Now Art does meet my eyes for a moment. He turns back to Simon.
‘Oh yeah?’ he says.
‘Bernard’s a prick,’ says Nora.
I laugh. ‘I kind of got that.’
‘No,’ says Nora, ‘I mean, he’s seriously a prick. Even Simon thinks so and he likes everyone.’
‘He is a prick,’ admits Simon.
‘He’s always been bad,’ says Nora. ‘I had to go to the doctor last year because I came out in a rash, and she said it was stress related but really it was Bernard related.’
‘But he’s got much worse recently.’ Simon fiddles with a paper napkin. ‘Triona’s out for blood, andNorthside’s the obvious target. I’m sure you know the ratings haven’t been great. Bernard feels he’s being blamed – and maybe he should be, or maybe it’s simply ’cause audiences have evolved. But he won’t accept any changes.’
‘He really, really didn’t want them to bring in a writers’ room,’ says Nora.
‘I kind of got that too,’ I say.
‘Well, yeah, he’s not exactly hiding it,’ says Nora. ‘But you should probably understand why.’
‘Okay,’ says Art.
‘The thing about Bernard,’ says Simon, ‘is that he’s always loved being in charge.’
‘And when we were all freelance, he had way more power over us,’ says Nora. ‘Even senior staff like Susan – their contracts used to be temporary. Bernard could decide whether any of us ever got hired again.’
‘He literally decided whether people could pay their rent or not,’ says Simon. ‘And he made us very, very aware of that.’
‘He fucking loved it.’ Nora scratches at her arm. ‘God, I think my rash is coming back.’
‘You need to get more of that ointment,’ says Simon.
‘But with this new regime,’ says Nora, ‘we know we’re not going to lose all future work just because Bernard’s taken against us for some random reason. Plus senior staff like Susan will have a lot more say in how things are run. And there’s the other stuff, like the show going on hiatus every summer from next year. Like, obviously they’re just doing it to save IBC money, but it’ll make sure we don’t get burned out.’
‘Right,’ says Art. ‘But that’s all good.’ He looks from Nora to Simon. ‘Isn’t it?’
Simon’s expression makes my heart sink.
‘It is,’ says Simon. ‘I mean, it could be. But Bernard’s been … well, he’s been …’ He’s ripping up the napkin now.
‘Stirring shit,’ says Nora bluntly. ‘A lot. You’ve probably guessed he wasn’t happy with the show hiring … outsiders.’
‘She means you two,’ says Simon. ‘Sorry. It’s what Bernard’s been calling you.’
‘It is,’ says Nora. ‘A few months ago he started calling the regular writers into the office and basically told us there was going to be a lot of competition for these staff jobs and we’d better show how devoted we were.’
I feel queasy. ‘You don’t mean … like, sexually, do you?’
‘God no!’ says Nora.
‘More like making us deliver multiple drafts early so he could tear them to shreds,’ says Simon. ‘Last-minute meetings.’
‘His usual manipulative bullshit,’ says Nora. ‘Then after we’d all jumped through his hoops and IBC made the job offers, he told the people who didn’t get in that of coursehehad wanted to hire them as staff writers but some arrogant international writers had approached the show and were insisting they get the top jobs.’
‘But we didn’t!’ I say. ‘Herangme! I didn’t even knowNorthsidewas looking for new writers.’
‘Same here,’ says Art.