Page 100 of Endgame

‘Okay. How can I help?’

We actually have a lot of fun that night. MsPat is sent home by Ariella at ten to get some sleep, but I stay up until almost four in the morning with my girlfriend testing, trying, giving my opinion and helping her pull her menu together. She is radiant and excited all night, laughing through her mistakes with food in her hair, and happily jumping and clapping at her successes.

By the time she decides to call it a night, my love for her feels like it’s going to burst through my chest, and I can’t keep my hands off her in the shower. With precautions no longer required, I hold her up as we make love and squeeze her tightly as we climax together. When we curl up to sleep, I start my little belly tickles, hoping that our baby feels the presence of my love through them.

TWENTY-FIVE

ARIELLA

‘Thank you for stepping in. Who knew caterers could be criminals too?’ Dominic says as MsPat and I arrive at his front door. He kisses my cheek. ‘You smell so good tonight.’

‘I don’t like this, Miss Ariella,’ MsPat whispers, giving Dominic a dirty look as we unload all the food we could pre-prep in advance onto the kitchen counter.

‘We’re fine, MsPat. All the equipment is already here, and Lydia made sure that the replacement catering team will arrive in thirty minutes. We won’t be alone for much longer.’

‘What can I do to help?’ Dominic asks.

‘Your guests don’t arrive until seven. Pretend we are not here and do whatever you’d normally do on a Thursday afternoon.’

He nods obediently. ‘I’ll head to work then.’

Once he has left, we get to work. The decor team arrive to make his patio beautiful; service teams get to work polishing all the crockery ready to serve. The beverage team prepare ice, drinks and decant for the evening ahead, while MsPat and I focus on the food. We are ready when Dominic arrives back at five fifty for a shower and a change.

MsPat relaxes when the guests start to arrive. They are a lively crowd and rip through the champagne like it’s water. It’s agood mix of local businesses and international investors looking for partnership opportunities. The evening is a lot more casual than I expected for a meeting like this, which is probably down to Dominic’s demeanour.

He’s cheerful when he checks on me, and helps to move drinks around his guests and tastes little bits that I have set on the side to try.

I’m truly enjoying myself. It’s been nice being in his kitchen, focusing on the business of cooking with waiting staff and the sommelier keeping the guests occupied. I’ve missed this. Me and simple, delicious ingredients ready to become something greater than they started out.

Going for the large platters of the contemporary chilli crab and the crispy baked chicken wings on blue cheese Caesar for the guests to dive into, family style, was a big risk but, when the pleas for more came through from the waiting staff, I feel like that’s one course down.

The same anxiety takes hold as I send out the main courses of truffle macaroni cheese, shredded duck salad, garlic and ginger steamed fish and vegetable fried rice on their platters. There is absolute silence until one of the waitresses enters the kitchen, stands opposite me and excitedly delivers the line that relaxes me.

‘They love it!’

It’s smooth sailing after that. Dessert, of course, is a fruit salad MsPat made and a selection of ice creams and sorbet – I may be ambitious but I’m not trying to orchestrate my destruction.

‘Aari! Come join us,’ Dominic calls into the kitchen from the garden.

‘Yes,’ his guests from the USA rowdily agree, beckoning me to join them.

‘No, Dom,’ I reprimand him jokingly. ‘Stop distracting your caterer.’

‘I don’t believe I have ever seen anyone I’ve outsourced toil to this happy.’

‘That’s because I volunteered for the aforementioned toil.’

By the time I join them for a glass of water at the end of the night after I’ve cleaned and wiped down the kitchen surfaces, everyone is full and buzzing.

‘You’re incredible,’ Dominic whispers to me as I take a seat next to him.

‘You know, MsPat and I just might be.’ I smile shyly. I’m proud of myself. I’ve never fed this many people before and it’s the first time I’ve cooked for strangers. Looking at all the empty platters that have returned to the kitchen, I’m not sure I made enough. I make a mental note to increase the portion sizes next time. If there is a next time.

‘Here.’ Dominic slips me an envelope.

‘No. I told you I’d happily do it for free…’

‘It’s not money.’

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