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He puts the apron over his head and turns around, while I grab the ties, binding them in a neat bow behind his back. He turns around again, and I straighten the apron, making sure the logo is centered, and nod my head. “Perfect.”
He smiles, shaking his head and while I want to say something to put him at ease, I can’t seem to think of anything, so we just stare at each other for another moment.
“Blain?”
We both startle as Ruby approaches.
“Yes?” Blake says, turning to her.
“I’ve been calling you.” She smiles up at him.
“Have you? I didn’t hear.”
“Probably because ‘Blain’ isn’t your name,” I say, and he grins down at me.
“That might have something to do with it.”
“Well… you’ll need to get used to it,” Ruby replies, and nods over her shoulder. “We’re ready for you.”
“Okay.” I hear him suck in a breath, although he gives the impression of being perfectly calm. “Who’s playing the part of the guest?” he asks as he follows her onto the kitchen set.
“Vivian.”
He turns to me, pulling a face. “Can’t Ella do it? I practiced with her this morning.”
“Unfortunately, now Ella’s got everything in the oven, we need her behind the cameras, so she can tell us if we’re going wrong in terms of where the food will be.”
“Oh… okay.” I can sense his disappointment, but that’s not difficult. It matches my own, and while I wander over to the camera area, he steps up behind the island unit, where Ruby says a few words to him. They’re too quiet for me to hear, but he nods his head, looking like he understands. Vivian marches forward, a script in her hand, and Ruby steps back.
“Do you need your script, Blake?” she asks as she moves away from him.
“No. I should be fine.”
She seems a little surprised by that, but comes and stands beside me, looking around to check if everyone is ready. At that moment, Vivian leans forward, showing off her cleavage, and the cameraman to my right swears under his breath.
“Sit back, will you? You’re blocking the shot.”
Vivian does as she’s told, and everyone settles again. Ruby clears her throat and says, “Okay… cue Blain in three, two… one…”
***
Mac
I’m not sure how, but we’ve made it through the first five shows.
Wednesdays and Thursdays are definitely the hardest in terms of the hours we have to work. It’s relentless and full-on. Linus Hicks might be a ‘pussycat’ in Ruby’s eyes, but I’ve yet to see any evidence of it. He’s a perfectionist, and although we rarely see him, because he’s up in the director’s booth, he picks up on even the slightest issue, making us go again, and again, until he’s happy with everything. I have to be at the top of my game for both days, which can sometimes be fourteen or fifteen hours long. That’s fourteen or fifteen hours of physical and mental exhaustion.
That first week was definitely a baptism of fire, and because we’ve been better organised and a little more knowledgeable about Linus and his standards, and what’s expected of us since then, it’s been slightly easier. That said, we’re still having to put up with Kennedy coming by the studio all the time. I’ve noticed she seems a lot more friendly with Ella than she was, and of course, she doesn’t leave me alone. Her attentions are getting more and more annoying, and I’m finding it harder and harder not to snap at her. I have to keep reminding myself she’s my boss, and that losing my temper with her is unlikely to end well, but when the woman is literally pawing me, it’s tough.
Then, of course, there’s Vivian.
During the first week, she’d been less of an issue than Kennedy… at least until we got into rehearsals, when she started playing the part of the guest. She’s done so ever since, and to behonest, she’s driving me insane. She’s constantly in the way and has taken to wearing ludicrously low-cut tops on rehearsal days, so when she leans over, I barely know where to look. The camera operators keep losing it with her, because she’s continually getting in their way, too. I overheard a couple of them talking the other day and I gathered they’re as relieved as I am when we get around to recording for real. There may be occasional problems with the guests – or at least, with the actors playing them – but at least they all know their lines, and where to sit.
As for Ella… she’s been miraculous. She’s so professional, and although I know she felt bad about not having everything ready for the first run-through we did in week one, she hasn’t put a foot wrong since. Not only that, but her cooking is sublime. I haven’t tasted a single thing yet that hasn’t been mouthwatering.
It’s more than that, though. Over the last few weeks, we’ve become so much closer… and I don’t think I’m the only one who believes that. There’s something in her eyes and her demeanour that tells me she’s thinking the same thing, too.
I guess that all started in our second week, when she was showing me how to make pastry. I was being far too heavy-handed – according to Ella, anyway – and she took my hands in hers to demonstrate the lightness of touch required. She was talking at the time and it took her a moment or two to realise we were holding hands, to the extent that our fingers had become entwined… at which point she snatched her hands away.
