A Good Man (54 page)

“Yes,” John said.

He sure did. They’ll definitely need more ink in his machine, too. “Did you kiss me on our date?”

“Yes.”

“Did you want to kiss me more on our date?” Sonya asked.

“Yes.”

I can’t help this next question. “Did you want to do more than just kiss me on our date?”

“Yes.”

And, sports fans, there’s no doubt about it. “John, why did you come on this show?”

“Jazz,” Graham said, “the test results are better when—”

“Hush,” Sonya interrupted. “Why did you come on this show?”

“I came to find a wife,” John said.

So true. “Have you found her?”

“Yes.”

Also true. “Is there someone else you’re interested in?”

“Yes.”

And it’s … true? She stood and peeked over the screen. John’s smiling. Duh. She sat. “Is the someone you’re interested in not on this earth and watching over us?”

John smiled. “Yes.”

The man loves him some Jesus. And now it’s time to really make him sweat. And me sweat. My hands are almost dripping. “John, are you in love with me?”

“No.”

And … it’s true? What? Maybe he didn’t hear me. “John, are you in love with me?”

“No.”

The same result? What? How can that be true? His banner over me is love! “Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?”

“Yes.”

And this is true. I am so confused! “John, do you want to marry me?”

“Yes.”

Whoa. The man wants to marry me, but he’s not in love with me. I know he needs a wife to be a pastor again, but … he’s not in love with me? “Um, why aren’t you in love with me?”

“Jazz, the results—”

“Go away, Graham,” Sonya interrupted.

“I am so gone,” Graham said. He walked through the kitchen and out to the pool.

“John, I thought you were in love with me,” Sonya said.

“I can’t lie and say I am,” John said.

And that’s true. What gives? “So you don’t love me?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“I don’t understand,” Sonya said. “I’ll ask it one more time. John, are you in love with me?”

“No.”

And it’s still true. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Pray about it.”

“I’ve been praying about it.” Till my knees hurt!

“Pray without ceasing, then.”

Don’t you quote scripture at me! “I’ve been praying for the last week.”

“All I can say, Jazz, is for you to pray some more.”

Sonya shut off the monitor, ran out of the great room, into the foyer, and up the stairs. When she got to her room, she slammed the door and locked it.

A moment later, she heard a knock.

Larry? At a time like this?

“What?” she yelled.

“It’s me, Sonya,” Kim said.

Sonya unlocked the door but didn’t open it. She went to her bed and punched a pillow.

Kim opened the door slowly. “You okay?”

“I’m punching the crap out of a defenseless pillow, Kim,” Sonya said. “What you think?”

Kim stayed by the door. “You want to talk about it?”

“I am so confused right now!” She picked up the pillow, tossed it in the air, and punched it. “I know he loves me, I know it.”

“I know it, too,” Kim said. “John beat the test on that question somehow. He does love you. Why would he lie?”

“But he didn’t lie! You saw the results. He told the truth every time.”

“He had to lie! Tony’s lies must have messed up John’s machine or something. Or John’s machine malfunctioned at the end. A glitch. It has to be.”

Sonya sighed. “Or maybe John has the malfunction.” What am I missing?

“You think he’s playing you? Telling you to pray? You pray all the time.”

I’m just not praying correctly.

Lord, teach me to pray.

While John and Tony spent the night at the Residence Inn near the Camarillo Airport, Sonya and Kim spent their last night in the mansion.

It was a quiet night.

Sonya walked around the mansion for only a few minutes. I think I have mansion fever, she thought. I have to get out of here. She returned to her room. “Kim, want to take a walk down to the beach with me or something? I gotta get out of here, clear my head.” Get away from these memories.

Kim struggled to close one of her suitcases. “I’m going to watch tonight’s recap in front of the fire. Why don’t you join me? We could pop some popcorn. Maybe make some s’mores.”

And memories, Sonya thought. Some lasting memories. What we could have done together if I had only kept her. “Sure. I’d like that.”

And while the recap ran for an hour, Sonya and her daughter spent a quiet evening in their home away from home making memories.

Michelle arrived on getaway day, surprising Kim and Sonya as they took in some sun by the pool. “How are my favorite actresses?”

“Where have you been?” Sonya asked.

“Spending money,” Michelle said.

“Our money,” Kim said. “Why are you here?”

“I called Larry, and he said it was okay,” Michelle said. “I mean, you’ll be on a plane to Bora Bora soon. I had to say good-bye.”

“We haven’t seen or heard from you in months,” Sonya said. “How else have you been spending your time?”

“I’ve signed a few actors,” Michelle said. “I got five of the first seven you dumped.”

“No way,” Sonya said.

“They were oh so willing,” Michelle said. “And angry! They were pissed, let me tell you.”

“How are they doing?” Sonya asked.

“Three are doing commercials, and two have small parts in movies,” Michelle said. “I am building quite a stable of your rejects. I tried to get Aaron, but Survivor already snatched him up.”

I hope Aaron wins. He should. “What are you really doing here now, Michelle? We’re getting ready to vacate this place. We’ve already packed.”

Michelle smiled. “I wanted to see if, after this shows ends, you or Kim wants my representation in the future.”

“No,” Sonya said.

Michelle pouted. “Kim?”

“No,” Kim said.

“You’ll make some serious coin, especially you, Kim,” Michelle said. “There are several sitcoms interested in you. They’re in the pilot stage already. They need you.”

Wow. My daughter the TV star. “That’s something to consider, Kim.”

Kim shook her head. “I’m not interested, Michelle.”

“They need a wisecracking, smack-talking sister for a show called Folks,” Michelle said, “and you are all that, Kim.”

“I’m not interested at all,” Kim said.

“They can also use a smooth-talking man,” Michelle said. “I’ve tried to contact Tony. I texted him my number and all the details for the next Matt Damon movie six weeks ago, but he didn’t respond.”

“Tony?” Kim said. “Why’d you contact Tony?”

“You’ve seen him,” Michelle said. “He’s the hottest thing in America right now. I know he’ll want to cash in on his sudden fame. He missed his chance on the Damon movie, but I have several auditions waiting for him, including that spot on Folks.”

“That’s great,” Sonya said.

“Within a year or two,” Michelle said, “Tony Charpentier might get huge.”

“Wait,” Kim said. “You told him about a big movie six weeks ago, and he hasn’t responded, texted, or called you back?”

“No,” Michelle said. “Which is strange. You’d think he would jump at the chance. I expected him to respond six weeks ago. Is he slow or something?”

No, Sonya thought. He’s in love. “He stayed for you, Kim.”

Kim smiled. “Yeah. He did.”

“Am I missing something here?” Michelle asked.

“No,” Sonya said. “Nothing.”

“You watch,” Michelle said. “As soon as the show’s over, he’ll be calling me. At least, I hope he calls me, if you get my drift.”

“He won’t call you,” Kim said.

“How would you know?” Michelle asked.

“I just know,” Kim said.

Michelle turned to Sonya. “You have some pull with Tony, right?”

“I have no control over anyone but myself.” I don’t even have any control over John. “But Kim might have some pull.”

“What?” Michelle said.

“We’ll talk later,” Sonya said. “You have anything else to say, Michelle?”

“Um, no,” Michelle said. “What’s really going on, Sonya?”

“Nothing,” Sonya said. “Well, thank you for putting me on this show. Now get lost.”

Michelle looked from Kim to Sonya. “Okay. Have a great last show.”

After Michelle left, Kim dove into the pool, then swam to the side. “Tony didn’t cash in when he could have. Isn’t that great?”

Sonya smiled. “Kim, you were looking for something, and maybe that something found you. Maybe acting is your thang, girl. Maybe the two of you can get on that Folks show.”

“Maybe.”

“You like LA, don’t you?” Sonya asked.

“Well, yeah, but …”

“Just keep your options open,” Sonya said. “I mean, one day the two of you could be making movies together, right?”

Kim rolled her eyes. “Right.”

“At least you’re getting surer about him now? Like maybe he’s … your soul mate?”

“I think he might be.”

I might be pushing this, but … “So Tony is husband material.”

“Yeah.”

Thank You, Jesus! “And how does that make you feel?”

“Special,” Kim said. “Important. Loved.”

Larry walked through the pool gate. “There you are.” He sat across from Sonya. “I just wanted to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you two.”

“Thank you,” Sonya said. “Where has Bob been? I haven’t seen him around.”

“Um, Bob has become, um, kind of a silent partner,” Larry said. “He’s home with his family. He seems very happy about it, too.”

“Oh. I’m glad to hear that,” Sonya said. “So you’ve been in charge the last few weeks.”

“I haven’t been in charge from the beginning,” Larry said. “You’ve been in charge, Sonya. You haven’t been working for me. I’ve been working for you. And all I had to do was let you loose on the world. You, too, Kim. Easiest job I’ve ever had.”

“Any final words of advice for tonight?” Sonya asked.

“No,” Larry said.

“Any ideas for how I should do the big reveal?” Sonya asked.

“No,” Larry said. “You’ll do it splendidly and with integrity, I’m sure.”

“Thanks for … letting me be me,” Sonya said.

Larry stood. “It is the wisest thing I have ever done.”

During the final episode of Hunk or Punk, the producers showed ninety minutes of unseen footage.

And most of it revolved around Sonya and John.

“The TV is too small,” Kim said, straightening a long black skirt and pulling up her hose, the limo’s TV blaring at its highest volume as she and Sonya waited inside the limo beside the hangar at Camarillo Airport.

If it weren’t for all the piercings in her ears, Kim might actually be a lady, Sonya thought. No. She’s a lady no matter what she wears. I’m just glad she didn’t fight me over that frilly white blouse. She actually put it on without fussing at me.

“Sonya, I can barely see what’s going on,” Kim said.

“I’ll narrate,” Sonya said, and she gave the play-by-play for the foot rub and the swimming lesson.

“Why didn’t they show that before?” Kim asked.

They didn’t expect John to win. Oh, and we were too religious. “It was too real, I guess.”

When clips of John’s song-and-dance rehearsal ran, Kim giggled. “He actually danced with a microphone stand. Sonya, really. You’re about to hook up with a man who dances with microphone stands.”

“As long as he dances last with me,” Sonya said, “I don’t care.”

Sonya leaned in to watch the Team’s discussion about leaving. “They really had it all planned out, didn’t they?”

Kim sighed. “They’ve practically given away the ending, haven’t they? I mean, there’s Tony telling the world he loves me and John saying about as much about you.”

About as much. He still hasn’t said the words.

During the family visit scenes, camera angles made Tony and Sonya appear closer than they actually were. In one scene, Tony put his arm around Sonya’s shoulders while Kim stood in the background blinking her eyes and shaking her head.

“That is a look of pure jealousy, Kim,” Sonya said.

“I wasn’t jealous,” Kim said. “I knew he was only doing it for show.”

“So I can still dance with him at your wedding?” Sonya asked.

“No,” Kim said. “Tony is only ever going to dance with me.”

The fireworks kiss faded into the lie detector test, and while beads of sweat formed on Tony’s forehead, John appeared so cool he was almost cold.

“Maybe they didn’t even have the machine turned on,” Kim said. “I mean, who knows if they weren’t filming another polygraph machine instead of the one in front of John to throw you off.”

Larry wouldn’t have done something so underhanded, Sonya thought. Bob, maybe, but not Larry. “No, I think those results were true.”

The driver started the limo. “You’re on next.”

And I’m more nervous now than I was in the beginning. She grabbed Kim’s hand. “Thank you for going through this with me.”

“You’re welcome. I had fun.”

“So did I.”

After several commercials, the hangar, Learjet, and their limo came into view on the TV screen. Sonya and Kim watched Tony and John get out of another limo at the other end of the hangar, both men dressed in sharp black suits, both men carrying suitcases.

They then saw their own limo parking in front of the Learjet.

“You ready?” Kim asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Sonya said.

The driver helped both get out of the limo, and they walked to the bottom of the stairs leading up to the jet. Sonya looked around and didn’t see Graham.

She tried not to look at John, but her eyes kept drifting over to his smiling face.

At least he’s smiling, Sonya thought. I hope he’s smiling in the end, too.

And then Larry, wearing a tuxedo, walked out of the jet and down the stairs to stand between them.

“Hello,” Larry said. “My name is Larry Prince, and I am one of the executive producers for this show. I want to take a few moments to make a few apologies to you, our viewers, and to Jazz and John as well. You see, we filmed Jazz and the Team twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for over three months. As you might imagine, that’s a lot of film to edit. In our zeal to present what we thought were the most entertaining and revealing scenes, we cut out much of what was truly romantic. You saw some of those truly romantic moments tonight. My wife, Rose, has been dead for thirty years now, and I had almost forgotten what it was like to be romantic. Jazz and John brought it all back. I wish we had shown you more.” He smiled at Sonya. “Jazz, are you ready to give us your decision?”