“It’s like a laugh once you’re in there, mate,” Barry said, trying to coax the boy off the sofa. “No, I won’t, mate,” the kid shot back, his arms crossed. “What’s your tone? ” Barry snapped.
“Mum wouldn’t make me go. ”
“Yeah, well, your mum’s not here, is she? ”
The boy, Harry, glared at him. “Just admit you can’t wait to be rid of me.
You’re madly sending me off to the army. ”
“It’s a children’s drama group. ”
“I’m not a child. ”
Barry rolled his eyes.
“Hate to break it to you. It’s a bunch of little kids who want to sing and dance about like idiots. Okay, come on, Liv. Show us your jazz hands.
”
“Yeah. Okay, okay. Glenn is going to be so impressed with you. Come on,” Olivia said, trying to lighten the mood.
Harry wasn’t budging. “Not going, and you can’t make me. ”
“Come on, Barry. You’ll have a laugh once you’re in there with your mates,” Olivia tried.
“I don’t have mates. It’s just a bunch of babies and Jake stupid Windass. ”
Barry sighed. “Well, give him a wide berth.
Honey, come on. I’ve got a meeting I can’t miss, so come on, get out. ”
“You work too much. You chill.
”
“Are you trying to wind me up? Okay, okay, it’s fine. Hey, didn’t you smash it as a tin man in the Wizard of Oz? I’m sure I heard Glenda going on about Bugsy Malone songs for this year.
”
“So? ”
“So, who’s more Bugsy than you? ”
“You, I suppose. ”
“Don’t let Jake Windass get a lead over you.
”
“He’ll be a rubbish Bugsy. ”
“Tell me about it. Come on, let’s do this. You’re welcome.
”
In a different part of the corridor, Mary walked by and spotted her son, Greg Shore, bedraggled on the floor. “Barry. I had no idea you were in there. When did you get back?
”
“He snuck in in the early hours. It wasn’t my fault,” Mary said. “What wasn’t? ”
“She walked in on me in the shower,” Barry said with a smirk.
Mary laughed it off. “Trying to sneak a little peek at his tan lines, were you, Mary? ” Greg teased. “You should be so lucky.
”
“Too many fish bowls making him catty. ”
“Oh, jet lag? ” Greg asked. “Yeah, that and the non-stop nights out.
There’s full moon parties. They take it out of you, let me tell you. ”
“Well, you better get your head down some because you’re back in work first thing tomorrow, and you’re flying solo,” Mary told him. “Oh, yeah?
So, where are we swanning off to? Glamorous Somerset? ” Greg stood up, stretching. “My cousins are going to be well jel when I rock up with you on my arm.
”
“Ooh, I can’t wait. Did you say they’ve got a hot tub? ”
“Yeah, yeah. Pack a bikini.
Well, I would like nothing better than to pass out in bed for the rest of the day, but there’s somewhere I’m supposed to be. ”
“Are we meant to guess? ” Mary asked. “Sarah.
She wants to pay us a visit. ”
“Ah. ” Mary cleared her throat. “You don’t want to see her.
”
“Well, there was nothing wrong with her before I left. And now? ”
The atmosphere thickened. Mary looked guilty.
Elsewhere, Sarah was sitting in a stark visiting room. Greg walked in and sat across from her. “How are you and Shayna? How are you getting on here with all these girls?
” Greg asked. “Yeah, I’ve… I’ve made a friend. ”
“Oh, that’s great.
What’s she in for? ”
“God, it doesn’t matter. ”
“It kind of does. ”
“She’s nice and she’s smart.
”
“And yet she’s in prison. ”
“Yeah, so am I. ”
“You don’t belong here. ”
“Except I do.
”
Greg was trying to repair a friendship that had fractured. “I had a lot of time to think while I was away. I know how scared you must have been. I still don’t understand how you could let someone bully you in here.
”
“I did everything wrong. I don’t really… I hate myself. I do.
I really hate myself. And if you hate me, too, then… ”
“I don’t hate you. I mean, you messed up like big time.
I mean… mega. But I love you. ”
“I love you, too, Greg Shore.
”
“So,” he sighed, “what’s this I hear about your brother Idris? He rocks up and insults you with an offer. ”
“I’m not insulted. He’s family.
”
“What’s the family connection? Respect. Blood doesn’t equal trust. ”
“You should get that on a t-shirt.
Sorry, I’m nosy. ”
“Working on it. ”
Sarah’s friend Casey approached, noticing the fresh bruises on her arm. “That looks nasty.
”
“Yeah, that little wrongun living with Tim and Sally mauled me. ”
“What actually happened? ”
“It wasn’t my fault. I get that her mom just died on like Tuesday or whatever.
”
“So, she’s grieving. ”
“Yeah, she’s had it rough. ”
“Sympathetic to the core. ”
“Yeah, I am actually.
Listen, please do not take Idris’s offer out of family loyalty. Stick it out and wait for something better. Be selfish. It’s what he would do.
”
“I’m stuck in the middle here, so just give it a rest. ”
“I’m just looking out for you. ”
“Don’t you have enough stuff going on without worrying about me and Idris? ”
“Meaning?
”
“Harley playing up this morning. ”
“He was just giving it large to Kit because he can. Kids sense weakness. ”
“I’d hardly call Kit weak.
”
“Well, he couldn’t cope this morning. Had to step in. ”
“And save the day. ”
“Your words, not mine.
Harley’s a good lad. He just needs a strong male role model. ”
The conversation was interrupted by an announcement. “Oh, Casey, I thought you said that your son was coming.
”
Casey’s face fell. “He was, but he’s been arrested. ”
“Oh, no. So sorry.
What did he do? ”
“Armed robbery. He never did it, I promise. He’s a good lad, really.
”
“I mean, what do I expect? I’m hardly setting a good example being banged up in here, am I? I thought you were in here because you were protecting him in the first place. ”
“Assault is assault though, isn’t it?
Loser mommy equals messed up kid. ”
“We’ve all made mistakes. I’m no one to be on my high horse,” Sarah said. “Just wish I could help him.
That’s what a mom’s supposed to do for her kids, and I can’t. Useless. ”
“We look out for each other, don’t we? ” Sarah offered.
“Yeah, of course we do. ”
“So, maybe your copper boyfriend could help my Brandon. ”
“Casey, he’s not my boyfriend anymore, and I don’t think there’s anything he could do. ”
“Please, Sarah.
I wouldn’t ask you if I wasn’t desperate. I need to help my Brandon, and I don’t know how. Please, you need to ask your fellow to help me. ”
“I just don’t think there’s anything that me or Kit could do.
”
“So, you were just pretending to be me mate. When it comes down to it, you couldn’t care less. ”
“Of course I care. ”
“Then show it.
Please. I looked out for you. And I can see you’re a good person. That’s why I protected you.
Why should I bother if you won’t do anything for me? ”
The guilt was heavy on Sarah. At the drama group, Harry was trying to do a vocal warm-up, but Jake Windass was goading him. “Right, shut your mouth before I shut it for you.
”
“I’m what? Going to go and get your mom to knock me out? Don’t you talk about my mom. ”
“All right, Jake,” a teacher said.
“My dad could get banged up because of her,” Jake spat, referring to Sarah. “I’ll say what I like. ”
“Stop this right now. ”
Harry snapped.
He lunged at Jake, sending drinks flying. The teacher pulled them apart. “Right, I’m not having this in my class. Harry, are you hurt?
”
“No, do you really think I’d hit a little kid? ”
“Right, I’m going to ring your parents. ”
“Yeah, good luck with that. ”
Later, Sarah’s father, Adam, confronted Harry.
“Harry, what’s going on? Glenda said she chucked you out for fighting. ”
“I’m not fighting. I just broke drinks, I suppose.
”
“Still not acceptable. Violence is never the answer. You know that. ”
“Violence?
Change the record. ”
Harry stormed off. Adam felt for him, but Harry was lashing out because Sarah was banged up. Back home, Adam talked to Greg.
“I feel for him, I do. If that little loser said stuff about Sarah, but he cannot keep going on like that. ”
“I’m sorry that I couldn’t go and get him today. I’m stuck halfway across town,” Adam said.
“Kit was the go-to today, not you. We’re all trying to make this work except one of us is able. ”
“You still have a pretty important job, though. ”
“I offered to lighten the load last week.
I’m just saying that we all need to do our bit here. ”
“Yeah, well, it’s fine now ’cause he can just stay here. ”
Mary, meanwhile, was on the phone, worried about her own father’s mysterious absence. “You were one of the worst when you were younger, you know,” she told someone about Adam.
“And I am a grown-up now, if you hadn’t noticed. ”
“full moon parties might suggest otherwise. ”
“Well, you’re never too old for some neon face paint and a beach rave. ”
“Yeah.
Well, you’re not on your holidays anymore, so maybe that should be your last. ”
“I’m not drunk, Tara. I’m not the one who’s fallen off the wagon with her insane spending addiction. ”
“Oh, dear.
It’s not true, is it? ” Adam asked Tara. “Is he right? Have you?
” Mary added. “Well, it was… it was just once,” Tara admitted. “So, while I’m up to me neck in debt, you’re out buying Faberge eggs?
” Mary was furious. “Don’t look at him. This is your doing. ”
“Right, let’s all just take a breath,” Adam tried to mediate.
“Oh, you changed your tune. You were fuming when you found out about her big spending,” Mary said. “Well, I’ve lost all my anger about it. Maybe you just need a bit of space.
”
“Space? Yeah, that’s a good idea, which I’ll get when I go and visit my family. Alone. ”
Tara’s secret spending was out and Mary was hurt.
Back in prison, Sarah was transferred to a new cell with a young girl named Lily, who was clearly grieving. Sarah tried to make amends with a peace offering. “I wrote you this,” Sarah said. “I just wanted to say sorry properly and I know it probably sucks not having your mom around, but neither’s mine.
Mine’s dead, too, and it’s the worst. So, I wrote it all in there and maybe we can start fresh. ”
Lily’s mother, Jody, was there. “This really means a lot.
Think she’ll say sorry, too? ”
“How about when hell freezes over? ” Lily said. “Jody.
Well, if you’re going to be immature… she is sorry. And I… ”
“Fine.
Fine, yeah. I am so, so sorry for losing my temper,” Lily relented. “Well, I think that’s the best you’re going to get, love,” Jody told Sarah. When Sarah’s friend Glenda visited, she brought Lily a cake and a milkshake, trying to build bridges.
“Oh, the milkshakes here are to die for. Oh, no. I don’t mean like die. I mean like they are really nice.
”
Later, Sarah tried to talk to Lily about the bullying that had sent her to the hospital. “I feel dead normal and then… ” Lily started. “I know.
I know. And I haven’t helped you, have I? Telling Jody about you. You were right before.
That wasn’t my place,” Sarah apologized. “You were just trying to help. I get it. ”
“I didn’t mean to be insensitive.
I think we’ve made progress today, don’t you? I think you and Lily are going to be best friends. ”
“I’d like that. ”
Sarah felt a glimmer of hope.
She told Lily, “And I want you to know that you can talk to me about absolutely anything, okay? Right. I’m going to nip out. I’m going to get us some treat bits.
And when I get back, we can either have a little chat, we can watch a film, or we can sit in silence. I’m up for all of it. ”
But the moment Sarah left, the dynamic shifted. Jody, Lily’s mother, turned on Lily.
“How do you think that’s going to come across? If you report me, I’m going to lose everything. My job, my home… they’ll take your little sister away.
”
Lily was terrified. She’d been abused by her mother, and Sarah was the only one she’d told. Across town, Greg was getting an earful from Bethan. “Oh, you’re alive, then?
”
“What’s that supposed to mean? ” Greg asked. “Come on, like you didn’t see all our missed calls. Ghosting us all day.
Wounded? ”
“I was working. Moonlighting, were you? ”
“What?
”
“Well, Lisa said that you’d taken the day off. So, unless you were being a detective somewhere else… ”
“Don’t have to answer to you, Bethan. ”
“I know you don’t.
I was just messing. ”
“Well, I’m not messing. You’re accusing me of lying. Checking up on my work colleagues.
”
“I wasn’t checking up on you. Look, I know you’re going through a tough time with Mum inside. Harry’s fine, by the way, in case you’re interested. ”
“Oh, yeah?
And why don’t you ask him how that’s gone? He owes Jake 100 quid and he’s got a bad attitude. ”
“What? ”
“Jake said something to him about Mum.
He didn’t appreciate it, so he broke his headphones. ”
“Oh, I didn’t know. ”
“Well, if you’d have answered your phone, then you would have done. You were the one who said that you’d help with Harry.
If you can’t do that anymore, that’s fine. ”
“You mean if I’m not up to it? ”
“No, I didn’t say that. ”
“Just give me a break.
All right. ”
Back in the prison, Lily was in turmoil. She found Sarah alone. “Lily, you’re scared.
You need to report her,” Sarah urged. “What am I supposed to say? What if she doesn’t want to be my friend anymore? ” Lily was terrified of losing the only family she had left.
“Then you need to talk to Kit. All right, I’ll help you. ”
“I can’t,” Lily whispered, shaking. “I’m not going to just sit back and let you suffer, Sarah.
”
“If you won’t talk to Kit, I will. ”
Sarah was determined, but she had no idea the storm that was about to break. Jody was closing in, and Lily was caught between her abusive mother and the only person who believed her.
