Real family entertainment tonight on Brookside - intrigue, moral lessons taught, a bit of the Von Trapp family, a bit of the Waltons and ... Pinocchio! The wooden puppet (briefly) became a boy!
It's mealtime at the Murrays - not sure if it's supposed to be a slap-up breakfast, because Brigid is there, but Plank begins things by asking a harried but happy Diane for another round of toast; only to be piously told off by his younger brother for making Diane work extra hard when she's supposed to be resting. Plank responds good-naturedly by reminding Antony that Antony never complained about Diane cooking his meals or washing his dirty pants.
Throughout all this banter, Adele sits silently, looking supremely uncomfortable and miserable. Finally, Marty enters, saying nothing to no one, but eyeing Brigid and Diane with cold contempt. He sits down and glances apprehensively at Adele, who studiously avoids his gaze. Actually, she manages to studiously avoid everyone's gaze, staring abashedly at her plate.
When Marty has seated himself, Diane calls for everyone's attention. Now that everyone in the family is here, she begins, she has an announcement to make. Adele, fearing the worst, sinks imperceptibly lower in her seat. Marty stares at his daughter. Diane, her usual grin now fixed maniacally and spread further than the usual ear to ear, continues. For the benefit of those present who don't know - and that means Antony and the Plank, she emphasises - Adele has decided to keep the baby.
For an expectant mum, Adele looks decidedly abject. In fact, she looks more than close to tears, and those are not tears of joy. The reactions of her brothers are predictable. Antichrist Antony leaps for joy and jumps from his seat to hug his sister. Adele pushes him away angrily, calling him a 'meff'. The Plank is rather unpleasantly surprised - he thought she didn't want the baby. Not meeting anyone's eyes, Adele mumbles that she's changed her mind.
Antony asks her when the baby's due and she tells him it's due in December. Then, Antony surmises, Adele won't be returning to school. Instantly, Adele is on the defensive. Yes, she insists, she would be returning to school. This idea is seconded strongly by her father, who repeats the fact that Adele most certainly would be returning to school. Well, purrs the Sainted Mother placatingly to more to Antony than anyone else, Adele would have to miss some school. Adele looks even more miserable as she realises her stepmother has the girl's future all marked out for her.
But she'll go back, insists Marty. Diane smiles beatifically and says that that remains to be seen, implying that Adele's baby would take precedence over any further schooling. (Do I detect the merest hint of superior satisfaction in her smug reply - meow meow purr hiss). Marty raises his voice: Adele WILL go back to school.
Diane pointedly ignores him and continues to address the Von Trapp Walton Murrays. The important thing is that they ALL have to rally around and pull together to give Adele all the support she needs in caring for the baby. They all have to take their turns. Brigid, not content to be left silently on the sidelines when she's so used to sticking her oar in, reminds Diane that she too could be pregnant, if she finds out that the IVF treatment worked the ensuing week. Then both she and Adele could be pregnant together. Adele looks positively green at the thought, and Diane's grin is close to cracking now. Looking heavenward, she begins to warble a chorus of 'Somewhere in My Youth or Childhood' ... Well, actually, no she doesn't. But that wouldn't have gone amiss in this scene, instead:
'Just think, Marty,' she witters and titters, 'TWO babies in the house!'
Marty glares at her. Diane rattles on telling everyone how they'd all have to make sacrifices etc etc. Suddenly Adele's had about all she can take. She jumps up shouting that she wishes everyone would stop going on about 'the stupid baby' and the girl performs her party piece of flouncing from the room. Marty continues to glare at Diane, who suddenly looks very uncomfortable in the situation.
Jacqui Dixon and Victoria are seated at a table in the bar. They are discussing the fact that Victoria had discovered Jacqui with Max in flagrante and having a laugh about it. Jacqui asks Victoria what she thinks of Max. Victoria giggles and says she thinks Max is all right. Jacqui thinks he's gorgeous and she gets Victoria to agree to keep mum about the Max and Jax relationship.
Meanwhile, behind the bar, Leanne is having a moan to Lance. It's his last day and she's having a last-ditch effort in convincing him to stay. Lance can't go, she argues. If Lance goes, what's to stop Bev from sacking her? Bev doesn't like her. She only tolerates Leanne for Lance's sake. Lance suggests that Leanne leave as well. The pair of them don't need Bev McLoughlin-Gonzalez, not when they have each other. Leanne could do much better than this.
But if she left, Leanne asks, how would they pay the rent? Lance says they could always go back to the squat, but Leanne refuses. Maybe if she had a word with Bev, she would see sense and apologise to Lance.
Back at the Murrays, Diane is sitting alone in the dining room when Brigid enters. The Blessed Mother of the Bleached Hair looks shattered. Brigid asks her what's worrying her - is it Adele? Because the whole family will pull together for her, you know. Diane admits that she isn't thinking about Adele; she's thinking about her favourite subject: herself and IVF. Diane admits she's worried that the IVF won't be successful.
Brigid gives her the usual motherly pep talk about thinking positive; but Diane says that the first attempt is almost always unsuccessful. (That's how they con you into coming back again and again, Diane). What if it fails? Brigid remarks that perhaps Adele's baby will be a blessing in disguise if the treatment does fail. At least Diane would have access to a baby then. Diane says it wouldn't be her baby, but Brigid emphasises that it would still be a baby. (Funny, how - before Diane knew that Leo Johnson was the baby's father, making the baby of mixed race - she was ever so keen to raise this child as her own - now it's a different kettle of fish. Some people might say ...) She then asks Diane if she's ever contemplated what she would do if she found out, after all that treatment, that she just wasn't meant to have a baby. It's something she has to think about and address. Diane brushes that idea away, refusing to think about it until she's forced to face it (and bankrupt Marty in the bargain).
Just at that moment, the doorbell rings. The Plank goes to answer it, reckoning it might be Trona. Adele and Marty are sitting morosely in the lounge when they hear Mick's voice, asking if Marty is here. Adele panics at the thought of Leo's father coming to the house. As Mick uncomfortably enters the Murray lounge, Marty addresses him: 'You've got a nerve coming round here! What do you want?'
Mick just wants a word with Marty. Marty points out about the fine show Mick had put on the day before, but Diane and Brigid, who have just entered the room, shush him. Marty reminds them that Mick threw the first punch. Mick says he just wants them to know that he's spoken to Leo about the events in the Murray household. Leo was surprised, he said, but now the lad had come round to the idea and wants to do his bit.
His bit? remarks Marty sarcastically. He's done his bit already. In fact, he did his bit when he slept with Adele and left her to it. What's he plan on doing now? Mick says that Leo wants to contribute financially to the child's welfare. Diane and Brigid are pleased. Leo living up to his responsibilities, how sweet! Happy families.
Marty asks if Leo were returning to Liverpool. Mick admits that Leo wants to come home, but only for awhile - to sort things out. Marty asks if Leo's going to see the baby after it's born. Mick says that Leo would return from time to time, of course. Marty scoffs, of course - and then he'd return to the other end of the country again when it suited him.
Marty asks if Leo planned to get used to warming bottles, changing nappies and walking the floor at 3AM in the morning with a screaming kid. Mick tells Marty that although Leo couldn't do that, living in London, but Mick was prepared to do his bit and help out all he could.
Marty looks at Mick wearily. He reminds Mick that Mick works two shifts daily, as he and Diane do. At the end of the day, the bulk of dealing with the child and caring for it on a daily basis would be down to Adele and only Adele, and she's only fifteen. But, the Blessed Diane interjects, it's important that they all work together as a FAMILY, and she includes Mick on this. If they worked together and all made an effort to help, it would be hard work, but she was certain that they could make it work. Mick agrees that the situation might work. Diane looks at Marty for his assent, which he half-heartedly gives and under his breath.
Back at the Bar, the Dixon family are having a celebration of sorts - it's the second anniversary of Ron and Anthea's wedding. The couple are seated at a round table, along with Rachel, Mike and Jacqui. Jacqui is musing on the fact that her father and stepmother have been married for two years and asks when they first met each other. Ron says that he and Anthea have known each other for 31 years. Mike is amazed as he peruses the couple's anniversary cards. 'Thirty-one years!' he remarks, without thinking (not difficult for Mike). 'That's longer than you get for murder.'
Almost as soon as he's uttered the words, he realises his faux pas and apologises immediately. Anthea looks distressed, as Ron remarks that he thought they had all agreed to dispense with that subject for the evening and to try to have a good time. Anthea says they can't help thinking about it, while Ron wonders aloud where they would all be in a year's time. Rachel says hopefully they would all be there together.
It's time for another round of drinks and Jacqui offers to buy; anyway, she's just spied Max at the Bar and excuses herself to have a word with him, hastily explaining that she has to make arrangements with him about seeing Harry the next day. The remark isn't lost on Anthea, who gazes after Jacqui with concern. After she leaves the table, Mike turns to Rachel. He's uncomfortable with the fact that the couple are sitting there, allowing not only Ron, but also Jacqui to buy them drinks. After all, says Mike, Jacqui is his little sister. HE should be buying HER drinks. Rachel promises him that he will do that someday; they are just suffering a minor setback. Mike is still worried about their financial situation and says he feels embarrassed to be subsidised by his family.
Jacqui approaches Max, who's clearly glad to see her. She tells him that she's had a word with Victoria about the incident Vic had witnessed the day before. Max wants to know what Victoria had to say about their relationship. Jacqui teases him, saying that Vic thought Jacqui was mad to be with Max - in fact, Vic thought Jacqui was a fool. A look of consternation crosses Max's face, before Jacqui giggles and tells him the truth. She also says that Vic has been sworn to secrecy about the Max-Jax affair, and Max looks relieved.
Indeed, Victoria is sitting close by with Darren, listening to Darren moan about his career. Darren is saying that he spends more time formulating a budget than with patients. Vic remarks that another VSO lecture is looming, but Darren says they don't have to go abroad, just anywhere but Liverpool. At that moment, his pager sounds and he gets up to leave, muttering about never being left alone to have a life.
Leanne, meanwhile, has decided to take the bull by the horns and face Bev, who's been reduced to a quivering mass of jelly, sitting in a darkened office and avoiding all contact with the outside world. Bev is operating out of her office, aided by her faithful CCTV. When Leanne knocks and Bev realises it is she, she unlocks the door. Leanne wants a word with Bev about Lance. Bev, however, is more interesting in gazing at the CCTV covering the goings-on in the Bar. She studies the images closely.
Leanne continues. Did Bev not realise that today was Lance's last day? Yes, Bev remarks, the thought had crossed her mind. Leanne asks Bev to reason with him - after all, Lance is the mainstay of her business and she owes it to him to show him how much she values him. This remark knocks Bev out for her CCTV reverie. 'Excuse me,' says Bev, 'But HE owes ME. I'm the one facing seven years in prison for helping him out.'
Looking at the telly screen again, she tells Leanne that she wants to be informed as soon as any stranger in a suit or carrying a briefcase enters the Bar. Leanne remarks that there are always a lot of suits in the bar. Anyway, she continues, if worse comes to worst and Bev DID have to go to prison, who else but Lance could she trust to run her business? (Well, actually, a lot of people ... Jacqui Dixon, Mike Dixon, Rachel Dixon ...)
Bev, however, is past caring. She's focused on extricating herself from a situation in which she is convinced she will be prosecuted. But she reminds Leanne that not one of any of the three of them - Leanne, Lance or Fred - ever gave thought as to what would happen to her in these circumstances and now it was about to happen. Leanne asks if Bev is bothered by the fact that Lance is leaving. She isn't. Doesn't Bev have anything final that she wants to say to Lance? She doesn't. Leanne leaves.
The Dixons are still chatting away at their table, sans Mike, who appears to have risen to go to the loo. Ron and Jacqui are chatting, whilst Anthea talks to Rachel. She remarks that Rachel and Mike seem to have resolved their differences. Well, Rachel hesitates, not exactly. Anthea asks if they've fallen out again. Rachel admits that they're strapped for cash. They took out a loan and couldn't make a payment last month and now they owe double. She feared they were living beyond their means and was worried. Anthea tells Rachel that she would go to the bank tomorrow morning and get the necessary money in order that Rachel and Mike could make the loan payment. Rachel demurs, wondering what Mr Dixon would say about this. But Anthea assures her that 'Mr Dixon' won't know a thing about it.
Back at the Murray household, Adele and Plank are washing up the dinner dishes and tea mugs. Adele washes; Plank dries. (Watch closely! The puppet is about to become real.) Adele looks even more miserable and is trying to stave off a crying fit as she washes up. Plank is still finding it hard to believe that she changed her mind about having the abortion. Well, she did, Adele says shortly.
At least, Plank continues, Leo was prepared to contribute to the baby's financial well-being. Adele gives that short shrift. She didn't even want him to know about the baby. Plank asks if she reckons Leo would come back to see the baby. Adele reckons he probably wouldn't. And financially supporting the child would be something he just did because he had to - his interest wouldn't extend beyond that. Plank asks if Adele had thought of any names yet. Adele replies shortly that she hadn't and could they talk about something else?
She's quiet for a few moments, looking more and more like her dam of tears is about to burst. Finally, Plank twigs something is wrong, but she assures him that nothing is wrong. Just at that moment, Julie Andrews ... Er, Ma Walton ... Sorry, DIANE skips into the kitchen with two extra mugs (not to be confused with Mick, who's just left, or her husband). Her grin is even more fixed and rigid than usual. She holds up the mugs with glee. 'Look what I found in the front room!' She announces, happily handing the crockery to Adele to wash, before she literally skips merrily from the kitchen.
Plank looks after her, shaking his head. Because he's a plank and his head is filled with sawdust, he's forgotten that his sister has asked him to refrain from talking about her pregnancy. He hopes the baby is 'a lad'. Then he could kick a football around with him. In fact, when the baby's big enough, he could go in goal for their team ... Adele begins to cry softly as she's washing up. He asks if she's all right and Adele can't speak, she just shakes her head. He attempts a joke, saying that his football team is bad, but not THAT bad.
Plank reckons that the pressure of the situation is getting to her, with Diane, Brigid and Marty going on at her ad nauseum. Well, she should pay them no mind. Finally, Adele speaks, the first time she's spoken the truth in days. She tells Plank that she doesn't think she wants the baby at all.
Plank can't take this in. He thought she'd changed her mind about the abortion. Is she changing it again? Adele explains that when she returned from the clinic, she was frightened about having a general anaesthetic; but when she saw Diane and her Nin and when they started talking to her, she was afraid that if she went ahead with the abortion, Diane would never speak to her again. The wood softens and flesh appears. Plank tells his sister that having an abortion was her decision and hers alone.
He says he loved his stepmother, but he knew she could be extremely pushy and when that pushiness combined with Brigid, it could be lethal. At the end of the day, the abortion was nothing to do with them and everything to do with her. If she reckoned she couldn't cope with a child, she knew better than anyone else, and she should decide. It was nothing to do with Diane.
Meantime, Diane Murray, ever-smugly grinning, enters the lounge to silence. Marty sits perusing a Haynes Manual. Sensing the distinct chill in the air, she attempts banter. Well, at least now they won't have to bother contacting the CSA, she says, now that Leo was assuming financial responsibility.
Marty glances at her coldly and briefly. And that's enough? He asks.
Well, for goodness sake, it's a start, Diane points out. After all, the boy WAS 200 miles away. What did Marty expect him to do, drop his career and everything and skedaddle back up here to Liverpool? Yes, that's exactly what Marty hoped that he would do, especially since the boy had been so irresponsible as to get a fifteen year-old schoolgirl up the duff. Come back and face the music. Where would that glamourous career be then! Anyway, he remarks sarcastically, Diane doesn't have to worry about Leo anymore. She got her way about that too. In fact, she's won on all counts, so she should be satisfied.
Diane is horrified. Won? What has she won? No one's won anything in this situation. Marty clarifies things for her. He means she's got her way about this baby thing. Sod Adele. Sod what it will do to her. Diane's got her way. Did she seriously think she'd be sitting there chatting away to him now if Adele HADN'T changed her mind and was going ahead with the abortion? Of course, she wouldn't. She'd be in a grand sulk, lighting candles to her martyrdom.
Diane takes the hint and piously points out to Marty that Adele's changing her mind had nothing to do with her. The girl just came to her senses, that's all. Marty grunts and remarks that all he knew was that Adele had wanted an abortion yesterday. They get back from the clinic and he has to go out for a few hours, leaving the girl with Diane and Brigid. And when he returns - hey, presto - Adele doesn't want an abortion anymore and it's all done and dusted. All Diane's done all day is go on about Adele's baby and the girl has said nothing at all. Diane looks uncomfortable.
Back at the Bar, Lance is telling Leanne how he's actually going to miss working there. He'll miss Quiet Paul and Rachel. He'll even miss Jimmy. Leanne asks him if he'd reconsider staying if Bev weren't around. But where's she about to go, scoffs Lance. Just at that moment two policemen enter the bar. Lance looks up curiously as they enter. Leanne runs to the office to tell Bev ...
... A pack of lies. Knocking frantically on the door, she begs entry. When she sees Bev, she tells her that two bizzies have just come into the Bar looking for Bev. OH MY GOD! Bev panics. What do they want? Well, says Leanne, they want Bev. Not the Immigration authorities? Questions Bev, incredulously. She hones in on the CCTV. Sure enough, two constables are speaking to Lance.
Leanne assures her that Lance isn't giving her whereabouts away. Bev asks Leanne what she must do. Leanne, apparently thinking on her feet, tells Bev that perhaps it's best if Bev leaves, runs away. She could go someplace like the Continent, just until things died down. Bev isn't sure. Maybe she should just go out there and give herself up. If she did that, they might be lenient with her. She could say that she didn't know Fred was Brazilian.
No, no, NO! Leanne says that the bizzies are dead serious. In fact, they want to make an example of Bev - they were talking about throwing the book at her, asking for the full seven-year stretch. After all, they had to be seen to be cracking down on illegal immigrants now. By now Bev's in a state. But she still can't go ... What about the Bar? Who'd look after the bar in her absence.
Leanne agrees that Bev will need to leave someone in charge whom she could trust. Someone who knew the business in and out. Of course, says Bev, why didn't she think of that? RACHEL! She was perfect. She instructs Leanne to get Rachel in there. No, no, NO, says Leanne. Rachel was no good. She had an eighteen month-old baby. She couldn't be relied upon to manage a bar with a child. She, LEANNE, was the obvious choice.
Bev is aghast. 'YOU? Why should I leave YOU in charge of this place?'
Leanne assures Bev that she's more than capable of doing this. In fact, if Bev would just leave matters to Leanne, she'd make sure Bev got away safely; and she demands that Bev give her the keys to her flat so she could make arrangements about Bev's departure. Bev hands her her keys reluctantly. Leanne tells Bev not to leave this room and not to open the door to anyone but herself.
The Dixons are still celebrating. Ron turns to Anthea and tells her how much it means to him for her to have stood by him these past few weeks. Anthea tells him that she did so because he was her husband. (NOTE: She does NOT say that she stood by him out of love, but only because he was her husband). Ron and Mike rise to get in another round of drinks. After they leave the table, Rachel asks Jacqui if she's managed to meet anyone new. (A superfluous question, as the family obviously see each other daily). Jacqui says she's been too busy of late.
Anthea remarks sceptically that Jacqui spends far too much time at Max Farnham's. Rachel confesses that Mike doesn't like Max. Mike reckons Max looks down his nose at the Dixons. Jacqui is taken aback somewhat and says that Max is actually quite nice, once you get to know him. Anthea looks at her curiously.
We visit the Murray front lounge again. Marty is still intently studying his Haynes manual, while Diane sits, more subdued now, in another chair. Antichrist Antony sits on the floor. He asks Diane if Adele's baby would be put in with Adele, or would he, Antony, have to move in with Plank again. Diane remarks wearily that she hadn't even thought that far ahead.
Adele appears in the door from the foyer. Spying her, Diane asks the girl to put the kettle on. Adele says she will in a minute, but first she has something to say to everyone. Plank stands behind her. Marty looks up as well. Adele pauses and then confesses that she's changed her mind again.
For a moment, there's silence, as if everyone isn't comprehending what she's saying (but then the Murrays aren't very bright). To clarify herself, Adele says she now wishes to go through with the abortion. Marty stands up slowly. Is she sure? Adele says she's certain and that she wouldn't be changing her mind again.
It seems to have taken the Blessed Mother longer to comprehend the fact than the others, but when she does, she reacts with fury. She jumps to her feet to face Adele, telling her in no uncertain terms that she is NOT to even think about having an abortion. Adele says that she can't be forced to have a baby that she doesn't want. Diane can't stop her. Diane reiterates, screaming, that Adele had told her she had decided not to have the abortion. Before Adele can explain, Plank hurriedly says that Adele was only afraid of the operation.
Adele says she isn't afraid now and that this is for the best. Diane grabs her forcefully by the arm, telling her she can't have the abortion. But Adele is showing more spirit now. Diane can't stop her, she says. What's she going to do? Lock her in a room? She begins to struggle against her stepmother's grasp. Diane says if she has to lock her up, she will. Adele pulls free and collapses onto the sofa. Marty speaks, saying that if Adele wants the abortion, she'll have it.
Oh, yes, that's right, sneers Diane at him. Take up for her! Always take her side. Antony steps between his parents tentatively, telling them to stop arguing. But Diane continues baiting Marty. Marty always took Adele's side.
Marty replies that at least he never tried to bully Adele into doing something she didn't want to do and couldn't cope with. Forcing a kid to have another kid, feeding her all that religious hokery-pokery. Diane accuses him of wanting Adele to have an abortion all along; and Marty finally admits that deep down he'd hoped she WOULD have an abortion.
Diane screams full-throated now. BUT WHY? WHY? When he could see that having a baby was all she ever wanted? Marty screams that he didn't want to see his only daughter throw her life down the pan. And anyway, this was nothing to do with Diane, it was about Adele.
Suddenly, Diane lunges savagely at Adele, screaming that it was EVERYTHING to do with her. Diane had been poked, prodded, tested, injected, had her eggs taken and fertilised in a dish and all for what? For Adele to get pregnant naturally and then to throw it all away! Plank grabs her and pulls her away from the girl, whilst Marty acts as a shield between Adele and Diane. Diane collapses, crying hysterically, against Marty, while Adele looks at her stepmother, with a strangely but quietly triumphant look in her eye.
Back at the Bar, the Dixon family are still at their table, when Lance approaches with a bottle of champagne on ice. Ron looks at him curiously, remarking that he hadn't ordered champagne. Lance tells him that the bottle is courtesy of a couple at a nearby table. Ron and Anthea look across the room at a well-dressed middle-aged couple, who raise their glasses to the Dixons. Anthea is touched. She reckons that the pair overheard them talking about the fact that this was their wedding anniversary.
Well, no, says Lance. It's because they'd seen Ron's picture in the papers. Ron looks disgusted and tells Lance to take the champers back to the couple, and to tell them that what he did was no cause for celebration. Lance refuses. Ron remarks that it's Lance's job to do those sorts of things. But Lance says that as of now, he's waited his last table. His shift was over and he was leaving. He takes off his apron right then and there. Jacqui says she'll take the champagne back to the couple and rises to do so.
As she leaves with the champers, Anthea faces Ron and tells him how proud she is of his reaction to that incident.
Rachel turns to Mike and whispers that their financial problems are solved for this month. Anthea had agreed to pay their loan payments for them. Mike is annoyed. Did Rachel ask her to do this? Hadn't Rachel any pride? Rachel said she never asked, Anthea offered. Anyway, it was just a small loan. But, says Mike, it's another loan. It doesn't solve anything. Rachel gets defensive and says that at least she was willing to do something about it, rather than sit around feeling sorry for herself all the time, which is what Mike does.
Mike takes umbrage and hops off on his crutches, not listening to Rachel's abject apologies in the background.
Leanne, meanwhile, hurries into Bev's office, lugging a bright pink PVC suitcase full of clothes. Hurriedly, she informs Bev that she's packed for her and Josh, got their passports and arranged for Bev's car to be brought round the back. Bev's staring at the CCTV, saying that she can't see any more bizzies, why can't she leave through the front. Leanne assures her that the Parade is crawling with police, all looking for the desperate marital fraudster, Bev McLoughlin-Gonzalez. But Bev wants to say good-bye to the staff. No time for that, says Leanne. Bev has to hurry. Josh is waiting outside.
Bev takes time to examine the contents of the suitcase that Leanne has packed. She holds up one item of clothing in disgust. 'This thing!' She exclaims. 'You packed this? And THIS! I haven't worn this in months.' Leanne tells Bev succinctly that she's going on the run, not to a fashion show.
At the back of the Bar, Bev sends Josh, skateboard in hand, across to the car to tell her when the coast is clear. He does so, and she follows, hurriedly dragging her suitcase behind her. She plops it in the boot of the car, as Leanne assures Bev she won't have to worry about anything with Leanne in charge. Bev and Josh drive off noisily.
Inside, Lance is saying his good-bye to all the staff. Leanne arrives and tells him there's no need for that. Because Bev is gone. Gone? Questions Lance. Where? On a world cruise, says Leanne. Spur of the moment thing. You know Bev. Lance looks at her suspiciously. Funny, he remarks. The bizzies who were in here earlier, said that they'd received a call from a member of staff. That COULD'T have been Leanne? Leanne, smiling innocently, says it was nothing to do with her. (But we know otherwise, n'est-ce pas?)
Marty Murray comes into his lounge from upstairs and sinks wearily into his chair. Diane is standing nearby, sniffling softly. Marty gently says that Adele is getting her things together. He's called the school to say that neither he nor Adele would be in for the next few days. Diane continues to sniffle, saying Adele still might change her mind again. He looks at her for a moment, then comments that he realises that Diane is against what Adele is about to do. But after all the pressure the girl has had from Diane and Brigid for the past few days, if she STILL wants an abortion, he's certain that she won't change her mind again. Diane has just got to put her feelings aside now and think about Adele and what the child reckons was best for her. In short, the abortion was going to happen and Diane had to accept it, for Adele's sake. Diane continues to sniffle.
Summary © 2001 Marion Watts
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001