Episode 421

Extended Summary

Don is watching television when Viv comes in in her dressing gown and says she’s going to bed. She accuses Don of being self-righteous but he says she can’t be her own person by aping everything Emma does. Viv calls him a narrow-minded bigot and storms off to her room just as Bobby comes home. Don tells Bobby what happened. Bobby thinks that Viv hasn’t been allowed to have any fun in her life and the novelty of being friends with Emma will wear off if they just leave them to it. Don is worried about her school work suffering but agrees to give it a go. He asks Bobby what Danny thought of the picnic lunch and Bobby says Danny wasn’t the only one who got a nice surprise.

At the Diner, Emma is listening to music on the jukebox while Ailsa clears up. Alf arrives to give them a lift home and Emma heads round the back to check everything’s locked. Alf comments on Emma helping out for free and jokes she’ll be going back to school next. Ailsa says Emma said she would earlier but she’s not sure if she was joking; she says if it comes up again they should encourage her.

Next morning, Morag turns up at the caravan park with Banjo and goes to Danny’s van. She asks him why he isn’t in work and he tells her he’s resigning. Morag is annoyed and thinks Bobby has talked him into it, saying she’s jealous of his career like she was with Frank. Danny says Bobby had nothing to do with it and he took the job for the wrong reasons; when Morag queries this, he says he was after money and status. Morag points to his understanding of the law but Danny says he doesn’t want to use the law as a weapon anymore. Morag gives up and says she came to return Banjo to him. She leaves the dog in the caravan but he follows her out. Danny says it must be love and Morag reluctantly takes him away. Meanwhile, Alf is giving Emma another driving lesson and notes she’s a quick learner. He brings up the subject of going back to school, saying she could get a job then whatever she looks like, but Emma doesn’t seem keen.

Morag goes to see Don at his office and tells him he should help her break up Bobby and Danny. She thinks Bobby is trying to wreck Danny’s legal career and he will resent her when the relationship ends. Don refuses to get involved and, when Morag criticises his skills as a father, says his track record is better than hers. He shows her out and then finds one of his drawers is stuck. Alf then arrives with Emma, saying she wants to enrol. Don thinks it’s too late in the year but Alf says she’s a quick learner and Emma says she’ll work hard. Don says they have a dress code and Emma’s current clothes don’t fit it. Emma is annoyed and storms out. She runs into Viv and tells her what happened but claims she only did it to stir up trouble. Alf comes up and tells Emma she’s made a fool of him after he stuck his neck out for her and he’s taking her to the CES. Outside the school, Morag is trying to order Banjo out from under Alf’s car. Alf manages to coax him out and jokes that Morag has no control over him. Holding onto Banjo’s leash, Morag tells him to attack Alf and he starts growling and trying to get at him. Alf beats a hasty retreat.

Danny goes to see Bobby at her place and tells her he’s quit his job. Bobby is pleased. Danny wants her to throw a sickie so they can spend time together. He tells her he’s going for a job as a barman at the resort but, when Bobby says his father would be proud, he looks uncomfortable. He tells her his life ended when his father died and started again when he met her. Soon after, Bobby is driving to work when she comes across Morag and Banjo, with the dog refusing to move from the middle of the road. Bobby and Morag start arguing about Danny and Morag tells Banjo to attack again. He starts growling and Bobby runs back to her car. She heads to the Diner where she tells Ailsa about her date with Danny and how Morag’s blaming her for him quitting. She says she doesn’t think Danny’s very experienced with relationships.

Morag is complaining to Alf at the store when Emma tries to take a can of drink without paying. Alf takes it off her and she storms out, letting Banjo into the store where he wrecks some of the displays. Morag goes out without paying for her groceries. She catches up with Emma and offers her a drink, saying she likes people who stand up for themselves. She offers herself as an ally against Don, saying she believes in women’s rights.

Danny gets a bottle of champagne from the store and Alf puts it on Morag’s bill as punishment for her leaving without paying. Danny says it’s for Bobby and Alf congratulates him but warns him to keep her in line. Danny goes to the Diner and crouches down by the counter, placing the champagne on it. He accidentally puts it in front of Ailsa but, after a few seconds of joking, she gives it to Bobby. Danny tells Bobby he got the job. Viv comes in looking for Emma and complains to Ailsa about Don, saying he wants everything done his way.

Morag and Emma go to Don’s office, with Morag acting as Emma’s solicitor. Morag says that denying Emma an education on the basis of her appearance is discrimination and, if Don doesn’t enrol her, his petty prejudices will be made public. Don looks annoyed.