Page 40 of Mistaken Impression

“Does that mean I’ve gotta wait?”

“Yes. Now, pass me a pan for the potatoes.”

“What kind of pan?”

“One I can put water in, so I can parboil them.”

I’m still none the wiser, and she rolls her eyes at me, although she’s smiling, so I know she’s not angry, or even about to get so. Instead, she walks around me, heading for the cupboard where I found the roasting pans, and she returns within moments, carrying a large saucepan. She puts it down on the work surface and turns to face me.

“For the show, the potatoes will already be peeled, so you’ll just have to explain what to do from there on.”

“Okay.” I nod my head and watch while she peels two large potatoes, cutting them into chunks and putting them into the pan.

“The water needs to almost cover them,” she says, nodding to the pan and I lift it to the sink, turning on the cold tap, and watching while it slowly drowns the potatoes. I stop it just in time and take it back to her. “Perfect.” She smiles up at me just as the door opens, and we both look up to see Kennedy come into the studio. She’s followed by Ruby and Vivian.

“How are things going?” Kennedy asks.

“Fine,” Ella says, glancing up at me just briefly, the look in her eyes telling me she doesn’t welcome this interruption any more than I do.

“The smells are driving us all crazy.” Ruby smiles as they come over and stand on the other side of the island unit.

“That’ll be the roasted vegetables.” I try to make it sound like I know what I’m talking about, and from the looks on their faces, I seem to have succeeded.

Vivian leans over slightly, picking up a bunch of something green and leafy. “You didn’t put the cilantro in, then?” She turns to Ella with a sly smile on her face. “I don’t know why you asked for it, if you weren’t going to use it.”

“How do you know it’s not for a different dish?” I ask, desperate to protect Ella from any more of Vivian’s ridicule.

“Because it was listed under the ingredients for the roasted vegetables, and it makes sense to put it in there.”

I wish I’d kept quiet now. I don’t care about making myself look stupid, but I’ve failed to defend Ella, and I could kick myself for that.

“The cilantro is for the garnish,” Ella says, crossing her arms. “We’ll only add it to the dish at the very end. No-one in their right mind would add it to the dish before roasting. It would burn to a crisp.” She turns to Ruby. “While we’re discussing ingredients, though, I’d expected there to be a set of basic supplies… you know, flour, milk, eggs, butter. And at the very minimum, I would have thought you’d have given me some salt and pepper. Or do I have to ask for absolutely everything?”

Wow… she’s not taking any prisoners today, and although I half expect Kennedy to tell her off for her tone, she doesn’t, and instead it’s Ruby who nods her head, leaning over the work surface slightly.

“I’m sorry. We should have seen to that.” She turns, scowling at Vivian, and I guess it was her job… and that she failed to get it right. “We’ll make sure the kitchen is properly equipped before the morning.”

“Thank you,” Ella says, although her tone is still steely.

Kennedy reaches over, putting her hand on my arm, which makes me jump. “Why aren’t you wearing your t-shirt andapron?” Her voice is a soft, worrying purr, and I step away, raising my hand and pushing my fingers through my hair.

“I assumed they were for the show, not for rehearsals.”

“I’d like you to get used to wearing them… to being in character. That’s why I’m insisting everyone refers to you as Blain.”

“Even if that’s not who he is?” Ella says, tilting her head at Kennedy.

“Yes. It’s for our benefit as much as anything. We can’t afford for there to be any slip-ups, so it’s best if we just get used to calling him Blain.”

“Is that what you’d normally do with an actor?” Ella asks, refusing to give up. “If they were taking part in a soap or drama, I mean? You’d call them by their character’s name, even if you were having a coffee with them, off set?”

Kennedy narrows her eyes. “It’s not that simple, dear. It’s…”

Ella holds up her hand and Kennedy surprises me by falling silent. “Please don’t call me ‘dear’. It’s incredibly patronising.”

Something’s changed here. I don’t know what it is, but the dynamic has altered from how it was yesterday. When Kennedy spoke to Ella in that tone of voice during yesterday’s meeting, she didn’t react at all. Today, she’s like a different woman.

She’s feisty, and I like that. It makes me smile.

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