03/02/2014 EastEnders

Come on, Carol, don't leave a man hanging. Will you marry me?

Carol?

Leave them. Let them sort it out, eh?

Carol!

Can't help yourself, can you?

A perfectly nice night and you have to go and spoil it!

That's not quite the answer I was expecting.

Is this a joke to you?

-THROUGH SPEAKER:

-'Cos I don't think it's funny! The arrogance!'

-Why's that happening?

-David might have taken the mic with him.

'You never think, do you? You never stop to consider anyone!

'You're so selfish!'

I will not marry you - not now, not ever.

-What did you think?

-Mum!

-I'd be desperate enough to say yes

-just because I've got cancer?!

-Oh!

'Go back inside, Bianca. This is between me and your mum.'

No. The whole pub knows.

-Carol...

-Don't make it worse!

What's the matter? None of you heard the word "cancer" before?

Whitney, Bianca never mentioned this. How long has Carol known?

Not long, a couple of weeks.

You've got to admire her for knocking lover boy back.

There's nothing worse than a pity proposal if you ask me.

Well, no-one did.

-SHIRLEY:

-Right, who wants another drink?

Yeah, lock-in starts now.

Knock that karaoke on the head, though.

Don't think anyone's in the mood.

Johnny, can you put some music on, please?

-I was about to take a break.

-Well, you can take it later.

Linda, I'm still all right for last orders, ain't I?

Blimey, did someone die?

What were you thinking?!

Why am I always the bad guy, Bianca?

All I did was propose to her.

I thought you'd have been pleased.

Well, it depends... it depends if you meant it.

Asking her something like that on a whim ain't what she needs right now.

I meant it! Of course I meant it.

All right, it wasn't planned, but when I said the words, it felt right.

And when your mum calms down, she'll see that and she'll say yes.

Hopefully.

Do you reckon?

I love her, Bianca. I really love her.

I always have and I always will.

I should've asked her sooner, before the cancer.

I'm not going to give up... with or without your blessing.

Well, you'd better go and grovel, then.

Oi, lover boy! She ain't going to let you in!

Go home to your meal-for-one, Max!

Oi, mate?

Hey, what you doing? What you doing?

No, no, don't do that. No, please.

No, don't!

MASOOD YELLS, GLASS SHATTERS

MASOOD GROANS

MASOOD GROANS

Shirley might be as subtle as a sledgehammer,

but some of us want to show respect.

-Nothing about illness or pain.

-Course.

Or marriage. No romance at all, come to think of it.

Right.

But nothing too happy. We don't want Bianca to think we're celebrating.

Carol's going to be gutted that everyone knows.

Yeah. Some things are best kept private.

Barrel needs changing.

I'll do it.

Do you have to?

Aw, you going to miss me?

I wish you'd told me.

Yeah, the kids don't even know yet.

Suppose I'll have to tell 'em now.

You know I can cover for you on the stall any time you want, yeah?

If you want to go to the hospital or anything...

Bianca, what type of cancer is it?

-Ain't our business.

-I'm just asking!

-That's all right.

It's breast cancer.

She starts her chemo in a couple of days.

UPBEAT DANCE MUSIC BLARES

DOOR OPENS

Carol?

Do you think you should?

I'm already sick, David! What difference is it going to make?

Still, I'd better get used to everybody spouting advice

on what's best for me, now that everybody knows.

They were going to find out eventually.

Yeah, when I decided to tell them. Me!

All right, Carol, I didn't... I'm sorry. It was an accident.

I didn't know the mic was on, did I?

If I could take it back, I would. Now, are we going to talk about this?

Talk about what?

The little matter of me proposing!

You've already had my answer.

Yeah, but you're in shock, aren't you?

You've got time to think about it properly now,

so I'm going to ask you again.

Carol Jackson, I love you.

Will you marry me?

No!

DEXTER CLEARS HIS THROAT

You all right? Can I help you with something?

How about...you and me, right here, right now?

NANCY LAUGHS

You know your problem, Dex?

You are just too shy - you never say what you really want.

OK, so, I'm not doing the champagne and the roses thing, but...

this is more... spontaneous, sexy.

-NANCY LAUGHS

-What has gotten into you?

Apart from a few too many beers, obviously.

It's all that stuff with Carol.

I mean, it's like a warning shot, innit?

Serious, man, you've got to make the most of every minute.

I mean, what would you do

if you suddenly found out you weren't going to be here next week?

Are you telling me you wouldn't regret

-not taking a few more chances?

-That is a very nice try,

but you should've just said you wanted to get in my knickers.

You saying that would've worked, yeah?

Depends.

I'd need to inspect the bodywork first.

Excuse me?

Well, you wouldn't fix a car

without checking what's under the bonnet first, would you?

Go on, show me what you've got.

And the rest.

Excuse me?

Gone all shy?

FAINT CLATTER OUTSIDE

What was that?

-I didn't hear nothing.

-GROANING

That! You must have heard that!

It's probably a fox or a cat or something.

No, that was not an animal.

GROANING

Can you give me a minute to put the crown jewels back in the safe?

NANCY SCREAMS Help me.

It's Tam's dad.

What happened to you, Masood?

Don't know, he was really drunk earlier, man. Are you all right?

Come on, man, get up - easy, easy, easy.

There you go. That's it.

I think we should take him to A&E.

-Yeah, definitely.

-No. I just want to go home.

Not on your own, mate, not this time.

Come on.

There you go. That's it, there you go.

GLASS TINKLES

I don't believe you.

CAROL SIGHS

How many times do I have to tell you?

No, no, no!

Are you satisfied?

No. Not until you give me a damn good reason why not.

CAROL SCOFFS

I don't know, where do I start?

You're unreliable, you're immature, you're selfish...

Don't hold back, Carol, say what you really think(!)

I can't think of anybody less suitable for marriage.

I mean, you're great with a wife - it's just usually somebody else's.

Very funny.

We've been on and off for decades, David, so why now?

I'll tell you, shall I?

The cancer - that is the only reason that you proposed!

No! No! No!

It's got nothing to do with you being ill.

Please, stop being so stubborn and just say yes.

I mean, you said it yourself, we've been great the last few weeks.

What are you so scared of?

What are you doing down here?

I'm just getting a glass of water.

Were you and Grandad arguing?

Come on, darling, let's go to bed.

Hello?

We found him in the alley by the Vic.

-He was in a pretty bad way.

-Dad, you're bleeding.

I fell down, that's all.

Listen, we tried to take him to the hospital, but he weren't having it.

Thanks for bringing him back. I'll take it from here.

Look, man, I don't know your dad,

but obviously I've met lots of his type before, so...

His type? What do you mean?

Like, heavy drinkers.

Well, I wouldn't call him a heavy drinker.

Look, you can think what you like, but he's just lucky

he face-planted the pavement and wasn't hit by a car.

Yeah, well, you know, people trip over all the time.

I do it at least twice a day.

I know it's hard to hear stuff like that about your parents.

But if it was my dad, I would want to know.

Thanks. Really.

It's not a problem, man.

Look, Tam...

if you ever need a mate...

Cheers. Thanks.

Cool.

People beat it all the time. Look at Tanya Branning.

I was saying to Bianca the other day, the amount of people I ferry

to hospital in my cab, go in looking terrible and come out fighting fit.

There's loads they can do now. All these new treatments.

Tell that to my nan. She found out she had cancer, she was dead within a couple of days.

She had no time to make her peace with it

-or say a proper goodbye to anyone.

-Yeah, well, that's not Carol.

If worst comes to the worst, she could always have them removed.

Nik!

Well, it's not the end of the world. Look at Angelina Jolie!

I've met her.

Ain't it about time you lot changed the subject anyway?

-You what?!

-I'm just saying, cancer's common as cold.

One in three people get it.

Carol will live just as long as the rest of us,

unless she gets hit by a bus or...

-Why don't you just shut your mouth?!

-Bianca, Bianca...

Cos you don't know nothing about it.

I'm sorry, Bianca. You're out of order.

Look, love, all I'm saying is, you don't have to be so melodramatic.

And all I'm saying is, love, you don't have to be patronising.

Right, OK, Bianca, I'm sorry.

Right, Nikki, you're plastered. Go home.

NIKKI RETCHES

-Classy(!)

-I'm going to have to walk her home.

I can't have her stumbling in on the kids like that.

You going to be all right?

Yeah.

I'll call you later, yeah? Sorry, Mick.

Just in case. Will you drink your coffee? It'll go cold.

-I don't need it.

-Yeah,

cos you weren't drunk at all when you fell over and brained yourself,

so why would you need sobering up?

I was mugged!

Why didn't you say anything?

I didn't want to cause a fuss.

That cut looks really bad.

Let me see if I can find some antiseptic.

She's asleep now.

Right.

Look, Nan, I heard. You're going to be OK, right?

Liam, now isn't the time.

Grandad just wants to help you and you should let him.

I don't need him, do I? I've got you and Bianca.

Look, we'll talk later, all right? I promise.

So, Bianca and Liam - a 15-year-old boy -

they're allowed to be there for you, but not me? That's great(!)

I was just trying to make him feel better.

What was I meant to do?

What are we doing here, Carol?

I mean, if we ain't going to take the next step and get married

and make a commitment to each other, where does that leave us?

We're fine as we are. Or at least I thought we were.

-Well, maybe that's not enough for me now!

-Oh, do you know what?

It always becomes about you in the end.

-No, it's not.

-This proposal came out of nowhere

and suddenly it's the be-all-and-end-all.

Have you stopped, just once,

to consider that this is the last thing I need right now?

Well, how else am I meant to prove that I'm serious,

that I'm there for you no matter what?

-By giving me what I want for a change!

-Which is?

Some space!

Fine.

I'll go.

And maybe when I come back, you'll have calmed down

and we can talk about this rationally.

DOOR SHUTS

CAROL SIGHS

SHE SIGHS

Why are you hiding up here?

I just needed some time out.

Not a problem, is it?

Giving you the heebie-jeebies, is it, all that cancer talk?

When the going gets tough, Shirley gets going.

You know nothing about me!

You've not...?

No.

I thought I did a few years back, but it was just a scare.

Still, bet the waiting to find out weren't much fun.

Just puts things into perspective.

Carol'll be all right.

She's as tough as old boots, that one.

Reminds me of someone.

If it happens again and you get scared, there's people to help.

Family.

All I'm saying is, at least you'll get a lift to the hospital.

-SHIRLEY SNIGGERS

-I'm touched.

No, don't be.

With this place to run, we're stuck with each other, simple as that.

If Mum and Whit knew, why didn't you tell us?

Because Tiff and Morgan are so young.

But I'm not.

I know. It's just that every time I have to tell someone,

I have to go through it all again.

What type of cancer it is, what it means, what's to come...

Yeah, but you have to tell Tiff and Morgan soon,

otherwise they're just going to find out from somebody else.

I know. Just give us a couple of days, eh?

Nan...

whatever happens with Grandad, you've still got all of us.

You know that, right?

Proper man of the house these days, aren't you?

-Listen, can I just have a couple of minutes on my own?

-You sure?

Is Nan going to die?

-So what was Masood doing there?

-He fell over.

I ain't never seen him like that. He was wasted.

Well, I suppose Carol had a lucky escape, eh?

They used to go out, by the way.

Well, don't worry about him, he ain't your problem now.

Thanks.

Shame they're not a couple, innit?

Johnny's good in a crisis, really supportive.

Reckon that's what your Whit needs right now.

Yeah, it wouldn't be right, though, would it,

them getting together just cos of one stupid, drunken mistake?

What mistake?

You should ask Johnny.

No, I'm asking you.

What don't I know about my son and Whitney?

It's no biggie really.

It's just that, well, Whit had a scare a few weeks back...

It's your round now, innit, Johnny?

DEXTER CLEARS HIS THROAT

What?

Well, don't you think he needs a hand?

Oh, right.

So what do you say, Nance, you and me pick up where we left off?

No, you're all right.

That whole thing with the postman kind of killed it for me.

And, what, I can't bring it back for you?

No means no, Dex.

All right.

Maybe another time though, innit?

If you're lucky.

You look like the cat who got the cream with a strawberry on top.

What put that smile on your boat?

Nothing.

I know it's scary, yeah? But we've got to stay strong, for Nan.

You still haven't said if she's going to die, like Nana Pat.

It's different, this cancer, you know.

Look, they found it early so they can treat it.

-Honest?

-Yeah.

But you can't tell anyone, not yet.

-But we want to help her.

-I know you do,

and the best way you can do that right now is by not saying anything.

So promise me you'll keep it a secret, yeah?

Can I keep the light on tonight?

-Course.

-You can sleep in my room if you want.

-MASOOD INHALES SHARPLY

-Sorry.

You remember you had to do this for me once?

You bought me a bike with stabilisers on it

and I still fell off.

Into a bush, I think.

-We were in the park.

-Yeah, and Mum was like,

"You have to get back on, it's the only way you'll learn!"

But I really didn't want to and you wouldn't force me,

so then she made me sell the bike.

She was right, I never did try again after that

and I don't know anyone else who can't ride a bike.

I'm sorry.

It's all right.

I never did have ambitions to be the next Bradley Wiggins.

But I'm sorry as well

because Nancy told me what a state you were in earlier

and I probably should've just come to the pub and got you myself.

Anyway, let's not hug or anything.

-Do you want more coffee?

-Yeah.

KNOCKING AT DOOR

Hi.

The market office has been burgled. Know anything about it?

Thank you. Must've been something I ate.

I better go and check on the kids.

No, I've done it. They're fine.

Sparko.

You going back to the pub?

Ain't much point now, is there?

I'll probably just ring Bianca and get some Zs.

You should too, sleep that off.

Remember when we both used to be right up for it

and we had them tequila shots in the late bar,

used to stagger home with a box of dirty fried chicken.

YOU used to stagger.

You used to lick the crumbs off my fingers.

Yeah, but some of us had to grow up, didn't we?

Is that a dig?

No. We had it good there for a while, didn't we?

We did, didn't we?

But we wanted different things, Nik.

Back then, maybe, but not any more.

I've missed our little family, haven't you?

Nik, what you doing? What you doing?

I like the family I've got now.

Look, you wanted to see the world, didn't you?

And I wanted to stay at home.

And that's OK.

I'm fine, TJ and Rosie, they've got stability,

everything's worked out all right, innit?

So maybe you should go back to doing what you really love.

Your job.

But I DID lock up.

The police said no forced entry.

So, being the last to leave, either you didn't do it properly

or you took the money yourself. You are the only other key-holder.

Aside from you. Maybe you took it.

What did you say?

I'm just saying if you're the only other person with a key,

then it's an option.

That's a serious accusation.

But if you'd like to make it on record, that's OK with me.

All I'm saying is, I know it can't be my error.

Look, I don't think we're getting anywhere now.

I suggest you come to the office early tomorrow.

You need to make a statement to the police,

tell them exactly what you told me.

Then we'll discuss what your carelessness means for your job.

DOOR SLAMS

Did you hear that? He's basically accusing me of negligence without any evidence.

Yeah, he's out of order.

Problem is, he's got a point.

And he's right - I am the only other person with a key

and there's no CCTV, so basically it's his word against mine.

Did they take anything else or was it just the lock box?

I didn't mention the lock box.

And neither did he.

What are you doing out here?

Your mum wanted some space.

What?

-So you came here?

-There's nothing wrong with that!

No. Nothing wrong with it, if you're a stalker.

I can't win with you lot, can I?

Dad, come on! We didn't mean nothing.

Go home, Bianca. Go home and look after your mum.

Where are you going?!

That was quite a show you put on earlier.

I owe you a drink - you saved me getting entertainment.

All on your own, Shirley?

Carol didn't change her mind, then?

Must be quite a shock to blokes like you,

when women stop falling at your feet.

DAVID LAUGHS And what have you got, eh?

A few shares in a pub?

Bit of cardboard ain't going to love you back, Shirley.

RING TONE

Hello, Dean?

It's Mum.

PHONE LINE GOES DEAD

You all right, Mum?

Yeah. I'm just going to pop over and see your dad.

You can't. He's not there.

-I've just seen him.

-He's gone. He just went off somewhere.

-Where?

He didn't say where he was going.

You do think he'll come back, don't you?

Tam, I wasn't thinking!

Oh, so you just thought you'd steal a load of cash?

When did you become a thief, as well as a liar and a drunk?

-That's not fair.

-What's not fair is I'm going to lose my job,

because you've completely given up on yourself!

-Don't speak to me like that!

-It's not enough to screw up

your own life, now you're dragging me down with you.

I am your father, you will respect me!

Respect you? Cos you're the perfect role model, aren't you?

You're a failed husband, failed father, failed Muslim. You're a failed man!