Runner Up by Leah Banicki Page B

he scooted out my chair he whispered
in my ear.
"I liked my first entrance better." I tried not to laugh on camera. I gave him a look and mouthed, 'me too.'
Dinner was great with plenty of laughs and conversation. There was never a gap or awkward silence. I was
suddenly beginning to wish I could start introducing him to all my people at home, Allison in New York, and then I
would drag him to Indiana for a visit with my parents and Chrissy. They would love his laid-back manners and
sense of humor. He was truly everything I had been hoping for. I had never met anyone like him.
Chapter 7
    The plane leaving Brazil was crowded with all the show staff and it landed several times for some unknown
reason. It was early in the morning and everyone appeared grumpy. We had very little time to get ready this
morning; most of us boarded the plane with a come-as-you-are look. We also went without breakfast and some of
the contestants pushed the flight attendant’s buttons by being shrewish and demanding. Since I could not see
Anthony anywhere in the area, I discussed quietly with Janette that he might have boarded a different flight or
perhaps a private jet. It wasn't pleasant to think about so we stopped the conversation when we realized that it
was making us grumpy, too. First class peace and quiet sounded pretty good right now. I had an amusing thought
that perhaps all of us ladies were synchronizing our cycles or something. It wouldn't surprise me one bit. This
airplane was full to the brim with grumpy gals.
    I tried to sleep but the turbulence found that one split moment when I started to drift off into slumber,
then the plane would drop a few feet and scare the crap out of me!
"I think I am going to get dumped soon." Janette whispered to me after another turbulent jolt.
"Oh? What makes you feel that way?" I tried to be sympathetic in my current state of tired and bothered.
"Well, I got a single date card." She stated and looked thoughtful. The freckles on her nose stood out
more when she wasn't wearing makeup. I thought again how cute she was and hoped she would get to stay on the
show longer. I liked her a lot. She was the one person, besides Anthony, who I could be myself with and talk about
my faith. Janette had a great sense of humor and a spark of independence, but she also has a great sense of morals
and a loving heart. I was looking forward to watching her journalism career grow. I already had a few ideas in the
works to start a project with her. Maybe give her local stories a broader audience with some of my contacts. I
didn’t want to tell her about that yet. No need to get her hopes up. That would be a happy surprise.
I knew she was nervous about her date and I didn’t know quite what to say to help her feel more relieved.
"Well that actually means you get to spend time with him. It’s what you have been wanting, well more than
the sand spitting incident, I mean." I smiled and tried to joke but it fell a little flat. My delivery was pretty weak.
"I know, but I have watched the show too, this is the time when he starts dumping people on dates to not
lead anyone on. It's a common practice on the show. We are down to seventeen girls, this week and at least five
will go. That way he can focus on the girls he is really interested in." She pointed at me as she said it.
"Janette, you are paranoid, and my mother would lecture you to not put that kind of stuff out there. You
get results when you go with the flow and trust, fearing getting dumped will make you jumpy and quiet on a date." I
said, hoping I sounded less preachy to her than I just did to myself.
Darn... how to keep my mouth shut when I needed to be a friend.
"You are right, Hannah, I just don't feel any connection to Anthony. I am actually starting to get homesick."
She got a bit misty for a second and I felt her pain. "I am starting to miss my brothers." She smiled and then wiped
an escaping tear.
I reached over and grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.
"If it is