“I won’t.”
“Will I get to meet any of your family?”
“No. It’s just me,” I answered. “They’re with Jake.”
“Oh, yeah, of course. We’ll be your surrogate family tonight.”
“That’s what I was counting on.”
It was funny – normally I wouldn’t know a guy like Dale, much less hang out with him, but his friendship had changed me for the better. He felt like family to me.
I saw the light blue suit before I actually saw the man filling it out. Carl. My eyes scanned him in amusement. He looked like a giant cotton candy as he came in for a quick and impersonal man-slap-hug.
“I’m so sorry about Jake,” Carl said, dropping his head and shaking it. Wow, Kenzie’s humanization classes had worked wonders on the man. He actually seemed genuinely saddened by Jake’s condition.
“Thanks, man, and I promise when he wakes up I’ll get you backstage.”
Carl nodded and slapped me on the shoulder. Pain radiated through my side and my knees threatened to buckle right out from under me.
Marsha strolled up then, dressed in a classy pantsuit, her signature pigtails gone for the night and her hair instead swept up into a tight bun. She looked like a business executive. Upon seeing the look of surprise on my face, Marsha grinned and hooked her finger into a bra strap on her shoulder.
Theatrically, I covered my hand over my mouth. “Marsha, no?”
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, it’s just a bralette.” She came in for a hug and, as always, gave my butt cheek a pat. I’d come to accept her unique greetings as a form of endearment.
“Was this outfit your idea?” I asked, as I gestured to her ensemble.
“Do you really think I would let those goons decide for me?”
Marsha’s words hit me to the core. No, I didn’t suspect she would, but I certainly was letting everyone and their lawyer make decisions for me. At that moment, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to force a smile on my face and pretend to be the dopey guy from the show. I was going to bethe mewho sat at my brother’s bedside for fifteen hours a day, every day, and if they didn’t like it, then too fucking bad.
The activity around us intensified, and cheers from the crowd could be heard. We were taken down the hall and told to huddle by the side of the stage until further notice. I sidled up next to Kenzie and put my arm around her.
“I thought we were keeping this a secret.”
“You look incredible,” I whispered into her ear. “So beautiful. I just can’t keep it to myself.”
“Then don’t.” She smiled happily. “I see Marsha still can’t keep her hands off you. I’m going to have to have a talk with her.”
“No need to worry about Marsha. We’re strictly platonic.”
Our conversation was interrupted as we were guided out onto the stage to the overwhelming approval of the crowd. We followed in a line according to our bootlist. Those kicked off first were the first in line, and those of us who’d lasted the longest got the coveted spots in back. I looked out over the audience as I walked with the rest of the cast members towards center stage, and then nearly stopped in my tracks when I saw who was sitting in the first row. As each person came into view, my stoic exterior crumbled and clear emotion crossed over my shocked face. My parents, Keith, Emma, Sam, Quinn, and Grace had all come. I didn’t know why it surprised me so much. We’d talked briefly last week about them coming to the taping, but the look of stress on my mother’s face at the prospect of leaving Jake led me to offer her a pass. We never spoke of the show again. I’d just assumed no one was coming, and now I felt bad for the lack of faith I’d shown in them. There were times in my life that I felt sidelined and overshadowed, but tonight was not one of them.
I caught my mom’s eye, and she smiled.
“Thank you,” I mouthed.
I saw her eyes fill with tears as she mouthed back, “I love you.”
* * *
The live showstarted with the reading of the votes for the three finalists. Two were called for Carl, then two for Kenzie, with all the rest coming in for Carl, clinching him the victory. I watched Kenzie for her reaction. Her radiant smile never faltered. She appeared genuinely happy for Carl. It was ironic. Had she not helped him with his social game, he never would have won. But that was the type of person she was, and I was proud of her.
Although she didn’t know how the show’s votes would pan out, Kenzie had had months to ponder the outcome and had already come to the realization that she was a long shot to win. She’d told me that she was just hoping for a second place finish, which came with its own healthy paycheck; and with Lena not getting a single vote, Kenzie easily clinched that runner-up spot.
Once the winner was announced, Lena, Carl, and Kenzie joined the rest of us in the cast and the questions began. The few inquiries directed my way were lighthearted and fun, and I found myself having a great time reminiscing with the others. Toward the end of the live taping, Kenzie was asked the question we knew was coming.
“You made the decision to vote Kyle out, after admitting to him that you liked him. You seemed pretty torn up by the decision. If you had to do it over, would you make the same decision?”
