Six

Every woman that he dares to sleep with bears his child. So now it is Mouetta's turn. Whispering and smudging his ear with her lipstick, her breath a little sour from the garlic in her lunch, she confirms her first, his sixth pregnancy. His sixth at least. A baby's due by May. It's early days.

Lix wants to say he feels besieged. Another child? To be so fertile is a curse.

Lix's blessing and his tragedy is this: He has no true defence against the concentrated moment in the arms of someone that he loves. There comes a point where everything is lost.

Meet the celebrated Felix Dern, his lives, his loves, his families.