Clare In The Community

Ray's colleagues celebrate his civil partnership and Brian reassesses his life after his not-very-near-death experience.

After Brian's restaurant shooting ordeal, he has been administered to hospital with what he is calling 'a bullet wound to the head'. Clare says it is nothing more than a graze that he has been picking at to make it look worse. Calling the whole situation a 'near death experience', Brian has a dream which involves him walking to the gates of the afterlife and coming face to face with death (who apparently looks like Ken Dodd). However, upon showing Death the bullet wound on his head, Death has the same opinion as Clare, calling a scratch that's been picked at. He sends him back to Earth.

Simon meets Brian in the park and Brian says he has assessed his life and claims he has taken everything for granted. This new outlook has convinced him to become a writer.

Ray and Troy have finally set a date for the wedding. Originally a quiet service, Troy has decided to have a large celebration at a stately home. Troy wants a champagne reception and a fleet of pink limousines, all probably coming out of Ray's £1,000,000 inheritance. Ray hands out the invitations to Clare, Helen and Irene, giving them an invitation for a guest too. Megan has no guest to take and so goes to a bereavement group in order to find a guest to take. She becomes so desperate she ends up with Simon.

On the day of the wedding at the stately home, Clare and Helen are ushers. Irene thinks Clare looks a bit unwell but Clare says she is just suffering from car sickness (even though in reality she felt a bit ill before the car journey). Brian is pleading to talk to Clare, but Clare keeps getting distracted. Mr Devere arrives and Clare assumes he is Troy's father or grandfather. It turns out to be Troy, an extremely rich 72 year old earl. Brian is getting drunk during the ceremony and is desperate to know whether Clare still loves him or not. Clare though is still getting distracted.

At the after service party, Ray's gives a speech in which he gives thanks and appreciation to the guests and invites them to speak. No one volunteers and there is nothing but complete silence. Eventually Brian volunteers to talk. He hi-jacks the ceremony to speak to Clare, as she is unable to be distracted now. Brian is angry and saddened when he says he has been trying all week to talk to Clare, the fact he has been with her for twelve years and that she won't listen or take him seriously, he no longer wants to be with her. He finds Clare undermining, he realises he has value and says he doesn't want to be with her anymore and he is breaking up. Clare announces she is pregnant to which Brian, all light-headed responds 'brilliant'.