If you split up with your husband, surely you want to get him out of your mind for a while. You want to get away, to clear your head and think. You don't want to be constantly reminded of him and be distracted by his comings and goings, do you? In short, the last thing you'd want to do is move next door, even if it is your daughter who lives there.
But not Jackie Corkhill. Oh no. Why couldn't she go to R'Val's like normal? Like every other time she's had to get away. Not this time though. Instead she has to move in with Lindsey right next door to Jimmy - that's hardly going to allow you to assess the situation clearly is it? He'll be round, banging on the door, before you can say 'tapestry' (or 'Karen'). Oh well, we'll see. . .
Jason was debating about whether or not he should go around to Jane Farris's flat as she'd requested. He talked it through with Mike who pointed out that, if someone was offering it to you on a plate, then it would be rude not to accept, so get stuck in Jase-mate.
Sufficiently buoyed up, Jason drives round to the flats, but bottles it before he rings the buzzer. Either that, or he realised that the invite was for Wednesday, but today was only Tuesday!
Things on Planet Dixon are starting to come together nicely (and that probably means that they will rapidly fall apart again, soon). Ron and Megan accompanied Anthea to the hospital where she was due to undergo laser treatment for the pre-cancerous cells. A pretty routine procedure as Anthea was keen to keep pointing out. Ron, however, couldn't quite grasp this and spent the whole time pacing around the hospital whilst waiting for news.
Fortunately, when the news came, it was good. Anthea was given the all-clear. Ron was so relieved that he felt it necessary to attempt another proposal of marriage. Not exactly the most romantic of places to pop the question - in the middle of a hospital reception area and neither was he down on one knee (that would probably have finished him off), but nonetheless, Anthea, once she had got over the surprise, agreed.
Ron was obviously delighted and proudly announced that since he would have proposed even if the operation hadn't gone so well, he'd taken the liberty of booking the register office already (didn't he pull that trick last time?) so the wedding's on July 7th. He doesn't hang about, does he? Anthea Dixon? Hmm, could be worse.
Rachel finally plucked up the courage to tell Mike about the pregnancy. He looked shocked, totally gobsmacked in fact, but once the idea sunk in, he loved the thought of becoming a father (still ignoring Josh, then). Rachel confessed that she didn't know whether she wanted to keep it or not. Mike was certain that he wanted it and talked Rachel round.
To mark the engagement, the Dixon clan trooped over to the Millennium Club for a celebration, where Mike and Rachel promptly sole the limelight by announcing to all and sundry (well, Ron and Anthea really, since Jacqui and Megan already knew) about the forthcoming baby.
Matt and Bosko appear to have set up the Stones of Shad web site in double-quick time, for orders are already starting to come in. It looks like they've quoted Matt's home address, something which might become significant later, but things seem to be working out okay so far, judging by the fistful of cheques and postal orders which he was brandishing. There must be a lot of gullible, rich, hippie chicks out there, that's all I can say.
The boys are now looking for a backer to help with their expansion plans and the little matter of helping them get to Stonehenge, and this wonderful once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was offered to Jerome, since he has a car. Looks like young Miss Dixon has missed out on this one! But before things can be confirmed, it's necessary, apparently, for an initiation ceremony (of sorts) of which we know little, except for the time, place and date: Saturday night; midnight till dawn at a local site of Druid stones. Oh, and if you've read the spoilers in the TV listings magazines, you'll know it features a special guest appearance by something/someone else, too.
Sinbad went swimming (!) and afterwards met Jackie in the Mill Club bar for a little whinge session. Sin's feeling sorry for himself and Jackie, well, Jackie doesn't quite know what she's feeling. Sinbad's mood didn't improve when he saw the Dixons laughing and joking at a nearby table. Since Rachel was there too, he concluded that he'd lost out to Jessie Shadwick again on the baby-sitting front. That depressed him even more.
Oh, poor Sin. . . and there was more to come, this time courtesy of Ron, who managed to tell him about the pregnancy before Rachel had a chance to. He's fallen out with Rachel now. Somehow, it just wasn't Sin's day.
Summary © 1999 Graeme Selway
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001