Once again, it's morning on Brookside Close. Max Farnham is just leaving for work when a smiling Jacqui Dixon walks across the close to the Farnham house. Since Jacqui and Max at last shared a kiss to which Max will willingly admit, the Brookside bods have effected a sort of make-over for Jacqui. No longer is she the latent adolescent of the past year - gone are the tracksuit bottoms and the tee-shirt tops that belonged to Kylie Stanlow. Jacqui is wearing a chic skirt and blouse, looking like the attractive twenty-something that she is. She and Max greet each other, easily pleasant.
Jacqui notes that the children are nowhere to be seen, and Max tells her that he's already taken them to the creche. He has an important business meeting this morning with a wine merchant. Jacqui asks him if he feels any differently about the things he said to her the night before, and Max is clearly taken aback. He's admitted he's smitten with Jacqui and doesn't want her to feel insecure of his affections. In fact, he asks if the two can meet later that morning at Bev's for what Max calls 'elevenses'. Jacqui notes the quaintness of that expression and says that it will have to be more of 'twelve-forty-fives' as she's a modern career woman. (Note the way Brookside are seeking to highlight the difference in age between Max and Jacqui - having Max Farnham, previously a trendyish man, suddenly speaking like Capt Mainwaring!)
At the Murray abode, Diane is meting out boxed lunches for the day. She's done one for Adele and for good measure, as she appears to have spent the night although she's nowhere to be seen, she's done one for Michelle as well. As she takes both lunchboxes from Diane, Adele sulkily asks if Diane has made absolutely sure that she's poisoned the right lunchbox, as she's certain Diane wouldn't want to poison Michelle by mistake.
Diane is horrified and Marty, standing at his favourite spot by the kitchen counter orders Adele to apologise. Adele refuses. Again, Marty tells the girl not to speak that way to her mother. Adele makes a point of replying: 'I'm not speaking that way to my mother, I'm speaking that way to HER.' She reiterates that Diane is not her real mother - a real mother loves her child no matter what the child does.
Now Marty demands that she apologise and aproaches his wife and daughter, each of whom affects a rigid stance with folded arms and faces looking stubbornly away from each other. He demands again that Adele apologise, when suddenly Antony appears, curious as to why Adele is being asked to apologise. Diane deflects the situation by telling him playfully that he's nosey and reminding him to get his towel for swimming today. Antony objects to having to take a puce towel, while Adele takes the opportunity afforded by her brother to leave the room.
When both kids have gone, Diane reverts to her old plea for Marty to make Adele 'see sense'. Marty sadly admits to Diane that Adele is no fool; she knows exactly what she wants. Perhaps it was time for Diane to accept Adele's true feeling toward her pregnancy and give her all the support the kid needs at this time, no matter what Diane is feeling in her heart.
Marty goes upstairs to find Adele sitting on her bed holding the packed lunch. As he enters her room, he asks if she's all right and she weakly nods her head. Marty asks again if she's really all right. Adele says that she just wants the whole ordeal to be over and done with - all this waiting and delay is racking her nerves. Marty asks if she's thought the whole thing out and if she's absolutely sure that she wants to go ahead with the abortion. He placates her by telling her he isn't trying to force her to do anything against her will, but he has to be absolutely sure she wants to proceed with this procedure, because there would be no turning back after it's done.
Adele doesn't hesitate to say that she wants the abortion. Again, Marty tries to make sure of her intent. He tells her it's not a decision to be taken lightly and it could affect the rest of her life. Is she sure she knows what she wants?
Adele replies that she knows what she DOESN'T want. She doesn't want a baby and she doesn't want to be pregnant. A baby right now would be disastrous for her. Marty tells her that he'll back her all the way, whatever decision she makes - even if she decides to change her mind. But Adele reiterates that she won't change her mind, and Marty tells her he'll make the initial appointment with Dr Roebuck.
Next door at the Corkhills, Jackie Corkhill arrives. It's the day the Child Welfare Officer is coming to interview her and Jimmy regarding William. Outside, William is bouncing on Kylie's mini-trampoline, while Jimmy rests a paternal eye on his son. Jackie is wearing jeans, a tee-shirt and a light cardy, but Jimmy is dressed to the nines, in a mustard yellow shirt, a tie and a waistcoat with a quilted back. Jackie sarcastically remarks that she wasn't aware she was attending a fashion contest. Jimmy, with that indescribably smug look we've all come to recognise lately, remarks that it's obvious from her dress that she wasn't aware. Jackie immediately starts hectoring about William's custody and why he should be with her, when the doorbell rings. Jimmy answers it and of course it's the social worker, whose first name is Cal.
Jimmy turns on the charm offensive, noting cheerily that she's right on time and sharing a joke about her time-keeping. He then goes to the kitchen and plays mein host - offering her a choice of cold drinks - orange or Brookside's own brand of water from its finest source, the Corkhill tap - with a dollop of ice thrown in, of course. It's clear the social worker is easily charmed by Jimmy, as Jackie hastens to explain that Jimmy has the gift of the gab.
Early in the afternoon, Jacqui and Max enjoy lunch together at Bev's, watched the entire time by the eagle eye of Leanne. Jacqui is laughing at some of Max's more quaint turns of speech - funny how Max has never spoken so quaintly before. Max is admitting that he'd like to ensure that he 'courted' Jacqui properly. Jacqui laughs and tells him he sounds like Ron, using that turn of phrase. Max admits that he's old enough to be her father, but Jacqui brushes that aside, reminding him of the pairings of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills and Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, but Max hastens to remind Jacqui that he isn't as old as either of those two men. He suggests that they go out that evening and tells Jacqui that he'll get a babysitter. Jacqui jokes that he'd best make certain that the sitter has a hairy face, as she knows Max's reputation with domestic help.
Bev, meanwhile, is being avoided by Lance. He's wielding a broom and Bev approaches him, demanding that they speak together. She tells a reluctant Leanne to mind the bar and she and Lance go upstairs to the next level for a word. She wants to know if that's all the value he puts on their friendship, that he can dump her just because she changed her mind about having a baby. Lance isn't listening to her. In his mind, it is over, because if she doesn't go through with her promise, then Fred will be deported. Bev apologises, but says that it wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be fair on all concerned. Anyway, the plan had changed since they first concocted it.
Bev explained that when she had originally agreed to have a baby, she was having the baby for herself as a sibling fo r Josh and for him, because he wanted to be a father. Now the rules of the game meant that she would get a baby and Lance would get his boyfriend. Lance protests that it hadn't changed at all. Bev disagrees, saying that she'd be left alone to cope with the baby. Lance says the baby would want for nothing and that he and Fred would 'do their part'. Bev remarks that he wouldn't be there for the child and a child deserves two loving parents who love each other - not a single mum and her lavender husband, who along with his boyfriend would be like two occasional uncles who showed up once weekly to take the kid on a stroll around the park. Lance objects, saying that he and Fred would be 'dads'.
Bev, as tactful but as directly as she can, tries to tell Lance that in her heart she knows that he wouldn't have the child's interest at heart, that he and Fred would always be first with each other. Lance can't see her reason and Bev finishes by telling him basically that the goalposts have changed considerably since she first agreed to have a child for him. Look at him - all he's concerned about is keeping Fred with him, he's never once given thought to the fact that she could face the clink - how long would it be, if she had the child, before the novelty wore off and he and Fred left her to cope with the baby. No, things had definitely changed, says Bev, and the fact that Lance couldn't see what she was meaning left her cold.
(All the while, this conversation was being overheard by Leanne).
When Lance returns to the bar, he tells Leanne that Bev has reneged on her promise to have a baby for him and Fred and now Fred faced deportation. Leanne remarks that Fred is still here, that Lance always did get stressed out over Fred and proceeds to tell Lance what she perceives to be the gossip about Jacqui and Max. Lance, again, isn't listening - instead, he's bewailing the fact that Bev's gone back on her word, which earns Bev one of Leanne's evil looks.
A tearful Diane Murray has called the salon, telling Emily that she might be in this afternoon and asking if everything is OK. She's cried off due to a banging headache and a summer cold. (OK, so what qualifications does Emily have as a hairdresser, besides learning on the job? As far as I can recall, EMILY is the trainee, the junior, and again SHE'S left to manage the salon - Diane Murray, great man manager! It's a wonder this business is solvent!) She pauses after making the telephone call to open her handbag and extract the picture of the unborn child she lost at the beginning of the year. This sets off another torrent of tears and sniffles and she shuffles morosely into the kitchen.
Not long afterward, Brigid noisily arrives, trying to do an impersonation of Julia Brogan at her motormouth best. As soon as she sees Diane, she susses something is wrong. Brigid is certain of that and Diane is not to try to fob her off by saying she has a cold. Standing over her daughter, Brigid, who hasn't stopped gassing (not even for breath) since she arrived, surmises that the cause of Diane's problem is the IVF - 'it's just not natural'. As if to remedy the side effects of IVF, Brigid fishes in her pocket and produces a small pack of glucose tablets, which she's purchased for Diane and which one of her cronies swears by.
When Di finally manages to get a word in edgeways, she tells her mother that something terrible has happened. Brigid assumes that it's the IVF - 'It hasn't failed again?' She asks. (Again? Surely this is the first attempt?)
As Brigid sits down, Diane tells her that Adele is pregnant. At first Brigid is unaware that it's Adele MURRAY about whom Diane is talking, because she asks 'Adele who?' Then she suddenly realises that it's 'Radele'. Brigid is understandably shocked and indignant. Adele is only fifteen years old. She asks Diane the identity of the father, but Diane says that Adele is refusing to tell. But she must be made to tell, insists Brigid. Diane and Marty must make every effort to find out the identity of the boy. He has to own up to his responsibility to Adele. Diane, sniffling, says there might not be time for him to admit that responsibility, basically because Adele wants a termination. In fact, she was very determined to have one.
Brigid is even more shocked. However, she suggests that Diane have Marty tackle the problem; Adele has always been a real daddy's girl; perhaps he could make her see sense. Diane admits that Marty is supportive of whatever Adele wants; he's even made an appointment for her to see Dr Roebuck. By this time, Diane is betting more bitter than upset. Brigid makes the grand pronouncement: 'No granddaughter of mine is going to have an abortion!' (Er, actually, Brigid, you're right there. No granddaughter of yours WILL have an abortion - simply because you have no granddaughter). Diane muses on the fact that Adele's foetus is two weeks older than the baby she lost and remarks vindictively that Adele doesn't deserve motherhood.
Next door, Jimmy and Jackie are talking with Cal, the social worker. Jackie is telling the woman about her own circumstances and putting a bit of professional gloss on them - how she runs and manages a local retail petrol outlet, she has a staff of four, she's decently paid, she's in charge of the rota so she can basically work the hours she wants, how she can provide Wiliam with the financial stability and comfort the child needs. When she finishes her spiel, it's Jimmy's turn.
Assuming that awful smug look, he begins by telling Cal that he's 'only' a popman in a local bar - and part-time at that. Doesn't earn much money. He forged qualifications a few years back and walked into a teaching job, because - well - it was what he wanted to do. But he was BETRAYED by Jackie and was forced to give the job up. And you know what? He was a brilliant teacher. After that, he lost his marbles and tried to top himself. So they sectioned him and put him on happy pills. Oh, and did he mention he was an ex-druggie? But he loves his son passionately. He mentions that he's lost one son and isn't about to lose another. And finally, as his piece de resistance, Jimmy tells the woman that Jackie's actually lost two sons ... Little Jimmy who died and just a couple of weeks ago, she lost William while she was downtown and he was left to wander the streets.
Jackie is horrified. She can't believe Jimmy would be so cruel as to do this. Jimmy continues, saying that William was hysterical when he got lost. And fair dues to Jackie, she was too - after about two hours.
Back at the Bar, Bev again demands to talk to Lance and the two are closeted in her office. Lance tries to tell Bev that she's thinking too much about the consequences of having a baby with Fred. He's certain once she's calmed down and gone through with this, everything will be all right. But Bev is adamant that she won't be following through with her part of the bargain. She simply can't. Lance again reassures her that both he and Fred will do their 'bit' with the baby.
Bev is certain that they won't. They are too caught up in each other to have room for a child in their lives, basically they are too selfish. Lance is being obdurate and finally Bev is forced to spell her dilemma out to him.
Bev is lonely. She wants and deserved to be loved. Of course, it would be nice to have a sibling for Josh, but she rattles around in her flat with nothing to show for the love stakes. Lance interjects to assure her that she's truly loved. Bev continues. She wants to be love loved, romantically loved, have a fella with whom she can share a bit of romance and a kiss and a cuddle. In short, she wants a man - not a married man or someone with another partner, not a gay fella, not a druggie, but a normal man, with whom she can have a child and who'll assume the total responsibilities of husband to her and stepfather to Josh. And any child of hers deserves more than a single mum and a lavender dad who only became a dad in order to reamain in the country. So, Operation Bambino is off.
Adele Murray returns home from school, listening to her Walkman. She enters the kitchen and spies both Diane and Brigid, standing at attention and both giving her the evil eye. Removing her headphones, she enquires as to whether this is a firing squad about to shoot her. Brigid orders her to sit down as she wants a few words with her. Glaring at Diane, Adele accuses her of telling Brigid about her circumstances, after promising not to tell anyone. Diane admits that she needed someone in which to confide, so she told HER mother - basically, admitting that she was out of her depth.
Brigid attempts a puerile explanation, saying that Diane had turned to her mother, just as one day Adele's baby will turn to her. Adele tells Brigid that she doesn't have a baby as such, it's just a mass of cells. Brigid launches a full-blown lecture about the sanctity of life etc, which leaves Adele cold. She's having an abortion; in fact, she can't wait to have the thing ripped out. Brigid is aghast, citing the teachings of the Catholic Church et al, all the while promising Adele the support of her family in rallying around to care for the child. Adele informs her that no one can force her to have a child she doesn't want and presumes to tell Brigid not to lecture her about her predicament, throwing the Catholic religion back in Brigid's face and ending by taunting Brigid with one of her favourite sayings: 'What is it you Catholics always say - hate the sin, not the sinner?'
Brigid is even more horrified, and stops Adele from continuing by asking her: 'Do you KNOW who you're talking to?'
Yes, Adele knows very well the identity of the person to whom she's speaking. Looking pointedly at Diane, she reveals she's been speaking to her stepmum's mother. And she flounces out of the room.
Back at the Corkhills', the Welfare Officer has just finished speaking to William in the back garden. She enters the kitchen to have a further chat with Jimmy and Jackie. She explains to them that in cases of this nature, it's often the procedure to ask the child in question with whom he would rather live. But in many cases, the child says he wants to live with both parents ... Together. And William has been no different. The social worker urges Jimmy and Jackie to work together to try to resolve the dilemma surrounding custody of William, for William's well-being.
Marty Murray enters the kitchen where Diane and Brigid are seated at the table. He's obviously been upstairs to check on Adele and has found her in a right state. He greets Brigid by noting that he wondered how long it would be before she was around the Murray place to stick her oar in and berates Diane for opening her big mouth to Brigid. He was under the impression that they would deal with Adele's problem themselves, involving as few people as possible.
Marty is blunt with Brigid, saying that he didn't want or need her interfering with Adele, that they were trying to deal with Adele's concerns in a way that was best for Adele. Diane is floundering, trying to stop Marty from proceding any further, saying that she needed Brigid's help in dealing with this situation. Brigid interjects that Marty wasn't too proud a few months back to have her help. Diane frantically tries to shush her mother as Marty gives her a curious stare.
Brigid reminds him of the £3000 she loaned him. Before saying anything else, Marty becomes aware of Antony's presence in the next room - something Diane and Brigid seem to have forgotten. He calls Ant into the room and hands him a fiver, telling him to go down to the garage and buy an ice lolly. Antony doesn't want to; he's watching telly. Marty tells him the exercise will do him good (and the ice lolly?), even though Antony protests that he's just returned from swimming. The boy notices Brigid's red-rimmed eyes and asks if she's been crying. Brigid feigns the fact that she has hay fever and says she hates the summer. Antony leaves.
Marty continues his discussion with Brigid, telling her to but out of interfering and remarking that he hates the fact that he owes her money. It makes him feel as though he has one hand tied behind his back. Brigid remarks that the other hand is holding a pint. (Could this be a dark secret of Marty's?) Marty storms out of the room. After he leaves, Diane remarks that the IVF procedure should be bringing her and Marty closer together, but Adele is tearing them apart. (Not Adele's situation, mind you, but ADELE, herself).
Later at the Corkhills', Jackie returns to talk to Jimmy. She wants to make an effort to get on with Jimmy for the sake of their son, like civilised adults. Surprisingly, Jimmy agrees. She's been thinking about what the Welfare Officer said about coming to some sort of agreement for William's sake and she's had an idea. How about she moves back into the house? They could have separate bedrooms and lead essentially separate lives, but they would be together for William's sake. Jimmy, again surprisingly, agrees that that's probably the best solution. In fact, he can tell her now exactly when she could move back in. Jackie looks at him hopefully, as Jimmy's face returns to its newly-found and infuriating smug lines. Jackie, he says, can move back in when hell freezes over.
Back on The Parade, Jacqui Dixon walks along the pavement and Max Farnham calls out to her. Running up to her, he makes a lame apology about having to cancel their date this evening. He couldn't get a babysitter. Jacqui acknowledges that it is short notice for a sitter and suggests the next evening. Max goes into bumbling, inarticulate Max mode, searching for a remark to hide his real reason for postponing the date. At that moment, he sees Mick Johnson enter the Bar. Mick stops and gazes briefly at Max and Jacqui together before raising a hand in greeting. Max hesitates in speaking to Jacqui, who susses the reason for his discomfort immediately. She asks if he were ashamed to be seen in public with her and Max attempts a lame excuse by saying that he wanted to keep their association a secret for awhile.
When Mick enters the bar, he finds Marty propping it up with a whiskey and a beer chaser. As Mick joins him, Marty warns that he's not very good company at the moment. Mick jokes that nothing has changed and asks what the problem is - women, kids or money, it's usually one of the three. Marty says that in his case, it's all three - mostly though, it's his mother-in-law. Mick sympathises (perhaps Mick would like to tell Marty that he actually KILLED his mother-in-law).
Interlude II: Adele Murray sits sobbing in her room. Antony enters, saying he's bought an ice lolly for her and finds her crying. He asks her what's wrong, but Adele tells him to leave. Ant thinks that perhaps she's crying because of Diane's embryos. Adele screams at him to leave. Antony, puzzled, says he'll put her lolly in the freezer.
Back at the Bar, Marty is even drunker. He and Mick have been exchanging mother-in-law jokes and laughing. Suddenly Marty becomes morose. He says his mother-in-law is always interfering and this time it's because Diane opened her big trap and told her a family secret. Mick asks if he wants to talk about it. Marty says, what the hell, if Diane needed a confidante, so did he. The problem was Adele. She was pregnant. Mick is innocently shocked. He didn't know Adele had a boyfriend.
She doesn't, says Marty. 'Some toerag got at my little girl and then left her to it'. Suddenly the grim realisation hits Mick full force and his face is a picture of wide-eyed shock as he hears Marty say he's determined to find out who the father is and beat him to a pulp.
Penultimate scene (actually little more than an interlude): Jimmy is tidying up, after telling Jackie to 'do one', when he hears Kylie and William, obviously playing a game. He listens intrigued, as if he isn't sure what he's hearing. The dialogue goes as such:-
Kylie: Go on, Jimmy. This is my part of the house and you can't come in.
William (or someone speaking his lines for him): My name is William.
Kylie: No, it's not. It's Jimmy. And I'm Jackie. Go on Jimmy. You stay in the upstairs of the house. The downstairs is mine and you're not allowed in.
Peeking around the corner from the lounge, he spies Kylie and William in the foyer. Kylie has her back to the lounge door. She's berating William as 'Jackie', telling him to 'do one' - but although she's calling herself 'Jackie', she's acting the part of 'Jimmy'.
Jimmy pauses for serious thought, obviously worried that his behaviour is being imitated by the children.
Summary © 2001 Marion Watts
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001