‘Mabel wants to know if Lyrebird wants a cup of tea. Lyrebird hasn’t eaten since she arrived yesterday I hear. Alan is making one.’
‘Thank you, Mabel,’ Laura smiles. ‘You’re very kind. You can call me Laura though.’
‘Okay, Laura,’ she says shyly, and Laura laughs. Even though Mabel doesn’t blush, she’s so lifelike and Alan is so good at moving her entire face that she seems real.
Alan then sticks his head around the doorframe. Laura likes Alan. He auditioned the same night as her. He’s a nice man. A peculiar man. Forty years old and lives with his parents, he puts all his money into Mabel and his act. He has a kind heart and is hugely talented.
‘Congratulations, Alan. I didn’t know you’d gotten through, I missed the show last night.’ She feels embarrassed for shutting out a night so important to her fellow contestants, her selfishness breaking through again.
‘Thank you. Feeling pretty rough today, Mabel made me stay up and drink a bottle of Jameson to celebrate.’
Laura laughs.
‘Mabel told me she can call you Laura, does that mean I can too?’
‘Of course.’
He steps inside, almost tiptoes, as if he shouldn’t be here. He’s like that everywhere, acts as though he shouldn’t be there, as if he’s in people’s way, but as soon as Mabel is on his arm, he becomes another man, witty, charming, naughty even. He says things as Mabel that Laura doesn’t imagine Alan even thinks. He brings nothing but joy to people.
‘Just wanted to see if you’re okay,’ he says.
Her eyes fill and she looks away.
‘Oh no, you’ve made her cry, you idiot,’ Mabel says.
Laura laughs.
‘And you made her laugh,’ Alan says to Mabel.
‘What would you do without me?’ Mabel says.
Laura wipes her eyes.
Alan sits down beside her.
‘I’m so embarrassed, Alan. I can barely bring myself to look anyone in the eye.’
‘There’s no need to be embarrassed. We’ve all had nights like that.’
Laura looks at him.
‘Well, I haven’t. But Mabel has.’
Mabel gives him a slow look.
Laura laughs again.
‘Look, we’re all in this together. Some of the others …’
‘Alice,’ coughs Mabel.
‘… see this as a competition. Us versus each other. But I don’t. I’m in competition with myself. Always have been. It’s up to me to be as good as I can be.’
‘And me,’ Mabel interrupts.
‘And you, Mabel. It’s life-changing stuff. I was recognised at the pharmacy yesterday. Buying a Ped Egg. Do you know what that is?’
She shakes her head.
‘A file for calluses and dry skin on your feet.’
‘Sexy,’ Mabel says.
‘Indeed,’ Alan agrees. ‘I signed my first autograph over a discussion about a Ped Egg.’
Laura laughs.
‘I’m not getting it anywhere near as much as you and I’m struggling. You’re a target for them. Two hundred million people want to know what you’re going to do next.’ He shrugs. ‘So blow them away.’
‘Thanks. The show’s going to give me another chance.’
Alan looks at her in surprise. ‘That’s what Curtis—’
‘Asshole,’ Mabel interrupts.
‘—was here to talk about?’
She nods.
He leans forward. He drops Mabel on the table and she actually says, ‘Ow.’
‘You do know that they’d be nothing without you. Just a crap Irish entertainment show that no one’s ever heard of, if it wasn’t for you?’
Laura is shocked to hear this.
‘You’ve put them on the map. Because of you they’ve sold the format to twelve more territories and counting. If you dropped out now, they’d be nothing.’
‘Speak for yourself,’ Mabel says from the table, lying on her back staring at the ceiling.
Laura processes this.
‘What’s that?’ He looks at the brown envelope.
‘An article that’s going to be in the paper tomorrow. Curtis gave it to me to read.’
‘Don’t read it,’ Alan says.
‘I should.’
‘No, you shouldn’t. You shouldn’t read any of them ever again,’ he says, not a hint of humour in him now. ‘Don’t poison yourself with that, Laura. You’re the purest, most natural person I’ve ever met. I want you to win.’
She smiles. ‘And I want you to win.’
They hold each other’s look, and Laura appreciates the support so much. When it gets awkward, Mabel pipes up.
‘And what the fuck about me?’
They both start laughing.
‘Right, I’ll get you a cup of tea. We might as well enjoy the silence before the next act arrives tonight. And I’ll make some lunch. I can’t cook, but ham and cheese sandwich okay?’
‘Perfect, thank you.’
‘I wouldn’t eat it, if I were you,’ Mabel whispers in her ear before they both leave. ‘I think he’s trying to poison me.’
Laura laughs as he leaves her alone in the dining room.
Feeling more confident, she stares at the envelope on the table. He’s right, she needs to rise above it and she’s feeling marginally stronger after their chat, but she still needs to know what people are thinking of her.