With the happy news that Offspring might make it back to our screens, I thought I’d imagine Nina and Billie chatting about self-belief and identity after having children. People seem to forgive me taking liberties with Sex & the City, and I hope you are gracious enough to allow me some Offspring indulgence (and conveniently conspiring to give the Proudman sisters daughters of the same age).
Since we last caught up with the Proudmans, Leo and Nina are very much together, although not married. They have a baby girl. Abigail was a welcome surprise and is now four months old. Nina has taken maternity leave to spend time with her and Zoe. After deciding she couldn’t leave Zoe permanently, Billie agreed to holiday for a few months in London with Mick. Whilst there, they decided to try for a baby, one last time, with Andrew’s help. Happily, they fell pregnant and are back in Melbourne raising their daughter. Imogen is five months old.
Billie and Nina are in Nina’s house. They are watching the three little girls in the front garden and sharing a cup of tea together. Zoe is now two and is happily dancing around whilst the two baby girls, Abigail and Imogen, are lying on a picnic blanket watching on in delight.
Nina watches Zoe. Nina blows her tea in an effort to cool it down and smiles. The light is playing around Zoe in a magical kind of way. Zoe twirls around, sunshine catching in her hair.
We hear Nina narrate “Look at her. Just look at her. So beautiful. So confident. So unaware of what the world is going to bring her. But she doesn’t care. So happy. So content.”
She turns to Billie: “Remember that? Remember just not caring about anything? Just dancing around like nothing mattered?”
Billie smiles in return. “Yeah. Well, I remember me doing that. You? No.” Billie starts to laugh as she remembers something. “You had to wear these sparkly shoes and this pink tutu otherwise you wouldn’t dance. And then one time ….”
Nina starts to cry.
Billie turns to face her, started. “Oh sorry, Neens, I thought you knew you were neurotic from childhood. I didn’t mean to shatter some childhood fantasy”
Nina shakes her head and looks up. “No, No. It’s not that. It’s just – I have no idea who I am anymore. I have these two beautiful girls and they are the lights of my life, but I don’t know who I am in the midst of all of it.”
Billie: “Are you regretting not going back to work full time? Because you know Leo would look after them. I’d look after them. It’s an option.”
Nina: “No, I wish I’d spent more time with Zoe when she was younger and I want to be with Abby when she’s still breast feeding. It’s just when I was at work, I’d spend all my time thinking about Zoe. And now that I am at home with the girls, I spend my time thinking I should be working. Sometimes I wonder how I got here. Two daughters. Two different fathers.”
Billie: (almost to herself) “Yeah, and neither planned.”
Nina shoots Billie a look
Billie: “Sorry. Not helpful.”
Nina: “I just feel like I have to be the glue that holds all this together, and I feel like I am falling apart.”
Billie: “Oh Neens, Mum must have felt a bit like that too. And you are always the glue. Maybe it’s okay to fall apart a bit. You have been through a lot and now things have slowed and you finally have time to process it all. Maybe it’s not falling apart. Maybe it’s working things through.”
Nina: “You’re probably right. I just wish I was enjoying them more. Why can’t I just enjoy every precious moment with them?”
Billie shrugs. “Whenever did you enjoy a moment because you put pressure on yourself to enjoy it? You enjoy moments as they come, not because you tell yourself to.”
Nina: “You have gotten very wise with motherhood. How is it with Immy? Do you feel like you have lost yourself a bit?”
Billie shakes her head and rests it on Nina’s shoulder. “No. Zoe saved me from making my life a complete mess and now Immy is here and she makes everything make sense. I thought I was all caught up in my career, but now I don’t think that was what I was waiting for. I think I was waiting for these girls.”
Imogen starts to cry and Billie gets up to tend to her. Nina smiles through dried tears. She watches her sister pick up Imogen and soothe her cries. Imogen starts gurgling happily as soon as her mother picks her up. Billie and Imogen are in the same light that Zoe was as the beginning of the conversation.
We hear Nina narrate “Look at her. Just look at her. So beautiful. So confident. So happy. So content. Finally, where she wants to be.”
A few costume notes on what Billie & Nina might be wearing…..
Wow! Costume notes and all! Haha, how wonderful! Sometimes I wonder whether the return of Offspring might be a mistake, but you can bet if it comes back I’m totally gonna go there. Also, I trust they wouldn’t do anything to diminish the legacy. You know what though? Happy contented people does not great TV drama make. So you gotta know that an awful fate awaits Leo and/ or Mick. Right? Just a heads up. 😉 x
Oh no! You are right of course. I just hope they leave Zara and Jimmy alone for a bit. Mick is probably the one most likely to suffer a terrible fate.
You clever thing!!! Love it. Love the show. PLEASE bring it back!!
I know right? I’d love it to come back. 🙂
Funny isn’t it how a tv series can capture a oollective imagination – I have to admit I didn’t watch “Offspring” and have no idea who anyone is but can see the appeal.
I came for the clothes and the general good looks of Matthew Le Nevez and stayed for the story lines. I think it’s one of the higher quality Aussie shows.
Oh I really hope Offspring does come back, it’s one of my favourite programs
And I love the costume notes, what a great image to add 😀
Thanks – I was probably more obsessed with the clothes than anything else 🙂
Oh my word. I actually never watched the show but enjoyed Styling You’s fashion commentary on Nina. This has made me want to watch the show. And those costumes are freaking awesome. You are incredibly creative and talented!! x
AW blush. If you have some spare time (huh!) then I think you’d really enjoy the DVDs.
This is great Robyna. You write them both so well. I think Nina would of course be a neurotic mother and Billie would be the mum that is always riffling through her bag or pram to find things. She and Mick would be a bit more relaxed about parenthood I imagine. Bron x
Yes, I think so! So excited that they have confirmed the sixth season. Although tragedy will await someone, and I love them all.
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