Tom and Brenda slowly and carefully come apart.

Radio Times: Tom keeps himself busy, and Shula takes a walk down memory lane.

Characters: Brenda, Caroline, Neil, Shula, Tom

• It seems surprising to Neil that Tom has nothing better to do on a Sunday than check some weaners. What Neil doesn’t know is that Tom is bent on keeping busy.
• Enjoying a ride together, Shula and Caroline catch up. Big sister Shula has been to Lower Loxley to put her mind at rest about Iftikar, because Alistair thought there was a blossoming relationship; Elizabeth assured her they are ‘just good friends’. Not that Shula has anything against Ifty but she feels that no-one is ‘right’ for Elizabeth yet. Shula has been given a box of Mark’s stuff by father-in-law Reg who, having got a buyer for his house, will soon be heading out of Shula’s life.
• Apologetically calling in at home, Tom finds that he and Brenda are treading on eggshells. He launches on a full description of his morning but then chokes back the detail, feeling it is more than Brenda wants to hear. Brenda offers to cook for them both this evening but Tom declines; she will do a pan full anyway. He does accept a coffee. Brenda has considered moving into the spare room but they decide that isn’t necessary. Tom suggests a few days away, but Brenda insists there is no point – it would only make the hurt worse later; she doesn’t want to do that: she thinks the world of him. She is dreading going to work tomorrow without her engagement ring.
• Shula shares with Caroline the photos of Mark; one at age fifteen is so like Daniel. There’s a poem too, written to a girl unknown about growing old together – something he never had chance to do.