Update- Friday, February 15, 2008- The Day After

Eileen is sleeping in a chair in the hospital room where Claire is. Eileen is woken up by her mobile ringing. Ashley has been out of range all this time and has just gotten her messages. Eileen tells him that there was a fire, and Claire was all right. She tells him to come back. She does not mention Freddie.

Rita and Betty stand outside the shop and discuss the fire. The writers attempt some lightheartedness by having Norris and Rita engage in a conversation about whether or not Norris is ghoulish.

Back at the hospital, the doctor decides to rouse Claire, blithely ignoring Eileen who says that maybe they should wait for Ashley. When Claire comes around, she becomes hysterical when it is evident that Freddie did not make it. Eileen is there to comfort her.

Roy and Hayley arrive at the hospital, with a flask of tea. Eileen tells him that Ashley is on his way, but that he does not yet know about Freddie.

When Ashley and Joshua arrive at the hospital, Ashley wants to go straight in to see Claire. Roy, Hayley and Eileen stop him and attempt to take Joshua. It is then they have to tell Ashley that Freddie did not make it. Roy does so simply by saying that they are all very sorry.

While Hayley and Roy wait in the hallway, Ashley, Joshua and Eileen sit with Claire. Eileen tries to reassure Ashley. Claire comes around and begs Ashley to go to the house. Ashley agrees, and Joshua stays with Eileen, Hayley and Roy.

Meanwhile, back on the street, David sees Darryl and suggests that Darryl set the fire. Darryl, good judge of character that he is, looks at David as if he is a psycho and says he would never do such a thing.

Then Ashley and Eileen arrive at the house. The police won’t let Ashley go into the house, or tell him what is going on. Gerry invites him into his back garden so he can at least see what they are doing. Rita comes by and tries to comfort Ashley. Ashley, in turn, feels guilty for having gone away.

As Ashley and Rita stand in the back garden, Eileen and Gerry stand in his kitchen, where Eileen starts to cry. Gerry acts very sweetly with her, which is the second time he has done so, and which makes me worried that they may indeed, become an item.

Finally, a police officer approaches Ashley. He introduces himself as D.I. Parks. First he gets Ashley to confirm that the burnt out room was Freddie’s room. He then tells him that there was no evidence of a baby in Freddie’s room, or in the rest of the house, for that matter. D.I. Parks tells Ashley that when the fire was set, Freddie was not there.

In Other News

Ken comes over to discuss things with Deirdre. Deirdre gives Ken the cold shoulder, and then gets upset when Ken walks away.

Leanne and Liam, deciding that the best way to cope with the tragedy on the street is to go on with business as usual, are very pleased with one another. Although Liam and Leanne want to spend some time together, Leanne ends up having other plans, and having to leave Liam alone for an hour or two. After she leaves him alone in the Rover’s, Leanne has an apparent change of heart, and calls the agency. She tells them that she quits. Janice overhears, and they are both two very pleased women. Leanne goes back to spend time with Liam.

And, in a part that is cut, Steve and Michelle realize they can only get together if Liz agrees to baby sit. But, Steve can’t get a word in with Liz, because she is consoling a blubbering Deirdre.