FASCINATED
'Today's Saturday,' Gerry said during breakfast.
'And?' Sandra asked.
'We have nothing to do... all day long.' She smiled at the suggestive tone his voice had taken.
'That sounds quite... pleasant. But...' She saw his face fall and quickly cut off his reply by kissing him.
'I think we should do something for the guys.'
'The guys?' The guys are clearly the last thing on his mind right now, Sandra thought happily as she saw him frown.
'Yes, Gerry, the guys. They're being awfully nice about us. So I thought maybe we could throw a little dinner party for them. And Esther too, of course.'
He nodded slowly. 'Not a bad idea. I could make quails in aspic, and then maybe some-'
'And I thought that maybe I could cook.' Gerry dropped the sandwich he was eating and looked at her intently. 'You? Er, Sandra, I don't mean to be offensive... but can you actually cook?'
'Well, I mean, not as such... not like you, obviously. But... well... can you teach me?' He blinked a few times to ascertain that he wasn't dreaming. Sandra didn't cook. Ever, as far as he knew.
'Do you want me to? Seriously?' She nodded, smiling. For a moment the sunlight glinted off her teeth and he forgot what he wanted to say. He tried to focus on what she was asking.
'Alright then, let's get cracking. But we'll have to go to my place. I can't possibly be expected to teach you in that tiny kitchen you've got here.' He gestured at the kitchen.
'Let me just get dressed,' she said, standing up and heading for the bedroom.
'Need any help?' he asked, grinning.
'Sod off, Gerry!' she shouted, laughing deliciously.
-
'So what d'you want to cook?' he asked in the car. 'I'll just drive to Waitrose's so we can go shopping for ingredients.'
'Erm... well, I'm not really good with all those posh things...' she said, hesitating.
'What are you good with?'
'Pasta?' she said. He laughed.
'Pasta it is. Should I ask how many sauces you can prepare?'
'Waitrose has a really good brand of ready-made bolognaise...'
'Sandra, do not say ready-made. The word in itself is a curse. We are going to make it from scratch. Now tell me what we need.'
'Tomatoes?'
'What else?'
'Is there anything else?'
Gerry sighed and shook his head.
-
'Jack Halford.'
'Jack, it's Gerry. Listen, mate, do you want to come to my place for dinner tonight?'
'Gladly. Are you cooking?' Gerry wanted to keep Sandra's involvement a surprise, not in the least because he was afraid Jack would back out if he knew who was really cooking. His eyes locking with Sandra's, Gerry replied: 'In a way.'
'What do you mean, in a way? Either you're cooking or you're not.'
'See you around seven, okay?'
'I'll be there,' Jack said.
-
He decided to make it as short as he could with Brian, to avoid unwanted questions.
'Brian Lane.'
'Brian, it's Gerry. Dinner at my place tonight, be there at seven, bring Esther. Okay?'
'Yeah, sure, but Gerry-'
'Bye, Brian!'
-
'You're really keen on not telling them who's cooking, aren't you?' Sandra asked with a sparkle in her eyes. She watched him fidget with his apron for a minute.
'That's not true, I simply want to... er... surprise them.'
'I'm sure you do,' she said sarcastically, then wandered over to him for a kiss.
-
'It's very simple. The sauce is perfect; all you need to do is slowly let it heat up again. And boil the pasta. Think you can do that?' Sandra took five plates out of the cupboard and pushed them in his hands.
'Yeah, yeah. Now go lay the table, Mr Chef.'
-
'Hi, Gerry. I brought some wine. Why are you not in the kitchen?' Jack wondered.
'Because my lovely partner is cooking tonight.' Jack's eyes widened and Gerry took the bottle of wine before Jack could drop it. 'Sandra's cooking?' he asked. 'Are you serious?'
'Yes, she's cooking. Under my relentless supervision, mind you.' At that exact moment, they heard a pan hitting the ground in the kitchen, followed by Sandra swearing loudly.
'Quasi relentless,' Gerry corrected and darted into the kitchen.
-
Brian's reaction to the news was very similar. 'Have you taken your pills?' Jack asked when he opened the door for Brian and Esther.
'Course I have, why?'
'That's why,' Jack said, pointing to the kitchen, where Sandra could be seen stirring the pasta.
'Oh dear,' Brian muttered. 'Oh dear oh dear oh dear.'
'I'm not that bad a cook, Brian,' Sandra shouted from the kitchen. 'I've got it all under control.'
'Where's Gerry?' Esther asked.
'Making sure Sandra lives up to that statement she just made,' Jack replied.
'Oh, SOD IT!' Sandra and Gerry shouted in unison. Jack, Brian and Esther looked at each other and decided not to ask what had gone wrong now, but instead sat down and hoped they would eventually get something to eat.
-
As it turned out, mostly thanks to Gerry's quick reactions when it came to cooking, the meal was quite good. 'Sandra, I hadn't expected this, but the meal's really quite good,' Jack said in earnest.
'I had a good teacher,' Sandra explained, throwing a quick smile at Gerry.
-
'That was quite a success!' she said happily. They snuggled up together and kissed.
'Yes, I'll have to watch my back, lest you become a better cook than I am.'
'As if that's ever going to happen. I'm not going to be cooking quabbles in plastic anytime soon.'
'Quails in aspic, love, the name of the dish is quails in aspic.'
'Yeah. Whatever,' she said, shrugging.
'You did do well. For a first attempt, I mean.' He was half laughing, half serious.
'Thanks,' she said, all serious. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed his embrace for a while.
'Gerry?' she sighed softly.
'Mm?'
'You haven't called me guv'nor in a while.'
'Is that so... guv'nor.' She laughed.
