16/11/2017 Part Two EastEnders

Mum?

It's just for a few days.

Where are you going?

Er...the coast.

What, at this time of year?

Well, a bit of sea air.

Were you even going to tell me?

Course I was.

Ian, I can't stay.

Give me one good reason.

Willmott-Brown.

Ben.

So, the school's water supply's packed up, then?

You've got a day off. You look like the world's ended.

-At last!

-What?

You need to come and talk to Mum.

I've got work, all right? I'll come later.

No, you'll come now! This way, come on.

KIM GROANS

Hangover?

Mm-mm. Been sick.

-Bad hangover.

-SHE GROANS

-Food poisoning.

-From what?

Some of that so-called meal was unfit for human consumption.

You seemed to enjoy it.

Yeah, but it was for charity, innit? I was doing my bit.

You had seconds!

Exactly my point! You see, I've got a double dose of bacteria!

No-one poisoned you.

You want to bet?

They'd better watch out, you know, cos I'm going to hunt them down.

SHE EXHALES

SHE RETCHES

What's the point in dragging me...

I don't know what I'm supposed to say to her.

Well, think of something.

She's a grown woman, bruv. Can't stop her leaving if she wants.

We can, all right? And we have to.

Now, did you see Luke last night?

-No.

-Right, well, tell her that, for starters.

Cos she has been upstairs, worrying herself stupid, all right?

She thinks you'd be better off if she disappeared again and let you and Luke go off into the sunset

when we both know that ain't going to happen, is it, all right?

So you tell her you want her to stay!

What if I don't, hm? Maybe I want her to go...

Mum, he didn't mean that, did you?

Ben!

Leave him, Ian.

"We're determined to save our boozer," said Linda Carter,

"a former Miss Watford." HE LAUGHS

Brackets, "runner-up"!

They really think this is going to work?

I almost feel sorry for them.

She wasn't there.

It's not really Kathy's sort of thing.

What's this?

Oh, yeah.

Well, I thought it was only right that I made a contribution.

-A grand.

-Sophie!

It was money well spent. Got them eating out of my hand now.

Your father's daughter!

I had an interesting chat with young Ben.

Oh, yeah? Heard it got a bit frisky.

He's harmless enough, though he does have quite the temper,

which could prove useful.

Ben! Oi, Ben! Oi!

Hope you ain't expecting them to pay for that!

Oi! You poisoned me!

I beg your pardon?

Your nasty pudding.

That you had five portions of?

Well, that's how I know that it tasted off.

-Are you sure you didn't poison anyone yourself?

-How do you mean?

It was your cheap ice cream that kept me up all night!

Ah! It was your little salmon numbers that kept me up all night, repeating!

You know, people will be looking for compensation!

-Oh, go whistle!

-Yeah?

-Yeah, what?

Oh!

KIM COUGHS AND RETCHES

-Sorry, can I get two teas, mate?

-Sure.

-Cheers, thanks. Cheers, mate.

So you, er...choose your mum over a man and then get rid of your mum?

I mean, you know, what's the point of having both of them if you can have none of them, eh?

And put dents in someone else's car, yeah?

It ain't like that.

So you're upset.

Wouldn't you be upset?

Yeah, probably, maybe.

-So don't lecture me.

-I'm not lecturing you,

but I don't see why you have to make everything so hard, Ben.

I ain't making it hard.

So go and talk to her.

I don't see what's stopping you.

I said... I said some things.

OK, well, I'm sure she'll understand.

Look, if I was you and I had a chance to talk to my mum,

I wouldn't be sitting here.

She's put you up to this, hasn't she?

No, just... The stall was quiet.

No, yeah, she thinks you might be on drugs.

She said, if it was about girls, then you'd talk to her about it.

Yeah, right!

You, um... You haven't been sending pictures again, have you?

So what, then?

Do you ever understand them?

Er... No. No, not really.

It doesn't mean I don't try.

All I ever seem to do is keep messing it up.

We're talking about Bex here, right?

I kissed Louise.

I thought you liked Bex.

So did I.

So now you like Louise?

-No.

-No?

Well, this is... This is very enlightening, bruv.

I didn't ask you to come here.

What is going on in that head of yours?

I don't know.

So, how come you and Louise, you know...

We was talking.

About?

About Bex liking mature men.

Ah, OK, I see, so you wanted to make her feel jealous?

THAT is very mature, bruv.

-This isn't funny.

-I ain't laughing.

-Yeah, well, you've got no idea, so...

-No, of course not. I've got no idea. I know nothing.

You're the only one who's ever had girl problems.

-Just leave me alone.

-OK, just...just...

Anything that you are going through,

I have been there and I have done it...

..and I have screwed it up like ten times worse, so...

OK. OK, fine, just if you change your mind...

She got off with her teacher.

Ah, you're a grade A gent, Jack, you know that, don't you?

Can't have this place going down now, can we?

You'll see every penny back, don't you worry about that!

Ah! Here he is, look, the hero, look! Here. Bom, apple!

-Cheers, mate.

-Kushty!

-Any time.

-Yeah, I packed off the rest of his stuff today.

-What?

-Gethin.

-Oh, gotcha, gotcha.

Yeah, you won't be seeing him any time soon.

-It's a shame.

-What?

Well, no, I mean, he was a bit of a plonker,

but I think all teachers have got a bit of that about them, ain't they?

Really? Thought you'd be knocking six bells out of him

after what he did to Bex.

I don't care what you heard, all right? He didn't mean it.

My cab's going to be here in a minute.

It won't. I cancelled it.

Right, well, then I'll get the Tube.

Look, just give him some time, OK?

He's wrapped up in Luke at the moment, but he'll get over it.

What he won't get over is you walking out again.

-No, I'm just getting in the way.

-No, you're not!

He don't want me around, Ian.

-I need to go.

-Mum! Well, right, where?

I told you - the coast.

And then what? France? Italy?

South Africa?

Your family's here.

Yeah, and you got along without me for years.

-What, you think so?

-I'm going, Ian, all right? Don't...

All right, all right, all right! Don't do it for him, OK? Do it for me.

You're doing OK.

Mum, I need you here, OK? I don't want you to go.

DOOR OPENS

You promised us you wouldn't walk out again.

Well, you did, didn't you?

So where is he? Just tell me what he did to her!

It's not what you think!

Well, I don't know what to think, do I, Sonia, cos you won't tell me nothing?

-Look, if he has so much as touched her...

-Bex had a crush on her music teacher, OK?

-So why didn't you tell me?

-Well, I tried, all right?

But if you'd answer your phone, you might know!

Look, I'm sorry. You've had enough on your plate, ain't you?

Yeah, well, I'm not too busy to protect my daughter from a scumbag!

-Oh, please, not out here!

-So it's true, then?

And what did the police say?

-We haven't been.

-What?

-Well, she didn't want to go.

Well, you drag her down there, then, don't you?

He has got a point. I mean, if a teacher's been interfering with her...

-HE BANGS ON DOOR

-Bex?

-I'm not being funny, but this is private. Do you mind shifting yourself?

-Bex!

-This is a public thoroughfare. I can stand where I like!

-Carmel, please!

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'll...leave you to it.

So, what, you protected him, did you? Cos I know you liked him.

Don't you dare say that to me, all right?

I'd die for that girl in there!

But not enough to report a pervert, no?

Our daughter got herself into a stupid situation, and now it's over.

Right, you go storming in there now, who knows what she's going to do?

So what am I supposed to do - nothing?

Talk to her. Try talking to her, not screaming at her.

Well, listen, I'm going to have to ring them.

Dad, please don't!

Come here. Come here, sweetheart.

I'm OK. I'm fine.

Give him time.

He'll come round.

Good work, by the way.

The first few pages need a tweak here and there.

Sure.

You tell me stories about Gran, about growing up,

about you and Pete.

It's hardly the same, is it?

I thought we had no more secrets.

It was before you were born.

You keep saying that, but that ain't an excuse.

Well, when I came back, it was like...

It was all behind me.

Except it wasn't, was it?

I was just getting to know you again and...

Well, I didn't want to go over old ground.

So you shut me out.

I wasn't shutting you out.

Ian knew. Dad knew.

We were married. Of course your dad knew.

I'm guessing Sharon knows as well, Michelle.

But still, you couldn't tell me.

Look, I never thought I'd see him again.

I thought it was all in the past.

It's always secrets, innit, Mum?

You know, when I think about it,

I've never had the full story off you, really.

Now you know everything. There's nothing left to tell.

I met him last night.

Who?

Luke's dad.

What?

He...

He said it wasn't rape.

He said you made the whole thing up.

DOOR SLAMS SHUT

Wow, Linda, is that all from my Billy's crowdfunding idea?

It's more than double what we had.

It's brilliant. Shame we didn't raise much from my Safari Supper.

Every pound's a pound closer, my little darlin'.

Ah! Just been hearing about your special canapes.

Everyone's been talking about them.

And no-one's been talking about anything else?

Like wanting compensation? Food poisoning?

-Salmon?

-Who's...who's had food poisoning?

-No-one.

I may have felt a bit queasy this morning.

Oh, yeah, no, but, if you did have food poisoning, you would have felt it earlier on, I think.

Do you remember that time that I thought I had food poisoning?

Turns out I was pregnant with Johnny.

-Me too, with Janet!

-THEY GIGGLE

Well, me and Vincent, we're a bit more careful.

Well, that's what we thought, didn't we, my darlin', eh?

-LINDA GIGGLES

-Oh, stop it!

-Oh-oh-oh!

Yeah, well, you won't be laughing when

that lot goes on compensation for food poisoning, innit?

KIM CHUCKLES

I thought you just said it was your food.

So why didn't she say anything? She's my daughter an' all!

Well, it sounds like Sonia's dealing with it.

You know what? If anyone touches my kids...

-I'm going to go and find out where he's gone.

-Oh, no, you're not!

-Yeah, I am, yeah.

No, you're not, Martin. You're going to take a deep breath and get back on the stall.

-On the stall?

-Yeah.

I keep seeing his face. I don't get it, Stacey.

Look, I'm her old man. I'm supposed to protect her.

It's my job, I mean... And if I can't do that, what's the point?

The point is, we love you. Bex loves you.

Does she? I mean, why didn't she come to me, then?

Yeah, I'm her dad, and I thought we was in a good place.

Clearly, she don't trust me.

Yes, she does, Martin.

Bex, Lily, Arthur, Hope - they've got the best dad in the world.

BABY CRIES

Look, why don't you go round there and see her? Take Hope to meet her big sister.

And say what? I'm sorry I let you down?

Sorry I let that scum near you?

Martin, stop blaming yourself. Let her do the talking.

-Mum!

-Oh, nice, cosy little chat, was it?

-I never said I believed him!

-Oh, that's good of you!

Do you know? I knew this would happen.

You've done the same thing I did.

You let him get inside your head and then he'll start messing with you.

-No!

-Oh, Ben! He is clever.

He'll have you thinking up is down, day is night.

He'll even have you believing that it was all in my head.

When I met him, when we worked there -

it was The Dagmar then -

he was the kindest man in the world.

He was lovely, charming, a good listener,

the complete opposite of Pete.

His life didn't revolve around football and fresh veg.

I thought he was interesting. He knew stuff.

He could sit and eat his dinner without having the telly on. He was like a breath of fresh air.

Luke's the same, isn't he?

The bad stuff - it's hidden. It's all on the inside.

He says...

..you and him...

Yeah, had a relationship. It's what he told everyone.

In court, he just never accepted it.

Ben, it wasn't a relationship.

It wasn't an affair. It wasn't sex.

It was rape.

BABY LAUGHS

She's beautiful.

She's the spit of you. She is.

Look at me, eh?

Sat here with my two amazing daughters. Lucky man.

Mind you, when she hits double figures, I probably will lock her

-in her bedroom if she's anything like her bigger sister.

-Don't.

You have to tell me, Bex. If you're in trouble,

just come and talk to me.

I love you, no matter what you say or do.

It wasn't him, Dad. Look, I know...

I know he should have reported it, but I kissed him.

Yeah, well, that ain't the point.

I know, but...

Look, the right boy will come along one day.

And when he does,

I'll probably chase him off with a meat cleaver!

THEY LAUGH

We're the lucky ones. Me and her, hm?

But please don't tell anyone, Dad.

-I couldn't stand it if anyone found out.

-Hey!

Yeah, she's just through here.

-All right, but that is for you, not him, OK?

-Thank you.

Right, I'd better get out of here. Back to work.

-Hey, Louise. You all right?

-All right.

-Is this her?

-Yeah.

Oh, look, I'd better get going. See you later.

What?

I didn't mean to tell Shaks about Mr Pryce, honest.

It was you?

Of course it was. Of course it was you.

-Oh, I thought you knew.

-No.

-I thought that's why you weren't picking up.

-No.

-Oh, Bex, it just came out. We were talking...

-About me.

Yeah, but... Because he really likes you.

Yeah. Yeah, that's exactly what it looked like, Louise.

I saw you and him in the cafe.

I never thought I'd feel anything again...

..after Paul.

Well, he was a tough act to follow.

Love of my life.

You take care now. You have a nice day.

Do you know? I remember when you first got together with Luke.

You sat in the caff, smiling from ear to ear,

worrying whether to text him or not, you know,

scared he might think that you were too keen.

I got that wrong!

Listen, if you love someone, you can't help it.

The more you fight it, the harder it gets.

How can I be with Luke after what his dad did?

-Ben...

-No.

I'm going to tell him...tonight we're over.

-But you love him.

-But you're my mum.

-You're my mum!

-Oh, darlin'.

Oh, mate? Er... Is Bex OK? Only I've heard...

You've been talking to your mother, have you?

What? No. The thing is, it's that teacher of hers.

It's probably not true, but I thought you should know.

-I already do, mate.

-Oh.

It's OK. It's something and nothing.

Oh, OK, good. That's great. Thank God for that.

So how's the sad, mad world of online dating?

-25 nudges already today.

-Oh?

Oh! Listen. A bet is a bet.

Well, pleasure doing business with you.

I'm ready to take it to the next level.

I'm going to arrange to meet one of them.

Already?

-You can't leave girls like this waiting, Donna.

-Girls like who?

-PlayMisty.

-Here, let's see her! Let's see!

Well, she hasn't even got a photograph. She could be a minger.

She's nudged me 17 times.

She's keen, isn't she?

-Or she's sat on her phone.

-KUSH CHUCKLES

I thought you'd be happy for me.

Yeah, we are. We are happy for you, mate.

I just think that you should get to know her a bit better before you take the plunge, you know?

It's just a date, Donna! I'll be fine.

Don?

Spill!

Well, there's nothing in here about him.

About who?

He seemed such a nice man.

They always do, don't they?

KNOCK ON DOOR

You...PlayMisty?

My pet gerbil.

What? Why would you set up a fake profile?

Everyone does it, Kush!

Oh, OK, I see now. You like him?

Robbie? No!

Are you sure about that? You did nudge him 17 times!

12 times - he was lying. And I didn't.

-PlayMisty did.

-This is all... This is a bit below the belt, right?

-I didn't do it as a wind-up.

-Why did you do it, then?

-Because I wanted to win the bet!

-OK! Right.

So you made Robbie think he was Mr Popular,

just so you could win yourself a pathetic £20, right?

I didn't know he was going to ask to meet her, did I?

She thinks we went behind her back!

-Who does?

-How did we?

-Would someone mind telling me...

-She saw us!

She saw you kissing me!

-You two are...

-No!

Mum, can you give us a minute, please?

She came into the caff to find me. She saw you all over me!

How was I all over you?

-You fancy HER now?

-Can you stay out of this, please?

I just can't get my head round this.

She thinks I've betrayed her.

Shaki, you're better than this.

Excuse me?

I mean, he wasn't brought up to go off with any old girl.

I ain't any old girl!

-Mum, can you give us a minute, please?

-All right. Yeah, yeah.

You've really done it this time, Shaki!

Argh!

And don't pull a stunt like that again.

I was serious about leaving, Ian. It wasn't a stunt.

What made you change your mind?

Well, you two clearly couldn't cope if I wasn't here.

He says he's going to end it with Luke.

Look, I told you, didn't I? I knew he'd come round.

It's got to be good news.

Is it?

Where's the other half?

-Half of...?

-Well, there's a page missed off these figures.

Oh, come on, Luke! Pay attention.

Sorry, I'll get it.

What's going on?

Well, spit it out!

Ben. I think it's over.

Nonsense! Bring him round to the house.

Give him a taste of the good life.

He'll never want to leave.

Don't let him get to you. They're good at that...

the Beales.

It won't take long.

I need to be somewhere.

Luke? Mum told me.

I'm going to be late if I don't head off now.

Please!

Come on, just go, will you?

Five minutes.

Come on, Ben.

SOUND OF COMPUTER GAME

Show me how this works, then.

It doesn't get any easier, you know? The whole boy-girl thing.

I'm just not even going to bother any more, Mum.

Then you'll miss out on all the fun.

So where's Max?

Like I said, don't get any easier.

You really like her, don't you?

I just don't want to embarrass myself any more, Mum.

Just take things slowly and...

No, she's moved on, Mum.

No-one really moves on.

Right.

Whatever happened in the past, this is not about you and Luke.

Mum, I'm going to tell him tonight, all right? It's OK.

Let's not go over this again.

Will you let her talk?

He's good for you, Ben.

And I do not want to stand in the way of that.

So, what I'm trying to say is don't split up.

Please, not on my account. I want you to be together.

Honestly?

Sorry for everything I said, Mum.

It's time to put all this behind us, for good.

Come here.

Want a lift home?

Ben wants to meet.

See? Patience is rewarded.