A Good Man (47 page)

“The choir room was real crowded yesterday,” Justin said. “I didn’t want to make a scene.”

“Trust me, Justin,” Kim said. “You just made a scene.”

Sonya hugged Justin again. “Don’t keep her waiting.”

Justin hugged Gary and Tony and towered over John. “Artie, thanks for helping me out.”

“My name is John,” John said. He shook Justin’s hand. “John Bond from Burnt Corn, Alabama. I want you to send me an invitation to your wedding, Justin. You won’t need to know the zip code.”

“I will,” Justin said. “John Bond, Burnt Corn, Alabama. I may even ask you to marry us.”

“I’d like to do that,” John said.

But you need a wife first, man, Sonya thought, and that should be me, but nope, you’re not in love with me.

John hugged Justin. “God bless you, Justin.” He located a camera. “And you, too, Brandy.”

Justin picked up his suitcases and headed for the limo. “See y’all later. Peace!” He threw his suitcases in the trunk and got into the limo. In moments, only the limo’s taillights were visible.

And then there were three. John just told the world his real name. Why’d he do that? And Justin hinted at John’s real profession, too. Maybe it’s all supposed to come out tonight. Am I ready for it all to come out tonight? Nope!

Graham cleared his throat. “And that leaves—”

“Graham,” Sonya interrupted, “please don’t say anything to ruin this moment.”

Graham sighed loudly. “I wasn’t going to say anything. Every time I try to say something written on the cards, you interrupt me anyway, so what’s the point?”

“You’re learning to go with the flow, Graham,” Sonya said. “But please don’t say anything more.”

“I won’t,” Graham said.

“See, you said something. Just let whatever happens happen, okay?” Sonya returned to her mark and wandered her eyes up to John. “John told me his real name the first time we talked at four in the morning the first night of the show, a scene the producers wouldn’t show you. He rubbed my feet. He’s a good foot rubber. The next night he taught me how to swim. He’s a good swim coach.” Why are my feet moving up to him? Hey, feet! Stop! Sonya reached out and took his hands in hers. “John, the other night was the best date I’ve ever had in my life, and, no, America, I am not going into any details. We spent the day together on a real date at the beach with no cameras around.” Sonya kissed his cheek. “I have never felt so needed and wanted, John. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Jazz.”

Sonya returned to her mark.

“Can I talk now?” Graham asked.

“Go ahead, Graham,” Sonya said.

“Thank you,” Graham said. “John, you are a hunk. I never thought I would ever say that. Jazz, who else is safe?”

“Tony, you’re also safe,” Sonya said.

Tony left his suitcases and joined her, smiling at Shani.

Graham took a deep breath. “Tony, you are a hunk, so that leaves—”

“Um, Jazz?” Gary interrupted. “I have something to … I have to go, too.”

“I might as well sit down,” Graham said, and he walked off the set to the pool area, sat at a table, and lit up a cigar.

Sonya smiled at Gary. “You have to go, too, Gary?”

“Yeah. I have two daughters, and they need me. The mother of my daughters needs me, too. She’s been sending me two hundred texts a day since I got here. We, um, we didn’t leave on the best of terms, you know? I’m gonna go home and do right by her. I’m going home to marry her like I should have already done. Jazz, I wouldn’t be doing any of this if it weren’t for you. You have helped me see what’s really important in life. My family means everything to me. I can never thank you enough for helping me see that.”

Sonya’s eyes misted up. “And that Luther song you sang—you sang that song to her?”

“Yeah,” Gary said. “She loves her some Luther. And she’s always been the one for me. I just had to come here and meet you to see that she was. No offense.”

“None taken.” She held out her arms. “One last hug.”

Gary came down and hugged her. “I’ll never forget you, Jazz. You’re the lady I want my daughters to grow up to be.”

The mist in Sonya’s eyes turned into tears. “I’ll miss you, Gary.”

Gary pulled his buzzing phone from his pocket. “Sorry, Darius, I gotta check this one.” He read a message and smiled. “My girl says to give you another big ol’ hug from her.” Gary hugged Sonya, lifting her off the ground.

I need to gain more weight, Sonya thought. These men and their need to take a woman off her feet. How will I ever get used to it?

Gary got some dap from Tony and John. “You mind maybe marrying us, too, John?”

“I would be honored,” John said. “Send the invitation to John Bond, Burnt Corn, Alabama.”

“I will,” Gary said. “And John, you better get married in a hurry. You got two weddings to perform, and I know my girl ain’t gonna want to wait.”

Gary collected his suitcases and stood in the driveway where the limo had been parked. “C’mon, man.” Gary looked back at Sonya. “I told Justin only once around the block, but y’all have pretty big blocks out here.”

The limo returned. Gary tossed his suitcases into the front seat and waved.

Twice the limo leaves the mansion, Sonya thought. We’re breaking all sorts of new ground here tonight.

Sonya looked for Graham. “Where’s Graham?”

Graham sauntered out of the pool area. “You need me?”

“Yeah,” Sonya said. “I need to collect myself.”

Graham put the cigar in his mouth. “You mean I actually get to speak? That’s amazing.” He blew out a smoke ring. “Well, that only leaves John and Tony.”

John laughed. “He can do that, Norm.”

Sonya smiled. “Yeah, that’s something he can do right there.”

Graham waved his cigar in the air. “What are you talking about?”

“Graham,” Sonya said, “you are the ultimate master of the obvious. The entire world can see that there are only two men left.”

Graham shrugged. “Oh. Well, you asked me to say something, so I said something. I’ll be by the pool if you need me.” Graham returned to the pool.

Sonya looked straight ahead. “I’m all composed now.” She looked at Darius, who was silently counting down. “And then,” she said, “there were three.”

“Commercial!” Darius yelled, and then Darius started clapping. In moments, the entire film crew, even the crew streaming out of the garage, were clapping, whistling, and stamping their feet.

We’re getting a standing ovation, Sonya thought. I guess we done good, though I don’t know how. Two men just left me without my permission! I should be furious!

Larry appeared to her right. “That was amazing, simply amazing.”

Sonya sighed. “Reality can sometimes be amazing. What happens next, Larry?”

“No more challenges,” Larry said. “All that’s left are the visits to Tony’s hometown and John’s hometown … and the grand finale.” He took out a coin. “Tony, you call it in the air.” He flipped the coin high into the air.

“Heads,” Tony said.

Larry caught and uncovered the coin. “Heads it is. Jazz, you’re off to New Orleans for three days first.”

“Shani’s going, too, right?” Sonya asked.

“Of course,” Larry said. “She has to go to Tony’s hometown, doesn’t she?”

Does Larry know? He probably does. I’ll bet they have cameras in my room. Where would they put them? I’ll bet there’s one in every laptop. “When do we have to leave?”

“Tony leaves tonight so he will have enough time to get things ready for your arrival tomorrow,” Larry said. “You and Shani will fly out tomorrow. After three days in New Orleans, you’re off to Burnt Corn, Alabama. John, you put your town on the map tonight.”

“Yep,” John said.

Oh, now you can say “yep”!

“And Burnt Corn is just a hop, skip, and a jump from New Orleans,” Larry said. “John, you better go up and pack, hmm?”

“Yep,” John said, and he trotted off toward the mansion.

Oh, right. Say “yep” twice to rub it in.

“The time will fly by in New Orleans for you Sonya, I’m sure,” Larry said.

“Um, when does John have to leave?” I have some questions for this man concerning the word “nope.”

Larry winced. “Also tonight, I’m afraid. As soon as another limousine arrives.”

“What?” Hold on, now! “I don’t want him to leave tonight.”

“And leave you and John alone in that great big mansion?” Larry said. “That would give John an unfair advantage over Tony, wouldn’t it?”

“What do you mean?” Sonya asked.

“Equal time must be given, Sonya,” Larry said. “If Tony leaves, John must leave as well. Ah, their limousine is here.”

This is happening way too fast!

Tony carried his suitcases to the limo as John shot through the front door carrying his.

They’re all leaving me within half an hour! This is not fair!

John walked right past Sonya and set his suitcases next to Tony’s. Then he went to the back door, opened it, got inside, and shut the door behind him.

What is this? Escape Sonya Day? Uh-uh. This ain’t happening.

Sonya ran to the door and knocked on the window.

The window descended.

“You’re not even going to say good-bye?” Sonya asked.

“I have a problem saying that word, Sonya,” John said. “I don’t ever want to say that word to you.”

That was … nice. “Well, how about a hug?” Or a booty squeeze, geez, something to tide me over for three whole days!

John got out, gave her a quick hug, and handed her a piece of paper. “My cell phone number. You have to call me. I don’t get texts or voice mail.”

“You don’t?” Sonya asked.

“Nope.”

There’s that word again!

“Make sure you call me, especially at four in the morning,” John said.

I’ll set my alarm. “I’m going to miss you.”

John kissed her forehead. “Try to have fun in New Orleans as the third wheel.”

Sonya saw Kim making faces at Tony through the other window. “I don’t know why I just can’t fly out with you tonight. Those two will be trading hands and glands all week.”

“What America doesn’t know, huh?” John said.

“Yeah. How long would it take to drive from New Orleans to Burnt Corn?”

John looked up. “About four hours.”

That might work. “So if I leave after midnight …”

John pulled Sonya close. “I would love to have you visit me, but maybe we need to step back from each other for a few days.”

I don’t like the sound of this. “Why?”

“We have spent, what, seventy-seven days in a row together,” John said. “And I’m not asking for space or anything like that. I like the way you fill my space.” He put his lips on her ear and whispered, “And I want to fill your space.”

Now we’re talking. Keep whispering things like that, man.

“But we need to do things decently and in order, Sonya,” John said. “If you come to visit me, I know we’ll be fornicatin’.”

Sonya smiled. “Fornicating?”

John slid his hands dangerously close to her booty. “I believe that only married people truly make love to each other.”

“We could just cuddle,” Sonya said in a small voice.

“Really? Just cuddle? With you in your SpongeBob pajamas?”

“I don’t have to wear them.”

John smiled. “Then we’d be fornicating till the cows came home, cooked up some chicken, and did the dishes afterward.”

Sonya dropped her head onto his chest. “I can’t stand this.”

John lifted her chin. “We have waited many years. We can wait a little longer.”

I don’t want to wait even another minute, but … to everything there is a season. “You’re right. But before you go, I need you to explain something to me.”

“C’mon, dog,” Tony said from inside the limo. “We gotta go.”

“Gotta go,” John said. “Don’t want to miss my flight, because if I miss one, I miss three.” He kissed her softly on the lips. “Call me whenever. You know I don’t sleep.”

“I will.” And the first question I’ll ask is why you said “nope”! “This isn’t fair.”

John hugged her. “I think the wait will do us some good.”

“There’s nothing good about being away from you.”

“Thank you for saying that,” John said. “I will miss your smile.”

“Is that all?” Sonya asked.

John nodded.

“Nothing else?”

“All I have to do is close my eyes,” John said, “and I’ll see the rest of you.”

“Will you shout hallelujah?” Sonya asked.

“Until I’m hoarse.”

“Good.”

John got into the limo.

“Bye, Jazz,” Tony said.

“Bye, Tony.”

Sonya stuck her head in the window and kissed John’s cheek. “I will call you very soon.”

“Okay.”

The limo pulled off.

“I’m missing him already,” Kim said as they walked toward the pool.

Me too. “I thought you were more mature than that, Kim. I mean, really. You missing a man you only like? What’s this world coming to?”

“You took a long time to say good-bye to John,” Kim said.

“We weren’t saying good-bye,” Sonya said.

“What were you doing all that time, then?” Kim asked.

She looked at the shallow end of the pool. “I think we were saying hello.”

To our future.

John barely made his LA to San Diego flight and had only thirty minutes before his flight to Houston took off. He opened his cell, turned it on, noticed only two bars on his battery, and punched in a number from memory.

“Hello? Is that you, John?”

“Hi, Mom. Put Dad on the line, too.”

“I’ll get him,” his mom said. “James! John is on the line!”

I’m so nervous. When did I last talk to them? “Have you, um, been watching me on TV, Mom?”

“Oh, yes, John. It’s so exciting.”

“Has Dad been watching, too?”

“Yes.”

He has?

“At first it was a struggle. You know your father. Monday Night Football is so important to him. But after that ended, he was the one calling me to the TV. What’s all that noise?”

“I’m in an airport in San Diego. I’m on my way home to Alabama.”

“So soon? I just watched you on TV.”

“Yeah, I know. Things move faster in TV land.” John heard a click. “Dad, you on?”

“Yeah.”

Dad’s chipper as usual. “Um, sorry I didn’t tell you two that I was going on the show. It kind of happened so fast. Over a matter of a few days, really.”