'No Going Back'

Ruth’s feeling slightly fragile on her first morning back to work at The Mill. She is overwhelmed by the new system on reception and after meeting new faces Cherry and Simon, she receives a mixed response from her old colleagues.

The arrival of Lily and Melody manage to put Ruth at ease but once alone on reception she questions her capacity to cope. However, when dealing with a particularly angry patient Ruth eventually asserts herself and is pleased to tell Julia of her small triumph. Ruth experiences another setback when Cherry has to take control of a patient (see story of the day) and feels unable to ring the Campus in case she speaks to Michelle.

A disheartened Ruth is buoyed slightly by Cherry’s words of wisdom and as she gets ready to finish for the day, she can’t resist answering the phone one last time. Instead of finishing for the day, a more confident Ruth decides she’s ready to do the full shift and Melody, Lily, Cherry and Julia’s smiles all confirm their support. Ruth is back in the game!

Simon and Cherry plan to go to Auntie Pat’s bistro for dinner in celebration of surviving another week but Karen puts a spanner in the works when she questions Cherry about her ‘date.’ Simon does nothing to dispel Karen’s assumption that the pair are off for a romantic dinner; convincing Cherry that there might be something in this.

As the pair settle down to dinner, Auntie Pat (50s) is hell bent on finding out whether Simon is the ‘right’ one for Cherry.

Meanwhile, Despondent student Cal Anderton (19) feels even more alone when on deciding to leave uni, he tries to elicit a response from his neighbour, fellow student Tansy (19) but she barely acknowledges him. He visits Michelle at the Campus for his diabetes check up and confides that he is leaving uni to take a year out but has yet to tell his mum.

As she shows him out she wishes Cal good luck and he thanks Michelle for being a good friend. But Michelle’s good mood is ruined when she learns that today is Ruth’s first day back at The Mill. Back in halls Cal tries to speak to Tandy again but is ignored and he can’t wait to leave.

As he musters the courage to tell his mum the news, she beats him to it and reveals that she’s met a new man and they’re moving in together so he keeps quiet. However, Michelle arrives to stick her oar in when she unwittingly reveals Cal’s plans. Cal is upset when he has to tell his mum how her plans with her new man, Frank, means he has no home to go to and he does a runner. He bumps into an oblivious Tansy on the way who has no idea who Cal is which upsets him even more and he rushes off to the student union.

A worried Michelle and Stef try to find Cal and come across Tansy in halls, who is of little help, stating that no one has lived next door for ages. In passing she mentions her earlier meeting and Michelle deduces that this is Cal so Michelle takes her off to the Campus to find out more.

Over at The Mill, a drunken Cal is seen to by Cherry, but when she asks Ruth to call the Campus for his records, Ruth freezes and asks Melody to call instead. The news reaches Michelle that Cal is being treated for hypoglycaemia at The Mill but she can’t bring herself to encounter Ruth so Stef is bundled into a taxi to go to her son. Cal is reprimanded by his mum but she softens and tells him that they can drop off his keys and go back home.

Whilst packing his kitchenware Tansy questions Cal as to why he’s leaving and Michelle makes him think about his options; he could give it another go and give his mum a chance at happiness too. Cal realises how upset his mum is and with some encouragement from Michelle, he decides to stay at uni, allowing his mum to have a chance with Frank.