MONDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 17th and 19th January 1997
There was yet more bad news for Don as Betty's Hot Shot won a race, just after he'd sold his portion to Jack. He was livid and even more so when he discovered Jack had also had a bet on the horse. Fred meanwhile had made a bomb because he'd got a tip off from the stables. Jack demanded that they couldn't meet up with the stables unless the whole syndicate were present. Denise and Ken agreed to settle out of court with Daniel staying up in Scotland with her. Ken offered to give them maintenance but she didn't want his money. So instead, he decided to just forget Daniel even existed for a decade. Mike was forced to tell his workforce that they'd lost the contract, but he kept quiet about the fact that he had no other work; it seemed all his old contracts were all bust or retired. He discovered that Stephen had pulled out of a lot of his contracts and was using flimsy excuses all round. Sally ended up arguing with Audrey because she felt Stephen had let them all down. And Anne invited her parents round for Sunday dinner with her and Curly, which put the fear of God into him, so he dumped himself on Samantha at number 7 and told her he was moving back in.
TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 20th and 22nd January 1997
The fallout from Kbec withdrawing their contract began to affect Gail and Alma's relationship, as it was Gail's brother who'd caused all the trouble. They argued loudly and violently, pulling all the skeletons out of the closet, and leaving Roy upset. When Mike told Alma they were going to have to sell the Crimea Street flats, she decided she'd sell her half of the cafe as well. Curly and Samantha came to an agreement; he'd move back in, but she'd get the big bedroom. Anne - who still fancied him - demanded that he move back in with her and when he refused she told Eric Firman Curly had been sexually harassing her. Curly assured him there were no grounds, but Eric was disturbed to hear about his antics at Bettabuys, and told him he was on a final warning. Ashley went and got his hair cut by Maxine, and was clearly besotted. Maxine asked him to be a hair model for her.
WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 24th and 26th January 1997
Samantha went hiking with Sean across some absolutely freezing looking moors. They ended up at a country pub... which was closed. He was angry at their wasted time but it turned out to be for the best, as Samantha finally opened up, confessing that she was running away from a bad marriage and a load of debt. Alma told Gail she was selling up. Gail was understandably upset, and the two of them sobbed their heart out together, which was quite moving. Gail tried to find someone who could lend her the money to buy the other half, considering asking Alf, but Stephen turned her down flat. Meanwhile Mike got a buyer for the flats but they needed them to be vacant, which was bad news for Deirdre. At least she had her burgeoning relationship with Ken, though she was amused to see that his headmistress, Sue Jeffers, still carried a torch for him.
THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 27th and 29th January 1997
Mike admitted to his employees that he didn't have the work to keep them all on and half of them would have to go. Sally was shocked to discover that the only work they had left was knock-off Kbec stuff; she protested, but Mike said it was either that or everyone would be made redundant. With the sale of the flats on the cards, Ken suggested Deirdre move back in with him, but she worried that she was going backwards and falling into old patterns. He told her he loved her, but Mike urged her to get the hell away from Weatherfield. Meanwhile Sue made two other teachers redundant instead of Ken and told him he owed her a favour. I bet she did. Anne refused to be alone with Curly in case he pounced on her. Fat chance. Ashley agreed to let Maxine bleach his hair blonde just so he could spend all afternoon with her, establishing a lifetime of him being her doormat. Becky loved it, but she had a massive crush on Ashley, so that wasn't a surprise.
FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 31st January and 2nd February 1997
It looked like Alma was going to sell the cafe to a pizza chain run by a young Eddie Windass. Roy was panicking about where he would live once the sale of the Crimea Street flats went through. It occurred to him that he could buy the cafe and then he'd get the flat as well. He cashed in his savings accounts, much to Gail and Martin's astonishment, and made Alma an offer. However the Baldwins thought he was being a nutter as usual and humoured him, saying they'd let him know. He was quite delightfully Roy throughout. Meanwhile Sally was greatly taken with Mike's business skills, and loved being at the cutting edge of sales. Judy and Gary had a pregnancy alert, but it turned out to be nothing. Given that they'd been trying for so long, they decided there must be a problem, and they'd have to have fertility tests. Judy wasn't keen. Ken once again asked Deirdre to move in with him, but she declined. She said she was happy the way things were but Ken wasn't. He accused her of using him to get over Samir. When Sue came round, they shared a drink, and as is almost inevitable with Barlow, he jumped into bed with her. Which was awkward when Deirdre let herself in and found them...
@merseytart is giddy to see Roy assume his rightful place at the cafe.
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