He’ll want to protect her. He’ll tell her to exit and leave her film behind. She’ll end up talking about how hard it is to get a film like that made, a film that you actually care about deeply. Something that might even matter.

She doesn’t need that conversation. She knows all that.

She also wants to tell him about how she is longing to visit Scott to get the answers she needs, and to that one he will certainly say absolutely not, that it risks Maisie finding out, risks chaos and destabilization for all of them.

‘Did you want to talk to me?’ He zigzags his way back toward the sink and his phone dings a text message. He pulls it out of his back pocket and narrows his eyes to focus on the screen. His hair is ruffled, his shirt loosened at the waist, his eyes are still and bright: Becky doesn’t think she’s seen him look so happy. ‘It’s Zee. She’s on her way home,’ he says. ‘Lazy Maisie, she never ever pays me, for the waaaays, I plaaaaays, the bassoooooooon!’ Adam turns and grins at Becky. ‘Fuck I’m drunk.’

‘Good. Birthday achieved.’ Becky checks her own phone, expecting the same words. Finds nothing.

His phone dings again before he’s had a chance to put it away and his face creases up in laughter when he looks at the screen.

‘What?’

‘Jules bought her a Viking hat. Look.’

She glances at his phone, finding no amusement in the foam confection balanced on her daughter’s head. This is why she is the less fun one, the nagging one. Because she wants information and Adam wants jokes, so Adam gets both and she gets nothing. Her mood has soured with envy and she can’t help herself when she says, ‘You shouldn’t have bought her those trainers, it was my—’

‘I’m sorry,’ he says, all eyes and regret. ‘I only want her to be happy.’

‘But I was trying to teach her the value of working hard to earn what you want,’ she says more softly, chastened by his quick apology. ‘Not just getting it all when you click your fingers.’

‘Because we all know the world doesn’t work like that.’ He smiles but there is an edge to what he’s saying. ‘She can’t be all cynicism, Becks. The world can also be a good and generous place. It can drop things in your lap when you’re least expecting it and it’s good for the soul to know that. Right?’