(X's POV)
After an extensive tour of the Caesar's Palace, we had also gone back to MGM to check on the construction which was going all on schedule. The place was at least 70% complete and it will be done just in time for the finale of Hell's Kitchen season 20.
Matilda called Gordon thirty minutes before 7pm to remind him of dinner and we set off back to Caesar's Palace. As we entered the restaurant, I let go of Gordon's arm. He gave me a quizzical look. I shook my head with a smile. "It's better this way. Trust me."
"But it is very unbecoming of a British gentleman, like me."
"You? A gentleman?" I laughed as we followed the Maitre d' to our table. Ariel had the staff prepare a special six-top round table for us, Tilly, and her friends. They were already seated, chatting excitedly among themselves.
When the beautiful blonde teen saw her dad, she stood up and hugged him. "Hi, dad!"
"Oh my beautiful princess! I've missed you so much." Gordon pulls away to look at his daughter. "Have you gotten taller?"
I watched the exchange between father and daughter. It was very...warm. Something I never felt with my own father. It was a moment I could only dream of, before and even now.
"Tilly, I want you to meet, X." He gestures towards me and I extended my hand.
She shook it with a smile, as she studied my face. "You look pretty..."
As if on cue, blood crept to my cheeks at the compliment. "You are way prettier than I am, Miss Matilda."
"Please just call me, Tilly!" She still hadn't looked away from me. "Your eyes are so...bizarre!"
I love the way she didn't hesitate at all. Her confidence is really striking. "Thank you, M--Tilly."
"Come on, I'll introduce you to my friends. Oh! And my friend Eric is such a huge fan of yours." She tugged my hand and led us to the table.
"What about me?" Gordon followed behind.
"Oh yeah, sure, dad." She said nonchalantly, to which he pouted. I looked up at him with a smile to offer some comfort.
We reached the table and the others got up as well to greet us. "Sit down, sit down," Gordon reassured them as he shook hands with them. I followed suit and learned their names.
So there was Kylie, and her twin sister Keisha. They are Tilly's bestfriends since they were very young. And then Eric, who excitedly shook my hand. "OMG, you look so much prettier in person! I love the mask, the looks, everything! "
Tilly turns to her dad. "See? Not my boyfriend."
I stifle my laugh when I saw Gordon nod with a look of relief and I turned back to Eric. "Thank you very much, I'm so honoured."
We got settled I sat between Gordon and Eric who asked me to take a couple of selfies with him. I obliged happily. I was so happy that I had a fan!
The Maitre d' took our orders and left to inform Ariel of the VIP ticket. She instructed her team flawlessly and got to work.
I excused myself and went to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and took off my mask to fix my hair, sighing. Well, the evening is going nicely so far. Everyone is so lovely. It's just that I don't feel like I belong. Like I was a stranger looking in from a window.
Too absorbed in my thoughts, I didn't notice Tilly come in. "Whoa..."
I looked at her smile. "Sorry, did I take too long?"
"No, no, not at all." She approached me at the sink and touched up with a bit of powder and balm. "X, are you uncomfortable with my dad?"
I nearly choked at her question. Now, that was unexpected. I tucked a loose lock from my messy bun behind my ear and cleared my throat before I answered. "Umm...w-what made you say that?"
"Well, it may not seem like it but you look a bit tense." She then looks at me. "I want to tell you that my dad is a good person despite him always yelling in the kitchen and cursing. I want you to be comfortable with us, X." She genuinely smiled which made me smile in return.
I held out my hand again. "My real name is Cassandra, but you can call me Cass."
She shakes it again. "Cassie it is!" Tilly's laugh is so adorable. How can a 19 year-old be this adorable?! "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you, Cassie?"
"I'm 28." I scrunched up my nose and cringed. "I'm old aren't I?"
She shakes her head no. "You look like you could be my age!" She laughs offered to help me put my mask on, but not before asking for a selfie with her without it. I did take caution and ask her not to post it yet, to which she agreed.
We made our way back to the dining area just as the appetizers were set down. Gordon first checked his daughter's risotto making sure it is cooked properly before inspecting his own. "Chef, relax." I smile. "I'm sure Chef Ariel did a great job for us. Let's just enjoy."
"You're right," he chuckles and we ate our appetizers. Tilly told us all about their day in Vegas. They went to Adventuredome, as well as enjoyed the new Indoor Skydiving place which was near the scenic Guardian Angel Cathedral.
While Keisha showed us all the pictures they took, our plates were taken away and the entrees come in. Tilly was a seat away from me, but I immediately noticed something wrong on her plate. Unconsciously, I touch Gordon's hand. "Chef?"
"Yes, my darling?"
"That's raw..." I nodded towards the direction of Tilly's beef wellington and he looked.
"Oh, God, no..." He stood up abruptly and took Tilly's plate. His face looked harsh, nothing like the one I regularly see in the kitchen. This was different. He looked scarier. His daughter just received a raw wellington in one of his own restaurants. It was unacceptable.
"Dad, please don't..." Tilly knew what was going to happen and she really doesn't want her father to make the page of some paparazzi tabloid for a scandal.
I stood up and held on to his arm as tightly as I could. "Chef, let me handle this, please." He looked at me and I tried my best to match his stare until he visibly calmed down a bit and sat back at the table. I took Tilly's plate from his hand and I went to the pass.
Smiling, the Maitre d' approached me before I could call the attention of Chef Ariel. "Is there something wrong, Miss X?"
I showed him the plate. "The kitchen delivered a raw wellington to Matilda Ramsay." I said bit coldly to show that they have made a grave mistake.
By this time, Chef Ariel had gone up to check on us. Upon seeing the slightly bloody plate, she knocked her head back and groaned. "Fuck, Chef Ramsay is gonna kill me." She then turns to the two line cooks who were in charge of the meat station, as well as the sous chef who plated the dishes. "BOTH OF YOU AND YOU, OUT OF MY KITCHEN, NOW!"
Ariel went to the neglected station to try and salvage a wellington. "Fuck...fuck... fuck..."
Looking back at our table, everyone was enjoying their dinner aside from Gordon who was looking at me intensely and Tilly who tried to calm her father. I can't take it anymore. I've been standing there for a full 5 minutes and she was nowhere near plating. Frustrated, I made my way around the pass, entered the kitchen and approached Chef Ariel just as she sliced another failed wellington.
"Why are they still fucking raw?!" Ariel was on the verge of freaking out.
"Ariel, stop slicing the wellingtons." I didn't realize that I dropped the title but it was too late, and I honestly, I didn't care at the moment. "They are all going to come out raw since they all came from the same batch. Slice one open like that and see that it's raw, you close it back up and back in the oven it goes." I took the tray with all the wellingtons and slid it back to the oven. "You don't have to slice everything and hope one turns out right."
She had her head hung, biting her lip. I almost regretted reprimanding her. I went to check on the red wine sauce on the garnish station. "Reduce it a bit more. Don't forget to strain it in a sieve, line it with muslin.
"Y-yes, Chef! I mean, Ma'am." The line cook nervously did as he was told.
"No food will leave this kitchen until the Chef's daughter is served, am I clear?"
"Yes, Chef!"
I went to check back on the wellingtons. I let Ariel slice one that was perfectly medium rare now. I headed to the pass. "Garnish." I called and the line cook handling the sauce came from behind with a perfectly done sauce. After carefully plating, I got it served. As I looked up, everyone in the restaurant was watching the kitchen. "Fuck..."
One of the gentlemen clapped, which led the others to clap as well. I didn't understand what was happening until Ariel approached me. "Thank you, X. You saved my ass. If Chef Ramsay had gone up here, I would not only lose my job, but my entire career."
I hugged her. It was the best way to comfort her, given her slightly shaken state. "Just keep cool and focused. You still have more tickets on the pass. Get. A. Grip." I enunciated each word with a pat on the back.
"You know, you sound just like him." Ariel chuckles. Oh God... I do, don't I?
I shake my head and take my leave, going back to our table. Some of the tables I passed greeted and shook hands with me. They recognized me as the masked chef from Hell's Kitchen. I excused myself and went back to my table.
"X! X! That was so awesome! You were like fucking Wonder Woman and swooped right into the kitchen." Eric gushed as I sat back down. "Good thing I got it all on camera, oh this is so golden!"
We all finished our entrees as planned and had dessert. "Will you be staying for the night, Dad?" Tilly asked as she set down her fork.
"Sure, I might go for a drink with X at the bar. My schedule's clear for now."
His daughter nods and looks at me. "Take care of dad, will you? I'm going out with my friends and I'm sure he's in good hands."
I raised my right hand. "I promise to keep him out of trouble."
Satisfied and full, we parted ways at the reception area of the restaurant. I was surprised when Tilly hugged me, and through my confusion and shock, I'm glad I managed to hug her back. "Cassie, thank you. It's so nice meeting you. I know it's weird, but I feel like I've known you for a long time." She whispered.
It's true. With her, I feel at ease. Her friends tugged her and they boarded the rented limo. Gordon and I waved them goodbye as they sped away.
"Fucking hell. What a night..." He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and I chuckle.
"Come on, I'll buy you one drink. Just one though, I promised Tilly."
We went to the hotel's bar and I got us a couple of scotches on the rocks. Gordon nursed his scotch silently and I was worried. He's never been this quiet before.
"I can't believe I was about to lose my fucking cool a while ago." Gordon said after a while. "It was a good thing you went up there because I did, poor woman would've walked out of Vegas without so much as a suitcase."
"We all make mistakes, Gordon." I smiled and took a sip of the scotch. "But I must say, I admire your bond with Tilly."
Finally, he cracks a smile, much to my relief. "She's my little sunshine, that one. When things in the family are so rough, she's there to make us alright. She really likes you, Cass."
"And I her, Gordon. She's so warm... and confident. You're right. She's sunshine."
We finished our drinks and head up to our rooms.