Bellamy's Redemption

“Thanks,” he said, turning red.

“Like a hot, dirty cattle thief from Wyoming, or a freakin’ movie star,” Shar continued. She was spitting with each word.

“Yup. Thanks, Shar.”

“I say it like I see it,” she said.

“You all look… nice,” said Bellamy, surveying the room.

But he was lying. Nearly everyone was a mess, covered in frosting and crumbs and cupcake shrapnel. The alcohol was flowing again, and several of the girls were only semi-conscious. Many wore expressions of irritation and mortification that he was seeing them like this. I’m not sure how his arrival was coming as such a surprise, or how they were forgetting about the ever-present cameras. It wasn’t as if the camera guys, who had also each consumed a week’s worth of calories in cupcakes, were easy to block out.

“You look beautiful,” Bellamy told Angélique, taking her hand. They went outside where a Clydesdale was waiting, tied to a small white wicker carriage. We all followed after to watch.

“You are so lucky. That should be me,” yelled Shar, as Bellamy helped Angélique up into the carriage.

“Zee wagon and horse are so nice,” said Angélique.

“Cool,” we heard Bellamy saying, and then away they went, off into the distance.

“That should have been me,” Shar repeated to anyone who would listen. She got up, peeled a cupcake wrapper off the back of her pants, examined it, gave it a lick, and tossed it to the ground.

I continued to watch Bellamy and Angelique recede from view. Honestly, being in that rickety carriage, inches from a giant horse butt, didn’t look so great to me. Aside from right here with Shar, I couldn’t think of many worse places to be. I wondered if maybe it was time for me to have a talk with the producers about going home. As we filed back inside and I was mulling this over, there was a knock at the door.

“I got it,” said Mylar, jumping up and opening the door. There on the ground was an embossed envelope. She snatched it up and tore it open. “It’s a group date! Okay, listen up everyone! Shyla, Delores, Emma, Cashmere, Deb, Aubrey, and Vanessa: Do you like to play? I do! Be ready tomorrow morning at 9 am. I can’t wait! P.S. Six of you will have a Deluxe time. One of you will not. ~ Bellamy. What could that mean? ‘Do you like to play?’ I can’t believe that I’m not on here! I’m so sad!”

“This sucks,” said Shar.

“Oh no! One of us is going home tomorrow morning,” said Cashmere.

“It won’t be you, so why are you worried?” asked Marissa. “Plus, from the sound of it, if you don’t go home, you get more jewelry. I would like to

have been included, even if it meant I might go home. Obviously he doesn’t like me. No one ever does. I don’t even know how I got on this show. That bitch Nickie was right. I don’t deserve to be here.”

“I don’t think it’s very fair that Emma and Vanessa got jewelry last night, and now they’re both going on a group date tomorrow morning, while I’m stuck here,” said another woman I didn’t recognize.

“This isn’t about what is fair,” said Vanessa. “This is about who Bellamy has a connection with. Grow up.”

“What do you think we should wear tomorrow?” asked Shyla.

“Something cute but versatile,” I said. I was picturing a sundress and sandals.

“I am just so thrilled he noticed me,” said a plain girl in the corner.

“What’s your name again?” asked Shar.

“I’m Deb. Deb Danners from Duluth.”

“What kind of jewelry do you think we’re going to get?” asked Vanessa.

“Lately I’ve been really into diamond barrettes,” said Caj. “They’re just so simple and understated, you know? That teensy bit of sparkle peeking out. I love it. So that’s my guess.”

“I’ll bet we’ll get earrings,” I said, already deciding I could commit to another day of this.

“I used to be a blackjack dealer,” said Deb, opening up like a flower that had finally seen a ray of sunshine. “Who wants to play blackjack?”

“I do,” I said. Shyla, Mylar, and Vanessa joined me. That’s where we still were five hours later when the door opened and one of the assistants wheeled out Angélique’s luggage, signifying that she was not destined to be Mrs. Bellamy Timberfrost.

Chapter 14