Episode 5018

Extended Summary

The Diner is being reopened by Leah, Colleen and Irene when the topic of having an opening night party arises. Leah thinks it wouldn’t be inappropriate to have a party considering the reason the Diner was closed down was due to riots. Irene disagrees- having a party for them is a sign that everything’s okay and they want to welcome their customers back with a bang. However Leah is adament – no party. When Leah and Colleen visit the new Diner, Colleen tries to talk her into having a party, but Leah is having none of it, and it is clear that despite the refit, the place still holds bad memories for her. Armed with the news that Leah doesn’t want a party, John Palmer goes around to see her, explaining how bad for business it could be if she doesn’t have an opening night party. He reinforces the fact that Leah had nothing to do with the riot and shouldn’t let her business suffer as a result. Leah has a change of heart, deciding to go ahead with the party. When Tony hears that John isn’t planning on going to the party, despite talking Leah into having it, he is adament that he should, to show the town there is no feeling, and John takes this as a sign of Tony’s acceptance. That afternoon, as the crowd at the Diner party swells, Leah finds herself out of breath, having an anxiety attack and unable to control herself. Barricading herself into the storeroom, she sits there quietly trying to breathe and trying not to pass out.

Xavier tries to explain to Ruby that Mink kissed him not the other way around. Ruby is quick to acknowledge that she and Xavier aren’t together so she has no right to ask questions. Their friendship is soon back on track when they decide to go to the opening of the Diner together. Xavier visits Mink and angrily tells her she had no right to cause trouble with Ruby, and he wants nothing more to do with her.Mink is fast realising that she’s gone too far this time and desperately tries to win Xavier’s friendship back with not much luck – when she apologises, he refuses to believe she is genuine. Later on the beach, Ruby lays into Mink and tells her she stop screwing up other people’s lives to hide the fact she is unhappy with her own. When Ruby and Xavier spot Mink at the Diner party they think there’s trouble following but instead she apologises to them both telling them she’s screwed up, stupid and pointless, leaving Xavier and Ruby concerned for Mink’s state of mind. Being back in the Diner awakens bad memories for Ruby and Xavier offers to take her home and watch a DVD instead, which she accepts.

After her hot and cold attitude of late, Liam tells Martha he will soon have enough money to rent his own place – if she wants him to move out. She tells Liam he doesn’t have to go anywhere. Liam is grateful for her words but it’s clear he is keeping his emotional distance from her, for now. As he drops into the juice bar ahead of his first day working at the school, the atmosphere is still awkward with Martha. Alf tries to get Martha to open up but she insists nothing is wrong. Later, when Liam returns home, he catches Martha changing and the situation remains awkward. Martha is downhearted when Liam refuses her invite top the Diner opening, and later snaps at Colleen when she asks after Liam.