Christa looked at Marc who didn’t look up at her. Going back to the US? Is that what was being discussed and she didn’t know about it?’
‘Sure,’ she said, trying to keep her voice light.
Simon sat scowling at the end of the table with Avian, looking at the platters and bowls in front of him.
‘Perhaps you can be an on-set caterer for film and TV, maybe Avian can get you a gig,’ he said. Christa wanted to throw a bread roll at him for being so condescending.
Thankfully Avian shook her head. ‘No, I don’t think so; besides, you couldn’t have this sort of food at craft services. No one I know eats like this.’
Christa sat next to Adam who gave her a look of sympathy.
‘Eat up then,’ she said, trying to maintain some sense of self-esteem under Avian’s withering gaze.
‘What did you get in town today, boys?’ she asked.
Seth and Ethan were very quiet around their mother, watching her adoringly but also careful, as though she might vanish at the slightest sudden movement from them.
‘Um,’ said Seth. ‘We got some Lego, video games, nerf guns and bikes.’
‘Bikes – that’s great, what a good idea,’ she said.
‘That was my idea,’ said Simon looking at Marc. ‘Kids should have bikes for a place like this, otherwise it’s pretty boring.’
Marc raised his eyebrows and Christa saw his jaw twitch. ‘Thanks for the advice. They were on the list for Christmas from me but I will have to get something else now.’
‘Anytime, old fellow – if you need more ideas let me know. I had a very happy childhood; parents didn’t let me want for anything.’
‘Explains a lot,’ whispered Adam to Christa who smiled as she handed him a bowl.
‘Roast potato? They were cooked in duck fat, so they are very decadent. Delicious with the gravy. And make sure you take a roll to mop up the gravy at the end. Such a good thing to do.’
Christa swore she could feel Simon’s eyes boring holes into her as she handed the potatoes to Marc who thanked her and smiled.
She felt her stomach flip and then fall when she remembered Paul’s comment about them returning to San Francisco.
Marc poured the wine for them all and offered some to Simon and Avian.
‘We can’t,’ said Avian. ‘Makes me bloat.’
Simon’s face was thunderous. ‘I can have half a glass,’ he muttered, toying with some tofu on his fork.
‘No you can’t. We shoot in a month and I showed you how jowly you looked from the trailer shoot.’
Christa looked at Paul who made a face, and mouthed the wordouchat her.
‘You don’t need to bring up my jowls here,’ Simon snapped.
‘That reminds me,’ said Christa, knowing she couldn’t help herself – it was just too easy a pass to make. ‘Do you remember that lovely lemongrass pork jowl we had in Thailand?’ She looked at Avian. ‘In Thailand, pork jowl is similar to the pork belly that’s so popular in China. Fatty and tasty.’
‘He could work on his belly also,’ said Avian meanly.
For a moment she felt sorry for Simon, being fat-shamed by Avian in front of everyone but then she remembered he was just as mean, albeit much subtler about it.
The dinner was delicious, and Christa thanked Adam and Paul for keeping the mood light at their end of the table, interrogating the boys about Lego and challenging them to a building competition another night.
When they had finished eating, Christa stood up.
‘Now if you can assist in clearing the table, I will get dessert ready for us. It will take fifteen minutes but it will give us time to let this meal settle.’
