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At Matt's flat, Patricia has told him she is going
to Woombai. She explains that if she has to bury herself
in the country to hang on to Stephen, she will. She tells Matt that he has
been very good to her. Matt tells
her she should have an early dinner - he doesn't want her having a late night
if she's heading out first
thing in the morning.
At the riding school, Jill is behind reception. She tells Stephen that the
receptionist has walked out in
support of Terry. Stephen tells her that they'll come to their senses when
they realise they don't have
their jobs anymore. John tells Stephen he agrees with what he is doing. Jill
says she is being open-
minded, but she thinks Terry has a point - things are more relaxed in the
country. She reminds Stephen
that Terry is very highly thought of.
Later, Fiona tells Stephen that if he apologised and took things more easy,
Terry would be prepared to
come back. Stephen stands his ground. Fiona tells him that she appointed him
as manager, and he can do
what he wants to do. She leaves.
Later, Margaret joins Stephen in reception. He
tells her he's never seen such a lazy group of people
in his life. Margaret tells him to calm down and have a good night's sleep
- things won't seem half as
bad in the morning.
The next morning, the riding school is deserted - there isn't a worker to
be seen anywhere. The phone
in reception rings and Stephen and Jill enter the room. Jill answers the phone
and takes a booking.
Stephen asks where everyone is and Jill tells him they are probably on strike
- she's had a look around
and no one has turned up for work. Stephen tells her that if they don't want
to turn up for work, he'll
find other people who'll be grateful for the jobs. He leaves. Suddenly, Jill
has an idea.
Jill knocks on the door of Terry's flat and is let in by Tony, who is a bit
worse for wear. She tells him
she wants to talk to Terry and that he should make himself scarce. Terry appears
and tells Jill she is
the last person he expected to see. She tells him she wouldn't be there if
it wasn't really important.
Back at the riding school, Stephen has just spoken to Alan Pascoe on the phone,
and has been told he
has to be careful how he treats the workers. Stephen is furious. He rushes
outside, and Margaret tells
him to calm down. They see a car pull up and Patricia get out. Stephen remarks
that is all he needs.
Margaret tells Stephen she'll make herself scarce, but he tells her there's
no need. Patricia tells him
she wants to come back to him. Stephen asks her if Matt wasn't a good enough
meal ticket for her. She
tells him there is nothing going on between her and Matt, but Stephen tells
her he saw them asleep
together. Patricia tells him that she isn't lying and wants a chance to explain.
Stephen tells her he came
there to get some peace and quiet. He gets in his car and drives off.
Stephen drives down the road and meets Terry's
car. Stephen gets out of his car, and Terry gets out
of his with Jill. Terry asks Stephen why he didn't tell him the place was
nearly going bust. He explains
that he would have understood why he was carrying on if he had said something.
Terry tells him he
hasn't got an argument with him, and neither has anyone else. They shake hands.
Terry tells Stephen he
should thank Jill. Stephen tells Jill he's made a fool of himself. Jill tells
him she's glad they've come
to their senses.
Patricia is waiting in reception. Margaret is behind the desk, and tells her
she doesn't know why she
bothered coming inside - Stephen doesn't want to see her. She tells Patricia
she must think Stephen is
an idiot if she expects him to believe her. Patricia says nothing, but looks
thoroughly fed up.
Stephen, Terry and Jill arrive back at the riding school. Terry goes off to
phone around and get the
men back, and Jill also makes herself scarce. Stephen walks into reception
and finds Patricia sitting
there. Margaret decides to leave the two alone and leaves. Stephen tells Patricia
that she should leave,
as he won't change his mind. Patricia asks him to let her have her say with
no interruptions and, if he
still doesn't believe her, she'll leave and they can call their marriage quits.
Stephen agrees and sits
down. Patricia tells him that there's nothing between her and Matt - there
never has been. She explains
that the night he saw them in bed together, she was having a bad time and
Matt was just there to comfort
her. She continues that she went to Perth with Matt so she could clear things
in her mind. Patricia tells
him she realises that she loves him, and wants to go back to him. Stephen
tells her he doesn't believe her.
He says that he has given in to her before, and five minutes later she was
back doing what she wanted.
Stephen tells Patricia he is not risking it again, and she'd better go. Patricia
is staggered, and walks out
slowly. Patricia
walks outside and back to her car, where she starts crying.
In his flat, Matt is entertaining a young woman
when Patricia walks in. Matt tells her he wasn't expecting
to see her back so soon, and she is welcome to stay. Patricia tells him she'll
go off and see a movie or
something. Matt tells her he'll see her in the morning, and she leaves.
Later, Patricia is standing by a motorway, watching the cars go past. Then
she goes into a bar.
At the riding school, Stephen asks Margaret if she thinks he was fair on Patricia.
She tells him, from what
he said, she thinks he was more than fair. Stephen wonders whether Patricia
was telling the truth, as she
seemed very genuine. Margaret tells him he's done very well for himself that
day - he's managed to pocket
his pride and see that things are different in the country, and he's woken
up to Patricia.
Patricia arrives back at Matt's flat to find him asleep on his sofa. Matt
wakes up and tells her he's glad
she's back, and that he was worried about her. Patricia tells him that she
went to a bar on her own, and
was chatted up by some dreadful little fake. After that she went to a couple
of coffee places where she
was stared at, winked at and even offered some money. She tells Matt she came
back there because she
feels safe. Matt tells her she is, and kisses her. Matt tells her he just
wants to make her happy and he
doesn't want her on the rebound - only if she wants him. Patricia looks at
Matt for a while, and then they
start to kiss passionately.....
VINCE
MARTIN (as Matt Kennedy), ROWENA WALLACE (Patricia Morrell), KIM LEWIS (Jill
O'Donnell),
PETER PHELPS (John Palmer), MICHAEL LONG (Stephen Morrell), PAT McDONALD (Fiona
Thompson),
ILONA RODGERS (Margaret Dunne), ANDREW CLARKE (Terry Hansen)
Written
by DON BATTYE
Directed by PETER ANDRIKIDIS
Channel
Five broadcast: Saturday 5th October 2002