| abstract | - In prison, Mark Harrison prepares a nervous Stacey for her appeal. Stacey’s desperate to be home for Lily’s first day at school. In Walford, a letter arrives for Mo from Walford council which Alfie shoves in a drawer, unopened. Kat badgers Alfie to pick proper names for the twins. When Whitney calls round, Lily shows off her new school uniform. Whitney gives Lily a new pencil case. Kat informs Whitney that Stacey’s trial’s been moved forward and she could be released tomorrow. Kat’s grateful for Whitney’s help with Lily – with any luck she won’t have to do it anymore. Later, Lee picks up on her low mood and insists on accompanying her and Lily to the playground. Discussing her parents, Whitney tells Lee her dad died in a car crash and thinks her mum is a lost cause. Whitney worries that Stacey won’t be able to cope with Lily and swears to never let anything happen to her. Later, there’s a ring on the door bell – it’s Stacey. Kat’s delighted she won her appeal. Lily’s overwhelmed and won’t leave Whitney’s side. Kat insists Stacey and Lily must stay with them, although Alfie’s clearly reluctant. Stacey gives Lily jelly sweets, but Lily turns her nose up at them and pleads with Whitney not to leave her. Hurt, Stacey flees to the café where she bumps into Dean. Kat comes looking for Stacey, who’s upset Lily looked at her like she’s a stranger. At No. 23, Whitney’s unimpressed with Stacey for running out on Lily. Whitney’s phone pings with a message and she tells Lily it’s from her daddy. Kat convinces Stacey to be strong for Lily; back home, Stacey’s boosted by a hug from Lily. Stacey and Kat are stunned when Lily asks about her daddy; sheepish, Whitney admits she told Lily she could see Ryan, insisting Lily deserves to see her dad and scoffs at the mum Stacey’s turned out to be – they all know Stacey has problems. Fuming, Stacey throws Whitney out, telling her never to come near Lily again. Upset, Whitney texts Ryan asking him to meet her today. Bianca sets the kids to work cleaning the house ready for Carol’s return from Sonia’s house. Carol comes home, surprised by the quiet, spotless house. She’s irked by Sonia and Bianca’s fussing and insists they leave her to it. Dot’s surprised when Carol calls on her and bursts into tears. Carol admits she’s worried about her post-operative check-up, confessing she cancelled two previous appointments. Dot comforts Carol and wells up as she insists Jim would be proud of her. Charlie enters, alarmed by Dot’s tears, and accuses Carol of telling Dot about Nick. Carol protests she hasn’t said a word, leaving Charlie feeling bad. When Cindy brings her baby home from the hospital, Terry pushes an awkward TJ to spend some time with his daughter. Cindy suggests calling the baby Lucy. Terry fumes when a protective Sharon and Phil suggest they give Cindy some space. Later, TJ calls round as Cindy’s changing the baby’s nappy. TJ admits he doesn’t know how he should feel as a parent. He tries to hold the baby, but gets upset and flees. Cindy and Peter discuss Ian; Peter’s disgusted that he’s left them to deal with the gossip, but reassures Cindy he’ll never let her down. On the market, Terry buys a teddy for the baby. Frustrated TJ tells Terry he doesn’t see the point in seeing the baby when they’re moving to Milton Keynes. Bianca overhears, stunned. In the Minute Mart, Dot wonders how Denise is bearing up; Denise brightly fronts she’s had a lucky escape. Shabnam sympathises and offers to help clean up Patrick’s house; Denise claims it’s all been done. Shabnam worries to Tamwar about Denise, who thinks it’s a shame Denise has no family around her. Struck, Shabnam recruits Dean’s help; they arrive at Patrick’s house to find the destroyed living room hasn’t been touched. A sheepish Denise admits she didn’t know where to start. A forlorn Mick leaves Linda a voice message, pleading her to call him. Shirley’s sceptical when a delivery of ostrich burgers arrives at the Vic; Mick determines to host the barbeque Linda planned. Lee quietly informs Shirley that Nancy’s rung – Elaine seems fine but Linda isn’t coming home any time soon. Mick cuts himself on a glass and despairs to Shirley as she tends to his hand - what if Linda’s left him?
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