Tuesday, 14th September 1999

Sunday today! Although why that should be particularly relevant, I'm not sure. No one was doing any work, so perhaps that's why?

Does the chippy close on Sundays? Unless Sinbad was running it single-handedly, I guess so, but then Mick did mention that since the bombing and the food poisoning scare, there aren't many customers about anyway. But then, put like that, you can't blame them for going elsewhere really, can you?

Mick was concentrating most of his efforts on trying to convince Leo and Jerome that they were potentially in very serious trouble over the brawl on the parade, especially now that one guy is going to be confined to a wheelchair as a result. He wants them out of the way for a while so that if any more trouble flares up, they won't be in the frame.

Eventually, both Jerome and Leo come around to Mick's way of thinking. The police, apparently, won't need to see the lads for a few weeks and Jerome, having been convinced by Mick that disappearing for a while won't be seen as "running away", remembered that a friend's father has a caravan down in Newquay. Tim's also keen to join them on a trip down to "pastyland".

Apart from Leo and Jerome, the other thing playing on Mick's mind was the chippy - the lack of customers is going to make it very difficult for him to find the £1000 he needs to pay the fine. He tells Tim that upon his return, he will only need him to work part-time.

Jerome resolves one of his outstanding disputes by finally paying Ryan for the cost of repairs to his car and this debt having now been settled, promptly sets off, along with Leo and Tim to the land of sun, sea and surf (September weather permitting, that is).

Next door to Mick's, in the bungalow, a 'with sympathy' card arrives from Harvey. It's quickly filed in the nearest bin.

Margi's watching the TUC conference on the telly. Apparently, this is an acceptable substitute for not being there in person. She says that she's not particularly bothered about missing out on a trip to Brighton but I'm not entirely convinced of that! In fact, Margi even tells Nikki that, under the circumstances, she's not even missing her fancy new job in Brussels.

"You're not thinking of giving up on *that*, are you?", Nikki asks, with a note of surprise creeping into her voice.

"After what's happened? I can't just up sticks and go over there, love" replies Margi. "It'd be like I was abandoning you all."

However, upping sticks is *exactly* what Nikki thinks Margi *should* be doing (I can't argue with that!) - having something to look forward to is just the thing to help get over the loss of Greg and Jason, Nikki reckons. Well, she does reckon that as far as her mother is concerned - Nikki herself, has no intentions of going anywhere (apart from still having plans to move in with Bernie, at some point, that is).

Susannah, we are informed, is now *out* of intensive care, by the way.

Over in Bar Brookie, the flexis (and Jacqui) are having a few drinks. Nathan invites Jacqui, to a barbecue at his parents' house, which causes young Miss Dixon, quite some relief as she's been wanting to meet his folks for some time.

Vic and Darren continue to get closer. In fact, they manage to get closer than you'd imagine in a public place and end up snogging in a cubicle in the Gent's. Cue Mark's arrival, on a Victoria-hunt, as usual, and he eventually tracks them down to their secret hideaway (sorry, cubicle!). He *does*. Really! He ends up kicking the door down and recoiling in horror when confronted with the sight which he *must* have been expecting! Large cubicle, is all I can say!

Anyway, the inevitable slanging match ensues, during which Mark grabs Darren, but is pushed aside, and Victoria finally loses it and hysterically tells Mark once and for all, that it's over.

"Well, this is it, okay? Finished. Full stop. Us. Forever. No more. Understand?" she shrieks before chucking her wedding ring in his direction.

Back on the Close, Jimmy is in Lindsey's house. Lindsey has forwarded the initial one thousand pounds to the Vicar's account and is now on tenterhooks awaiting the outcome. She's also now having second thoughts about the whole thing. Serious second thoughts:

"I just don't think it's *right* to have him [Callum] killed" she says.

Jimmy tries to convince her that it's too late for such thoughts: "So, what if the Vicar's already done the job and Callum is toes up?" he asks.

Lindsey doesn't really have an answer for that, so they move on to deliberating how they will know when they job has been successfully carried out. The doorbell sounds.

"Mr Corkhill?" enquires a man who's arrived in a large (and empty) white van.

"Yeah?" says Jimmy, cautiously.

"Quick and Easy Removals", says the White Van Man and hands Lindsey an envelope.

She opens it, to find a note from Callum inside. The White Van Man drives off.

"Time's up. Thought this removal firm might be of use to you. Next time it'll be the undertakers. Love, Callum", the note reads.

"Well, I think this is the proof that the Vicar hasn't done the job yet", suggests Jimmy.

Bizarrely, to my mind, receipt of Callum's note just makes Lindsey even more certain that she *doesn't* want Callum dead and tells Jimmy (*demands*, more like!) to ring his 'contact' and get the Vicar off the case, as it were.

"Love, it doesn't work like that", Jimmy tries to explain. Lindsey, though, is not having any of it.

"I've had time to think and I know now that it was wrong, me wanting to have him killed", she says. "I want the Vicar stopped. I don't want him to kill Callum. Now, will you help me, please or do I have to start walking the streets looking for him?"

Cor! What is it with R'Linds and Callum, eh? Want, want, want. She's like a spoiled kid. First she wants him dead. Now she doesn't. Hmm, maybe she *has* got a thing for him. But it would never work, you know. No, they're just too similar!