It's a natural response I guess, especially from a Battersby, to think that everyone is against her, that the doctor is stitching them up, and all that she has to do is fight for Oliver and then he will be OK. They have a mediation meeting in which Leanne accuses Dr Howarth of "putting the boot in" and "having an agenda" and does her patented storming out. As frustrating as Leanne is, Jane Danson has been brilliant throughout this distressing and horrible storyline.
Leanne gets Imran involved as she and Steve decide that they're going to sue the hospital as they won't let them take Oliver to Germany - and it's come to sommat when Tracy is the voice of reason, pointing out that if the experts think it's against Oliver's interests to take him abroad, then maybe they should listen. She then tells Ray's buyer that they're not selling the flat, Streetcars or the florist. She 'fesses up to Steve and tells him that they need to be more realistic, that there are no more straws to clutch at, that they will lose the court case and they should spend what time they have left with Oliver, rather than in court. She tries to spell it out: Oliver will not get better, there's no improvement, or miracle. Steve treats her very unpleasantly, asking her for mate's rates for the flowers for the funeral.
Sally's bridesmaids are Abi, Fay(e) and Gail. No zoom-maids, Sophie or Rosie? Anyway, they're off dress-shopping but Geoff isn't allowed to know anything about the upcoming nuptials. So he's going to be the one hiding at the back of the ceremony waiting for the "speak now or forever hold your peace" bit? He finds out about the wedding anyway by earwigging over the fence and tries emotional blackmail to try and get an invite to the wedding (it's been a long lockdown, after all), saying that he sold his watch so that Tim could have a chopper bike. Didn't teach his son to read though, did he?
Gail is back back back! and finds out that she's a grandma again.
Talking of back, so is Eileen, for some reason taking a black cab back from the airport. Wouldn't she get a Streetcars taxi? Doesn't she get staff discount? Billy takes time out from worrying about Paul (the Rev needs The Little Book of Calm or at least some Xanax for his constant anxiety about everything) to tell Ei about P.I. Lenny finding out that Todd ripped off a gangster.
2nd December is Yasmeen's trial date (that'll be one for you then, Rybazoxo) as Alya meets her in the prison from behind a Covid-secure perspex screen (this is the most realistic time on remand that any Corrie character has ever done). Alya vows to track down Elaine, so I guess she's not in a shallow grave, after all?
Oh and Michael meets Tianna's real dad, who says that there can be no more contact. And let's hope that's the end of that storyline.
Rachel Stevenson - on twitter
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