Feeling a "need to talk", Shelley heads over to Number Ten, where she tells Lindsey why she rejected her approach the other day in the club. Shelley admits to Lindsey that she has a crush on her, but is sure that she'll get over it (maybe, but will Lindsey get over her crush on Shelley?). As Lindsey stands there, listening and getting ever-more confused, Shelley continues, saying that she knows that an affair isn't what Lindsey wants - you know, being straight and all that!
Across the Close, Niamh bumps into Max. She proudly tells him that she's writing her own Christmas cards for the first time, while in return, Max says that he's about to bugger up his first Christmas cake (okay, I'll admit that's my terminology, but it's what Max meant).
Joey's dismayed to hear that Jackie's given Luke his old job and a pay rise as well (I didn't realise that petrol stations had such well-defined hierarchical employment structures!).
Later, Niamh finds out from Jackie exactly why Joey lost his job (it goes without saying that Honest Joe hadn't been entirely truthful with her about the matter). She calls him "pathetic" and they fall out.
Also narked is Katie, who is feeling lonely and left out. She's fed-up having no boyfriend (her fault that, since she was the one who told Luke where to go) and having to work for "Lord Snooty". Jacqui tries to console her and concerning the boyfriend issue, Katie explains that she ditched Luke because she was afraid that people would think of her as a slapper since she was seeing Ryan one minute and Luke the next. (I'll bet that wouldn't worry someone like Lindsey!)
"It is quite pervy actually, having both brothers," agrees Jacqui, before consenting that Ryan was "a bit plastic". LOL. Katie starts thinking about Luke and admits that she still finds him "gorgeous". Eventually, she gets off her backside, calls him and agrees to see him that evening. Luke doesn't need asking twice.
Mark hears that his mother has been rushed to hospital after having suffered a stroke. Visiting her with Vic causes Mark to think about his own future and he tells Vic that she doesn't have to stay with him if she doesn't want to. Vic insists that she loves him and has no intention of walking away.
Mike and Rachel discuss names for the baby. A conversation which began considering first names ended up covering surnames too since Mike's suggestion that "Robbie Dixon" had a good ring to it prompted Rachel to ask him why he'd assumed that the baby would be a Dixon in the first place. Mike was rather put out (about the same amount as Rachel was, which seems only fair!) and having pondered the situation for a while, decides that the best way to resolve the problem (and ensure that the baby takes the name Dixon, no doubt) was to ask Rachel to marry him.
However, Rachel refuses saying that she doesn't want to change things and is still learning to trust men again after her experiences with Trevor and Christian. She wants Mike to stay with her because he loves her and not because of "a piece of paper". Mike though, isn't going to let it lie.
"When you feel that strongly you don't give up," he tells Lindsey later in Bar Brookie. This comment strikes a chord with R'Linds who gives the distinct impression of planning to utilise this little pearl herself....
Back on the Close, Ray has been repairing his wind sculptures (or whatever they were). Jessie is obviously as keen on him as he is on her and she tells him how grateful she is that he was around to help her deal with Nikki's behaviour the previous evening. She invites him to stay over for the Christmas period, not that he ever seems to go home, anyway!
Next door, Niamh is posting a Christmas card through Susannah's door when she hears a cry of despair from inside. Max (as he predicted) is having difficulty with his cake and Niamh offers to lend a hand. After the cake is safely tucked away in the oven, the conversation turns to Joey at which point Niamh gets rather tearful and blubs to Max how fed up she is with Joey's constant lying, cheating and letting her down (and to think that I thought that those were the qualities she admired in him!). Gradually they get closer and closer until they end up in each other's arms kissing passionately.
Hmm, at least this (in my opinion) made better viewing than Lindsey and Shelley doing the same would have done!
Episode written by David Young
Summary © 1999 Graeme Selway
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001