“STAND OVER THERE,” the photographer called out to Belle. “Just move that way.” Belle shifted to the left. The photographer looked at the group critically. Gosh, he couldn’t have been more than about twenty, Belle thought, and incredibly hip standing there in his skinny jeans and sneakers. He looked really arty—she’d tracked him down through her work. Belle suddenly felt old and dowdy in her baggy white shirt and jeans, but that was the look Tash had insisted on—everyone in white shirts and blue jeans. At least they all had edgy red sneakers on—even the babies—so that was a bit of a colour pop.
“Okay, now, adults, put your arms around one another if you can. Move that baby to the right a little.”
Georgia shifted Oliver a little, and he was now snuggled in between his two mothers. Belle stole a glance at Tash and Emily on the other side, and they had Sophia positioned in a similar way. Tash had bought both babies white shirts and jeans that looked so cute on them. Belle grinned and looked at the camera just in time, as the photographer started to snap. “Everyone turn your head and look at the bigger girls.” Everyone looked adoringly at Cora and Ada who were seated in the middle of the photo.
“Now, are you happy to have the girls hold the babies, or prefer not?” The girls were already seasoned at holding their siblings, so Cora held Oliver and Ada held Sophia. The photographer snapped photos of the four siblings together, and then got the two couples to join in the photos too.
“And I think that’s a wrap,” he said. “Come look.”
Tash and Belle made their way to the back of the camera, where he flicked through a few photographs. “I love this one,” he said, gesturing to one where the two girls were holding the babies, and the four mothers were crouched down around them. He’d captured the shot really tightly, and everyone looked really happy, with beaming smiles.
“You did a great job,” Tash said. Belle was relieved she was happy—the whole photo shoot was her idea, but Belle had organised the photographer, and was a little worried it wouldn’t be exactly right for Tash’s tastes.
As the photographer busied himself packing away his equipment, Tash nodded toward Emily and Georgia standing talking, holding their babies and clearly sharing stories of parenting. “We did pretty well in the end, didn’t we? After all, to be here…at this point in our lives…” Tash said. “We’re very lucky.”
Belle nodded and grinned. “Modern family, I think.”
Tash gave her a big smile and then hugged her friend.