Coming Home

by Kimberly McKay

  “It’ll be there when I get there.” She reassured her friend. “This is important too.”

  “Thanks roomie.”

  “I’m going to miss you.” Anne pulled her in tightly, as they entered the room they’d been sharing since they arrived.

  “You’ve got my number. I’m only a call away.” Kamryn reached for her suitcase.

  They could hear the screams of joy from below, as the party was getting started outside.

  “This place won’t be the same without you,” she said somberly. After the high of sending Timberly on her way, she now had to fight off the low that was hitting from losing her friend.

  Kamryn lifted her head from her packing long enough to take her friend in. She had gained a lot in coming on this adventure and the biggest blessing of all was Anne’s friendship.

  She winked to her friend, excited for what was to come next in Anne’s relationship. She was only sorry she wouldn’t be there to see it in person.

  Chapter 28

  With Kamryn gone the whole dynamic changed. Anne didn’t have her sidekick around anymore for moral support. She didn’t realize how much she had come to depend on her uplifting spirit.

  As she looked to the other girls in the pool, she realized they probably felt the same. What was normally a cheerful night, had an almost somber tone.

  “You’d think after Tina got booted last week we’d be celebrating.” Anne leaned her head back to the pool ledge, to take in at the stars above. Slowly, brought her gaze back to study the other seven women.

  Brooklyn, who was to her left, nodded but was studying her drink like she was trying to memorize every detail.

  Chantal sighed and slipped out of the pool to sit in hot tub alone. She submerged herself inside, without a word.

  Denise raised her eyebrow in return, and smiled sadly to Anne.

  Staci, who sat on the ledge, nodded and murmured, “Mmm-hmm.” She then left to join Chantal in the hot tub.

  Treana, Brandi, and Brianna, whom were all sitting on the first few steps on the pool to Anne’s right, said nothing at all.

  “Come on girls. Why not turn up the music and enjoy? We’ll have a party,” she offered, hoping to change the tone.

  “Sounds good,” Brianna said, glumly.

  “I think we all feel it.” Brandi stared out to the ocean.

  “Feel what,” Treana asked, already knowing the answer.

  “The pressure.” Staci shot up from the hot tub. She nodded for Chantal to join her back at the pool.

  They both strolled over, to dangle their legs back into the cool water.

  “That at any minute one of us could leave,” Anne finally said, knowing that nothing was certain. Although Chad had made her a promise, nothing was guaranteed.

  “And, I don’t know about you … but I miss Kamryn.”

  “We do too.” Chantal added. “She was the polar opposite of Tina. And now with both of them gone … it’s just weird. Not only do we lose our entertainment, but Kamryn was like a light around here.”

  Anne raised an eyebrow at Chantal in disbelief.

  “Come on. You know those two were sparks on the verge of combustion,” Brianna said, in Chantal’s defense, and continued, “It wasn’t easy sometimes to be around Tina’s issues with Kamryn, but at least the pressure was off of the rest of us.”

  Anne nodded. She could understand, but didn’t think anyone else should take Tina’s lead.

  “That doesn’t mean the rest of us have to stir up any drama now that Tina’s gone. I think we’re too normal to fall into that trap. It goes without saying that I’m going to miss my best friend here, but I like who is left. I think we could have a good time. Instead we’re all sitting around like we’ve already lost.” Anne shrugged, and continued, “You’ve all had some good dates with Chad this week. No one knows what’s going to happen, so let’s enjoy each other’s company with the time we have left.”

  As if the crew was waiting for those words, Terrance came strolling out into the night air with a telling grin.

  He lifted his eyebrows in anticipation and stared down to them from above, saying, “Ladies … if I could have your attention. Chad will be joining us in few moments, and I thought I’d give you a chance to get dried off.”

  In his hands was a small stack of red towels, which he waved over their heads. The mood quickly went downhill. The women looked to one another with chagrin.

  “Usually when he shows up, it means someone is going home.” Brianna cringed.

  Every single one of them reluctantly lifted themselves out of the water to grab a towel from Terrance.

  “Ah - uh - uh.” He playfully held the towels at bay. “These have been pre-selected for only a few of you.”

  Immediately, all eight visibly shrunk back from Terrance. They didn’t know if the towels meant someone would go or stay, and no one wanted near them.

  “Behind you, on the bar, is another set of red towels. In a minute, Chad will come out and let us know who receives what … and ultimately who is going home,”

  Terrance said, enjoying the deer in the headlights stare that most were giving him.

  Although these girls took this to heart, some a little too much … Terrance enjoyed this part of the process. It always promised to be full of drama, and drama equated to ratings, which meant he could keep his job.

  Chad watched from behind the screen divider, as the girls stood unsure of who next to them was leaving and who was staying. His heart went out to each one.

  Those, who were left were all nice girls, but there were a few that definitely weren’t his type - and an obvious pick to leave the show.

  In the last week he had a few one on ones, but the group pool party he threw, with all the girls in attendance, is what gave him the most insight to the girls’ character.

  During the pool party, Brianna, who he originally thought was a bit on the shy side, took his hand and led him to the hot tub. In front of everyone, she began rubbing her hands on his chest, and pushed herself up against him, trying to get a kiss. Denise and Staci, only a few feet away, watched with their eyes wide.

  Chad wasn’t sure if the champagne influenced her, or if she was just trying to stand out from the other girls, but he recovered quickly by gently separating himself, saying it wasn’t that kind of party. The other girls laughed, which helped lighten the mood, but Chad felt it was completely awkward.

  As the night dwindled, Denise, who obviously had too much to drink, tossed off her swimsuit top and jumped in the pool, to which Chantal jumped in with no suit at all.

  “Join us!” They yelled to Chad, who kindly nodded, but told them to have fun without him.

  After that stunt, Chad quickly said his goodbyes to the rest of the girls, and hugged the ones, who still had their clothes on, in parting.

  Afterwards, he knew which of them he had to let go, and looked forward to the next elimination. It was exciting for two reasons, because the show was dwindling down to his ultimate top pick, and now he could bring back his family for the top five.

  He couldn’t wait to surprise the girls with the knowledge of his family’s arrival and their secret identities. All that was left was his cue to walk out from behind the privacy divider.

  “Ladies, as you’ve probably already guessed … this is an elimination night.” Terrance started, but was quickly interrupted by Staci.

  “Why do you always have to surprise us?” Staci let out an exasperated groan.

  Terrance lifted an eyebrow and grinned. “The element of surprise is what makes this more fun for me.”

  “Obviously,” Staci said with a smirk.

  “Chad?” Terrance felt like his moment had been stolen, so instead of delaying any further he called for the leading man.

  Chad slid out from behind his hiding spot to step in next to Terrance.

  “Hello girls. Have you been having a good night so far,” he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

  “We would be if you were here for another party
, instead of sending some of us home.” Denise groaned.

  Treana smiled and looked to her feet. After witnessing Denise’s behavior at the pool party, she would lay money that Denise was one of the ones leaving, and was secretly glad. The more the got booted off – the better her chances with Chad.

  Chad looked them over, hoping there wouldn’t be any dramatic outbursts tonight. Each woman, who was left, was stunning in their own way, with model good looks or style. Any of them could have made him happy, if it weren’t for the fact that his heart was already spoken for. With that thought, he looked to Anne, who looked as nervous as the rest.

  “I know this is hard.” Although he was directing his words to the group, he was looking at Anne. “It’s never easy guessing what’s to come next.”

  In that moment, she felt like it was just she and Chad standing outside under the stars. Whatever nerves were raging through her system, settled with his steady gaze and reassuring words.

  He finally broke his gaze to address the group as a whole. “But I have to do what ultimately is right for me. Please know I appreciate every one of you, but in the end there can only be one.”

  “Here,” Terrance said, handing him the towels.

  “When I call your name, please come grab a towel from me. Please do not open it, until Terrance asks you,” Chad instructed.

  Terrance quickly picked up the alternate stack from the bar, and made his way back to him as he started calling names.

  “Denise,” he called. She was slow to respond, but finally made her way to Chad to claim her towel.

  “Chantal…” Chad paused to hand out one more towel. “Brianna.”

  Terrance handed the second stack to Chad, who called the remaining five names.

  After they all had a towel in hand, Terrance nodded in silence, giving the signal so that each may unfold theirs.

  All eight contestants held them by the top two corners and anxiously shook them open. Each was identical in color and size, with one difference … three towels had the ‘Broadcast Affair’ logo on them, while the remaining five had the words, ‘Top Five’, in bold letters printed across the middle.

  While the five that had survived the elimination jumped for joy, three women’s heads were immediately downcast. For them, it was time to go. The pressure of the night had come to an end, and for them, it was bad news.

  “Girls, those who didn’t get a top five towel – it’s time to go home. But you have a great parting gift, with our show’s logo to remember your time here.”

  Terrance grinned waiting for an outburst or two … or three.

  Chad held his breath, not knowing what to expect. These eliminations typically had given him reason to expect a bit of anger from at least one girl. But to everyone’s surprise, Denise, Chantal, and Brianna held any emotion in that they may be feeling.

  Anne watched as they filed in for a hug with Chad.

  “Thanks for a good time here,” Brianna said, in her usual shy manner, before turning back to the girls for her goodbyes.

  Chad watched them all leave and turned back to his top five with gratitude. He caught Anne’s eye and winked.

  “And now a surprise for the rest of you.” He grinned from ear to ear, and then hollered behind him. “Come on out.”

  Anne looked to who was left and saw the same look of bewilderment cross their faces that she felt, as two women, who looked slightly familiar, walked out from their back door to join them at the pool.

  “Are those the volunteers from Texas,” Treana whispered to Anne.

  Anne’s eyes went wide. “Could be, but they look different.”

  Terrance stepped up next to the new arrivals and offered an explanation.

  “Meet Chad’s mom and sister ... Allyson and Abbey. Well I shouldn’t say meet … after all you’ve already met them, when you were in Texas, as Kammy and Claire, your volunteers.”

  Chad watched his mom and sis’s eyes sparkle at the girls’ reactions to the news.

  Anne felt like the ground had dropped out from underneath her. She’d shared such intimate information with Allyson, thinking she was just a volunteer, as Claire, on the show. She was completely humiliated knowing Chad’s mom knew her heart and innermost thoughts about her son.

  She thought the both, without their disguises, could easily be related to Chad. He had his mother’s deep blue eyes, and his sister shared their smile.

  Abbey, otherwise known as Kammy, no longer had her natural camp look but was dressed in a contemporary dress, similar to what Anne would have picked out for herself.

  Claire, who she knew now to be Allyson, no longer had dark hair and ball cap, with glasses. Anne bet Allyson didn’t even wear glasses.

  Allyson watched Anne’s reaction, and wanted nothing more than to give her a hug for reassurance, as she could imagine what was rolling through her mind. After

  everything she divulged in confidence to Claire, her alternate character, Allyson was hoping Anne could move past the betrayal and accept her.

  Chad watched a short but dynamic silent exchange between his mother and Anne, and knew there was a story behind it. He looked to his mom and nodded, before introducing them.

  “I’m sorry to have deceived you all in Texas, but I needed the two most important ladies in my life…” Chad nodded to his family. “… to do some undercover work for me at camp. I wanted an insider’s view of what you were made of. And they were very helpful in helping me understand you.”

  Although Anne felt her embarrassment could swallow her whole, she fully understood the method behind Chad’s madness. She just wished she’d kept her mouth shut in Texas. The last thing she should have done was discuss her ex-boyfriend or her potential feelings about Chad, with his own mother.

  All five women, stood in awe, not sure how to react, so Chad continued, “Now that it’s been narrowed down to you lovely ladies. I wanted them to come back and spend some time with you … as themselves.” His eyes searched theirs, hoping for forgiveness.

  “Their opinions are very important to me. So for the next two days, they’ll be here to spend some time with you. Is that alright with you?”

  “Of course!” Staci and a few other girls exclaimed.

  Seeing that Anne still stood in the background, Allyson couldn’t wait any longer to approach the young woman, who she felt was potential daughter-in-law material.

  Anne watched her step forward with warm eyes and an inviting smile, and quickly remembered that Allyson was someone she really liked. And that fact that she was Chads’ mom was just a bonus.

  All five girls immediately stepped in to surround Chad and his family, but Allyson had already made her way to Anne. She needed to bridge the gap that she felt might be between them.

  “I feel like I already know you,” Anne said softly.

  Allyson pulled her in for a quick hug. “Same here – now that you’re in this nice house – with a cook – I guess you don’t need to be in the kitchen anymore.”

  “Are you kidding me? I’d love to. I just haven’t had the chance. We’ve been on the go so much.”

  “With us here, it might slow down some so we can get quality time with you gals. How about we go start now? I’m dying to get my hands in that big kitchen.”

  “I thought you’d never ask.” Anne laughed, relieving any tension she’d been holding onto. “Chocolate chip cookies?”

  Chad watched the heartfelt exchange between his mother and Anne, and couldn’t be more proud as he watched them walk off arm in arm toward the villa.

  “Let’s get baking you guys!” Allyson hollered over her shoulder to the group.

  As the remaining girls followed his mom and Anne inside, Chad felt a sense of peace. He looked down to his little sister, so happy that the group he had left could experience this part of their journey.

  Abbey grabbed her brother by the hand and grinned. While she was here, she was going to grill these girls, but for now they’d make nice in the kitchen, as a normal group of family and friends
would.

  Once inside, they settled around the oven, as Anne and his mother gathered ingredients. As Anne reached for the eggs, she caught Chad’s eye and winked. It was then, that he could picture himself, in a kitchen like this, with his family, whom he hoped included Anne in the near future.

  Chapter 29

  Anne had never had to interview for a job … or anything for that matter. Since owning her own café straight out of college, she was always the one interrogating applicants, who wanted to come work for her.

  However, today she felt like she’d been put through the ringer having to interview for not her dream job, but her dream guy.

  She, Brooklyn, Brandi, Staci and Treana had been grilled on their backgrounds, past relationships, and their goals and hopes for the future by both Chad’s mom and sister for the last four hours. Each girl filed in one by one, taking their turn under the bright lights interrogation style, which left them feeling extremely distressed. She knew it was made as dramatic as possible for the sake of the show, but it made for some very edgy contestants.

  Originally, they had planned yesterday for Allyson and Abbey to sit with the girls for their interviews, but instead they surprised the women with a day at the spa and a trip to the mall, which ended up giving the girls a false sense of security.

  In result, the group thought it was going to be an easy transition getting to know Chad’s family. However, this morning it was as if both Allyson and Abbey had transformed into corporate CEO’s with a planned bait and switch, catching them all off guard.

  Anne watched Brandi step out onto the balcony, from the interview room. She looked as frazzled as the rest of them.

  “Man, it’s like they wanted us to feel like they were gal pals, so today they could lower the hammer.” Brandi sighed, and plopped down next to Anne.

  “I agree. It wasn’t easy stuff. I had already confided in Allyson when I thought she was a staff member, back in Texas, about my ex. So, needless to say … that came up.” Anne pursed her lips in disappointment.

  She knew Chad’s family had a job to do, but she wasn’t prepared for how hard it would be.