I'll Play Mother

That's right, Isla.

Left leg in front of the crease, right one behind.

Stand up straight, for God's sake, straight!

Bend your knees a little. Bend them.

Straight!

Yeah, go on.

All right. Come on, Ruby.

Remember what I told you.

Use your wrist to generate momentum.

All right, girls. Good effort today.

Time to get changed.

They're gonna be competing before long, aren't they?

- Yeah, yeah. - They really don't

know how lucky they are to have you, you know--

Good-- good to see you today, Claire.

Ah!

Hiya, Mish.

Who?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Uh-huh.

Fine.

We could--

All right. I'll be home in five.

Okay. Bye. Love you.

Hello?

Hi.

Cyrus...

it's happening.

I think it's back on.

-The family we wanted. I-- -Okay. Slow down.

-Hi. -Cheers. Hi.

I thought the mum--

What changed their minds?

Who cares?

Maybe their biological mother couldn't make it work after all.

So there's a new social worker, Sian, or something,

and she called me.

And we have a meeting tomorrow.

We'll get all the details done.

So this is a thing.

Yes.

Yes.

Mm-hmm.

Smells amazing.

- It does. - Do you not wanna...

Uh, no.

Margaret dropped this 'round.

-Neighbor Margaret? -The very same.

-Sitting at the table. -Mm-hmm.

Very nice.

Well, it's a big night.

Think about what your mother would say.

Isn't she, like, 90?

Margaret? Margaret's 85.

Since when do our neighbors bring stuff 'round?

Is she trying to drug us?

-Oh, come on. -Promise me,

if I get as bad as that, swear you'll roll me

off the side of the nearest fucking cliff.

Come on, stop being so macabre.

I'm not afraid of death.

Because you know nothing about it.

She was standing outside in a storm in her underwear.

She was just getting her washing.

Lord, for what we're about to receive, we're grateful.

You walk around in your underwear too.

But the difference is-- I mean, the difference is,

I look good doing it.

Hey.

This is lovely. Thank you.

Margaret.

Thank you, Margaret.

I'm-- I'm sorry.

No, no. I like being married to a middle-aged woman.

Don't joke about this.

I really thought I'd have children by now.

They just look like the perfect pair. I mean...

a brother and a sister, you know?

How rare is that?

And...

and it worked out.

It really worked out.

Mr. and Mrs. Panday.

Hello, I'm Michelle. That's Cyrus.

Take a seat, take a seat.

Um, well, firstly, my apologies for being late,

but we are severely understaffed.

- No, no, we understand. - Day from hell.

All right,

I'll-- I'll get to the point, shall I? Um...

the siblings that the family finder paired you with

a few months ago could be a potential option for you again.

This is so great. We'll take them.

If only it was that simple.

You've both been in the system for quite a while now.

-Yeah, two years. -And Elijah and Mia,

from the notes in their files,

you were both keen when you were first matched.

We just thought the mother had been cleared.

I mean, deemed fit for care.

You know, when she came back on the scene

when the... father passed.

Well, the, uh, situation has changed.

Sadly, their mother passed away.

Oh.

How?

If you're still interested.

Yes, we are.

We just wanna know more about what happened.

Well, unfortunately, it was an overdose.

-Oh, my God. -Devastating, really.

We'll fill you in with the details, as is procedure,

but I can tell you that a placement order

is back on the table.

This is so great! Thank you.

You are still looking at a minimum of six months

before the official hearing to adopt.

Now, for clarity,

we would begin with an observation of the children.

And at this stage, we wouldn't meet with them,

just watch them.

I know you've been told this a thousand times or more.

I'll reopen your case, and I'll arrange what should be

the first of many meetings.

We-- we're ready to be a family.

Yes, we are.

Can I show you the stats of the hybrid fund

I set up last quarter, and then you'll see that--

Michelle, you've been missing your targets,

and those upstairs have noticed.

I need you to be more responsive.

I need you here in the office with me a lot more.

Can you do that?

I got it, Mark.

It's been hard for them.

They're quite reclusive.

Elijah rarely speaks.

Oh, and he's a sugar fiend.

Can't get him to eat anything else.

And as for Mia...

...she can surprise you.

She ebbs and flows.

Happy, then completely shut off.

They won't be easy.

Then again, no adopted child-- well, no child is ever easy.

I should know. I've had four.

Oh, my gosh. You went through this entire process four times?

Oh, no, no, no, no. All mine. Biological.

Home births, every one.

So, you're a cricketer?

-Uh, coach. -Right.

Climbing that greasy ladder.

Mum used to do it.

Pains, I suppose.

But yeah, I'll be the one to stay home.

Oh.

Very modern.

Want a taste?

No one's ever really watching, Elijah.

-Not when it matters. -Oh! Sweetie!

Are you hurt?

Let's get a plaster for that, yeah?

You all right?

We can finally be a family.

A real one.

How was today's session?

-Seems improving. -Mmm.

She wrote us a note.

The board said you do have a future in coaching.

Just not yet.

Cyrus, I said it's two o'clock.

Don't cram any more rubbish in there.

Yeah, it'll be done before Sian gets here.

You could help.

Ah!

Cyrus!

Cyrus?

- Hello! - Hello!

- Hi, come in, come in. - Go inside, go inside.

- There you go. - Look who's here!

- Look who's here. - Oh, my God. Hello!

- Hello! - Welcome home.

Can I have a hug?

Um... Mia!

-It's-- it's fine. It's fine. -It's Mummy.

She doesn't need to. It's fine.

Now, we've had lots of meetings at the center

with Mummy and Daddy.

You remember.

I missed you guys so much over the last days.

Shall we go and see your new bedroom?

Yes!

We'll talk,

and we'll show you around your new home.

Why are computers so smart?

Because they always listen to their motherboard.

Our mother's dead.

Well, right, children.

Remember what Mummy said?

Get our muddy boots off, please.