Episode 4790 (21 January 2014)

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Max wants Lauren to cover up her wound so people won’t ask questions. Defiant, Lauren tells Abi and Cora what happened and why before heading to the salon. There, Lauren finds Poppy and Lola confused; there’s no sign of Sadie and the computer’s been wiped. Sadie arrives with a van and announces the salon’s closing. Lauren tries to reason with Sadie; Sadie retorts that Lauren has no idea how hard she worked to keep her family together, Lauren doesn’t know the half of what Jake’s done. Poppy and Lola are cold when they realise Lauren’s to blame for them losing their jobs. Max overreacts when David chides him for not valeting a car. David assures him he wasn’t making a point about Lauren and tells Max he’s lucky – Lauren chose to live with him. Mick sees Sadie looking distraught and comforts her, leaving Lady Di tied up outside the salon. Mick kindly stops Sadie making a move on him. Lauren tells Abi she knows Sadie still loves Jake. Jake’s hopeful when Sadie returns home but she looks at him with contempt when she realises he’s been drinking. Jake accuses Sadie of being controlling and she leaves. Max tells Sadie not to blame Lauren. Lauren visits Jake to persuade him to stop Sadie leaving. She’s left reeling when Jake suggests maybe what’s happened is a good thing –now there’s nothing standing in their way. Lauren suggests Jake needs some time but he wants them to leave Walford together. Lauren tries to stall Jake, insisting she can’t go without talking to Max or Abi but Jake’s undeterred. Surreptitiously, a scared Lauren speed dials Abi who doesn’t notice her phone ringing. Jake tells Lauren if there’s no him and her he’d rather they never walked out the door again; if she doesn’t come with him he doesn’t know what he’ll do. Jake frogmarches Lauren to the car. Lauren dials Abi again and this time she answers. Hearing Lauren and Jake’s conversation, Abi shouts to Max. Jake grabs the phone from Lauren ‘it’s just me and you now’ and revs the engine.

TJ asks Cindy what she’s going to do; Cindy tells him to stop hassling her but once she’s alone she looks frightened. The family tease Liam, who’s overdone the aftershave. TJ’s awkward when the family discuss Cindy. Carol suggests David have a word with Liam. Carol’s stressed at the cafe and is going to the hospital for a test. Carol realises Tina’s nicked a fiver from the till but lets her keep it if she works in the cafe for the next hour. TJ and Cindy bicker and Liam’s bewildered when he gets caught in the crossfire. Peter finds Cindy in the cafe when she should be at school. TJ joins Cindy and again asks her what they’re going to do; Cindy insists it’s nothing to do with him. Realising Tina’s listening in, TJ goes. TJ considers talking to his dad then confides in a reluctant David without naming the girl. TJ makes David promise not to tell Terry. David sends TJ to put the kettle on then nicks his phone. Carol’s impressed when she comes back to find the cafe running smoothly and tells Tina she’ll talk to Ian about her working there more permanently. Cindy tells Tina she doesn’t want Ian knowing she’s pregnant –it’s all going to be sorted, she’s got an appointment at three o’clock.

Mick’s smug belief that Wayne’s not pulling his weight is shattered when Nancy announces Wayne’s been working in the barrel store for over an hour. After checking on the boys, Mick reluctantly admits to Linda they’re doing okay but assures her Wayne will mess up. After comforting Sadie, Mick leaves the salon and realises Lady Di’s gone. He eventually finds Lady Di with Linda in the Vic. Linda asks if Sadie came onto him and says she’d have done the same in Sadie’s position. With Wayne and Nancy still acting like loves young dream Linda suggests they step Mick’s plan up a bit.

Kat asks Shirley to help flog the meat for a ten percent cut. Shirley has an idea – Mick’s thinking of doing decent food at the pub.