17/05/2016 EastEnders

Just in time for dinner, darlin'.

Phil, get another plate, will you, love?

How long you staying?

That's nice. I just walked through the door and you want to know when I'm leaving.

He doesn't mean it like that.

It's just, well...

It's so lovely to see you, isn't it, Phil?

But, you know, so unexpected.

Yeah, well, it's a flying visit. Couple of hours.

I've got a lot going on back home.

Things have come a bit on top. You know, Phil?

The way it does.

So, are you all right, Mum? You don't seem yourself.

Yeah. Just a bit tired, love. I'm all right.

Mum, you don't have to pretend to me that everything's all right.

I could see it the second I walked through the door.

And so can a lot of other people round here.

What other people?

I got a call saying that you needed me.

So, I'm going to take you back to Portugal with me...

Just hang on a sec.

Do you want me to tell him?

No.

No, don't, no.

Grant, listen.

I'm afraid I've not been very well, darlin'.

I've been a bit poorly.

What do you mean, poorly? What's up?

It's back.

What's back?

Right.

Well, um...

What does the specialist say?

What treatment are they giving you?

I've stopped having the treatment. There's nothing it can do.

There's always something.

Different chemo, radiotherapy...

No, no, not this time, darling,

cos it's gone and got a proper grip on me, ain't it?

Did you only just find out? We'll get a second opinion...

No, no, no, I've known for a while.

A while? So when were you going to tell me?

I've written you and Sam a letter.

A letter?!

Oh, a letter.

How lovely.

What? Something to treasure?

Don't start. I know this is a lot to take in...

No. You said a mouthful there, Mum.

So you couldn't tell me...

..but you could tell him.

Well, it ain't like I'm getting an extra helping of ice cream, is it?

Grant, please don't be upset.

It-it-it's all right...

No, it's not all right!

See, I actually thought I was needed here.

This ain't about you.

Another word and I swear...

I've got to get out of here.

I am not going to prison for a load of toilets.

I'm too pretty for prison. They'll turn me into a lesbian.

-They won't be able to resist me.

-This is all your fault!

Do you know what, Belinda, I do worry...

I've seen the films!

I know what they get up to in there!

They'll make me wear an orange jumpsuit! Quick!

Yeah? We used to run the Vic together. Didn't I tell you?

That was ages ago, though, wasn't it?

Where are you going?

I don't know.

Come on.

Come with me.

Mum, he's got a right to know.

And now he does.

I mean about the other thing.

About tonight.

Mum!

He won't be here, will he?

And it...it's all in the letter

and it'll be easier for him like that.

So what are we supposed to do now?

Well, we'll go over to the Vic

and buy a drink for Martin and Stacey

and toast them and wish them happiness and joy.

Say goodbye in my own way,

just quietly, and then we'll...

we'll come back here and...

Oh,

and knowing you're nearby, Phil,

that's all I want.

You just...

You make it... you make it sound so ordinary.

It's your mum deciding what happens next.

It's like I've always done, ain't it?

What could be more ordinary than that?

I need some air, Mum. I need some air.

All right? I'll be back. I'll be back in a bit.

Don't get your greasy fingers on the sofa.

And keep the noise down.

I'm sorry I couldn't give you a bit more warning about your mum.

I wasn't even sure it was still your number.

If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have found out

till the letter came.

I mean, who does that?

Who writes a letter to their son saying that they're dying?

I was hoping that you were going to tell me that it isn't that bad.

But it is, isn't it?

My mum's dying.

It's actually happening.

I'm so sorry.

She's going to need looking after, isn't she?

Yeah, she is.

I can't stay here.

I've got too many things happening back home.

But I will come back.

I'll find a way as soon as I can.

I'll come back and I will look after her.

Well, I'm always here and there's others,

but, let's face it,

I'm not exactly the person your mum will want round her

and Phil can't do it on his own.

That's obvious. He's worse than useless.

Phil's going to need your help, too, Grant.

No, no. I'm done wiping up after him.

He's old enough and ugly enough to look after himself.

He can drink himself blind as far as I'm concerned.

I've only got time for mum now...

He's got cirrhosis, Grant.

-What?

-Yeah.

Well, he brought that on himself.

Cirrhosis is what killed Ange

so I don't want to hear anything

about alcoholics bringing it on themselves, I really don't.

Phil's brilliant with Peggy.

-He loves her as much as you do...

-He only loves himself!

If only that were the case.

I mean, why are you so angry with him?

Why are you sticking up for him? It's not like you two are together.

Because he's going through a terrible time.

He is, Grant.

And so are you.

I'll put the kettle on.

MUFFLED TRAIN PASSING OVERHEAD

CHILDREN LAUGH

-CHILD:

-Higher! Higher! I want to go higher!

-Mummy!

-Higher!

Higher!

-Hello, Peggy.

-Hello, darlin'.

MUSIC IN DISTANCE: Summer Nights from Grease

-Hey.

-Hey, darlin'.

SHE GASPS

MUFFLED MUSIC INCREASES IN VOLUME

Here we go.

LOUD KARAOKE SINGING AND CHATTERING

INAUDIBLE OVER MUSIC AND CHAT

INAUDIBLE

INAUDIBLE

Peggy.

MUSIC FADES DOWN

-It's good to see you.

-And you, darling. And you.

What are you having?

Well, what do you think?

-BOTH:

-Champagne!

Enough for everyone to have a glass.

I'll nip out the back and get some more glasses and a few more bottles.

When you're ready, darlin'. No rush.

CHEERING AND LAUGHTER

You don't look any different, you know that?

I'm 46 and I'm going grey. I look very different.

Not to me, you don't.

I wasn't very good to you back then.

I made a lot of mistakes.

Well, I wasn't that great myself, was I?

I...

was a real idiot.

But you only work that stuff out when it's too late.

DOOR SLAMS

SHE SIGHS

-Wait, wait, wait, wait.

-What, what? Oh, come on! Oh...

TOOLS CLATTER

What you doing?

-Well, they're heavier than they look, mate, yeah?

-KYLE SCOFFS

DOOR SLAMS

Mum?

Mum!

Still here, then.

Yeah, I'm still here.

So where's Mum?

Why do you always get it so easy, Grant?

-GRANT SCOFFS

-Eh?

Me? Get it easy?

Yeah.

You.

You walk in here like you own the gaff, thinking you know it all,

and then you slam a few doors and then you just walk off out again,

leaving me to deal with stuff you've got no idea about at all.

Well, I take my hat off to you, Grant, I really do,

because you...

You always get it so easy, don't ya?

I'm warning you...

You're warning me what? You're warning me nothing.

What you going to do, eh?

Going to walk off again because you can't handle it?

You going to... You going to slam a few more doors, eh?

Well, why don't you ponce off, eh?

Why don't you ponce off back to the Algarve, cos I don't need you here.

Go on. Sling your hook!

Sort yourself out, or I WILL hurt you.

Yeah?

Ohh...

PHIL WINCES

You're a mess.

I don't even want to begin to think what your liver looks like.

Who told you about that?

Sharon.

Suppose it was her that phoned you and all?

PHIL SIGHS

Yeah.

So where's the money, Phil?

Where's my money?

The rainy day money.

The money you lent to Kathy.

You swore you would pay me back.

And you haven't.

I ain't got a penny.

If I could put it in your hands right now, I would,

but I can't, cos I ain't got it.

Do you have any idea how much trouble I am now in because of you?

Did you even stop to think about that

when you were crawling inside a bottle?

Tell you the truth, I weren't thinking at all at the time.

PHIL WINCES

And what trouble?

I don't want to talk about it right now.

Right now...

it's rather low on my list of priorities.

You and me...

..have got to work out how to look after Mum.

We've got to find out what she needs.

So where is she?

At the Vic.

Well...

Is she all right being there on her own? I mean, is she strong enough?

She wants to say goodbye to it all.

What do you mean, goodbye?

Is she going back to Aunt Sal's?

No.

No, she ain't going back to Aunt Sal's, Grant.

Oh, hello, Peggy. You all right?

Oh! Hello, darling. Yeah, yeah.

Are Martin and Stacey here yet?

Er, yeah.

Well, they had to go get something, but they will be back.

Something to do with the wedding, I think.

Are you smoking?

No. I ain't smoked in ages.

Oh...

I can smell smoking.

Strong smoking.

Oh, you know...

That top you've got on -

it's lovely, and it really suits you, darling.

-Thank you!

-Yeah. Pleasure.

WHITNEY CHUCKLES

Ooh, hang on. Er...

Is Martin and Stacey here yet?

Um... I just told you.

Oh...

SHE SIGHS Course you did.

SHE CHUCKLES Silly me.

Old age, ain't it?

THEY LAUGH

KARAOKE SINGING IN BAR

Mum...

We need a conversation.

Right now.

Guv'nor...

Could we go out back for a minute?

Er... Nothing'll get broken. I promise you.

Yeah, sweet.

I trust you.

So that's the brother, is it?

Yeah.

That's him.

-Sit down!

-Mum, I'm doing the talking, and I'm not sitting down.

Grant, put your backside down there on that barrel or so help me!

I have made a choice.

What, to off yourself?

-I am not offing myself.

-Yes, you are. It's giving up.

It's wrong, and I'm not going to let you do it.

Grant...

..it's in my bones,

and it's in my brain, and...

And I'm not going to get any better.

Mum...

I hurt.

I...

I can't hold on to myself.

I... I'm losing meself.

Er... My thoughts - they just slip...

Slip through my fingers, you know, just like water.

We'll find a doctor to help with the pain.

There's help out there, Mum.

Look, I know that you're frightened, and you're down, but we're here.

SHE SIGHS

Phil, please, will you talk to this brother of yours?

Will you make him see sense?

But he's right, Mum.

-SHE SIGHS

-Grant's right.

We can't let you do this.

But you said you understood!

Yeah, well, I don't.

I would do anything for you, Mum.

Anything. I'd rip my heart out for ya.

But not this.

I mean, you're making out it's romantic and easy and simple,

but it ain't.

It's not like going to sleep or just slipping away.

It's horrible. It's terrible, and it's cruel.

The hospital will know how to look after you.

WE will look after you.

You? You're going back to Portugal.

Yes, and Sam'll be over on the next flight,

and I'll be back as soon as I can.

Night and day, Mum, we'll be there for you.

GRANT SIGHS

We'll have time to say all the important things.

You won't be alone, Mum.

It's our turn to look after you.

All right?

DOOR OPENS

I'm sorry...

Lager's gone.

That's all right. You go ahead, darlin'.

Me...

Me and the boys...

are done.

Um...

Give me a moment. I want to check me lippy.

Mum, you don't have to say goodbye now.

You can do it another day. OK?

CHEERING IN BAR

SHE SNIFFS

SHE RETCHES

Oh...

SHE EXHALES

Ohh...

APPLAUSE IN BAR

SINGING IN BAR ECHOES

Oh!

Peggy, isn't it?

Yeah.

PEGGY CHUCKLES

Got all the glasses you need?

Yeah, more than!

I'll just run them through the washer, and then we'll be all set.

Yeah, um...

Martin and Stacey here?

Oh, they'll be back in a bit.

Not going to miss their own stag and hen, are they?

PEGGY CHUCKLES

Um...

Would... Would you do me a favour?

Yeah, course.

Would you make the toast to them on my behalf?

Me? No, no, you should do it.

No, no. I...

I've got to get home, I'm...

But I'd love you to do it.

You know, from the old landlady of the Queen Vic to the new landlady.

Um... The champagne toast - do you know it?

Yeah, I know it. It's my mum's favourite.

It'd be my pleasure.

Thank you.

SHE SNIFFS

Oh...

Someone's smoking.

Can... Can you smell it?

SHE SNIFFS

It's probably Shirley having a crafty fag.

PEGGY CHUCKLES

I can tell her till I'm blue in the face

but I might as well be talking to myself!

LINDA CHUCKLES

PEGGY SIGHS

Oh, you dear...

old...

lovely lady.

-SINGING IN BAR:

-# Because...

# I've had

# The time of my life

# And I've never felt this way before

# And I swear

# It's the truth

# And I owe it all to you...

# Hey, baby! #

CHEERING

# Just remember

# You're the one thing

# I can't get enough of

# So I'll tell you something

# This could be love because

# I've had the time of my life... #

Oh, I'm so tired now.

You, um... You boys made up, have you?

Yeah, course.

Good. I'm glad.

Cos...just in case you didn't know it,

you boys,

you're my world.

-And you're ours, Mum.

-PEGGY SIGHS

-You're ours.

-Yeah.

How many left?

Too many.

Will you hurry up?

Cheers, Phil.

Right, well... Um, look, I'm going to get ready for bed.

You two have a proper catch-up. Eh?

Mum, where are your pills?

Oh, they're in my bag.

Can I have a look?

Yeah, course.

We'll, er, we'll look after 'em, Mum. All right?

I'll leave a couple on the side for you.

For later. But just let me know if you need 'em, OK?

Yeah.

We're just taking care of you, that's all.

HE SIGHS

I love you, and I'll be back as soon as I can.

Have a safe journey, darling, won't you?

Night, Phil.

I'll buy you a pint.

PAT BEALE: 'Are you all right, girl?'

No. No, I ain't.

I was all ready and I weren't frightened but now...

Everything's changed and I'm frightened.

So frightened.

Hello?

You there?

BLACKBIRD TRILLS

BIRDSONG CONTINUES

BIRDSONG IN DISTANCE

Peggy?

Ssh!

Listen.

BIRD TRILLS

Oh, hello, love.

Just so perfect. Yeah.

-Let me take you home.

-Yeah.

We...

We've never really liked each other, have we, Sharon?

Well, that's blunt!

Yeah. True, though.

Well, I suppose I've ended up being quite fond of you now.

"Quite fond". High praise indeed. I'll take it.

I trust you to keep an eye on Phil

when I can't do it.

I'll always have his back.

And I've got yours, Peggy, cos as it turns out,

I've grown quite fond of you an' all.

Aw, wasn't that the most beautiful thing, eh?

I'll pop by and see you tomorrow.

SHE GASPS

Hmph!

Oh, I might have known it was you!

Your earrings rattling like Marley's bleedin' chains.

What?! These are me favourites!

I think I look smashing.

Yeah, you do.

Look at the state of me, though.

Eh? The state of me.

I'm like a little old bird that's fallen out of its nest.

Anyway, shift yourself, you mad old tart. I've got stuff to do.

I'll do everything I can to get you that money back.

As long as me and you are OK,

then everything'll get sorted, can't it?

No.

That was just for Mum.

What?

You might be able to pay that money back one day

but it ain't going to be now,

and now is when I really need it.

And it ain't just my money.

It's Courtney's as well. My daughter. Remember her?

Yeah, well, that money was her future.

So, no, we are NOT OK.

Right.

Mum won't know. No-one else will know.

Just you...and me.

And when the time comes that I don't have to play nice,

I'm going to bring you a war, Phil.

Just so we're clear.

Well, cheer up.

I might not make it.

No.

But if you do, that's what's coming your way.

Fine.

Here. Have a drink.

Fill your boots.

City Airport, mate.

You know what I think about?

Yeah.

That day the pair of us got drunk in the ice cream van.

Remember?

Oh, Phil's face when he had to come and get us!

He was fuming! Fit to be tied.

Yeah.

It was such a laugh, weren't it?

What? I was hungover for a week!

But, yeah, it was a good day.

It was like being young again. The whole world there for the taking.

My old granny used to do this.

Open a window and let the soul fly out.

Oh, you've got a soul, then, have you?

PEGGY SIGHS

How beautiful it all is.

How much I've loved it. I've...

I've loved it all so much, and...

Am I doing the right thing?

What are you asking me for?

I'm not even here, am I?

Will they ever forgive me?

The kids. Am I going to break their hearts?

Oh, Peggy, you know the answer to that. Don't you?

I just...I just can't wait, you know?

I'm, I'm being eaten alive and it hurts, and I can't wait.

I don't want that to be me. No.

I don't want to be that little old lady in the bed

being looked after, knowing that people would say,

"Oh, remember her? Remember? Yeah. Peggy Mitchell.

"Such a feisty one, she was.

"Now she's all skin and bone and helpless".

No. No. Not me.

I will go as I've lived.

Straight back.

Head high.

Like a queen.

Well, what do you reckon?

Not bad for a bottle blonde.

Oh, you bitch!

You cow.

Oh...my friend.

Oh, my dear friend.

You won't ever leave me, will you?

No, sweetheart.

Not for one single second.

(Thank you.)

CLOCK TICKS

TICKING ECHOES

TICKING STOPS