Page 6 of Breakaway Heart
“I was in New York for a conference and got in a cab, but before I could close the door, another man got in beside me. I was about to tell him to get the hell out, then I saw his face.”
“Bernado,” Leon said, with a knowing nod.
“He just lowered his sunglasses and said in that growl of his,‘Young lady, I just want to see the bridge if you’re heading to Brooklyn’.”
“And were you?”
“I was heading close enough. So, we ride out over the bridge in the cab, and he’s staring out the window, lost in thought. Then, still looking out, he said,‘You know, bridges are like songs, they connect us’.Then a moment or two later, he said,‘I think it’s about high time to stop with the boozing and the madness, and get back to connecting’. He sounded so sincere! And I’m thinking, I’m actually there at the very moment Bernado changes his life.
“On the other side, he says,‘Thank you for the ride andGod bless you,’and hops out of the cab in the middle of traffic. I watch him walk straight to the nearest bar and go inside.”
A couple who had just entered from the terrace stared at us, laughing loudly, and then slowly backed out again.
“Leon!” Another of the hotel staff had popped his head through the door and called out, “We’ve got a situation in the games room.”
Leon sighed bitterly, quickly plastered on a wide fake but withering smile, and told me he’d better go.
3
EVICTED
‘Shockwaves have run through the villa. Now we find out who will be voted as the least favorite villa member by the couples we have left. It’s down to two, Randall Jackson and Becca Thurston.’
Deborah Carter, the bubbly former Miss America, was there to help make this moment truly an event, but the long, dramatic pauses as they teased the latest villa eviction were getting unbearable as I watched on from my usual position of a hotel room bed with Hannah on speakerphone.
“Kent. Would you like to tell us who you’ve chosen to stay and who will leave the Love Villa tonight?”
“Oh, look at his face, Han. He’s enjoying this!”
Kent could barely disguise his grin as he stood up and leveled his eyes on Randall. He licked his lips slowly and took a few breaths, letting the tension build before turning to Becca.
“Becca. You tried to break up Kyle and Nora, and that was bang out of order. When you refused to apologize and then called Tina a piggy, I would’ve loved to have seen you leave right then.”
There was a dramatic pause as the camera zoomed in on Becca, who gulped uneasily, sensing the gig was up.
“But then, you really made up for it when you helped us win the bucket challenge, and seeing how you reconnected with Tina and Nora on the fiesta night showed us who you really are.”
Becca’s hands rose to either side of her face, unsure if this was a reprieve or just a cruel punishment. Kent turned away from her, and that small grin came back across his face.
“Whereas you, Randall. You’ve been nothing but selfish, arrogant, and rude to just about all of us.”
The camera switched to Mandy and Hera, holding hands and nodding in agreement with tears in their eyes.
“You don’t seem to care, Randy. About anything. I’ve lost count of your antics here every day. Is there any chance for you? I really don’t know if we should give you one.”
Deborah “Miss America” Carter let the moment simmer, the camera darting between the villa members’ expressions, while Randy nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other, swaying as we all waited for Debs to speak.
“Okay, Kent. So, please tell us who will leave the villa tonight? Becca or Randy?”
“The person we’ve chosen to leave the villa is…”
I washed down my jello with a gulp of tequila as the seconds ticked agonizingly by.
“Randall.”
Even though it was expected, Hannah and I both gasped, caught up in the drama of the build-up. Randall looked dazed as he walked away from the fireside and began throwing his clothes into a hold-all. There were none of the usual hugs or tears as he went to the exit, just an awkward shake of his head before Randall unceremoniously walked out the front door for the last time.
A few moments later and Randall walked through abooing crowd and stepped into the interview room, set up outside the villa that he’d wreaked havoc on for four weeks.
