CARMEN IS FURIOUS when she learns of Carter’s attempt to drug me and is shocked about Maria’s involvement. Every episode that passes relieves more and more tension from keeping secrets but creates more doubt about The Fabulist. Watching Tom’s meeting with him blows my mind. Either it is an elaborate setup, or I’m way off. Watching the clips from the diary room makes me doubt everything I thought I knew. The fear of losing becomes more real.
Carmen becomes even more popular after her time on the show and people flock to her to plan their weddings and events. It’s good she’s so busy, because I’m leaving for a week of interviews on major networks and talk shows. The show is wildly popular. The bookstore’s business booms and Mr. Druthers is so thrilled with what my popularity does for his business that he happily gives me time off for the interviews and results.
As much as I love working there, working for The Fabulist sounds way better. Bingham’s calls and offers me a management position shortly after the Hawaii episode. As much as I thought it was what I wanted, my world is opening up with so many other opportunities that I start to feel I really wasn’t living before being on the show. It’s like I was going through the motions in black and white and now things are popping with color and possibility.
Between Hogan’s schedule and mine, we keep missing calls from each other. He doesn’t like that I’m too busy for him when he calls, but I’ve put up with it from him for months. He needs to do the same.
I finish an interview in Nevada with Herman later than expected and miss my flight to L.A. The results show airs at 8:00 P.M. tonight, and I’m a nervous wreck I’m going to be late. Carmen and the others, with the exception of Carter, will be there. He’s in jail. Courtney and DJ got off on lesser charges because of a plea deal and in exchange for providing information on him. They’ll be present tonight as well, and even though it should bother me, it doesn’t. I don’t care anymore. I don’t want to fight or be angry. Watching the game unfold on television gave me new insight into how difficult and stressful the show was for everyone.
Herman manages to get me on a different flight, but it won’t give me a lot of time to get ready before the show. Hogan has been frantically texting me for the last hour and right before I board, I decide I’d better call him.
“Sam! Where in the hell are you? I told you I needed to see you before the show. Are you here in L.A.? Tell me where you are and I’ll come to you.”
I’m a bit put off by his tone, but I know he’s been anxious to see me, so I let it go. Missing someone does weird things to you. It’s new for us, and we’re still trying to figure it out. He’s changed me somehow. I’m less reactive and more pensive. I guess that’s what happens when you start to believe the best in others. “Someone really misses me, huh?” I laugh.
“Sam… WHERE ARE YOU?”
The panic in his voice is concerning. “I missed my flight. I’m barely going to make it for the show. You’ll have to see me after.”
“You what? How could you have missed it?”
“Herman misjudged the amount of time the interview would take. We’re cutting it really close.”
“That son of a bitch.”
His anger with Herman catches me off guard. He’s never expressed any ill feelings about him before and it makes me wonder if something happened after filming was complete. Maybe Herman ended up getting Hogan in trouble after all and he didn’t want to upset me so he didn’t mention it.
“Are you okay?” I ask. “You’re worrying me.”
“I have to see you before the show. You need to know what you mean to me.”
Herman waves to me anxiously.
“Hogan, I have to go. I have to board. I do know what I mean to you. No matter if I win or lose tonight, I know I’ve won because I have you. I have to go now. I’ll see you soon, babe!”
“Sam, wait—”
I hate hanging up on him, but I have no choice. I’m sure he understands. I’ll make it up to him later. I miss him more than I ever dreamed possible. I think I’m ready to tell him how I feel. He’s more than worth the risk.
I changed into a business suit and made it to makeup in time for the reunion. Even though we’re in a studio, they’ve brought the boardroom table, chessboard, and pieces along to make it feel as if we’re back at the Highlight. This time there’s a large studio audience and we’re live. It’s unsettling.
Everyone, with the exception of Courtney, is super cool. Not really a surprise. DJ apologizes, swearing he didn’t know about Carter’s plan and offers me what seems to be heartfelt congratulations. Tom is pale and has lost weight. I wonder if the stress of traveling for interviews was too much for him. We’re purposefully kept apart for the entire pre-show. I can’t wait until the break to pick his brain and wish him well. At this point, I don’t care if I win or lose anymore. I want to be done with it and move forward. The experience of being on the show has given me new purpose in life and I’m ready for a different adventure, whatever it may be.
Hogan isn’t filming. I see Rene and a couple of other camera operators I recognize, so I’m instantly worried my suspicions were correct. He must be in trouble. Maybe that was what he wanted to tell me. Part of me wants to march up to Herman and tell him off, but I decide that was how the old Sam handled things. I’ll wait until after to ask him to explain.
I have a moment to speak to Brenda, who seems upset and anxious to speak to me. I swallow hard and try to remember what I wanted to say. “Brenda, I owe you a huge apology.”
When she tries to speak, I continue, interrupting her. “About the nickname… it was completely inappropriate, rude, and a horrible thing to say. I can’t tell you how terrible I feel. Once I got to know you, I realized my way of remembering people’s names was hurtful and wrong. I hope you can accept my apology. I feel lucky to have had the chance to call you my friend.”
She stares at me in confusion and then laughs. “You mean BM? Oh my God, honey. I thought that was the funniest thing I ever heard. Do you know what it does for a sex toy saleswoman to be called Big Mouth? I’ve gotten so many marriage requests, I don’t even check my email anymore.”
Not understanding, I ask her. “You seemed upset when I approached you. I just assumed.”
“I was upset because they didn’t air our sex toy demonstration. Do you believe it? That would have made for some good quality television.”
Sitting down in my seat, I notice Bryce approach Carmen and whisper something in her ear. She gazes up at him for a moment in fear and he crouches next to her. He leans in again and says something else. Dammit I want to hear! Carmen gazes into his eyes and he touches her hand, winks, and then returns back to the front of the studio.
Trying to get her attention without yelling her name, I clear my throat loudly. She whirls to me and her eyes gleam with tears as she gapes. She places a hand to her heart, and I want to explode. Could it be Bryce has feelings too?
“Welcome back. It’s almost time to reveal our winner. Tom and Sam, would you join me on the chessboard one last time?”
Seeing Tom up close is even more concerning. I really want to ask him if he’s okay.
“You two have been our best players from day one. Let’s look at some of the best moments on the show.”
As the recording plays, I notice we are no longer being filmed. I lean over to him.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
He smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Do you remember when you wanted me to vote for Carmen and I told you I’d ask you for a favor someday in exchange?”
I nod.
“This is my favor: no matter what you hear about me or what happens after the results, I want you to always think of me as you did in the game. Those were some of the best days of my life.”
“What are you saying?” I ask, reaching for his arm.
“My favor is that you live your life to the fullest and never regret what you did to win. If I ever had a daughter, I would hope she’d be just like you. So the deal is, if you win, yo
u accept the job, no matter how you feel about me. Understand?”
I nod as the film clips continue. Maybe he really is The Fabulist after all. Glancing up to the screen, they show Tom and me counting steps and sneaking into The Fabulist’s room. They show him picking up the box and then Herman getting angry with us. They go on about how well we played the game and how much we both deserve to be here.
The clip reminds me of the question I never had answered. “Tom, what was in that stupid box? I have to know.”
He opens his mouth to answer, but the cameras are back on us.
Bryce continues, “Now it’s time we find out how America voted. It’s time for the final decision.”
The screen comes to life behind Bryce. It’s him, or at least a probable recording of him. The Fabulist is back in the shadows for the last time.
“Tom and Sam, never has a game been played so well. You faced challenges with skill and determination. You are both worthy of the position and I will be pleased to have either of you in my employ. I told you once I was the king in chess, but both of you played better than I ever imagined. After America’s vote, 3.65 million votes to be exact, the winner of the $100,000 bonus and position of a lifetime is…”
The lights flicker and float as they did every time a decision was made. I hold my breath.
“Samantha Wittaker. Congratulations!”
Oh my God! I won! Tom shakes my hand and it’s not enough. I hug him. He is The Fabulist. I can tell by the gleam in his eye.
“Sam, how do you feel?” Bryce asks.
“I can’t believe it. Thank you. Thank you to everyone. But most importantly, thank you to Tom.”
Tom smiles at me as he backs away.
Bryce says a few more words, but I don’t hear them. I’m so excited I want to jump up and down. The audience screams in joy and I hear Carmen hoot and holler.
“In just a moment, we’ll be back so Sam can get a little surprise of her own. It’s time she met the King Chess Piece, as we call him. The man in the shadows. When we return, Sam will meet her new boss for the very first time. Join us for the reveal you won’t see coming. Nothing is ever as it seems on The Fabulist.”
After shaking hands and having my makeup touched up, it’s almost time to resume filming. Bryce begins to speak and I can’t focus. My eyes move to Tom and I smile. I was right all along. My heart is pounding in my chest.
“Sam, it’s time you meet your boss. The Fabulist is actually the owner of Seamore Productions. He started this company when he was twenty-one years old and has turned it into a multi-million-dollar empire. He owns several film studios, movie rights, as well as three recording studios. He’s responsible for discovering some of your favorite recording artists including…”
I glance over at Tom excitedly and he nods, grinning from ear to ear. It is Tom! I know it.
“The man who has been watching from the shadows was never really in the shadows at all. He was there with all of you the entire time. Ladies and gentleman, Sam Wittaker, please meet your new boss, the man we’ve all been waiting for, The Fabulist… Kingston Kerrington!”
I swallow hard and smile brightly. Kingston Kerrington?
It isn’t Tom, but even though I’m wrong about Tom, I’m still excited. I’m about to meet the man who controls my future.
THE CROWD GOES wild and screams. The lights flicker and flash as “Master of Puppets” by Metallica plays once again. The lights are dimmed and all we see are his legs as he walks down a long hall. He’s wearing an expensive suit. I see his hands and his chest. He pauses, then walks into the light.
His face comes into view—his beautiful, passionate, perfect face. My heart shatters into 100,000 pieces. The Fabulist is Hogan Harper.
I reach out in search of something to steady myself, but all I find is air. Air… I have no air. I can’t breathe, I can’t speak. There has to be some kind of mistake.
The crowd is cheering and yelling. I hear gasps of shock and laughter.
His eyes burn into me as he buttons his suit jacket, then shakes Bryce’s hand. Bryce laughs loudly and pats him on the back. He seems as surprised as the rest of us.
“For those of you who watched the show, you’ve seen Kingston in various clips. He was one of our cameramen, or so we thought. How did you do it?”
He speaks with an English accent and I can’t move. I can’t think. I can’t process any of it.
“I started this company by learning everything I could about music and film. I worked the camera, I know the camera. Being a cameraman gave me the opportunity to be up close and personal with the contestants throughout the entire game.”
“To us on set, you were Hogan Harper with an American accent. Are you English?”
Hogan speaks in the voice I’d come to love, and people gasp. It’s so different from the one he used as The Fabulist, no one would be able to tell. Except for someone who memorized every detail of his voice, who thought she knew that voice, that man, but really knew nothing at all.
“My mother is English, and my father is American. Growing up, we spent time all over the world. I needed to disguise my voice, so I hired a vocal coach to teach me how to change everything about how I spoke, and even how I laughed. This is my normal voice.” Then he speaks with an English accent again saying, “But I can become English on command.”
“So it seems you really deserve the title, The Fabulist. You were the biggest liar of them all.”
He half-laughs. I say “he,” because I don’t know what the fuck to call him. “My business is full of strange and fascinating people. I really do need someone to help me keep it real, as you can imagine. Sam is very talented at reading people. She amazed me with her skill, her humor, and her precise explanations of character.”
“Sam,” Bryce calls. “You must be in shock. Hogan Harper was your cameraman for much of the show. Did you have any clue?”
I can’t form any words. For the first time in a long time, there are tears in my eyes. Hogan… Kingston… whatever his name is, tilts his head apologetically to me. He almost looks as if he’s in pain. I’m in pain. I want to fall to my knees and scream of the ultimate betrayal. I kissed him. I had sex with him. I loved him. It was all a vicious lie.
He fucked me. He fucked me over. He fucked with my heart. He fucked with my life. He fucked me every way a man can fuck. But most of all, he fucked with the wrong girl.
Swallowing hard, with tears in my eyes, I attempt to breathe normally. I have to get through this. I can fall apart later. Right now I need to be tough. I need to be Sam Wittaker, the girl who doesn’t take shit from anyone.
“I had no clue, Bryce. It seems I’m not that good at discovering the truth after all.”
Bryce tries to smile, but he hears the angry undertones in my voice. “Let’s watch exactly how Kingston did it. We have some footage. Let’s roll it.”
The cameras are off of us. I grit my teeth and stare him down. He takes a deep breath and struggles toward me.
“Don’t you even fucking dare,” I hiss so the audience won’t hear.
His voice cracks as he reaches for me, thinks better of it and takes a step back. “Sam, please. Let me explain.”
“I don’t ever want to hear another word you say.”
I glance at the screen and see Hogan taking an elevator from the eleventh floor to the room behind the boardroom wall and slip into place. I see him wearing night-vision goggles while I stand before him blindfolded. I watch his face as Maria points to Carter, placing something in my drink.
My heart breaks all over again. Herman Matthews rushes to us. “Sam and Kingston, we are on live television. You will act happy and excited for this position, Sam. You will act like Kingston was simply your cameraman, or I will, as I told Kingston, reveal everything I know about your torrid affair. I don’t work for Seamore Productions, as Kingston already knows. We have co-rights to this show and I will sue the fuck out of both of you if you don’t see this through on air. Understand?”
“I
t seems I was wrong about you too,” I say to Herman. “You’re a nasty, angry little fuck of a man. What happened to wanting drama from me, you bastard? But you don’t want it now, do you? Don’t worry. I’ll put on a show for everyone. I’ll wrap it up in a neat little bow and then I’ll walk away with what’s left of my heart and my dignity.”
“We’re back on air in five, four…”
Hogan—or Kingston the fucking liar—moves back to his position and watches me painfully as Herman darts away.
Bryce tries to comprehend what just happened. He didn’t hear any of it, but I’m sure he saw how tense we were.
“So, Sam, what do you think of all of this?” Bryce asks.
I smile. “I’m blown away, Bryce, just blown away. I’m so thrilled to have this opportunity and I can hardly wait to speak to Mr. Kerrington about my future with him and his company.”
Bryce turns to the camera and the audience. “And that concludes this season of The Fabulist. We’ll be holding auditions for next year’s Fabulist at the beginning of the year, with a new Fabulist, new lies, new challenges, and as always, more surprises. Thank you for joining us. Goodnight.”
I continue to smile brightly as the camera stays on me. The other contestants come over to congratulate me, and I pretend to be happy. Carmen hangs back. She’s crying and I know why. I can’t bear to look at her. As soon as the show ends, she rushes to me and pulls me close.
“Oh Sam. Oh Sam,” she sobs.
“Sam, may I speak to you?” Tom asks.
“I’m going to wait for you outside, okay?” Carmen asks.
I nod as Tom and I move off to the side. Kingston Kerrington is shaking hands with people in the audience and taking pictures with them, but he’s watching my every move.
“I just wanted to say congratulations. You deserve this.”
“Thank you, Tom. For the record, I was convinced you were him.” My eyes roam to Kingston and back again. “I’ve been wrong about a lot of things lately. I’m actually sorry you didn’t win, because I’m not sure I want the job after all. Actually, how would you feel about taking it off my hands?”
The Fabulist Page 27
