We left Friday's episode with Mick and Sinbad lying on the ground having been attacked by Josh and his cronies. Mick's okay, well, okay-ish - he's hurt his eye and suffered some broken ribs, but at least he's up and about. A bit battered, a bit bruised, but up and about.
Sinbad's come off worse and is in hospital. In fact, initially he's described as critical, although thankfully, better news follows and he is taken off the danger list. The main problem seems to be his hearing, or more specifically his lack of hearing.
We don't know whether someone found them or how Sinbad got to hospital, suffice it to say that, the bizzies are now involved. Jerome wants to get involved too - he's all for a spot of revenge (an eye for an eye as it were), but Mick insists that he drops the idea.
Next door at the bungalow, Ryan tries to deliver a sympathy card on behalf of his parents. Jessie is touched at first, until she makes the mistake of raising the subject of the rape:
"Does this mean Nikki will be treated with respect in future?", she asks.
"If you accept that R'Luke's innocent, yeah", replies Ryan.
Jessie doesn't and tells him so: "She knows who she saw that night", she insists and hands the card back to Ryan, unopened.
Jimmy's problems are mounting. He's now back at school, but hasn't yet summoned up the courage to hand in his notice. He knows that he should, and Lindsey has also told him that he can't afford to delay it and be sacked, but he's not quite sure what to say (not usually a problem for R'Jim, is it?). Karen's turned cold and hostile - she insists that Jimmy does the honourable thing or that *she'll* do it for him.
Anyway, Jimmy does see the head, Mr Howard and gives him the 'teaching wasn't for me' story. Howard accepts Jimmy's resignation and puts him on three months notice. This wasn't good enough for Karen - she'd expected him to tell the truth and she wants him out immediately. True to her word, she does indeed tell Howard the full story and Jimmy is sacked on the spot. Their paths happen to cross in the corridor; Karen is absolutely livid and calls him a fraud and a criminal:
"I never want to see you again", she screams.
Jimmy is distraught - he was counting on three months' pay and tries to get the last word in as Karen scurries away up the stairs: "I can *do* the job. You *know* I can", he yells after her.
Down at the hospital, Susannah is coming round. Lindsey and Jacqui just happen to be at her bedside.
"Where's Emma and Harry?", she asks.
"Lisa's been looking after them", says Lindsey.
"How's Greg? Is he alright?" is the next question. Ah, that didn't take long, did it?
The news is broken as gently as possible, but Susannah, understandably takes it hard and there are tears. Sometime later, Nikki is back, still keen to ask Susannah some questions. Susannah hopes that Nikki will refrain from saying anything to Margi. She says that it was just a fling. And that it only happened the once. Yeah, of course!
"My Dad would still be alive if it wasn't for you" points out Nikki. Which of course, might well be true, but lets just say that it's not something that Susannah wants to hear just now!
In fact things get worse as Susannah's next visitor is Jessie.
"How's Margi?", asks Susannah, pleasantly.
"You've got a nerve."
"She's lost a child. I know how that feels."
"*I* lost one as well", Jessie points out.
"Oh God", cringes Susannah, as that fact dawns on her.
"I just need to know that you'll keep things to yourself", says Jessie, expectantly. "Margi need never know about you and Greg".
After Jessie has left, Susannah starts thinking things through in her mind. "What have I done? Why did I ever get involved with him?", she asks aloud. Lindsey's there, but one hopes that these are rhetorical questions!
Over on the parade, Leo and Jerome are prevented from entering Bar Brookie by... yes, you've guessed... Josh. Jerome is incensed, walks off out of sight and makes a call on his mobile phone.
True to form, Josh and his chums, also cause trouble *inside* Bar Brookie, with a number of 'Paddy' comments, and get chucked out. Oh yes, they get barred for life too. That's Jacqui's gesture, that. Josh, however, doesn't seem *too* bothered. "We'll see" is all he can say.
Outside in the road, a couple of cars pull up, apparently as a result of Jerome's earlier phone call. The occupants (which include Jerome and Leo) jump out and line up opposite Josh and his pals, but before anything can happen, Callum Finnegan walks up and finds that his path is blocked:
"Excuse me, gentlemen", he says, politely.
Josh steps back to let him pass. "Thank God for devolution", Callum comments and makes his way towards the Millennium Club. Once Callum is out of the way, a full scale fight ensues and Mike, observing from Bar Brookie, tells Jacqui to phone Mick. Despite his injuries, Mick is quickly on the scene and someone is heard to say that the police are on their way. The scuffle breaks up and the combatants scarper. All, except for one of Josh's gang who is seen lying in the road.
Callum, by now, is in the club, picking his way through the debris. He sees Lindsey:
"What the hell happened here?", he asks with a note of concern in his voice. "Looks like a bomb hit it."
It seems that Callum has a proposition to put to Lindsey. He doesn't beat about the bush and tells Lindsey in no uncertain way, that he wants the club. And that's not all:
"I want you out", he demands. "This is the last warning you'll ever receive" he continues, threateningly. "This is *not* negotiable. Disappear or I'll make you disappear."
Ooohh! He gives Lindsey just seven days to act. That's just seven days from now and:
"The clock is ticking", he advises. "Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock."
Hehe, he's great isn't he?
Summary © 1999 Graeme Selway
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001