Okay, I'm sorry, Ally. I'm genuinely sorry.
I'm sorry, too.
I said some things I didn't mean that were very harsh,
and... I apologize.
HYGIENIST: Right, okay.
Now we need Mrs. Shirani, please.
The dentist is ready for you.
[percussive music]
[Paul grunts softly]
[music continues]
[dental equipment whirring]
[Paul inhales deeply]
You know, my grandad had all his teeth taken out when he was 22.
-What? -Yep.
That's insane.
They all did it back then.
It was, and I quote, "to save any mucking about."
-Wow. Wow, imagine that. -Hmm.
-Imagine going clubbing in dentures. -[chuckling] Yeah.
[old man voice] "All right, darlin', you dancin' here?"
[giggles] She'd have all of hers out as well.
-My God. -Just like, you know,
gumming each other up out by the bins.
-[Ally laughing] -[laughing] "The bins"! Shh.
Shh, shh.
[Paul clears throat]
Ah, it feels funny laughing together, doesn't it?
Yeah. Yeah, it has been a bit grim.
-Pretty grim. -Mm.
Well, at least my hormones
were perfectly balanced to cope with it all.
-Thank God. -[laughs]
Imagine how terrible it would have been if they weren't.
[chuckling] Oh, my God.
If I set any of this stuff off between you and Ava--
-If? -Fair point.
[sighs]
I'm sorry I made things worse.
Oh... oh, I don't know anymore, Paul.
I mean, the more I try to make-- make it better,
the more I seem to screw up.
-I wouldn't like me, either. -Come on, that's bullshit.
You are always around for Ava.
Yeah, but that just means
that I'm invisible when I'm doing okay,
and it's only when I fuck up that she notices.
[clicks tongue] I can't believe it's her the mocks tomorrow.
Mm-hmm. She'll ace them, though.
I mean, she's got all that nailed down.
You're very positive today.
-I am, aren't I? -[laughing] Yeah.
I'm surprising myself.
Okay. You lot, action stations.
We're gonna go to bed early tonight.
We're gonna shut our cake holes to let this one
have a good night's sleep before her mocks.
Me and Luke are gonna clear away
and let the ladies relax.
Hey, shall we have some port and cigars
in the living room? [chuckles]
Are you-- how you feeling?
Fine.
You'll smash it.
-Jacob still not talking to you? -Oh, he just won't listen.
He just keeps putting sad songs on his Instagram story.
I tried swearing on Harrison's grave
that I didn't tell Ruby to dump him.
-I even swore on Lennon's. -Well, don't swear on McCartney's.
That was a hoax. Look, Jacob will come round.
He's just nursing a broken heart.
Yeah, maybe he just needs time to cool off.
Also, with the best will in the world...
Jacob is a fucking weirdo, okay?
So he's not gonna want to lose friends.
LUKE: Yeah...
[upbeat music]
-You ready? -No.
-You'll smash it. -Absolutely.
GRACE: I don't know.
I'm freaking out a bit.
We can do this. Come on.
Bye, girls. Good luck.
[upbeat music]
[music continues]
[birds chirping]
-Hi. -You all right?
-Yeah. You? -Yeah, not too bad.
-Well, I mean, sort of bad. -Same.
I'm sorry again about you and Ruby.
"The drought was the very worst
when the flowers that we'd grown together died of thirst."
-Dylan? -Swift.
-Jonathan? -Taylor.
-Ruby loved her. -Oh.
So, uh, do you want to hang out sometime?
I've got some gaps in my schedule now.
Yeah, definitely.
-Cool. -What are you drawing?
[children chattering]
AVA: On the count of three?
-[sighs] Okay. -Right.
One...
-Two... three. -Two... three.
[phone beeps]
[sighs]
63. What's the pass mark?
80.
What'd you get?
94.
I won't get in, will I?
Yes, you will. Of course you will.
I need to work so hard.
It's fine, Grace. It's only the marks, it--
It just wasn't your day.
I heard they're putting in a new gym at Corfield School.
Might not be so bad there anyway.
[atmospheric jazz music]
Hey. Sorry, I couldn't get off my call when you came in.
Did you get your results today?
94.
Ava! That is incredible!
Oh, my God. Well done, you!
What's wrong? Were you holding out for 100?
Grace botched it.
Really, really badly.
Oh, no. Poor thing.
Which means we won't get to go to the same school
if she fails the real exam.
Ah, I see. Um... right.
Well, I am... I'm so sorry.
-But it does-- -Please don't say it doesn't matter.
-It does matter to me, Mum. -No, no, no, no. I wasn't gonna say that.
I wasn't, I wasn't. I get that it's important to you.
But your friendship, it will survive,
even if you're at different schools.
In fact, it will probably get even stronger...
I promise.
And I'm so proud of you.
I mean, I'm not surprised. But I am so proud!
Um, hey, let's text your dad.
He's working late. It will make his day.
-Yeah. Sure. -And maybe we can
get him to pick up some ice cream on the way home.
Because it's a well-known fact that sugar cures everything.
Apart from diabetes.
Yeah, I'm full of shit. [giggles]
-[Ava sniffles] -You okay?
Ava, though, eh?
-[sighs] -Mm.
Ridiculously clever.
-Hilariously clever. -Mm.
I mean, that's what it's all about, isn't it?
Watching your child outgrow you.
Out-think you. I mean, she-- she could do anything now.
-Mm. -Medicine, law. Data science.
-Do you even know what that is? -No one does.
-[Ally laughs] -Yeah...
There's real hope for that one.
What, does that make Luke the throwaway kid?
Fuck me ragged-- No, of cour-- I didn't mean that.
Why-- Look, you-- you realize you do this thing
where you take something I say and warp it into something quite sinister.
-Okay, well maybe that is because... -Mm-hmm.
...I am so hyper-aware of how you can... overreact.
You know, sometimes... it feels like I'm constantly treading on...
-You're on eggshells, I know, yeah. -No, no, no.
Not on eggshells. On landmines.
-They're worse? -They're a lot worse.
Gotcha.
Oi. Come on, missus. Finish up.
You need... [smooch] brain fuel today.
I'm not sure chocolate spread counts as brain fuel.
-Well... -Hey, it's at least 13% hazelnuts.
[Paul chuckles]
You've got this, Ava.
PAUL: You know more stuff
than anyone I've ever met, and I've met Einstein.
Einstein died in the 1950s.
You see? You see what you know?
-[Ava chuckles softly] -You'll be great, love.
I just... I don't know.
-I have a bad feeling about today. -Mm?
But I need to go get ready, so...
[percussive music]
[music continues]
-[Paul groaning softly] -You all right there?
Yes... stretching out my neck and back. [grunts]
-This is nice. -What, me stretching?
That's nothing, you should hear my knees click when I stand up.
No, this, just... you and me getting on. I've missed that.
[Paul grunting softly]
That's why they make you come every six months.
Keep your relationship intact.
[tooth scaler whirring in background]
[Paul exhales slowly]
I don't want you to be walking on landmines anymore.
-I don't either. -You're not scared of me, are you?
You-- you see now, this is a potential landmine moment.
-Oh, right. Okay. -It is.
Well, things need to change, don't they?
So fucking Hurt Lockertime. I'm gonna clear the mines.
Like Princess Di.
I don't think she personally cleared the mines.
No, she would have used that big-faced butler to do it, wouldn't she?
[chuckling] Yeah.
[Paul sighs]
-[tooth scaler whirring louder] -Difficult, innit, all this?
Yeah.
I mean, you jump into being a parent,
and you're... convinced that you're gonna be the hero in your own film,
and then, bang, you're the bad guy.
-[scaler still whirring] -How much tartar has that woman got?
-It's like sanding fucking floor boards. -[laughs]
Heroes can be boring, though, Paul.
You know, sometimes the bad guy is sexier.
-That's very true. -Mm.
I need a piss.
[Ally giggles]
[Paul sighs]
So it would be making, like, model aeroplanes and stuff.
Yeah. Or anything you fancy, really.
Model Building Club is gonna be ultra cool.
-Great! -Accurate transport miniatures,
painstakingly assembled
in a quiet, well-ventilated room.
-Everyone will want to join. -Will they?
"Will they" balls. I'm using sarcasm.
-Oh. -But the fewer members, the cooler it is.
Model making is like the vinyl collecting of the craft world.
-Oh, count me in. -Excellent.
Thanks for believing me about the Ruby thing.
Maybe she just needs to do her own thing, you know.
Sort of explore who she really is and what she wants.
Yeah, maybe.
[percussive music]
-Hey. Here. -Thanks, babe.
You're welcome.
Her results should be up by now, surely.
No, she was still refreshing the page when I last checked.
It's like trying to get tickets for Glastonbury.
-Can't we just have a look? -No!
-We said she was gonna do it. -[clicks tongue and groans]
So what did she get in the mocks? 90...
-94. -Well, she'll be home and dry, won't she?
Oh... don't jinx it.
[chuckling] You sound like my mum.
"Don't put the mockers on it, Paul."
-[chuckling] No, just... -"No."
I've got an odd feeling about it.
She didn't seem very confident going in.
-Hmm. -Anyway... we'll find out soon,
and then we can stuff our faces with curry.
-Yes, yes, yes. -[chuckling] Hey.
Can you see where the delivery guy is?
Mm, let's have a look. Uh...
-Yeah, he's nearby. -Mm.
He's... Fuck is he doing? Don't go that way, you...
That's gonna take ages, isn't it?
Oh, 'cause-- well, now apparently he's driving over some buildings...
-[Ally chuckling] -...like he's in some fuckin' monster truck rally.
-So... -[Luke and Jacob laughing]
It's good to see them back together again. The odd couple.
I know. Plus, Jacob gives me the skinny on all the best artisan cheeses
-in the whole of the south-east, so... -[Ally chuckles]
How did such an old man wind up in that tiny body?
-He's Jacob Button. -Hmm.
-ALLY: Oh. -PAUL: Mm.
-[exhales nervously] -Hey.
[Ava sighs]
So...
-56. -Ahh. [chuckles]
What?
Uh, that-- that can't be right.
Did-- Have you-- Did you make a mistake
with the login details somehow or...
That's my score, Dad.
I knew it that morning. I just felt... off.
-Oh, Ava. -No, but... how can anyone
go from 94 to whatever it was you just said?
56.
It was a lot different from the mocks. I'm-- I'm really sorry.
-There's nothing to be sorry about. -No, no-- yeah.
No need to apologize, we're just trying to understand
how this could have gone so very, very wrong.
I told you... I just felt off.
And it was way more difficult this time. What else do you want me to say?
There's nothing else to say. You don't need to say anything else.
-Mm. -ALLY: It's fine. Hey. Come here.
It's gonna be okay.
Yeah, yeah. You're all right, mate.
Yeah, we'll-- Yeah, we'll work something out.
-[water running] -[knock on door]
Yeah, occupied!
[knocking continues]
[water shuts off]
-Hello. -Hi, I was just thinking.
Do you remember that weekend we spent in Venice?
Yeah. Yeah. You had your purse stolen.
No, I mean, do you remember that masquerade shop bathroom
-and what we... got up to there. -Ooh...
[laughing] Yes. Yeah.
Well, this isn't quite Venice, but--
HYGIENIST: Ally Grant?
Hey!
-This way. -Hi. Yeah.
Hey... w-were we about to...
[percussive music]
-It's okay. We'll sort something out. -[phone chimes]
I promise. You don't have to... What?
-[Ally sighs] -Oh, my God.
What is it?
-Grace passed. -PAUL: Grace...
But in the mocks-- right.
Is it possible that they mixed up your results?
-Is that a thing? -I'm so sorry, Ava.
I mean, for you, I'm just-- I'm sorry.
Can I go up? I don't feel like eating anyway.
Let-- Let me just ask you one thing. Um...
Did you maybe...
I mean, is it possible, that because you did so well first time round...
did you maybe, uh...
not try as hard as you might have done?
Paul, that's ridiculous.
-Well... -Of course I tried hard.
-All I ever do is try hard. -Mm-hmm.
Maybe you can't handle the fact
that your perfect little daughter
isn't so perfect after all.
-[doorbell rings] -[scoffs]
Maybe he found a fuckin' map!
[sighs]
Sorry, but I had to ask.
-You okay? -No, not really.
Grace is gonna go to St. Margaret's without me.
Nothing is beyond repair, sweetheart.
And it's just a tiny little blip
that you will barely remember decades from now.
-I promise. -Can I go to my room?
I really need to talk to Grace.
-Yeah. -[front door shuts]
Right. What do we do? 'Cause this isn't good.
Yeah, I know, but it doesn't have to be the worst thing, either.
Well, that's easy for you to say. You went to decent schools.
Yeah, look at me now: CEO of fucking Apple.
No, I'm-- I'm just saying that you actually don't know
what it's like to try and swim ahead of the mainstream.
-She's gonna struggle. -Why?
Wh-- Because she's not supposed to be
stomping about with the regular dickheads.
Oh, why are you being like this? I mean, you do work in the community.
That's why I'm being like that!
I don't want her in the community.
Teenagers can be real little cunts.
What if they bully her for being smart?
What if they exclude her from everything?
Well, then, I guess she'll have to be
a fucking data scientist, won't she?
[Paul sighs]
[percussive music]
[exhales] Hi, boys.
-Hi, Paul. -Hiya, Dad. Check this out.
I put it together.
You did? Wow.
Yeah. Jacob and me have started a Model Building Club.
Oh, brilliant! How many are in it so far?
Oh, just us two. That's why it's so cool.
-Jesus only had 12 disciples. -Very true.
And he probably only rated about four of them.
-Exactly. -[sighs]
Uh, there's a curry getting cold upstairs, so--
-Great. Coming. -Uh, if you don't think
it's too rude of me, Paul,
can I just finish this off first?
-It won't take a second. -Sure, yeah.
Come up when Jacob's finished his...
She's a beauty.
-[cell phone chimes] -Is that a message from Ruby?
No.
Yeah, it is. How did you know?
I'm a genius.
Right, well, I'll just delete it.
I won't even look at it.
Don't want you to be upset.
Thanks.
That's really brilliant.
And it's yours to keep, Luke.
Consider it a little token of my gratitude.
Oh, really? Thank you, Jacob.
Hmm.
Right, time for curry.
[somber music]
I should go and check on Ava.
Now that she's finally lowered herself to talk to me.
[Paul sighs]
[clicks tongue] Time for a pee.
Okay.
[dissonant buzzing]
-Mum... -You failed on purpose.
So you could be with Grace.
Ohh, Ava...
How did you know?
Oof, well...
Sorry, did I just... hear you say...
-that you failed the exam on purpose? -Paul...
I didn't know how else Grace and I could go to the same school.
Jesus Christ, Ava!
So you threw the fight. You failed deliberately.
How could you do anything so fucking stupid?
There's something else. There's something worse.
Something worse? Oh, good. Than pretending to be thick
and throwing your fucking life away-- let's hear it.
I told Grace what I did. Or what I tried to do.
-And now she won't even talk to me. -ALLY: Oh, God, Ava.
Well, I'm-- I'm sure she'll get over it when the dust settles.
Oh, oh, yeah, she'll really perk up at St. Margaret's.
She said it was a really messed-up thing to do.
-Oh, maybe she is smart after all. -Paul, enough.
She was really angry 'cause I thought she'd fail.
[near tears] Like I was thinking she was stupid or something.
But you didn't mean to insult her. It's gonna be okay.
No... she said I was really weird for doing it,
and she doesn't even want to be my friend.
Well, you were just trying to fix it. Look, we're on your side.
Sorry, Ally... are you high?
How can you even be entertaining the idea that this is okay?
She has thrown herself under the bus!
So the cleverest person in the house
has made the stupidest fucking decision in history.
Just try and see it from her perspective.
We need to do one thing now, and that is sort this shit out.
We can beg the school for her to re-sit or--
or claim temporary insanity, I don't know.
ALLY: No, think about why she did it!
And think about how difficult
it would have been for Ava to deny
her intelligence, her skills, her brilliance,
because her friend means so much to her.
Just think about why she did it.
I-I've thought about it, Ally,
and it's a fucking disastrous decision.
To throw her future in the bin
over a friend that she's not even gonna remember in five years' time.
-You better come back here... -AVA: No.
-You better come back here! -AVA: No!
[sniffs]
That's a landmine.
[somber music]
[panting]
[atmospheric jazz music]