Number 28
Eileen and Andrea swap irritated barbs with each other until Des arrives home to see what the "emergency" is. He discovers that his mother knows about Bradley and she is simply fuming about the whole ordeal. Eileen refuses to accept a word of it, however, until she sees some blood tests! Bradley interrupts the tense atmosphere by peering out the window and screeching that Lucy is home. He also reveals that he was only pretending to be sick because Lucy was.

EILEEN: (looking disdainfully at Des) And this is your child?

Number 26
Jim and Helen bring Lucy inside and straight into Shane's arms for a hug. Her throat is a little sore from where the doctor stitched it up, but other than that she's right as rain. Helen brings Basil inside to be next in line for a hug.

Miss Davidson's Private School For Snobby Cows
Laura and Nikki are having a chat outside as per Miss Davidson's request. Laura reveals that she's going to head back home and leave Nikki to her studies - she doesn't want to compromise Nikki's bright future any further. Nikki doesn't know if she *can* stay now people know about her true background. Ooh, ungrateful sod you are. She agrees to stay at #26 to continue her studies elsewhere but wants to pay her own way from now on. Laura just chuckles and says that Nikki is as stubborn as her father. Laura gives Nikki one last chance to change her mind about school, but Nikki stares off into the distance looking vacant.

Number 28
Eileen is probing Andrea for more information about the date of conception, implying that Andrea could well have slept with someone else at the time. Off Andrea's glare, Eileen instructs Des to drive her home so that she can pick something up.

DES: Mum, I have to get back to work.
EILEEN: After presenting me with a grandson, it's the least you can do.
DES: Hold up, what do you want at the unit?
EILEEN: Proof.

Number 26
Helen and Shane talk shop while Bradley catches up with Lucy and is suitably impressed by her stitches. Laura arrives home and gives Lucy a cuddle before taking Helen into the kitchen for a private word. As Shane departs, Laura just has one thing to ask of her sister: "Are you ashamed of me?" Helen thinks that Laura has eaten crazyflakes for breakfast and assures her that she loves her and is proud of her.

HELEN: There is absolutely nothing I would change about you, ever.

Thankful, Laura tells Helen of her plans to head home. Nikki doesn't like her, but there's no way she's changing who she is. Helen didn't think that running away was Laura's style, but Laura's worried that if she stays Nikki will just end up hating her.

Number 24
Nikki randomly wanders in to have a chat with Madge about her mother. She's all false bravado about looking after herself, and reckons that she doesn't need Laura. Concerned, Madge subtly asks Nikki to stay and have some cake so she can try and talk some sense in to her.

Number 26
Lucy and Bradley laugh at Shane's attempt to draw an Easter Bunny. Helen asks Shane to drive Laura to the airport on his way to their next job. As Laura emerges, packed and ready, Jim takes her arm and wishes that she could stay till at least the weekend. But Laura thinks that the sooner she's gone, the better it will be for Nikki.

Number 28
Back with her proof (one of her old diaries) Eileen asks for the 'supposed' date of conception - the 14th of December 1974 - then looks it up in her diary. Smirking, Eileen triumphantly reads it out aloud.

EILEEN: 'Played and won the bridge final. Desmond and his first girlfriend Andrea have gone to a film. I don't like this young lady, she is too sure of herself. But true to his word, Desmond was back at home by 10:30.'
ANDREA: (grinning) While I was waiting at the boat shed.
EILEEN: (thrown) The boat shed?

Des sheepishly reveals that he snuck out to meet Andrea after he said goodnight to his mum. Rattled, Eileen says that she tried to bring up Des to be nothing like his father but has now found out that he's nothing but a carbon copy of him!

DES: Mum, I was only 17 remember? I was just an innocent kid.
ANDREA: Two little virgins together!
EILEEN: Well one of you certainly was.

Eileen doesn't understand why it's taken 10 years for Andrea to tell them. Andrea reminds Eileen that she was never exactly her favourite person - but she came to realise that Bradley needed a father figure, "and Des has just been wonderful". Stoic, Eileen supposes that they'll just have to soldier on and shoulder the responsibility, but Des says that he doesn't want her help. Bradley is *his* responsibility and it's up to him to make up for all the lost years.

Number 26
Bradley and Lucy chatter about Nikki being ashamed of Laura. Shane's ears prick up when he discovers that Nikki is at #24 and he sets off on a mission.

Number 24
Madge has steered the conversation back around to parents and their children, telling Nikki about her own difficult relationship with her kids.

MADGE: Actually I'm a lot like your mother, Nikki. I wanted the best for Charlene and Henry, but the more I did the worse things got between us.

However, Madge hammers home that whatever happens between a mum and her children, the mum will always love them unconditionally. Shane walks in and tells Nikki that she's got about 10 minutes to say goodbye to Laura before they leave, but Nikki stubbornly stays put. Shane and Madge share a look - talking to Nikki is like talking to a brick wall.

Coffee Shop/Number 28
Eileen has sought out Des and begs him for a few moments of his time. She just wanted him to know that she admires him for sticking up for Andrea and Bradley. Eileen also says (with a plastered on smile) that she's going away for a little while to visit some old friends in Perth. Oh you sneaky woman, I love it.

Later, Des rings Andrea to tell her of his Mum's acceptance, but Andrea is more concerned about Eileen's sudden trip to Perth. Hmm, worried for a good reason there perhaps, Andrea?

Number 24
It's Shane's turn again to try and break through to the little brat... uh, Nikki. "When I was training for the Olympics..." he starts (at which point I was all, 'Olympics?!'), his dad used to belittle him in front of the other divers. But when his teammates asked if he was ashamed of his father, he didn't know what they were talking about.

SHANE: He was only doing the best for me that he could, and I was lucky because I could see that. I wouldn't change him for anybody else. I love him, faults and all.

Madge returns from saying goodbye to Laura. Nikki's alarmed that he mum now knows where she's hiding out, but Madge wryly thinks that Laura has taken the hint.

SHANE: I hope you've got a good memory, Nikki, 'cause after the way you've treated your mother I don't think you'll ever see her again.

Nikki sits in silence, food for thought.

Number 26
Helen and Jim hug a tearful Laura goodbye. Shane gets Laura's suitcases ready.

Number 24
Nikki admits to Madge that she never intended to hurt her mum, but Laura shouldn't have sent her away from home in the first place. She always loved it there with her mum. Madge points out that she isn't the one Nikki should be telling this to. But Nikki doesn't think that there's any point.

Ramsay Street
Shane loads up the car while Laura clambers into the back seat. He casts one last look back at #24 as if to will Nikki out, before hopping into the car himself. They slowly drive off down the road.

Number 24
Agitated, Nikki starts to clean up the plates but accidentally smashes her egg baby on the ground. Madge tells her to take a chill pill, "It's just an egg, you can always get another one". But Nikki can't!!! Because the egg totally represents her relationship with her mum!!! And now she's about to lose her for good!!! Egads!!! Nikki races out the front door.

Ramsay Street
Nikki bolts down the drive and wails at her mum to come back, but the car has already turned the corner. It's your own fault you silly stubborn girl!