'Code of Silence'

Ruth’s phone rings unanswered; Julia has been trying to get hold of her for ages. Lily reassures Julia that Ruth is probably with her dad. Julia calls Stuart to ease her mind but can’t believe he has left Ruth on her own. Julia demands that he go home as Ruth can’t be left on her own; he tells Julia to keep her nose out of it. She calls him a useless father and hangs up.

Michelle is in a foul mood and Cherry’s attempts to cheer her up fall flat until she gives her a massage and a manicure at lunch time.

Julia persuades Lily to come with her to Ruth’s house. There’s still no answer, so Lily climbs in through an open window. They’re shocked when they find Ruth sobbing at the bottom of her wardrobe. Lily wants to take Ruth back to the Beeches but Julia offers to take Ruth to her house instead. Lily is unsure but Julia insists she owes it to Ruth; she’s her responsibility now.

Meanwhile, Ian Mulholland (20) makes his way uncertainly along a pavement; the cars are whizzing past. He readies himself to step in front of a car but he can’t do it. He continues along the road. Melody sees Ian and stops her car. He’s unresponsive and she checks him over. She finds out his name and that he’s a student at the university. Melody gathers from what he says that he was trying to kill himself but just couldn’t do it.

Melody takes Ian to his room in the halls of residence where she spots some expensive looking clothes when she gets some jumpers to warm him up. There are a lot of expensive gadgets in the room too and even more clothes still in wrappers. There’s a photo of Ian with his parents looking happy.

Gordon Mulholland (48) arrives at the university campus to find his wife Anne Mulholland (45) already there. He’s a sales rep and travels a lot, and she isn’t happy when he tells her about another meeting he has tomorrow afternoon. She then sends Graham off to get the shopping he forgot to pick up.

Melody tries to get Ian to make an appointment to see her at the Campus surgery, and gives him her card. He says his parents might visit him, and looks out the window and spots his parents walking towards the building. He makes Melody leave in a hurry. Anne fusses around Ian and he is surprised to hear his father is on his way. Anne notices Ian is behaving oddly but Ian covers up. Gordon arrives and Anne notices that he and Ian are keeping their distance which is strange as they are normally as thick as thieves.

The trio go out for lunch and the atmosphere is strained. Anne and Gordon offer Ian some money to help him out. He goes to take it from Gordon but when their eyes meet Ian gets up and hurries out. He bumps into Melody who is on her way in, and chases after him. He reveals he’s gay and has been working for an escort agency to make some extra money. He got a booking for the previous evening and when he got to the hotel he found his father was the client.


Ian and Melody meet his parents as they exit the building and he hugs his mother. He can’t bring himself to tell her the truth. Ian asks his mum to stay, and makes a veiled reference to his father about the previous night. A reluctant Ian goes to help his dad with his mum’s bags.

Anne tries to get out of Melody what is wrong with Ian but Melody just tells her to just give him some space. Anne says he was always a daddy’s boy so she is happy to have this time with just the two of them. Gordon tries to talk to Ian but he gets angry at him. Gordon says he always knew Ian was gay like him. Ian shouts they’re not the same, and tells his father to leave him and his mother alone. Ian tells Melody he will come and see her the next day.