'Keep It In The Family'

In the Mill Health Centre staff room Daniel fills in Melody about the Hillgate related incident the day before. When Julia enters she is determined to prove she is OK.

Back at the Mill Health Centre Daniel and Julia are mid-conversation about Sarah’s referral. Melody rushes in with a bottle of wine to say sorry for putting her foot in it earlier.

Exasperated by all their fussing, Julia decided to go home with the bottle of wine.

Meanwhile, Barney Lockwood (50s) is ironing a shirt for Joe Lockwood (18) in his living room, trying not to be bothered by the noise of his son’s music. He struggles upstairs with the shirt. Barney pressurises him to get ready and go to work. Barney looks uncomfortable at the sight of a mark of Joe’s chest, from a seat belt. They argue but Barney refuses to negotiate. When Joe leaves, Barney makes an appointment. Barney and Joe pull up in a taxi out side a modern council building. Joe goes in and Barney looks on very proudly.

At the Mill Health Centre, Melody looks over Barney because he had a blackout. He tells her about Joe’s job as a peer group advisor. When she recommends an EGC because blackouts aren’t common with Multiple Sclerosis he is uncomfortable and confesses he had an accident, driving during the blackout. He asks for a report to give to the police as he hit someone. Luckily they only suffered a broken leg. Melody agrees to give the report.

Later, she sees Barney outside the surgery. He was feeling dizzy but refuses to see a specialist just wanting to go home. At home he tells Melody there is no point going to the hospital as he is going to prison. He confesses driving away when he saw he had hit someone. He asks Melody to accompany him to the police station and she agrees. Joe enters and argues with Barney.

To stop them leaving, Joe grabs Melody’s car keys and runs upstairs. In his room Joe confesses to Melody that he was driving. Barney looks on, furious in the door way. To convince Melody Joe shows her the seat belt mark on his chest.

Refusing to listen to Barney, Joe leaves with a bag. Barney gets Melody to give him a lift to the police station. They find Joe pacing outside. Barney wants to support Joe and they enter the station together.

Daniel sees Sarah Markson (20s) and her son Olly Markson (8) who has a minor burn on his hand. He claims to have done it at his dad’s. Daniel asks how Sarah is coping with her treatment. She reassures him but mentions Olly’s dad is after joint custody and is going to use her past against her. Daniel encourages her to let the father see Olly. Angry that he is taking the dad’s side Sarah leaves quickly forgetting Olly’s prescription.

In the staff room Daniel asks Lily if she thinks he lets his personal life cloud his judgement. We discover Sarah has a drink problem. Back at home Sarah loses her temper with Olly when he demands sweets. She can’t even tempt him down with cartoons.

Back in the kitchen, Sarah is fraught she reaches for a bottle of vodka and looks at it torn. She drinks from the bottle like it is water. Later we see her looking a lot calmer, the bottle nearly empty. There is a knock at the door, jumping she hides the bottle before answering it. It’s Daniel with the prescription. He apologises and as she hugs him he notices the smell of alcohol. He confronts her. She makes him believe he is mistaken until he sees the hidden vodka bottle.

When Daniel tries to talk to her she runs out, locks herself in the bath room and refuses to come out. She pulls a vodka bottle out of the washing basket and drinks from it. She ignores Daniel as he warns she is going to miss the court hearing. Daniel tries but fails to break the door down. Olly starts crying and Sarah finally comes out so see to him.

Back in the kitchen Daniel tries to sober her up. Just in time, he catches Olly fumbling trying to light the grill to make Sarah some food. It’s obvious that Olly actually burnt himself trying to do the same thing. Daniel then convinces her to try and make a private arrangement with Olly’s dad.