Pat meets Rich, although on Sharon’s terms

Radio Times: Tony and Pat wait nervously. Meanwhile, Fallon gets things sorted.

Characters: Eamonn, Fallon, Lynda, Pat, Rich, Sharon, Tony

• In the Village Hall Fallon is being extra helpful to Lynda, sorting out stage scenery for the Christmas Show and offering to do other tasks in the coming days. She also brings Lynda up to speed on the arrangements for Nic’s hen party.
• Meanwhile at the Leeds Christmas Market, Pat is getting impatient and anxious; she tells Tony that he should have made ‘proper’ arrangements, such that they couldn’t possibly miss Sharon – as if he had a choice about the arrangements! They are early but Pat takes a lot of persuading to use the time to look round the market.
• By the time the appointed hour arrives, they have bought some lovely glass angels. Then, suddenly – there he is!
• So Sharon ‘bumps into’ long lost friends Pat and Tony Archer. What a surprise! She introduces her husband Eamonn and her son Rich. They ask him initially about his sister and then learn that he plays cricket and is interested in sport and science. Eamonn takes him off for a burger, leaving Pat to thank Sharon and to express her view that he is a lovely boy and a credit to her. Sharon is firm: if he asks about his natural father, they will tell him. Sharon offers one more revelation: Rich has taken Eamonn’s surname but his forename is not really Rich – that’s a nickname; his real name is John.