Runner Up

by Leah Banicki

  RUNNER UP

  by Leah Banicki

  Copyright © 2012 Leah Banicki

  Cover art- © HadKub- Girl © Tryfonov - lens

  Published by Leah Banicki

  https://www.facebook.com/Leah.Banicki.Novelist

  All rights reserved solely by the author. The author guarantees all contents are original and do not infringe upon the legal rights of any other person or work. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the author.

  Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work.

  * * *

  Leah Banicki writes with a quirky sense of humor while underneath lie stories of real-life relationships. Her portrayals will make you laugh out loud, feel the hurt and experience the triumphs that are common to us all. Ms. Banicki is one author I will read again and again. – Patricia Strefling - Author of Ireland Rose & Wedgewick Woman

  Special Thanks:

  To my Mom, for helping me with the TV show brainstorming and telling me from day one what a great idea this was. It was a huge undertaking for me and without you it would have sat in the unfinished pile forever.

  To my dear friend Pat, you has cheered me through the journey with your sweet way of lifting me out of the pit of insecurity. You made it so easy for me to keep going with your prayers and kind words. Our friendship blesses me everyday.

  To my other Patty, your amazing gifts helped me polish my work. I appreciate all your guidance and humorous comments kept me giggling through my edits.

  To my daughter Emma, your optimism and giving spirit kept me writing. You always kept telling me that the world needs this story. Somehow, you just made me believe it too.

  My husband Jeff, who put up with the long hours, the teary hard scenes that made me emotional, the endless questions... “Would a guy actually say that?” “Is that funny or silly?” You never, ever, stopped believing in me. I will never forget that. You are my soul mate!

  Table of Contents Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Dear Reader Resources

  Part 1

  Prologue

  I was a late bloomer, a shy teen that didn’t have a clue how to flirt or get attention. When I did get attention, I didn’t have any idea what to do with it. I was days away from my seventeenth birthday when I got my first kiss and honestly, it went badly. Found out a week later that he had a girlfriend. What a jerk! I can look back now and laugh, but I didn’t then.

  I have had a romantic heart since I was little; I have loved sentimental stories and amorous movies to distraction. My favorite new thing to do once I moved to New York was go to Central Park on weeknights, just about dusk, to photograph couples walking together. You would be surprised what I observed from my park bench, steadily feeding my pigeons as I watched each couple strolling by.

  I especially loved the older couples. Watching the gentleman link the lady's hand in the cusp of his elbow; it made my heart sing a little. Their love had endured throughout the years, long after beauty and youth had betrayed them.

  I became a nervous wreck and felt a bit foolish recently when I signed up for a romantic adventure. At twenty-five years of age and seemingly hopeless at dating, and after a lot of convincing from my family, I applied to be a contestant on the television show Soulmate, a Reality TV program that allows people to see if they can fall in love over a few months on television. It was a wildly popular program, not only in the U.S. but also several versions now made in Canada, France, and several other countries. The U.S. version of the show usually had twenty-five contestants all vying for the attention of the man or woman chosen by the show’s producer.

  The season of Soulmate I was applying for includes a man who was a contestant on last year’s show. He was a runner up who made it to the top three before he was sent home. I was surprised the bachelorette from that season was so foolish to let him go. He was a definite catch.

  My family avidly watched the show every season, myself included. It seemed too good to be true, a person finding their one love, to have and to hold, on national television. I enjoyed watching each story evolve right before my eyes. It was captivating. Every season the TV producers chose an eligible Bachelor or Bachelorette to select from an intimate group of viable singles that were competing for love and attention. Each week the Soulmate chose one or two of the contenders to go on a special date, and the dates are from a dream... helicopter rides overlooking waterfalls, dinners in Paris, or yachting in the bluest of oceans. Who couldn't fall in love in a setting like that. Heck, by the time the season was over, I would be half in love with the bachelor myself, just having watched him from my couch at home. The real twist was when the Soulmate had to choose, at the end of the season, who they wanted to be with. It always came down to two contestants, that was when I thought the pressure must really be incredible. I had to admit, the last show every season was always a nail biter for me.

  I could never tell which one they were going to choose, but it sure was exciting. Most of the time there was even a proposal of marriage...Can you imagine? What a whirlwind. Then the couple exits the show hand in hand. I could never get enough of them, it seemed. I never missed any after-shows or follow-up interviews. I had to know just how it all worked out for them; Soulmate fans want to know more.

  This season it would be Anthony Cappricio as the Soulmate bachelor. I first saw Anthony last season when he was let go from the show in the top three guys. The world fell in love with him, being such a sweet Christian man with integrity and morals. It also helped that he was remarkably handsome and a successful architect.

  His black hair, dark eyes, and easy smile made me take notice when my family heard that they chose him for the next Soulmate show. They begged me to go for it. They thought it would be good for me to come out of my shell, since I focused way too much on my career and travel.

  Currently I work as a freelance professional photographer and have made a name for myself as being creative and easy to work with. A few years of business school helped me learn how to market myself but mostly I learned everything that I needed to know from my Dad’s business savvy. You pick up a lot of wisdom with an entrepreneur as a father.

  My first photo appeared in a magazine when I was eighteen. I really got lucky but my mom called it a blessing. The winter snows melted and our town flooded. With some borrowed fishing waders along with several panicked prayers that I didn’t drop my expensive camera in the floodwaters, I maneuvered through the immersed streets. To my delight, I captured some amazing urban scenes that were submerged two feet deep in water. The mid-morning light was perfect for some magical moments. I sent the pictures to several magazines and received a bid to buy one of the photos. It was one of the proudest moments of my life. That was seven years ago...now my family has decided that I need to focus on my personal life since my professional life was going well. Plus I realized that they might just have a point.

  Reluctantly, I agreed to try out for the show; it was quite an ordeal. First I did a photo shoot, which was understandably awkward since I was the one usually taking the pictures, then filled out endless pages of applications, only to nervously wait for my results. I thought the worst part of the ordeal was my family calling daily to ask if I heard anything from the network producers.

  I finally got a phone call.

  "Is this Hannah Parker?" I answered yes, while my heart nearly jumped from my chest.

&
nbsp; The producer wanted to discuss my application. He asked me a lot of personal questions about my past relationships, as well, as any criminal history. He told me that to be considered as a candidate they would have to interview my family and friends as well. Apparently they do a complete personal and criminal screening; I guess with their ratings at stake they are not willing to leave anything to chance. After talking at length about why I wanted to be on the show and what my expectations were, I am told about what they expect from me. I needed to lose fifteen pounds and get a tan before going on the show. He even had the nerve to suggest the option of ‘breast augmentation’. A boob job, weight loss, and bronzed skin? I was a size six now with a healthy woman's figure. My jaw dropped a little as he said it so bluntly and part of me was a little bit peeved!

  Not gonna happen, well the breast augmentation anyway . A tan and a workout trainer I would accept gracefully. He continued to give me the name of a personal trainer that lived nearby, as well as several plastic surgeons that I would want to consult. He told me that the show would pay for any procedures, at no charge to me, if they liked the end result enough to choose me for the show. I had to work hard not to tell him off right there. I was able to hold myself together long enough to write down the information as he gave it to me over the phone. He promised to email me the Soulmate information packet for applicants shortly, he told me he was my personal contact, and then opened the floor to any questions I may have. I wanted to ask him if they required a vile of my blood or a lock of my hair for DNA purposes, but I thought better of it. The very thought of it at least made me smile long enough to calm down a bit. This jerk was quite a piece of work, I told myself.

  “How many girls are getting this call?” I asked, wondering about the other women crazy enough to do this.

  “Around forty, plus or minus a few. It will be cut to twenty-five by the first show to be taped in five months. Your cooperation is what gets you into consideration. I just want to tell you, Hannah, the producers of the show really like you. They see that you are good and wholesome; plus the camera loves you, too. I will give you a hint, you have a good shot at getting on the show. We can use your story, you know fluff it up little, maybe add some tears and drama. Hey Hannah, babe, you don't happen to have a sick dog or crippled sister do you? If not we can work around it. Anyway, I got off track there for a minute... The bachelor, Anthony, is looking for a woman with values. I think you could make us look really good." His concerns over certain things were annoying me but I kept my mind open. These TV people had their own way of doing things.

  I opened my laptop after the call ended and downloaded the information he sent to my email account. His screen name was mrwonderful@me.com. I had to laugh. This was a whole new world that I would be throwing myself into, with people that I was not even sure if I liked. I needed to decide if this was the correct path for me. I realized that I wanted to seek some guidance, so I decided to spend some time in prayer about the situation. I sat in the quiet room and talked to God. I wholeheartedly asked for the Lord to give me peace about what to do.

  In my head I was pretty sure Andrew, the next bachelor, was a good Christian man, he professed on Soulmate the year before, as being a man of integrity and planned on waiting to have sex until marriage. What guy would say that on national television if he didn’t mean it? I can imagine the press he got and the ribbings from his male friends.

  I would be seeking out some heavenly wisdom in my heart-to-heart talks with God to help me find clarity.

  That night I talked to my roommate Allison and listened to her words of wisdom.

  “They want you to lose weight? What a bunch of egomaniacal materialistic dunderheads!” Allison said snidely. I enjoyed how Allison was always free with her opinions. Her streaked blond hair swung as she spoke animatedly with her hands.

  “It’s a television show Allison, not Sunday school.” I said and laughed at her antics but wanted her to be serious a moment. “I guess I should have accepted that there would be a few catches. As it is, I have to sign a contract and agree to do all the interviews, allow them a criminal background check and to talk to my family. They figure if I get to be on TV I am supposed to look good and be perfect in every way.”

  “Well, I think you are beautiful and perfect already. They are idiots if they want you to lose all your curves.” Allison said and gave the international hand gesture for a curvy woman.

  “Losing fifteen pounds wouldn’t do my curves any harm. I walk a lot but a trainer might just whip me into shape. Maybe after the show is done, me and my new man can honeymoon someplace extraordinary that I can photograph, I am only a so-so hiker. This will get my booty in gear.” I announced and patted myself on the body part I mentioned, I laughed at the thought of actually winning the show. It was pretty ridiculous. But someone has to win, why can't it be me? I thought to myself.

  “His name is Anthony right. What’s his last name?” Allison asked.

  “Let me think, Capriccio… It sounds Italian. Hmmm.” I answered and could see the man in my mind’s eye. Scenes from the show last year danced in my head. Like sugarplums for a child at Christmas time.

  “Hannah Capriccio, that would work.” Allison made the –eechio- sound from his last name a bit exaggerated.

  “Let’s go Google him.” She said after I did a minute of day-dreaming.

  We jumped off the couch and spent the next hour online looking at every picture of him since the show aired last year. I was surprised at how many articles about him there were, of course many of them are salacious gossip, but still, there were quite a few. I wasn't the only one Googling Anthony either, apparently his site has millions of hits. It amazed me that so many people still cared about the fellow contestant of Soulmate that didn't even make it to the top two. At least there was plenty of information to be gleaned all over the internet. * * *

  Allison and I always walked together in the early Sunday crowds near the church we attended. There was a great breakfast joint that we liked to frequent, they served the best warm croissants with coffee for a small little diner. It woke us up fully before church to have that little ritual.

  At church I was distracted, my mind kept wandering to thoughts about the show. I could actually see myself being the winner, walking away with some Hollywood engagement ring to the theme song of the Soulmate. We could even tell our children someday how we met. Sitting in my velvet covered pew daydreaming of a glamorous life, I realized that I was really considering doing this. My heart began to beat faster while my stomach lurched from the excitement of the unknown. The smile on my face let me know that I was doing the right thing.

  After church I called my parents. They lived in Granger, Indiana and I called them at least once every week. I read over the TV show contract and wanted to tell them about the details.

  “Well, have you prayed about it?” Mom always went straight to the point.

  "Yes and I don’t have any alarm bells going off. I am attracted to the guy from what I saw of him on the show last year, if we hit it off, it works. Otherwise it will be an interesting adventure. Perhaps I’ll get to do some traveling before I get dumped." I said. I heard them both laugh. They always used the speakerphone. I never knew who all was listening in until I heard other voices chime into my conversations with them.

  "You should think positive. He may be the one God meant for you." My mom wanted me to go, I could tell. She tried not to pressure my decision, though, well not too much.

  "What do you think Dad?" I heard him harrumph in the background.

  "I want you to be happy," he said then added. "And married. Maybe I’m just old fashioned, but I believe a good marriage is a gift."

  “I love you guys, I will let you know what I decide.” I ended the phone call and spent a little time on a journal. Sometimes I could write things down that I could not say out loud.

  Pros for going: Meeting my potential spouse, meeting great new people, traveling, dressing up, being on TV,

  Cons for going: tr
ainer, getting dumped on TV, catty women roommates, looking like a fool.

  I looked over my pros and cons list and realized it was lame. The pros list was me thinking positively, the way I was raised. I suddenly had that sensation in my stomach, that little flip of excitement. This could be an adventure of a lifetime. I would say yes!

  Two weeks passed by and the phone call came. They welcomed me as a contestant on the TV show Soulmate.

  Chapter 1

  Television cameras were not that intimidating to me, perhaps because I was usually on the other side of the camera for my job. I didn’t feel very insecure because I had been primped, toned, fussed with and made-over by the show staff so much that I don’t even feel real. I passed a mirror and wondered who that woman was. It’s not me… really.

  I had done it, I left everything behind: phone, computer, and the comforts of home, and thrown myself into the ring with twenty-four other women for a chance of falling in love. It sounded really stupid to me too.

  I handed over my ID and Passport to the show’s producers this morning when I arrived at the headquarters downtown. It felt like the first day on the job, left alone in a small conference room to watch a training video and a pile of papers to sign. The video explained, in detail, again, the confidentiality clause and all that it meant. It went through how to handle phone calls with friends and family while on the show, what you can say, and what you can’t. I remember old WWII posters I had seen at antique shops, LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS!

  Okay, so this was a highly confidential endeavor, zip the lip. I got it. It was still early when I was whisked away in a private limousine to the mansion, where the show’s taping would begin that evening.

  The first day of the Soulmate show was really a crazy whirlwind of big hair and extravagantly gowned women. To visualize, one should take twenty-five women packed into a sprawling adobe style mansion near Hollywood, dressed to perfection from head to high heels, then double that in hairdressers and makeup staff. There were at least twenty security guards in various positions, that I could see. I counted: twelve camera men, twenty boom microphone operators, several producer types standing around with papers and clip boards, many assistants and interns that also carried clipboards and smart phones, as they weaved in and out of the fray to keep the paper/clipboard guys happy.