Despite it being a bank holiday, and therefore a day off, Aidan is having none of it. He firmly insists that he and Carla go through the books. Tim is working too at his job - according to Sally he is a Window Enhancement Executive. Sally is keen to work too, to take the opportunity to look at some spreadsheets, but she is sent away. Even her offer of buying 2 milky coffees is turned down by Carla.
At the bistro Sophie is conducting Maddie’s Memorial Auction. Carla enters the bistro and orders drinks. Steph brings them over and Carla grabs the bottle of red, pours some wine into a large glass and glugs it like water. Clearly suffering from the devastating effects of guilt, not helped by too much alcohol, Carla behaves irrationally by bidding £200 for a photograph of Lorraine Kelly. Not something that Carla would put up on her mantelpiece but a good chunk of money for Sophie’s Memorial fund for Maddie. Tracy is also in attendance and Carla’s presence affects Tracy. Everyone sees that Carla is drunk, crashing into things and spilling drinks. Then, absolutely in contrast to anything Tracy has ever done before, for her dearest friend, never mind her arch-enemy, she is actually kind to Carla, whose feelings at the auction must be torturing her, and suggests that Carla goes home. She tells Robert that the auction with the Nazirs there and a huge picture of Maddie must be hard for her. Is this really compassion? From Tracy?
Watching this is Robert, who knows Tracy well now and of old. He senses there is something strange going on if Tracy is watching out for Carla. Intrigued by Tracy’s apparent concern, he quizzes her back at home. He proves to be an exceptional interrogator and should perhaps join Scotland Yard rather than stay on at the Bistro.
Robert is determined to get the truth out of Tracy concerning the fire and succeeds in making her clearly uneasy. ‘What is it you’re not telling me? Did you have something to do with the fire?’ He continues. ‘This woman who you hate, you pitied her. It wasn’t just pity it was fear. This woman is being eaten up by guilt and you couldn’t take it.’
To add to Tracy’s guilt, Carla is shouting for Amy and begging for forgiveness. She adds, truthfully, that she never meant to hurt her. Viewers will remember that Liz had asked Carla to have Amy overnight in her flat on the night of the fire, unbeknown to Tracy. As Carla continues in self-destruct mode, Robert urges Tracy to tell the truth about that night. He tells her that if she cannot do that then their future is in jeopardy. Michelle and Nick take Carla back home. It’s not long though before she escapes and is wandering on the street, bottle of wine in hand. ‘I killed 2 people. A beautiful girl and a loving father.’
Tracy tells Carla that it was an accident. Nick and Michelle have arrived to claim Carla, and Michelle says that Carla wants forgiveness. She then wishes Robert good luck, telling him he’ll need it. Robert means what he says and packs his bag. ‘I want to help you but every time you open your mouth I have to work out if you are telling the truth.’
There is something about Liz and Lloyd as a couple just doesn’t feel right, to me, at least. The combination of Liz’s yellow and Lloyd’s pink was a tad off-putting too. Both Liz and Lloyd are on the rebound, which is a sticking point anyway. Steve, surprisingly, thanks Lloyd for putting a smile on his mother’s face. The news is good though. Liz explains to a clearly distracted Lloyd that ‘ I’m battered and bruised. The last thing on my mind is a relationship.’ Andrea spots Lloyd and Liz in the street arranging to meet later. She is staying at Eileen’s, until Jason comes home.
Sally buys her wedding dress, unable to resist it in the sale. Sally is just going into her house with the balloons for Maddie’s Auction when Gail spots Sally and Sally confesses to the dress purchase and that it is in ivory.
Sally says, ‘You don’t think I’m too…’ and before she can finish her sentence Gail says ‘old?’ Sally tells her she was about to say pale. Just for the record, the dress was bought at Bridal Bounty.
Having tried on her dress, Sally cannot get herself out of it. Kevin is worried that Sally is missing he auction so heads off to find her. Sally is very embarrassed to be found like this. Kevin tries his best to help but finally rips the zip off. Sophie enters to see this state of affairs and then Tim finds the broken and discarded zip. Sally though is very upset and believes that this is a premonition, not boding well for their marriage. She mentions Carrie Bradshaw and Miss Havisham but Tim doesn’t get either reference. ‘This marriage is doomed,’ declares Sally.
Tim though seems much less anxious and is keen to organize a surprise 50th birthday bash for Kevin
Heartbreaking at any age, but serious illness in a child is the worst. Tyrone and Fiz set off for the hospital and receive the news that they will be told in a couple of days what is wrong with Hope. As is quite often the case, couples going through such desperate times often close in on themselves, individually, and shut the other out. This seems to be what is happening here. Fiz offloads to Maria.
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