Episode 3828 (26th August 2004)

Plot
Inevitably Rodney’s offering Val a drink led to them spending the night together. In the morning, Val happily prepares Rodney a lavish breakfast but is disappointed when he tells her nothing’s changed. Val heads for The Woolpack and confesses to her sister that Rodney has dumped her because of what she said about Diane milking her cancer. Diane laughs at Val’s cheek and tells her sister she’s has had enough of Rodney turning her cancer into a grand tragedy in which he plays the romantic lead at her deathbed. Diane goes to Mill Cottage and reminds Rodney he had his last chance thirty years ago. Diane tells him that Val is in The Woolpack waiting. Cutting his losses Rodney goes to see Val, and invites her to come back to Mill Cottage. Val mentions that she knows about the trip to Egypt, and hiding his disappointment Rodney tells Val that the trip was meant as a surprise present for her. Edna lends a sympathetic ear as Pearl tells her the bleak tale of what it’s like to be the mother of a son who is a convicted rapist. Pearl tells her that sometimes when she visits Frank and he is happy she is ashamed because she feels that he has no right to be happy. She tells Edna of another time when Frank had been beaten up and looked scared and in her eyes he became her little boy again. Edna is shocked when she realises that Pearl has still not told Len about Frank and warns her to tell him before she does. Edna’s earlier suspicions that Pearl was not being upfront with him because Frank was her lover and not her son begin to play on Len’s mind. When he sees Edna in the pub and knows that Pearl and Edna have spoken about Frank he takes Edna’s refusal to confirm his suspicions as proof that they are true and goes to confront Pearl. Len is stunned when Pearl finally tells him the truth about her son and goes out to think things through. When he returns he upsets Pearl with his decision that Frank cannot stay there when he is released. Determined to find work with an overseas aid agency Laurel risks the wrath of Nicola and skips work. At the post office she collects a huge pile of letters about jobs she has applied for. She is disheartened as she wades through the pile of rejection letters. Later at The Woolpack, Ethan tells Ashley that the bishop is looking for recruits for a local project. Ashley thinks this would be ideal for Laurel. So, he is in for a shock when she bounds over to announce her excitement about an interview she has in Manchester for a job abroad.