I'll see you later.
Bye.
I'm meeting Hazeem's mum, Afree, for lunch.
You're back in touch with the family?
Yeah, well, some of them.
You know, they're still a bit of a minefield, really.
But, yeah, we're getting there, small steps.
She's one of the good ones, really.
Wish me luck.
Good luck.
So, how are things with Lauren?
Erm, yeah, nice, nice.
Nice? Mm-hm.
You going to see her again? Possibly.
OK!
So, how is life?
Uh, it's not bad.
You know, work is busy.
Missing the kids, standard empty nest.
How long is it since Heston....?
Four years three months.
Do you still miss him?
Every day, erm...
..I don't think I'll ever stop
but I'm...trying to move on.
Are you seeing anyone?
Not at the moment, no,
but I did test the water,
which was very choppy, to be honest.
I'm sorry to hear that.
I know it's not my place
and I hope you don't mind but if you're still looking,
I might know someone.
Really? I just...
..Look, I'm not sure.
I think I just need a break.
Maybe, but I think you'd really get on.
His name's Kamil.
I met him through work.
He's an accountant, our age,
charming, thoughtful...
..handsome as they come.
And he's not married?
He was engaged, years ago.
Apparently, she broke it off.
He was bereft, poor man.
If he's looking for a shoulder to cry on, then...
I don't think it's that at all.
I think he's over it.
I know he's dating.
I think you could really suit each other.
You're back early.
Half day.
You been shopping?
Just a few bits.
How's the house-hunting going?
I'm putting the feelers out.
Good. And thank you. I know it isn't easy.
No, it's not.
What you got? Fish Pie.
Stick it in the freezer.
I thought we could go out somewhere tonight.
Why would I want to do that?
Cos I've got a voucher for, erm, Stefano's?
Three-course meal for two, plus wine.
I know things have been a bit strained recently
but it's all paid for, so...
How many times do we need to have this flipping conversation?
You agreed to move out
and now you want to take me to Stefano's for a romantic dinner?
I just thought that if we...
Give it a rest, will you?
Nothing's ever as scary as you think it's going to be.
And Kamil's a good man.
I wouldn't be suggesting him
if I didn't think you'd get on.
I know you wouldn't, thank you. Thanks.
So you'll meet him?
Mm, just to get you off my case.
Good, because I've booked you both a table at the Haldi Lounge,
Eight o'clock. It was his only free evening for ages. Tonight?
I was lucky to get a table!
Oh!
Hiya, I'm home!
Rob?
What are you doing there, you daft beggar?
I'm waiting for you!
I hope you're going to hoover up all those petals.
Well, to be honest, I've got other
things on my mind at the minute.
Oh, oh, I don't know, I'm...
What, all these roses died in vain?
It's been a while, not since...
I know and - I know.
Sorry. No.
No, you do not apologise.
Look, why don't we take it steady and...
..we can just have a cuddle if you want.
Just a cuddle? Yeah.
I'm mean, obviously, I can't be responsible for how things develop.
What do you reckon?
I reckon I'm going to take my chances.
Oh!
Oh, I'm just going to wait till
my friend comes and then I'll order.
Thank you. OK.
If he turns up.
DOORBELL RINGS
I'll get it.
Hey.
Erm, sorry, I did try phoning but...
Erm, my phone's been on silent.
Only, I was in the area, so...
Oh, yeah?
And I've brought microwave popcorn.
You'd best come in, then.
Oh, hi, Jamie. Hiya.
We weren't expecting you.
Were we?
I can go if you're busy.
No, no, no, you're welcome.
Come on through.
Afree, it's Ruhma.
He is late, so I don't
appreciate being stood up.
So just give me a call, can you? Thanks.
Erm, Ruhma?
I'm Kamil.
You're late.
Yeah, forgive me.
I was stuck in traffic.
There was an accident on the by-pass.
No phone signal?
OK, I've messed up.
Please, just let me make things right.
Why should I?
Well, because if this is the only time we meet,
I don't want this to be your only memory of me.
Because I'm starving and I expect you are too
and I don't really want to eat alone.
OK, that's good, but it's not my problem.
Afree told me we'd get along like a house on fire.
Did she now? Yeah. Hmm.
So, why don't we just give it a chance?
And besides, if my mother hears about this...
..my life won't be worth living.
So, what do you say?
Where are we going?
To the finest restaurant
Letherbridge has to offer.
Welcome to Chez Robert.
Ooh, you've gone to a lot of effort for a bit of lettuce.
Lettuce? No, no, Madam!
Monsieur Robert presents this evening
Entrecote grillee avec les pommes frites.
Yeah, steak and chips!
Oh, no, no. Sorry.
Ooh, Madam.
Oh!
Ooh.
Look, I can't keep saying sorry all evening.
We've got off on the wrong foot
and I know I've been working too hard to make things right.
So, we're in a beautiful restaurant the food's great,
we've got the whole evening ahead of us, so...
..why don't we try and enjoy our time together,
see where it goes? What do you say?
Yeah.
You're right, I think I got off on the wrong foot
when you were late. I-I'm sorry.
Let's, let's make a go at it.
Good. Best news I've heard all day.
Cheers.
Mm-mm-mm.
Did you really made those profiteroles yourself?
Actually, I did.
Mm, you're not just a pretty face, are you?
Don't think this is going to become a habit.
We're back on the green stuff tomorrow.
What's this all about?
Well, you've been doing so well with your diet,
I thought you deserved a treat.
And what with everything that happened...
So, I need to have a few more heart attacks
to get a bit more attention?
I'd rather you didn't.
Can I say something?
You don't normally ask for permission.
Can you remember our wedding day?
Tell me again.
Do you remember that your mum wore a ridiculous hat
that looked like a bowl of fruit? Yes.
Do you remember that your Uncle Brian
was sick outside the church
because he'd been on the sauce from breakfast? Oh!
When you was walking up the aisle...
..and I was stood at the front, rigid...
..staring forward, and I didn't...
..I didn't know if it was the done thing
to be able to turn around and look at you.
But when you got beside me...
..I did.
And I thought...
"I am the luckiest man in the world...
.."To be marrying this beautiful woman."
And I still think that now.
You mean everything to me, Karen Hollins.
I love you...
..more than I love fishing.
Oh, that much? That much!
Oh!
Oh, come here, you soppy git.
Oh.
So, Afree tells me that you were engaged ages ago?
Her name was Souma.
Had you, erm...
..set a date?
Well...
..she wanted to, but I wasn't ready.
We were young, we met at school,
engaged at 18.
I went away to university
and we didn't see much of each other for a few years and...
..while I was away, things changed.
How?
Well, I realised I didn't feel the same way.
And I was willing to give it a go
but she sensed that things weren't right.
She did me a favour by calling the whole thing off.
She's married now with four kids, living in Leicester.
So, do you have any regrets?
No, no.
Oh, no.
It would have been a disaster.
Mm.
So, were there other girlfriends after Souma?
One or two. Hmm!
How's your food?
It's delicious.
Where have you been?
Thought I'd better use that voucher.
On your own? Yeah, of course.
Nice food.
I'm sorry about the restaurant.
I thought it was worth a try.
Why?
To show you how much I care.
I know how much you care.
The problem is, I don't feel the same way.
No amount of theatrical gestures is going to change that.
This isn't easy for me either.
I'm trying to find a way to move on
and just when I think we're on the same page,
you go and pull a stunt like that.
I don't know how to spell it out more clearly, Rich.
Ollie's gone, so there's no reason
for you to be here any more.
I want you to go -
now.
And her mother was ringing me every day,
practically begging me to propose to her daughter.
And we'd only been on two dates.
I mean, she was even offering me money,
a job at her husband's firm.
OK, so why was her mum trying to get
her daughter married?
Well, she was older.
Yeah, but as far as her mum was concerned,
she was virtually pensionable age.
I mean, she was a sweet girl
but just not right for me.
In what way?
We just weren't compatible.
OK, so what did you do?
Well, I did what any decent,
honourable gentleman would do.
Every time she called, I said,
"Hello, Iqbal Accountants, helping
"you learn to do accounting."
It's not my finest hour.
Actually, that's very funny.
Oh?
Yeah, you know, it's a bit harsh but
it is effective.
Oh.
Well, what about you?
HE CLEARS HIS THROAT
Afree said you've had a very difficult past.
Yeah, yeah, you could say that.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Thank you. I am trying to move on.
Hmm.
With much success?
Nothing serious.
Well, it takes time. Yeah.
Yeah, to make sure you've found the right person.
Obviously, it takes time, you know,
to be sure about someone.
Yeah.
Take you, for example.
I would probably need a second date to work you out.
Erm, oh...
..sorry, oh, I've got to get this,
it's my mother.
Ammi. Sorry.
Where's Jamie?
In the kitchen, making popcorn. Oh.
So...
..what's going on with you two?
How do you mean?
Well, one minute you're telling me he's history
and the next, you're inviting him in.
I could exactly leave him outside in the cold, could I?
No, but you could have asked him to leave.
Or better still, you could have had
an adult conversation about how you both feel about each other.
I do like him.
Well, that's obvious.
So tell him. I can't.
Why not?
Cos I don't want to come across as needy or clingy.
Well, at least he'd know you care about him.
Maybe a bit.
Anyway, what's the problem with him knowing?
Its obvious there's something going on between you.
The question is, what you are going to do about it?
Sorry about that, erm...
..She has a terrible habit of calling me when I'm on a date,
just to see how things are going.
Maybe you shouldn't pick up next time.
Oh, you clearly haven't met my mother.
I didn't even hear it ring.
It was on silent.
So where were we?
I was saying I would like to see you again.
Yeah.
And you were looking very awkward.
Well...
..it's just that I've got a lot of work on at the moment.
I'm spending most of my time in London.
So why have you come this date?
Unless you...
..you don't like me?
Well, I do.
A lot, actually.
There's a but?
I don't know what you mean.
I think that you do.
It's not you. I know it isn't.
I have the feeling I'm not your type.
Nor was Souma or any of the other girlfriends.
Wouldn't you agree?
It was... So, did you...? Oh.
Sorry.
You go.
Nice popcorn.
Thanks.
Oh, my goodness, this is excruciating.
I'm off to bed.
You don't need to go to bed.
No, I do because at the moment,
I feel like the biggest gooseberry in the world.
So, you two can either sit here and munch on your popcorn
or you can tell each other how you feel.
Either way, I'm off to bed. Goodnight.
Night. Night.
Well, that's us told then. Yep.
Look, about the other day...
..I'm really sorry.
I was a bit wrong-footed, I had no right to speak to you like that.
Mm, I did think it was a bit weird, to be honest.
I know.
That's why I came round.
So you can mess me about all over again?
No, you idiot.
To give you this.
I bought the chocolate at the petrol station round the corner.
And the leaflet was on the doorstep when I arrived.
Mm, guess who's the old romantic then?
It was kind of an impromptu thing.
Obviously you wouldn't want to go to too much trouble.
Well, what with me just happening to be passing, so.
With popcorn.
Can we start again?
Forget the last few days ever happened?
I'd like that.
Good.
Because so would I.
You are very quiet.
Sorry?
I thought we agreed - no more apologies.
You're quite the detective, aren't you?
Well you have got a very well-rehearsed routine.
You know, you make a date,
you turn up late, you talk about
your engagements, broken,
girlfriends, I go to make a second date
and you get a phone call from mummy.
Why?
To keep the family happy.
To keep my reputation as a lady's man intact.
And do enough just so that my dates don't want to see me any more.
The phone call from "Mummy" usually clinches it.
So did Souma guess?
We never discussed it, but I think she knew.
She's perceptive, just like you.
I think more people realise than you know.
You know, it didn't take me long to work it out.
You are quite an exceptional person.
I mean, if things were different,
I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather marry.
Wow, that must be the record for the fastest non-proposal.
Have you ever...tried to come out?
In our community? What?!
I know.
I know, but things are changing.
Have you, erm...
..ever had a relationship with a man?
Erm...
His name was Simon.
I loved him.
He wanted us to move in together,
but I didn't know how to explain it to my family.
So...
..in the end, he got tired of waiting.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
You know, I've not come out as gay,
but I did two things that were just as bad in some people's eyes.
I left my first husband.
And I can't deny that it was tough...
..but I don't regret it.
And the second thing I did is I married outside the community...
..because I had to be truthful to myself,
I had to be honest about what matters to me, about...
..the sort of person I want to be with.
It would destroy my mother.
OK, so what are you going to do?
Are you going to wait until she dies before you live? I do what I can.
I'm discreet.
I go on enough dates with women to throw everyone off the scent.
OK. And is that fair?
For those women, for me, that you mess about?
No, of course not. So, what? You're going to carry on doing that?
I know that you are protecting yourself.
But you are humiliating women.
Women like me who are looking for someone.
So think about that.
More wine? No, ta.
Is that a real no, or a no disguised as a yes?
It's an "ask me again in five minutes".
Thank you for tonight.
Sometimes I forget just how lovely you can be.
Sometimes I forget to show you. Sometimes?
All right. Often.
But not tonight. Tonight was absolutely perfect.
It was.
So what's next?
Tonight? Or in life? For us?
I don't know. I never give it any real thought.
Oh, give over. How many times have you banged on over the last few years about retiring?
I might have mentioned it once or twice.
Even Scarlett wants to know what we're up to next.
We've got plenty of time to work all that out.
Have we? After everything that's happened, have we?
Go on.
So, I've been thinking...
Oh, no, I don't like the sound of that.
There's usually trouble when you start thinking.
Cheeky!
Come on, then, Socrates, what's the big idea?
Maybe put the kettle on.
All packed. Where will you go?
Cheap hotel in town tonight.
After that... We'll see.
Thank you for listening. I should have listened earlier.
Me hanging around, it's just prolonging the pain for both of us.
MOBILE PHONE RINGS
It's Ollie.
What does he want this time of night?
All right, son?
You won't say anything to Afree will you? May I?
My lips are sealed, but...
..I think just try her because she's not family
and you might be surprised by her reaction.
I don't think I'm ready for that yet.
Are you sure you don't want me to give you a lift?
No, no. Taxi should be here soon. Thanks
Well, thank you for everything.
And...
..I hope you get the man you deserve.
Whoever he is, he'll be a very lucky person. Thank you.
And I hope...
No, you...
You WILL find somebody that is going to make you very happy.
I wish I could be so certain.
Hey, is Simon still around?
Yeah.
Is he single still?
He may be. OK, well...
..Afree said this to me earlier today. She said...
..you've got to take risks.
You've got to learn to fly again.
And I think if she knew about your situation,
that...she'd say exactly the same thing to you.
Thank you.
Ollie.
Ollie, say that again. You're not making any sense.
Ollie, hang on son, your mum wants a word... Ollie?
He's gone. What did he say?
He's left the Army. What?
He's booked on an early coach and he'll be here in the morning.
I want to call him back.
His battery just died. We'll have to wait until the morning.
I'd better be off. I'll be back early, before he gets here.
No. You might as well stay,
at least until we've got to the bottom of this.
Hello? Earth to Karen?
Sorry, I was miles away. Where?
I was trying to remember, when we first got married,
we never dreamt we'd live in a place like this, did we?
How long have we been here now? Nearly eight years.
And where are we going to be in the next eight years?
Here. Retired. With grandchildren. And where are they coming from?
You'll need to ask Jack and Immi.
What are we doing, Rob?
Hanging around for something that might never happen?
I mean, you just counting the hours
until you get your long service medal.
Or I get a tap on the shoulder from Bear saying...
Is that what you want?
Not when you put it like that, no.
What's the alternative?
Pack our jobs in. Sell this place.
Downsize and travel the world.
You're serious? Yeah. Deadly.
Come on, Rob. This is our time.
Time to decide what we're going to do for the rest of our lives.
You know they call me the seduction guru? Yeah.
Yeah, I saw on your website.
And you just want to hook up with this girl?
I just want to ask her out.
We're probably all going to become very familiar with each other.
Sorry, why's that? Well, I shouldn't really say anything.
Eyes, vibe, chemistry.
Sam.