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With it being Mother’s Day, or Mothering Sunday as Grandma Driscoll insists they call it, Charlie has spent the day commuting between his parents’ house in Canterbury where he had struggled manfully through Julio’s usual unsuccessful attempt at a Sunday Roast. While Olly distracted Jane from Charlie’s anxious nibbling by speculating out loud on whether he should get a tattoo. Charlie is appreciative of Olly’s efforts, drawing the heat away from Charlie but is grateful when Nick arrives at three o’clock to take his boyfriend over to River Crescent. It takes longer than it should for Charlie to escape from the Springs. Discussion had moved on from his eating habits to the vexing question of ‘what he is going to do’ when he graduates from the Guildhall in the summer. Charlie is seriously contemplating a Masters, assuming he gets his predicted First.
Finally, about an hour later than planned, Charlie and Nick are safely ensconced at Sarah’s, where Nick has lovingly prepared his version of Afternoon Tea as a treat for his mother. Nick has rooted out the ‘best’ China, and brings a tray laden with cups and saucers, plates of dainty sandwiches, scones jam and cream. Sarah claps her hands with delight and says
“Oh Nicky, I am being spoiled.”
Nick insists, “If I can’t spoil my own mother on Mother’s Day, when can I? Do tuck in, both of you.”
Sarah loads her plate, while Charlie dutifully helps himself to a salmon and cream cheese sandwich, to please Nick. As the weather has finally improved a little, although the wind is still cold, the two Nelsons and one Spring (four Nelsons if you count the dogs, which Nick does), enjoy a brisk walk through the woods at the back of Sarah’s house. Taking time to admire the daffodils, dancing around in the breeze and making the most of the fact it is still light at six in the evening.
Back at River Crescent, Charlie and Sarah make themselves comfortable in front of the television. Sarah wants to watch Countryfile and Charlie is happy to join her, marvelling at the quietly domestic direction his life has taken compared with his early twenties. Nick makes a fresh pot of tea for them and then applies himself to the task of icing the last of that morning’s baking, a batch of Red Velvet cupcakes, joining his Mum and partner in front of the television once he has finished.
Warm and pleasantly full, with Charlie at his side, a dog on his lap and another at his feet, nick soon dozes off. He wakes with a start when Charlie nudges him, saying,
“Nick, wake up, it’s gone nine, I said we’d be there at ten…” then with concern in his voice adds, “Are you sure you’ll be able to stay up until two?”
Nick shrugs, “Yes, why do you think I had a power nap.”
“Old man, in front of the telly nap, more like…eeek” Charlie’s last words are lost to a shriek as Nick begins to tickle him.
They bid farewell to Sarah, she has been informed of her boys’ attendance at the evening’s ritual and checks Nick has his key, she doesn’t want to have to wait up. She waves them off at the door and goes back to the television, she’s had a lovely afternoon, and while she missed him, is privately glad David didn’t make it.
******
It is a short distance to the small, terraced house in Rochester which is their final destination for the day. As he pulls up by the kerb, Nick is amazed and says so.
“I’ve driven down this street loads of times, and I had no idea that your friend lived here.”
“She doesn’t.” Charlie corrects the misunderstanding. “She lives in Hackney, this is her mum and dad’s house, she’s just here for a few days, while she adjusts.”
Charlie gets out of the car carefully balancing the cupcake carrier in his right hand so he can knock on the door with his left. A little way down the road, having finally found somewhere to park, his boyfriend of just over three years, is walking towards him. The glow from the streetlights catches Nick’s hair turning it gold, and for the several thousandth time, Charlie thinks to himself, ‘how did I get so lucky?’. That the same thought is entering Nick’s head at that very same moment, would never occur to him.
Nick joins Charlie on the doorstep, just as Maryam Argent swings open the door. She greets Charlie warmly as he hands over the cupcakes and introduces Nick, boyfriend and baker.
Maryam beckons them in, finger against her lips in the universal sign to be quiet, before calling softly,
“Richard, Elle love, the boys are here.”
Charlie, followed by Nick feeling shy enters the Argents front room. The room is familiar to Charlie, but it is Nick’s first visit so unlike Charlie he is unaware of the small but significant changes in the room, whereas Charlie immediately clocks the cards on the mantlepiece, and that the furniture has been moved around to accommodate the television, which is playing the news with the sound off and is now centre stage in front of the couch where his friend Elle is ‘resting her eyes’ covered with a throw with her head on a velvet cushion. Nick, who has got to know Elle, and her partner Tao well over the course of his relationship with their friend Charlie, thinks he has never seen her so un-put-together, but he supposes, motherhood will do that to you.
It’s taken three years, but Nick has more or less got his head around the fact he has a famous (if retired) boyfriend who in turn has a number of friends and acquaintances who enjoy a varied level of fame. Only three weeks ago he’d been watching Charlie’s brother-in-law at the Winter Olympics, even though he wasn’t placed, and now it appears his best friend from school has been nominated for an Oscar.
Nick has only partly comprehended the significance of the Oscars in the life of Charlie’s friends, Charlie has tried to explain the tradition that goes back to when Tao and Elle were in year nine, bargaining with their parents in order to stay up late on a school night. The nomination for Best Live Action Short film, that has come out of the blue for Tao Xu and coincided with the one time when Elle cannot possibly fly to Los Angeles with him, even if they could afford it. So, Charlie has stepped in to stay up and watch the Oscars with Elle as he has when available at various times in the past when Tao and Elle were on one of their frequent breaks.
Richard comes down the stairs at this point and Charlie introduces him to Nick. At this Elle stetches and yawns while moving to a seated position on the couch. She turns to her dad and asks,
“How is she?”
“She’s gone down, sweet as a nut.”
“Did you remember to turn the monitor on?”
“Of course, this isn’t my first rodeo, sweetheart, I’ve done this before.”
“Sorry, dad, I’m trying not to be anxious.”
“it’s only natural love; don’t let it spoil your evening. Is the news still on, have I missed the weather? What time does the coverage start?”
“Ten fifteen Dad, five minutes.”
“OK time to get comfortable. Now can I get you boys anything to drink? tea, coffee, beer?”
“Tea for me, please, Mr Argent,” Nick replies, “I’m going to be driving”
“Richard, please. What about you Charlie?”
“Tea will be fine, Thank you.”
Maryam comes back in from the kitchen with the cupcakes on a plate saying to her husband, “I’ve put the kettle on, if anyone wants a hot drink.”
Richard replies, “I’m on it.” but doesn't move from in front of the television.
Elle pats the seat of the couch, indicating for Charlie and Nick to sit down, then reaches for a cupcake, saying to Charlie,
“Well done on finding someone who can cook, Tao still can't fry an egg.” Before launching into a description of a meal, he’d attempted to cook her while they were still at school. Richard and Maryam have heard this story before but still find the memory of it amusing enough to laugh.
The weather forecaster winds up and ITV shifts to coverage of the Oscars. Jonathan Ross is hosting and Richard groans,
“I wish they’d find someone else to do this, cannot stand that bloke.”
He then remembers he’d offered drinks and goes back into the kitchen to make them.
On the television Jonathan Ross is introducing his studio guests while in the background showing the red-carpet arrivals at the Dolby Theatre,
“Do you think we’ll catch a glimpse of that boy of yours, Elle?”
Elle scoffs, “no Mum, the red carpet is just for the A-listers.”
As she says this, Timothée Chalamet wanders into view, and Charlie squeals,
“Oh look, there’s your old crush, the lovely Timothée.”
“Shut up!” Elle protests.
“Good choice.” Nick agrees “I wouldn’t say no.” earning a poke in the side from Charlie.
Elle continues “I’ve gone off him recently, he’s too up himself.”
“That’s what you get from mixing with Kardashians.” Charlie states emphatically, adding “it’s a good thing our friend Tara’s not here, she’d be throwing things at the screen after what he said about ballet being irrelevant.”
“I told you, he’s too up himself these days.”
Richard returns with a tray of drinks, and some savoury snacks prepared by Maryam. He hands these round to his daughter and her guests, then says,
“I’m not sure how much of this I’ll be able to watch, I’ve got work in the morning and its not even started yet. Where’s Tao’s award in the running order?”
“Quit a way through the programme, don’t worry Dad, in the unlikely event he does win, you’ll never hear the end of it.”
“Okay, I think I’ll turn in then.”
Richard stands up and bids them goodnight.
Nick wonders at Elle’s lack of faith in her partner and whispers as much to Charlie but before he can reply, Jonathan Ross announces “Let’s go live to Hollywood for the ninety-eighth academy awards.” And they start to watch Conan O’Brien’s introductory monologue.
There are plenty of digs at Timothée Chalamet’s ballet and opera comment, but the friends are mostly waiting for the best live action short film category where Tao is nominated even though Elle is adamant, he has no chance of coming home with the statue.
“You know,” Maryam muses as the programme travels through the first of the awards, “I don’t think I’ve seen any of this year ‘s films.”
Elle agrees, “I can’t remember the last time I sat and watched a film from start to finish, life gets so busy.”
“You’ve had a lot going on this year.” Maryam says, patting her daughter’s shoulder.
“What about you two?” she asks, Nick has seen Sinners, F1 and Hamnet, which confesses he is still traumatised by.
Charlie confirms that Nick cried like a baby throughout the second half of Hamnet, but Charlie thought it was manipulative and preferred the book.
As if on cue, they hear some low-level grizzling over the baby monitor,
“I’ll get her.” Maryam says, jumping up, “she’s probably hungry again, you heat a bottle for her, I’ll be right back.”
By the time Maryam reaches her, the low grizzle as developed into a determined wail, they can hear Maryam’s soft reassuring tones over the monitor. In the kitchen Nick and Charlie hear the microwave ping, and Elle appears with a small bottle of formula, a bib and a muslin cloth tucked under her arm closely followed by Maryam holding her granddaughter carefully having descended the stairs.
“Here she is…Měilín” Maryam announces, handing the baby to Elle, who checks the temperature of the formula before beginning to nurse her daughter.
The sight of his friend with a baby, seriously messes with Charlie’s head. He’s been kept informed throughout the whole process of his friends’ surrogacy journey, but now that the baby is here, he is struggling to embrace the reality that his best friends are parents. He realises they had little choice over timing, but they seem so young. Tao is only a few months older than him, while Elle is younger than Nick.
The baby Charlie knows arrived earlier than expected, she does not appear small or unformed, but he only has his distant memories of Olly to go by. He knows that ideally Tao and Elle would have made the trip to Los Angeles and back before Měilín put in her appearance, but the baby had other plans, and in the end Elle decided she could not face the long-haul flight with a week-old baby and an over wrought Tao. Both Maryam and Yan had offered to travel with her, but Elle had preferred to stay home or rather stay with her parents and bond.
Nick thinks she makes a charming picture, with the babe in her arms sucking from the bottle. He remembers his mother being a keen advocate of ‘breast is best’ but that hardly applies in these circumstances. It seems that Měilín’s grizzling was not hunger related as she determinedly moves her mouth away from the bottle’s teat as if shaking her head. Elle looks at her Mum for reassurance, but it is Charlie who says,
“Don’t force her, she’ll learn negative associations with food.”
“Can I have a go?” Nick asks much to his own surprise. Elle hand him her daughter, the bottle and the muslin cloth. Nick nestles Měilín in the crook of his arm, supporting her little head and after seeing her eyes and mouth are open resumes the feed.
Just in time, the Oscars have been on for two hours, halfway through and Conan O’Brien is announcing Kumail Nanjiani to the stage to present the Oscar for the Best live action short film, Tao’s category. The comedian rattles through his patter, that tries to be funny but somehow misses the mark but then after the feeble laughter has quickly faded away gets down to the serious business.
“The nominees are A Friend of Dorothy - Lee Knight and James Dean…”
“Loved that film,” Charlie whispers.
“… Jane Austen's Period Drama -Julia Aks and Steve Pender… The Singers - Sam A Davis and Jack Piatt…Two People Exchanging Saliva - Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata… The Changelings – Tao Xu and Erica Wilson-Coy.”
The friends are on the edge of their seat as Kumail Nanjiani opens the envelope and says “And the Oscar goes to …it's a tie! I'm not joking, it's actually a tie,” he repeats, “Everyone, calm down, we're going to get through this, focus up…”
“What?” Elle exclaims, jumping up. Charlie and Maryam join her, only Nick cradling the precious bundle remains seated. “How does that happen?”
“Is that even a thing?” Nick asks.
“There have been ties before.” Charlie informs him, “but not often.” On stage Kumail Nanjiani has obviously been prepared as he is trying to recover control of the proceedings.
“Calm down,” he repeats, “remain calm, I’m going to name one winner, they’re going to come up accept their award, then I’ll come back and name another winner, they’ll come up and accept their award.”
“Oh God! I don’t believe it.” Elle moans, “Poor Tao.”
“Doesn’t it make it better, surely two winners doubles his chances” Nick asks, Charlie a veteran of awards events smiles fondly at his boyfriend, who just doesn’t get it.
“In theory but it means almost all the votes have gone to two of the nominees, so doubly humiliating if you don’t win.”
“Oh.” Nick says, subdued.
“Okay, here we go,” Kumail Nanjiani announces “One Oscar goes to… The Singers…”
Elle and Charlie slump back in their seats, by rights the agony should be over, but there is more to come.
The baby, picking up the tension in the room, begins to grizzle again. Nick who has recent practice with his nephew Laurent, drapes the muslin cloth over his shoulder and Měilín on top of it and begins a steady tapping of a little bottom.
A loud belch drowns out the voice over and Sam A Davis and Jack Piatt’s thank yous.
“That’s right, Měilín darling, you tell them what you think of them, not voting for your daddy.” Maryam says,
“We don’t know that yet.” Elle admonishes her mum.
“Has Tao got a speech ready?” Nick asks innocently causing a peal of laughter from Elle and Charlie.
“Of course he has, he wrote it when he was in year seven.”
Kumail Nanjiani resumes control with a genuinely funny comment and announces, “The second Oscar goes to …Two People Exchanging Saliva - Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata…”
That’s that then Nick thinks, continuing his gentle rocking of Měilín.
“He didn’t expect to win.” Elle says, “I just wish I was with him.” She adds as her eyes fill with tears.
The speeches are over and the television is back in the studio with Jonathan Ross saying nice things about Tao, the only British nominee in the category.
“He’s young, just starting out, and now he’s an Oscar nominee.” Charlie says, encouragingly. Elle nods still tearful. Maryam says she is going to bed; Elle curls up on the sofa and closes her eyes; Nick is left holding the baby.
They are only two hours into the awards show and there’s about another two hours to go. Nick also feels his eyelids growing heavy but can’t relax while he is holding Měilín.
Charlie snuggles closer to him and whispers, “you know it suits you.”
“Perhaps you should try it.” Nick replies.
“What?” Charlie exclaims.
“Hold her, she won’t bite, no teeth.”
“Oh you mean hold this baby. Okay.” Charlie holds out his arms and nick gently places Měilín into them.
What did you think I meant?” Nick asks after checking Elle is really asleep.
“I don’t know… I mean… it’s not something we’ve ever discussed… but would you like children?”
“Yes, if possible… but not yet…” Nick replies.
“I feel the same, but not until I’m thirty at least.”
“I thought the same,” Elle says drowsily, “sorry to be earwigging. Life doesn’t always work out like that. Last year our egg donor and surrogate both had time. Yan offered to pay and before we knew it, we were expecting. But as Mum always says, there’s never the right time to have a baby.”
“We might adopt.” Charlie says, “but we need to get a house and a dog first, and I need a job. I can’t live on my PRS forever.”
On the television the Oscars are moving on and Jonathan Ross says “Back to Hollywood now because it’s time for best original score.”
Charlie looks up as the nominees are announced and Ludwig Göransson wins for Sinners.
“That’s his third Oscar for original score.” Elle says, echoing the voiceover. They watch the composer collect his award and Nick says to Charlie with conviction, baby tucked into one arm, boyfriend tucked under the other, “one year that will be you.”
Charlie smiles.
“That’s settled then, is it?”
“Yes.” Nick replies, “let’s go home so I can dream of my future as the arm candy of a famous Oscar winning composer.”
“Is it okay, Elle, if we go?” Charlie asks.
“Sure.” Elle says, “I’m going to see if I can call Tao, but I’ll have my daughter back first, you two were sounding suspiciously broody, just then.”
Charlie hands Měilín to Elle, her mum, as he must get used to thinking of her, He stands and pulls Nick to his feet. “Come along sleepy head.”
He too has things he cannot wait to dream of.