Rikki: Didn’t you go home in episode 4?
[The crowd cheers in appreciation.]
Brendan: That’s a good point, though, Grace-Ann. Rikki, would you like to clear the air about what happened between Jac and you? Do you have anything else you want to say in defense of your friend?
[Rikki purses her lips, thinking it through.]
Rikki: This show is hard for people to get through, and I knew when push came to shove that Jac always had my back. Jac always goes to bat for the people she cares about, but it takes her a long time to trust another person.
Rikki: I’ll leave it for her to speak for herself about everything else.
[With some light applause, the camera pans back to Becca, radiantly pregnant in an orange patterned caftan, nodding.]
Becca: Well said, Rikki.
[Becca and Brendan move on to the bloopers segment.]
21
The Space Between
I wake up in Henry’s room the next morning, skin touching skin, neither of us wearing anything. Instinctively, I slither onto him, my legs crossing his, my arms across his stomach.
“Good morning,” he mumbles without opening his eyes. I press my lips into his chest, leaning my head there. “I don’t think this is how I remember us waking up together last time.”
“Stockholm syndrome,” I mutter, and he laughs, his hands going into my hair. “I’ve got to get back to my room and shower before our flight.”
“Not yet.” He pulls me closer even though I’ve made no move to leave.
“Okay,” I say, “but if you want to kiss, I’m going to brush my teeth first.”
“Hold that thought,” he says, lifting up his vibrating phone. We both see the name on the screen. Charlotte. He unnecessarily gestures for me to be quiet as he picks up the call.
“Henry.” Her familiar voice is like an old friend. Stockholm syndrome for sure.
“Good morning,” Henry answers cheerfully. “Aren’t you in labor by now?”
“Don’t be dramatic,” she says irritably. “Let me talk to Jac.”
His eyes meet mine, and we both stare at each other. We are fucked. The silence sits there, between him and me and him and Charlotte.
“It’s not—” Henry starts, sounding like a worse liar than he actually is.
“Jesus, just let me talk to her,” Charlotte finally cuts in. “I don’t care, okay? Hand her the phone.”
Wordlessly, he does.
“Well,” I say into the phone after a moment of silence.
I hear the smile in her voice. “Knew it. I fucking knew it when I called your room and you didn’t answer.”
I sigh. “Well, I guess that’s a small comfort. I thought you knew in Chicago.”
“Yeah, I suspected in Chicago. I suspected from the moment you started spilling your guts to him on the fifth day. This is what I get paid to do. If I hadn’t known, I would be shit at my job.”
“So, what now?” I ask her. Henry puts his finger on my thigh, running his nail up and down it lightly, and I shiver. I wonder if this is good for him, now that the game is up. If this is when we both breathe again.
“Well,” Charlotte says, “if I was there, I’d make you two the main storyline of the season, but I’m not, and trying to explain to John how to do it would be a fucking mess. Besides, you two are so obvious that he already suspects something, but he doesn’t know for sure. Not like I do. I would just seriously consider what you want out of this. You will get destroyed if this gets out.”
I glance at Henry, who is diligently pretending he isn’t listening. “I know,” I say, the noose suddenly tightening around my neck again. It’ll be back to Marcus soon, back to the 1.
“You still don’t believe I’m on your side?” she asks.
I swallow. “I’m not sure,” I admit.
“Well, that’s progress. You should watch out for Priya, though. She’s looking to make a name and this would do it. The promotion is in her sights.”
“We’ve been careless,” I say. Henry’s fingers stop moving.
“Yes,” Charlotte says, “obviously. But just finish out the season. Don’t let them catch you on camera for the love of everything. After that, the two of you can do whatever you want. This is hardly the worst thing to ever happen on this godforsaken show.”
“Marcus knows,” I tell her.
“Well,” she says, taking a deep breath, “shit.”
“But he doesn’t want me to leave.”
Charlotte sighs deeply. “Marcus doesn’t know what he wants, aside from attention. Ride the wave if he’s letting you.”
