26 December 1997

Characters: Brian, Hayley, Jennifer, John, Kate, Pat, Sharon

• Hayley’s visiting Kate who mentions that, while Sharon was at the Cottage, it wasn’t as Hayley feared – he was being charitable and was still really unhappy about the situation between the two of them. Kate’s especially nice about his charity to a single mum in need – although Hayley’s glad she’s not pregnant!
• Pat suggests that John give Sharon a time limit to vacate the cottage – New Year, perhaps?
• Home Farm is situation normal, the Christmas ceasefire gives way as Brian and Kate resume hostilities. Eventually she gets him onto the subject of single mums and, just as he was getting particularly worked up on whose blame the situations could be, she drops her bombshell. Brian finally gets to decide for himself, is it the parents’ fault?
• John’s at the cottage to pass on the news. Sharon’s obviously devasted that he’s not willing to give the two of them another go, but while he’s trying to get her to see that she has to go, Hayley calls round and doesn’t want to listen to John’s protests.

Summarised by: Chris Harrison