Episode 4309 (14th March 2006)

Plot
Bob's gutted when Jamie chooses to leave Emmerdale. Once his dad has handed him the cash Jamie hurriedly packs his bags and sneaks out of the Hopes'. Bob however catches his son mid-flit and is gutted by Jamie's deceit. After trying out some more lies on his father Jamie is finally forced to admit the truth although he warns Bob it's going to sound ridiculous. Jamie tells Bob all about his ex-girlfriend and how he's now locked in a custody battle over their pet dog, Snoop. Ridiculing Jamie's story, Bob's sure that, like the others, it's fictitious, but Jamie insists that this time he's telling the truth. Pleading for Bob to believe him, Jamie piles on the emotional blackmail, but Bob, sure he'll never trust Jamie again, is unmoved. Stooping low, Jamie blames Bob for being a rubbish role model. Bob's stung by Jamie's cruelty and he offers him the money back, pointing out he if takes it, it means goodbye. Although troubled by his dad's distress, Jamie takes what's on offer, leaving Bob gutted. Finding Viv, Bob reckons he can't bear the thought of being a rubbish dad again, stating all plans for baby making are off. Viv is horrified. Dawn begins to panic as she finds herself taking a driving test cancellation for Thursday, so when Jo offers to take Dawn out in the car she jumps at the chance. Practicing her parallel parking, Dawn ends up scratching Cain's car. Later when Cain gripes to Bob about someone denting his car, Bob admits that it must have been Dawn. When Cain confronts Dawn in the café, she stands up to him giving as good as she gets. Finding ballsy Dawn funny, Cain throws a few dangerous flirts before going. Jo and Donna are impressed by her guts in squaring up to Cain but Dawn is preoccupied fretting about her test looming and fears she's nowhere near ready. Dawn knows if she fails her test doing her college course will be out of the question. Simon reports to Lesley that Nicola has cancelled her standing order on the mortgage. Lesley is pleased that Nicola is relinquishing her claim on the house, but Simon regrets that she still wants buying out and, to get rid of her, he plans to do so. Later that day, having looked over his finances, Simon admits to Lesley that they're financial in dire straits. Lesley reckons they need to get Ivan back as a lodger but Simon is sure he won't come back. Unwilling to be on the breadline, Lesley approaches Ivan. As Simon had suspected, Ivan makes it clear that he will not be coming back. Val proposes to Noreen that she stands for election as an independent candidate against Eric but Noreen says no.