‘I think you might have just saved Christmas, boys.’
The boys looked pleased with themselves but Adam stepped in.
‘You cannot tell your mom or Simon about this, okay? It’s now up to us to deal with it.’
The boys nodded and Ethan looked downcast.
‘I wish Mom didn’t do it.’ His son’s words made Marc remember what it was like to be so disappointed in a parent. How many times he had hoped his own parents would step up and pull through, only to be let down again and again.
‘I know, buddy. I will talk to her – but later, okay? Let me find Christa first and then I can talk to your mom.’
Ethan and Seth went to the door.
‘And can we finish the gingerbread house later?’
‘We sure can,’ Marc promised, meaning it, as the boys closed the door.
‘I’m going to text Paul and show him and then get him to take the boys out for the rest of the day. That okay with you?’ Adam asked.
Marc nodded as he wondered what to do.
Paul watched the video, his face shocked as the deception became apparent. ‘The audacity of those two. I am shook, as the young people say,’ he said. ‘I’ll take the boys far away today to the Viking Centre. There is an enormous fossilised Viking turd they can look at. That will entertain them. We could put Simon on display as real-life human shit but it might be harder to sell tickets.’
Marc laughed despite himself as Paul left him and Adam.
‘Wow. I am shocked but not surprised,’ Adam stated.
‘Me neither. I knew Christa had cooked that soufflé. I could tell.’
Adam looked at him. ‘What will you do about it then? And make sure it’s legal, okay?’
Marc leaned back in his chair.
‘I need to tell Christa but I also need to deal with Simon and Avian. If I kick him out and Avian goes with him then that’s on her. I will tell her she can stay for the boys and then let her decide.’
Adam nodded. ‘And Simon? Surely you’re not just going to give him the boot and then forget it happened?’
Marc shook his head. ‘No, I am going to kick him right where it will hurt him most.’
Adam made a face. ‘That sounds like a police charge.’
‘No, I’m going to kick him right in his ego,’ Marc said. ‘Make the deal with Cirrus TV, buy today.’
‘Are you sure? WithBlind Bakinggoing?’
‘Oh yes, buy it,’ Marc said feeling surer than ever. ‘I am going to make my own cooking show, one that will blowBlind Bakingout of contention. Get me a time to speak to the guy fromThe Hollywood Reporter. I need him to write a story for me.’
‘On it,’ said Adam.
He stood up and grabbed his phone.
‘And now I have to find Christa. Wish me luck.’
‘Ask Peggy,’ said Adam.
‘Peggy?’
‘She said she saw her this morning in York. Says she’s devastated.’
