One To Watch(118)

“Sam, do you agree with that assessment?”

“You know, I’m not going to lie, I was hurt when Bea turned me down. She’s the first woman I ever really loved, and that’s going to stick with me a long time. But ultimately, I do think she made the right decision for both of us, and I know we both care for each other and wish each other the best.”

“Do you think you’re ready to search for love again?” Johnny raised an eyebrow.

“You know what?” Sam grinned. “I think I just might be.”

“On that note, I hear you have some news, is that right, Sam?”

“For the first time in history,” he hammed, his voice low and dramatic, “your next Main Squeeze is going to have a mustache.”

The crowd cheered, and Bea hugged Sam—she couldn’t have imagined a better pick for the next Main Squeeze.

“You know I’m gonna be coming to you for advice,” he said to Bea.

“Anytime!” she effused, praying silently that this didn’t mean she’d have to be on the show again next season.

“And I want to say one thing publicly, while I have the chance,” he went on after the applause had died down. “I think it’s great that Bea broke some new ground on this show, and I know I’m doing the same thing by being the first Black man to be the Main Squeeze. But I don’t want us to go backward on body diversity—I want the women I meet to represent a range of sizes, and I’m going to be really upset if the producers don’t come through for me on that.”

Predictably, the audience lost their minds at this, clapping and cheering. It was a great moment, and Bea was happy to end the night on a high note—but Johnny told her they still had one more segment to film after Sam left the stage.

“Bea,” he said, “I’m sorry if this is tough, but I have to ask: Are you disappointed you didn’t find love on your journey?”

“Definitely.” Bea nodded. “It took me a long time to believe—truly believe—that it was even possible for me to find a lasting relationship on a show like this one, so of course I’m disappointed things didn’t turn out the way I pictured. But you know, in a way, what happened was even better.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“If you had come to me the week before we started filming and told me that Ray was going to leave his fiancée for me, I would have cried for joy. I would have run to him so fast—and it would have been a terrible decision.”

“So your happy ending is getting over your feelings for Ray?”

“That’s part of it.” Bea considered. “But it’s more than that. I’ve told myself for so many years that I’m afraid of men rejecting me for the way I look, of them refusing to look past my size. But I was wrong—I don’t need a man to look past my size. I need someone who’ll see me and love me exactly as I am. For all its flaws, this show made me believe that that’s possible.”

“You’re not the only one who thinks so,” Johnny said. “We talked earlier about the people who weren’t so nice about you being on this show. But I hear you also received a lot of support from the plus-size community?”

“Yes!” Bea chirped. “That’s been one of the best parts of this whole experience. So many women and girls have shared their stories with me, have told me about all these acts of bravery they’ve been inspired to take in their own lives.”

“Any favorites?”

“Oh gosh.” Bea grinned, thinking back on all the terrific letters. “One girl told me that she was nervous to put her name in to be considered for prom court, but then she saw me on TV.”

“And did she become prom queen?”

“No. She decided to run for class president instead.”

The audience broke out in a thunderous ovation, and Bea beamed.

“Well,” Johnny said, “we have a surprise for you, Bea.”

“Uh-oh,” Bea’s response was involuntary, and the audience laughed good-naturedly.

“As you know, a lot of these letters came to us at Main Squeeze, and we passed them on to you. We loved the letters as much as you did, and we wanted to celebrate the women who wrote them. Can we get the lights up on the studio audience?”

On Johnny’s cue, the lighting in the studio changed dramatically: The hot lights on the stage dimmed, the house lights came up, and for the first time, Bea was actually able to see the audience.

Every single woman in the crowd was plus-size. And they were rising to their feet to applaud.

“What? What is this?” Bea grabbed Johnny’s hand, and to her great surprise, he held it tightly, keeping her steady as the tears streamed down her face.

“Every member of the audience is a woman who wrote to you, Bea,” Johnny explained. “We thought you deserved a chance to meet, live and in person, some of the many people who see themselves in you.”

“I can’t believe I finally liked a twist on Main Squeeze,” Bea blurted, and everyone laughed and cheered some more.

“I hope you won’t mind, but we have just one more.” Johnny guided Bea back to the couch as the studio lights returned to normal. “I’m guessing you noticed that one man from your Main Squeeze journey hasn’t made an appearance tonight?”