I had someone on Instagram ask me why Blood On A Yellow Rose had to end with Pamela and Zinnia, the aroace MCs, getting married, and though I had to give them the short version, I feel like giving you lot the long version today, so that’s what we’re doing.
Taxes aside, I wanted the wedding to happen because it’s the ultimate middle finger to Pamela and Zinnia’s past lives, and to the people who hurt them. Pamela, due to being aromantic, never envisioned herself getting married when she was human, but once she entered a queerplatonic relationship with Zinnia, she wasn’t as opposed to the idea of marriage, because she knew that Zinnia loved her. Rick was in love with Pamela, but he didn’t truly love her. Pamela wasn’t in love with Rick, but she cared deeply about him, even though she knew that he’d be nothing without her. Rick was a mediocre drummer, and the only reason he got to live the life he did is because Pamela let him ride her coattails. Rick, however, was unaware of that, and genuinely believed that he was on the same level as her. He did not deserve to share the spotlight with her, but Pamela let him because she wanted to give her best friend the opportunity to live his dream. As their fame grew, so did the amount of people who lusted after Pamela, and Rick, being her best friend, thought that if any man should get to have her, it should be him, right? He dropped hints about his feelings for her, but she never picked up on them, and (correctly) assuming that she didn’t feel the same way, he settled for the next best thing he could find; Shelby, a mediocre one-hit wonder singer who was just as delusional about her talent as he was.
Likewise, Zinnia also being aromantic, never envisioned herself getting married, and all she wanted was to have a successful music career with Bea, and their band, Bleach Babes. Bea was Zinnia’s only friend growing up, but that’s what happens when you’re an alt kid who lives in a small town—You befriend the only other person who has something in common with you, even if they suck, like Bea did. Zinnia truly cared about Bea, and wanted a life with her despite her massive character flaws (Being extremely controlling, and shooting down all of Zinnia’s ideas). Bea didn’t truly care about Zinnia, or their band, she only stuck with her because being in a band was the only career option she liked the look of. But then she met Tyler, and he promised her that she wouldn’t have to have a career at all. He promised her a big white wedding, a family, and the idea of never having to work again, and since she preferred the idea of being a wife and mother to the idea of being in a band, she didn’t need Zinnia anymore. Zinnia’s dreams meant nothing to Bea now that Tyler had promised her something she deemed ‘better.’ Fast forward a year, and Bea is now alone, having been dumped by Tyler. She threw away her opportunity to have a music career, and her best friend for a man who never ended up giving her the big white wedding, or family she wanted.
Pamela got to marry someone who truly loves her, and isn’t just riding her coattails. Zinnia got to be the love of Pamela’s life, and have her dream wedding with her. Pamela and Zinnia got to have the very things that Rick and Bea wanted, but didn’t deserve.
