Staci felt the love immediately from Alysse, her sister of the soul. “Everything’s wrong. I’m in New York, in a bathroom...Remy has been lying to me all along.”
“Is he married?”
“What? No. I mean, I don’t know. I have no idea,” Staci blurted. The lies that he’d told her now took on even more disturbing connotations.
“Okay, start from the beginning and tell me everything,” Alysse said.
Staci took a deep breath. Just having Alysse there made things a little easier.
“Remy is part of the Cruzel family. He’s been lying about who he is on the show.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know,” Staci said.
“He could have entered the competition as Remy Cruzel, so why make up a fake name?” Alysse asked. “You have to find out.”
“He lied to me,” Staci said. “I can’t see beyond that. I don’t care what his reasons were. He told me he was a man of honor.”
“He’s a dirt bag,” Alysse said. “I’m making you a tray of brownies and sending them to you.”
“You can’t. I’m not even supposed to be talking to anyone back home. I just don’t know what to do. I think I love him, Aly. For the first time I thought I’d met a man who got me, you know?”
“Oh, honey, I do know. I’m so sorry.”
There was only silence on the line. She couldn’t help but feel like there was no hope for her and Remy. “Everyone knows we’ve been dating.”
“I’m sure they will all be kind to you,” Alysse said.
“You always were so trusting of others,” Staci said. She knew that having Remy’s lie exposed in front of the others was going to be hard. She didn’t want their sad looks.
“I want to run away.”
“If that’s what you think you should do, but you’re not someone who lets their problems drive them into hiding. You’re a fighter, Staci Rowland,” Alysse said. “Don’t forget that.”
She wanted to believe what her friend was telling her but apart of her, a really big part of her, was scared. She didn’t know how to make this work. She didn’t know how to move on from what had happened.
“What should I do?”
“I’d go back to the show and hold your head up high. You still have a competition to win, right?”
“Uh...”
“Listen,” Alysse said. “I don’t know how you’re doing in the competition but if it were me I’d channel all that anger into kicking his butt in the kitchen. Show him and the others that you’re stronger than anyone, Remy included, ever expected.”
Staci liked the sound of that. She checked herself in the mirror and this time she saw the woman that Alysse had just described. Staci had been fighting her entire life and she certainly wasn’t going to let Remy steal this from her. He’d shaken her faith in men. To be honest he’d probably delivered the death knell to her faith in herself.
But that was okay, she knew the way back and she’d succeed or put every last ounce of her sweat and skill into the fight.
“Thanks, Aly.”
“You’re welcome, honey. You know I love you. And text me later to let me know what happened.”
“I will if I can. I’m going to win this thing. At least cooking is something that’s just for me.”
“Your cooking is for the world,” Alysse said.
“You’re right.”
