A long-standing family rift is healed. Brenda fails to share Tom’s enthusiasm for family life.

Radio Times: Brenda suspects Tom’s motives, and Debbie has some unfinished business.

Characters: Brenda, Brian, Clarrie, Debbie, Emma, Ruth, Tom

• A surly Emma deposits Keira with Clarrie as she prepares to go back to work. She is scornful of the wedding breakfast, tries to tell Clarrie how to look after a baby, and pointedly ignores Clarrie’s chatter about Nic and Will’s honeymoon destination. But when George mentions the sponge wedding cake, Emma does suggest that it was probably made specially for the children.
• Tom tells Brenda that he feels ready to be a father. Brenda wonders whether the idea comes from the discovery that John had a son, but Tom insists it is all because of Henry. Brenda avoids the topic by telling Tom he must get on his way to Shrewsbury, where he is to meet a potential customer.
• Debbie is not pleased with Brian, who had assured her there will be plenty of local farmers interested in supporting the mega dairy project, but now finds they are all pulling out. With only two days to the board meeting, they must have a guaranteed supply chain. Brian tells her that Brookfield may well get out of dairying. Maybe they will reconsider Brian’s offer now.
• Emma returns to work and hears Ruth’s tale of woe about the slurry pit. It seems that there will be no prosperous new year at Brookfield.
• Tom returns in fine spirits. The Shrewsbury contact was full of enthusiasm, and suggested pork ready meals. Brenda seizes the moment; since Tom is such a bright business prospect, this would not be the time to start a family. Tom’s high spirits melt away as he half-heartedly agrees.
• Still upset after her conversation with Elizabeth after the panto, Debbie calls at Lower Loxley to apologise. Elizabeth, too, regrets what she said, and is full of remorse for having allowed the issue of Siobhán to come between them for so many years. Elizabeth dissolves in tears; she can’t tell Debbie what it means to be friends again.