‘Of course you’re not, but Jay needs all the practice he can get, especially with that fancy pudding. It could mean the difference between him making it to the banquet or being kicked out of the competition,’ Emma replied tactfully.
Jay was glad to have Emma’s support. With all the interruptions this week, he hadn’t had much time to practise. The dessert he’d be making on Friday was the apple dish he’d produced in one of the earlier rounds. He’d been quite pleased with it then, but he knew it needed some more work to make it a contender for the banquet.
‘Tell me again what you’re making,’ Betty asked Jay. She was sitting in her armchair, with Roland fast asleep on her knee.
‘It’s an apple, Nan,’ he replied.
‘An apple?’
‘Yes, it’s a white chocolate casing of two halves, which when put together forms the shape of an apple. Inside are layers of apple mousse, a biscuit crumble and a raspberry ice cream. And it’s served with a toffee sauce.’
‘Flavours of toffee apple, then?’ Nan said. ‘Although far more fancy-schmancy.’
‘I’m out to impress, Nan.’
‘I’m sure you will. I’m just wondering what our lot will make of it.’
‘Well, they’re going to be my biggest critics, so if anything needs changing I’ll know in advance.’
When he’d offered to cook Sunday dinner, he’d thought it would just be the three of them, so he’d been taken aback when Betty had told him she’d also invited his mum, stepfather and twin half-brothers, who, to Jay’s shame, he’d rarely met. He wasn’t sure how much time he’d get to spend with them today either, with everything he’d set himself up to do. Not really auspicious timing for their first meeting in such a long time, and it was definitely going to be awkward. He was beginning to regret that he’d chosen to practise his competition dish on them.
They’d decided that it would be too much of a squeeze in his nan’s kitchen, so that morning he and Emma had set up the table Betty had used to host Christmas dinners in years gone by in the front room, using all Betty’s best crockery.
‘It’ll be great to have all the family back together again,’ Betty said. ‘Just a pity Hannah can’t make it, but then it’s a bit far for her to come for just Sunday dinner. Why she had to move to Australia, I really don’t know.’
Jay had a pretty good idea. Hannah hadn’t got on with their stepfather either and, when her then-fiancé had been offered a transfer over to Australia with the company he’d worked for, she’d leaped at the chance. Jay still kept in touch with her and his two nephews through video calls, but he hoped one day he’d be able to take a trip out there to spend some proper time with them.
He checked on the apple mousse, which was firm to the touch in the fridge. The raspberry ice cream was also churning nicely in the ice-cream maker he’d brought over with him. Finally, he checked on the chocolate casing, which looked as though it was setting nicely. If he could make this dish in his nan’s cramped kitchen, it would stand him in good stead for the competition. But although everything was going according to plan, he was still nervous about what his family would think anddidn’t want to give them any cause for criticism. He just needed to make sure his nerves didn’t get the better of him.
* * *
Emma looked across the kitchen to where Jay was prising the chocolate shells out of their silicone casing. She knew better than to interrupt him — whenever she’d offered to help during the morning he’d quickly rebuffed her. She’d thought that helping out today might bring them closer together, but, aside from when they had set the table together, he’d barely spoken to her. She knew he was stressed at the thought of seeing his family again, but if it hadn’t been for Betty she might as well have not been here at all.
‘Do you want another cup of tea, Betty?’ Emma asked.
Betty smiled. ‘Don’t mind if I do.’
When the family finally did arrive, the noise levels soared. Emma was relieved that it wasn’t just the three of them anymore. Mary hugged her enthusiastically and chatted away happily, whereas her husband, Steve, was silent and sullen, as though he was only here under duress, which he probably was.
Betty did her best to fill the awkward silences with her cheerful nattering, but the boys looked awkward and concentrated on their phones rather than engaging in conversation, studiously ignoring Jay and Emma, despite their attempts to chat to them. When Jay served the dinner Mary and Betty complimented it, even though his nan still looked miffed that it wasn’t her doing the cooking. Steve, on the other hand, complained that the beef was underdone and he didn’t like the rosemary and garlic that the potatoes had been roasted in.
The apple dessert was magnificent — it had such a variety of flavours, all contained in a perfect apple shape — but Steve commented that it was too cheffy and he preferred good old-fashioned apple pie.
Emma watched as Jay smarted at his comments. His jaw clenched with tension. She could see he wanted to defend himself, but he held back, probably not wanting to upset either his mum or his nan.
‘Well, I’m never doing that again,’ Jay said once they were in the van on the way home.
Emma tried to lift his spirits. ‘The food was lovely. Especially the dessert.’
‘Steve didn’t think so.’ Jay nearly spat his name out.
‘I don’t think Steve’s your target audience. I thought the balance of flavours was just right and the judges are bound to see that too.’
Jay turned into their street. ‘Thanks, Em. You’ve been a great help today. I’m sorry I wasn’t much support to you, meeting my family for the first time. It was just so stressful.’
‘Yes, I could see that.’
‘But Mum really liked you. She told me just before we left.’
