Yolande strikes Charlie and begins to let him have it. He tells her he’s just trying to get a word in edgewise. She is not having it. Yolande tells him. First, it’s Peggy, and now he grabs her! Mo comes out and asks how it all went as she sees the scene unfold. Yolande explains to Mo that it’s all these energy drinks Charlie has been drinking! They are doing a number on his mind! Patrick comes out, and Yolande fills him in that Charlie grabbed up her bottom. Charlie tries to explain that she had something stuck on her bottom. Patrick replies that he thought he knew Charlie better than that. Charlie is frustrated that no one will listen to him.
Max is walking away as Tanya watches out of the window. Tanya overhears the girls arguing. Abi nearly spills whatever it is that they were arguing about to Tanya. Lauren tells her mum that Abi was just going on about the karaoke, and she told Max about what Tanya said earlier. Tanya tells Lauren it’s all okay. She explains to Lauren that she needs to know what is going on, doesn’t she?
Ian brings out a bottle of wine. Clare declares that it’s very quiet and cozy tonight. Ian explains that the kids are staying over at a mate, and Bobby is asleep upstairs. He goes on that Steven is at work. She wonders where Jane is. Ian tells Clare that Jane and Christian have been so busy doing all the legwork that he gave them the meal instead. Clare removes her jacket, showing she’s scantily clad in a revealing tank top and short shorts. Ian nervously sits down. Clare asks if she should show him her bird of paradise, or should they wait for Jane? Ian says that Jane and Christian are staying over at the hotel. Clare says, “oh?”
Jane and Christian arrive back at Christian’s flat. Christian sarcastically says that it’s so nice to be home instead of a hotel with a hot tub and fancy meal! Jane reminds him that they probably wouldn’t have given them all of the extras since they didn’t have the booking? Christian thinks he could have talked them round. He fills up the kettle and sees that Ian has had the plumber round. Christian looks at Jane and says, “big deal!” Jane reminds him that he was really hard on Ian earlier. Christian says he wasn’t the only one! Jane admits she was rather hard on Ian. Christian pulls out a bottle of wine.
Max is pouring a drink when Jack walks in. Jack wonders which sorrow Max is drowning with his booze tonight? Max raises his glass and says that maybe he’s celebrating. Max tells Jack that he might be getting somewhere with Tanya. Jack asks Max to let him know when the drugs wear off. Max tells Jack that Tanya told him that she misses him. Max thinks that there is a chance he can have it all back soon. Jack tells him he’s had his chance if you want to do something useful work it out with Bradley. Max explains that he’s tried. Max turns on the television and tells Jack that he feels like he’s getting closer. Jack leaves the room with a heavy sigh.
Stacey and Steven come back from chasing after Paula. Stacey tells Steven she told him she was long gone. Steven says the fact that she came back means she’s not all bad. Stacey tells him to grow up because there is no light.
Jay is going through the house, turning off all the lights. Dawn tells him to stop. Teg’s mom knocks on the door as Dawn says, “how bad could she be?” Tegs’ mum is a right cow from the start telling Dawn she thought she was the one who wanted to talk! Dawn explains she was just going to let the dog out. Keith calls Ghengis into the kitchen. Dawn asks Ms. Tegs if cream and two will do for her tea? She tells her to make herself at home. Ms. Tegs turns on the television while she sits in Keith’s chair.
Christian pulls out a bottle of wine and tempts Jane. He details how he’s setting up the flat. Jane tells Christian she’s going home. Christian convinces her not to after all the work they’ve done. He tells her to treat him mean and lean.
Ian pours himself and Clare a glass of wine. She notices he’s stiff. She tells him he could probably do with a full body massage. Ian says he’s fine and fit as a fiddle. She pushes on, and he agrees it’s not a bad idea. Clare says it’s not healthy to have all that pressure built up as it could just explode. You have to release it sometimes, she tells him. Ian tells her to wait there, and he’ll be back in a moment.
Jack says he must put a no riff-raff policy on the door. Max jokes that his brother owns a nightclub, so he understands. The doorbell rings, and Jack jokes that he’s going to have to put bouncers on the door. Jack opens the door, and it’s Tanya and the kids. Jack gets Max’s attention and says to look who’s shown up. Tanya says she knows it’s not what they had planned, but if he hasn’t made plans?
Dawn, Mickey, and Keith are huddled in the kitchen. Dawn has no idea on what to do or say to Tegs’ mum. Dawn begs them for help, but they don’t know either. Mickey says its a girl thing. Dawn says, “I am a girl! That is a thing!” Mickey tells her it’s a mother thing? He reminds her that she whipped them two in shape. You’re the mum of this house now!
Mo tells Charlie she told him harmless flirting, and he had to go and grab her Queen mum! Charlie protest that he didn’t touch her, not like that! Mo doesn’t believe him. Charlie turns and bumps into Jean. Charlie says he’s going to give up the diet. Mo protest that she’s invested, erm, so much time into this! Jean says he can’t as there are so many people invested in you! Jean says we’re all “behind you” and laughs. Charlie doesn’t appreciate the joke and says, “so long as I’m not behind you.” He leaves, and Jean wonders if they should hold off on the dating app. Mo says just until they know they won’t be charged as accessories!
Steven tells Stacey her problem is she doesn’t like losing. Stacey tells Steven he’s like a dog with a bone. She tells him that her trouble is she lives in Walford, and he lives in a cloudland.
Yolande is detailing the events of the evening to Shirley, who cannot believe they are talking about Charlie Slater. Yolande says he did the same thing to Peggy last night only on her top, not her bottom. Shirley doesn’t quite believe it. The door opens and in walks Charlie and Mo. Shirley walks over and asks, “You alright, “fingers”?” Charlie nods and starts to order when Mo races to tell her he wants a slim tonic as he’s watching his figure. Shirley says, “Oh yeah, that’s not all he’s watching, eh?”
Ian comes in to find Bobby in Clare’s lap. She tells him he must have had a bad dream and she could read him a story. Ian takes Bobby back up to bed.
Max hooks up the karaoke machine. Tanya makes a move, and Max asks her to join them. She tells him it’s probably too noisy for Oscar. She tells him about parents’ night at Abi’s school tomorrow. She says they need to decide which one of them is going to attend. Max offers that they might both go. Tanya says she’ll think about it. Jack observes it all and tells Max that maybe she is coming round or she’s playing him at a whole new level? Max says that Tanya doesn’t have it in her. She walks out and looks back to see Max watching through the blinds. She turns to see Sean standing there. He asks her if she’s just giving into Max now? She says no, she isn’t — Tanya motions to her house with a smile.
Jean chases Stacey and Steven through the house with spray. They toss their chips in the trash. Jean asks if they want more tea? Stacey says no as she has to run a bath as she’s going to the wholesalers early in the morning. Jean thanks Steven for being a good friend to Stacey. He tells Jean that it feels like an uphill battle to get anywhere with Stacey. Jean tells him that is just how Stacey is. He asks if Stacey’s never had any hopes or dreams? Jean says not really, that’s probably how she survived.
Yolande is still sour about Charlie, and Shirley calls out that it was a “gropeathon wasn’t it Charlie?” The pub laughs, and Charlie tells Mo that the diet is off! He shouts we ain’t taken a penny off them! Mo says she can’t as she’s already pledged the money to a good cause, “Computers for the hopeless and desperate.” Charlie glances at Patrick and Yolande’s way and scours.
Dawn tells Tegs mum that they’ve got to talk this out and figure out a way to help them. It’s their job as mum’s to teach them right from wrong and help them learn to grow and live together and make the world a better place. Ms. Tegs jumps up and says she ain’t having some flighty light dance in the sunshine tell her what’s what. She gets in Dawn’s face and says, “my boy ain’t going down!”
Ian comes back from putting Bobby back to sleep, apologizing for it taking so long. Clare says it’s alright. She hopes he doesn’t mind that she’s made herself a bit more comfortable. She says it must be the wine. Ian says he selected it the day prior to the wine tasting. She says to Ian that she didn’t want to get all giddy, but she can resist everything except temptation. She turns so that her nearly naked bossom is projected towards Ian. He gulps.
Max is singing with the girls. They are giggling. They tell him it’s so bad. He tells them to get their mum back so she can play.
Tanya is making out with Sean and asks him, ” tell me you’d do anything for me?”
Ms. Tegs explains to Dawn that she isn’t having some pouncey cow tell her how to raise her son. She’s meant to keep Jay home tomorrow if she knows what’s good for her. Dawn tells her she doesn’t know anything about her. Ms. Tegs steps on Mr. Bendy Legs, Summer’s toy, and it sets Dawn off. Dawn tells her that she doesn’t know what’s happened to her and her daughter. Ms. Tegs says she doesn’t give a care. Dawn grabs her by the hair and says, “you don’t know a thing about me, but this is my house, and that is my stepdad’s chair you’ve had your fat bottom in and that was my daughter’s toy you broke. Bloody cheek, you have coming in here telling us what is going to happen.” Dawn drags her out of the house and into the street. You with your pokey fingers! Do you know how much this lot cost (pointing to her chest)? She tells Ms. Tegs that if she ever crosses the street and pulls anything towards Jay that she will come out with her pliers and pull the bolts out of her neck! She sends her packing. Ms. Tegs screams back; this ain’t over! Dawn sics Ghangis after her. Dawn turns to Jay and says that violence is never the answer, but this had to be done. Keith is happy because he has his chair back. They ask Dawn what’s for tea time? Dawn tells Keith as soon as he gets on the table! Mickey is laughing, and she tells him he’s doing the washing. She orders them to get moving! They jump to it!
Steven is still sitting at the table at the Slater’s when Jean comes back in. He’s quick to put away his drawing book. He tells Jean that there are 18 biscuit packages. Jean sets a box down on the table. She says she couldn’t leave this at her flat. She opens it and says that Stacey would have a fit if she knew she still had this. She opens a book, and it’s filled with cuttings from magazines. Said it got her in trouble one time at the doctors cutting up their magazines. Stacey would have a fit if she knew she was showing him this. She calls Stacey her little Coco Channel. Steven wonders if this was her dream, what happened? Jean doesn’t answer and simply says she put it all in the box for her.
Tanya arrives. She says she hates to drag them away, but they need to go. Lauren tells Tanya she will have to have a stun gun to drag Abi off the game. Abi starts to sing, and Max says he’ll get them some drinks.
Mo asks Charlie to lend her a tenner. Yolande calls out, “He’s a predator! Preying on defenseless women!” Shirley says not so defenseless by the look of him, are ya, Charlie? She tells Yolande to put it all behind her if she doesn’t, he will. Bottoms up, Shirley says. Yolande says it’s no laughing matter. Yolande comes down and tells Charlie that he should be ashamed for touching her bottom. Charlie yells out, “humbug! It was just a humbug, and I had to get it off your bottom!” Everyone laughs. Patrick asks why he didn’t tell them? Charlie says he didn’t want people to know he’d broken his diet. Yolande laughs and calls Charlie an old fool. Charlie is embarrassed and leaves. Patrick calls out, why not break your diet in style! Mo tells everyone that the diet is still on!
Abi finishes, and they all applaud her. Tanya tries to get them out, and Abi sets up a duet of Tanya’s favorite song. She says she has to do it and can’t let the boys win. Max is keen on it.
Clare is laying on the couch. Ian fills her glass full. She tells him her problem is she dates men who are too young. Her last boyfriend called her a succubus. Ian doesn’t know what that means. She tells him he said she sucked all the energy out of him with her wicked ways. She tells Ian she just hasn’t kissed the right frog. Ian starts to go in for a kiss. He stops himself and his back cramps. He accidentally knocks her wine, and it spills down her front. She jumps up and says she must go up and clean herself up. She hopes he has bigger towels this time. She heads upstairs, and Ian turns off a lamp.
Jane is whinging on about Ian to Christian. He asks her if she has anything nice to say about him? Christian says she’s right. There are none. Jane says he has his moments. Christian says there is no cure for what she has with hubby. He’s afraid. She scoffs. He tells her, “love, dummy, you’ve got love.” Jane smiles, and Christian says, let’s get you home.
Tanya is trying to sing the words to the song, but she is obviously upset. Abi prods her to continue. Max picks up his part. Tanya says that’s enough, let’s go. Max asks her to talk. He apologizes and begs her to forgive him. She tells him she can’t.
Tea is made, and Mickey calls everyone to the table. Dawn tells Jay she could still call his dad. He tells her no, she’ll do.
Tanya gets the girls home and sends them upstairs to start on their homework. She asks Sean to get them a nice bottle of wine.
Charlie is catatonic watching television. Mo tells Jean to respond to a message Charlie got so she can get him back on track. She sends a “do you want to go on a hot date” message to Bubbly Brenda.
Clare comes down in what she thinks is Ian’s shirt. Ian is lying mostly naked on the sofa. She asks him if this is what he wants? He sees the shirt and says it’s Janes. He jumps up in his underwear and says he can’t do this. She tells him he must get comfortable for it. She says she better go. She tells him she meant for him to book an appointment! They hear Jane at the back door, and Ian sends her out the front. Jane comes in, and he shoves Clare’s top on the sofa. Jane screams when she sees him standing there in his skivvy’s. She is rather shocked. She asks him what he’s doing in those. He tells her he knew she’d be back. He hugs her and tells her he loves her. She tells him she loves him too. Maybe just a cuddle tonight, she says.
Tanya searches and finds her rings.
Clare sits like the cat who ate the mouse at the caff.
Jack comes home and asks Max what’s going on? Max says he was right; it’s too late. His phone rings, and it’s Tanya. She tells him she thinks they should go together. She slips her rings back on. Sean comes in, and she hurries off the phone. She lies and tells him that she needs him to babysit as Max is going to be busy. She slips her rings back off behind Sean’s back.