Chapter 19 #2
“Did you catch that view? Pretty nice, huh?” Carly offers, ignoring Molly’s comment, her voice high-pitched and perky.
I notice Molly shudder at the same time I do and huff a subtle laugh.
“Uh-huh. We saw it,” Molly deadpans, her eyes flickering with disgust.
I wonder if Molly’s anger is a result of feeling slighted by Duncan because she likes him, or simply because he made her look bad. Duncan seems to catch on to Molly’s mood and glances between the two women as if unsure how to proceed.
From the other side of the vehicle, a bald man in his seventies wearing a purple and teal windbreaker hops out of the driver’s seat.
After slamming the door shut, he strolls around to the passenger side with the speed and agility of a much younger man.
Coming to stand beside the group, he clasps his hands in front of him and clears his throat.
As the tour guide, he’s already been instructed to take the two men and their chosen dates on to their next stop—a wine tasting.
“Alright, is everybody ready to move along? We’ve seen all we can for the day,” the guide says in a thick Italian accent.
“Mr. Duncan, Mr. Kory, you and your dates will be visiting two wineries whose grapes are grown in the unique volcanic soil found only on Etna’s slopes.
Have you chosen who you will bring with you? ”
A nearly imperceptible look of hope flashes across Molly’s face.
It tells me that of all the people here—every producer, PA, and camera operator—she’s the only one who isn’t aware that Duncan already made his choice last night.
Although I’m sure she has some sort of idea after Duncan and Carly’s display of… whatever that was.
Kory pushes off the vehicle to stand, pulling Tanesha up with him.
“Tanesha’s my girl, she’ll be my date,” he says resolutely.
A smile blooms across Tanesha’s face, and I soften toward her.
From the very little I know about her, she seems like a genuinely nice person.
She’s managed to avoid most of the drama, has had a very in-depth talk with Kory about her expectations and boundaries, and spent the majority of her day yesterday consoling another contestant who is likely to be going home tomorrow when the ship docks.
So, I’m truly happy that it seems she’s found some kind of love—whether it’s just for now or it becomes something more real down the line.
“Thank you, Mr. Kory,” the guide says. “And you, Mr. Duncan?”
Duncan looks between the two women, who are now on either side of him. Molly’s hip is jutted out and her arms are crossed over her chest, as if waiting for Duncan to make the right decision. Or at least, the one that she deems is right.
Carly, on the other hand, is giving Duncan such an exaggerated look of adoration that I’m surprised little cartoon hearts haven’t appeared in her eyes.
“Uh…” Duncan says, looking truly torn. I cock my head slightly as I survey his expression.
Huh. Either this man is a great actor, or he actually does like Molly.
Based on what I know of the producers on this show, I would put money on the fact that Duncan is only planning to pick Carly because he’s being pushed to by a producer.
“Mr. Duncan?” the driver repeats.
“I think I’m going to pick Carly,” he finally says, a note of defeat lacing his otherwise chipper tone.
Molly scoffs.
“Alright, let’s get on the road then. We have a long drive!” the guide says as he swings the passenger doors open.
I have my camera trained on Carly as she gets into the Unimog, but as I lean away from the viewfinder of my camera, my eyes snag on Molly’s face.
I’m sure she’s seen the show. So, she knows how this will go.
But her wheels are only just starting to turn as she realizes that she’s really being left behind. On the side of a volcano. Alone.
“Wait—no, wait, you can’t leave me.” Her anger starts to give way to desperation as the last door to the vehicle closes in her face. “Guys, come on—just drive me to the ship, please. Don’t do this.”
Molly stalks around the Unimog to the back passenger window.
I can see through the vehicle slightly as Duncan rolls his window down halfway, but I can’t catch the expression on his face from where I’m standing.
Dan, the other DOP, does a wide circle of the scene, coming to stand in front of the truck so he can capture the interaction between Molly and Duncan.
Words are exchanged, then a frustrated huff escapes Molly as she stomps off in the opposite direction of the vehicle.
Greta dashes over to me. “Can you catch up to her? We’re going to follow the other contestants now,” she explains in a rush, as the second Unimog pulls up from where it had been waiting a few hundred feet away.
“Molly’s transport will be waiting in the parking lot when you guys get down from the cable car.
See you later?” She puts a hand on Sora’s shoulder and tosses her head in the direction of the vehicle to indicate that Sora is to go with them.
Sora gives me an apologetic smile, passes me my lens, and then quickly follows Greta. In less than thirty seconds, the entire crew is gone.
And I’m completely alone.