A Chef Nurse Patient and Pâtissier

"A couple a hundred bucks. Enough to feed eight people."

She made the call, and Dillon said he could have it ready in half an hour, if she could be there to pick it up.

The record label people turned up at the same time Jade returned with the food. They all sat down together, and the compliments about the food, circulated as they all enjoyed it.

As they were finalising, Mark, said. "I need to include Jade, in all of this. I need her she's my carer,"

"We can do that mate, no problem. We can include some dollars to cover that."

*****

"Why..." Dillon asked, the exasperation clear and present. "There's nothing you can say to me at this moment that will convince me he needs a carer. So the question is why?"

"Dillon, Olivia, and Peter, for that matter were insistent. They can see how fragile Marks, confidence is. I know when you look at him laughing and having fun, but that's a facade. He isn't that strong. Olivia, is worried that if he gets to many changes at once, he might break down."

"I don't know, Jade. It seems like a complete waste of time."

"If I'm being honest. I'm interested in seeing it all come together. I've never even stepped inside a recording studio. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens."

"So you're going to go with him to all of these sessions, be his chauffeur, get his coffee, wipe his brow?"

"Shit, it's a little bit more than that. Christ, Dillon. You make it sound like I'm nothing but a bloody lackey."

"Well, that's the truth of it isn't it? He doesn't actually need a carer. You're just going to be his aide or something."

"No, actually. He still needs care."

The tension grew quickly, and what had started as a disagreement was soon a full blown argument. As each day passed, the tension remained. Their once loving warm home was filled with a couple of people battling through an awkward period. They lost the ability to talk and communicate. Everything said just started another uncomfortable conversation. An argument, just one word away.

*****

Jade enjoyed being in a totally new and foreign environment. She loved meeting all the musicians and techs. Seeing the engineers manipulating the sound.

It was exciting, and she adored it. The drives to and from the studio, were filled with vibrant conversation. Mark like Jade floated euphorically on cloud nine.

Once back at, Mark's place, the mood always became intimate. Each time he invited her in for a drink, but she declined. Not because she didn't want to. The truth was. She very much wanted to, but things were so edgy at home with Dillon. She tried not to pour any fuel on the fire.

She went straight down to the van, and chatted to Dillon. What hurt was this new world was exciting and vibrant, and she wanted to tell him all about it. Dillon however shut it out. The mere mention of Marks, name was enough to twist him into a knot.

To make her anxiety even worse. She had to watch Dillon and Cass working closely, and she saw the way their relationship had grown.

Here she was in this world that almost anybody would kill to be part of, and she couldn't talk about it.

She never stayed for more than a few minutes, he had Cass, to help. He didn't need her any more. There was so much food supplied at the studio, she wasn't hungry. So she got in the habit of going home and having a soak in the bath.

Dillon hated the way their relationship had degenerated, but nothing he said, seemed to make an iota of difference to Jade. They fought so hard, it was like a war zone.

Their world though, was about to get blown out of the water. A customer turned up at the food van, for lunch one day. What surprised Dillon was he kept coming back after simply sampling the different dishes. He was there for two hours, until he had sampled every dish.

"Can we talk Dillon?" He asked on his last trip to the counter

"Yeah, no worries, mate. What's the problem?" With the guy's attire, it was obvious, he wasn't from the health board. His suit looked like it cost more than the van.

"No problem, I have a business proposition I would like to discuss."

Dillon led him over to one of the old wooden picnic tables, and they sat facing each other. "Okay mate. Let's hear it."

Reaching his hand across to shake Dillon's he said. "I'm Leon, I'm the Hotel manager for the Hotel Marteen, in Queenstown. We're looking for a replacement chef."

"A chef..." Dillon spluttered.

"Yes my friend. I heard such amazing things about you. I had to come and sample for myself. Tell you what my friend. You did not disappoint. The food today. That was first class cuisine. We would like you to take over our kitchen."

"Leon, I'm not a chef. I've done no training. This is the only cooking job, I've ever had."

Leon chuckled. "I don't care. If you can recreate this on a daily basis, we want you. I don't care about bits of paper, and we don't want run of the mill al acarte faire. We want something different. We want novel foods that set the palate aflame. We want interesting, unusual. We want you."

"Shit dude. I'm married, my wife has a job. We just can't up and leave?"

"Dillon, we're offering one hundred and sixty thousand dollars, per annum as your salary. You would live in a five star apartment at the hotel, at no cost. You can eat at work, your costs would be negligible."

The dollar signs flew around Dillon's head like an old fashioned cash register.

"How long would the contract be for? Are we talking months?"

"No my friend. The position is a permanent one. We want to advertise and promote the food you prepare. We want the cuisine to be an attraction for the hotel. We want people to travel there simply to eat. That's how heavily we will promote you."

"Shit dude, you make it sound pretty good."

"Dillon, you have no idea. We are the number one destination in Queenstown. New Zealand wide, we're in the top ten. Our brand is recognised around the world."

Dillon's head felt like it was about to explode, everything sounded so incredible. He remembered some old advice. "If something sounds to good to be true, it probably wasn't."

"When do you need an answer by, Leon?"

"Three days. I'm here in Wellington until Friday. Go home, have a talk with your wife. We can probably help her with employment as well, if that helps."

"Yeah, All righty. I'll get back to you, as soon as I can."

They stood together, and shook hands. "What was that all about?" Cass asked.

"He offered me a job."

She looked shocked, but also deflated. "A job... Where?"

"Hotel Marteen in Queenstown."

"Holy shit." She gasped. "I've been there. That place is pretty swish."

"I got that impression. God knows why he wants me."

"It seems a little surreal, but honestly. You're bloody good, and they have a reputation for being out there. They aren't exactly a run of the mill restaurant. They're the best."

"I know, it scares the crap outa me."

"Why?"

"What happens if I went down there, and I'm bloody hopeless? Christ, I've never worked in a proper kitchen, I don't know how to cook all those fancy bloody dishes."

"Dillon, if he wants you to run the kitchen, then he'll want you to develop your own menu. You saw him today. He tasted every bloody dish. That's what he wants."

Aft a few moments silence, she asked. "Are you going to take it?"

"Dunno, it sounds to good to be true."

"Bugger." She sighed. Guess that means I'm gonna be out of a job."

He grimaced, that seemed unfair. "If I did take it. Maybe we could come to an agreement over the van. Would you be interested in running it?"

"Would I?" She gushed. "Hell yeah. I'd love it, but I don't have a lot of money. My boss is a bit of a tight wad." They both laughed, enjoying the release of tension.

"We could come to some sort of arrangement. I wouldn't want to sell it. If it goes tits up in Queenstown. I would need something to come back to."

"So how would it work?" She asked.

"I dunno, you just keep running it, take all the money, but you would have to pay for maintenance and insurance."

"Oh hell yeah. We could do that." She jumped into his arms and hugged him tight. "I wouldn't let you down. I know all your recipe's."

"I know Cass. I trust you."

Dillon wasn't much use that night. His mind filled with questions, and details of how it would work. Would they need to take furniture, if not. Where would they store theirs. The big one of course was, what the hell was Jade going to say. The thought of going somewhere new. Just the two of them. It might get rid of the god awful tension around the house.

Being by themselves, they'd be able to reconnect on an intimate level. Lately, the rift had widened to such an extent. He almost dreaded making love. It was clumsy, and challenging. He felt it in Jade as well.

She used to initiate sex, but now she seemed conflicted, disinterested.

It was getting late, he checked his phone to see the time. Jade, had usually turned up by now. As he put the phone back on the shelf, it buzzed. "Hey, Dillon. I'm feeling pretty tired, I'm just gonna go home and crash, Okay?"

"Yeah, no worries. I do have some news though. We need to have a talk tonight."

"Really, I'm not feeling so good, I was going straight to bed."

"This is important, Jade. It can't wait."

With a little bitterness creeping into her voice, She sighed resignedly. "Yeah okay. I'll wait up."

Cass and Dillon finished early. Deciding to leave the clean up till tomorrow.

He found Jade sitting in the lounge with a glass of wine, when he walked in. She looked stressed. When she saw him walk in, her pulse started to race. She really wasn't in the mood for another argument about Mark. She'd had a fabulous day, and she did feel a little guilty for not wanting to see Dillon. She was just sick of fighting, and him ignoring what was pretty exciting times for her.

Dillon grabbed a beer, and the bottle of wine on his way to the lounge. "Hey." He said happily.

It took Jade by surprise, and she answered with a level of hope that maybe it wasn't going to be a fight. Dillon placed the wine bottle close to her, and sat facing her. "I got an interesting visitor, at lunch today."

"Oh yeah, who was that?" Jade replied, finishing her glass of wine.

"His name's Leon, he's the manager of the hotel Marteen, in Queenstown."

She looked impressed. "Wow, really. I've heard of that place. It's on TV all the time."

"He offered me a job."

"What..." She spluttered, choking on the last remnants of the wine. "What sort of job?"

"He wants me to be their head chef."

"In Queenstown?" She gasped, her face showing the disbelief, and what looked like horror.

"Yep, me... Head chef. One hundred and sixty grand a year salary, plus we'd live in a five star apartment in the hotel. No electricity or utility bills. We could eat at the restaurant. We would have no outgoings. Everything I made would be ours."

She looked totally bewildered, her mind churned... "But what about my job?"

"He said they'd help you get work down there. If you wanted to keep doing the caring thing. I'm sure there are disabled people looking for care, down there as well."

"But, I'm looking after Mark."

"What, Jesus, Jade. He doesn't need care."

That angered her, "He does so. Just because you don't like him. Doesn't change his requirements."

"Jade, stop. I'm talking about a life changing opportunity here. One of the top restaurants in the country wants me as their head chef. The money they're offering is more than what you and I make combined. Way more, plus there's all the other benefits on top."

She shook her head. "Shit, this is a lot to think about, Dillon."

"I know it came out of the blue. Think about it though. Things between you and I have been stressed lately. This would be a new beginning, a new start, in a new town. We'd meet new people, make new friends. A chance in a lifetime."

"Yeah, but what about me?" Jade complained. "What about my career. My family, our friends and family. They're all here."

"Jade, think about what I'm saying. The money alone, god it would be more than I could ever hope to earn with the van."

"No, that's bullshit, Dillon. I was going over our bank balance the other day. You're making something like five grand a week now."

"Yeah, true, but then I have to take all the costs out. The food, gas, and now Cass's, wages. We have a great turn over, but we have a lot of overheads."

"Shit, this is a lot to think about. I can't make my mind up just like that." She grumbled.

"We don't have to decide tonight. We have until Friday. Leon, needs to know either way by then."

"My god, that's only three days."

"I want to do it, Jade. I'm putting that out there right now. The prestige alone... One of the best restaurants in the country. We would only have to be there for two years. Then the world would be our oyster."

"It's a lot to consider. We need to talk about this more."

"That's what I'm here for. Lets talk." He was getting irritated by her disinterest. It was like she was looking for an excuse not to go.

"What about our lease? We have six months still to go?"

"We can break the lease. I'm sure we could find tenants to take over from us. The place looks a whole lot better since we cleaned and redecorated."

"What about the moving costs?"

"They'll cover our move."

"Furniture?"

"Not sure yet. I think the apartment will be furnished. That means we would have to put ours into storage. Maybe stack it in your dad's shed. He wouldn't mind."

"What about the van?" She asked, the apprehension seeping in.

""Cass, is interested in taking it on."

"You mean sell it?" Jade gasped.

"No, lease it to her."

"Wow, she doesn't seem like she has enough money to take it on."

"I said we would come to an arrangement."

She shook her head as she poured another glass of wine. "Everything's been going so well. I know we have been arguing a lot, but other than that. The vans been making good money, My jobs been going well."

Those words grated, and Jade saw it immediately. "Don't be like that, Dillon. Just because you don't like Mark, doesn't mean I feel the same way. I have been enjoying it. Being involved in the recording of his album is fun."

"Jade, we hardly see each other. You go off to Marks, place in the morning. I get home at nine at night. We get no time to ourselves. This would be different. Christ, we'd be living in a five star apartment, in one of the top hotels in the country. In Queenstown no less."

"Dillon, it's a lot to think about."

"We could make a list. Positives and negatives."

"Yeah." She said cynically. "That's what we need.

He glared at her. "Why are you behaving like this?"

"Like what? I'm just saying we don't need a stupid list. I can see already that there are positives. What worries me are the intangible things. Our friends and family. Our lives are here. We don't know anybody down there. Fuck... I've never even been there."

She stood up, and walked off to the kitchen. "I need coffee."

Dillon fired up his laptop, and brought up imagers of the hotel, including the rooms and all the amenities.

"Do you want coffee, Dillon?"

"Nah, I'll have another beer though thanks."

They spent the next hour going over all of the images, and information. The hotel was amazing, the ski fields were there, the town itself looked amazing. There were tons of interesting things to do. As much as she looked for downsides, she couldn't find any.

All she could think about was Mark and how her leaving would affect him. She was terrified of telling him. The terror, wasn't just for him, she didn't want to lose him.

The moment that thought crystallised, she knew. This was something else, her heart raced, leaving Mark the thought of that hurt. Her feelings for him were much deeper than she thought. Not exactly a light bulb moment, but it was a moment of clarity.

Dillon kept talking about all the pro's, all she could feel was a stifling suffocation. She needed air. She stood quickly, she hadn't been listening anyway. "I need some space to think. I'm going for a walk."

He looked up at her in confusion. "Do you want me to go with?"

"Nah, I need some space. I feel overwhelmed with information. Just give me some space." She walked out into the night air, and instantly she could breathe. Pulling her hoody up over her head, she headed down the overgrown track down past the cottage to Waikanae beach. The cutty grass, and flax brushed at her arms, like angry bees. The sea breeze fanned her face, as she walked out through the dunes, and onto the beach.

Why was Dillon being so pushy. He didn't even give her a chance to explain. The whole thing was a nightmare. She wanted to support Dillon he was so exhilarated. He was intoxicated on such a wild high.

God, how could he expect her to just walk away? Shit, shit, shit. Of course he couldn't know, she'd never told him. Christ, how could she tell him how she felt about Mark? How do you tell the person you love most in the world, you have feelings for another person... "FUCK..." She screamed at the stars.

She walked aimlessly, her thoughts strangling her words as she tried to find words that explained how she felt.

The outside security light flashed on bathing her in light as she turned the front door knob.

Dillon was still sitting in the same place waiting...

"Feeling any better?" He asked as she walked over and sat back down. "Babe, this has simply taken me by surprise. You never mentioned that you wanted to chase a chef's position.

"That's because I never thought about it. He approached me. He turned up out of the blue, ate every item on our menu, and then dropped it on me. I never chased this. But once he gave me his proposal, I started thinking, and it makes so much sense."

She screwed up her face in that cute pouty way she did when thinking. "You're right, it sounds amazing, It shocked me, but it is an opportunity."

He grabbed her hands, holding them in his. Staring into her eyes. He said softly. "Jade, we've talked about starting a family, buying our own home. Two years down there, and we could do it. We could walk away with a couple of hundred grand, and then go wherever we wanted."

She nodded slowly. "We talked about travel, and starting our own business. We've talked about a lot of things."

"Okay, I sense you're not okay with this."

"It's not that. I can see how excited you are, and I want to support you. If it was the other way around, I'd expect you to support me. I just can't get excited about it. I mean Queenstown, it's a world away."

"It's a forty five minute flight, is all."

The night was restless, for both of them, at least their lovemaking had been filled with love and passion.

The morning was tense. "When would we have to move?" Jade mumbled.

He checked his phone for the time. "Give me five minutes and I'll tell you."

The conversation was friendly, and Leon, helpful. "He said if we agree, we can have one month to finalise our affairs."

She sipped her morning coffee. "Tell him we'll take it." She said.

Dillon's smile spread inviting his whole face into a boisterous laugh. "Thank you."

"We'll need the month though."

They kissed warmly as she climbed into her car. "I guess we should sell one of the cars." She said, thinking about what they had to do.

Mark was playing guitar when she walked in. When he saw her face, he asked speculatively.

"What's the problem?"

"We're moving to Queenstown." She said sniffling back tears that wouldn't stop.

Mark threw his guitar onto the bed, crying out in shock. "No... You can't. Where the fuck did all this come from?"

"Dillon's, been offered a job down there. We leave in a month."

She looked into his eyes and saw the distress, the fear. "Jade, you can't go, that's not fair. You can't leave me... Please."