91Èȱ¬

Dean asks Shirley outright whether Buster’s his dad. Shirley admits that she should have told them both the truth a long time ago. Dean skulks off to be alone. Buster warns Shirley to give him a second; he needs one too to get his head around it all. Babe comes out of the Vic and asks whether everything is okay - Shirley snaps at her to keep out of it. Shirley finds Dean at the War Memorial and attempts to explain that she was going to tell him the truth, but in her own time. Shirley admits that she fell for Buster and still loves him. Buster joins the pair and tells them that he’s going to hand himself back in to the police, before reassuring Shirley that she doesn’t need to explain; he’d have been a bad dad anyway.

Shirley begs Buster for twenty minutes of his time to talk things through. There’s an awkward silence between Shirley, Buster and Dean in the café, until Dean eventually pipes up, asking Buster what he’s been in prison for. The atmosphere warms as Dean and Buster become acquainted and Dean fills Buster in on his salon. When Phil enters the café, Shirley immediately bolts. Phil follows her and tells her that he didn’t grass her up to the police about the shooting. Shirley is dismissive and reminds Phil that he brought it all on himself. As Phil admits he deserved it and apologises, Buster emerges and facetiously thanks Phil for messing things up with Shirley – he wouldn’t be with her otherwise.

As the trio walk away, Buster reveals that he has swiped Phil’s wallet. As Shirley, Dean and Buster enter the Vic, Babe grabs Shirley to talk alone. Shirley berates Babe for making out that Phil was in a worse state than he was – was she trying to keep her away? Babe isn’t impressed with Shirley’s decision to be open with Dean and Buster about their relationship, suggesting that it may lead to other secrets coming out. Shirley’s surprised when Buster suggests that she and Dean join him in the caravan and travel – he’s going to go on the run? When Mick asks who Buster thinks he is, breaking up the family, Dean reveals that Buster’s his dad. Mick accuses Shirley of wanting to leave because she can’t handle Stan dying. Shirley stands firm; she’s going regardless of what Mick thinks.

Mick suggests staying for a couple of drinks to say goodbye to Stan properly. Linda follows Dean into the hallway and suggests that he should go with his parents– it’d be good for him. As the family have a drink, Dean continues to warm to Buster and texts Shirley, ‘I’m coming with you’. Shirley tells Linda to hold off on trying to convince her to stay, and is surprised when Linda hugs her and insists that she and Dean should go – it’s the right thing. Shirley says a tearful goodbye to the family and everyone bar Linda heads downstairs to see them out. Linda has a moment of relief in the kitchen. As the trio are about to leave, the police show up; Mick’s called them on Buster. Dean is fuming. Upstairs, Linda hears what’s happened and her heart sinks, she’s not free after all. Buster is arrested, and asks for one minute to say goodbye to Shirley. As Shirley promises she’ll wait for him, Buster leans in and whispers something to her...

Linda desperately tries to convince Mick that it was a beauty clinic she was phoning, but Mick immediately knows that she’s lying. Mick asks Linda how many weeks pregnant she is; Linda isn’t sure but thinks seven. Later, Linda finds a morose Mick in the kitchen who admits the thing that kills him most is that it was Linda who wanted a baby. Linda fronts and purports that she didn’t tell Mick about the pregnancy because that would have taken away her choice.

This riles Mick; when has he ever made her do something she didn’t want to do? Later, Linda manages to get Mick alone in the bedroom and suggests keeping the baby. Mick begs for a straight answer - Linda assures Mick that she does want to keep it, she just panicked before. Mick assures Linda he’s not angry at her. The couple decide to keep the news between just them, until the scan.

Nancy agrees to talk to Lee in the café about his actions the previous day. Nancy is unsympathetic and motions to a scar on her arm; Lee’s been aggressive since they were kids. Nancy gets up to leave, telling Lee she’s off to Johnny’s student union. Lee assumes he’s been left out until Nancy states that he’s buying the drinks – Lee is elated to be forgiven and included.