my date.”

Sarah went through the motions from that moment on, she was in a daze over that kiss.

When it was all over, Sarah was helping Ben pack his equipment to keep up appearance. 

“Mr. Gaines, I know those gifts cost more than you would have made, please let me help.”

“Sarah is that why you said I was your date, to try and get me out of having to pay for them?” Ben couldn’t believe that this woman would risk her families wrath to help him, a lowly if not famous photographer. That showed a level of her character the rest of her family lacked.

“Please trust me Sarah, I can handle it. I appreciate you coming to my defense, and tolerating my kiss. I want to thank you for that.”

Sarah would have used a different word than tolerate, enjoyed came to mind. Her lips curled into a real smile, her dimples coming out.

Ben thought, damn when she really smiles, those lips and her dimples, made him want to kiss her again. That’s when he noticed the family trying to discreetly watch. 

“I’m going to kiss you Sarah, they are watching, they are still skeptical.”

Ben brushed her lips lightly, then pulled her tight against him, kissing her with passion. 

Sarah had never been kissed this way. She melted into Ben, a soft groan again escaping her.

Neither noticed when the family stopped watching, they were caught up in the rising passion between them.

“Thank you Ben for going along with my hairbrained scheme. You have my number, call me and we can discuss your fee. I know you said you could handle this, but just incase you do need help you will have my number.”

As the wedding was at the end, the guest lined up to send off the happy couple, Annie knew she couldn’t let Sarah get away with ruining her day.

“I want to make a toast to my big sister, at the rip old age of twenty-eight, she managed to snag a man. While he has been featured in magazines and has a few clients worth mentioning. He is still a lowborn man, who else would want Sarah?” 

Everyone giggled or laughed at Annie's comments. Sarah stood there shocked, this was low even for Annie. She tried hard to keep her face from showing her embarrassment, but a line tear escaped.

“Oh poor Sarah are you crying? I forgive you for ruining my day and I hope mama and papa forgive you for falling for a lowborn man?”

Again laughter and some crude coo comments were hurled at Sarah.

Ben was furious, his footsteps were more like stomping. He would be exposing who he was if he went over there. His one rule was he is not seen by the guest.

Looking at Sarah, he saw her face turn red, she hung her head, and he saw a small shudder go through her. In that moment, he knew he had fallen for her. Love ay first siggtw was a myth or so he thought.

He needed to help her, damn them finding out who he was, Sarah was more important.

Slipping his jacket on, he walked over to them. When Annie saw him, she pointed ay him liudky saying “Look Sarah, your lowborn is coming, he thinks he will make it better” her shrill laugh cut through Sarah as the crowd joined in.

Then there were gasps, low whispers, and the laughter stopped. As Ben walked through the crowd, they parted for him, each bowing as he passed. When he got to Sarah, he extended his hand to her. She slowly took it.

“Sarah, I know we just met and what you just saw must be confusing, yet I want you to be my wife. I never believed in love ay first sight or kiss but here we are.”

Sarah smiled up at Ben, “I feel the same way, and the answer is yes, but you must explain what that was oneday!”

Ben kissed her quickly, than turned back to the crowd. “I had hoped to keep my little secret of photography a little longer, but my affection for my future wife is more important than my anonymity.”

Annie pushed her way to their side, “Stop this nonsense, leave my wedding this instant, I never want to see you two again!”

The shocked gasps from her guest annoys her. “What!” she demanded.

“Do you not know who you are speaking to?” Mr. Lincoln asked. He was one of the highest ranking royal to attend their wedding. He grew up with Annie’s husband, Earl of Daxby. Her husband grabbed her arm telling her to stop immediately.

“Your Highness, I apologize for our behavior, we had no idea who you were. We are honored to have you here.” After bowing, Annie started crying. Sarah ruined her day even more with this charade.

Sarah tried to pull her hand away. His Highness, as in the soon to be crowned king, just played the cruelest, most heartless game in her. She will never live this down. “You have had yoyr fun Your Highness, I would like to leave now.”

By the end of that short sentence, Sarah was crying. Ben dropped to one knee, the crowd gasped.

“Sarah Newman, will you marry me?” 

Everyone waited eith baited breath for her answer.

Sarah saw the love in his eyes, she dropped to her knees, “Yes, yes, yes!”

Ben kissed her as they stood the crowd clapped and cheered for them.

The end.