Dedicated to anyone who is a fan of the show Gotham!
The vibrating of Julian's phone roused him from his slumber but Stella's demanding presence in the suite jolted him awake.
"Sir!" She breathed "Her Excellency is about to sit down to an early breakfast! The cast has just left The Stamford Plaza and will still be another twelve minutes! She must be taking an even earlier breakfast!"
"Thank you, Stella!" He said as he rushed out of the suite.
She was already dressed and was a bit confused as to why the chef and his team weren't bringing her breakfast out as she had asked. She had so much work to do today she wanted to get a head start, and this wasn't what she needed.
She didn't know Julian had cleared half her day with Clayton.
Julian had told them to stall her as much as they could, they knew about the surprise for the Governor and were currently cooking up and serving a full continental and hot breakfast outside in the Pavillion.
When Julian burst into the dining room, phone in hand a text from Sean to say they were on their way, Emmaline looked up at him, surprised "You don't need to join me, darling, I just want to have an early breakfast so I can get stuck into all this work I've got to do! This week is jampacked with morning teas, dinners, five school visits, you've got your first exhibition opening over at the Gallery of Modern Art at Southbank, my usual meeting at parliament house on Thursday...we may have to take an hour out of my day just for us! And don't forget, on Friday we are off up north to Bundaberg then up to Cairns!"
He poured her a glass of freshly squeezed juice.
This was good, he just had to keep her talking, keep her distracted....but he knew it wouldn't be an easy feat.
Dr Emmaline Lennon had a mind as sharp as a razor.
He handed her the crystal glass, "Do you have time today to come and see my exhibit all set up before it opens on Wednesday?"
"I've made sure I have nothing on for a few hours, Julian can you go and see what's taking the chef so long??" She growled. "If he's going to be like that I'll just go straight into my study and start my day!"
"Oh no Sweetness, have your breakfast! You can't start your day, your immense workload on a nearly empty stomach! Enjoy your juice and I'll go and see him, in fact, I'll sit down with you and that way I can get stuck into my work early too!"
The kitchen team had everything ready for breakfast out in the beautiful Pavillion, The Pavilion was constructed in 2001, and replaced redundant dressing rooms adjacent to the tennis court. The building provided additional flexibility in hosting community events at Government House and was the perfect setting for Emmaline's breakfast.
"The cast has entered Fernberg Rd, Mr Lennon, they are moments away" Clayton informed him. "Her Excellency is still down in the dining room."
"Right, can you and Stella welcome them into the house and then take them to The Pavillion?" He asked, "Or just take them straight down perhaps?"
Clayton smiled as Stella came to stand with him, the minibus carrying the cast had pulled up in the top driveway. Pulling up right at the side entrance, parking just in front of the Rolls Royce.
"Holy crap!" Donal whistled "does she have a Rolls as her daily drive?? Look at it?? It's something the Queen of England would be seen waving in!"
Ben held Morena's hand.
"She's in for a surprise!" She said and as the door opened, they all began to hop out.
They were dressed nicely, semi-formal even, not too relaxed but still classy.
"Good morning!" Clayton said, gaining their attention "and welcome to Government House!"
There was a murmur of 'good morning' as the cast were spellbound by the beautiful mansion, buildings and gardens before their very eyes.
Winston and Mawko came running around the front of the house to greet Emmaline's guest's earning smiles from the cast.
"If you would like to follow us, we will take you down to The Pavillion where Her Excellency will be joining you shortly!" Stella said with a smile as she and Clayton began to walk down the path to the outdoor entertaining area.
"Is this all the Governor's?" David asked, looking around.
"Whilst she is serving Her Majesty, yes Mr Mazous" Clayton said.
"Is there a chance of a tour of the house after breakfast?" Erin Richards asked.
Clayton smiled, hands folded behind his back.
"Of course, Her Excellency would be happy too, now if you'd all like to take a seat, Her Excellency won't be long, Mr Lennon was just going up to fetch her!"
"I'm happy to stand until she does get down here. She might like to sit between her favourite characters you know?! Have you all thought of that?" Robin Lord Taylor said.
"Good point mate!" Sean piped up. "Is there a seat that Her Excellency always sits in?"
"Yes Mr Pertwee, up in The State Dining Room, she and Mr Lennon sit across from each other in the centre of the table, however down in their private dining room as there's only the two of them it's not so formal, out here in The Pavillion, for formal gatherings yes, this isn't included, this is a relaxed personal gathering for Her Excellency, so whoever is her favourite character, I don't see it a problem where she sits."
"So who is her favourite?" Erin asked. "You never introduced yourself!"
"So I didn't Miss Richards," He said, smiling "I am Her Excellency's Offical Secretary, Air Commodore Clayton Miller and this is Mrs Stella McKenna, Head of her Excellency's household staff"
"Well Commodore," Erin said politely "may we perhaps have a drink whilst we are waiting?"
"Of course Miss" he smiled "there is a selection of hot or cold drinks over on the serving table"
"Champagne??" Cory Michael Smith breathed.
"The Governor loves a flute of bubbly sometimes to start her day but always with a fresh ripe strawberry in the bottom of her flute!" Stella said, looking up at the house, Julian had finally got Emmaline out of the dining room and they were heading down to The Pavillion, hand in hand.
She didn't look happy.
"Uh oh," Cory noticed "She looks pissed!"
"Becuase Her Excellency doesn't know of this surprise and she thinks the kitchen staff are out to delay her from starting her work!" Clayton said.
"Better turn on the acting charm then, into character guys and gals!" Ben said.
"Who's her favourite character, do you know Clayton?" Sean whispered.
"I don't sorry Sir," He said, "not a fan of comics personally!"
The cast pushed Ben out from the shelter of the building where he was easily in sight.
"What is going on Julian?" She snapped "I can't afford to waste time having breakfast out here in the Pavillion!"
"Good Morning, Your Excellency" Ben said calmly as the other cast watched on.
Emmaline stopped, dead in her tracks.
She literally couldn't speak, and she hadn't even noticed the other nineteen cast members watching on smiling.
Her anger had just disappeared.
"Ben? Ben McKenzie?" She managed "from Gotham?"
He smiled "Yes Ma'am, and I'm not alone. Could we have breakfast with you?"
She saw them, she saw them all.
Some of her favourite characters from her favourite show.
Her eyes widened in excitement and surprise and she couldn't help it but laugh and giggle happily "Oswald, Edward, Selina, Alfred, Bruce, Barbara! But how?"
Ben gently and cheekily directed her attention to Julian.
"How did you arrange this under my nose? How long has this been planned?"
He smiled and kissed her "oh a while, Sweetness! A while!"
She hugged him, feeling the tears welling up. He was so caring and thoughtful, he knew she needed this, to arrange to have so many cast members come over to have breakfast with her.
She knew she had captured the heart of an absolute gentleman. She was lucky as they were very hard to find nowadays.
"So, why don't we sit down and enjoy this scrumptious breakfast the chef and his team have cooked and served up for us?" Emmaline acted as the perfect host.
For a moment, no one moved.
"Please!" Emmaline guestered, "sit wherever you like!"
Ben cleared his throat "the cast was wondering if you have a favourite character and if you'd like to sit next to them, Ma'am?"
She smiled, "oh, I see! Is that why none of you are sitting down?"
"It's okay," Cory said, with a smile "we can take rejection if we're not your favourite character!"
She tried not to blush "well, Harvey Bullock and Oswald Coppblepot are my two favourites"
Donal high fived Robin and they took their seats on either side of her.
"Don't get all smug cause you're sitting next to the Governor!" Ben scolded Donal, his partner on the show.
"Who's your favourite Julian?" Erin turned to Emmaline's fiancé.
"Well, my favourites are Dr Lee Tompkins and Bruce Wayne," Julian said, "Emmie got me onto the show, I was never into it until she was watching it one afternoon!"
They all sat down.
"So how long have you been a fan, Ma'am?" Sean asked.
"Since the very beginning but since Julian started watching it we've gone right back to the start"
"Well at least you can re-watch it all over again," Erin said, having a sip of coffee from a fine china cup, adorned in gold.
"Yes, and it's been really good, I get to rewatch all my favourite moments!"
"So why are those two your favourites?" Camren asked in a playful manner. "I mean really? The Penguin and a Detective!"
"Robin plays Oswald so well, one minute I'm on his side, the next..."
"You want to kill him?" Donal finished for her "don't worry Ma'am, how do you think we feel?"
"I don't mind if you call me Emmaline, Ma'am is not necessary!" She told the cast.
"I hear that you had an uncle, who was a detective?" David said, buttering his toast, a steaming hot breakfast sat in front of him.
"Yes, and do you know he hated Gotham, David?" She said of Harvey. "His name was Detective Harvey Gordon"
"I'm sorry for you loss Ma'am," He said.
"You remind me of him, Donal," She said to the actor proudly. "He always wore a brown fedora like the one you wear on the show, and he LOVED a good glass of whisky! Glenfiddich was his favourite!"
"I heard he was a legendary man, a brilliant detective. Died trying to protect you, his Kitten" Donal spoke softly, having immense respect for a man he had never met but was sitting next to a woman, who regarded him as one of the most important people in her life.
"Would you like to have a nip of whisky with me in his memory, a toast to him Donal?" She asked
"Glenfiddich?" Was his reply.
The staff were already placing two crystal glasses down and were pouring a nip into each glass.
"To Detective Harvey Gordon, a real detective!" Donal toasted, raising his glass "we're just actors!"
Ben smiled and raised his flute of champagne "To Harvey Gordon and to his niece Emmaline"
"Thank you really, for having us Ma'am" Robin said as he enjoyed his breakfast beside her, "and sorry for when I pissed you off, I'm really a nice guy!"
"I like the idea of the bottlecap in your shoe to make you limp, it was very convincing!" She said.
Ben was talking quietly to Julian, and the rest of the cast were either talking amongst themselves or listening to the Governor's conversation with Robin.
"We just became engaged last night," Julian told the actor.
"No kidding, big congrats!" Ben said happily.
"Can we see the ring?"Morena asked.
"Of course, Sweetness?" Julian said, he was sitting across from her. "Can you hold out your hand to show Morena Mum's ring?"
She reached her hand across the table to show Ben's wife.
"It belonged to Julian's mother. His father bought it for her whilst in Japan in 1966." She told the actress.
"I was never a big bauble, diamond kinda guy." He told her.
"It's lovely and different!" Morena complimented.
"So when's the wedding?" Ben asked.
"Dates are being considered as of now, as soon as we can work in some free time for Emmaline, we're off to Liverpool to get married, I was born in Liverpool"
"I imagine her days are packed full of duties?" Morena asked "Patrons of different organizations, state dinners, speeches, openings, visits to schools, and of course all over the state?"
"Absolutely! I even had to clear half of her day to make sure she was free for her breakfast!"
"Does she like her job as Governor?" Morena asked.
"She loves it! A true natural! It's been a journey to get where we are now, but I am so glad we met!"
"Yes, I read that you were attacked by a hippo in Egypt and she became your Doctor? You can thank that hippo for leading you to your future wife really?" Ben said.
"I would only that hippo nearly killed me!"
"Yes, but it didn't, did it?" Ben asked, "and here you are, engaged, happy together, in love, and getting married!"
Winston and Mawko snooped under the table for dropped crumbs.
Emmaline was trying to talk to each and every cast member around the table, she didn't want any of them to feel left out.
"Your dog just jumped up between my legs!" Cory stated, seeing Winston pop his golden, furry head into view.
"A scrap of bacon or anything won't hurt them, they're friendly and love to pick up the crumbs dropped!" Emmaline said, smiling "If they get too pushy just let me know and I'll send them away!"
He fed Winston a crust of his toast.
"I don't eat my crusts often," He said patting the loveable, smiling boy. "Hello boy, what's your name?"
Beside him, Erin fed him a piece of her bacon.
This wasn't crumbs, this was heaven to him.
Mawko knew she'd have no luck stealing Winston's thunder so she wandered over to Sean and Jada.
"Well hello!" He said to the Husky "would you like some too?"
"The Golden Retriever is mine, and his name is Winston, the Husky is Emmaline's and her name is Mawko," Julian told the cast.
Jada and Sean fed Mawko with bacon, toast and even a forkful of egg. Winston, however, tried to steal her thunder and tried to eat the egg dropped for her.
She snarled loudly and snapped at the loveable Retriever who backed off quickly.
"You two!" Julian commanded "out of here! Go on! I won't have you nipping the cast!"
Cory wiped his mouth and stood up "come on Winston, Mawko!" He called heading out of the Pavillion where he began to play with the dogs, making them forget about the fight over the food dropped.
David joined them as the others took their time finishing their breakfast.
"Thank you so much for having us, Your Excellency!" Ben said for everyone "breakfast was scrumptious!"
"I haven't had a breakfast cooked and served that well since...ever!" Morena agreed.
"And thank you really for being such a big fan of the show!" Sean added,
"No, thank you for all coming!" She said, "it's been amazing! I feel so special that you took the time to fly out to have breakfast with me, with us!"
Julian had picked up the unautographed cast poster Sean had gotten for him.
"Would you all sign this for my Sweetness?" He asked a couple of permanent markers in his hand as he placed the poster down on the table.
One by one, the cast signed their signature and left a little note for Emmaline.
"Who is up for a tour of the house and grounds?" She asked, slipping into her role as Governor.