'Much Ado About Something'

Karen is very protective over a large bowl of fruit she has in reception. She intends to eat the whole lot herself. Michelle, Cherry and Heston try to warn her against it but she is determined to eat the lot as well as do her isometric exercises. Karen struggles with buttock clenches as she deals with calls from the kids and Archie trying to steal fruit.

Smithy finds Ruth feeling a bit down after her therapy session and persuades her to spend some time with him.

Over coffee Ruth opens up to Smithy about Michelle and how Henry is helping her see what she did was wrong. Smithy scoffs at the psycho babble and tells Ruth she just has to go along with it so she can get out of there. Smithy mocks Ruth’s admiration for Michelle and can’t understand why Ruth wanted to be someone who sounds so boring. Ruth seems to be coming round to Smithy’s way of thinking, finding the funny side of what she did pretending to be Michelle.

Karen is dealing with a busy reception and another call from the kids when she starts to choke on a pear. Heston has to perform the Heimlich Manoeuvre and saves Karen from choking.

Archie helps Michelle put away some supplies and reveals he wants to do something more challenging. He brings up the subject of Ruth but Michelle quickly puts him in his place refusing to talk about it.

Karen gets more calls from the kids complaining of not having any food in the house. She promises to buy them chocolate as long as they don’t call her at work any more. Michelle is supposed to be going to the Icon with Cherry and Karen but they get called away.

Smithy takes Ruth to a secret den he has made in the grounds at Beeches house. He tries to convince her to use her madness to her advantage but Ruth argues that she isn’t mad.

Karen arrives back laden with shopping and can’t control herself any longer and gets stuck into a chocolate bar.

Meanwhile, Ged Barry (40) is making breakfast when his son Tom Barry (12) arrives dressed for school. Ged is overly cheerful as he tries to get Tom to eat something, worrying that he’s not well. Ged gets upset when Tom storms out, and his attempts at humour fall flat as he leads Tom to school. Tom is mortified when Ged attempts a silly walk and falls on his knees. Some kids jeer at him and Tom turns and heads home.

Ged and Tom arrive at the Mill and Ged has to help Karen up as she gets stuck doing one of her exercises. Cherry arrives in reception and goes to help; Tom can’t stop ogling her.

Heston is trying to examine Tom who refuses to answer his questions. Tom gets up to leave and says he wants to see the nurse. Cherry tries to empathise with Tom. He eventually talks about how unfair it is that his mum died and how much he misses her. She manages to make Tom smile. She hugs him but he gropes her breast. Michelle arrives as a mortified Tom runs out. She is furious when Cherry explains what has happened.

Back home Ged brings Tom a hot chocolate but he complains it’s not like how his mum used to make it. Tom calls him an idiot, knocks over the chocolate and storms out.

Ged brings lunch up to Tom but finds the bedroom empty. He starts to worry when he calls the school and finds Tom isn’t there. He looks at a photo of his wife and rushes out. Ged arrives at a graveyard and is gutted to find Tom isn’t there.

Michelle and Cherry are leaving the Mill as Tom arrives. Michelle has a go at him and he apologises to Cherry. Back at the graveyard Ged is talking to his wife Laura. He is sad and feels he can’t look after Tom without her. He remembers how much the two of them laughed together and that he just wants to hear Tom laugh again but doesn’t know how to make it happen. Ged thinks it would have been better if he had died and not Laura.

Cherry has taken Tom back into the nurse’s room and he talks about the fun he and his mum had together. Tom explains to Cherry that Ged is just not funny and ends up looking like a loser. Cherry urges Tom to give his dad a chance and reminds him that he must miss his wife too.

Ged arrives at the Mill and Cherry mediates between him and Tom. The floodgates open as Tom says how he has been feeling. It’s hard for Ged to hear, he realises he has got everything wrong. Cherry says Tom has to meet his dad half way and promises to sort out some family counselling. Cherry sees them out and hugs Tom; he tries to grope her bum but Ged puts him in line.