-No. -No?
-No. -[inhales deeply]
-Dad? -No.
So, I can safely take that as a no, can I?
-[both] Yes. -Okay. Fair enough.
Sorry, Paul, but it really is a straight--
Mm. Dad, I heard. Thank you.
How's the revision going, girls?
We can still study and look at our phones.
No, I... I know. I wasn't being sarky.
I'm just impressed you started so early.
Have you had any breakfast, Grace?
-Ava made me tea and toast. -Classic.
Right, my first day at my new gig, so wish me luck.
Good luck. See you later.
Thanks. Have a good revision day.
Are you gonna do anything fun as well?
Might go shopping and get some chips.
Hmm. That's also classic.
And are we gonna meet Holly this half-term?
-Not sure. We'll see. -Okay. Right. See you later.
-Bye. -Bye.
[footsteps depart]
Hasn't Holly been to your house yet?
No, I see her at her place or at her dad's,
or at Granny and Granddad's sheltered housing
when she's working.
The whole "meet the parents" thing gives Holly the ick.
[chuckles] What about the "meet the friends" thing?
How do you mean?
I still haven't met her yet. Really like to.
She obviously means a lot to you.
No, sure. Yeah. Let's do that soon.
Great.
Oh, hey, Keysha. How are you this morning?
Well, if you're asking as my boss, I'm great, thanks.
And if I'm asking as your friend?
-Hangover from hell. -Ah.
Can barely function.
Probably have a little sleep at lunchtime.
Well, I won't tell your boss.
Thanks. He can be a real tool.
So I've heard, yeah. [chuckles]
[Ros] Morning, Paul. How's it going?
Uh, pretty good, thanks. Yeah, anything I need to know?
Oh, you already know everything, Paul.
You're like the Borg. Is it the Borg? Star Trek?
Oh, Christ, I don't... I don't know.
I don't really know science fiction.
-I've never seen Star Wars. -[gasps]
-I've never seen The Godfather. -[laughs] That's fucking mad.
Oh, uh, by the way, the new kid in the office?
-He's pretty good. -Yeah. He's... Ah.
Actually, no, I'm not a fan, really. Hello, mate.
Ah, thanks, Luke. You're a star.
And the rest of these are for the boardroom?
Yes, there's a meeting going on,
but you can just knock and go in.
Right. Okay. Just sort of knock?
And sort of go in, yeah.
-[exhales] -Um... hey, you're doing great.
-What's this? Day three? -Yeah.
-Yeah. Good to have a half-term
-job that actually pays. -Yeah.
Feel like a proper working man.
-Good. -Grown up.
-[inhales deeply] -Like a dad, almost.
Maybe. [chuckles] Um...
[muffled, indistinct conversation]
So, just a knock, and then I go in?
Yeah, yeah.
Okay.
[indistinct conversation continues]
[Paul] No, trust me, Luke.
You're gonna get into somewhere great.
I'm not even sure I wanna get in anywhere.
You know, I'm gonna be a dad.
Maybe I should just get a job and not go to uni.
No, get some offers in first, mate, then decide.
Don't... Don't rush into anything.
[exhales] Dad, can I tell you something
I've noticed this week?
Yeah, go on.
I've been watching you at work, and you seem...
happier.
Than?
-Than you are at home. -Oh.
[exhales] You know, everyone really likes you,
and you seem really up and sort of "on" all the time.
Yeah. That's... [chuckles]
I don't love everyone at work, do I?
Good, because that would be weird.
No, but you know what I mean? I... I love everyone at home,
and so things can feel hugely... [inhales]
...important, and I can get stressed and angry.
At work, the stakes are much lower.
I mean, I'd... I'd be sad if one of them died, but...
[chuckles]
It's just nice to see you happy.
Hmm.
I'm not in misery all the time at home, am I?
No, but--
Haunting the kitchen like a fucking Dementor.
[chuckles]
Right. We should get back. I'll ask for the bill.
-Oh, no, I'll get this. -No, don't be silly.
No, no, no. I'd... I'd like to.
I'm earning money now, temporarily.
-Yeah? -Mm.
Okay. Thank you.
This is the first time I've bought you a meal.
Yes, it is. Finally...
Finally a return on my fucking investment.
Thank you, mate.
-Mm. Not enough salt. -Too much salt.
-How are we even friends? -It's a mystery.
Can we quickly go back this way? I just realized...
-Yeah. -...I forgot to get any shampoo.
-Sure. -Ava!
Hey! Hi.
-Is that Holly? -Yeah, yeah, that's Holly.
-Hi. -[chuckles]
-This is Grace. -Hello, Grace.
Ava talks about you all the time.
-Can I nick a chip? -Sure.
[packaging rustles]
Thanks. Now we're friends.
Ooh. Not enough salt.
-[chuckles] Exactly. See? -Let's get some more.
-Well, we like our little flat. -You don't, Mum.
You're always going on about how much you hate it there.
The lifts don't work. You can't use the stairs.
You don't feel safe. There's kids out front smoking weed.
We don't want to go into a home.
No, it's... but it's not a home, Dad. It's...
It's an apartment in a sheltered housing complex, right?
You live independently,
but there's people there to look out for you.
We get by quite all right as we are.
No, you don't. Sorry, Dad, but you... you just don't.
You've both had falls.
But not proper falls. We've always got back up again.
That shower of yours-- impossible to get in and out of.
You.... you were scammed 600 quid
-by that twat over the boiler. -They caught us unawares.
Look, I do what I can, right,
but it's just not practical for me to look after you.
Well, we're sorry to be such a burden.
-Oh, fuck off. -Oi!
Sorry. I'm sorry, Mum.
But this... this place won't be available for long.
Think about it, please.
If you don't do this now, you're gonna regret staying put.
[glass thuds]
[sighs]
-[glass thuds] -Do you want another one?
-Ta. -Thanks.
Mm.
We're not movin'.
No, love, we're not moving.
Ava's grandparents are the best people
at the sheltered housing place.
How long have they been there, Ava?
Six months, just over.
Oh, I love 'em, but there's so many amazing people there.
-Have you met Len? -No, I don't think so.
-He drove Bob Marley. -[gasps]
Fucking Bob Marley.
He drove him in London in, like, 1973 or something.
-That's incredible. -[chuckles]
There are so many amazing people there
with such amazing stories. You just have to listen.
Right. I mean, although, presumably...
Oh, a lot of them do talk total shit, yes.
-[laughs] -But don't we all sometimes?
I do. When I get nervous, I feel I need to fill the silence
-[chuckles] -...and just talk rubbish
until everyone just walks away.
[laughter]
Ava always knows the right thing to say.
Do I?
Yes. You're a genius.
What's it like being best friends with a genius?
[laughs] What's it like going out with a genius?
Amazing.
-Hey. -Got a uni offer.
-Oh, wow. Where from? -Um, Stockwell Park College.
It's a part-time media studies course. I'll be in London.
I can work evenings and weekends and be with Maya and the baby.
-It's ideal. -Right.
I'm so relieved I know what I'm going to do.
Honestly, I was... I was quite worried. [chuckles]
You're accepting the offer?
Yeah.
Right. Is it a good course?
-It's fine. -Mm-hmm.
Fine, but not good or...
It's what I want.
I'm gonna say yes, Dad. I'm 18. It's my decision.
Yep. Yes.
-I'm gonna text Maya and Mum. -Okay.
[exhales deeply]
[Ally] So, I've looked it up,
and I don't wanna be too negative,
but it does look like
quite a shitty course at quite a shitty college.
How could that be negative, hmm?
Well, he's settling for something
-because it seems easy. -Well...
he says that he... he wants to be
with Maya and the baby and earn money.
I get that, but he needs to keep his options open.
He's grabbing at this because he's feeling anxious.
No, I agree. I agree, but, you know, he's an adult.
-No, he isn't. -No, he's not really, is he?
Look, we should try and be positive about this offer.
Take him for a meal or something.
Maybe if he thinks we're onside, then we can persuade him
to look elsewhere in a couple of months?
No, I liked it better when we could just shout at him
and he did what he was told.
Yeah, that always worked out great, didn't it?
[exhaling]
-How's your new gig? -Pretty full on.
-Mm-hmm. -I'm not the oldest here though.
So, that's a bonus. There's a tech guy here who's 55.
[laughs] Wow. God bless him.
[siren wailing in distance]
[exhales] Excuse me.
[monitor beeping steadily]
-Hey. [exhales] Mum. -It's all right.
-What's happened? You all right? -Yeah, love.
I... [stammering] I couldn't lift her, Paul.
I couldn't get her on her feet.
Okay, Dad. Don't... Don't worry. It's all right now.
-So what happened, Mum? -Well, I had a fall.
-Mm-hmm. -I don't know what happened.
One second, I was on the way to the sink,
and the next, I was all perpendicular.
You mean vertical?
She... She means horizontal, doesn't she?
So, um, did you faint or black out or something?
Oh, God knows, but I didn't half hurt my arm.
I couldn't lift her.
-She was in so much pain. -Yeah.
I think we should have a look at that
sheltered housing place, Paul.
Oh. Uh, yeah, okay.
Yeah, just have a look, though.
Okay, then. We'll have a look.
Good.
So, your... your parents sick of him yet?
No. No, no. Dad says that Luke's like
-the son he's never had. -Mm-hmm.
-[chuckles] -But nicer because he reckons
that his son would have turned out to be
-a little bit of a prick. -[laughter]
Oh, it's such a treat to actually spend time
-with you both. -Yeah, so lovely to see you.
I... I keep telling Luke that it's really good for the baby
-to hear your voices. -Oh, mm.
-Oh. Well, to the new baby... -Yes.
...to the new college course,
to the new road layout next to Asda.
-And that one. -So much change. Cheers.
-Cheers, all. Cheers. -Cheers.
[inhales] So, you still getting morning sickness, Maya?
-Oh, yeah, a little bit. -[cellphone chimes]
But if I have breadsticks and crackers,
-it usually calms down. -[laughter]
Hey, you all right, love?
Um...
I've been offered an interview at Manchester Institute.
-Oh, my God. -What?
Luke, you said it was impossible to get in.
Do you mean the music production sound thingy?
-Yeah. -[gasps]
-[Paul] Great. -Well, this is incredible!
-Luke! -I'm so proud of you!
-[laughs] -Jesus.
-Yes. -That's great.
So, 400 applicants in 15 places, and... and you're in the what?
Um, well, they're... they're down to the last 30,
and I am one of them.
Christ alive. Well, congratulations, mate.
-Thank you. -[Paul] What?
Um, well, well, I'm... I mean, I'm...
I've already accepted the Stockwell Park offer, so...
No, no, mate, no, that... that's a whole other thing.
You have to go to this interview.
-[Maya] Yeah, you have to, Luke. -Yeah.
-Yeah, you really do. -I thought we were celebrating
me getting the Stockwell Park offer.
No, we were, but like... like I say, that...
that's its own thing. It's great.
But this is an amazing opportunity.
But I... I need to be where Maya and the baby are.
Manchester's 200 miles away.
Okay, but we'll be able to work it out.
-Look, you have to try this. -[Paul] Yeah.
You really have to.
Uh... no.
-It's this one, Luke. -[whistle blowing]
Fucking hell.
Ahh.
[sighs] Jesus Christ. Uh, cheers.
Excuse me. Sorry, do you mind if I just, uh...
Can I... Thanks. Ta.
-[exhales deeply] -Oh, sorry.
-Oh, shit, it's packed. -Yeah, and that...
That's why I booked seats like a genius. Excuse me.
Uh... Uh, I think someone's in our seats.
It's all right. I don't mind standing.
What? All the way to Manchester?
Uh, excuse me.
All right. Excuse me.
-Uh, yeah, you're in our seats. -Who says?
That would be me saying that.
So, could... could... could you move, mate?
-No. -No?
-We're in these seats. -Yeah, I know. I can see that.
That's my problem with this whole setup.
-Dad, why don't we just-- -Please, Luke.
Can you move, please?
We'd like to sit down in our seats. M32, M33.
-This is Coach L. -I know.
[manager] The kitchen has everything you might need.
Oh, it's lovely. Gas.
Can't abide electric.
-Can't turn the heat down. -[chuckles]
And there's a nice, big dining table.
Ooh, Jim, I can do my jigsaws on that.
What jigsaws? You don't do jigsaws.
No, because we've only got a little pull-out table.
But I like jigsaws.
How... How often do your staff check in?
Oh, as little or as often as required.
-[Paul] Mm-hmm. -There are wardens on duty
24 hours a day, seven days a week
and emergency alarm cords in every room.
Oh, right, great.
We have a thriving community here
of people living entirely independently.
But who sometimes just need a bit of help or support.
[Jackie] Mm.
It sounds ideal, Jim. Do you like it?
No. But I'm not going through
that whole palaver of you having a fall again.
Can I put a dartboard up?
-[manager] Of course. -Good.
I'll fill in any holes when I miss.
Mm. How's your sandwich?
Tastes of cold.
I wish you hadn't confronted that bloke.
Mate, sometimes you've got to stand up to bullies.
But you were bullying him.
So he's learned a valuable lesson, hasn't he?
[over P.A.] Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
This is your train manager speaking.
We're currently running 18...
-that's 1-8 minutes late... -[groans]
Hopefully, we can make up some of this time
during our onward journey.
-We won't be late, will we? -No, no.
We've got plenty of time, mate.
Does that mean you're keen to get there?
I am not bothered if I get a place or not.
-Ah. -I just, I don't like
being late for anything.
If I was gonna get shot by a firing squad,
I'd want to be there with at least 10 minutes to spare.
[chuckles]
Uh... yes, great.
Wow. Impressive, isn't it?
Like a haunted library.
[rock music playing in background]
Oh. Looks like this is me.
Okay, well, um, good luck, mate.
And, uh, just text me when you're done.
-Mm-hmm. -Right.
[door opens]
[rock music continues playing]
-No, not jealous. -No?
Well... yes, I was, but...
We just got on really well.
No, I know. It's just...
you seem to get on with her better than I do.
You were really laughing, and I felt weird about it.
But we were just having a laugh.
[pop music playing in background]
I guess I'm...
just scared...
of losing Holly.
-[music continues playing] -[Grace sighs]
I think I love her.
Wow. Okay.
Uh, and are you gonna tell her?
I don't know.
Such a huge thing to say.
It's the most important thing you can ever say to someone.
I think...
you'll know when you need to say it, Ava.
You'll just... know.
[indistinct conversations]
Blimey.
-Hello. -Oh, hey.
Sorry, I was just, um...
Yeah. What an amazing space.
Yeah. It's not too shabby, is it?
Sorry, I'm... I'm Paul. My son has an interview today
for the music production and sound engineering course.
Wow, congratulations. Amazing even to get
-an interview for that. -Bloody hell.
Loved to have studied art somewhere like... here.
Just would have loved it. Three years of this.
I should have kept the drawing up. [chuckles]
I'm so sorry. Uh, is...
-Paul Worsley? -Yeah. How's... Do we--
I was the year below you at St Edmund's. Andrew Moseley.
Jesus Christ. Yeah.
You were a really good artist.
Well, thank you. I was... I was all right, I suppose.
I was, uh, for a bit.
Then it all kind of fizzled out, you know?
I guess I didn't love it enough or... something.
-But obviously you... -Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
-Yeah. -I went on to St Martin's.
I did fine art and all that.
-Bloody hell. -Yeah, I thought I'd make
a living as a painter, uh, which I did...
-Brilliant. -...for about three years.
-Oh, right. [laughs] Right. -[laughs] Um...
and, um, and now I am a teacher.
-You're a teacher. [laughs] -[laughs]
Yeah. But you enjoy it, though?
Yeah. Uh, yeah. I mean, it's not where I thought I'd end up.
-Okay, yeah. -You know? Sometimes think that
just having that little, brief taste of your dream
is worse than never tasting it at all.
-Yes. Yeah. -You know?
What about you? What do you do?
Uh, boring. Third sector.
Mainly working with young people from deprived areas.
Um, no, I wouldn't say that's boring.
-That's important, isn't it? -Mm-hmm, maybe. [chuckles]
-And do you enjoy it? -Um... yeah, apparently.
Yeah, according to my son. He...
He's been doing some work experience with us.
He reckons I'm the life and soul.
Oh, well, good for you, man.
Yeah. I... I hadn't really thought about it properly,
but, um, it does all seem to have
worked out in a way that I hadn't planned.
Manchester does look amazing.
Oh, yeah. I was here a lot in the early '90s, and I loved it.
You... You said the course seems good?
-Yeah. -Uh-huh?
And they say that pretty much all of their graduates
get a job in the industry.
-Wow. -[cellphone chimes]
Shit. Uh, Maya's got spotting.
Huh? Spotting?
Uh, bleeding. It's... It's common.
And the doctor said that it's nothing, really,
and that she doesn't need to go in, but she's going in anyway.
Okay, well, that's good if--
And I'm miles and miles and hours and hours away.
Yeah, but, mate, if... if the doctor said there's
-nothing to worry about-- -Yeah, but they might be wrong.
I... I've read up on this. Spotting can mean that
there's something wrong with the placenta
or that she might have a miscarriage, or...
Luke, mate, calm down, okay?
-Come on. -[cellphone chimes]
Maya's saying it really is nothing.
It's just a few drops of blood.
Good. That's good.
Dad, I need you to tell me what to do.
Do I... Do I go to Manchester?
Do I stay in London? Do I go to uni? Do I get a job?
I'm sorry, mate. That's a bit of parenting that I can't do.
I... I need you to do it.
Well, I... I can't, so... [chuckles] tough luck.
It has to be your decision, Luke.
You choose a path, and you follow it.
And you might love it, and you might regret it,
but it has to be your choice.
Yeah.
-I'm going for a wee. -Have one for me.
-Hello, love. -Hi, Granny.
Just waiting for Holly to finish cutting Granddad's hair,
-then we're going to see a film. -Lovely.
I've just been doing some line dancing.
Fantastic.
I had no idea what it was, but Carol, who runs the class,
she had me doing "Cotton Wall Joe"
like nobody's business.
"Cotton Eye." Sounds like fun.
Mm. I love it here.
I was thinking, in some ways,
it's a good thing you had that fall.
Between you and me and the gatepost,
I didn't have a fall. [whispers] I faked it.
-Faked it? -Shh!
I wanted to live here all along, but Jim was dead against it,
so I pretended I was as well.
I thought a fall might get things moving.
This place wouldn't have stayed empty for long,
and we'd have kicked ourselves if we hadn't taken it.
Wow. [chuckles]
You only ever really regret the things you didn't do.
[footsteps approach]
Right, that's me done.
Jim's looking like a young Jon Hamm.
Oh. More like an old boiled ham.
[laughs] I put a bit of sky in the jigsaw, Jack.
Ah, thanks, love.
What film are we seeing?
I'm not bothered. Whichever's emptiest.
Just an excuse to sit in the dark with you
and eat Maltesers.
We could just watch the adverts and the trailers.
And wait till they ask us to switch our phones off,
-then leave. -[laughs]
If we do stay for the film, I have some paper cups
and a bottle of red wine in my bag.
-Brilliant. -Oh. I like to treat a girl.
[chuckles]
-[motorbike approaches] -I love you.
-[engine rumbles loudly] -What did you say?
I like your jacket.
Oh. Thanks. It was my mum's, and it will be again
if she finds out I nicked it. [chuckles]
Oh, um...
Mum said that she really doesn't think
we need to spend too much money on a pram.
She said that they're only in it for a tiny amount of time
and then we could just put them in a cheap buggy.
-We need a cot, though, right? -Yeah, yeah.
Even if the baby's in bed with us, we'll still need a cot.
-[cellphone chimes] -Oh.
-Hmm? -Oh, it's just Jacob
wanting to know what kind of change mat we're buying.
-That boy is obsessed. -Obsessed.
[both chuckle]