A V-reg black BMW pulls to a stop and parks beside the curb just around the corner of Brookside Close. Inside, we see the driver is the yob with the designer sunglasses. (Funny, I could have sworn he was in a T-Reg Vauxhall the previous evening). He's watching a distant scene of Ron and Anthea, laden with shopping, emerging from a black taxi. Ron is paying the driver, whilst Anthea speaks to Jessie.
Jessie has just returned from the hospital. Kitty, it seems, has had a massive stroke and is in a coma. Ray remains by her side, but it's touch-and-go. Anthea is asking after her. Jessie feels awful, just awful, especially as she and Kitty never got along. But Ray insisted that she return and attend Nikki's engagement party this evening. Ron comes over to enquire about Kitty and to say that he and Anthea had just returned from town, where they had purchased Nikki's engagement present.
Jessie asks if the couple are coming to the party and Anthea demurs, saying that she might just pop in to deliver the present, but as she had a splitting headache, she thought she'd better not attend. Jessie pleads with them to attend, especially now that Ray won't be there. As she leaves them for the bungalow, Anthea has second thoughts, wondering if she shouldn't go for Jessie's sake; but Ron tells her she'd best put her feet up.
Over at the Johnsons', Jerome is ironing his shirt for the do, whilst wearing a gob like a wet weekend in Brighton. Honestly, he makes Poor Pitiful Miseryguts look positively cheerful. Mick is taking the mick of him and attempting to lecture him on the big commitment he is about to make - just what Jerome wants to hear. Jerome doesn't want this fuss made; it's not as if he's getting married next week. Mick tells him that he's lucky. When Mick and Josie got engaged, it was a few pints down the pub, a few cherry brandies and an early night. Mick reminds him that an engagement is the first step in his commitment to spending the rest of his life with the woman he loves (like you did with Josie, huh, Mick? Or Marianne, or Elaine ...)
The Mekon skips down the stairs, wearing a UPVC dress that she found amongst her Barbie doll's cast-offs. It's at least two sizes too small for her and shows everything about her boobs, and barely conceals her nipples. Her hair has been bleached into lifelessness and her face still shows traces of acne. This is not bitchiness, this is a true assessment. Is Emily supposed to be sexy or a parody of sexiness? She's neither. But she's telling everyone that she's popping next door (whilst popping out of the top of her dress) to do her Nan's hair. Mick stops her briefly to remind her that tonight is the night the £2000 is due for the damaged television. Emily, in a panic, tells him he'll have it. Tim's arranging it. Mick reminds her that the deadline is this evening. As she leaves the room, Vonnie arrives, but Emily pulls her into the foyer to see if she's had a chance to talk to Mick, as Mick is still intent on the money. Vonnie confesses she hasn't had a chance to speak to him, but she'll try to do so that evening, maybe catching him in a good mood.
She enters the lounge, apologising for the delay as there had been a staff meeting at school. She kisses Jerome and refers to him as the bridegroom-to-be. Jerome is annoyed and tells her he's no such thing, but Vonnie insists that, as an engaged man, he is. Jerome leaves in a huff. Mick remarks how uptight he is, but Vonnie says it's just jitters and that he never liked being the centre of attention.
When Emily arrives at the Hiltons' to do Jessie's hair, Jessie is cheering everyone up with tales of Kitty's condition - how if she ever came out of her coma, she wouldn't be able to feed herself or go to the bathroom. Nikki listens, looking nervous, and comments that, if that's going to be the quality of life for her, perhaps it's best she doesn't survive. Emily doesn't understand Jessie's concern, as Kitty wasn't exactly fond of her. So she demands Jessie talk about something a bit more cheerful.
As Emily's about to start Jessie's hair, Tim arrives, saying he wants to talk to Em about 'Nikki's engagement present'. Out of earshot, he asks if Vonnie's talked to Mick. Emily says she hasn't, but she's sure she will. Tim is even more stressed. If Vonnie doesn't talk to him, he'll have to.
Max is walking along The Parade, pushing Emma and Harry in their pushchair, when he meets Jacqui, walking in the opposite direction. They great each other in a friendly, but reserved, manner and Max attempts an apology for his behaviour the previous evening. Jacqui stops him. There's no need. She realises now that he is still in love with Susannah. She doesn't understand why, but she respects his feelings. Perhaps it's best they just remain friends. Max starts acting like the old Max, with a bit of a sputter, attempting to say that he didn't want her to feel that he was rejecting her. Again, she stops him, telling him not to apologise for not wanting her.
She asks if he still needs a babysitter for this evening. He does. But Jacqui says he'll have to make other arrangements, as she's planned to attend Nikki's engagement party. At that moment, the Naughty Nurse and Poor Pitiful Miseryface approach the clinic. As they walk by, Nisha briefly greets Max and Jacqui, but Poor Pitiful Miseryface blanks her. Jacqui, determined, follows them to the clinic door and stops Miseryface, demanding to know why she wouldn't speak to her. Miseryface gives her a haunted tragic look (or as near as damn it) and rushes in the clinic.
Nisha, her new bezzy mate, tells Jacqui to just leave it. But Jacqui replies that she won't 'just leave it'. Poor Pitiful Miseryface is HER friend and she isn't going to let this one drop 'until it's sorted'.
At the Dixons', Anthea's taken some aspirins and her headache has subsided to the point that she now feels up to attending the party. In fact, she's about to wrap the package now. Ron rushes to attempt to dissuade her. She really should stay home and rest. But Anthea is determined. Maybe she needs to let her hair down tonight. And she leaves the room to wrap the present.
Left alone with Mike, Ron tells him that thanks to Mike's intervention with Robbie Moffatt, one of Robbie's mates has been pestering them with threatening phone calls recently. Ron, in fact, is sorely tempted to phone the police, but Mike stops him, saying that if he does so, the police will move to imprison him on remand, for his own safety. Ron says it isn't his safety he was worried about - the caller was threatening harm to his family - Mike, Rachel, Beth, Josh, Anthea or Jacqui.
At first Mike scoffs, saying that Robbie wasn't stupid enough to get someone to do something like that. Scare him, sure. Those fellas were all brag. Ron is determined to call the police, but Mike says that the police would only see this as detrimental to Ron's safety and clamp him up again.
But Ron is worried, especially for the women of the family. Mike assures him that Rachel and Beth are safe, because they are in Bristol; and he couldn't keep Anthea and Jacqui under house arrest. He asks Ron if they know, but Ron says he's been keeping quiet about it. However, he worries all the time about the man's threat and what would happen to Anthea and Jacqui when they least expect it. Mike reiterates that the threat is probably an empty one, but stresses that Ron should say nothing to either Anthea or Jacqui for the moment as it would only spook them. But if any other threats come their way, they'll have to think about what to do.
Interlude: Alone in her office at the bar, whilst preparing for the imminent engagement party, Bev sits and stares morosely at an official-looking A4 brown envelope, addressed to Mrs B McLaughlin-Gonzalez. She turns it over, as if contemplating opening it, but thinking again, places it at the base of the office computer.
Mick and Yvonne are alone at last in the Johnson house, indulging in a bit of innocent, but sexually-charged horseplay. Mick is in full Theophilus B Wildebeeste mode, a black god of luuuuurve, nibbling at Vonnie's neck and making her giggle. There's the odd double entendre remark or two and Vonnie suddenly changes tack and says, 'While you're in a good mood, there's something I want you to do.'
Theophi-er, Mick, thinks that's an ultimate come-on and makes a remark about there not being enough time before the party, but Yvonne insists she's serious. It's about the television Tim and Emily had wrecked. Mick looks quizzical and Yvonne continues. Surely he isn't serious about making them pay for the telly? Isn't there some other way?
'Like insurance?' Asks Mick. Well, yes, that's what Vonnie meant, actually. Mick laughs and says he's one step ahead of them all; in fact, he put a claim in a week ago and just heard from his insurer today that the claim had been approved. Vonnie looks at him in disbelief. Mick continues smugly, telling her that his contents policy had an Aladdin clause, which means when an appliance is damaged, he gets a new for an old one. So he'll be due a new telly for free.
Vonnie is more than shocked. She asks Mick why he did such a sneaky thing and continued to badger the young couple for the money the telly was worth. Mick laughs and said he wanted to teach them a lesson about being careless and irresponsible with other people's property. This shocks Vonnie even more. She asks Mick if he were aware of how worried the pair were, especially about how they were going to get the money to pay him. Why, with their past record, they could have done anything dodgy.
Mick suddenly looks concerned. 'Have they?' He asks. Vonnie assures him they haven't, but they could have, they were that desperate. Like what, Mick wants to know; but Vonnie is evasive - they could have done anything, but they hadn't. So Vonnie assumes that Mick is going to tell them the debt is called off sooner rather than later. Mick switches gear from Theophilus to his other alter ego, Stepinfetchit, rubbing his hands and laughing, 'Hee, hee, hee!' He announces that he's going to make them sweat a little while longer. Should be fun. Hee hee hee!
Jerome sits disconsolately front-to-back on a chair at the Hiltons', looking even more unhappy than usual. He is waiting for his fiancee to emerge in order that they might attend their engagement party. He must have been waiting for sometime, because he roughly calls out, impatiently: 'Will you hurry up in there?'
At that moment, Jessie emerges, immaculately coiffed and wearing a stylish deep blue cocktail dress. He stops short of saying anything else as she pirouettes in front of him, asking how she looks. Jerome manages to tell her lamely that she looks nice. Then the Mekon emerges, demanding that Jerome shut his eyes as Nikki is about to appear. He does so reluctantly, and when ordered to open them, sees Nikki emerge looking really quite lovely. She has her hair done in a high loose chignon with wisps falling around her face and is wearing a lime green cocktail dress with an uneven diagonal hemline, running from just above her right knee to mid calf.
Jerome weakly smiles and admits that she looks 'nice'. Jess is stupefied. 'Nice!' She exclaims. 'You told ME I looked "nice". Doesn't your fiancee deserve better?'
Jerome looks abashed, especially as Nikki suddenly looks concerned at the expression on his face. As she approaches him uncertainly, he tells her she looks 'boss'. Nikki is doubtful of his sincerity and asks him again how she looks; and again he manages the apt description 'boss'.
Over at the Dixons', Anthea sits at the dining room table applying her slap, while Jacqui makes small talk about the impending engagement party. Anthea is dressed to the nines, but Jacqui wears some unflattering tracksuit bottoms and a tight-fitting teeshirt that looks as though it could have belonged to Kylie Stanlow. The trousers make her bottom look enormous and when she sits down, the teeshirt reveals the beginnings of two spare tyres around her waist. (And why is it these Brookside women can't pur their slap on in the bathroom or their bedroom - we've had Emily applying lip gloss in the Johnson lounge and there's Anth pancaking over the dining room table!)
Ron is uneasy. He keeps trying to talk Anthea out of attending, citing her previous headache and her need to get her feet up and rest. Anthea and Jacqui have other ideas, Jacqui wondering if some scrummy male stripper might be on the agenda. Ron suggests a quiet family night in or a game of cards, all the time glancing uneasily at Mike. But Anthea makes a move to put some perfume on and the two go off. Outside, they are watched by a figure in a car from a distance.
Max is in his garden and approaches Anthea to pass a few words, while Jacqui pointedly looks the other way, ignoring him and looking tearful. Max notices this, maintaining a hurt expression on his face the entire time he speaks with Anthea.
Anthea says her good-bye to him and as she leaves with Jacqui, she asks if Jacqui and Max have had a falling out. Jacqui affirms this, saying it was over Susannah. It seems Max isn't over her at all. Anthea puts a comforting arm around Jacqui, saying that she thought something like this might happen.
At Bev's the party is beginning, with Mick ordering drinks and Jerome looking anything but like a man in love. He looks sullen. Nikki notices this, but tries to appear at ease. Nikki declines anything alcoholic and thanks Bev for letting her put her do on here. Bev seeks assurance from Nikki that she's doing the right thing, but Nikki is confident that this is something both she and Jerome want.
Emily notices the karaoke machine has been set up and suggests that they have a look at what songs are on offer. She, Tim, Nikki and Jerome do this; Emily notices that one of the songs is 'You're the One that I Want' and suggests this would be a good song for Nikki and Jerome to sing.
Nikki asks Jerome to sing it with her, but he's becoming increasingly more short-tempered. He declines, saying he thinks karaoke is stupid, but Nikki insists, saying it's the perfect sort of song that an engaged couple might sing. Jerome ungraciously concedes and promises he'll sing it with her later and storms off.
Bev notices this and later exchanges some sarky remarks with Jerome about the state of affairs re his relationship with Nikki. But as Jerome doesn't know that Bev knows about him and Nisha, he rightly doesn't know what she's talking about.
In a private moment, we see Bev again contemplating the official-looking envelope, debating whether or not to open it.
Seated at a table are Vonnie, Mick, Jessie, Tim, Emily, Nikki and an unhappy Jerome. Vonnie suggests that Mick propose a toast to the happy couple. Mick begins by saying that the best thing that's ever happened to Jerome is Nikki, that Vonnie had told him about what a ladies' man Jerome was prior to his involvement, saying that sometimes he even saw three different girls in a month. Jerome sinks low in his chair and sinks even lower, when Mick suggests he say a few words.
At that moment, the Naughty Nurse and Miseryface enter the bar, apparently unaware that there is a private function in progress. (Has Bev ever heard of signs?) Spotting Jerome and sussing the meaning behind what's going on, Nisha remarks that this appears to be a private party and suggests that she and Miseryface go elsewhere for a drink. But Miseryface, oblivious to the fact that it's immensely bad form to attend a function to which one isn't invited, churlishly refuses to go, remarking that she 'gets on' with apparently everyone in attendance at the party (which gives her, therefore, the divine right to attend). As Anthea and Jacqui enter, Nisha coyly remarks that there are two people Miseryface might not see eye-to-eye with. Miseryface screws her face up more sourly than usual and turns her back on a sad-looking Jacqui.
As Anthea and Jacqui sit down, Nikki offers to go to the bar and get their drinks. As she arrives, Bev draws her attention to Nisha and Katie at the lower end of the bar, asking her if she minds the fact that 'Nurse Rachet' has just sauntered in. Shrugging her shoulders, Nikki says it's a free country, Nisha can drink where she likes - Jerome was Nikki's fiancé now.
As Nikki's ordering the drinks, Jacqui makes another attempt to speak to Katie. She approaches Katie and Nisha, but Katie is intent on snubbing her. Thinking that Nisha's presence might influence Katie or hinder her own progress, Jacqui asks Nisha to give them a moment alone and Nisha toddles off to her favourite enclave at Bev's - the loos - not unnoticed by Jerome.
After a moment or two, Jerome, glancing around surreptitiously, rises from his chair and follows her. Bev draws Nikki's attention to the fact that Nisha has disappeared upstairs and that Jerome has followed. Nikki hesitates for a moment, and Bev encourages her to 'go after him'.
Meanwhile, Jacqui is desperately trying to talk to Katie, frantically asking her why she's intent on punishing Jacqui for Clint's death. Katie maintains a stone face and doesn't reply. (What a power game this woman is on! This shows how little regard she had for a long friendship and how she has been waiting for an opportunity to put the boot in on Jacqui).
As Nikki mounts the stairs to the loos, she hears a conversation between Jerome and Nisha, who are standing outside the conveniences. Nisha is telling Jerome to go back downstairs to his fiancee and his engagement party. Jerome counters that he isn't at all bothered about the engagement party. In fact, he doesn't want to be with Nikki at all. It's Nisha he wants. If Nisha will just say the word, he'll go downstairs and break off with Nikki this very moment.
Nisha tells him there's nothing between the two of them. If he has doubts about Nikki, then the doubts lie within Jerome and have nothing to do with her.
Jerome replies that he feels he's been pushed into a corner unjustly in this engagement issue. He's too young, just turned 21 and he's only got one year of uni behind him. He likes Nikki, but doesn't feel ready to make a commitment to her at this time.
Nisha says that's understandable and if he explained as much to Nikki, perhaps she would understand, if that's the real reason he wants to finish with her. She accuses him of remaining with Nikki out of convenience and using his relationship with her as an excuse to rid himself of a relationship he is too cowardly to end. She accuses him of not having the guts to finish with Nikki on his own accord.
Rising to the challenge, Jerome then says he's going downstairs to call the whole thing off this very instant. Fine, says Nisha, only before he does so, she has three things to tell him:-
1. Do NOT use whatever occurred between them as an excuse to end his relationship with Nikki.
2. Do NOT do the dastardly deed whilst she is present, please. Ever the selfish one, Nisha is off-duty and came into the bar in an effort to unwind. She doesn't feel able to cope with Nikki's state after a rejection of such immense proportions, and
3. Above all, do NOT think that, finishing with Nikki entitles him to resume a relationship with her.
Hearing all this, Nikki is crushed and runs, crying, down the stairs to the bar, where she orders a large vodka. A chastened Jerome appears by her side, offering to buy her a drink, which she refuses. Then Nisha appears and - rather than taking her leave - takes up her vigil at the opposite end of the bar, less than a meter away from Jerome, who can't keep his eyes off her. Bev appears and asks what time Nikki wants her to begin the buffet, to which Nikki says that they'll begin eating in about half an hour.
At the Dixons', Ron is wearing a path in the lounge carpet, or rather, a trench, in Mike's words. He's concerned because Anthea hadn't returned; he was under the impression that she was going to pop into the party, drop off the gift and return. There's no telling what might happen and who's waiting around the corner for her. Why, she might not even have made the party!
Mike suggests that, in order to put his own mind at ease, Ron go over to Bev's to check and see that Anthea was all right. Ron demurs, citing the fact that he might run into Katie again and have another flare-up. Suddenly Mike remembers that Tim is at the party. He'll ring Tim's mobile and ask him to verify Anthea's and Jacqui's presence. (Crikey, it amazes me how everyone remembers everybody else's mobile numbers - I have trouble remembering my own.)
He rings Tim and asks if the two are there. Tim confirms that they are. Mike then tells Tim about the threatening phone calls, saying that they are obviously Robbie's doing, and asks that Tim keep an eye on Anthea and Jacqui. Tim agrees to do so.
Mick approaches Tim and Emily, who look uneasy. Mick asks about the money they owe him and is nudged sharply by Vonnie, who hisses at him to tell them. Tell them what, Emily wants to know. Mick, a bit shame-faced, tells Tim that he and Emily are off the hook. He put in a claim a week ago with his insurance company re the telly and he's now getting a new one. This whole ordeal was just to let them know that next time he wouldn't be so lenient with them. He wanted nothing of that sort to happen again. Emily is speechless with delight that they are free of the debt, but Tim is less than gracious, sarcastically thanking Mick. Emily can't understand his reaction, but Tim is annoyed that he racked his brain for a fortnight with worry about that telly to the point that Emily almost committed a crime, to find it was all a big joke with Mick from the start.
Nikki's downed a few drinks, whilst watching Jerome sneakily make eyes at Nisha, and she suddenly approaches Emily and demands that the karaoke begin early and that Emily sing a song with her. They start to sing 'I Will Survive' (with Emily's pop-manufactured voice out-gonging Nikki's weak attempt).
Jessie and Anthea are having a chat, Jessie having just heard from Ray, who's phoned to say Kitty's taken a turn for the worse. Ray's said that she almost died. Jessie remarks that Kitty hasn't been the same since the initial burglary at the Dixons. Anthea agrees, saying that she still is finding it difficult to sleep at night and doesn't feel the house is her home anymore.
Jessie blames the torment at the Dixons' for having an adverse effect on them all. Look at Ron. Of course, she wouldn't have gone as far as he did in killing someone, but after all, he was only trying to protect his family, when the police, guardians of society would not.
Anthea is making her excuses for leaving, saying her headache has returned. Jessie isn't surprised with all the thumping music. Anthea turns to a passing Jacqui to ask if she'd mind if Anthea returned home now, citing the ubiquitous headache - to which Mick, equally passing, jokes that Ron is 'on a promise'. Jacqui says her good-byes to Anthea and returns to Katie and Nisha, once again to bargain with Katie.
As Anthea leaves the bar, Tim notes and follows. The moment she appears on the Parade, the black BMW revs up and takes off at a speed. Anthea walks on down the Parade as Tim notes the car. He begins to run after her, calling her name. As she begins to cross the street, he reaches her and pulls her back onto the pavement, just as the car speeds away.
Inside, Jacqui again approaches a sullen and unforgiving Katie, asking her yet again, why she won't speak to her, at least let her sit with her. There's no one in the bar to whom she can talk about anything. Katie just keeps saying 'Go away', while Nisha maintains the pose of a wooden statue. Jacqui desperately asks for Katie's friendship, but Katie is past caring. Jacqui eventually gives up and leaves.
Meanwhile, the singing of 'I Will Survive' continues, Nikki singing increasingly more and more half-heartedly, noticing that more and more Jerome's attentions are straying in Nisha's directions, and Nisha is nervously returning his looks. Suddenly, Nikki breaks off in song, saying, 'Stuff it.'
Emily stops, surprised. Still holding her microphone, Nikki approaches the edge of the parapet on which she's standing, asking rhetorically why the whole farce of an evening should even continue, when it was patently obvious that Jerome didn't want to be with her. Yes, that's right, Jerome, her Jerome, didn't want her. He wanted Nisha. In fact, he'd been sleeping with that slapper all along. And Nikki collapses in tears against Emily.
Summary © 2001 Marion Watts
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001