When you've had a week as bad as Jacqui Dixon's been having, then you could do without Friday the Thirteenth living up to it's reputation. No such luck though, as she finds out that Nathan has to suddenly up-sticks and spend a fortnight representing a client in a Preston court - starting today. Not only that, but he won't be able to make the Club's opening celebrations either. Jacqui's not pleased and makes her feelings known.
[ Date for your diaries - the opening 'do' for the Club is two weeks today - Friday 27th. I wonder if there'll be any fireworks? ]
Jacqui's also having problems with a firm of printers who've failed to deliver some brochures. She asks Jerome to go and collect them and tells him to take *her* car. Recounting the problem with the printers to Lindsey, Jacqui jests:
"You haven't been round there practising your man management skills have you?"
Obviously, Lindsey isn't amused and wipes any faint trace of a smile from Jacqui's face when she says (and this is news to us viewers, as well) that she actually *saw* Jerome reverse into Ryan's car, although she's not planning on telling anyone else. Jacqui instantly regrets her rather rash decision to lend her car to Jerome but it's too late - the sound of squealing tyres can be heard outside. Perhaps surprisingly, the car was returned in one piece - as far as we know.
Jacqui then tackles Susannah about the evening when she filled in at the restaurant so that Suse could spend more time with her kids and gives her the opportunity to come clean. Susannah doesn't cotton on and so it's left to Jacqui to spell things out in words of one syllable. Poor Susannah is rather taken aback. Poor Susannah? I can't believe I just wrote that!
Niamh's getting excited about Luke's release from jail, next Friday. She's already bought him a new shirt and has plans for a family meal out (bound to be in either The Shelf or Bar Brookie, yeah?) not to mention festooning the house with 'Welcome Home Luke' banners. Ryan pleads with her not to go overboard and to keep things quiet - it seems that Ryan has secretly visited the prison and Luke insisted that he couldn't handle a "big fuss" - also he wants Ryan (on his own) to collect him from jail. Niamh's disappointed - no doubt we'll see if she can resist!
Talking of Ryan, the Mussie Cabbie literally bumps into Jerome in Bar Brookie and takes the opportunity to *demand* that Jerome pays him £500 for repairs to his car. Jerome just laughs and Ryan's stress levels visibly sky-rocket.
"He's not heard the last of this. Not by a long way" Ryan declares to Katie.
Once Katie found out from Jacqui that Lindsey had actually seen the accident, she went around to the bungalow. She tells Nikki straight, that she either talks to Jerome and gets the mess sorted out "nice and quietly" or she'll "tell Ryan the truth and he'll call the police, throwing a few punches on the way."
This was the second upset for Nikki, who'd earlier offered to make lunch for Jerome and Leo. This plan was thwarted though, when Jason returned home to find his favourite neighbour sitting in his living room. Jerome couldn't resist lobbing in a few jibes which naturally helped Jason to go off the deep end, causing both him and Leo to be forcibly ejected from the bungalow.
Over in the yuppie flat, Mark and Vic meet, ostensibly to discuss dividing up their possessions. Vic insists that the house be sold, a plan which Mark vehemently disagrees with. He suggests that they wait until the market improves, which no doubt, really means 'we could still get back together'. He also proffers the idea that Vic can't afford to sell early and lose "thousands" or she wouldn't have to live in a flat above a row of shops.
Mark, in his quest to win back Vic, even goes as far as to suggest that there's something going on between her and Darren. This is too much for our web-site designer who shows her former other-half the door.
Jacqui, Lindsey and Susannah meet to discuss how they might fund the extra cost of hiring a new firm of builders at short notice, but the meeting fails to achieve anything other than plenty of sniping and Jacqui gives up. She walks off in despair.
"I'll tell you what. Why don't you two take the meeting, seeing as you're both so committed. I mean if you're <looking at Lindsey> not out threatening builders, you're <looking at Susannah> sleeping with them." LOL!
Summary © 1999 Graeme Selway
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001