A slack news day in Ambridge!

Radio Times: Helen gets a baptism of fire at Casa Nueva.

Characters: Brian, Helen, Jennifer, Lilian, Nic, Pat, William

• There’s no way Pat can disguise it, she really, really wants to meet Leon. This week it will be Adam and Ian’s turn, but her’s will come this side of Christmas. Nic calls in at the shop sounding a little glum: their babysitter has let them down, so a planned night out will not happen. Helen volunteers to babysit; Nic gratefully accepts.
• Brian is critical that much of the burden of supporting Peggy is falling to Jennifer. Lilian has promised to do more and they all hope that Jack will soon be in The Laurels. Jennifer makes herself scarce when Pat calls about Brian’s ‘unhelpful’ intervention in the future of the village shop; she gets no change out of Brian: Jack’s condition has taken a dive and Peggy urgently needs the simplest solution. A community shop would not be a quick fix.
• Here’s a familiar scenario: before the parents go out, butter wouldn’t melt in Jake and Mia’s mouths. When they have gone it’s a different story.
• With Brian out, Jennifer and Lilian have a girls’ night in and Jenny tries to induce a positive frame of mind into her sister. Lilian reports that Neil had called on her to offer support; he would know how it feels to be a prison-widow. Jennifer would like Lilian to stay at Home Farm but she feels she has been their guest too long already this year.
• On the phone to Pat, Helen has to break off mid-moan when Will and Nic return. Does she report her nightmare evening? No, indeed she somehow gets manoeuvred into volunteering again – any time.