miss. bachelorette

A heated cocktail party left Winnie in a cloudy position, questioning everything. With only six men left, what move will she make to determine who is here for love, and who is here to leave chaos.

-------------------------------------

“Makeup and hair done.”

“Yep!”

“Great, I’ll be right back with the producers for a run down of the show today, so you can just sit here on the couch and feel free to eat and drink.”

“Thanks Sandra.”

Winnie’s eyes are still heavy with sleep and fatigue, and her mind is as full and busy as the filming crew in the bachelorette mansion. Some of the single crew members sneak a glance at the beauty that sits sipping a frosty glass of water, looking lost and lonely in her world. But that’s too bad for them, they are not the suitors. They are not John, John the III, Joe, Jo, Johnny, or Jonah.

The rose ceremony they were prepared to film last night ended up being cancelled. The camera crew was pissed they spent so much time getting the cameras focused and ready, but the producers saw it as a dramatic cliff-hanger for the episode before Winnie had to pick her top four.

John the III was getting too tipsy for stability to keep him grounded, and his mouth ran off on the other men. A series of curses against their relationship with Winnie, claiming they were leading Winnie on, and that they were stealing time away from him to talk with her. At this point, every suitor has had a date to get to connect with Winnie on a personal level. John the III, the broad blonde, also started getting physical, threatening to "rearrange Johnny’s ugly face to a state of mediocrity". He also claims that John, another broad blonde, has a girl back home in Ohio. But get this, John isn’t from Ohio, he’s from Ontario, Canada. John the III is from Ohio, and he is the one with a girl back home. Sheryl, a carbon copy of Winnie, minus the hair color. He revealed himself big time. Winnie witnessed his entire drunk tirade, and immediately wanted to leave his presence.

Winnie waits at least ten minutes before Sandra, the production assistant, returns with three of the Miss Bachelorette producers, and executive producer.

“What a night last night, huh? How are you feeling?”

“A million thoughts are running in my head right now, but I feel like I know exactly what I want to do. I don’t want to waste any more time on guys who aren’t here for me.”

“Oh, we love to hear that!”

The producer fist bumps Winnie. She smiles her breathtaking smile, feeling good that the producers are feeling her energy.

“We’re thinking we won’t do anything big events today until tonight. We’ll film a few takes of you in the house, pondering, a talking head about how you feel, just like you just explained. Then we’ll wait until the evening to set up for a rose ceremony and eliminate the last two suitors.”

Another producer chimed in, “We know it’s a big decision, but we just wanted to get a taste of where your head is at.”

“After the whole John the III fiasco, I’m definitely going to send him home. I’m twisted between Jo and Jonah though, I didn’t have the most reassuring discussion with them last night. I feel like their slow to open up to me. I mean, we’re this far in the journey and they’re still—“

Winnie gets interrupted from the executive producer, “This is great, save all of this for the taking heads. Right now, we’ll film some stuff around the house, then you can get ready for tonight. Sandra?”

Sandra leads Winnie away to the kitchen where the camera people are waiting to focus her in the first shot.

--------------------------

“I took a big risk coming onto this show. I knew what I wanted, but I can’t say that I expected all of this. I think I underestimated the process thinking it wouldn’t be that complicated, but it’s worse. I’m so close to finding the one for me. So close. Last night was like a huge wave of doubt barreling towards me. I don’t even know who or what to trust. It has taken a lot of thinking, a lot of needed clarity to realize the position I am in, and the men that are waiting for a rose. Some of them showed me that they would fight for me and protect me, some of them showed me that they were never here for love. I can’t waste any more time. It’s so… so damn difficult. This journey has been so long and heavy. I don’t want to make any mistakes. I don’t want to regret keeping one person, and getting rid of another. I’m conflicted.”

Winnie has come to terms with what her heart is telling her, and what her mind is telling her. Let’s see which organ she decides to listen to.

Winnie approaches the beautifully decorated room where six men stand, three on a riser, three on the floor, dressed in clean suits and worry. Winnie’s dress is a simple, black, silk slip dress. Her eyes avoid the men in front of her, who long to hold her in their arms. At least some of them.

“Winnie,” says host Colton Cole, “Six men stand before you, but only four roses are on the table. This is a big decision, good luck.”

Winnie eyes the fake roses intensely. Her hands shake as she tries to make eye contact with the men. She feels the wetness in her eyes threatening to spill. She quickly reaches for the first rose, and says the first name.

“John.”

John walks up to Winnie, a small grin creeping onto his face.

“John, will you accept this rose?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Joe. Joe will you accept this rose?”

“Of course.”

“Johnny. Will you accept this rose?”

“How could I say no.”

Colton Cole comes back into the room, “Winnie, gentleman, only one rose remains. Whoever receives this rose will continue their journey with Winnie. Winnie, whenever you’re ready.”

Winnie grabs the last rose, caressing it softly. She looks up to Jo, Jonah, and John the III. She makes a disgusted face when she looks at John the III, but it softens when she glances at Jo and Jonah.

Jo or Jonah, she thinks, Jo or Jonah.

“Jonah.”

“Cut!”

Everyone’s head turns to look at one of the producers who has launched themselves in front of the camera.

“No. Winnie, come here. We need to talk about this.”

The room was stunned, to stunned to even breathe. The past 24 hours were building up for this moment, now the producers are stopping a satisfying conclusion.

“What’s going on?” Winnie asks.

“You have to pick John the III.”

“What!”

“I know you think you want to go with Jonah, but the viewers will go crazy if you pick John the III.”

Winnie gaped at the producer with a flash of anger. Her eyes glanced at the other producers sitting in their cheap stools near the camera.

“Look Winnie, I talked with the other producers and we think John the III might even be the best decision for you on a personal level. Hear me out-“

“No, are you freaking kidding me. I picked Jonah. John the III is a horrible psychotic weirdo, he drives me crazy!”

“But think about the bigger picture. People will tune in to see how your relationship with him develops after last night. It’s good, it will bring in so many viewer-“

“This is my life! I am looking for love, not a Twitter moment. What am I even doing here then?”

“Oh, Winnie. Sweet, innocent, stupid Winnie. Do you really think the public cares about your personal feelings. This is television. We do this for the fame and popularity that comes from the drama. Just shut your naïve mouth up, go back to the table, and give the rose to John the III.”

“I’m not doing this. You can kiss this season goodbye because I am out! Piece of shit.”

“You can’t leave Winnie!”

But Winnie had already walked past the crew and left those men behind, only wanting to leave this hellhole of a mansion.

“If you leave, then we have to kill you.”

Winnie let out a big snort, humored by the producers dramatic statement, and pushed the wooden doors to exit. But she stopped in her tracks and let out a struggling gasp as a silver bullet exited her chest.