OCTOBER 2015

PLANE TO OHIO

ZEE

Emmy Lou and I are doing our food run through.  I have to admit I'm looking forward to this event. I've never been to Ohio before and am hoping to actually get some time to see the state afterwards.

We briefly considered driving there but the flight was 2 hours quicker and besides this way the family gets to go too.

"So my darling girl we are all set?"  Emmy Lou smiles his gap tooth smile.  "I still can't believe you had Costino's drive Floyd over there.  But then again they're used to our unusual requests!"

"Did you see the thing they wanted us to cook on?"  I shudder.  "No it had to be Floyd."

"Why did you name your range Floyd anyway?"

I look aghast.  "And you call yourself a chef?  He's named after Keith Floyd of course, a very eccentric but much missed boozy chef from England. You should try and find some of his shows.  So why Titian?"

"First, I am a caterer not, like some people who deny it and shall remain nameless, a chef and secondly Titian is another way of describing orangey red."

"You are both as mad as each other.  Now buckle up we're landing soon."  Faal kisses the tops of both our heads and goes back to the cockpit.

FEELEY PHARMACEUTICALS ANNUAL COMPANY PARTY

EARLY EVENING

EMMY LOU

I'm so glad Floyd is here! That range is a disgrace to ranges everywhere, so we're just using it for keeping things warm.  I look again at the menu.  We're doing a meat and fish messy feast. We did try and talk him out of it, but he wanted to bond with his staff and that's definitely one way to do it.

I look at my girl and wonder how someone could throw away such a kind hearted soul like that but I'm glad they did because now we have her!

The hall we're in is huge and the family are all dressed in their chef's jackets as they are going to serve. Well Brian, Justin and Faal are tending bar, and as usual our lovely Costinos are ready and waiting.

Henry rushes over to us giddy with excitement.

"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!  It all looks magnificent!  Are we ready?  Can I let them in now?"

I look to Zee and she nods and goes back to cooking.

HENRY

"Everyone come in, come in!  Now before we start I'd like to introduce you to our caterers, Emmett Honeycutt and Zee Ugerstacht, also known as Em & Zee's House of Delights.  Now this is called a Meat and Fish Messy Feast, there's no cutlery, but there are water bowls dotted about.  Vegetarians are catered for so don't worry about that now come, come dig in!"

At first they are nervous. I think because of the no forks thing, so I take a rib and start to eat and it is scrumptious.  "Wfth on fphis?"  I ask round a mouthful of melting pork.

The young lady smiles at me.  "Szechuan pepper, garlic, soy, ginger and chilli and there's dips too, mild, hot, spicy, ghost and scorpion."  She looks round.  "Don't do scorpion and then kiss someone who's sensitive to spice. My boyfriend went a very odd colour."

I burst out laughing at her candour.  "Thanks for the warning."  I head to the dips and try the ghost and really wish I hadn't.  Immediately a waiter is offering me a glass of milk.  "They should put a warning on that!"  The waiter smiles.  "They do."  He points to a sign.

I look round and after the initial reluctance people are really enjoying themselves.  I still can't believe that Brian Kinney is mixing drinks and, more importantly, is happy to do so judging by the smile on his face.  It just seems so out of character with the normally in control man I deal with.

"What can I get you Henry?"  Brian asks as I reach him.  "Justin mixes a very good rhubarb vodka martini."

"Oh that please, sounds wonderful."

I take a sip and sigh in contentment.  "Now Brian..."  He puts up his hand.  

"No Kinnetic/Feeley business chat Henry. This is a party, we can talk on business next week, okay?"

I hold my hand up and go mingle.

DEBS

We can't plate up this fucking food fast enough!  I love messy feasts, both eating and helping with them.  The lobster claws are a great hit and Gus and Hunter have got cracking them down to fine art.

"Zee honey, we need more shrimp and more wings."  Out of the corner of my eye I see Ted waving at me and hurry over, after a quick chat, I scurry back.  "And spring rolls and the tacos."

"I'll handle the veggies."  Emmy Lou sashays over with a platter and is mobbed before he gets there.

He comes back somewhat shell-shocked.  "Christ, they were almost rabid!"   He loads up the platter again.  "I'm sending Drewsie this time.  Oh Mr Boyd!"

Drew has a lot more success getting the platter to the table, seems holding the platter above his head is the way to do it!

FAAL

I've manage to grab food for all of us and have been keeping them warm in the oven.  Zee made it clear that if I didn't get her ribs, I wouldn't get any either.

She was worried about it but I knew she needn't have, because they've done it again.  It's been a huge success and now it's time for the piece de resistance, desserts.  Popping candy ice cream sandwiches, mini cherry, apple and pear pies; mini stick toffee puddings and of course the coffees with a tot.

Matt has been the deejay for the night and people have been swaying to the beats, nothing too vigorous but now he's swapped to, as Lydia would put it, ‘fuck off and go home' music so that we can eat and clear.

Henry has tottered over- it's clear he's had more than one tot- to thank them yet again and has promised that the leftovers will be given to the local AIDS hospice.

Zee has had her back to everyone most of the night and when she turns to me she beams that smile that says, I'm happy but they need to fucking fuck off now!  As people start to filter out, I notice a guy staring at her. He can stare as much as he wants she's mine. But just to make sure he understands, I pull her into my chest and she snuggles in sighing with contentment.

"Okay Mr Caveman, who got your attention?"  She mutters.

"I...am I that obvious?"  She nods and I can feel her giggling.  "Guy at two o'clock."

She takes a quick look and shudders.  "Are you kidding me?"

"Oh you caught the stare too?"  Emmy Lou comes over.  "He looks like he's seen the finest chateaubriand and would happily eat her up with a spoon."  

The glowering from me, Brian and Drew seem to do the trick and he leaves, but he does look back one more time but his expression is odd, not salacious, just odd.

HENRY FEELEY'S OFFICE - MONDAY MORNING

HENRY

"Are you sure this isn't an inconvenience for you?"   

"Of course not Mr Feeley, I wouldn't have offered if it was.  I'm happy to take this to them."

"Okay now don't come in tomorrow though understood?"

"Yes sir of course."

E&ZHoD - MONDAY AFTERNOON

ZEE

"Emmy Lou, just got a call from Feeley. They are sending us a thank you basket and it's being hand delivered no less!"

He mock swoons and fans himself.  We got at least 15 personal party inquiries and about 12 company inquiries over the weekend and he's putting them all into the database when suddenly he gasps.

"Emmy Lou, you okay?"  He's peering at the screen and then just gapes at me.  "We've had over 300 inquiries since we started and we're booked, if they all confirmed for the next two years."

"Are you fucking with me?"  I demand looking at the screen.  "Th-that can't be right?  Is that right?"

The door opening brings in Matt, who after Emmy Lou, Drew and Mitchell is Rhett's favourite person.  He yips excitedly and gives Matt's face a wash as he's scooped into his arms.

"Here. Not sure if you've got doubles but I was handed these at the weekend."

He hands over a stack of business cards and after we persuade him to take Rhett and Miss Scarlett back to the Brownstone, we double check that we've got no duplications...and we don't.

"Honey, we need to seriously consider hiring at least a PA and maybe another chef."

I sigh and know he's right but I like it being just the two of us.  "Okay.  We're going to grow to hate it if we don't."  

He kisses me soundly on the cheek.  "Thank you!"

I head back to the kitchen rubbing his gloss off my cheek but smiling.  "I thought it tasted familiar."  I freeze and slowly turn round.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"  Emmy Lou demands.  We're both glowering at the man from the party.

"You."  I snarl.

He holds up his hands.  "Look I'm just dropping this off from Mr Feeley as I-I wanted to see you."

"She's married."  Faal's sharp tone has him turning around.  "And I'm a very protective husband."

"Zay..."  He begins turning back to me.

"NO!  You don't get to do that!  Leave the basket and fuck off!  I mean it FUCK OFF!"  I roar before walking as steadily as I could back to the kitchen.

FAAL

"I don't believe my wife could've made it any clearer.   Now would you like me to help you out, because I would love to?"

"No, I'm going but here's my card.  Please don't tear it up and tell her..."

"Tell?  Now you are making demands of my wife?"  I growl advancing on him.

"Sorry, I meant to say ask... please ask her to call me at least give me a chance to say sorry."  There's that expression again.  "That's all I ask."

He puts the basket down and leaves.  Quickly Emmy Lou locks up and flips the sign.  While I dash to the kitchen where I find Zee just staring into space.

"Here, it's brandy."  Emmy Lou hands me a glass.  "Do you want me to..."

"No, stay you'll find out soon enough."  Her voice is hoarse and thick with tears.  "He left me, he left me to fight on my own..."

"Who did? Who is that?"  I pull her tighter into my arms and Emmy Lou rubs her back as she weeps.

"Zeus...my eldest brother. He promised to protect me from dad and he left me!"

Fuck!