“I’m not sure. I’m feeling really lonely,” I said. “It’s not your fault at all. It’s me.”
“I screwed up. I haven’t made you feel special. Can you wait here?” he asked, handing me his gelato and running off before I could stop him. He darted over the bridge and back to the other side where an assistant was leaning against an old stone wall, texting. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach.
A moment later he was back. “Emma, would you accept this vintage ruby, emerald, and diamond octopus brooch from the Deluxe vault? It’s the only one like it in the world.” He held up the strangest, most magnificent piece of jewelry I’d ever seen. Each eye of the octopus was a sparking diamond. The legs were lined with graduated emeralds. Here and there a ruby was thrown in, reminding me of tests for colorblindness. It was bigger than my palm and as heavy as a small frying pan.
“It’s solid gold,” added Bellamy. “Look at the back.”
I flipped it over. Engraved in the middle was the signature of Leopoldo Vanti Deluccio, the original jewelry designer for Deluxe.
“Greta Garbo wore that brooch. Or was it Audrey Hepburn? Sorry, there was a card about it, but I only read it once and now I’m forgetting everything. I’m pretty sure it was Greta Garbo.”
The brooch had to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. “Are you sure you’re supposed to be giving these out?” I asked.
“I guess so. I overhead something about the owner of Deluxe going through a divorce and needing to liquidate assets.” The cameraman shook his head at that. “So, yeah,” Bellamy continued, “It’s yours. It’s the nicest one of the whole bunch.”
I drew in a deep breath. “I don’t know, Bellamy…”
“Come on, just take it,” he whispered. “And don’t tell anyone this, but we’re leaving for Paris tomorrow.”
“Well, in that case…” I said. The brooch made my stupid dress look magically, instantly, way less stupid.
Chapter 22
The next morning we were all lounging around our hotel suite eating fruit and drinking cappuccino. Our masquerade ball scheduled for the previous night had been canceled after everyone but me came down with food poisoning. I guess it must have been the fish soup.
No one was speaking to me. They had collectively decided that I was a big faker and that I had to go. In response, and also out of fear it would be stolen, I was wearing my brooch affixed firmly to the middle of the t-shirt I had slept in. At eleven o’clock there was a knock at the door. Before we could even get up to answer it, the door swung slowly open. There was Bellamy, dressed in a striped shirt not unlike the shirt he’d been wearing on the gondola. However, instead of a little Italian hat, he had a beret on his head and a baguette under his arm. “Bonjour,” he said.
“Eeeeeee,” screamed Vanessa, jumping up and down. Her cappuccino splatted onto the antique wallpaper but she didn’t notice.
“I guess Vanessa already figured out what I came here to tell you,” said Bellamy. “We’re about to leave for Paris!”
“But first,” said Catalina Cartwright, appearing in the doorway, dressed in a similar French getup, “there will be an elimination ceremony.”
“Oh no,” gasped Klassie.
“Klassie, you and Emma are safe since you both received brooches from the Deluxe vault yesterday. All of you please put on the masquerade dresses that were provided for you yesterday and join me in the mirrored lobby in one hour. Have your bags packed and ready because we will be leaving immediately following the elimination ceremony.”
“See you all soon,” said Bellamy, waving his loaf of bread at us. Then they were gone and we were all left sitting around, staring at one another.
“I can’t get up. I’m too tired,” said Alanna. “I was up all night. Again! I can’t handle this.”
“We were all up last night. Everyone except Emma,” said Jessica, glaring at me.
“Did you put something in our soup?” asked Alanna.
“Of course not! How dare you accuse me of such a thing?” I got up and took my dress from the rack by the door. It was midnight blue and came with a midnight blue masquerade mask. Everyone had complained when they’d seen our costumes, but secretly I loved mine and felt I’d gotten the only pretty one.
“I should have been given that color instead of you,” Vanessa said. “It doesn’t go right with your coloring.”
I ignored her. They could all sit around and spend their hour being miserable complainers, but I was going to start getting ready.
“It is a little funny how we all got sick but you,” said Deb.
“You’re even turning on me?” I asked. And I had thought sweet little Deb might be the right choice for Bellamy! Perhaps none of these women were good enough for him. “How is it funny? You all ate something I didn’t eat. There is nothing complicated about it.”
“Fine. But what about the crying? What was that all about?” she asked.
“She’s right,” said Vanessa. “It seemed very manipulative.”
“I was feeling homesick.”
“Give her a break,” said Klassie. “So she started crying and didn’t eat the soup that made the rest of us sick. So what?”
“Thank you, Klassie,” I said.
“The only reason you don’t care is because you’re already safe from elimination,” Vanessa said to Klassie. “One of the rest of us is leaving. One of us is not going to Paris. It’s getting really serious!”
“Is that all you care about? Going to Paris?” I asked. “Who here really cares about Bellamy? Because he is going to propose to one of us very soon, and I am starting to think no one actually cares about him at all.”
“I care,” said Deb.
After too long of a pause everyone else joined in, nodding and professing their love for him. I grabbed my mask and garment bag and went off to the bathroom to get dressed away from them. When I came back out twenty minutes later with my hair up and my makeup done they were all still sitting around in their regular clothes.
“I suppose it’s that time,” said Alanna, getting up slowly. She went over to the rack, grabbed her caramel colored gown and mask and headed towards the bathroom.
Klassie and Jessica took their gowns and got dressed right in the middle of the room.
“Are you really going to wear those Sponge Bob undies beneath a fancy vintage couture gown?” Vanessa asked Jessica.
“Sure, mate. What’s the difference?”
“It seems wrong.”
“It’s not anything,” said Jessica, zipping herself up and stepping into her shoes. She ran her tongue over her teeth and sat back down, apparently all set to go.
Deb and Vanessa remained seated. “We still have time, and I’m totally packed already,” said Vanessa, examining her designer wristwatch. “I guess I should set out a traveling outfit, but that will only take a minute.” She yawned and closed her eyes. “What I would really like is a nap.”
“What I would really like is to skip the masquerade ball,” said Deb. “My dress is way too tight. I tried it on yesterday and couldn’t even zip it. I’m kind of dreading having another go at it.” She took a bite of a hazelnut biscuit slathered in butter and Nutella and washed it down with some cappuccino.
“Maybe you’ll be skinnier today since you were sick all night,” said Klassie.
“Good point,” said Deb.
“I’m ready,” said Alanna, appearing back in front of us, pulling her luggage. She looked perfect. It was unfair how her natural beauty gave her a permanent head start.
Deb looked defeated. She got up, took her bright yellow dress and mask and disappeared into the bathroom.
“Vanessa, we only have ten minutes left. Aren’t you going to get ready?” asked Klassie.
“Fine, I’ll get ready,” she said. The last remaining dress was blood red and covered in matted feathers. It may have been pretty long ago, but it was horrible now. It looked like a costume from a school play. Also, it was two sizes too big for Vanessa. She pulled it on right o
ver her nightgown.
“Keeping your singlet on is worse than wearing Sponge Bob under-chunders,” said Jessica.
“I simply don’t care,” said Vanessa. “Honestly, I think it’s terrible they’re making us do this when we all had such a bad night.”
“They’re not making us do anything. If you’re so unhappy, go home,” said Klassie.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” said Vanessa.
“Don’t tell me what to tell you,” said Klassie.
“Stop fighting. It hurts my head,” said Alanna. “Headaches make me frown, and frowning makes my forehead get a little wrinkle in it. So stop fighting or I’m going to get really, really mad!”
“I got it zipped! Yay for food poisoning,” said Deb, hurrying back out to us. Her dress came with a small, pointed yellow hat that tied beneath her chin in a curly yellow bow. She’d forgotten she’d be wearing a mask and had applied a thick coat of blue eye shadow to her lids.
“Good Lord,” said Alanna.
“Oopsie! Forgot about this guy. So much for my hard work with the eye shadow,” said Deb, sliding the canary yellow mask into place. Hers was the only one that fastened with an elastic band like a child’s party mask. They must have known that she’d lose the kind on a stick. A small smudge of Nutella remained on her neck, somehow unnoticed when she’d applied her makeup. She looked like a happy little banana.
“Cute,” I said. The rest of the girls shook their heads in annoyed disgust.
There was a knock at the door and it swung open. Catalina Cartwright poked her head in. “It’s time,” she said. “Leave your luggage here and follow me.”
I looked around me. Alanna looked great, and I had tried hard, but the other girls looked really bad. Were they really going to let us go out looking like this? Vanessa, Klassie, and Jessica all had total bedhead. None of them were wearing makeup. They hadn’t even brushed their teeth or washed their faces. One of Jessica’s eyebrows was smooshed up giving her a look of constant surprised skepticism. Klassie had a patch of white, dried saliva on her cheek from where she’d drooled in her sleep. And then there was Deb, squeezed into the yellow dress. She was breathing in little puffs like someone in a lamaze class. Her hat had slid to the side of her head, and she’d accidentally smeared the Nutella up onto her face.
“What are you waiting for?” asked Catalina. “We’ve got a segment to shoot and a plane to catch. Let’s go.”
We followed her to the mirrored lobby where Bellamy stood waiting. He was now dressed in a tuxedo. I had to admit, he looked gorgeous. I took my place next to Klassie. We had each fastened our Deluxe brooches to our vintage gowns, probably depleting our gowns’ values by half. I held my silly little mask over my face since it was what we’d been told to do. The other girls stood in a line, each covering her face with a mask as well.
“Hello and good evening,” said Catalina, carrying on as though it was still the night before and not the middle of the day. She lowered her mask and gave the camera a sultry look. “Welcome to our masquerade ball. Emma and Klassie are safe, and just four other ladies remain in the fight for Bellamy’s heart. Bellamy, are you ready to begin?”
“Yes, Catalina. I’m ready.”
“Then by all means, please go ahead.” She stepped back, out of the way, examining her mask. It was way cooler than all of ours. ‘I’m going to keep this’ she mouthed to one of the producers. The producer nodded.
“This is not an easy decision,” said Bellamy. “In fact, it gets harder and harder at each elimination ceremony to say goodbye. I think you are all amazing women, and the more I get to know you each as individuals, the more I see something to love in each and every one of you.”
“Aww,” said Deb.
“Today’s decision is probably the hardest one yet. But I have to keep moving forward, since I really want to get married and be a dad and settle down.”
I felt a pang of sadness for him.
“So, let’s get started,” he said, reaching for the first brooch. He held it up. It looked like a sparkly pink cat. I was so glad he hadn’t given it to me. “Deb, would you accept this vintage brooch from the Deluxe vault, and continue on this journey towards love with me?”
“Yes! Of course,” she said. She stepped forward and he awkwardly tried to fasten the brooch near her armpit. She blushed over his close proximity to her boob. “Hoo hee,” she said fanning herself dramatically with her hand as the moment went on and on. When the brooch was finally pinned in place she waddled over to us beaming. By this point her face was scarlet and shimmering beneath a coat of sweat.
The next brooch was even worse. It was round and covered in scrollwork. In the middle was a blob that looked like a horse. The horse portion was covered in brown diamonds. I didn’t care how much it was worth; it was atrocious.
“Alanna Rutherford, would you accept this vintage brooch from the Deluxe vault, and continue on this journey towards love with me?” asked Bellamy. I winced when he called her by her full name. We all did. It was like, she was just so famous to him still. Vanessa’s eyes met mine and she shook her head a little.
“I will,” said Alanna. She glided over to Bellamy and kissed him on the lips.
“Wowie-zowie,” he muttered. All my prior sympathy for him evaporated.
“A horse. I love horses! It’s so pretty,” Alanna lied.
“I thought you’d like it,” said Bellamy. He pinned the brooch to her sash and then she joined us, giving each of us a fake little smile for the benefit of the audience at home.
Catalina Cartwright stepped back into the center of the room. “Just one vintage Deluxe brooch remains, but we have two wonderful women standing before us. Bellamy, have you made a decision about which girl you’d like to keep?”
Bellamy sighed. “I guess so, Catalina.”
“In that case, please go ahead.”
“Okay. Thank you Catalina,” said Bellamy. He ran his hands through his hair and loosened his tie a little. “This is really difficult,” he said. “But I know I’m making the right choice.” He picked up the final brooch. It was a huge orange butterfly. It was pretty awesome, but I still liked mine better. “Vanessa,” said Bellamy, “will you accept this vintage brooch from the Deluxe vault, and continue on this journey towards love with me?”
“Yes! Yes! I totally will,” she said, running up to him and throwing her arms around him. I heard her dress rip a little. “You scared me! Oh my God! Thank you! I thought I was going home.”
“I’m not sure how to attach this thing to all these feathers,” he said after fumbling around for a minute.
“Just give it to me,” said Vanessa.
“Here,” he said, putting it in her hand. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and did a little victory dance over to the rest of us.
“Jessica, this means I need to send you home now. I’m very sorry,” said Bellamy. “I really enjoyed my time with you, but I think our geographical differences may be too much for me.”
“Because I’m from Australia?”
“Yeah.”
“Problem solved. I live in Los Angeles now,” she said. “Plus, I’m willing to relocate to your climbing gym in Fort Worth.”
“It’s not in Fort Worth.”
“Well, wherever it is, I’ll move there.”
“Yeah, well, okay…” He looked at Catalina for help. She wasn’t paying attention; she was having too much fun playing with her mask.
“So should I stay?” asked Jessica.
“I think our geographical differences may be too much for me,” Bellamy repeated like a robot.
“I don’t see it that way, but it’s up to you,” she said.
“Cool. Thanks. I appreciate that. Could I walk you out?”
“Sure,” she said. She waved goodbye to us and the two of them strolled away.
“Whew,” said Vanessa. “I thought this time I’d run out of luck.”
“Me too. I was sure you were going home. Wanna switch with me?” asked Alanna, holding
up the horse pin.
“Nah, I think I’ll keep mine,” said Vanessa.
Deb untied the bow from beneath her chin. She was still beaming. “There are just five of us left. Can you believe it? I’m so excited!”
“Hi ladies,” said Bellamy, stepping back into the room after just a couple of minutes. The camera guys swooped back in. A tray of champagne on a wheeled cart was shoved in front of us. “Let’s toast to the adventures that await us… in Paris!”
We all cheered, clinked our glasses, and took a sip. Our celebration was cut short when Catalina Cartwright stepped back in, bravely donning the concerned expression of a news reporter who had some heavy beans to spill. She had changed out of her masquerade ball gown and was wearing a teal leather motorcycle suit with white leather driving gloves. It was very European. Her hair was in total contrast to her outfit. It was done up in an elaborate Southern Belle style that looked like prom in the 1990’s, complete with sprigs of baby’s breath tucked into it. On her feet were tall, shiny, spiky white heels. She looked strange. Deb nodded appreciatively at the ensemble.
“Bellamy, ladies,” Catalina began. She sighed heavily to help make the point that we were transitioning from happy time to serious time. “This process can be heart wrenching; it’s never easy to say goodbye, like Bellamy just had to do with Jessica, but it’s worth it. Really, isn’t anything worth it if it’s for love? I hope you are all appreciating the seriousness of this. This is about Bellamy. This is about love. This is about togetherness. This is about foreverness.”
Several seconds passed, like a moment of prayer, for us to let these words sink in. When the proper amount of respect had been paid, Catalina continued: “So, on that note, please say goodbye to Venice and all your new friends at the Albergo Vincenzo. Grab your bags and prepare yourselves for the next leg of the journey. I will see you all again soon, in Paris! The city of lights and love!”
We cheered again. And then we all scrambled to make our plane.
Chapter 23
My suspicion that only Deb truly had any interest in Bellamy was confirmed when a date card arrived along with a copy of French Vogue and Alanna and Vanessa practically tore the French Vogue in half fighting over it.
Bellamy's Redemption Page 23