Last time, we left Josh the racist engulfed in flames and with half the Close watching, whilst his mates drove off at speed. The intervening period has seen Josh die in intensive care, a development which has affected the residents of Number Five in differing ways.
Jerome is almost 'pleased' with the result and declares that he's "not gonna shed one tear cos some racist burnt himself to death."
This attitude doesn't impress Mick who find's Jerome's comments disgraceful. Neither does it impress Leo, who is finding the events surrounding Josh's death very hard to deal with.
The other members of the household have things on their minds too. Sinbad is still having hearing problems and finding it all rather frustrating, to say the least. Tinhead has got himself an interview at what *was* the Millennium Club (more of that later) and also a date with Emily.
Next door, in the bungalow, Margi has received her travel tickets and is planning to leave for Belgium tomorrow. Tonight should be her and Emily's last night in England. Doesn't look to be much hope for Tim's chances, does there....?
....except that Emily vehemently doesn't want to go - not that she's mentioned this to her mother yet! She has said something to Nikki though and Nikki persuades her to tell Margi before it's too late. It's not an easy thing to do; Emily fully expects Margi to "kick off" and of course, she's not disappointed!
Margi is both surprised and disappointed, declaring in that case then, she wouldn't go either. Now, it's Nikki's turn to be put out and she talks her mother round and convinces her that she should still go, even without Emily.
At Susannah's, Max is making plans - he's off sailing next week and tells Susannah that he'll be taking her to her mother's whilst he's on the high seas, so that she's away from "that Shadwick woman."
It looks like Susannah's enjoying having Max around and Max, clearly, is enjoying being around.
Over on the parade, Ron is still taking deliveries of goods to tide him over the new year when he predicts that the millennium bug will cause the breakdown of civilisation as we know it. Today, it's a consignment of brown rice and freeze-dried milk. Hmm, nice!
It's the latest opening night for the Millennium Club... except that it isn't. It isn't the Millennium Club, I mean. No, indeed. Lindsey has got her way and it's been renamed... wait for it... the New Millennium Club. Err, yes, quite. I suspect that Jacqui and Susannah let her do this just to shut her up, as it seems that neither of them are particularly in favour of the change.
Susannah: "I think it's awful." Jacqui: "Unfortunately, Lindsey thinks it's dead clever."
Someone should have asked me. I'd have named it after Lindsey and Susannah, say the 'Corkscrew Club'.
Anyway, back with the opening night festivities, and Shelley gives Lindsey a gift of a clock. She also suggests that one way in which the club might increase takings is to run some gay nights.
Remember Tim's interview? Well, he got the job (barman), even if he didn't actually get the interview. Lindsey, just sort of... err, gave him the job. Maybe it was a test - to see how he handles problem solving. If so, he didn't have to wait long. The first problem arose as soon as he asked the apparently innocent question of "When do I start?".
"Now. We're open tonight, so it's all hands on deck," replies Linds.
"Erm, but I've got to meet someone."
"Look. If you want this job, you start this minute."
Tim takes the job, but try as he might, he's unable to get a message to Emily. When he does eventually get round to the bungalow - very late - he gets the front door slammed in his face. His bunch of flowers peace-offering doesn't do him any good either.
Back at the Club, Lindsey complains to Shelley that the opening night was a disappointment since the club was only half full (yeah maybe, but at least it's still in one piece!). She's also got a headache and Shelley offers to massage her.
"What's a nice girl like you doing in a game like this?" Shelley wonders, as she works on Lindsey's neck.
An innocent question perhaps, but Lindsey manages to pour out all the grizzly details, including the Finnegan's antics, the gun and everything. Not unsurprisingly, Shelley is rather shocked by all these revelations and hastily leaves.
Now, did Lindsey, *really* expect anything else?
Episode written by Maurice Bessman
Summary © 1999 Graeme Selway
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001