Chapter 1- Ana

    I was currently from the view of my brother and more importantly my brother’s girlfriend, Sadie. Or should I say his (hopefully) soon-to-be fiancé. My brother Henry had called me right after Christmas to tell me that he was planning on proposing to Sadie on Valentine’s Day and asked if I would be available to take their engagement photos. Of course, being the loving sister I am, I said I would be delighted to do so. Sadie had become like the big sister I never had and so I was over the moon when Henry had finally decided to pop the question.

    Henry had decided to take Sadie to where they first met, Presidio High School in Tucson where we all grew up. The two met in their sophomore year when my brother was the quarterback on the school’s football team and Sadie was cheerleading team co-captain. I know it sounds cliché but the two couldn’t stand each other the whole of their first year of high school but by sophomore year they had become inseparable best friends. By junior year the two were prom prince and princess and the rest is history.

    As I approached the two from behind Sadie’s back, I sent my brother the signal to let him know it was show time and before I knew it I was snapping pics of the future Mr. and Mrs. Henry Winters. As Henry slipped our mother’s ring onto Sadie’s finger the shock on her face at seeing me and the pure joy that radiated off the two of them was enough to bring tears to my eyes. I was so happy for the two of them and couldn’t wait to accept Sadie as an official part of the family.

    After snapping plenty more engagement photos for my brother and future sister-in-law, we made our way back to my dad’s house for pizza and game night just like every other Friday night since I was old enough to hold a handful of cards. Henry and Sadie were heading out in a few days to return home to New York, and I was leaving to meet with an agent in Los Angeles about a possible gig with a band that was on the rise. I hadn’t had much professional exposure, but I had built a name for myself around the Tucson area and was excited to see what this opportunity would do for my career as a photographer. I think Dad was excited for both of us but also very apprehensive about letting both of us go. I had stayed close to home when I went to college for my photography and business degree, and Henry had always made it a priority to come home as much as possible, so it was going to be a big adjustment for all of us, but I think we were all excited to see what the future has in store for his children.

    “Well, I guess this will be the last winter’s family game night for a while huh?” Dad said, and his face betrayed the strong front he was trying to put up in front of us. Henry and I exchanged a glance between ourselves, and we both knew that this was finally hitting him. “Dad, I don’t have to go to this meeting on Monday, I’ll stay here for now and just keep up with my local shoots,” I said not wanting to commit to what I had just promised to do but knowing it would get the sad look off his face. “No.” I heard, and I don’t think that it fully registered to me at first that it hadn’t been Dad who had said it, it had been Henry. I looked at him in shock as did Dad, but Henry was serious. “Ana, you have worked way too hard and put so much work into this new job. I for one am not gonna let you give up. Not this easy.” He looked at Dad with eyes that were warning enough from across the room, let alone across our small coffee table in our living room. He wasn’t letting up on this, whether Dad liked it or not. My brother was one thing, but easy to convince was not one of those things. He was stubborn, relentless, and proud. Just like our mother had been. Once he had his mind up on something, that was that. Our mother was strong, smart, and stubborn.  Henry was her clone in that sense.

     My brother, as always, was right. I applied a year ago for the spot when a friend of mine sent me a link for the listing from the management team. They had said in the listing that they had several groups and solo artists who were looking for photographers for their tour teams. It had taken a year for me to get a call for a gig with a group that was doing their first headliner tour this coming spring/summer. I was supposed to leave that Monday to go to Los Angeles to meet with the management team and iron out any final details. I would be living in LA for about a month before the tour began. Turning around and changing my mind would probably get me blacklisted at this point and it would mess up my whole career as a photographer, dad knew that. I know he didn’t want me to give up on this opportunity, but I think he was hoping deep down that I would let my mind get the better of me and agree to stay home.

    “You’re right,” I said to Henry, who was looking at me with a sort of fear in his eyes. He instantly relaxed once he realized that I was agreeing with him. “I am beyond proud of you, Ana. And I hope you realize how great of an opportunity this is and how talented you are.” To hear my brother say he was proud of me was one of the best things you can ask for. Henry was not one to show emotions. And when he did it was a rare occurrence. He looked at our father and took a deep breath. “Dad,” he said with a sigh, “this is her big shot. You need to realize that this is her one chance to make it. And if you ruin this for her, she will never realize her true potential and I truly believe you will never forgive yourself. This is what mom would’ve wanted for her,” Henry finished with tears in his eyes. Dad looked at me and asked, “What do you want to do, Ladybug?” I wanted to go to LA and start my career. Henry was right, this was my one chance to make it big, and I didn’t want to give that up. “Dad, you know I love you, but this is my one shot. I need to do this for me, for my future, for my career. Let me do this for mom.” He sighed and looked at me, “then shoot for the stars, Ladybug. And I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you.”

    I stood up and walked over to my father and gave him a hug. The type of hug he never accepts because he knows it means things are different. He hugged me tighter than he ever had and when we finally broke apart we both knew that things were going to be okay. First thing Monday morning I would be on the first flight to Los Angeles, California and I would be starting the next big chapter in my life.