'Mummy Dearest'

Vivien awakes on her sofa clearly having barely slept a wink. At work Julia is surprised to see Vivien in so soon after the burglary and offers to get some help but Vivien is having none of it. Jimmi is concerned to see Vivien in work but she insists that no-one make a fuss. Jimmi manages to catch Vivien alone, he urges her to talk to someone about what happened but she is having none of it.

Later, he catches her asleep in the staff room and appeals to her to stay with someone so she will feel more at ease, eventually he manages to persuade her to take a prescription for some sleeping pills. When Jimmi gets home he has to lie to Eva about what is upsetting him. Meanwhile at Vivien’s house she bolts up every lock and chain available in the house and settles down on her makeshift bed on the sofa, she considers the sleeping pills but is so wired that it is clear she is not going to get any sleep.

Melody returns to work, Michelle asks her if she fancies a girl’s night out but Melody is not in the mood. She bumps into Nick in the staff room and accuses him of letting her down but he retorts that she has a lot of growing up to do; as the argument escalates Daniel has to intervene. Things do not get much better as Archie turns up to talk to her but Melody says bluntly that she doesn’t want to speak to him. Melody finds solace in Daniel who advises her to speak to George about her training; when Daniel spots Archie in the doorway he makes a point of hugging Melody even longer.

Meanwhile, Chaos looms for stressed single mother Annie Saxby (35) as she sorts her briefcase for the day as son Oscar (2) plays with her files. Meanwhile Howard Milnes (62) pours over his law books and is annoyed to be interrupted by his wife Susan (58); worried she asks him how they are going to tell Annie about their legal action. Susan calls Annie who takes the opportunity to ask Susan if she could look after Oscar this morning as she is having a bit of a nightmare. Being Oscar’s grandmother Susan is happy to help out, when Annie arrives Susan asks her if she has time for a quick chat with Howard but Annie has to dash off.

At The Mill Annie tells Nick that she thinks she needs stronger anti-depressant, work is so stressful and she has been struggling to cope since her partner Chris’s death. Nick thinks she has made great improvements but suggests allowing Chris’s parents to help out more. When Annie returns home she is dismayed to find a letter from Woodson solicitors; she storms to Howard and Susan’s house. Howard explains that they have applied for residence of Oscar, he is adamant that they are right Annie clearly cannot cope and cruelly points out that she is not even his mother, Christine was.

Teary-eyed Annie goes to confront Ronnie. He is reluctant to talk as Howard and Susan are his clients but Annie puts her case and convinces Ronnie that her doctor says that she has beaten her depression, she gives him written permission to speak to her doctor. Unfortunately that doctor is Nick; Ronnie curtly points out that it is business and shows Nick the letter from Annie. He asks Nick if in his opinion her depression has any impact on her ability to care for her son. Ronnie returns to the Milnes’s and tells that Annie has had a glowing bill of health and so their case for residence has been severely dented.

Meanwhile Annie has taken the opportunity for some sleep but when she wakes and rings the nursery she is disturbed to learn that Oscar is no longer there. Unable to get hold of Susan and Howard Annie goes to see Ronnie. With George and Ronnie’s help they track Oscar to the hospital where he is with Howard and Susan. They explain that Oscar fell off the climbing frame and when Annie didn’t answer the phone the nursery called them. Howard is adamant that Annie cannot cope but Susan explains how they just want to help her. Ronnie helps them make peace and Howard even tears up the residence application