Dorothy Branning: The Next Chapter - Red Button Special EastEnders

WOMAN COUGHS

MUSIC: "Written In The Stars" by Tinie Tempah ft. Eric Turner

It's important to keep those joints moving. And that's what we're...

Not too much, Maude, be careful! We don't want any accidents.

And shake those arms. Shake those arms.

Shake those arms. Shake them.

Very good, George. Shake those arms.

Shake those arms. Shake those arms.

-SWITCHES OFF MUSIC

-Morning, everybody.

Cup of tea?

Now, I couldn't get no fig rolls today

so you'll have to have ginger snaps.

Only the one, mind, cos it's lunch in an hour -

you don't want to spoil your appetite.

Who's next? Who wants it nice and strong? Here we are.

Oh, do you know where I can...?

PHONE RINGS

DOOR OPENS

Dorothy. I had no idea you were coming in today.

-Well, you know me, I like to keep myself busy.

-Well, indeed.

Why, it seems every time I turn round you're there,

bustling away, doing something useful.

I'd hate to think we take advantage of your good nature.

Oh, don't worry about it.

I ain't stopped for over 60 years, I ain't likely to start now.

-Oh, I take it you're the new temp?

-I'm sorry?

-Well, why aren't you in uniform?

-I think there's been a mix-up.

Well, at least you speak English,

which is an improvement on the last two.

-Look, what is your name?

-It's Abi.

-She's me granddaughter.

-Oh, that explains a lot.

The stories Dorothy's told me.

-Ten minutes, Dorothy, and I want you on lunch duty.

-Right.

What is it?

The little girl I knew wouldn't be afraid to speak her mind.

THUNDER RUMBLES

-So...are you courting now?

-No-one calls it that any more.

No, more's the pity. I mean, what's happened to romance?

Flowers, dances, conversation.

It's all second-hand now - downloading, texting.

No-one talks to each other any more.

You know, men like your grandfather,

-they're a dying breed.

-Do you miss him?

Oh, I get to see him as often as I can. Anyway, that's enough about me.

-What have you been doing?

-The usual.

Schoolwork, fighting with Lauren, keeping Oscar out of my room.

DOT CHUCKLES

What about your mother and your father?

I don't want to talk about them.

Dorothy, the tables were supposed to be set ten minutes ago.

Oh, yes, I'm sorry, I'm just coming.

Timetables are there for a reason, Dorothy.

-Are you just going to stand there and take that?

-No, Lucinda is right.

You know, it is lunchtime. Just coming.

See, I was meaning to come and visit at Christmas.

So, why didn't you?

Dotty, she had me running all over the place. You know, shopping.

For Christmas and for clothes.

-Here, look, she made me buy these 'ere trousers.

-Oooh!

Yeah, I'd never worn them before.

And then we had to go ice skating.

And she wanted me to go with her to have her ears pierced.

Well, you know I don't approve

of young girls having their ears pierced.

And when we got there, she persuaded me to have mine done.

-She calls me her glam gran. What do you think?

-Ooh.

Yeah, you look great.

And, of course, I had to do the flowers for Advent

cos I promised the Rev Ms Tompkins.

Fancy, a lady vicar! The less said about that, the better.

But she is a very nice woman.

So, you see, time just ran away from me.

But Walford's your home.

-No, not any more it ain't.

-Why do you say that?

Well, it ain't the same, you see. It's not like the old days.

People are rushing around, you know, ain't got time for you.

They're all on their gadgets.

Nobody listens no more.

I listen.

DOT CHUCKLES

Well, that's cos you're a nice girl, Abi.

-You want to see the state of the launderette.

-What?

-Yeah, your shoes stick to the floor when you go in there.

-Oh, no.

-Yeah, and it smells funny.

-Oh, dear. Pauline would turn in her grave.

Yeah, and there's rubbish everywhere.

I mean, we didn't even have a carol concert this year -

no-one was there to organise it.

Oh, that reminds me, got a sing-along here this afternoon.

That's one of my initiatives.

Is this about Heather?

You know, I can't for the life of me remember

where I put the carol sheets.

Grandma Dot!

No. It's not only about Heather.

It's about Bradley and Dennis laying there

outside the Vic on the pavement.

It's my Ashley outside the launderette,

Pauline laying in the gardens.

It's ghosts. Everywhere I look, I see ghosts.

Used to be a happy place.

I used to be glad to call it home.

It can be again.

No.

No, Abi, I ain't got the fight left in me no more.

You know, I'm getting on.

I just want to spend me last few years in peace.

I can hardly believe you're the same little girl

what used to come and feed me budgies for me.

-Sometimes I wish I could be ten again.

-Oh, so do I.

But you're a beautiful young woman.

I mean, you've got the whole world at your feet.

You can do anything what you put your mind to.

-Come on. You ready?

-Mm-hm.

Off we go.

-Right, ready?

-Yeah. One, two, three.

Up she goes!

-Are you still here?

-I was just leaving.

Would you mind giving the tea urn a bit of a blitz this afternoon?

We all know what a marvel you are with the scouring pad.

No, I won't.

-I'm sorry?

-You can scour your own tea urn.

And I'll tell you something, Lucinda Blake,

I am Dorothy Branning

and I am senior manager of a well-regarded laundry service

in the East End of London and I don't take orders from no-one.

Except perhaps Mr Oppodopolus.

And I am not taking orders

from a jumped-up, bossy creature like yourself.

You tell her, Dot.

Thank you.

Well...

LUCINDA SPLUTTERS

Now I see where I get it from.

Oh!

-DOT LAUGHS

-Abi.

Here you go. I almost forgot.

What is it?

A Christmas present? Oh.

Thank you, Abi.

-You will come and see me again soon, won't you?

-I promise.

It ain't been a wasted journey for you, has it?

Dotty needs you here, I understand that.

-It's not fair we get to keep you all to ourselves.

-Oh, Abi.

Go on. Off you go.

Abi?

You tell that grandma of yours

to open me windows twice a week

cos...er...

me house needs airing.

SHE COUGHS

Bit of a nip in the air today.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd