Enjoy!
Chapter Nine:
Reid and Mary changed into evening attire for the dinner that followed. It was being held in a restaurant with views of the valley. Faye was with the crew watching.
"How are you feeling?" Reid asked.
"Happy to be on the ground," she said with a laugh. "Though I think you're the only one I'd ever want to be stuck on a balloon ride with."
"There I thought I scared you away with the statistics," he said.
"I was just plain scared," she said.
Reid raised his glass. "Cheers to being back on the ground."
"With great company," she added.
They clinked glasses.
Salads were set in front of them.
"So, what is the most rewarding part of working with developmentally delayed children?" he asked.
"Um, seeing them develop, I guess," she said. "What was the hardest part of being in prison?"
Faye sighed. "You idiot," she said to no one in particular.
"Being away from friends and family," he said. "What education level do you work with?"
"Middle school," she said. "Did you see anyone get shived?"
The look on Reid's face made Faye want to slap Mary.
"Why don't you want to talk about your job?" he asked.
"Because, it's just a job," she said impatiently. "Were you forced into a relationship while in there?"
A crew member groaned. "Someone has been watching too much Orange is the New Black."
"I don't think my time in prison is what defines me," Reid said.
"But that is all that anyone cares about," she said. "You're ex-FBI. You wouldn't be here if you did something right."
"My prison time is all that anyone here cares about?" Reid asked, stunned.
Faye wanted to scream.
"You're also kind of cute," she said. "Do you use hair products or is your hair naturally wavy?"
"I think you should leave," he said.
"But we're not even done with our salads," she said.
"If my prison time is all you want to talk about, then you should leave," he said.
"Look, I've been in jail too because I have kleptomania," she said desperately. "We have something in common."
"I don't care. I think, I've heard enough," he said.
She stood up. "You know, you're a real stick in the mud. You shouldn't have kicked Francine out for say what we were all thinking."
"Enjoy the rest of your life, Mary," he said dully.
"Screw you," she said and threw her glass of wine in his face.
Some of the crew cheered. This was television gold. Sometimes Faye joined them, but tonight she felt like crying.
Camera crews zoomed in for reaction shots. Faye wanted to reach out to him but the raw footage was needed for the show. Reid wiped the drink off his face. She couldn't tell if he was crying or not. Reid was then escorted to a trailer for a video confessional where a producer would be waiting.
Ten minutes later, he reappeared and would look her in the eye.
"I don't want to hear it," he said.
"Spencer," she said pleadingly.
"Not tonight, Faye," he said and walked away.
…
Faye arrived early and found and Macy sitting with a steaming mug and a smile.
"We missed some fun last night," she said and turned on a monitor.
It was dark, but the sound of screaming could be heard. As a rule, there were no cameras in the Hearts room but there were in the hall. Several of the ladies emerged in the night vision lens. Ava approached his door.
"Spencer?"
The screaming continued. Ava looked prepared to kick down the door. Then a night producer rushed forward with a doctor.
"Everyone back to bed!" the producer said. Nobody moved and the doctor unlocked the door.
"NOW!" he roared. This got everyone to back away.
The screaming stopped.
Faye groaned.
"I hate you and I hate this show sometimes," she said. "Has he spoken with the women yet?"
"He's about to now" she said.
Reid appeared in a t-shirt and black pajama pants. "Hello ladies," he said nervously.
"How are you feeling Spencer?" Leah asked.
"I get nightmares," he said. "Horrible nightmares. I am being treated for them and I assure I was not in any way a danger to myself or others. I just sound very loud. It's a coping mechanism."
Mika gave him a hug.
"As long as you're okay," she said.
"If any of you feel uncomfortable around me after what you heard last, night you are welcome to leave and I will understand completely."
Sarah shook her head. "Not in a million years."
"Okay, then," he said. "I'll see some of you later."
Some of them waved.
Faye looked to Macy.
"Why didn't you let me produce this?"
"Some things need to be done without coaxing or coddling Faye," she said. "And this is one of them."
She covered her face. "If this group date is a disaster, I bet he'll threaten to walk."
…
If the instructor knew anything about what happened last night, he didn't let it show. Reid turned out to only be a little shaky in his footwork and picked up quick. Faye could tell he was making an extra effort to appear exuberant and cheerful.
"Can I have some more time?" Bella asked. She was dressed in a long pale pink dress with sparkles.
"Sure," he said as some of the women laughed.
"I love dancing and not just because I'm a wedding planner."
"Dancing is fun," he said.
"Have you ever seen the movie Beauty and the Beast?" she asked.
"No," he said. "But I've read several versions of the story."
"I was obsessed with it when I was young so my parents enrolled me dance classes," she said.
Suddenly she arranged his hands on her hips and dipped in his arms. She swung him in her arms. Bella began to sing as they danced.
"Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly
Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the beast"
They stopped dancing to the sound of applause.
"There are no freaks or beasts in this world Spencer," she said softly. "Just beauty."
"Thank you," he said and took a step back. He bowed and she curtsied.
…
The ladies who were cut at the cocktail party that night were: Lena and Allison.
Faye met with Reid in his bedroom.
"How are you feeling?"
Reid sat on his bed. "Oddly, not terrible."
"That's good."
"This is a truly a journey with twists and turns. We'll see what happens next."