"The coffee company sponsoring us brought him," Lucien explained. "We can only replace him if we find someone who is not affiliated with any other company. Most of the good coffee makers are sponsored elsewhere. If we took any of them we would be fined."
Aurélie turned to Aine. "You could do it for us, Aine. You are just an ordinary person."
"Yes, yes," everyone chimed in.
"I d… o not kn… ow how that w… ould g… o. May… be I am g… ood j… ust for t… oday," Aine said.
"Do not say that. I saw how carefully you prepared it. Just agree," Esmee said.
Aine looked around at the hopeful faces. "O… kay. I w… ill d… o it."
The whole set erupted with joy.
Theodora glanced down at Elodie's cup. "Elodie, will your coffee not go cold? Wait. You also went for burnt coffee. You did not take your usual coffee au lait."
Everyone went quiet and looked at her.
"Finally, someone else who likes my taste," Lucien said, lifting his cup with a grin. "Try it and tell me how it tastes."
Elodie froze, the cup halfway to her lips, every eye on her.
"I… I like trying new things. That is why I ordered it. Maybe it will turn out to be my favourite taste," Elodie said, and took a sip.
The mug slipped from her fingers.
It shattered across the floor.
"Bitter," she said.
She became aware of the silence around her. Every eye was on her.
"I am sorry. I expected it to be less bitter. I have never tasted anything this bitter," she said.
Aine looked at her, tears almost filling her eyes.
She knelt down and began picking up the broken pieces.
Then the memories came. Blurred. Fast. Flooding her mind all at once, faces without names, a room she could not place, hands she could not see.
Her fingers stilled over the ceramic.
Tesni rose at once, her eyes locked on Aine.
"Do you not have a cleaner? Do you want her to get hurt before you call one?" Tesni said sharply.
"Aine, get up." Lucien was already beside her, taking her gently by the arm. "Go to the washroom and wash your hands. You might get hurt."
He helped her to her feet.
Aine let him, her eyes still far away, the shards still bright on the floor behind her.
"I promise I did not do it intentionally," Elodie said.
"You should know better, Elodie. You do not do that in front of people," Tesni said. "It was your first time trying something different. Even if it tasted terrible you should have known how to contain it. Now you have her thinking she did something wrong."
Lucien picked up a cup and tasted what remained in the coffee jug.
"It tastes good. Just how I want it. Burnt coffee is always bitter," he said. He turned to Elodie. "You should apologise to her."
Elodie looked at the floor, then toward the washroom door where Aine had gone.
Before she could answer the production crew walked in.
The Director paused at the entrance and scanned the room, taking in the broken mug, the silence, the stiff faces.
"The atmosphere is tense. Perfect for the next scene," he said. "Everyone, get into position."
After everything was over, Aine was the first to step outside. She stood at the reception waiting for her cab.
Elodie was the first to follow. She approached slowly.
"Hi. I would like to apologise for what happened. I did not mean to humiliate you. It was my first time tasting something that bitter," Elodie said.
"I… am f… ine. I was j… ust w… orried I sp… oilt your m… ood. I kn… ow you w… anted to try s… omething n… ew. I w… ill pr… epare the s… ame c… offee, but this t… ime to your t… aste," Aine replied.
"You would?" Elodie asked.
"Y… es. I kn… ow how it f… eels to try s… omething you d… o not l… ike. I w… ill h… elp you," Aine said.
A black van pulled up beside them.
"I have to leave now. I will be expecting you tomorrow," Elodie said, and left.
One by one the cast and crew came out and passed her, each stopping to thank her before going.
Aine stood alone at the reception, a small smile on her face, the cab still not in sight.
Tesni descended slowly, her eyes fixed on Aine.
"Were you so desperate that you followed me?" Tesni asked.
"It w… as j… ust a coin… cidence. I w… ould n… ever st… alk s… omeone for n… o reason," Aine answered.
"You have a reason. If I notice anything suspicious I will have you arrested," Tesni said.
"Wh… y are you so m… ean to m… e? If I d… id s… omething I have al… ready ap… ologised."
"Trying to play the victim," Tesni said, and walked away.
Aine watched her go, her hands trembling at her sides.
Lucien came down the steps with Esmee.
"Are you waiting for someone?" he asked.
"N… o. J… ust my c… ab. They k… eep d… elaying," she answered.
"It is very late. I will drop you," Lucien said.
"Th… ank y… ou," she said.
They all climbed into the van and drove off. When it finally stopped they stepped out before a gate that seemed to stretch into the sky.
"This estate is huge. I have never even heard of it," Esmee exclaimed.
"I st… ay at the n… ext b… uilding," Aine said, pointing.
The van stopped right in front of it. Aine stepped down, Lucien following behind her.
Elora was already waiting at the gate. The moment she saw them she rushed forward and checked Aine over from head to toe.
"Are you hurt? You should have informed me you were going somewhere. I was so worried," Elora said.
"She came to our set. She was our special guest and a very good coffee maker. She has also earned herself a job there," Lucien said.
Elora turned to Aine. "Is that true?"
"Y… es. Pl… ease. I w… ant to w… ork th… ere," Aine said.
Elora hesitated. "I will only allow it if you go with a driver and he brings you back. I…"
She did not finish.
"I will bring her home myself. Trust me on that," Lucien said.
Elora looked at him. Then at Aine, whose eyes were pleading and bright.
The night air held still around the three of them.