The gap between Joe
and the other kids is growing.
-He's different.
-The question is
whether Joe can handle
this school any more.
Dad, I have a new life in Manchester.
New maybe, I doubt it's a life.
I'm not going to leave till I've got
you two back together again.
Guess what? We're engaged.
Let him do the interview, but please,
Maurice, don't give him the job.
Okay, okay.
We're gonna find a school for him
that's a bit more specialist.
We've always needed other people.
You saw that before I did.
I know, I just...
I feel like I'm losing my boy.
♪ For knowin' that someone in this world
♪ Feels as desperate as me
What you give is what you get
[ALARM BEEPING]
♪ It doesn't matter
if we never meet again
♪ What we have said will always remain
♪ If we get through for two minutes only
♪ It will be a start
Joe.
We can't do this today, mate.
We've got a long car ride, haven't we?
But there will be music.
Okay? Come on.
Oh Joe, no, no, no.
I laid your new uniform out on your bed.
No, no, no, we don't have time.
It's only a sweatshirt, Paul.
Right, well, I'll get it.
Get him in the car.
ALISON: Okay.
Hi, Joe, bet you're excited, eh?
Meeting all your new mates.
No fuss, dad.
The whole idea is it's just
a normal day.
Not making a big deal.
A normal day?
First day at a special school.
It's not a special school,
It's a specialist base,
at a mainstream primary.
Best of both roads.
If a school's named after a tree,
people are gonna join the dots.
That's all I'm saying.
I don't wanna make him anxious.
All right, how is that going?
It's just an acquaint day.
Just to settle him in.
They settled me in at Keswick Tech
with a Chinese burn and a dead leg.
See you, Maurice.
Right.
[ENGINE STARTS]
[ENGINE REVVING]
Bye bye.
-Morning Mary Poppins.
-Not funny.
Music, walk, then school.
Not today, mate, that's
changed remember
We talked about it.
Music, walk.
I do it then school.
We're in a bit of rush, Love.
No, Joe, Joe, leave the door.
Hey, hey, hey.
ALISON: Pull over.
♪ And what you give is what you get
♪ And what you give is what you get...
Morning.
Just one thing.
It's not the way to school.
It's not the way to my school.
Do you remember, Love?
We showed you. It's gonna be new.
It's gonna be a bit strange for a while.
It's not the way to my school.
It's not the way to school.
Promise you it is, mate.
JOE: Just one thing, it's not
the way to my school.
♪ Strange little girl
where are you going?
Just one thing, it's not
the way to my school.
♪ Strange little girl
where are you going?
We're gonna have to do the book again.
There's Mrs. Hankin.
And then you,
at your old school.
And then this is your new school.
Can you remember what that one's called?
Can I remember what it's called?
Come on, that doesn't
count as an answer.
Remember the name of your new school?
Germfree Adolescents
I wish.
X-Ray Specs, 1978.
The name of your new school...
Is...
Let me see now.
JOE: Pear Tree Primary.
My today's school.
ALISON: Mmm-hmm. That's right.
It's the school where you'll get help
with the things you find hard.
And there'll be other children that
find things a bit difficult too.
I do like it, don't I?
You will like it. Yeah.
I'm sure you will.
Good luck.
So, Ralph.
Why do you wanna
stop being a lollipop man?
I've got plans. I wanna meet people.
I think you'll meet more people
as a lollipop man
than you will here. All I can offer
is me and the chuckle brothers.
Do you have any interest in brewing?
No, not really.
Well, that's good too.
I don't want some home brew amateur
dipping his immersion coil
in my mash tun.
All I want is someone clean, punctual,
and hard working.
Yeah, me too.
You know your mum won't
like you working here, don't you?
It's got nothing to do with her.
No.
No, no, I don't suppose it has.
Arms through.
Good lad, bobby-dazzler.
Okay, just take your arms out.
That's it, no just spin it round.
Joe, not the whole thing.
All right, okay.
-Just calm down.
-I am calm.
Aren't we, Joe.
There we go, arms through.
Hello.
-Oh.
-Hello, Joe.
-Sorry we're a bit late.
-It's fine.
Joe, you ready to come through?
-Like that.
-Yeah.
Good morning, Joe.
What do you think, Joe?
Where do you think that might go?
[CHILDREN TALKING INDISTINCTLY]
It's one, two, three...
Into the river let it go.
So what are you thinking?
That the scallops I
had last night were off.
And?
That he fits right in.
He was nervous and
they were handling it.
There are kids more autistic
than him in there.
He's not gonna start
copying other kids, Paul.
He's got his own rituals
to be getting on with.
That's half the problem, isn't it?
I mean, it's still a mainstream school,
they do music and P.E.
Look, can we just do one thing. Can
we stop pretending that it's normal?
He's here and we chose to
send him here, but can we just stop...
Pretending that it's...
That it's not just a bit weird.
[LOUD THUD]
Yes!
At least it wasn't Joe.
Whoa. Whoa.
[CHILDREN CHATTERING]
So all the other kids will
come out in a minute
-and it all gets a bit more mixed.
-Right.
It's only his first day.
He's doing really well.
Mr. Joe's granddad.
Joe has left I'm afraid.
-What?
-Joe left the school.
He needed extra help.
He doesn't need picking up any more.
I know that.
My granddad gets confused too.
One time, he came to pick me up
in his slippers.
Then the doctor asked him
who the Prime Minister was.
He said, "I don't know,
"but they're making a right mess of it".
What was it like then? Without Joe.
It's better and also worse
at the same time.
Oh, I think you're right.
Can you find your way home?
I think so.
Thanks, son.
PAUL: Day one done and dusted, mate.
When we get home, you can have
an ice cream the size of your head.
How about that?
School, playground, home.
No, no, not from your new school.
We need to get home.
Don't we?
It's a bit of a drive.
After school it's playground.
They can find new school
and new playground.
We can't go to a playground, Joe.
Joe, you know your new school?
Did you like it?
I felt fizzy.
Fizzy's okay.
It was good, good, good.
And tomorrow is my school again.
My real school.
At home.
I don't need a wee, do I?
ALISON: You know what he's like
with new things. He'll get used to it.
And we will too.
Do you remember when he wouldn't sleep?
Do you remember?
-Yeah.
-Three months...
Six months, a year.
And you said we're just gonna
shut the door and let him cry.
Because the first responsibility
as a parent
is to your own sanity.
I said that, did I?
Yeah.
Bit late for that.
No, you know what I mean. What if...
Maybe it's just too big
a change for him.
-It's day one, Paul.
-Exactly.
Which means we can change our minds.
Have you done up your fly?
Top lad, top outdoor weeing.
Look.
He's this family's North star.
We follow him.
That's how it has to be.
Something had to change.
That's not the North star.
It's a plane.
Bye, Love.
I liked my new school, didn't I?
Let's get you to bed, eh?
Right, come on.
How was it?
Did Joe settle in?
PAUL: Fine, yeah.
He's fine.
Is your boyfriend the barman
or a customer?
Only he's confusing me.
You coming to our leaving party, Gary?
As long as you promise
to actually leave, yeah.
Um, I am so sorry, Paul.
It's a one off. His taxi never came.
I didn't wanna let you down.
Fine. Not a problem.
Thank you.
Mark, you hungry, mate?
I'm gonna make myself a sandwich.
Do you want one?
Mark?
Yes, please.
Good lad.
Haven't eaten all day.
So how was it really?
Was there a runner?
How'd you know?
There always is.
Mark used to be the runner.
He hailed a taxi one time
and got as far as Kendal.
It'll work out, you know.
Yeah. People keep telling me that.
Well, there's people,
and then there's me.
It's gonna be all right.
EDDIE: Hi, honey, I'm home.
[DOOR SHUTS]
I haven't changed your sheets.
You only stayed two days last week.
Brought me own duvet.
My old Ninja Turtles cover wasn't
doing it for me any more.
Frowning at it, won't make it
boil go any faster you know.
Are you all right?
Ralph's stolen the interview
for the brewery job.
That's good, isn't it?
The only other candidate's dipso Billy
from the Rising Sun.
Bet he's got a great palate.
Sounds like Ralph's your man.
His mum, Louise, she's asked me
not to give him the job.
She won't say why, but knowing her
she'll have a good reason.
Have you asked dipso Billy's mum
if she thinks he should take the job?
It's not the same.
If Ralph's the best man for the job,
then give him the job.
That's how it works, isn't it?
Unless you're Roy Hodgson.
What's for afters?
Choc ice.
One each.
[ALARM BEEPING]
[SIGHS]
-We'll be late.
-Bye.
Good luck.
Morning.
Morning, Ralph.
You don't start
for another hour, you know.
-Your mum say anything about your job?
-No.
Well, we'll start with you making
us a brew and we'll go from there, eh?
[BEEPS]
It's not gone mouldy, has it?
Oh no, Love, it'll just be the battery.
Never mind.
[MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO]
Right. Time to go, Love,
don't wanna be late.
Till the end.
Okay.
[ANNOUNCING ON RADIO]
Okay?
Again.
You can't have it again, Joe.
It was on the radio.
I want the song.
We can't do it now, Joe.
How did it go again? Can you remember?
Joe, we need to go to school.
I want the song again.
It was... It was the radio, Love,
it's not your iPod.
I want the song again.
I know I can't. I want the song again.
Joe, come on.
Hi, Joe. You ready?
I want the song, what was
the song called?
I want the song again.
I know I can't.
Joe, ask me a question.
Ask me a question.
I want the song again. I know I can't.
What was it called?
I want the song again. I know I can't.
What was it called?
Honestly, Joe, I don't know.
You really need to go to school.
Look, Beth's here.
I want the song again, I know I can't.
What was it called?
He's got into a state about a song
he heard on the way.
It might not just be that.
He might be nervous that
I'm not staying this time.
Well, do you want to stay for a while?
It's all right.
JOE: What's the song. I want the song.
Do you think that's a good idea?
I want the song. What's the song called?
I don't know.
I want the song.
I want the song. I know I can't.
What was it called?
I want the song. I know I can't.
What was it called?
I want the song. I know I can't.
What was it called?
[JOE CONTINUES]
I'll get the song for you, Joe.
I'll bring it back. I promise.
[JOE CONTINUES]
Have you got the Raggy?
Uh, yeah, I had to wash it.
Really?
I thought the attraction of Raggy was
that it smelled of sickened baby food.
No, that's me you're thinking of.
Look at the pair of you.
You get on better than
most couples that are together.
The reason being we aren't together.
Eddie, you behave like a husband.
You won't commit to being a husband.
Vincent, it's called being civilised.
Come on, darling.
Time to take you to daddy's gone.
A special nursery
for broken home babies.
We'll talk some more tonight.
Why? What's happening tonight?
I'm taking you out.
-Manning you up.
-No, you're not.
Bye.
Learnt any Polish swear words yet,
Ralph?
Just English ones.
[SPEAKING IN POLISH]
You promised me.
I know. I know I did.
But you gave him the job anyway.
Because it was the right thing to do.
For you, but not for me.
[PHONE RINGS]
For me and for Ralph.
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
Did you ask him to do that?
I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll sack Ralph at the end
of the week if you want me to.
But I won't' do it without
a good reason from you.
Because I won't do your dirty work
without knowing why.
You didn't actually want anything,
did you, Pavel?
No, but I can smell danger.
It's a Polish thing.
Hi.
There's this song, right?
My son heard it
on the radio this morning.
-Did he?
-Yeah, and...
He's autistic right and he's got
a bit obsessed with it.
Just sing it into that.
Really?
♪ Call me up you've got me choking up
♪ Da da da
♪ Something... Get away
There's nothing coming up.
Are you sure that's it?
I only heard it once.
I'm messing about.
It's Blossoms.
There you go.
Are you sure this is it?
It's an old track.
Very well known.
Right. Well, thanks.
[CHILDREN TALKING INDISTINCTLY]
High Five. Woohoo!
High Five.
Let's have a look.
Orange juice.
New Rose, damaged goods.
Rip it up.
g*ng of four
1978.
New Rose,
damaged goods.
-Hi.
-All right.
Did he like it?
Oh, he will. He will, I'm sure.
I just wondered is there anything else
you think he might like?
There's this one.
This one.
And this.
My girlfriend really likes this one.
Really?
My girlfriend likes most of these
to be honest.
Why do you keep mentioning
your girlfriend?
No reason.
No reason.
I don't really have an autistic son,
you know.
Just made him up.
Needed an excuse to come in
and talk to you.
Yeah, like I said...
I'm fixed up.
Mmm.
Will you make me a cup of tea?
Come along now, Miss.
Children's playgroup is
no place for loitering.
Look at you, Mr. Popular.
Nothing more heroic
than a man with a baby.
So I see.
Did you just come to heckle?
Thought I was doing it
'cause you didn't have any time.
I'm on my lunch break.
I have a favour to ask you.
Please, Eddie.
I've already said no
to a drink with Vincent.
So how did adding dad to the party help?
I thought they'd cancel each other out.
Go on.
I'll k*ll my dad if he stays
another night with me.
Then I'll go to prison.
And then Emily will be raised
without a mother.
Not for long, I wouldn't have thought.
Okay, cocky.
Will you do me this one favour?
One favour?
You mean, one more favour?
I've already pretended
to be married to you.
Was that so bad?
-I'll need a babysitter.
-So will he.
Thanks, you're really selling this.
[BABBLING]
ALISON:
No, he's had a good day.
He was a bit upset when we got here,
but by the time I came back,
the teachers had sorted it.
What, you went back.
Did they call you in?
No, no, I better go. He's coming out.
All right, bye.
Sophie?
Sophie!
You didn't have to give me a lift.
That bus would've taken you hours.
Who's talking about the bus?
I was gonna nick your car.
Does this happen a lot?
No.
But he's a big lad now.
The meltdowns are the same size
but he isn't.
All right, Tony.
Had a hell of a time getting him
in the car.
I know. I think he must
have just got tired.
All right, Love.
Let's go in now.
Mark.
[MARK BANGING AND SHOUTING]
SOPHIE: All right, it's all right.
It's okay.
All right, all right.
-It's okay.
-Can I do anything, Sophie?
No, he just needs to get it over with.
MARK: Good lad, good lad, good lad.
-[LOUD THUDS]
-SOPHIE: All right, Mark. All right.
Are you safe?
Is Mark safe?
It's only about three
on the Richter scale.
All right, thanks for the lift, Paul.
-Are you gonna be okay?
-We'll be fine.
I can't make it back tonight.
I can't have the sitter in
when he's like this.
Don't worry about that. We'll manage.
I'll see you, Mark.
Maybe you'll start to feel better
tomorrow, mate.
-[MARK PANTING]
-SOPHIE: It's okay.
MARK: It's not okay.
It's not okay. Mark's not okay.
It's not okay!
[MARK CRYING]
My dad's just offered me a shift.
-Tonight?
-Yeah, you too, if you want one.
You know Steve, who we're gonna
stay with him in London?
Are you all right, Joe?
He's got a mate that works
in a recording studio.
Hey, Joe, how did you get on?
How is your new school?
This charming man.
The Smiths, 1983.
Okay.
Great stuff.
Bet you're ready for bed,
aren't you, Joe?
Let's have a look at that sticker.
Top work.
Anyway, they're looking for a runner.
Who are?
The recording studio.
Do you think he's having a nice time
in the new school?
I mean does he seem okay to you?
Yeah, he seemed normal.
Normal for Joe.
The problem with you, Eddie,
is that you're a defeatist.
I wouldn't disagree with that.
Fine, I give up.
Can I go now?
No, we haven't finished counselling you.
This isn't counselling.
It's emotional heckling.
Nicola, for reasons entirely beyond me,
is clearly after a rematch.
Right, that's me.
Thanks for the fun times.
No chance, this is our time.
I'm not stopping but just to say
Don't sack Ralph. He can keep the job.
You're absolutely right.
Great. You will stay for a drink,
won't you?
In celebration? Back in a sec, lads.
Please rescue me.
Can I buy the most beautiful woman
in here a drink?
I don't know. You better
go to the pool room and ask her.
I like a woman with spirit.
Who you trying to convince here?
Me or you?
See what I mean?
All right, just the one then.
Dad?
I've still got it.
I'm not sure Vincent counts.
His wife's just left him.
He'll be shagging the bar stool
before the night's out.
-Thanks.
-Sorry.
-There you go.
-Cheers.
MAURICE: A while back
you told me something.
About you. About Ralph.
You were trying to knock some
sense into me about Joe.
You said, "He will find his way".
Shut up, I've told you
I've changed my mind.
Aren't you at least gonna tell me why?
No.
Oh, so that's it.
No arguing back.
Now you're really starting to annoy me.
That's more like it.
Hope you like chocolate cake.
What?
It's for your leaving party.
Don't fancy doing one last shift then,
for old time's sake?
It's not really my thing.
No, it doesn't have to be your thing.
It just has to help you make money
so you can do whatever your thing is.
Sorry. Stop talking like James Brown.
You know this afternoon
I stood outside Joe's school
in Manchester and thought
I've been a mother
all of my adult life.
Right.
Can you imagine that?
Not really.
You know what, James? I'm gonna miss
our little chats.
Yeah. Me too.
Are you not concerned that your son
is out on the pull with Vincent?
I don't think he sees it like that.
I don't think he's ever pulled
anybody in his life.
Can't think where he gets that from
with you as a role model.
Are you taking the piss by any chance?
You make it pretty easy.
No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,
I'm really sorry, Maurice.
I don't know what I was thinking.
Is it because Ralph's in?
I forgot. I get it.
No, it's not Ralph. Ralph's out.
It's me.
It's us. This just can't be happening.
Did I just get hold of the wrong end
of the stick there?
No, you didn't.
But I'm sorry I just can't.
Why not?
Because I just can't.
Well, thank you for finding me
so irresistible.
-Don't be like that.
-Like what?
Pissed off?
Feeling daft? Why not?
[DOOR SLAMS SHUT]
[VOMITING]
Oh dear Lord.
Oh dear Lord.
Not sure if the Lord's gonna
help you right now.
What are you doing?
Did you poison him?
No, why? Was that the plan?
VINCENT: Just leave me here to die.
Oh, come on.
He said he could hold his drink.
He's a fantasist. You know that.
Which is why I didn't wanna go for
a drink with him in the first place.
That doesn't absolve you from your
responsibility to keep him sober.
Ugh.
-[DOOR SHUTS]
-[VINCENT VOMITING]
[TV PLAYING]
Tea's in the pot.
Good night in the end?
Not really. You?
Not really.
You wanna talk about it?
Not really.
Let me rephrase that.
Why didn't you have a good night?
Because, if you must know...
I was led, well I misled myself like...
Well... If you went on a run,
and you didn't know the route,
you won't be surprised
if you got lost, would you?
Thanks for opening up.
So, do you want to tell me
about your night?
No, you're all right.
It'll keep.
How was it?
Oh, you know...
They ordered food,
we cooked it, they ate it, they paid,
the usual.
How was Joe on the way home?
His home school book's in the kitchen
if you wanna read it.
So he calmed down after
they called you in?
They didn't call me in.
I was worried so they invited me in.
He got upset when we got there.
There was this...
-Song. They...
-So there wasn't a problem?
He had a good day. Well,
that's great, Alison.
'Cause he'll have bad days,
we can guarantee that.
Hey, good you're staying so positive.
Just seen Sophie's Mark have a meltdown
that'd make your hair curl.
Joe isn't Mark though, is he?
Not yet he's not. No.
And one of the reasons we
sent him to that school
is so that he can get help
while he's still young.
Yeah. I'm aware of that.
What? Why you being...
What?
Look it's like you say,
we've sent him to a school
where people know what to do with him
and they can get through to him.
Joe. Our Joe.
And that's great.
And I'm knackered
and I'm sure you are too.
[ALARM BEEPING]
♪ In the city there's a thousand things
I want to say to you
♪ But whenever I approach you
You make me look a fool
♪ I wanna say
I wanna tell you...
♪ In the city
Da da da
♪ In the city
Da da da
♪ In the city
You got five minutes?
I'm bottling kegging and casking today,
what do you think?
Oh, come in, Ralph, let's make it
"Bring your mother to work" day.
You don't need to check up on me.
I'm not. I just want to talk to Maurice.
Tell me if you need help.
[DOOR SHUTS]
Can we talk outside?
I've got something to tell you.
Is it "bugger off"? 'Cause you can
do that just as easily in here.
No, it's not.
How long have you known?
I found a lump about six weeks ago.
Doctor sent me for a biopsy.
It's a cancerous tumour,
but they won't know
how cancerous the tissue is
until they've operated.
When?
When are they operating?
Today.
I'm on my way there now.
Today? Bloody hell, Louise.
Why didn't you tell anybody?
Why didn't you tell me?
I just feel stronger
with nobody knowing.
Why?
Because it makes me feel weak.
And I can't be weak.
And as mad as it may sound, the reason
I didn't want Ralph working for you
is because I knew he might say
I was in hospital.
So Ralph knows?
Not that it's cancer, no.
And I knew that if you got
one whiff of hospital,
you'd be steaming in with twenty
questions and a medical dictionary.
What would be so wrong with that?
Because I don't want anybody to know
and I don't want anybody
feeling sorry for me.
Not even you, especially, not you.
So what was the other night about?
It was a honey trap,
so you'd come and
bring me a clean nightie
and a Woman's Own.
I don't know what's gonna happen, do I?
And that made me feel,
just for a moment,
desperate.
Well, thanks a bunch.
-I'm sorry.
-It's all right.
Do you know what I'm not sorry.
Three years ago, you lost your wife.
The love of your life
to cancer
and now you want to jump in feet first
with another woman with cancer
Bloody hell, Maurice, never say
you don't have a type.
Just let me help.
Low key, you know.
Keeping an eye on Ralph,
bringing you things if you need 'em,
cooking a meal, calming you down,
being on call at night,
if the steroids drive you doolally.
Do you fancy doing the operation
while you're at it?
Just let me help. At least
let me drive you to the hospital.
No, no, no.
Jesus, Maurice, you're
an irritating sod.
I'm sorry.
Just stop and think what you'd be
letting yourself in for, eh?
Again.
'Cause I don't know if anyone's
strong enough for that.
[SIGHS]
[ENGINE CLICKS]
Oh, come on.
Did you make cheese straws today?
Rattle snakes.
Lloyd Cole and The Commotions, 1984.
Yes.
Where is my cheese straw?
I didn't eat it, did I?
Where's yours?
I didn't eat it, did I?
[ALISON CHUCKLING]
JOE: What is it?
Making a hat in case
we're stranded here.
That's it. Fold it like me.
That's it.
What's wrong with ringing Paul?
What have you got
on your head?
I couldn't get a hold of him.
And he has to be there
for the party anyway.
Well, I can't be bailing you out
all the time, you know.
One lift.
It's both.
Engagement and leaving party.
So we're still humouring
the happy couple, are we?
Pair of daft kids.
Let's just go along with it for now,
shall we?
Any sign of a ring from Mr. Dreamboat?
Hey. Hi, Superstar.
-REBECCA: Hi, Joe.
-Look at you.
ALISON: Joe's made a drawing
about his new school.
Alternator in case you're interested,
you're gonna need a new one.
Where were you when she was ringing?
Putting the finishing touches
to this breath-taking display.
School, car, bed.
Yeah, you nailed that one, sunshine.
Dad!
What's written right on
the bottom here?
-Help me.
-Ha ha.
It was never gonna be easy,
we knew that.
It seems to me you didn't know enough.
There are people who have to wait for
years to get what we got for Joe.
What's that? Somewhere he spends
half his life in a car
and the other half under a desk
if what Paul tells me is
anything to go by.
Nobody said the journey was easy.
If you wanna stay over, couple of nights
with Joe at my place, you know.
if it helps, the offer's there.
ALISON: Really, Eddie.
'Cause that would be a great help,
wouldn't it?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I could stay over one night a week.
Thursdays maybe.
[LAUGHING] Don't look so worried.
It's just till he settles
less travelling would really help.
It won't be permanent.
And what about after he settles?
Then it's permanent.
I'm joking.
I'm laughing... Inside.
Come on, we'd be company for you.
Who says I need company?
Really?
-Something you'd like to tell us?
-EDDIE: No.
If I learn to drive, I could do a night.
Give you two some time off.
ALISON: Well that'd be great.
It'd be a big change for Joe,
staying at Eddie's wouldn't it?
Well, at least we'd get to spend
some time with him.
As it is, he doesn't see Paul at all,
and all he sees of me
is the back of my head.
You know, when the car broke down,
for the first time in like a week,
we just messed about.
And I thought, I miss this.
And he does too.
What about you two?
You'd never see each other living
a hundred miles apart most of the week.
Ninety four point five.
We never see each other as it is
and when we do
I'm knackered from driving.
At least this way, we can make the best
of the time when we are together.
Say that often enough,
you might even believe it.
Maybe some nights,
you can bring Emily to me.
Joe loves her. It'll help him settle in,
and nice to have her
with me in Manchester.
Makes sense, eh, Nicola?
Does it?
You know what, dad?
If you wanna help,
you could do a lot worse than
give Rebecca driving lessons.
Really?
Would you? That'd be great.
I'm not sure I can.
I have a lot on right now.
Like what?
I can't commit to a regular
time and place, all right?
You're not the only one
with responsibilities.
[SMOKE ALARM BEEPING]
That's mine.
You see what happens
when you get angry, dad?
Oh! Ah!
Open some windows.
It was Nicola's favourite.
Unless her favourite is burnt sh*t pan
I'm not sure that's true.
Don't try and lighten things up
with attempted humour, Eddie.
Attempted humour.
I thought it'd be a nice surprise.
No, no, a nice surprise would be
if you were sat here
with your suitcase, waiting
for your taxi to arrive.
That, dad, would be a nice surprise.
She's incredible. She slept through
the whole thing.
VINCENT: Here's the deal.
If you tell me you don't want to
get back together with Eddie,
then I will leave tonight.
I don't want to get back
together with Eddie.
I don't believe you.
What have you lost?
I thought my iPod was in here.
What...
Dad said when he
asked that question about us,
and...
-I hesitated...
-You don't have to say anything.
It's all right.
What...
No, I hesitated because I don't know...
I don't...
Know whether it...
Might be worth trying...
To get back together.
Again.
Yeah, again.
I'm seeing someone.
Sort of.
Just started to.
-Not seeing exactly.
-You're seeing someone.
Yeah.
That figures.
I thought you've forgiven me.
I couldn't work out. Why?
Thanks.
So, I'm guessing you're pissed off
about something,
or you don't like chocolate cake.
-And I know you like chocolate cake...
-Driving lessons?
They're gonna need some help.
We're supposed to be leaving.
Come on, you can see how it is
with Joe at the moment.
All hands on deck.
Another few weeks isn't gonna kills us,
is it?
We're supposed to be
going down to London.
I've got a job lined up
in a recording studio right now.
No, you haven't.
You've got the phone number
of a recording studio
where a friend of a friend brews up.
Okay.
Do you understand what's happening here?
No, why don't you tell me
what's happening here?
When I met you, you were Rebecca.
Here, you're just Joe's sister.
Your family is sucking you back in.
My family who just laid on a party
for us, in case you didn't notice.
For us? Really? 'Cause nobody
actually mentioned us.
What were you expecting,
a red carpet and a mirror ball?
Fine. I'm not gonna get stuck here,
Rebecca.
Even if you are.
How was it? How you feeling?
I'm super.
Waiting for the doctor to sign me off.
I've got a taxi booked.
Well, the car's outside and
I've paid for the parking now.
And I thought if they
decided to keep you in,
you might need moisturising,
lip salve, wet wipes,
water spray, fruit,
and...
I borrowed Eddie's iPod, downloaded
a couple of audio books.
He won't mind.
Keep it even if you don't need it
tonight, and...
A lift's better.
After... What you've had.
This is you being low key, is it?
I want to help you, Louise,
if you'll let me.
If you'll put up with me.
This will come in handy.
Come on.
Joe, come on.
Fancy a picnic?
Do you know what the teachers say
about Joe at his new school?
He's got a spiky profile.
Like Bart Simpson.
It means he's autistic in some ways,
and not in others.
Spiky profile.
It's good, isn't it?
I prefer it to autistic.
We're gonna be all right, aren't we?
We're having a picnic in the dark
with our seven-year-old son.
What makes you think
we're not gonna be all right.
We need to be good to each other,
you and me, when we see each other.
We'll have to talk a lot.
Together and alone.
We'll have to have a lot of sex.
Again, together and alone.
[LAUGHING]
♪ Things can only get better
♪ What's around the corner
who can tell?
♪ I'll build a little place
just north of heaven
♪ I'm kinda tired of living
south of hell
Do you know what I think?
I think we chose Joe
and Joe chose us.
And that happened for a reason.
'Cause we can do this.
Everything else is
just so much bullshit.
Uh-huh.
So you agree with me now?
He's our North star.
Wasn't necessarily that kind
of "Uh-huh".
There that. That's the north star.
No, that's another plane.
That, what about that?
That's a plane. That's another plane.
[BOTH CHUCKLING]
The change with Joe, it's taking
its toll on you and on me.
We need to do something about that.
It wasn't my idea to come here,
you know, it was Ralph's.
I'm on steroids. Don't think I won't
throw you out if I have to.
Becky, are you okay?
It will get better, I promise.
Hi, Polly, he's not quite ready yet.
Do you want to come up?
You met her? The new girlfriend,
he introduced you to her?
ALISON: I'm staying away
for three nights with Joe.
Are we still here?
Yes, is that okay?
What happens next?
We enjoy ourselves.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]