Written by Peter Whalley, directed by John Anderson
Dr. Carter comes to check up on Peter after his little fall the day before. Peter is sick and tired of everyone fussing over him and his disability to the point of extreme
irritability, as anyone can imagine. Dr. Carter gives Peter some stronger pain killers. Peter figures that the doctors have no clue and that all they do is dole out drugs. Ken shows up and asks if it wouldn’t be better if he came back to No.1 to stay with them but Peter declines. He doesn’t want to feel like an invalid.
Leanne and Carla have cross words in the street about Peter and Nick overhears. He goes to question Carla about her involvement in Peter and Leanne’s relationship. Looks like at least one of Gail’s sons can put two and two together and get four. Nick barges into 
Carla’s office and demands to know what’s going on with her and Leanne. Carla is quite open with him and when Nick guesses that she and Peter had something going on Carla tells him that it’s not what he thinks. But, she does say that she was the one who wanted something with Peter but that never happened. Nick manages to put the pieces of last few months together. He’s a regular Poirot.
Nick goes to harass an irritated Leanne about Peter. He tells Leanne that he spoke to Carla about Peter and she says she doesn’t want to talk about it. Nick says he doesn’t believe that nothing happened between Carla and Peter and tries to make Leanne think the same. Nick thinks that both her and Peter deserve the truth. Nick wants more, so he goes by Peter’s flat when he’s alone for a “visit” with an unopened bottle of red wine.
Temptation in a plastic bag. Peter sees this bottle and coaxes Nick into getting TWO glasses out. Nick tries to say no, but Peter manages to get him to come ‘round. Nick takes advantage of a boozed Peter to ask him about Leanne and Carla. While Peter savours his wine, Nick doesn’t manage much. Leanne and Simon return and Peter hides his empty glass between the cushions and Nick places the bottle back in the shopping bag. Leanne gets angry when she finds that Nick has brought wine over and has been drinking it in front of Peter. She later meets with him and reams him out for it saying it can’t happen again. Leanne tells Peter that even though he thinks Nick is a mate, she doesn’t trust him.
It’s Claire’s 30th birthday and she’s basically in fear of being picked up and arrested by the police after pushing Tracy Barlow. That even 
sounds silly. Claire can’t think about having a birthday when her Ashley will never see on again. Becky wants to know if Claire is going to do a runner to France or not. Claire sticks to her morals and says she’s going to follow protocol for what she’s done. Meanwhile, Graeme shows up with a camera to take some passport photos and Claire and the boys get them done at Becky’s orders. Claire gets her fake passports from Graeme but still is hesitant about running away. Graeme asks her what Ashley would want her to do and he thinks that Ashley’d want her to look after Josh and Freddie which she can’t do if she’s banged up. The rumour of Claire doing a runner has passed through the pub like wildfire, or like usual. Claire finally decides to do the runner. Claire freaks out when she hears the cops are coming and they’re going to arrest her. They hide Claire and the boys in the ginnell when the police come looking for her.
The police say they’ll be back at 9 and stake out in front of the Rovers waiting for Claire to flush out. Becky and Steve prepare Claire for the run the coppers wait outside for
her. How will they get away with this? Becky ponders why the coppers said they’d be back at 9 and they realize they need a better plan. Before Claire flees, she thanks her friends in the Rovers and says how much she’ll miss them. She says her goodbyes and Graeme is visibly upset. Steve and Becky’s plan is the old fashioned bait and switch. Steve comes ‘round the front with his cab and a disguised woman gets in. When the police bust in front and open the door expecting Claire, they get Tina. Meanwhile, Jason is ready to drive Claire and the kids to the airport out back. How DID the coppers miss that one? Claire panics that she feels like she’s leaving Ashley but Becky calms her down and off she goes. Claire Peacock with boys in tow leaves our street for the last time. What will happen to the butchers now?
Fiz can tell that John is on edge after coming back from seeing Joy and wonders if he fell out with her. John says “nothing” is the matter he’s just impatient about seeing Hope in hospital. Chesney notices that John and Fiz are behind on bills so offers to help out, but is declined. John is stressed out and goes for a walk. Later, Chesney offers the money to John and says he won’t tell Fiz but John’s got enough secrets to keep he doesn’t need one more. He tells Chesney to save his money for one day when he needs it, because one day in life something will happen that he won’t be expecting. Yeah, one day he could just find himself a serial killer. Oops, wasn’t expecting that!
Later, Fiz reads in the paper that Joy Fishwick has died. She shows John and thinks he might have been the last person to see her alive. Fiz thinks that he should go to the police in case he gets implicated. Heaven forbid! John says she can’t since the police might get curious and find out about him
pretending to be Colin. Yeah, that and the fact that he basically murdered her.
Chris comes into the salon to ask Maria out for a nice meal and she accepts. Audrey’s got her nose pinched as usual, and Maria questions why. Audrey points out the obvious: why did Chris’ wife leave him? Oh yeah, cause he’s a wife-beater. Audrey tells her to be careful, but Maria wonders how on earth she’ll be able to do that. Erm, how about NOT dating accused wife beaters? Later, Chris spies Cheryl and Lloyd going into the Rovers and persuades Maria to go there for a drink before going to dinner. He of course tries to see Russ, but Russ has plans. Chris doesn’t take this lightly an Lloyd doesn’t accept it lightly. Meanwhile, Chris is setting up a bit of “bad business” let’s just call it. No prizes for guessing who he’s trying to put one over on. Later at his fancy dinner with Maria, Chris pops out his mobile on the table and complains about his custody situation. He’s such a lovely date.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Chesney offering to help out Fiz and John in their cash crisis
- Chesney to John: “It’ll be our secret.” John: “Well, I got enough of them already.” Indeed.
- Chris to guy on the phone: “Of course it’s dodgy, that’s why I rang you.”
- Graeme: “Claire, you’ve been like a mother to me.” *nudge* “I mean, sister. Sister to me.”
- Fiz to John: “You’re one of nature’s innocents. That’s your trouble.” Bahahahaha. Okay, I’m done. Fiz is two ants short of a picnic.
- Bye Claire.
LOWLIGHTS
- Peter’s turmoil with his disability post-tram crash
- The Stape’s cash crisis
- How stupid is Maria? She has the WORST taste in men. She’s actually defending a wife-beater. Will she do anything to get a man again?
- I can’t believe that Claire is actually doing a runner!!! My word.
- That treacherous Nick pouring wine down Peter’s throat just so he can get a lil bit of info!
- How did Simon or Leanne not smell the wine on Peter’s lips?
- Was anyone else wondering how long Peter was sitting on that empty wine glass? Leanne is bound to find it sooner or later, no?
