Simon scoffed. ‘She will be trying to figure out for the rest of her days why it didn’t work for her the way mine did and the answer is some people just have it and some don’t.’
Avian nodded in agreement. ‘This is why you are the judge onBlind Bakingand not Christa. You can’t teach instinct.’
Adam stood up with his plate. ‘I might join the boys in the other room. They’re watchingBritain’s Got Talent. I’m always fascinated by the ones who don’t have it and who still win anyway. It’s almost enough to make you think it’s rigged or something.’
‘I’ll join you,’ said Paul.
‘Oh, Adam, before you go, did you finish that agreement today we talked about this morning?’
Adam smiled at Marc. ‘Just waiting for the final contract. Should come through anytime from nine, New York time.’
‘What are you buying now, Marc?’ Avian picked at some seeds and ate them, and Marc nearly laughed at her attempt at nonchalance. ‘A movie studio? A radio network?’
Marc smiled at her and finished his wine.
‘Can’t say too much yet but I think you will be excited,’ he said and Avian clapped her hands.
‘How thrilling,’ she said as Marc left the room.
‘Can you clean up for me, Simon? Appreciate it,’ he said and went to sit with the others, thinking about what to do next.
*
The sound of Avian’s yelling woke him.
‘Marc, you fucking prick. You motherfucker, wake up and tell me what the fuck you have done!’
He opened one eye and saw her in a robe, her hair mussed and with a sleep mask on top of her head, clearly pushed up in a hurry.
‘Please don’t swear. The boys will hear you,’ he said and he rolled away from her.
She pushed his back with her little bird hands.
‘You’re producing your own cooking show? I just saw it inThe Hollywood Reporter,’ she screamed. ‘You’ve bought Cirrus TV and now you have a celebrity cooking competition? With Gordon Ramsey, and Nigella and Marco Pierre White as some of the competitors? How the hell can we go up against that?’
‘You can’t,’ he said, keeping his eyes closed.
‘Why did you do it then? Why? Do you hate me that much you want to ruin my career?’
Marc sat up. ‘I don’t hate you, Avian. You’re the mother of my kids. You’re a terrible mother but you’re all they have.’
‘How dare you say I am a terrible mother,’ she gasped.
‘But you are a terrible mother and I’m a terrible father. At least I’m trying to get better. That’s the difference between you and me. I know I’m shit but I’m trying to be and do better. You, however, don’t actually care about what the boys think about you or them in general. You only care about yourself and whatever is happening in relation to you.’
Avian’s mouth was opening and shutting in shock and anger.
Marc pulled on some sweat pants from the floor and then pulled on a clean T-shirt and sat on a chair.
‘I saw what you and Simon did with the soufflé, so you can’t deny it. It’s on film,’ he said.
Avian sat on the end of the bed.
‘Why?’ he asked. ‘It wasn’t just about winning for you, was it?’
Avian stared at the floor, her legs crossed and her arms wrapped around herself.
‘Simon is a pretty terrible person. I don’t know why you’re with him but I’ll tell you this: if you keep seeing him, you won’t see the boys. And I think, even under all that self-absorption, you love them.’
