Episode 538

Extended Summary

Sophie is waiting for Grant and asks Pippa what she’s cooking. Pippa suggests she read it herself in the cook book and, after some reluctance and hesitancy, Sophie manages to read that it’s date slices. Sophie notes she does want to read but she wishes she didn’t have to spend so much time learning instead of being with her friends. Grant arrives with a sports bag and Sophie thinks he’s calling the lesson off but Grant explains he thinks they should have it on the beach and Sophie goes to get her things. Sally comes in and Grant invites her to go with them but she says she has things to do. Once Grant and Sophie have gone, Sally tries to ring Viv but Don answers. He initially thinks she’s Tammy but Sally explains. Don says Viv has gone out with Steven and he doesn’t know where they’ve gone or if she’ll be back before dinner.

At the store, Alf tells Adam to restock the shelves when he gets a chance. He notes that some tinned fish isn’t selling and Celia got conned into buying it, not realising there’s enough fresh fish around. Adam suggests they could display it better but Alf thinks it’s hopeless. Grant and Sophie arrive. Alf invites Grant to his policy speech that evening but Grant says he agrees with Bobby; if they get rid of the playing field, children will move away from the town. Sophie comes back with some sunblock but Grant tells her to get another one which is Factor 15.They ask Adam about Marilyn and he explains about her having chickenpox. Alf heads out, telling Adam he’ll be back later to lock up.

Sally goes to see Tammy in the caravan with some cakes and a drink. She tells her she couldn’t get hold of Viv because she and Steven are out looking for her. Tammy enjoys the food but is worried Sally will get into trouble for taking it. She is surprised when Sally says Pippa lets them take the cakes whenever they want, so long as they leave enough for the others. Sally tries to get Tammy to let her tell Pippa she’s there but Tammy makes her promise not to.

Grant and Sophie are down on the beach, Grant is playing some modern music on a tape deck. He says it helps you concentrate by keeping the two sides of your brain balanced. He gets Sophie to read the next exercise then reads her a passage from a storybook about people out on a boat in a storm, with her following it over his shoulder. He leaves her on a cliff-hanger and tells her she’ll soon be able to read what happens next herself. They head out for a swim.

Sally goes to the Diner and asks Bobby if she’s seen Viv but won’t tell her what it’s about. Alf comes in handing out flyers for his meeting and Bobby warns him about hassling her customers. Steven and Viv come in, exhausted from looking for Tammy. Viv thinks there’s nowhere else to look but Alf suggests they check around the resort and offers to give them a lift. He also offers to pay them to hand out his flyers but they say no. Bobby recalls Sally wanted to talk to Viv but she says it can wait. Sally goes back to the caravan park and runs into Pippa, who’s going to put some flowers in the caravan, since they’ve got new tenants arriving. Sally tries to offer to do it but Pippa says it’s her responsibility. They go inside and Pippa checks the fridge and stove and looks at the sleeping area but there’s no sign of Tammy. They leave and Pippa goes to hang the washing out while Sally says she’ll water the flowers. As Pippa walks away, Tammy, who’s hiding behind the caravan, attracts Sally’s attention, explaining she went to the toilet. Sally ushers her back inside.

Grant finishes his swim and joins Sophie on the beach, where she is looking at the storybook. Paul comes over and thanks Grant for trying to help him, even though it didn’t work out. Grant again tries to convince him to make the most of his talent but Paul says there are more important things. Lorraine appears as well and she and Paul leave. At the store, Adam is making up a display at the front of the store with the tins when Don comes in. Adam tells him Alf and Marilyn are out and says he’s giving Marilyn a wide berth because he hasn’t had chickenpox. Don tells him to let Alf know he’ll be at the meeting. Adam thought he’d be supporting Bobby but Don says he’s keeping an open mind. He also asks Adam about Tammy but Adam hasn’t seen her.

In the caravan, Sally admits to Tammy that she misses Tom and Tammy says she missed Viv. She tells Sally her dad is strict and said Viv couldn’t ever come home and wouldn’t let her have friends. Sally confirms she has lots of friends and might have a boyfriend, Murray. Tammy thinks Sally won’t want her as a friend but Sally smiles and says they already are. Down on the beach, Sophie and Grant chat about Paul. Grant still wants to convince Lorraine and they head off to the Diner for a milkshake, where they talk about it with Bobby. Bobby reminds Grant that Don told him to stay out of it and she and Sophie tease him about trying to solve everyone’s problems. Lorraine and Paul come in and Grant goes over to talk to them. Lorraine tells him to stop hassling her; she wants Paul to get a steady job. Grant suggests Paul might not want that but Paul tells him to leave it and Lorraine says dreams don’t put a roof over your head and food in your children’s stomachs before she and Paul walk out.

Later, Grant chats about it to Pippa at the Fletcher house. Pippa thinks that, whatever talent Paul has, he doesn’t seem to have the drive to make a career out of music and Lorraine wants better for him than his father. Sophie says she doesn’t think Lorraine will change her mind; Paul once played someone’s guitar at school and said if he brought one home Lorraine would smash it. Sally arrives and asks when the new tenants are coming. Pippa says it’ll be around dinnertime so Sally says she’ll ride her bike until then. She goes to the caravan and tells Tammy that if they don’t find Viv before dinner she’ll have to find somewhere else to hide. She promises she’ll find Viv even if she has to sit on Don’s doorstep until she comes home.

Sally goes to the Diner and asks Bobby about Viv again. At that moment, Steven and Viv come in. Sally whispers in Viv’s ear about Tammy. Viv angrily asks why she didn’t say so before and Sally explains there were too many people around and she promised she wouldn’t tell anyone else. Steven and Viv hurry off with Sally following. They arrive at the caravan park but see two tourists, Joe and Pearl Wiseman, coming out of the caravan. Joe explains they arrived early. Viv asks if anyone was in the caravan and Joe confirms a girl ran out when they opened the door. Steven doesn’t tell them what it was about and gives them directions to the shops. As the three youngsters are left alone, a worried Viv wonders where Tammy has gone…