Runner Up (6 page)
Authors: Leah Banicki
The group of
Soulmate
single ladies was down to seventeen now. The few seconds I spent with Anthony
was short and sweet. He made eye contact and I got an attractive smile. The rumblings throughout the day, as we
packed, were that Desiree was the single solo date for this next trip. He has kept all the girls that have had a single
date with him, so far.
Our assistants beckoned and the herd of high heels and hair were rounded up and updated. We learned
we were flying out shortly and we all wanted to be ready for anything.
Chapter 6
We landed at Kilikaro Resort in Brazil to tropical temperatures and jet lag. I was not even sure exactly
where we were beyond the name of the resort. The show really knew how to keep us in the dark. They kept us
blinded by gift bags and designer sunglasses as we arrived; we were too busy listening to the giggles and shrieks of
the excitable gals. All Janette and I wanted to do was escape the noise. The ride on the plane had been long and
taxing, some people needed to learn to speak with their
indoor
voices.
up on sleep and finding a moment or two of peace. It was beginning to feel like our routine for surviving the show.
* * * * *
The warm sun was an insult to my hot skin as I stepped off the bus into the sizzling sand, coming from a
group date that had happened near the resort grounds. The walk from the beach was a long one as I pondered the
mess that had just happened.
After waiting for two days for my group date I had to spend the most of it with eight other girls. As a
group we did a few artsy projects and I had a mild sort of fun while doing it, but everyone had their own agenda,
to spend time with Anthony. Because I already had an individual date with him, every time I tried to talk with him
we were interrupted, most of the time it was rudely done.
I tried to keep my composure after being interrupted, usually it involved praying. I tried to imagine how
Anthony would see me if I tackled the next girl in some kind of girl-like ninja, hair-pulling style warfare that we girls
are born knowing how to do. Not that I have ever been in a fight in my life, but I could imagine it after being
interrupted repeatedly.
The best moment Anthony and I shared all day was when I held his hand for a half a minute. He sat next
to me and said four words before another girl came and took away our private moment.
He said to me, "Hannah I had so..."
I loved how he said my name while holding my hand, but that was not much to build a hope on for a whole
felt my annoyance meter starting to percolate.
I always had a slow to anger personality but perhaps this show would put that to the test. I seriously
needed to journal, pray or something. My head was hot, my nerves were frazzled and I felt dehydrated. Today felt
like an enormous waste of time.
Tomorrow was another group event and all I could think of was ibuprofen and an enormous glass of ice
water.
As I strolled through the sand, near the resort, I saw the remaining girls killing time in some of the many
amenities of the place. There were plenty of outdoor and indoor activities. The cool blue-stone pavers felt good
on my bare toes as I reached the veranda. The beige accents created a peaceful haven. I had to admit this resort
was one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I had ever seen.
There was soft cultural music playing nearby, the sound drifting on the breeze. I wondered if the resort
hired musicians to just play all day to create the environment. It was working on my nerves; I made it to my suite
and ordered my water and a light snack, grabbed my carryon and dug through until I found my headache pills. I sat
on my bed and stared out the sliding glass door that faced the ocean. The waves coming in and out had me
mesmerized for a few minutes.
What in the world am I doing? What makes me so special that this isn't gonna be some colossal waste of energy?
All these girls are so beautiful and a few are very aggressive. I am not sure how anyone can get enough attention to make
this worthwhile
. Normally, I talked myself through things but I had lost my perspective.
"Come in." I said, breaking the static noise in my head, hearing a polite knock on the door.
The woman brought me a tray with water, fresh fruit, and an envelope. I ignored it for a minute, took my
ibuprofen, and ate the fruit, while I tried to go back into my ocean-watching trance.
I stayed that way until I remembered the envelope. I ripped it open slowly along the edges, the white card
was blank but inside it simply stated.
It was hand written. I wondered who sent it. The only people, that I knew at the resort were part of the
show.
I figured it was another interview so I touched up my melted off makeup and put on a little mascara and lip
gloss. It only took a minute to find room 32; I didn’t see anyone around so I knocked.
I could not have been more surprised. Anthony, grinning and laughing, quickly grabbed me and dragged me
through the door, in a split second. Before saying a word he plastered me with a kiss and shot down every
objection I had for the day.
He broke the embrace and gently pushed me away after thirty seconds of bliss.
"That was what I have wanted to do every day since Scotland. I miss you already, is that bad?" He asked
and grinned like a naughty schoolboy.
I gulped, a little shocked and affected by the kiss. "It's not... a bad thing." I stammered a bit idiotically.
"I have no desire to ruin your reputation, but I have to say something before you leave. I really like you,
Hannah." He kissed me again, briefly, sincere and sweetly.
"Well Anthony, I like you, too. You are going to be the death of me." I said.
Why do all my words sound so lame to me
? I wondered
.
“I want to spend more time with you, but the limitations of the show sometimes make it impossible. I
would like to write to you, and give you the ability to write to me. You can send any mail to family from the front
desk. If you label any letters for a T. Brown it will come to me. My mother’s maiden name is Brown and you can
call me Tony, when it’s just you and me. I hope you still want to be here because I want to get to know you
better.” He handed me another envelope and smiled boyishly, again.
“I love that plan, and I definitely want to be here. It was hard today sharing you with so many beautiful
girls, but knowing I can write to you makes me feel very special.” I sounded a bit better now.
It’s time to get out of
here before I blow it.
“You can read that later. I just initialed it T.B.” He seemed a bit nervous. It was endearing. In that split
second I saw him as a more than the cute guy, someone also looking for love. It was a shock to me. I only thought
about myself this whole time. Suddenly he was here and vulnerable too, trying to make a connection.
“Thanks Tony.” I said, and reached my arms around his shoulders and gave him a simple hug. It felt like the
right thing to do, a genuine embrace. He held me for a minute and I could feel his heart beating, one hand slid up
and he stroked my hair for a moment. I think that was when I lost a part of my heart.
A minute later I was floating down the hallway, lost in the feelings of euphoria. When I reached the suite I
just opened my sliding door, sat on a teak chair, and listened as the soft ocean breeze whispered to me. I stayed
that way for a while then opened the envelope to get gushier when I read his simple words to me. ME, Hannah
Parker…
Sweet Hannah,
Your dark eyes have me enchanted. I was so worried before this started that the girls were only interested in being
on TV and that I would lay my heart bare and there would be only a show, and nothing more. Now I know that God can do
anything, even get a girl like you, with beauty, poise and integrity to meet me here on a silly reality TV show, to do this
journey with me.
I cannot wait to get to know you better. Feel free to write me back. Tell me all about your family and anything you
want to talk about. Ask me anything too.
T.B.
* * * * *
The weather was so mild and breezy this morning, as I joined the full group of girls on the beach. The
show’s group activities were always interesting. Sometimes it was something creative, sometimes a contest to win
dates, sometimes a random name was called to enjoy a dinner or lunch date with the bachelor or bachelorette of
the show. We gathered together and the girls chattered companionably. All-in-all, we started getting along better,
or at least, faking it for the cameras. I heard a few complaints about some shrewish behavior when the cameras
were gone but certain girls were known to be that way, whether at home or on a TV show. We all knew how to
do drama when push came to shove, especially when there was a man involved.
Randall called everyone to attention and we got another long-winded speech.
I listened and was surprised when I saw men with boxes, for everyone, come forward. I moved through
the crowd and retrieved a brand new camera.
"Now ladies, today's contest is going to start in one hour. If you go to the main lobby there are batteries
available and people to help you get started with the simple digital cameras you have.
The contest allows you to take pictures for three hours. You can turn in three pictures for a chance to
win a dinner date alone with Anthony tonight and a guaranteed date card for the next ceremony.
So turn in your best pictures. They are due by 3 p.m. You have an hour to practice, three hours to take
pictures and another hour to print out the best three pictures. There will be photo printers available in the lobby,
and people there to help you." Randall ended and escaped the attention while the scurry of women took its full
affect.
I had an instant smile when I heard it was a photo contest. I had a small suspicion this was just an
advertising stunt for the camera brand, but I would go with it.
I looked over the camera specs and started plotting out where I wanted to go.
The lagoon to the south of the resort looked promising. I was plotting out some shots of foliage; maybe I
can get lucky with an animal or bird near the beach.
"Hannah, I think this contest is tailor-made for you. I am technically challenged... seriously unfair." Janette
had an attractive pout. The Brazilian sun had given her a slight sunburn and her cute freckles were out in force.
"You got some sun." I said with a grin.
"Sun
burn
really... They don't plan out these events with fair redheads in mind, I must admit. I am starting to
think of this less as a romantic opportunity and more an interesting vacation. My group date two days ago was
without a hint of romance. Well, he did grab me for a moment. After I was pelted in the face with a volleyball, lost
my balance and face planted. He helped me up while I was spitting sand out of my mouth, I kid-you-not!" Janette's
voice rose with the intensity of her story. Her timing was impeccable, like a comedian.
I couldn't help but laugh. She was such a great story-teller.
"At least let me help you with your camera, come sit." I gestured to two chairs nearby and we opened our
cameras. There were batteries in the box thankfully and I got them both working in a minute and took a few test
shots then showed her how to use the camera. I showed her how to use the screen and where the delete key
was. It was a basic point and shoot with an auto-focus feature that would be pretty simple for just about anyone to
use for decent pictures. Once I showed Janette around the camera’s features, I started searching through the menu
for extra features to play with. This was going to be fun. I wanted that dinner with Anthony and I had no excuse
for not earning it today.
Four hours later I had a memory card full, a few bug bites, and two splinters from a gnarly-looking tree, I
leaned on while trying to get an angled shot of a bird sitting on a high branch. It was such a great day, I had hopes it
would earn me a great night.
I sat in the lobby and scrolled through my pictures on the view screen. I had at least ten I wanted to print
and went up the front desk to ask a few questions.
"Hi, can I print more than three pictures before I choose the three I want to enter in the contest?" I asked
the show producer, holding the clipboard. His face held a bored look that probably lasted the entire day until my
question woke him up!
"Why yes, you may, but please keep the number under fifteen pictures so everyone has a chance to print
some." He smiled and I thanked him sincerely.
I printed eleven shots, mulled over the choices, and listened to others doing the same. I peeked around to
see if anyone was close to my competition in this round, but so far there were lots of snapshots of the ocean and
palm trees, not a lot of creativity. I felt a pang of guilt for being a photography snob, but it didn’t last long, “I know
what I know!” I am not sorry for being a professional. I needed to be humble and remember that there could be
a contest that was not my specialty in the future, if I remained in the competition.
I picked three photos finally, printed, and signed my name to the back of each one. I handed them to the
show producer and walked back to my room to wait it out. I was hungry from skipping lunch and running up and
down the beach for hours. I was happy about my tan, though. I hadn't had a good tan since I went to Florida a few
years ago with my parents and my cousin, Chrissy. We had laid out every day and got tan on that trip. It was a
great memory.
* * * * *
It was no shock when I won the contest. The cameramen were the judges, which made me laugh. I got
along with most of them well, being a technology geek, I was always friendly with the shooting staff. I knew they
were good at their jobs, from watching the show in the past. All the foreign locales were shot beautifully and I was
honest in my appraisal of their work. Sometimes one or two of them would even call me over during shooting
breaks and asked me about some filler film they had done that day and had on their laptops. It made me miss my
camera gear even more. It was fun to be friends with these brilliant guys at the top of their game.
I won the competition with an artsy shot I got by going into a rough section of palm trees and underbrush.
While getting a bit of dirt on my clothes, I landed a good shot of a storm cloud over the ocean through an
opening in the trees. It showed dark and light contrast that made it moody and interesting. Not bad for a point-nshoot camera.
After my name was announced as the winner, I walked up to Randall and got my two date cards. One date
card was for dinner tonight, and one was for the ceremony. This meant I was still on the show for another four
days.
As I turned to walk back to my spot next to Janette, I felt the tension on the verandah heighten. Suddenly
the stares had stopped being friendly and my neck felt a bit tingly, like a hundred daggers were aimed at me. I
walked slowly and keep my face neutral. It was very intimidating, knowing almost everyone in the room was
beginning to hate me.
It seemed as though I was being labeled as a threat, I wondered how they would react knowing I had been
receiving letters from Anthony. I saw Janette’s grin and felt a little less alone, but the moment left me shaken. This
reality TV experience was more complicated than I ever gave it credit for.
I found a dress in my wardrobe that would work for this warm, balmy climate. Heidi brought me a sheer
white shawl. It had elegant detail work and long fringe that draped beautiful over my Spaghetti strapped lavender
dress. I had big plans to enjoy every minute with Tony, my Tony.
With each date and shared moment, he felt more "mine." Yesterday was so precious, when he spilled his
heart and exposed his soul. His dark eyes showed he was vulnerable and his body language said, “Nervous!” It
reminded me that men want to be loved, too. Well, some of them do -- the settling-down kind.
Anthony was that kind of guy, no matter how athletic or a guy’s guy he was, he had that inner drive for
love and family. He said as much the last time he was on the show. Now, with me he was so attentive that it
proved to me, even more, that he was ready for a serious relationship.
I know I am ready.
I said to myself, and I believed it. Until this week I was not sure if I even knew what that
meant.
I was escorted by a producer to a charming dining area and told to wait, again. I learned there was a lot of
hurry-up-and-wait with the making of a television show. I did a quick interview, touching on all the niceties about
winning the contest and how everyone really wanted to win this date and how honored I felt. Sometimes this felt a
bit cheesy, I just hoped I didn’t look as tacky as I felt.
I heard Tony's voice before I saw him and I enjoyed the warm rush that went through me when I saw him.
This was what songs were written about. I could not imagine any drug that felt this pleasant.
Tony broke through the producers and strode over to get to me and he planted a quick kiss on my lips
before anyone had the camera's ready. We both laughed when the producers started to fuss.
Comments and complaints just made us laugh more as they got him settled back on the other side of the
table. This time he had to arrive on camera!
I could not stop grinning as I watched them get the entire group cameras set up again and as they gave
Tony the cue to step forward and welcome me to join him at the table. As he scooted out my chair he whispered
in my ear.
"I liked my first entrance better." I tried not to laugh on camera. I gave him a look and mouthed, 'me too.'
Dinner was great with plenty of laughs and conversation. There was never a gap or awkward silence. I was
suddenly beginning to wish I could start introducing him to all my people at home, Allison in New York, and then I
would drag him to Indiana for a visit with my parents and Chrissy. They would love his laid-back manners and
sense of humor. He was truly everything I had been hoping for. I had never met anyone like him.
Chapter 7
