Friday, 5th November 1999

Well, we got another look at the front of the Millennium Club today (sorry, make that the *New* Millennium Club), complete with it's new signage. Oh come on, who am I trying to kid? It was the old sign with a tacky 'New' added above the word 'Millennium'. I'm not even sure that many people would notice that the additional word was there. Maybe it was something that Lindsey knocked up herself in her own garage? On second thoughts, perhaps not - she hasn't got a garage any more. There's not even one at her parents since what had been the garage now houses the famous 'extension'.

Anyway, whilst I'm still rambling, and getting back to the subject of the New Millennium Club, is that *really* the club's main entrance which we keep seeing? It's not very grand, is it? Actually, it's not even *slightly* grand, it looks more like a fire exit to me. However, the interior is a bit better, not to mention surprisingly spacious and no, I still haven't worked out were people park their cars!

Susannah's decided that it's time she returned to work (even though she's about to go to her mother's for a week), but her best intentions failed her when she only got halfway along the parade before bottling it. She did bump into Darren though, who casually asked how she was and before he knew what was happening he was agreeing to let her transfer from her existing GP over to his practice.

Talking of Darren, his mixed up love life is still causing him problems. He knows how much he wants Victoria, but also he is keen on Charlotte. As he said to Nathan: "the last thing I want to do is scare her [Charlotte] off. I really do like her".

As it turned out, the decision was made for him, as Charlotte told him that she wanted to cool things between them, until such time as he knows what (who?) he really wants. Hmm, that could be quite a while, then!

Nikki, stuck in the bungalow, all on her lonesome, received a number of phone calls but we'll ignore the three which were from Margi calling to check up on her eldest daughter. Yep, three phone calls in twenty-four hours! The fourth call was bad news (or should that be worse news?) - it was Bernie ringing to say that she's being chucked out of her flat for being too rowdy and therefore Nikki couldn't move in. Nikki had to console herself with the fact that she'll have to stay in the bungalow a bit longer. She should worry; at least she's got the option! Anyway, she consoles herself with a bottle of vodka and a large carton of Sunny Delight.

There's a bit of a hullabaloo next door, in the Mussies' house when Ryan lets slip about Kelly's date with Leo. Joey wasn't keen on the idea and it was left to Niamh to talk him round.

Tim, in an attempt to engineer an opportunity to try and patch things up with Emily, begged Leo to get Kelly to ask Emily to tag along on the date. A sort of foursome / semi-blind date, if you get the picture. Tim nearly wets himself when Leo signals that Kelly's agreed. As for Emily, she's a tad miffed when she finds out she's been set up, but only a tad and it's soon forgotten.

Niamh's worrying about Joey's job in the petrol station again when she hears that Bing has sold up, especially when she finds out that Cassie's looking for other jobs. It's not long though before she tells Joey that this might all turn out to be good news - he may be offered the manager's job. This possibility, not unsurprisingly, hasn't crossed Joey's mind. Now that it has been pointed out to him, he reckons that he'll stand no chance against Jackie Corkhill, since she's been there "a lot longer".

Jerome's obtained some money off vouchers "from work" which entitle him to a couple of cheap meals at The Shelf. He offers to take Nikki, but she's apprehensive in case she bumps into Susannah. Jerome insists that she won't be there because she hasn't returned to work yet, and Nikki relents.

A couple of doors away, Katie is also offering up the chance to spend the evening at The Shelf. She persuades Ryan to join her since, courtesy of Jacqui, she's got some.... yep, money off vouchers. (And does Susannah know about all these coupons, since she's not started back at work yet? Just a thought!)

When pressed, Ryan insists that he's not chasing after Abby and therefore Katie should have no worries on that front (yeah, right!). Katie is visibly relieved to hear this. Shortly afterwards, Ryan takes a phone call (yes, from Abby - you guessed!) during which he learns that Lia has chicken pox. He decides that he must dash straight up to Edinburgh. Err... to do *what*, exactly?

Katie merely rolls her eyes and looks up at the ceiling when Ryan tells her of his plan. Tells her, notice - he doesn't ask her. Knowing that he's well and truly in her bad books, he makes tries to make amends by suggesting that Katie takes Luke along to The Shelf in his place, so that she doesn't miss out on the meal she was so looking forward to! Luke blasts Ryan for the way in which he's treating Katie and asks why he has to rush off to Edinburgh immediately.

Susannah has decided to make another attempt to go to the restaurant, this time for the evening session. Not only does she make it through the door, but is also heard to remark that it was easier to get back in the swing of things than she'd expected it to be. Hmm, we'll see about that....

In fact, we'll see right now, as Jerome and Nikki are noisily clambering up the stairs into the restaurant, Nikki at least, rather the worse for drink.

Susannah spots them: "Oh, no" she remarks, despairingly.

Nikki spots Susannah. "Oh, *brilliant*," she comments to Jerome, sarcastically. "I thought you said she was still off.

Susannah swans over. "Everything okay?" she asks in a particularly unfeeling way.

"Yeah, great," replies Nikki, callously. Then, noticing Luke at another table, raises her voice somewhat: "Oh, I don't believe this. Just when I thought the night couldn't get any worse, look who else is over there".

"Not going to cause a scene are we, Nikki?" asks Susannah, hopefully.

"Not unless *you* cause one," comes the reply.

With the situation diffused for now, Nikki starts knocking back the wine. However, it doesn't take long for the alcohol to take effect and Nikki becomes more and more mouthy.

Susannah decides that she needs to intervene again.

"You're disturbing my customers. I'm going to have to ask you to leave," she says, firmly.

"You're throwing *me* out, but you'll happily serve a rapist?" Nikki retorts loudly enough for probably the whole of the restaurant to hear. "I don't know why I came in, in the first place, knowing that the bitch who owns it killed me dad and me brother."

"Susannah's had enough: "GET OUT" she demands.

Nikki's still going strong: "She's a murderer, y'know," she declares to anyone who'll listen. "Watch you're husbands cos she'll steal 'em and then she'll kill 'em when she's finished with them."

"GO AWAAAAY."

"I hate you for what you've done," screams Nikki, as Jerome bravely tries to steer her towards the exit.

She then ends up sitting half-way down the stairs, sobbing to Jerome. "I hate her, I really hate her," she tells him.

I rather think he's got that message, don't you? We all have. They've probably heard the commotion in Belgium, too!

Episode written by Roy Boulter