Tanya is getting ready and is replaying events in her mind. She thinks of all the hurt and anger she feels towards Max. Tanya puts on her lipstick. Max is at home, putting on his tie. Jack tells him he’s dreaming. Max lets Jack know that Tanya is coming round. He can feel it.
Dawn sees Jay at the swings and walks up to him.
Christian and Jane are prepping for the event. Ian grabs the bag with Clare’s top and lets them know he’s going to check out the venue. He overhears them mention chips and inquires about the chips. Christian says yes, chips. They will serve them in little cups, and the guest will love them! It’s post-modern. Christian and Jane have taken over the production line of food and send Ian on his way.
Dawn tells Jay it’s okay to be scared. He tells her you never go to the feds and grass on anyone. Dawn tells Jay that it’s okay to be frightened. But Tegs stabbed him, and he can’t let him get away with it, or next time it could be worse. Dawn explains to Jay that she will be there as well as Keith and Mickey. Jay leans back and takes a deep exhale. He asks her if she was scared of Teg’s mum? She tells him too, right she was! He tells Dawn, “Okay!” they head off to court.
Tanya tells Sean not to let the girls trick him into extra biscuits. She fills him in on how to care for the kids. Sean tells Tanya he’s got it under control. She heads off but feels a little guilty for not being honest with him.
Clare tells Bradley he needs to get out of the house. He doesn’t understand why he should bother. She tells him he needs to get a job, and he smells. The bell rings, and it’s Ian returning her jacket. Ian asks if they are cold? She tells him as ice.
Steven tells Stacey the way she folded her stock was artistic. Steven tells her he draws and could show her. She tells him she sells things, spends money, and that’s life. Steven is on about being artsy. She doesn’t pick up on anything.
Tanya meets up with Max. He tells her she looks good. She tells him she wanted to make a good impression. He looks hopeful. She explains to him for the teachers. Make a good impression is all. She tells Max to get on with it without arguing. They head off.
The girls come home and are greeted by Sean. Lauren tries to get out and go to Lucy’s, but Sean stops her. He tells the girls they are to stick with him and his bag of tricks.
Steven asks Ian to hire Stacey for his event. Ian replies that Stacey around free-flowing booze is not a good idea. The answer is no. Steven tells Ian that he promised Stacey. Ian explains to Steven that this night is important to him. It is his once in a lifetime chance to meet the Queen.
Jack is leaving the Minut Mart and spies Charlie walking past. He calls him the candyman. Jack is laughing when Bradley approaches and says, excuse me. Jack asks him why he doesn’t get a hello? Jack offers for Bradley to come to the club tonight and have a drink and enjoy himself. Bradley tells him all he wants to do is go in, get some cans, and go home and get quietly wasted at home. Jacks moves out of his way.
Tanya and Max explain that they are trying to make things as easy as possible with what the girls are going through. Abi’s teacher tells them about her being found in the toilet crying. They say they didn’t know. He tells them it’s refreshing to see a couple handle it so well. Abi is a credit to them. Now that they are getting back, together-Tanya interrupts and says, “do what?” Abi’s teacher explains that she’s been telling everyone that they are getting back together.
Christian has it all set up. Ian is feeling his oats as Jack compliments the setup. Jane comes running up, asking where Steven is. Ian tells her he will be there. She tells him that Steven better! Has he felt the weight of those trays? He tells Jane that if they needed more help, she should have told him sooner. It’s too late to get more help now! Clare arrives and waves behind Jane’s back. Jane lets Ian know she still has to go home and get ready. Ian tells Jane to go home and have a nice long hot bath to get ready. She smiles and heads off.
Steven is showing Stacey his drawing book. He thumbs through and says music, sport, fashion. Stacey wonders what his mum has said? He tells her about the book her mum showed him. Stacey jumps up and says she’s off to the real world to earn a hundred quid. Steven explains she can’t go due to Jane. He tells her that Stacey that she could be making millions if she just tried it. She tells Steven that he doesn’t live in the real world. He might still believe in pixies, angels, and fairies and happily ever afters, but she doesn’t.
Sean is trying to make the dough, and he’s mucked it up. Abi tries to help him. Sean yells at Lauren to turn the page and to turn the music down. Lauren stands up, leaves the room. Abi looks at Sean and says, “She doesn’t love you, my mom.” Abi walks out. Oscar starts to cry. Sean has his hands covered in a sticky dough.
Jane is adjusting Ian’s bowtie when she spots Clare. Jane wonders what Clare is doing there as she’s the last person she’d want there. Ian tells her that Stacey is the last person she’d wish to there, and they needed help. Edward approaches, and Jane says she’ll leave him to it. Ian says he hopes everything is up to Edwards’s satisfaction. Edward says it’s wonderful, at least for this old Queen. Ian jokes that Edward will be making those jokes with the Queen soon. Edward tells him not if he wants to keep his head! Edward tells Ian that he’s heard that the Queen Mum’s afternoon tea parties are quite something.
Steven arrives late, and Christian calls him out on it. Jack tells Clare that he bumped into Bradley earlier, and he didn’t look too good. Clare tells Jack that she didn’t know who to go to. She details that Bradley isn’t eating, sleeping, and barely gets off the sofa. She returns to serving canapes and flirts with a group of men. Jane walks up to Ian and asks if he’s paying her to serve the customers or flirt with them?
Charlie is watching television. Jean and Mo stand in the door. Jean singsong tells him, “We’ve got something to tell you!” Charlie tells them he doesn’t want to know. Jean tells him it’s in his best interest. Mo tells him it’s cybersex, and it’s safe and anonymous. Charlie won’t have it! He leaves to go get chips. Mo wonders what about her sponsor money?
Clare is stopped by Ian. He tells her just to serve them, not give them her life story! She walks up to Steven and declares you’d think this was the Oscars! Steven explains it is to Ian! Edward is receiving an MBE from the Queen, and if all goes well, Ian will be his date. Clare turns with a sour look on her face.
Edward walks up to Steven and says, “You look like you would rather be anywhere else.” Steven tells him no offense. Edward responds, “None taken.” Across the room, Ian wonders if he should go over and interrupt them? Jane tells him no, Edward obviously still thinks very highly of you, and in a week’s time, you’ll be able to tell the Queen your special corgi joke. Clare overhears all of this. Edward chats with Steven about his whole family being artistic. Steven asks if his sister is in design? Edward tells him she is a teacher now. Steven asks for her number.
Jean wonders why Stacey isn’t out with Steven? Stacey wonders why she’d want to do that? Jean says because he’s a nice-looking boy who likes her. Stacey wonders why Jean showed him her scrapbook? Jean says it’s because when she looks at the book, she still hears Stacey laughing. Jean goes on that she hasn’t heard Stacey do that in a long time. Jean tells Stacey that Steven is in love with her. Stacey tells her he is not. Jean wonders why it’s so hard for her to believe? Stacey explains to her mum that love is just a word people use to get what they want. Jean says, so? Me and your DadDad that wasn’t real love?
Jack goes to see Bradley. He asks Bradley if he knows how to open a window? Bradley asks him what he wants? Jack tells him he wanted to see if he was alright? Bradley wonders if his DadDad sent him round to make sure he’s alright? Test the waters? Jack asks him if he’s just sitting there, making things up in his head. Bradley tells Jack that there was a time he didn’t even feel like a Branning. Jack offers to make him coffee. And now all he wants to do is scrape it off of him. Jack tells him he knows Max is filth and dirt, and he’s got problems. Bradley wonders why he took Max in then?
Max and Tanya arrive back home. She says she’ll have a word with Abi. Max thanks her for letting him go. Tanya says it’s one of the things she has to thank him for, the kids. Max invites her in for coffee. She turns him down as she should get back. Sean will be tearing his hair out by now. Max tells her they could just talk and start to communicate again.
Christian tops off Edwards glass. Clare walks up and offers a canape. She says this must-have set him back a pretty penny if he doesn’t mind her saying so. Edward responds that you only turn sixty once. He tells her that Ian is a very kind and generous man. Clare says, “yeah, when he wants something!” Edward says, “really?” Clare details to Edward that Ian was all over her last night. You’d be very surprised to know why. Edward is intrigued.
Jack tells Bradley, “where else was he going to go?” Bradley tells him he didn’t care where he went. Jack tells him he was afraid of what he would do since he isn’t exactly of sound mind. Jack asks Bradley what he is expecting to achieve by sitting inside and hiding from the world? Bradley yells that he had it all, and he lost it. Jack tells Bradley that it’s up to him to go back to it and take what he wants from life.
Tanya and Max have coffee. He tells her that he doesn’t want to talk small talk. She tells him she should go. Max tells her a story about a guitar he had once. He came home one day, and Jack and his mates had formed a band with it. He saw red and smashed it. That’s what he doesn’t, he tells her? He smashes it. She tells him if you smash something enough times, it dies.
Edward gathers everyone’s attention. He thanks everyone for coming from afar. He says it’s a wonderful thing to look around at old, dear, trusted friends. Trust. Where there is no trust, there is no love. He raises his glass to trust, to love, and to old friends. Ian and Jane are puzzled.
Sean gives the girls their pizzas. They are surprised. He has a good laugh with them.
Dawn tells Jay she’s very proud of him. Jay tells Dawn that he feels better, and his head is really clear. She’s really happy for him. Jase calls, and Jay tells him that Tegs received two years in youth offenders.
Jean and Mo are having a laugh when a message comes in for Charlie. Jean takes it under control and responds again. She and Mo have a right laugh.
Stacey finds Steven’s book on the sofa. She flips through it and sees sketches of herself.
Bradley starts to sober up and write his resume.
Max and Tanya are in tears. He asks her if this is it? She says, yes. He asks if he can see the kids still. She says she wouldn’t have stopped him. He’s a better dad than he ever was a husband. He tells her that she deserves that. She starts to leave, and he stops her. He tells her all the counselors in the world would tell you to go, to leave, but only you and I know what’s between us. Tanya cries, and he begs her to let him come back one last chance. He begs her; please let him come back.
Edward is saying farewell to the guest. Ian walks up and tells Edward that it was a lovely speech. He asks Ian how he would feel if he found out he was being lied to? Edward tells Ian that he’s very disappointed. Ian explains that he guesses he got carried away, and it was a lifelong dream coming true. Ian apologizes and says he really does think of them as friends. Edwards explains most of his friends are diehard republicans. He was struggling to find someone to come with him. Ian asks him if that means there is still a chance? Edward tells him to go on then. Ian smiles. Edward tells him while he’s at it. He has a spare ticket, and he should bring his wife. Ian is all giggly and tells Clare he’s going to see the Queen. Clare responds, “still? I mean, great!” Ian looks at her, puzzled. Clare says she’s done, so she asks for payment. He thanks her for helping him out. She tells him that is what it’s about. Loyalty to friends, Queen and Country, and family. She holds her hand out for more money. Ian is not happy.
Sean is pleased with himself. She tells him she ran into Max. Sean is not happy. She tells him that he is moving back in. Sean loses it and asks her if she’s lost her mind. Tanya tells him that he’s crazy if he thinks she’s just going to let him back in her life and bed like that. Sean wonders why she’s doing this? The revenge she says.